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Chapter Text

Greetings! Thank you for checking out A Bridge Between Worlds. Before we get started, I should mention the following:

First, this story is a sequel to my recently completed longfic A Prelude to Chaos Control. If you haven’t already read it, I would highly recommend checking it out first before reading this one. While it is not a requirement to have read the prior story, it would greatly enhance your experience, and you’ll miss several references to previous events.

Second, this story is a “reimagining” of Sonic X immediately following the events of Prelude, which was a Sonic X prequel. This means the story will only be very loosely based on the anime, as it primarily follows the continuity I established in the first story. Needless to say, a ton of creative liberties will be taken in this fic. While I will make references to the anime throughout the story, it is not a requirement to have watched the show.

Finally, I hope you enjoy this fic! As with Prelude, I anticipate this story to be at least 100,000 words by the time it’s concluded. My goal is to generally update this piece once every couple of weeks, but if you ever want to reach out for updates, feel free to PM me or reach out via social media (my accounts are listed on my profile).

With all these prefaces out of the way, let us begin!

Chapter 1: Welcome to Station Square

Slowly waking from what felt like a long overdue slumber, a young fox opened his eyes, finding nothing but darkness all around him.

“W…where am I?”

Feeling around with his gloved hands, he found himself lying on an uneven surface across what felt like a heap of random objects. As his senses returned to him, he registered an unpleasant odor and the gentle sound of rain crashing over the surface above. Contorting his face, he fought the urge to squeeze his small, black nose, instead raising his wrist to his face and activating his communicator. Tapping a few buttons on his watch, a display projected from the device.

“Call Sonic,” he said to his watch.

“No service available, Tails,” it said in a feminine, robotic voice.

“That’s strange.” He opened his settings app with a few flicks of his fingers. “My signal towers are strong enough to reach nearly every part of Mobius.” A stark possibility came across Tails’ mind, his finger freezing mid-swipe. “Which must mean…”

His thought was interrupted as the ground beneath him began to rise. He grabbed hold of the bags on either side of him as he started tipping.  

“Ahhhh!”

Once tilted nearly upside down, the door above him swung open by force of gravity, and the young fox fell headfirst into another dark pit. He was then gradually covered by what he now determined to be garbage. He heard the crash of the dumpster returning to the ground below and the sound of metallic arms retracting. Finally, the garbage truck began to move, taking with it an unwitting passenger.  

The fox’s body was now half-buried in filth, his furry, orange legs, red and white sneakers, and twin tails sticking out from the pile. With a grumble from below, Tails activated his rotary namesakes, garbage flying all about as his tails began to spin. As he slowly lifted himself out of the heap, he freed his arms and pushed against the uneven surface with his dirty, gloved hands, eventually unearthing himself from the heap.

Now upright, Tails bent his knees to keep himself steady. He pulled a banana peel from his hair, tossing it to the side in disgust before peering around. Glancing up, he pressed his hands against the retractable lid, which slowly folded outward until it was fully opened.

“There we go…” The orange kitsune jumped up, grabbing hold of the ledge and pulling himself up, steadying his feet and pinwheeling his arms to keep himself from falling off the moving truck. He felt the refreshing rain against his fur as he inhaled the relatively fresh air of the unknown city.

With a screech, the truck came to a stop.

“Woahh!” Caught off-guard by the sudden halt, the young fox fell back into the truck, faceplanting against the heap he escaped from moments earlier. As he was pulling himself up once more, his triangular ears twitched at the sound of the mechanical arms lifting another dumpster, tipping its contents into the truck, and covering the unsuspecting kitsune with another layer of filth.

“Oh, just my luck.”

Clawing his way to the surface, Tails climbed out of the truck once more, this time better steadying himself on the roof as he peered around. The roads were surrounded by tall buildings, the late-afternoon sun obscured by dark clouds. Passersby carried umbrellas, their eyes trained on the sidewalks as they went about their business, and other vehicles, mostly small cars, drove on either side.

Wiping the water from his brow, the young fox shielded his eyes from the rain as he attempted to get a good look at the nearby pedestrians. His jaw dropped when he found a young couple sharing an umbrella, walking down the sidewalk with a leashed dog in tow.

“Are those…humans?” Tails shook his head. “Just like…Eggman?” He raised his palm to his chin in thought. “But I thought he was the only one around.” Peering around once more, he got a good look at the drivers and passengers in the nearby vehicles, all of whom shared the general characteristics of a human: smooth skin, little hair, fully clothed, and heads that were proportionally smaller to their torsos relative to Mobians.

“I wasn’t aware of any human colonies on Mobius…unless…” Tails gasped. “The Chaos Emera—”

He was interrupted by another sudden stop from the garbage truck. While he stammered, he was prepared enough to prevent himself from falling into the filth once more. With a sigh, he watched as the arms lifted the nearby dumpster, poured its contents into the truck, and placed the dumpster back on the ground.

“But why would the Chaos Emeralds transport us here? And where even is here?” He gasped once more. “And where’s Soni—ahhhh!!” The truck accelerated rapidly, a move which caught the young fox off-guard, sending him careening off the roof. He landed on the hood of the car directly behind the garbage truck, denting its sleek metal. He bounced off and crashed through the windshield, glass spewing everywhere as the fox landed in the passenger seat upside down, his head holding up the rest of his body.

“Oh my god!” the human man exclaimed. He pulled off to the side of the road, engaged his emergency lights, and got out of the car, quickly circling to the passenger side. He watched as the alien twisted himself around, his gloved hand massaging his head.

“Oh, hi there!” Tails greeted from below with a bright smile.  

“Ahhhhh!” The human screamed. “What the hell is that!? A talking fox…thing?” He grabbed hold of Tails’ namesakes and yanked him out of the car, throwing him to the side of the road. “Ewww, I touched it, I touched it!” Diving back into the vehicle, he sped away, splashing a puddle of mud over the weary fox.

Tails sighed, allowing himself to recover from the ordeal as he rested his face against his furry arms. “Some things never change, huh?”

Suppressed memories filled his mind, back in the days when he roamed from town to town, bullied and ridiculed for his two-tailed mutation wherever he went, hardly able to scrape by on bits of food he found in dumpsters and the fruit and meat he harvested in nature. His eyes began to glisten.

“No…” He pulled himself up, drying his tears with his arms. “That was a long time ago. These people are just scared of outsiders is all.” Glancing down at himself, he found he was none the worse for wear save for his dirty fur. Satisfied, he looked around, what little sunlight radiating through the dark clouds above rapidly fading as the afternoon transitioned into evening, the streetlights illuminating the sidewalk enough to guide him while keeping himself mostly incognito.

“The first thing I need to do is hide out somewhere, maybe find some food and get some rest before I search for my friends.” Tails closed his eyes and folded his arms, putting his head down in thought. “Sonic…where are you? You were in my arms moments before Chaos Control, but where did you g—"

He felt a sharp pain in his namesakes.

“Yeoww!!!” Tails turned his head to find a small human child staring back at him, an umbrella handle in one hand, a cell phone in the other, and a sneaker across a single tail. He straightened his face and forced a weak smile. “Uhhh, hi?” The fox suppressed his pain, hoping to cause as little of a scene as possible.

“A…monster…ahhhhh!” The kid ran away, throwing his cell phone and umbrella in the air as he fled.

“Wait!” Tails yelled, extending his arm to catch the device. “You forgot your…” He sighed as the kid turned at the next block, now obscured by the tall building separating the two.

“Ahh, a wild animal!”

The orange kitsune spun around to find an adult woman with a transparent umbrella.

“It attacked a kid! Someone help!”

All eyes were now on the young fox; pedestrians looked out from their umbrellas, apartment dwellers opened their windows to get a good view of the feral beast, and vehicles stopped on the side of the road, the humans within staring in disbelief. One of these cars was painted black and white, a set of flashing red and blue lights on top.

Tails watched, stepping back a few paces and raising his defenses as two humans in dark blue uniforms exited the car. One was holding a donut while the other was munching on a half-eaten burger. The former was tall and slender, and the latter was wider around the waist and sporting a moustache. Both had guns and portable communicators affixed to their belts.

“Well look what we have here,” the taller human said, “it’s a little bit early to go dressing up for Halloween, isn’t it?”

“Or maybe it’s his pajamas?” asked the smaller one. The two shrugged their shoulders and approached the orange kitsune, who tightened his fists and fluttered his namesakes from behind.

“Say…sergeant?” the taller one asked, dropping his donut in disbelief, “if that’s just a costume…how did that tail…move?”

“Ummm…” The superior officer peered around the fox, who maintained eye contact as he gave a small snarl under his breath and prominently and menacingly displayed a single tooth for the humans to see. “I don’t think…that’s a…real boy.”

“I’m warning you,” Tails said, taking a few more steps back as the officers stepped forward, freezing at the sound of his voice, “one more move, and I’ll be forced to defend myself.”

“Did it…just talk?” the sergeant asked. The taller human nodded slowly with a gulp. Wracking his brain, the shorter officer reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of food in the shape of a bone. He bent his knees to lower himself slightly.

“Do you want a treat?” The man smirked. “I bet you’re hungry, huh? Out here in the city away from the forest?” He extended his arm, the piece of food resting in his open palm. Tails slowly dropped his own arms and approached the human. Reaching up on his tippy toes, he sniffed the treat before grabbing it, observing its rigid texture.

Well, it doesn’t smell the best, but…

Tails clutched his belly with his free hand, his stomach grumbling to remind him how long it’d been since he’d eaten anything. With a sigh, he plopped the snack into his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, his face contorted at the disgusting taste, spitting it out to his side.

“Now!”

The man caught him in an oversized animal net, catching the orange kitsune by surprise.

“Good work, officer,” the sergeant said.

“Thank you, sir!” he replied as he spun the handle and pulled the net-side closer in. He peered into the net to find Tails glaring at him with his arms folded. “We’ll take you to Animal Control to see what to do with you.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” With a grin, the fox wrapped himself into an orange sphere, preparing himself to perform a technique taught to him by his older brother long ago: the spindash. He spun his body in place rapidly, his namesakes sticking out from the spherical blur as he slashed through the net with ease. Still spinning as he fell to the sidewalk, he sped away, halfway down the block within seconds.  

The two humans stood dumbfounded, watching their captive get away. After shaking the daze from their eyes, the officers ran to their car, activated their lights, and followed the wild animal down the sidewalk. Round the corner, however, the officers found no trace of the feral creature. They slowed their pace, the passenger scanning the sidewalks as the driver kept his eyes on the road.

Shortly after they passed by an alleyway between two tall buildings, Tails peered from behind a large dumpster, his heart pounding with adrenaline. When it was clear the cops were gone and not coming back, he sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from his brow as he rested his back against the brick wall.

“Now all I need is some shelter…” The young fox looked around. He found some water-soaked cardboard boxes down the alley. Shaking his head at this initial idea, he turned around to face the dumpster, sighed, and hopped in. He tried his best to ignore the putrid smell within as he closed the lid and found a garbage bag soft enough to serve as a makeshift chair. Finally, resting his back against the cold metal of the dumpster, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes, reflecting on everything that had happened.

“Chaos Control.” He vividly remembered the white veil of nothingness engulfing Eggman’s base, eventually overtaking him and his friends. “Knuckles said our fate was bound to the will of the Chaos Emeralds. Why did they take us here? Was it a freak accident, or was there a purpose?” Tails opened his eyes as he raised a finger to his chin in thought. “Where exactly did the Chaos Emeralds take us,” he rested his head against the cold metal side of the dumpster once more, “and why did my friends get transported somewhere else? Are they in the same city? World?” The thought of being all alone in a place without his companions sent shivers down his spine. “Sonic…”

He sat in silence, attempting to hypothesize a reason for their teleportation as he reflected on the words Knuckles spoke to him back on Mobius as he was studying the Master Emerald in the hopes of learning enough about its properties to get his Chaos Emerald detector to work.

“I think you’re approaching the Master Emerald all wrong. You’re trying to study it scientifically. To unlock its secrets, you have to go beyond logic and reason.”

“Trust the Master Emerald. Place your faith in the Master Emerald. Treat it like a friend instead of an experiment.”

With more questions than answers, Tails stored these unresolved inquiries in the back of his mind to focus on the cell phone he inadvertently acquired from the human child. He activated the device with the power button and opened the main menu. Just below the top of the screen, which read “Timothy’s Phone” in bold letters, Tails opened the map application, showing an accurate pinpoint of where the orange kitsune was in the city. “Now I just gotta zoom out…” Spreading two fingers out across the screen, he found himself in the middle of what appeared to be a large, metropolitan city labeled “Station Square”. “I’ve never seen this place before.” Zooming out once more, he continued until he could see the entire map of the world.

“Strange…” He furrowed his brow as he analyzed his findings. “These land masses are quite similar to the ones back on Mobius, but there are some…differences.” He traced the blue gap between two large masses of land, labeled as the Atlantic Ocean, before returning his finger to the dot signifying his location: on the east coast of a continent in the western portion of the map. Zooming in, he clicked a Station Square hyperlink leading him to an informational webpage. The orange kitsune cleared his throat.

“Station Square is the capital city of the United States of America (U.S., U.S.A.). It is located on the Potomac River bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. As the seat of the U.S. federal government and several international organizations, the city is an important world political capital.” Tails rested the phone between his legs and placed a palm over his forehead with a groan. “I don’t think I’m on Mobius anymore…”

Twisting the phone around the gloved fingers of his free hand, he noticed a small hole on the back. Pulling out his Miles Electric portable computer from his namesakes, he used the brightness of its screen to peer within, revealing a small screw.

“Sorry, Timothy…” Wrapping his ambidextrous namesake around his belly, he inserted the tip of his tail into the hole and gently unscrewed it, repeating this pattern for a few other screws on each corner of the back of the device. Pulling the back case away, he scanned the internal components and pulled a small card from a slot. Carefully observing it in his hands, he inserted it into a slot in his tablet. Performing a few more functions, he heard a pleasant chime emanate from the device.

“Bingo!” he cheered. “I didn’t think that’d work. What’re the odds this human technology is compatible with my own?” With a chuckle, he wirelessly updated his wristwatch communicator, syncing the new settings between the devices so he could connect to the human network with both. “Now time to locate everyone…” A holographic image displayed over his wrist, but to his dismay, no blips appeared on the map. “Shoot…” He raised a finger to his chin in thought once more. “Their devices are not connected to the human network, so I won’t be able to find them…but maybe…” Pressing a few more buttons, he smirked at the sight of a blinking dot on the map. “…Ah, good! All of my devices are linked to the Tornado, so finding it was a piece of cake.” The thought of food made his stomach gurgle, forcing the young fox to clutch his belly.

Peering around the inside of the dumpster, he found a small, brown bag with a large, yellow “M” inked on its side. He found a half-eaten burger within. Smelling the old lunch, his stomach cried out for nourishment with greater ferocity, not caring if it was previously discarded.

“I have no human money and no guarantee I’ll find food anywhere else…” Peering down at the burger once more, the hungry fox started salivating. “Doesn’t appear moldy or rotten…ah, what the heck.” He took several greedy bites until the burger was completely devoured. “Never thought I’d have to go dumpster diving again…” Pulling himself up, the orange kitsune pushed open the lid and jumped out, landing in the alleyway beyond. Dusting himself off, he pulled up his map application once more.

“The Tornado appears to be in some sort of suburban area several dozen miles west of here.” Putting his wrist down, the young fox furrowed his brow. “Well, here goes nothing.” Stepping out of the alley, the orange kitsune ventured forth, on a mission to reunite with his beloved biplane.  

Slowly opening his eyes, Sonic the Hedgehog found himself sprawled out across a hard, concrete surface. Shaking his head, he pulled himself up and stretched his arms up before reaching down to his blue and white sneakers.

Looking ahead, the blue hedgehog found himself in the middle of a road surrounded by tall buildings on either side, pedestrians packing the sidewalks and holding umbrellas in the rain.

Hearing a honk from behind, Sonic spun around to find a truck barreling toward him. With a spindash, he dodged the truck, only to find himself obstructing the path of a car coming from the opposite direction. With a hop, the blue blur dodged this vehicle as well, only to face plant against the windshield of a large semi-truck.

“What the hell is that thing?!” cried the driver. Pulling a black bar near the side of his steering wheel, Sonic was pushed away by the truck’s windshield wiper, falling to the street below. The trucker drove away, leaving the blue hedgehog face down along the curb.

“Ahh, rude!” Sonic pulled himself up once more, spitting out dirt and dusting himself off before taking another look around. He was surrounded by a group of surprised onlookers, a sight which equally confused him.

“…Humans? Like Egghead? No way…” The blue hedgehog bent his legs as he shook his head. “There’s no use standin’ ‘round here! I gotta find my friends ‘n get to the bottom of this!” With a grin, he ran on, joining the traffic cutting through the heart of downtown, dodging cars to maintain his momentum. “Maybe if I were higher up…” Veering to the right, he ran up the side of a tall building, reaching the roof with practiced ease.

“I’ve never been here before,” Sonic said to himself as he scanned the area. He found tall buildings scattered for as far as the eye could see, save for a long bridge extending over a river to the north. “The faster I can get outta this city ‘n get some fresh air, the better.” Charging a spindash, Sonic launched himself off the roof, free falling to the street below, grabbing hold of a traffic light bar extending across the width of the road, twirling around it several times, and jumping off, angled toward the road.

He seamlessly continued his trek as he landed back on the cement, a blue blur to pedestrians and drivers alike as he exited onto a much wider interstate highway leading to the bridge, eventually crossing its entire length and turning off onto another raised interstate, jumping over a large “Do Not Enter” sign.

“But how did I get here? And what happened to Tails? Last thing I remember was…” The blue hedgehog recalled the moments before he slipped out of consciousness; he was shot in the back, trying to protect Tails from a horde of Egg Pawn robots. His memory was fuzzy up until the point where he was suspended in the air, his younger brother floating alongside him, a yellow, glowing aura partially veiling him. He still remembered the warmth emanating from Tails’ hands as he used the powers granted to him by the Chaos Emeralds to heal his wounds.

“You’ll be okay. Let me take care of things from here.”

“You got this…hero.”

A small tear formed in Sonic’s eye as a smile appeared on his face. “Tails…you did it. I never thought you could go super, but you did it. I’m proud of you. Now if only I knew where you were…” Scanning the road ahead, he found the path obstructed yet again by a set of red and yellow signs, which the blue hedgehog jumped over with ease. Shortly after, he found the elevated road reached an abrupt end. With a smirk, he launched himself off, extending his arms out as he got a breathtaking view of the suburbs below, the sparkling lights, flashing signs, and various passersby creating a picturesque scene for Sonic to enjoy from above, flying almost as a bird in the night sky.

“Wherever I am…it’s not so bad…I could almost get used to this!” As his trajectory began to dip, his eyes widened at what he found directly below: one of two large, lighted pools in the gated perimeter of a fancy estate.

“Uh…ohhh…” Flapping his arms, Sonic attempted to change his course, but to no avail. Frantically looking around for anything to lock on to for a potential homing attack, his search was in vain.

Falling like a brick, the hedgehog landed in the pool with a massive splash and quickly sank to the bottom.

He tried running to the nearby pool ladder, but he only succeeding in jogging in place, generating bubbles around him as he brought himself to a stop. Next, he bent his knees and jumped up, only reaching halfway to the surface.

Think Sonic, think…I’ve gotten out of stickier situations before…

Folding his arms, and closing his eyes, he wracked his brain for a solution, but none came. Before he knew it, his lungs started burning, begging for more oxygen that the hedgehog was unable to provide.

I guess this is it…what a way to go, huh? At least Tails won’t be needin’ me anymore.

He’s got this…he ain’t a lil’ kid anymore. He can handle himself, I’m sure of it.  

Unable to hold his breath any longer, he opened his mouth, his face contorting and his hands gripping his neck before he passed out.

Leaning back in his computer desk chair, a human boy ran his hands through his disheveled brown hair as he stared at his monitor.

“So Mom and Dad said I can get whatever I want…but I can’t decide…” He raised a hand to his chin in thought. “I already own an entire island off the coast of Station Square. Maybe I could get a second amusement park built there?” He pulled out his cell phone and opened his contact list. “I know just who to ask.” He raised the phone to his ear, tapping his sneakers against the floor in impatience after the second ring. “C’mon, pick up. It’s not like you got anything better to do.” The fifth ring ceased as the recipient answered the call.

“Ummm, hello?”

“Hey Danny, it’s Mr. Thorndyke.”

“Ummm, Chris?” The friend on the other line yawned into his arm. “Ya know how late it is?”

“Oh, come on! 11 PM isn’t that late,” he replied, “and don’t call me Chris. You are to refer to me by Mr. Thorndyke and Mr. Thorndyke only. Hear me?”

“Okay, whatever,” Danny replied with a sigh. “What do you need this time?”

“Well,” Chris began, “my parents said I can get anything I want, but I don’t know what to choose. I require some brainstorming assistance.”

Danny groaned. “Can we do this tomorrow? We’ve got school in the morning.”

“Absolutely not!” Chris yelled. “May I remind you of the contract we signed? You’re my friend on retainer, meaning my family ensures yours has a roof over their heads in exchange for your on-demand friendship.”

Danny scoffed. “You know that’s not how friendships are supposed to work, right?”

“Silence, peasant!” Chris shouted, nearly spilling his energy drink in anger. “One more peep out of you, and I’ll cut off the gravy train. Wouldn’t want that, now would ya?”

“No, don’t do that!” Danny yelled, rolling out of bed and pacing from one end of his bedroom to the other. “Okay, I’m awake. Have you narrowed down what kind of gift you want?”

“Heh, better.” Chris smirked, always getting a kick out of manipulating others with money. “Anyway, I was thinking a second resort on my island…or maybe even a second island entirely. Thoughts?”

“What is this for again?” Danny asked. “Your birthday isn’t for another eight months.”

Chris shrugged. “Nothing in particular. You know how my parents are.”

Danny facepalmed before running his palm up to his short, back hair. “Sure. Anyway…do you need a second island?”

It was Chris’ turn to scoff. “Of course I need a second island! I just need to figure out if I should develop my first island a bit more or if I should branch out now.”

“I don’t know, man,” Danny sighed, “maybe ask for…both?”

Chris pondered this suggestion for a few moments, raising a hand to his chin once more. “Danny, you’re a genius! Yeah, I’ll just ask for both! See, this is why we keep ya around.”

“Is there anything else I can assist you with this evening?” Danny asked, his voice monotone.

“I’m good. Just be sure to have my homework completed by the first bell tomorrow.”

“As always…Mr. Thorndyke.” Danny stopped himself from gagging.

Chris hung up the call and threw his phone on the bed before jumping in himself and sprawling across the mattress with his hands behind his head. He peered around his oversized room.

“Eh, I’ll just call in sick tomorrow.” He smirked to himself once more. “The school would be bankrupt if I didn’t bankroll it anyway.” He rolled to the side of the bed and opened a mini freezer within arms’ reach, pulling out a tub of ice cream. Leaning against the bed board and grabbing a spoon from the end table, he consumed nearly a full pint before hearing a loud splash from outside.

“What was that?” Chris asked with a full mouth. Swallowing his last bite of ice cream, he put the container back in the freezer and peered out the window to reveal a clear disturbance in one of his two personal swimming pools. “Ah, maybe it’s an intruder!” He smirked with glee. “I’ve been wanting to test out the Taekwondo I learned from Tanaka.” He punched the air in front of him before performing a backward roundhouse kick, overextending his leg and falling to the floor.

“Heh, just a fluke!” he declared as he stood back up and ran out of the bedroom, sliding down the railing of the long, spiral staircase leading to the base level of his mansion. He stealthily made his way to the backdoor, careful not to wake his butler and maid. Stepping into the courtyard, he peered around, finding no intruders. Chris approached to the pool and peered within, finding an animal-like figure still as a log, fully submerged in the water. The young boy sighed.

“And here I thought I’d be takin’ down some bad guys tonight.” With a groan, he grabbed a pool net from the ground and clumsily pried the animal from the pool floor like a hamburger, pulling him out of the water and rolling him to the side. Chris approached the blue alien entity slowly, eventually crawling on all fours to get a better look.

“Hey…” The young boy gently slapped the anthropomorphic hedgehog across the face. “You okay there?”

No response.

He poked the black nose protruding from its muzzle.

Still nothing.

“Well…I think it’s safe to say it’s dead.” He pulled himself up and turned around. “I’m sure Tanaka will throw it away tomorrow morning.” As he took a few steps back to the mansion, he froze at the sound of raspy coughing coming from behind. Swinging around, he found the animal coughing up water.

The boy ran back to its side. “Hey, you’re alive after all!”

“Well of course I am!” Sonic replied between bouts of hacking. He got a good look at the boy above him before shifting his attention to the net at his side. “You saved my life?”

“Ummm…yeah, I guess I did.” A wicked smirk grew along Chris’ lips. “I mean…yes, of course I saved your life! Whatcha gonna do to repay me?” While he was intrigued the animal could talk, the lust for money outweighed his curiosity.

“Huh?” The hedgehog was confused and still a bit disoriented from nearly drowning.

“How much is your life worth? Maybe $100,000? A million?”

The anthropomorphic alien cocked his head in confusion before reaching his gloved hands into his spines. “Sorry, must’ve left my wallet at home.”

“Heh, likely story…” With a sigh, Chris pulled the alien up off the ground. “What’s your name?”

“Ummm, Sonic.”

“Well, Sonic, it’s nice to make your acquittance.” He pulled him by the arm back to the mansion.

“Hey, where ya takin’ me, bub?” Sonic protested as he was dragged away.

“You’ve got a lot of work to do around the house to make up for me saving your life. I’m sure Ella could make you a nice butler outfit, too.”

Sonic pulled his wrist away. “Hey, I’m not some butler! I’m glad you saved my life, but where I come from, we don’t expect a reward for saving others.”

“Oh?” Chris smirked as he chuckled from above. “And just where is that exactly?”

“Well…” Sonic started to lose his balance. “I’m from…ohh, my head hurts…” He collapsed against the concrete floor, his body sprawled out as exhaustion overtook him.

“Hmph…freeloader.” Shaking his head, the young boy pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

“Hello, Animal Control? I have a weird…animal thing you should probably come take away. Don’t know when it’s gonna wake up, but I don’t want it loitering around my estate.” Providing his address, the person on the other line scheduled an immediate dispatch. The boy ended the call, turned to face the blue hedgehog one last time, audibly scoffed, and retired back to his bedroom.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Bridge! It turns out writing the first chapter to a sequel is a bit tricky, but I hope it turned out okay. Also, dirtbag Chris is fun to write. :O

I don’t know what it is about Tails and dumpsters, but it just seems to work. Anyway, Irritable Fabulamancer’s Dumpster Kid came to mind while writing the introduction of this story, as did the first chapter of my other ongoing fanfic, Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs. If you’ve read Prelude, I’m sure you’d enjoy the fluff both have to offer.

See you next time!

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Tornado Time

Kicking his legs back and forth as he sat at a bus stop, Tails stared into his Miles Electric tablet, tracking several moving dots traveling along a map. Sticking his tongue out the side of his mouth, he traced a gloved finger between one of these dots and the blinking circle representing his current location.

“According to this app, the next bus should be arriving in two minutes.” The young fox tucked the computer into the dirty, grey rain jacket he had found abandoned a few miles back. It was a bit too large for the small Mobian, but it was perfect for hiding away his namesakes. He kept his head down, the hood protecting him from the rain. To any passersby out and about near midnight, he would’ve looked like a normal human boy fully veiled in a jacket instead of an alien, anthropomorphic kitsune.

“I sure hope Sonic’s okay…” Tails replayed images in his mind of what had recently transpired back on Mobius, an incident which now felt like a lifetime ago. The orange kitsune vividly recalled watching as his older brother was shot through the torso by an Egg Pawn’s laser gun followed by the bout of rage that filled him as he defeated all the robots out of vengeance, and finally…

He remembered his transformation.  

“I suppose it stands to reason,” the orange fox pondered, raising a gloved hand to his chin. “After all, if Sonic can transform into a super form, then why can’t others? I just never would’ve imagined it to be me, of all people.” The young kitsune remembered tapping into the power of the mystical Chaos Emeralds to heal his older brother and defeat Eggman’s super mech, only for the gems to be stolen back by the evil madman, who threatened to use them to blow them all up if Sonic wasn’t turned over. As it turned out, the “bomb” didn’t cause an explosion at all.

“The Chaos Emeralds must’ve realized they were being manipulated for evil, but was transporting us to a new world the only way to counteract Eggman’s deed? Or did the emeralds have a purpose in mind for sending us here?” Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he stared down at them intently before balling them into fists. “Sonic…where are you?”

“Heya kid?”

“Huh?” Tails looked up to find the bus he’d been waiting for parked along the curb in front of him, the driver staring back at him. “Ya hoppin’ on or what?”

“Oh, yes sir.” Tails nodded his head and he slid off the bench, landing firmly on the sidewalk below before stepping up the large steps and walking past the driver.

“Ya forgot to pay.”

“Huh?” Tails turned around and cocked his head, keeping his face lowered to protect his identity.

“This ain’t a free ride. Either ya pay or you get off.”

“Ohh…” Tails fished around his namesakes, hoping at least one of the items he picked up along the way could serve as a form of payment. Yanking the first thing he found, he handed over a small French fry, one he was saving for sustenance but could live without if it meant retrieving his biplane faster.

The man observed it in his hands before peering back at the cloaked boy in front of him. “You take me for some kind of fool?”

“No, no, no!” Tails stammered, raising his arms forward while shaking his head. “Sorry…how about…” he reached into his namesakes once more. “…this!” He handed over an article of clothing to the driver, whose face grew red with anger as a vein bulged out of his forehead.

“Are you messing with me, or do you actually think you can pay with lady’s underwear?”

“Wait, wait, wait…” Reaching into his tails for a final time, he pulled out a few small, metallic disks, trading them back for the clothes and fry.

“Ah, much better.” The driver snickered as he deposited the coins into a small box on the dash, shifted the gear stick, and pulled out into the road. “Ya had me goin’ for a sec. Now no more jokin’ around, we’re runnin’ behind schedule as is.”

“Yeah, right…” Tails sighed as he took a seat on the nearly empty bus, the only other passengers sitting near the back. 

“Let’s see…” the orange kitsune muttered to himself as he pulled out his tablet once more, having configured his portable computer to be fully compatible with the human network. He pulled up pictures of United States currency, and sure enough, the coins he gave to the bus driver were standard legal tender. “Well that sure was lucky, wasn’t it?” Slipping his computer back into his jacket, he twiddled his thumbs as he kicked his legs back and forth once more.

“Hey, pipsqueak.”

Tails peered up to find the three men from the back of the bus now surrounding him. All had some form of colored mohawk and wore loose-fitting clothing and various metal facial piercings.

“Oh, hello there!” Tails waved up with a bright smile. “Lovely evening, isn’t it?”

“Oh, it’s a lovely evening all right,” the man in the middle said with a snicker, cracking his wrists as the two others stood on either side with evil grins. “I bet your mommy’s worried sick about ya, huh? Bet she’d do anything to get ya back, right?”

“My mom?” Tails asked, pointing a gloved finger at himself. As he did this, the hood of his jacket fell back, revealing his furry, Mobian muzzle. “Sorry, I don’t have a mom. I was abandoned as a kid…” The humans’ jaws dropped, frozen in disbelief.

“What…is this thing?” The punk on the left asked.

“That looks way too real to be a furry costume,” the thug on the right added.

“Hey kid…” The ringleader bent his knees, staring at the young fox at eyelevel. “What are you exactly?”

“Oh, me?” Tails asked, planting a palm against his chest. “That’s easy. I’m Miles Prower…but my friends call me Tails.”

“Not your name, kid…” he extended his neck out slightly to get a better look at the creature’s face. “You some kind’r alien or somethin’?”

“Well, I guess so?” Tails replied with a shrug. “You’re practically the first human who didn’t yell at the top of their lungs at first sight of me.” The young fox sighed as he remembered all the Earthlings he had negative interactions with since arriving to Station Square.  

“Is that so…” The suspicious human snickered once more. “If you come home with us, you can meet all kinds of friends who wouldn’t be scared of ya.”

“Really?” Tails’ triangular ears fluttered.

“Oh yes,” he replied. “Just get off at the next stop with us, and we’ll…keep you safe.”

“Oh, no can do!” Tails smiled while folding his arms. “I’m already on a mission.” He yelped as the man pulled out a switchblade from his pocket, pointing it within inches of his black nose.

“That wasn’t a request, kid.”

“Yeah, do what the boss tells ya to if ya know what’s good for ya,” the punk on the left ordered.

“If you value your life, you’ll do what he says,” the right-most man added.

“I’m sure your fur would fetch a pretty penny on the Black Market,” the leader declared, “or maybe we can find someone who’d want to keep ya as a pet? So many possibilities!”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” Tails’ look of shock and worry quickly dissolved, replaced with piercing eyes and a confident grin. He whipped his namesakes from behind, slapping the switchblade out of the punk’s hands before launching himself forward with his feet, landing a punch square to his face. The ringleader went down without a fight.  

“Playing the helpless kid is a sure way to trick goons like you into a false sense of security,” Tails taunted before spinning himself around, his ambidextrous namesakes wrapping around the remaining punks’ legs and pulling them off their feet.  “Letting your guard down was your first mistake.”

“Hey!” The leader yelled as he pulled himself up, covering his bleeding nose. “You’re not gonna get away with that!” He glared at his henchmen, who scrambled to recover from their falls and approached the orange kitsune, cracking their knuckles along the way.

“And your second mistake?” Tails grinned as he charged a spindash, launching himself at the punks in front of him and sending all three crashing through the back door, their screams fading as the bus pressed on. “Underestimating me.” With a confident chuckle, he attempted to close the backdoor only to find it unable to lock in place.

“Excuse me, sir?” Tails called from the back. “I kinda…broke your door.”

“Don’t blame yourself, kid,” the driver chuckled from the front seat. “I watched how you took down those thugs with your own two hands. Those guys have been a real pain n’ the ass for months. Now they’ll think twice before boardin’ my bus.”

“Sorry about the damage, though…” Tails’ ears drooped down as he held one arm with the other, looking back at the open exit, guilty and embarrassed.

“That’s a small price to pay.” The bus driver fished around his pockets, giving Tails the contents of what was within.

“What’s this?” Tails asked, analyzing the $20 and $10 bills and the coupon for a restaurant called Taco Bell.

“Well, it’s no secret that you’re far, far away from home, if ya know what I mean.” He chuckled once more. “This should be enough to get some warm food in your belly.”

“Gee, thanks, mister!” The orange kitsune fluttered his namesakes from behind, wearing a bright smile as he tucked the items into his tails.

“Don’t mention it!” The driver peered to his side. “N’ speak of the devil, looks like there’s a Taco Bell right at the next stop.” Tails pulled out his tablet and navigated to his map app.

“Hey, that’s where I’m stopping!”

“Welp,” the bus driver concluded, pulling off to the side of the road and opening the door, “it was nice to meet ya, kid. Thanks for teaching those goons a lesson.”

“It was my pleasure!” Tails replied with a thumbs up. “C’ya later!” Stepping out of the bus, he waved goodbye to the driver as he drove off down the dark streets.

Maybe these humans aren’t so bad after all…

With a warm smile and a renewed sense of determination, he spun around and observed the welcoming fast food establishment only a few meters away. He felt his stomach gurgling at the thought of what lay within.

“I guess I could go for a quick bite.” Tails giggled, his furry muzzle blushing as he clutched his belly. “Let’s see if they’re any good.” Zipping up his rain jacket and securely hiding his namesakes, the orange kitsune followed the welcoming smell of delectable food.

Slowly returning to consciousness, Sonic opened his eyes, raising his head as he placed a gloved hand against his forehead.

“Ah man, what happened?” Peering around the white, sterile laboratory, the blue hedgehog found himself trapped in a transparent, green tubular pod extending to the ceiling of an otherwise empty room. Picking himself up, he watched as a row of humans stared at their computer monitors through a wide window.

“Heh, do they really think this flimsy prison can keep me out?”

Rubbing the base of his nose, he charged a spindash, rolling himself into spherical form and crashing through the holding cell, the glass shattering upon impact. Turning around, he dusted his hands off in accomplishment before heading to the metal door to his left, triggering an alarm. As he stepped into the hallway, he saw a group of heavily armed humans running toward him, machine guns in-hand.

“Time to mosey on out of here!” Entering a moderate jog, he ran the opposite direction from the soldiers, dodging their gunfire with ease as he turned a corner. “That was too ea—” He was cut off by a laser strike he dodged milliseconds before impact. Peering up, he found several security cameras dotting the hallway, their lasers trained on him and ready to strike once more.

“The ol’ ‘camera laser trick’, eh?” Sonic snickered as he stepped forward. “Plllleeeeaze, this is child’s play compared to Eggman’s toys.” The nearest laser fired once more, a blast which was easily dodged by the blue hedgehog. Running up the wall, and grabbing hold of the camera to pull himself up, he spun it around so it faced the second nearest laser. The weapon auto-fired, obliterating the cameras down the path. “Got me some target practice, too! Tails’d be proud.”

With another snicker, the blue hedgehog dropped to the floor, rolling into a spindash before his sneakers could touch the tiles, and launched himself down the hallway, turning at the nearest stairwell and zooming up until he found himself on the roof.

He covered his eyes as the sun above blinded him. After adjusting to the natural light, he stepped to the edge of the roof and looked around, observing the rows of bland, white buildings forming what appeared to be some sort of military base in the middle of the desert. Shifting his focus away from the man-made structures, he noted the impossibly large expanse of sand and gave a long whistle.

“Well, my friends are missing, and I have no idea where to start lookin’...they may even be here, for all I know.” He shrugged his shoulders as he jumped to the edge. “Guess this is a good place to start, but which building do I try first?” Walking to the center, he stood still as he heard heavily armed soldiers running toward him from all directions.

“A party for me?” Sonic chuckled as he was encircled by the humans.

“Halt, we have you surrounded!” yelled the frontmost soldier. “Get on the ground with your hands up.”

“And why would I do that?” Sonic asked, folding his arms. “I’d love to stick around n’ chat, but I’ve gotta juice.” He bent his knees, preparing to jump across the wall of soldiers to complete his escape.

“That’s what the last one said,” the commander replied, “but they didn’t make it very far.” Sonic straightened his legs and focused his attention on him.

“What do ya mean?”

“Another one like you tried escaping. She got through our guards but passed out in the desert. Her little pet did its best to protect her, but we brought them both back.”

“Cream…and Cheese?” Sonic balled his fists as he slowly approached the commander. “What did you do to them?” The other soldiers trained their guns on the blue hedgehog.

“They’re unharmed,” he replied. “They’re being watched over as we speak.”

“Thanks for the info,” Sonic said in a stern voice, turning around and giving him a backhanded wave, “now I just gotta rescue ‘em and get outta here.”

“Not so fast, hedgehog.” The commander ordered. “You’d be making a grave mistake if you left so soon.”

“Oh yeah,” Sonic spun around and folded his arms once more, “and why’s that?”

“It’s simple, really.” The commander lowered his gun. “The little bunny is safe at the moment, but one call back to headquarters is all I need.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Sonic snarled as he stepped closer, balling his fists tight, only stopping as a trail of machine gun bullets obstructed his path.

“Oh, but I would, and I will if you take one more step.” Sonic withdrew a few paces, his anger quite palpable as he growled under his breath. “Very good. Now you will come with us. If you comply with our orders, we will ensure your little friend remains safe.”

“Yeah, you better,” Sonic grumbled as a soldier approached him with handcuffs, securely restraining his wrists, “because if you lay a single finger on her, you’re gonna regret i—” A soldier whacked his head with the end of his machine gun, sending him to his knees.

“That’s just about enough of your smartass mouth.” The commander spat to the side. “All right, soldiers, I want you six to escort our guest to his holding cell while the rest of you return to your posts.”

“Sir, yessir!” they exclaimed in unison before following their new orders. Two of the soldiers pulled Sonic from the ground while the remaining four followed closely behind with guns trained on his back. The other soldiers, meanwhile, dispersed back to their original posts.  

Sonic remained silent as he was led to a room like the one he escaped earlier, complete with two tall, cylindrical holding cells, one of which would serve as the blue hedgehog’s prison. Before he could step inside, however, he was stopped by a hand against his shoulder. Turning around, he found a scientist with a lab coat holding a syringe.

“All I need to do is give you this medication, and you will be able to relax while in confinement,” the scientist said as he flicked the needle.

“Hey, this wasn’t part of the deal!” Sonic yelled at the soldiers, who immediately trained their weapons on him. Finding himself staring into multiple muzzles, he realized his unfortunate situation; while he could almost certainly escape unharmed thanks to his supersonic speed, he was not about to risk Cream’s safety for his own. Therefore, with a long sigh, the blue hedgehog extended his right arm out.

“Just make it quick,” Sonic said with a grumble, looking away as the scientist applied some rubbing alcohol to the area of his upper arm before piercing his skin, causing him to wince. Sonic held his eyes closed, his muzzle scrunched with pain as medication was forced into his body. Finally, the scientist removed the needle and applied a bandage.

“What does this even do, anyway?” Sonic asked, groaning as he rotated his sore shoulder.  

“This long-lasting medication will keep you calm and sedated for several hours,” he replied as he placed the syringe into a toxic waste-marked garbage can at the side of the room. “Expect to be receiving many of these in the coming months.”

“The…coming months?” Sonic asked as his legs started to wobble. Before he could weigh any sort of possibility of escaping the base with Cream and Cheese, though, he passed out, falling out of consciousness before hitting the ground.

“All right, soldiers,” the scientist began, “put the hedgehog back in the machine so we can run our preliminary tests.” Doing as they were told, two lifted Sonic into the chamber and locked the glass door before exiting the lab, leaving the sleeping hedgehog alone in his new prison.

“Welcome to Taco Bell,” said the squeaky-voiced teenaged human male at the front counter, “can I take your ord—” He froze as he registered the sight of the only customer in line.

“Hello, sir!” Tails said in a cheery voice, waving his hand to greet him, “I’d like the, ummm…” He squinted at the menu above. “…I’ll have two Doritos Locos Tacos, a large bean burrito, some Nacho Fries with extra dip, a Crunch Wrap Supreme, two Cinnamon Twists, and…a large soda.”

The teenager peered down at the alien lifeform in amazement, completely speechless. Before he could muster up a response, however, a colleague of his, appearing to be of similar age, tapped him on the shoulder.

“It’s okay, man, he’s probably just here for that anime convention.”

“Ohhh, I gotchu,” the order taker replied before returning his attention to the orange kitsune. “Sorry ‘bout that.” He typed his order into his touchscreen display. “Will that be all, sir?”

“Yep!” Tails fluttered his namesakes from behind.

“All right, that’ll be $25.11.” Tails handed over some cash and the coupon.

“With the discount, that’ll be $18.25.” Handing the fox his change, he grabbed the food items from the warming rack behind him, placing them on a rectangular tray as Tails went to fill up his cup at the nearby self-service station.

“Huh…these sodas are foreign, but they look quite similar to the ones we have at home.” Shrugging his shoulders, he dispensed himself a sizzling blue cup of an appealing beverage labeled “Mountain Dew Baja Blast”, returning to the counter as his order number was called and hauling his food to a table in the corner of the restaurant.

Tails salivated at the sight of the neatly arranged fast food items before him, his stomach gurgling as he reached for the bean burrito. He squealed in delight moments after taking his first bite. “Man, this is really good!” He took a sip of his soda and proceeded to finish half of his meal in a matter of minutes before taking another long swig of his beverage and pulling out his Miles Electric.

“According to the map, I’m only a mile away from the Tornado, and it hasn’t moved at all since it first pinged.” He took a thoughtful bite of his taco as he stared out the window, the rain gently pattering on the empty parking lot outside. “Sonic…I sure hope you’re okay out there…” He took another bite. “What am I saying,” he declared with a mouth full of food, “of course he’s okay! He’s Sonic! He’s my big brother! We’ve dealt with weirder stuff before.” With a small smile on his face, he took a big bite of his dessert, stopping halfway through the Cinnamon Twist as he felt a pain in his belly.

“Owww, I think I ate too fast….” He analyzed the half-eaten Crunch Wrap Supreme in front of him. “This food seems a bit more artificial than what we have back at home. Maybe that’s why I…” The young fox covered his mouth as his cheeks bulged out. Hopping off the seat, he ran to the nearest restroom, returning several minutes later clutching his belly with one hand and holding himself up against the wall with the other.

“Well…lesson learned, I guess.” Feeling another burst of pain from his stomach, he rapidly spun around and returned to the restroom, coming back to his table several minutes later after yet another unpleasant vomiting spell. Peering down at his plate of half-eaten food, he raised a gloved finger to his chin in thought. “Maybe I’ll keep these and ration them out later. At least they have some nutrients, and if I eat them sparingly enough, I shouldn’t get sick.” With a sigh, Tails stored the food items in his hammerspace before turning to the door.

“We hope you enjoyed your food!” the worker said from the counter. Tails simply waved in response, lacking the will to tell the employee the meal didn’t agree with him.

“Hang in there, Tornado,” Tails declared as he stepped across the parking lot, “I’m almost there. Just another mile until we’re finally reuni—” The orange kitsune stopped as a flashy advertisement caught his eye along the window of the neighboring restaurant. He noted the yellow “M” identical to the one he had found on the bag with the half-eaten burger in the dumpster. The fox couldn’t take his eyes off the green shake on the poster.

“Shamrock Shake, huh?” Tails turned around. “But I shouldn’t. I’m so close…I don’t need any more distractions!” He shook his head as he walked away, only to return to the poster moments later. “But it looks so good!” The young kitsune salivated as he studied the poster once more. “I could really use a mint treat right now…” His stomach gurgled at the thought of the delectable ice cream, having recovered from the Taco Bell incident and hungry due to the lack of nourishment.

“Okay, then…it’s settled.” Planting a fist against the open palm of his other hand, he stepped into the restaurant, swearing this would be his final detour before reuniting with his beloved biplane.  

Opening his eyes after a restless sleep, Sonic found himself slumped against the inside of the cylindrical holding cell. Even as he allowed himself the time to fully awaken, however, he still felt sluggish and fatigued.

“Ah, geez…” The blue hedgehog pulled himself up, but he fell face-first against the floor. “What did…those guys…do to me?” Gritting his teeth, he gathered as much strength as he could muster to roll himself to his side. He stopped his efforts, however, when he noticed a familiar figure in a holding cell meters from his own.

“C-cream?” The blue hedgehog watched as the young bunny slept in her own tubular prison. Her orange dress had already been in tatters while she was imprisoned by Eggman back on Mobius, but the young bunny appeared even worse now, no doubt from trying to escape the Earthling military base. He noted scratches on the outside of her long, flappy ears, and her blue necktie was loosely wrapped around her neck, its knot long undone. Her white gloves were caked with dirt and sand, as were her yellow and orange sneakers.

“…and Cheese?” Turning his head slightly, the blue hedgehog observed the small, blue chao resting against Cream’s side, their soft breathing matching Cheese’s own. Like their owner, Cheese’s red bowtie was loose and grimy, and dirt covered their body, from their dumpling shaped head to their stubby, yellowish green feet.

Sonic’s ears pricked up as he heard the door creak open. Four scientists sporting white lab coats made their way to Cream’s cell, tablets in-hand as they vigorously took notes on the young bunny’s current condition.

“Poor kid,” one of the humans said while pushing up her glasses, “stranded without her parents, a bunch of scary people abducting her…I feel bad for her.”

“Feel bad for it?” replied one of the other scientists with a scoff. “You’re too sentimental. Ya know that, right? In this line of work, we must be prepared for the unexpected, including aliens like these. Besides…” He knelt to get a better look at the sleeping rabbit. “…we all saw the security footage. It escaped a small army of soldiers on its own. It may be cute n’ innocent on the outside, but actions speak louder than words.”

“S-shut up…”

“Huh?” The male scientist turned his attention to the blue hedgehog sprawled on the floor in his tube.

“Ya…heard me…” Finding the strength within, Sonic pushed himself up, leaning against the glass wall with the open palms of his gloved hands. “You…leave Cream…n’ Cheese alone.”

“Or else what, huh?” The human approached Sonic and tapped the glass surface separating them. “You’re far too drugged up to be escaping here anytime soon, and we’ll be keepin’ ya sedated until we learn everything there is to know about you.” He snickered as he peered down, laughing at the sight of Sonic’s angry snarl. “I wonder what we’ll do next…maybe we’ll study your DNA…or drain your blood…or maybe even harvest your organs for…further analysis.”

“Quit it, Liam!” The woman shouted, her tablet shaking in her arms. “Can’t you see he’s suffering enough?”

“Or perhaps still,” Liam continued, licking his lips, “we’ll rip this bunny apart first…and force you to watch.”

“That’s enough!” She was beyond angry, a vein appearing on her forehead above her brown, pony-tailed hair. “If you continue, I will be forced to lodge a complaint!”

Liam scoffed. “Whatever, Mandy…” Turning his attention to Sonic for the final time, he tapped on the glass casing of his prison once more. “We’ll be seeing you again real soon…freak.” His bellowing laughter filled the room as he stepped out, followed by two of the scientists. Mandy stayed behind, slowly stepping toward Sonic’s cell before tapping a few keys on the lock to open the sliding glass door. Sonic watched in awe as she knelt and gently lifted him so he was leaning against the side of the cell, his back pressed against the wall.

“Sorry about his behavior.” Mandy pulled a small, rectangular object from her pocket. She unwrapped it to reveal a sweet-smelling brown block within. “Chocolate?” She brought the candy bar closer to Sonic’s face, allowing him to sniff at it.

“S-sure…” Having regained some of his strength, he was able to grab hold of the snack and bring it to his mouth, taking a small, thoughtful bite. “Hehe, this is…pretty good…better on our world, though…” He winked at Mandy above with a smile as he took another bite.

“We’re going to be running some tests,” Mandy said as she stepped out of the tubular prison and closed the glass door. “You’ll see some lights, and the cell will vibrate a bit, but you and the bunny won’t be hurt.”

Sonic gave Cream a worried look before returning his attention to the scientist. “P-promise?” Sonic stared up at her intently.

“Promise,” she replied with a nod and a smile. “You have my word.” Sonic returned this reassurance with a thumbs up before she walked away, joining her colleagues on the opposite side of the windowed wall separating them from the Mobians.

As Sonic finished his chocolate bar, the lights in the laboratory grew dark. The cell began to vibrate around him, startled him only slightly before he remembered Mandy’s warning. Finally, he watched as a ring of light made its way around the circumference of the tube, starting from the top and slowly reaching the bottom. He felt nothing, save for the vibrations of the machine, as his biometric data were captured.

As the circle of light made its fifth lap, the blue hedgehog turned his attention back to the young bunny and her blue chao, both of whom remained asleep as they were analyzed.

“Cream…I’ll…get you…out…if it’s the…last thing I…do…”

Stopping near the street corner of a quiet suburb neighboring Station Square, Tails happily consumed his mint shake with a smile on his face. Peering around as he took another long sip, he found the house he had identified on his map application.

There it is…the Tornado is right behind that house…

Taking a final few sips, his ears drooped in disappointment as he reached the bottom of the cup, tossing it into a nearby public garbage can. “Note to self: get another one on the way back. Not as good as Mobian Scout™ mint chocolate chip shakes…but still decent.” Dusting off his hands, the fox stepped across the street as he furrowed his brow in determination.

He observed the small home before him. No lights were visible through the small windows dotting the aging, working class abode, and he detected no security systems as he stepped across the yard, tiptoed below the windows, and climbed up the backyard fence.

“That’s strange…” Tails pulled his Miles Electric from his namesakes and examined the blip he was standing over. “The Tornado should be here…unless it’s wrong?” He glanced at the clock on his tablet. “1:30 AM, huh?” He yawned as he turned around. “I guess I’ll have to start back from square one tomorrow…”

Creak.

Tails spun around. “I recognize that noise anywhere.” Hearing the metallic sound once more, his ears pricked as he used them to detect the source, leading him to a tall oak tree. Peering up, he gasped at the sight of the Tornado 2 biplane, its majestic blue finish glistening in the moonlight above, its dual wings caught between the tree’s thick branches, and the glass-covered cockpit undisturbed by the interdimensional travel.

“I finally found you!” Activating his rotary namesakes, Tails flew up to his plane and wrapped his arms and legs around its side, giving it a big hug. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much! You’re not too cold, are you?” He glanced around with a concerned look. “Well, we’ll getcha all fired up once we find a way to ground you.” Spinning around, the orange kitsune looked down at the grass from below. “How exactly do we get you down, though?” He raised a hand to his chin in thought. “I suppose I could cut down the oak tree, but that’d be too dangerous to do by myself, and you’d just fall out of the tree and get damaged anyway. Plus that wouldn’t be exactly fair to the tree…”

“In any case,” Tails continued as he reduced the spinning speed of his namesakes, returning to the ground with a gentle thud, “I’ll have to do something with the tree, even if that means cutting a few branches.” He crossed to the house, spinning his tails ones more to get a good look at what he could find through the small gaps between the blinds of the first-floor bedroom. “I think…I see someone sleeping…”

Tails tapped on the glass window.

Tap. Tap.

Tippy. Tap. Tap.

The fox waited patiently for several seconds before giving it another try.

Tippy Tippy Tippy Tap.

“There, I think they’re getting up now.” Tails cleared his throat, hoping to make a decent enough first impression to make the biplane removal project as smooth as possible. Finally, he watched as a young girl opened the blinds, her long, blond hair rustling behind her, reaching back to the edge of her wheelchaired seat.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” the girl said to herself, her voice mostly muffled by the window separating the two. Raising a hand to her chin in thought, she analyzed Tails’ plane intently, its owner below her peripheral vision. “I hope the pilot didn’t get hurt.”

The young fox, in a last attempt to get her attention, tapped on the window a few more times.

Tippy Tippy Tippy Tap.

“Huh?” The girl peered down to find the orange kitsune below. Tails increased his altitude so they were eye-level.

“Hi!” he greeted with a smile. His smile quickly faded, however, when the girl fainted out of shock, slouching back in her seat.

“…Hello?” Tapping the window a few more times, the young fox tried waking her up, but to no avail.

Darn it…

I hope you all enjoyed the second chapter! Special thanks to fellow members of the r/MilesPrower Discord server for helping me answer an important question: what would Tails order if he went to Taco Bell?

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: A New Friend

Helen awoke from her slumber, her wheelchair facing the bedroom window. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she peered out into the backyard with a yawn.

“That’s strange…why did I fall asleep like this? My doctor always tells me it’s bad to nap in my wheelchair.” Her eyes wandered to the biplane resting in the branches of the tall oak tree. “Ohh, that’s right!” She vividly recalled the orange, furry creature hovering on the other side of the window, greeting her politely before she fell unconscious. “Who was that?” She scratched her chin in thought before backing up her wheelchair and grabbing the clothes hanging from the doorknob.

Emerging from her bedroom a few minutes later, she donned a pink vest over her short-sleeved white shirt, a pink skirt, and a lime green neck bow. She rolled passed her parents’ open bedroom, peering inside to find nothing but an unmade bed and clothing scattered across the floor. After stopping in the restroom to brush her long, blond hair, she went to the kitchen to find a note left for her on the table.

Hey Sweetie! We got called into work early this morning and won’t be home until late tonight.

There’s money on the table for dinner.

Love you! ~ Mom and Dad

With a disappointed sigh, Helen threw the note away and rolled to the door leading to the backyard, using her joystick to slow her descent as she traversed down the small ramp connecting the abode with the yard.

“Mom and Dad must’ve not noticed the plane, huh?” She peered up at the tall branches. “I can’t just leave it here, though.” She raised her fingers to her chin in thought. “Maybe I should call Dad? No…he said only to call him for emergencies…but still…” Helen peered up at the biplane once more. “…a plane stuck in our tree does count as an emergency…right?” With a shrug, she pulled her cell phone from the side compartment of her wheelchair.

“Call. Dad’s. Work.” Placing the phone on speaker, she set it on her leg and peered up at the misplaced biplane, the tree’s thick branches keeping it secured.

“Greg’s Groceries, how can I help you?”

“Can I speak with Doug? It’s rather urgent.”

“Sure, one moment…” Helen heard steps followed by the employee yelling Doug’s name.

“Hello? Doug speaking.”

“Hey Dad!” she exclaimed.

“Sweetie? Are you okay? How are things at home?”

“I’m fine, Dad,” she replied with a giggle, “Did you…notice something odd in the y—” Helen froze as she heard a disturbance above. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she gasped as the cockpit to the plane slowly retracted and the same furry creature from the night before emerged from within, stretching his small arms and yawning loudly.

“Sweetie, you still there?”

“Oh, ummm, yeah.” She blinked a few times as she watched the fox-like creature descend to the ground with the aid of his rotary tails. “…ummm, actually, never mind. I think I imagined it, kay, loveyoucyalaterbyedaddy.”

“Wait a seco—”

Click.

“Hello there!” The alien fox waved with a smile on his face. “Sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to scare you like that.”

“That’s okay!” she replied as she slipped her phone back into her compartment. “So…” She analyzed the orange kitsune closely. “…you can talk.”

“Yep!” He gave a thumbs up.

“…and you can fly with your tails?”

“Absolutely!” As if to show off, the young fox began spinning his rotary namesakes, lifting himself off the ground and making laps around Helen and the oak tree.

“Do you…do you have a name?”

“Of course!” he replied with a chuckle as he performed a somersault in midair before landing a few feet from Helen’s wheelchair. “My name is Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails.” His namesakes fluttered from behind as he itched the base of his nose. “What’s your name?” She didn’t respond, her eyes transfixed on the Mobian’s twin appendages.

“Oh…Helen.” She chuckled nervously as she itched the back of her head.

“That’s a nice name!” Tails replied with a smile, his hands clasped behind his back as he rocked back on his heals.

“It’s nothing special,” she said, waving her arms forward, “not as nice as yours.”

“Mine?” Tails brought a finger to his furry chest in surprise.

“Yeah!” Helen exclaimed with a sparkle in her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone named after something so cool.”

“My flying? You think it’s…cool?” He grabbed his tails from behind and wrapped his fingers around their tips with a blush.

“Cool? It’s the best thing ever!” she cheered. “I could only dream of flying anywhere…and they’re so cuuuute!” Tails fell over from the embarrassing praise, now fully submerging his face into his namesakes as he rolled in the grass. Helen laughed as she rolled to the young fox, stopping a few inches away to extend her arm out. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, no, you’re fine.” Tails dropped his namesakes and accepted her hand, allowing the human girl to pull him up. “I guess you probably have a lot of questions.”

“Yeah, I suppose I d—” She was interrupted by the sound of a large vehicle screeching to a stop in front of her house. “Oh no! The bus! I’m gonna be late for school!” Before she could turn around, however, she heard the bus depart, leaving her behind. “Oh man…Dad’s gonna kill me.”

“I’m sure it’ll be okay,” Tails replied as she patted Helen on the shoulder.

“And I’m sure you’re right!” Helen replied with a beaming smile, never one to remain upset for too long. “So…about my questions.”

A set of red boots broke the surface of the water, the pink hedgehog sitting on the edge of a dock jutting into a small lake in the heart of a lush forest.

Resting her face against her gloved hands, she sighed as she stared at her reflection below, the water rippling from her soles.

“Sonic…where are you?” Looking across the lake, she watched some birds roosting in the trees. “Did we all end up here? And where even is here?” Her eyes began to glisten as she recalled her last moments on Mobius, watching as Tails held the blue hedgehog in his arms as they were overtaken and transported by Chaos Control. She couldn’t stop thinking about the blue hedgehog she had come to love: the cocky and relaxed hero who was always there to get her out of trouble, the one who gladly fought alongside her in their ongoing struggles against the evil Dr. Eggman.

The pink hedgehog lifted herself from the edge of the dock and dusted off her red dress. “What am I saying? It’s Sonic I’m talking about. I’m sure he’s searching for me as we speak!” Amy froze as she recalled another moment during their final confrontation with Eggman; she had promised to stay with Tails in the Tornado if Sonic would go on a date with her in exchange, a promise the blue hedgehog accepted. During the battle, however, she fell out of the biplane and was saved at the last second by Sonic himself.

“I guess I broke my promise, huh…”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…you promised me a date if I stayed in the plane…”

“Oh, is that all? You didn’t fall out on purpose, right?”

“Well yeah, bu—”

“But nothin’. Then you didn’t break your promise. After we rescue Cream n’ snag the emeralds, we’ll go on that date.”

“And that’s one promise I will hold him to!” Amy returned to land, watching as a serious looking red echidna roasted a fish over a bonfire. “Do you seriously expect me to eat that, Knuckles?”

“Not at all,” he replied as he flipped the fish over, holding the skewer carefully over the flames, “you can find your own fish to eat.”

“That’s not what I meant.” With a humph, the pink hedgehog sat down on a log a few feet from the bonfire. “You know this world is inhabited, right? We saw some people in the woods, and they even spoke our language.”

“Your point?” Knuckles replied tersely as he flipped the fish once more.

“My point,” Amy placed her hands on her hips, “is we can find some food in town. We don’t need to live off the land.”

“What’s wrong with eating your own food?” Knuckles brought the fish in, gave it a once over, and took a large bite. “Besides,” he continued with a full mouth, “we don’t know if these humans are hostile. Remember Eggman?”

“Sure, but not all humans are as bad as him, right?

“I’d rather find out on a full-stomach,” Knuckles replied before taking another massive bite out of the side of his lunch. “Want some? It’s tasty and nutritious.” He brought the skewer closer to the pink hedgehog, whose face contorted at the sight and smell.

“Ewwww, get that thing away from me!” Amy swatted the fish away, falling out of Knuckles’ skewer and landing in the fire.

“No!” The red echidna rapidly plucked the fish from the flames and threw it to the side. He sighed in relief before picking up the fish once more, returning it to his skewer, and taking another bite. “Well if you’d rather starve, be my guest!”

Amy’s face turned red in anger. “Look here, Knuckles: I…you’re…ohhhh, never mind! I’m going for a walk.” With a final humph, the pink hedgehog spun around and walked away from the campsite, leaving the red echidna alone to eat his fish in peace.

“Now I know why Sonic always runs away from her,” he said under his breath. Tossing the skeletal remnants of his lunch in the fire, he fell back, placing his hands behind his head as he observed the morning sky. The grass below him felt slightly damp, cooling his fur.

As with Amy, Knuckles reflected on recent events; he had the closest connection to the Chaos Emeralds out of all of his friends, and when Chaos Control was nearing them back on Mobius, he told his companions to trust the will of the mystical gems, one which apparently entailed transporting them to an entirely new world.

“The Master Emerald is back on Mobius, unguarded while I’m just lounging around here doing nothing!” He slammed a fist to the ground before taking a deep breath and returning his gaze to the sky above. “Relax, Knuckles…I need to trust the judgement of the Chaos Emeralds. There must’ve been a purpose for them to send us here, and I won’t stop until I find some answers.”

“It’s strange, though,” he continued as he recollected on the prior evening, peering up at the night sky as he and Amy arrived at the lake which had become their campground, “the stars and the moon look the same between our worlds. That doesn’t make any sense…we’re on a different planet, so why are they identical to the ones back on Mobius? I’ll have to ask Tails.” 

“But first,” Knuckles pulled himself off the ground, “I should make sure Amy doesn’t wander off too far.” Stepping into a natural wooded path, he made his way through the thick forest, using his keen sense of smell to track the pink hedgehog. After a few whiffs, he shook his head in disappointment. “Of course…she’s probably lost.” With a sigh, the red echidna followed her scent through a thick line of trees until he arrived at a mountainside precipice overlooking a nearby city with tall buildings.

“Where did she run off to?” Looking around, Knuckles knelt to carefully observe what appeared to be boot marks, the prints smearing next to the cliff’s edge. “Oh no…” He jumped off the cliff and glided to the bottom with arms and legs spread out.

“Still no sign of her?” He shrugged his shoulders and prepared to leave, only stopped by the rustling tree branches above him.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“Wha—” Before Knuckles could decipher what was going on, Amy fell from the tree, her fall softened by the red echidna below.

“Ohh, heyyy Knuckles.” Amy chuckled nervously on top of the irate echidna’s belly.

“Would ya get off already?!” The pink hedgehog complied, bolting up just as Knuckles was about to lose his temper. “What’s the big idea, anyway? Wandering away from camp like that?”

“Gee, thanks for the concern.” Amy folded her arms and turned away. “It’s not like I got hurt or anything. Besides, I found a town nearby!” She pointed in the direction of the city Knuckles observed from the cliff above.

“Weren’t you listening? We don’t even know if they’re hostile. You seriously want to take that risk?”

“If that means sticking around the forest with you and your fish, then yes!” With a final twirl, Amy marched down the wooded path, ignoring the red echidna’s advice as she made her way to the city beyond.

“You know what? Fine! Don’t come crying to me when the humans barbecue you over an open flame!” Knuckles folded his arms and turned away, listening as Amy’s footsteps grew quieter. After standing in silence, and grumbling to himself, the red echidna chased down the pink hedgehog. “What am I thinking?! I can’t just let her walk into danger all alone.” Making long strides, it only took him about 30 seconds to reach her.

“What ever happened to not caring if I was barbecued?” Amy asked with a smirk, placing her hands on her waist.

“What you’re doing is absolutely foolish, but I don’t think I could live with myself if you got hurt in there while I did nothing.”

“Ohhh, how romantic!” Amy clasped her hands together and placed them against her chest. “Hey wait…don’t think you can just get the hots for me because Sonic isn’t around!”

“Hey, wait a minute! That’s not what I meant at all!” Knuckles yelled, a blush covering his muzzle. Amy walked away with a satisfied smirk, dusting her hands off in accomplishment. She clearly enjoyed riling up the angry echidna. “Hey, wait for me!” Cursing under his breath, he ran to her side once more, maintaining silence as the duo made their way to the big city.

“So let me get this straight,” Helen began after taking a small sip from her mug of mint tea, “you regularly fight an evil scientist and his army of robots?”

“Yep!” Tails replied as he set his cup down after a long sip, his namesakes fluttering from behind.

“You?”

“What do you mean?” he asked as he cocked his head.

“Well…” Helen looked away in embarrassment as she scratched the back of her head, “you don’t…seem like the warrior type.” Tails blinked a few times as he stared at her in confusion. “What I mean is…you’re like a stuffed animal.”

“A what?” Tails gasped.

“Like so…” Helen pulled out a small, cotton plushie in the shape of a bear and placed it on her lap. “This is my teddy bear. His name is Winnie. Say ‘hi’, Winnie!” She lifted its arm and waved.

“Ohh, hi there, Winnie!” Tails slid off his seat and waved back. “My name is Tails! It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Reaching his arm out, the orange kitsune gave the stuffed animal a firm handshake. After releasing his hand, Helen brought Winnie’s face to her ear.

“Yes…mhmmm…oh…really?” She giggled as she returned the teddy bear to her lap. “He says it’s nice to meet you too and thinks you’re very polite.”

“Ahh, thanks, Winnie!” Tails replied with a blush, scratching the back of his head before returning his attention to the human girl. “Did you wanna hear more of my story?”

“Would I?!” Helen cheered. “This is much better than school. Go ahead.” With a smile, she clasped her hands and secured Winnie between her arms.

“As I was saying before,” Tails continued, “I spend much of my time fighting Dr. Eggman, an evil scientist and the only human to inhabit our world. But I’m not alone…” Sitting back down, Tails peered out the window as he rested his arms on the table. “Sonic’s always there with me.”

“Who’s…Sonic?” Helen asked as she cocked her head.

“Who’s Sonic?” Tails chuckled under his breath as he focused on a squirrel making its way across the front yard. “Oh man, how do I even begin to describe Sonic? He’s world-renown where we’re from, so I’ve never really had to tell anyone about him before.” The young fox brought a hand to his chin in thought. “If I were to describe Sonic…I’d say he is one of the nicest people you would ever meet. He’s dependable, honest, good-willed, and…the best big brother I could ever ask for.” His eyes glistened in the morning sun as a small smile appeared on his face. “Most people know him as the fast, blue hedgehog who always saves the day, but he’s so much more than that.” His ears drooped as he looked down at the table below. “We’ve only been separated for a little while, but it almost feels like forever.”

Helen extended her arm out, clasping the young fox’s hand with her own. “I’m sure you’ll find him, wherever he’s at.”

“Thanks, Helen.” Tails gave her a small smile.

“Not a problem!” she replied as she retracted her hand. “So your big brother is a…hedgehog?”

“Yep!” Tails’ namesakes fluttered from behind once more, always excited to talk about his role model. “The best bro ever!”

“And…you’re a fox?”

“Yep!” Tails replied. “Why do you ask?”

“How did…a hedgehog and a fox…become brothers?”

“He adopted me!”

“He…adopted you?”

“Well…” The orange kitsune fidgeted his fingers. “Maybe not officially, but Sonic took me in when I was all alone, and things sorta worked out. On days when we weren’t fighting Eggman, Sonic would be running about or chilling out while I worked on my projects in the worksh—”

“This is Scarlett Garcia with some breaking news.”

“Huh?” Helen and Tails exclaimed as they turned their attention to the small television on the kitchen counter.

“We have a reporter live at the scene of an unusual animal sighting at the luxurious Thorndyke estate.”

“Thank you, Garcia,” the on-scene reporter replied, “With me now is Chris, the son of Thorndyke Industries president Nelson Thorndyke and actress Lindsey Thorndyke. Chris, how w—”

“Excuse me, it’s Mr. Thorndyke.”

“Oh, a thousand pardons, Mr. Thorndyke.”

“A thousand pardons won’t be enough…or will I have to order Nelson to yank his ads off your network?”

The reporter pulled at his collar and wiped the sweat from his brow. “So, ummm… Mr. Thorndyke, how would you describe the animal you caught last night?”

“Well,” he replied, raising a hand to his chin, “it was only about three feet tall, had pointy spikes, and was blue…looked like an alien hedgehog, except the weird thing was that it could talk!”

“Woah! That’s a shocking discovery! What did it say?”

“Ehhh, nothing important.” Chris waved his hand as if to brush off the question. “I had to save it from one of my pools, and he passed out shortly after. I called Animal Control and posted a pic of it on social media before they took it away.” The interview cut away to a screenshot of one of Chris’ social media accounts, an image of the unconscious alien plastered at the top.

“Sonic!” Tails yelled, balling his fists as he rapidly stood up, knocking down the chair behind.

“Animal Control issued a press release stating they transferred the mysterious animal to the military, who is now analyzing the subject. Back to y—”

“Hey, wait a minute!” Chris exclaimed as he stole the microphone from the reporter and turned his attention to the camera. “As you know, I was the first one to discover this new animal species. Therefore, it is my right to give the species a name. I will name it the Thorndyke hedgehog, after myself, of course. Now if you excuse me,” he threw the microphone back at the reporter, who nearly fumbled it, “I’ve gotta date with my jacuzzi.” The reporter watched in amazement as Chris left the camera eye before twisting back around.

“Ummm…back to you, Scarlett.”

“And now for the weather…”

Click.

Helen set the remote aside before placing a reassuring hand on the shaking fox’s arm.

“How…could they be so cruel?” Tears formed in Tails’ eyes as he leaned against the table with his arms. “He just…took a picture and did nothing for him…”

“It’ll be okay, Tails. It looks like he wasn’t seriously hu—” She froze as the orange kitsune gently pulled her hand away and headed for the back door. “Where are you going?”

“To get my brother back!”

“But you don’t even know where he is!”

“I’ll find him, if it’s the last thing I do!” he replied as he made his way to the backyard.

“If you could stop for ten seconds, I think I might know where they took him.”

“You do?!” Tails spun around, his namesakes fluttering from behind.

“Yeah…” She placed a hand to her chin in thought. “They say the military performs top secret research at a well-fortified base in Nevada. I think it’s called…Area 99?

“Area 99, huh?” Tails withdrew his Miles Electric from his namesakes, toggling with his mapping application. “Let’s see…that’s kinda far, huh?” He traced the line cutting through nearly the entire continent. “It will take me about six hours by plane…and plus…” The fox peered up at the Tornado resting in the tree. “I still haven’t figured out how to get my baby down.”

“Your…baby?”

“Yeah, my baby,” Tails replied. “You have your Winnie, and I have my Tornado. It’s kind of the same thing.”

“Oh, I see!” She hugged her teddy bear tighter before focusing her attention on the oak tree. “You know…Dad said he’s been meaning to spruce up the tree a little bit, cut down some of the branches getting a bit long.”

“Hmmmm…” Tails turned to Helen once more as he cracked his knuckles. “Sit back while I help your father out a bit.”

“Ummm…sure…” She rolled back a few feet and watched as the orange kitsune spun his rotary namesakes, approaching the biplane and giving it a few pats on the side.

“It’ll be okay, Tornado…I’ll get you out real soon.” Dropping a few feet, he identified the branches holding up his aircraft, turned around, and slowly backed up, his tongue sticking out from the side of his mouth as his tails approached the nearest branch. Making contact, he slowly cut through the wood like a chainsaw, to the amazement of the human girl below who, minutes earlier, referred to him merely as an adorable stuffed animal.

“Looks can be deceiving, I suppose…” She watched as Tails continued this routine until the plane started giving way. He jumped into the cockpit, looked around thoughtfully, and stomped his feet on his chair. The force of this impact caused the final branch to break, loosening the biplane from the confines of the tree and falling to the grass below.

To the astonishment of Helen, and to the expectation of Tails, the plane landed perfectly on its wheels, only scuffed up a bit from the tree bark but otherwise in pristine condition.

“All right!” Tails cheered, jumping out of his aircraft in joy and landing in the grass below. “Now I can finally rescue Sonic! If I leave now, I should make it in no time at all!

“Oh no you don’t!”

“Huh?” Tails spun around to find a determined Helen watching from several feet away.

“You said the trip would take six hours, right? How much sleep did you get last night out in the cold?”

“Well, I…ummm…”

“And you haven’t eaten anything all day!” Tails’ face nearly turned green at the thought of his last meal the prior evening. “Not to mention…you stink…” Helen plugged her nose with one hand as she waved the other in front of her face. “You need a shower, pronto!”

“Hey, I don’t smell that bad, do I?”

“You smell as nice as a dumpster, Tails,” she replied with a nasally voice and brutal honesty.

“You don’t say…” He gave himself a small whiff, his face contorting in surprise. “I guess you’re right about that one…” The young fox chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head.

“Why don’t you wash up while I prepare you some breakfast? Oh, and a snack for the trip.”

“I suppose I could use some food…” The thought of nourishment made his stomach grumble so loudly he covered his belly in embarrassment.

“That settles it, then!” Helen exclaimed as she turned around and headed back to the house. “You won’t be any use to Sonic right now. You’ll need to be in tip-top shape for the trip and whatever danger you encounter at Area 99.”

“Can’t argue with that!” Tails followed the human girl into the house before making his way to the bathroom, not bothering to tell Helen the smell of dumpster was a bit too accurate.

I hope you enjoyed chapter 3! Things have been rather turbulent as of late, so I apologize for not getting this finished sooner.

Also, I recently started a new Discord server for Sonic fanfic writers! The sub-community of writers on the r/MilesPrower server grew so large that I decided to form a new group that is more tailored to the needs of Sonic fanfic writers, and we have 45 members as of now. Click here if you're interested!

Finally, I’m happy to report the commissioned cover art for this story should be available soon. I think you all will really enjoy it!

As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments, and I’ll be back for the next one in the near future!

Chapter Text

“Chao…chao?”

“Chao, chao!”

“Huh…what?” Cream slowly opened her eyes to find herself in the same, large test tube she had grown accustomed to since arriving at this strange military base surrounded by even stranger humans. “Cheese? What’s wrong?” she asked as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. Her pet chao was tugging at her tattered orange dress and using their stubby yellow hand to point to the left. “Is that…”

Cream gasped.

“Mr. Sonic!” The young bunny crawled to the other side of her tube, her palms pressed against the glass surface as she watched the blue hedgehog sleep a few feet away, slouched against the side of his prison with his arms and legs sprawled out. “Sonic, wake up!”

“Ohh…wh-what?” The blue hedgehog slowly opened his eyes, shaking his head before turning his attention to the young bunny in the opposite chamber. “C-cream, is th-that you?”

“Yes, Mr. Sonic!” She cried. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“Chao, chao?” Cheese added, resting on top of Cream’s head between her two long ears.

“N-no…I’m…f-fine…” Sonic struggled to stand, using as much strength as he could muster to lift himself from the ground and lean against the glass for balance.

“Oh no…” Cream shook her head as tears started to form in her eyes. “They gave you…the shot too?”

“The shot?” Sonic asked, taking a few moments to process Cream’s question. “Oh yeah…that tranquilizer stuff? Really does a number on ya, huh?”

“Sonic…” Cream turned away, unable to bear the sight of the blue hedgehog in this condition. “What are we gonna do?”

“Chao, chao…”

“Don’t w-worry, Cream…” Sonic gave a small smile as he slid down to the floor, facing the young bunny and her equally distressed chao. “I’ll think…of somethin’…” As the hedgehog was about to rest his eyes once more, the lab door opened, putting him on high alert. He sighed in relief, though, at the sight of the kind human scientist from earlier.

“H-hey, Mandy…” Sonic waved. “G-got…anymore…chocolate for…us?” Even in his weakened state, the blue hedgehog was able to maintain his trademarked witty banter.

“No, I’m afraid not,” she replied as she opened Sonic’s cell door, knelt beside him, and placed her palm against his forehead. “Temperature seems normal…” Crawling closer to the blue hedgehog, she tried wedging her finger between his head and upper torso. Sonic’s face contorted before he laughed uncontrollably.

“Ahh, that tickles, stop!” His arms and legs were flailing, nearly landing an unintentional blow to Mandy’s gut.

“I would if I could find your neck.” She gave the blue hedgehog a chance to calm down before placing her finger on his wrist instead. Nodding her head in satisfaction, she gently placed his hand in his lap, left the tubular cell, and returned moments later with a bowl.

“W-what’s…that?” Sonic asked as he struggled to point up at the dish.

“It’s your lunch.”

“My…lunch?” He took a whiff of the air before shaking his head frantically. “No way, nuh-uh! I’m not eating whatever that is!”  

“As a part of our experimentation, we’re analyzing how you react to traditional hedgehog food,” Mandy replied, ignoring Sonic’s refusal as she sat alongside the blue hedgehog, gently lifted him up, and placed him in her lap. Straightening her back against the prison wall, she giggled as she rolled up her lab coat sleeves. “Have you ever heard of the choo-choo train?”

“Huh?” Sonic asked as he peered up at the nurturing human.

“Here comes the choo-choo train,” she said in baby speak as she took a small spoonful of the brown mush and slowly brought it to Sonic’s muzzle. “Now open wiiiiide.” The blue hedgehog sighed before opening his mouth, just wide enough to allow Mandy to place the head of the spoon within.

Sonic slowly gulped the food down, breathing heavily as his face turned green. “This stuff…tastes awful…are ya sure…you don’t have…any chili dogs?”

“We don’t, unfortunately,” she replied before pulling a familiar, wrapped rectangular shape from her pocket, the blue hedgehog eyeing it hungerly, “but if you finish your lunch, you’ll get dessert.” The blue hedgehog furrowed his brow in determination.

“O-okay…I’ll do it…” He opened his mouth wider, making the scientist’s job easier. The hedgehog found it more palatable to stomach the non-Mobian hedgehog food with the comforting knowledge that a sweet reward was at the end of this disgusting trial.  

As Sonic swallowed his second bite, his ears perked up at the sound of gentle laughter coming from the tube opposite him.

“H-hey, waz…so funny?” Sonic asked with a mouth full of mush.

“Can I feed you next?” Cream replied with a giggle.

“Chao, chao!”

Mandy joined the laughter as the blue hedgehog blushed, embarrassed at first until he realized something he hadn’t heard for a long time.  

Cream’s carefree laughter.

The pleasant happiness of a child who should have never had to endure the tribulations of fighting evil robots and subsequent imprisonment by Dr. Eggman, let alone a group of human scientists and trained soldiers. Indeed, the pleasant voice of the young bunny put the blue hedgehog at ease, reminding him of the days when the rabbit would invite Sonic, Tails, and the rest of her friends over for tea parties, or the times he spent teaching her how to perform a spindash in peaceful tranquility.  

If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Cream.

Sonic knew what he had to do.

“S-sure…” Sonic cracked a smile as he peered up at the scientist. “T-that is…if you…don’t mind?”

“Ohh, ummm…” She raised a hand to her chin in thought. “Okay, that should be fine.”

“Hooray!” Cream cheered as Mandy stepped out of Sonic’s tube and opened the door to Cream’s cell. The small rabbit scurried to the blue hedgehog and filled the utensil with a fresh spoonful of hedgehog food. Cheese was watching gleefully from their master’s head.

“Here comes the airplane!”

“Watch out, you’re gonna crash! Ahhhh!” Sonic played along before opening his mouth once more, extending his tongue out like a runway to allow ample space for the aircraft to land. He exaggerated his bite with a nom, making the young bunny squeal with joy.

“This is really fun!” Cream exclaimed as she prepared another serving.  

“Chao, chao!” Cheese agreed with a bright smile.

“Just…don’t tell the guys…‘bout this,” Sonic struggled to say.

“I swear on my m—”

“C-cream?” Sonic peered up at the young bunny, who stared blankly at the opposite corner of the lab. “You…okay, buddy?”

“M-mom…” She sniffled as she recalled her last moments with her mother; after taking out a swarm of Eggman’s robots in her backyard, the evil doctor managed to capture her. Vanilla, Cream’s only parent, tried her best to save her daughter from his dastardly clutches, but her efforts proved futile, and she hadn’t seen her mom since.  

“H-hey…” Sonic brought his hand up to Cream’s muzzle, flicking away a few tears with his finger before dropping his arm in her lap. “It’ll…be all right…you’ll…get to see…your mom again…”

“P-promise?” Cream looked down at the elder hedgehog, tears partially clouding her vision.

“Promise.” Sonic nodded his head. “L-let’s worry ‘bout your mom later…why don’t…you prepare the plane…for takeoff?”

“Oh yeah!” Returning to her cheery demeanor, she picked up the spoon once more and scooped another bite. “Clear the tarmac for the airplane!” Cream cheered as she zoomed the spoon around Sonic’s face. With a sigh, and a slight blush forming across his face, the blue hedgehog opened his mouth once more, allowing the aircraft to make a safe landing. “There we go!” She repeated this ritual a few more times until the food was completely gone.

“Ms. Mandy?” Cream stood up and approached her from outside the cell, “Sonic finished his lunch! So, does he get chocolate now?”

“Of course!” Mandy replied with a smile, handing the bar to the excited bunny. “I have one for you, too!” She pulled the second treat from her pocket as well.

“Oh, wow! Thank you!” She exclaimed.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added.

Cream sat down next to Sonic once more, but before she could break off a small piece of chocolate for the blue hedgehog, he gently grabbed her arm.

“L-let me try…I think…my energy’s back.”

“Oh, okay, Mr. Sonic!” She handed the chocolate to him, and she watched as he slowly unwrapped the treat with both hands and brought it to his muzzle for a small bite.

“How are you feeling?” Mandy asked.

“Ya know…” Sonic replied with a mouth full of chocolate, “I’m feeling…a bit better. Still not at 100 percent but gettin’ there.”

“Good to hear!” She replied before approaching the edge of the tubular cell door, lowering her voice to a whisper. “If you promise to behave while in our care, I’ll reduce the dosage of the tranquilizer...not that my colleagues need to know” As to not arouse suspicion from any of the other scientists listening in, Sonic merely responded with a nod before taking another bite from his chocolate bar. “I’ll be back in a few minutes for your walk.”

“Our walk?” Cream asked as she cocked her head, a motion the chao repeated simultaneously.

“I figured you two could use some fresh air,” she replied, giving Sonic a wink, “and I was able to convince my co-workers that this would be a good chance to study you two in a less…artificial environment.”

“Oh boy!” Sonic exclaimed, forcing himself up as his legs wobbled from below. “I can finally get my run on again!”

“Actually…” Mandy replied as she ran a hand through her hair, “even if the tranquilizers were flushed out of your system, one of our snipers would be sure to take you out if you went any quicker than a steady walk.”

“Boooooring!” Sonic complained as he stretched his arms, which still felt a bit like gelatin. “I knew I could never get used to prison life!”

“Let’s be thankful we have the chance to walk outside,” Cream advised as Cheese nodded their head in agreement and folded their stubby arms.

“Yeah, I guess ya gotta point there,” Sonic shrugged.

Man…if only I was back at full strength, we could bust outta this joint no problem…

The blue hedgehog sighed as he exited his pod and stretched his arms and legs. Reaching up with his tippy toes, he nearly fell over, windmilling his arms to reorient himself.

“I’ve been meaning to ask ya,” Sonic turned to the young bunny as he folded his arms, “did they…inject you with that stuff, too?”

“Yes…” Cream showed Sonic the bandage on her arm full of cartoon ponies as proof. “I think what they gave me was weaker, though.” Cheese showed theirs off as well, a picture of a red-caped superhero on their bandage.

“Huh…” Sonic raised a gloved hand to his chin in thought, “With your last escape attempt, I’m surprised you’re not as drugged up as I am…then again…” He recalled the story the commander gave him before surrendering to the military. 

She got through our guards but passed out in the desert. Her little pet did its best to protect her, but we brought them both back.

“Maybe they know you’re not much of a threat. Even if you managed to escape again, who knows how long you’d survive out in the des—” His thoughts were interrupted as they heard a knock at the door. In came Mandy once more, except this time holding something unexpected.

“What…are those?” Sonic asked, stepping back as a sweat drop formed along his brow.

“They’re harnesses,” she replied, passing the blue one to the hedgehog and the white one to Cream. “I was instructed to keep you on a tight leash…literally.”

“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me…” Sonic face palmed with one hand before analyzing the contraption in the other. “So, you’re gonna give a walk…like a pet?”

“Essentially, yes,” Mandy replied, giggling into her palm, “but if it makes you feel better, all the soldiers and scientists here won’t be surprised to see you two on a leash, so it won’t be as embarrassing.”

“Yeah, easy for you to say…” Sonic scoffed as he eyed the contraption once more. “You…wanna help us put these on?”

“Oh, of course!” Mandy took the harness from the blue hedgehog, wrapped it around his torso, and snapped it closed before attaching a retractable double leash. The human scientist repeated this process with the young bunny, affixing her smaller harness around her belly and attaching the leash to her as well.

“Now we’re jus’ missin’ the doggy bags,” Sonic joked with a snicker, causing Cream to laugh alongside him. Mandy smiled as she watched their carefree banter.

I couldn’t imagine being in their shoes; finding themselves on a foreign planet, locked up against their will, and treated like dogs in a cage. How do they stay so positive?

“Helloooo?” Sonic jumped up and waved over Mandy’s field of vision. “Are we leavin’ yet? I need to feel the sunshine before I go crazy.”

“Yes, yes,” she replied with another warm smile. Clearing the way to the door, Sonic and Cream stepped out of the room, their human escort following close behind. Utilizing her instructions, the two Mobians eventually found themselves in the clearing between several buildings, the same place where Sonic surrendered himself not long ago.

The party slowly walked along the perimeter of the complex. Sonic felt uncharacteristically exhausted from such a leisurely stroll, an aftereffect of the tranquilizers.

“Should we go back, Mr. Sonic?” Cream asked with a concerned expression, cocking her head as the blue hedgehog peered down at her with reassuring eyes.

“Nah, I’m cool.” Sonic patted the young bunny between her ears. “Thanks for your concern, though.”

“Not a problem at all!” She returned the blue hedgehog’s smile as she clasped his hand.

“Do you think…the others are all right?” Cream asked, tightening her grip on Sonic’s palm.

“I’m sure they’re doing just fine,” Sonic replied with a nod. “All of ‘em can handle their own.”

“I bet Amy is having a hard time without you around,” Cream suggested with a chuckle, raising Sonic’s spirits as a warm breeze blew over their fur.

“Yeah, but she’s a strong girl.” Sonic itched the base of his nose with his free hand. “She’ll be all right. Knuckles and Rouge, too.”

“And Tails?” Cream was pulled back as Sonic stopped in his tracks, still clasping her hand with a downcast face. “Mr. Sonic? Tails will be okay…right?”

“…yeah.” Sonic nodded once more as he turned his frown upside down. “Tails is resourceful, and he has experience living in hiding. He’s wicked intelligent, loyal, and…well…” Sonic scratched the back of his head. “…the best lil’ bro a guy could ask for.” The blue hedgehog chuckled, raising Cream’s spirits once more. “Yeah, Tails’ll be fine.”

“Okay!” Cream’s smile was shining as bright as ever, easily convinced by the blue hedgehog’s reassuring words.

“C’mooooooon…almooooost…theeeeere…” Tails reached up on his tippy toes as he struggled to grab the shower knob in Helen’s bathroom. Not making any progress, he spun around, instead grabbing hold of the knob with a single namesake, spinning it clockwise to allow water to flow from the nozzle above. “Cold, cold, cold!” The orange kitsune dove out of the shower, his legs shaking as he shivered from head to toe. After taking a few moments to recover, he slowly approached the shower once more and extended his arm within, feeling the water with his ungloved hand. Satisfied with the current water temperature, he hopped back in.

“Ahhhh, it’s been forever since I’ve been clean!” While the feeling of warm water lathering his unkempt fur felt soothing to the young fox, he couldn’t help but feel guilty. “While I’m in the safety of Helen’s home, I bet all my friends are out there trying to fend for themselves…” With a sigh, he washed his fur with soap, brought his arm to his muzzle, and took a whiff. “Well, no more smelling like a garbage can at least.” Chuckling to himself, he thoroughly rinsed the soap from his fur before turning off the shower, drying himself with a nearby towel, and returning to the kitchen.

“Hey Helen…” Tails scratched the back of his semi-damp hair as he watched the human scramble eggs over the stove top, her wheelchair as close to the oven as possible as she sat up straight and near the edge of her seat.

“Oh, you’re out alr—” Her face contorted as she got a good look at the orange fox; his entire body was puffy, nearly beyond recognition. She laughed merrily at the sight. “Oh man…now you do look like a stuffed animal.” Tails blushed as he placed his hands on his hip and leaned over slightly, puffing out his cheeks in disapproval.

“You would look like this too if you were a hairy fox!”

“Aha, fair.” Helen giggled once more as she returned her attention to the eggs. “You need the hair dryer?”

“Yeah…that’d be nice…” he replied as he fiddled with the tips of his namesakes.  

“Try my parents’ bathroom.” She pointed in the opposite direction with her spatula. “It should be under the sink.”

“Thanks, Helen!” Tails gave her a thumbs up before twisting around. Helen returned his smile with her own as she tended to the bacon sizzling on the other burner.

Reaching into the cabinet under the sink, he found the contraption; it was a bit heavier than his own back at his Mystic Ruins abode, but his hands, which were proportionally larger compared to humans of similar stature, were able to easily grip its handle. Plugging it into the nearest outlet, the young kitsune slowly dried himself, blowing enough hot hair across his entire body to evaporate the water. He focused on his tails last, holding one up with one hand as he aimed the dryer with the other. Once he was satisfied, he returned to the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, Helen, but do you know where I can find a brush?”

“Oh, you can use mine!” she replied as she buttered some toast. “Should be on the sink in the main bathroom.” Nodding his head, Tails found the brush and brought it to the adjourning living room, where he carefully spruced up his namesakes, ensuring they were in tip-top shape for the perils ahead.

As he was brushing out the knots, the young fox’s ears perked up at the sound of creaking footsteps coming from the stairs leading to the basement.

“Helen…” Tails asked, his hand frozen mid-brush. “Is someone else here with you?”

“Oh, yeah!” Helen replied as she turned off the burner. “I forgot to mention my grandpa!”

“Your grandpa?” Tails cocked his head as he watched the basement door open, the older human male reaching the main floor with tired eyes, unkempt, silver hair, and pajamas. Yawning into the palm of his hand, he slowly stepped into the kitchen, unaware of Tails’ presence as he approached his granddaughter.

“Good morning, grandpa!”

“Mornin’,” he replied with a grunt as he activated the nearby coffee machine. “It’s a school day, right? Your parents aren’t gonna be happy.”

“Yeah, I know,” she replied with a smile as she rolled to the living room, “but I had to help this little guy out.”

“This little guy?” he asked as he turned around, locking eyes with the orange kitsune for the first time.

“Yeah!” Helen cheered. “Would you like to introduce yourself, Tails?”

“Ohh, ummm…sure…” He fidgeted his hands before lifting himself off his seat, the brush stuck in his namesake. “Hello…my name is Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails!”

“Nice to meet ya! My name’s Chuck.” He replied, stepping toward the Mobian, bending his knees to give him a handshake. “So…you dress like this all the time?”

“What do you mean?” Tails peered down at his furry belly before lifting his arms and extending his fingers out. “You mean my gloves and shoes?”

“No, no…I mean the fur suit!” Chuck replied. “With that anime convention coming up, I’ve seen a lot of folk like you up and about as of late.”

“Well…actually…” Tails itched his chin, trying to find the best, most sensitive way to describe himself to the older human. “I’m not an anime, or whatever you call it. You see, I’m not from th—”

“We just received a breaking news update.” The three turned their attention to the television, the orange-haired Scarlett Garcia at the news desk. “We reported earlier that the unidentified blue hedgehog found at the Thorndyke estate was transferred to the military for further analysis, but we received a verified tip that the military has in their possession two additional alien-like creatures.”

“What?!” Tails cried as he ran to the television, tightening his fists as he braced himself for the impending news.  

“We have an artist render based on a firsthand account of their capture.” A sketch of a young bunny in an orange dress, and a blue chao resting between her long, flappy ears, appeared on the screen.

“Cream and Cheese!” Spinning around, Tails ran for the backdoor.

“Wait!” Helen cried as she rolled to the exit just in time, raising her arms to her left and right to block the path. “Just wait a little longer…please?” The human girls’ eyes glistened. “I can’t let you leave until you’re in top shape. Please…for my sake, and for the sake of your friends, at least get some food in you first.”

“Oh...okay…” Tails sighed as he returned to his chair in the living room, feelings of guilt permeating his thoughts.  

“Wait a minute…” Chuck visually compared the drawing on the television with the young fox before him. “So, you’re not a human after all? You’re…an alien? No, that can’t be right…” The old man removed a screwdriver from his pajama pants pocket. “Helen…sit back while I uncover this thing’s true identity: a secret robot sent here by the Chinese government to spy on us!”

“Grandpa, no!” Helen rolled forward, but she was too slow to stop Chuck from lunging at the orange kitsune, who was caught off-guard by the old man’s sudden change in demeanor. Within moments, the surprisingly agile retiree had the alien on his lap, rustling between his namesakes with one hand as he angled the grip of his tool with the other.

“C’mon, there’s gotta be a screw here somewhere…” He didn’t get much opportunity to check, however, as the young fox snagged the screwdriver away with a single, prehensile namesake and rolled to the floor, jumping to his feet and spinning around.

“What the hecc were you thinking!?” Tails yelled. “I don’t have any screws in me, or anything mechanical for that matter!” He dropped the tool from his tail and fluttered them from behind as he gestured his arms. “See, completely genuine.”

“I…don’t believe it…” Chuck’s mouth was agape as he leaned back in his chair. “There’s…no way that can be mechanical…far too smooth...”

“I hope you can forgive my grandpa.” Helen rolled toward the orange kitsune. “You see, he’s a scientist. A distinguished engineer.”

Chuck scoffed. “Yeah, tell that to the big wigs at Station Square University who fired me for unethical behaviors…” He said the last two words with air quotes before folding his arms and looking away with a humph.

“That was in the past, grandpa,” Helen replied, “and I’m sure you could easily be hired somewhere else.”

“Bahhh!” Chuck flapped his arms. “They destroyed my good name with their baseless accusations, and besides…” The old man rested his feet against the coffee table. “…being retired isn’t so bad. I can sleep in for as long as I want, and I can tinker with my projects all day in the workshop without the man telling me what to do!”

Tails ears perked up. “You have…a workshop?” His eyes glistened as his namesakes fluttered from behind once more, excitement building up within.

“Well, it’s nothing special, really, at least not compared to my old one before moving in with my son and daughter-in-law…” He laughed profusely as he straightened his back. “I can give you a tour if you’re interested?”

“Would I!?” The thought of admiring the sacred space of a fellow engineer filled him with excitement, but then he remembered his current objective. “Actually…you see, I need to save my friends from Area 99.”

“Area 99, huh?” He chuckled under his breath as he approached the kitchen and poured himself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, watching as his granddaughter split the eggs, bacon, and toast across three plates. “You and what army?”

“This army.” Furrowing his brow, the young fox pulled his Miles Electric from his namesakes and pressed several buttons. Moments later, the trio heard shaking from the backyard. Peering out the window, Chuck dropped his mug, coffee spilling across the tiled kitchen floor as he witnessed Tails’ biplane approaching the house, machine guns and homing missile launchers at the ready.

“Great Scott!” Chuck exclaimed as he stepped through the sliding glass door into the backyard, mesmerized by the orange kitsune’s biplane. “This is yours?”

“Yep!” Tails replied as he followed the elder human outside. He raised a finger to the air with eyes closed and a wide smile across his face. “Well, technically it belongs to my big brother Sonic, but I pilot it most of the time, perform all the upkeep, and add upgrades as needed.”

“Wow!” Chuck stepped toward the plane. “Remarkable craftsmanship! I can see it’s been properly maintained.” Tails scratched the back of his head as he blushed through his furry muzzle.

“It’s not that big of a deal, really…” His demeanor rapidly changed, however, when Chuck slid his palm across the exterior of the aircraft. “My baby!” Tails exclaimed as he ran toward the old man, skidding to a stop within inches of him. “Don’t hurt her! She’s been through a lot already.”

“My apologies,” Chuck replied as a sweat drop formed along his forehead, laughing nervously. “It’s clear you love your machinery deeply. As a fellow engineer and inventor, I hold the same admiration for my gadgets.”

Tails was flabbergasted, his namesakes fluttering from behind as he processed some of the most relatable string of words he ever heard. “R-really? You…love your machines? I tried explaining this to my friends, but even they don’t get it.”  

“Are any of them inventors? Scientists? Engineers?” Chuck crossed his arms.

“Well, no…except there is one guy I wouldn’t consi—” The young fox gasped. “Dr. Eggman!”

“Who?” Chuck cocked his head as he put his hands into his pajama pockets.

“Dr. Eggman. He’s an evil scientist who’s partially to blame for me and my friends getting sent to this world,” Tails replied as he gestured his hands. Chuck chuckled under his breath as he turned to the door leading back into the house.

“You can tell me all about it while we’re rescuing your friends.”

“What?” Tails peered up at the elder man in confusion.

“You’re planning on rescuing your companions from the military, correct?”

“Well, yeah…but aren’t you a little too old for this sort of thing?”

“What, me!?” Chuck exclaimed, stomping his feet on the grass near the door. “I’m only 55! I can handle my own, and besides,” he gave the young fox a grin with a thumbs up, “I can provide some vital intel on the United States military.” Tails closed his eyes and folded his arms, taking a few moments to ponder this offer of assistance.

“If you’re absolutely sure, I can take you along,” Tails sighed, “but you know even better than I do that this mission will be dangerous.”

“I was in the Airforce before I started my academic career,” Chuck replied as he flexed his noodle arms, “this should be a walk in the park.”

“Okay, then,” Tails replied with a nod. “I’ll get the plane ready to go!”

“Wait!” Chuck and Tails turned their attention to Helen, who was clutching Winnie the Teddy Bear tightly against her belly. “But what about me?”

“I’m sorry, Helen, but…” Tails scratched the back of his head before gesturing to the plane. “The Tornado isn’t really wheelchair accessible.”

“Ohhh…” Helen’s face turned downcast as she peered down at her knees. Tails approached her from the side and raised her chin with a gloved finger, a smile on his face.

“I’ll tell ya what! When we get back, I’ll make some enhancements to make my baby wheelchair-friendly.”

“Y-you would really do that?” Helen’s eyes glistened as her voice shook.

“Of course!” The orange kitsune gave her a thumbs up. “It’s the least I can do for everything you’ve done for me alre—” Tails nearly yelped as Helen gave him a hug from his side.

“Thank you, Tails…” The young fox rubbed her back as he allowed the human girl to tighten her embrace.

“It’s no big deal, really…” Helen slowly loosened her grip on the orange kitsune, a smile beaming from her face.

“Okay! Before you two leave, how about we eat breakfast before it grows cold?” Helen suggested.

“O-kay!” Tails and Chuck cheered. As the trio stepped into the kitchen, the smell of eggs, bacon, and toast permeating their nostrils, making all their stomachs gurgle in hunger. Before Tails sat down to eat, though, he peered out the kitchen window once more, staring longingly at the Tornado.

I hope you’re ready to take flight…old friend.

Did you notice the updated cover art featuring Tails and Helen taking a nice stroll in the woods? Special shoutouts to MontyTH for this brilliant piece! If you ever want someone to draw fan art in the Sonic X style, I highly recommending commissioning him. You won't regret it.

For those interested, click here to find the original, uncropped image!

Chapter Text

“Yeah, Tails’ll be fine.”

“Okay!” Cream replied cheerfully as the blue hedgehog returned her smile with his own, hiding his doubt from the impressionable bunny.

No…Cream doesn’t deserve that worry. It’s hard enough on her as it is.

“Mr. Sonic?” Cream peered up at the hedgehog, tilting her head as she raised a finger to her lip. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Oh, me?” Sonic pointed a gloved finger to his chest, wearing his signature smirk. “Of course I’m okay!” With a light chuckle, the blue hedgehog put his hands on his waist. “I promise we’ll be outta this joint and back with our friends in no time.”

“Yay!” Cream cheered, waving her arms in the air before grabbing hold of Sonic’s hands in preparation for a happy dance. The blue hedgehog complied as he allowed the young bunny to lead the dance, which involved the two spinning around in a circle while hopping up and down on either foot. What they didn’t notice was the fact that they were spinning the leash around themselves, bringing the two closer to Mandy who was watching from the sidelines, grasping onto the handle while smiling cheerfully. Moments later, the two Mobians found themselves wound up within inches of the human scientist; staring up at her, they wore guilty expressions before breaking out in laughter. Mandy found herself joining the choir, laughing alongside the Mobians without a care in the world.

“That was fun,” Sonic said as he wiped the tears from his eyes, “but maybe we should get back to it?”

“Okay, Mr. Sonic!” Cream replied.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from between her ears.

“First thing’s first.” Mandy circled the Mobians several times, unwinding them from the cable. “There, now we can continue.”

“Got it!” Sonic gave the human a thumbs up before advancing onward. Whistling to himself with his eyes closed, he jumped back in fright when he nearly ran into a wall of well-armed human soldiers toting machine guns.

“Just what is going on here?” Mandy asked, stepping in front of Sonic and Cream to address the commander at the front of the pack.

“Stand aside,” he replied. “We have new orders to confiscate the aliens for extensive testing.”

“Extensive testing?” Mandy gasped. “Under whose orders?”

“My orders.”

The party turned to find Liam emerge from behind the wall of soldiers, a scowl covering his face. “We meet again, rodents. Enjoying the fresh air? Well, better make the most of it, because this will be the last time you see the light of day.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Liam?” Mandy asked, balling her fists as her arms started to shake. “You have no authority to order me around. Only the managing scientist can steer the direction of the project.”

“Oh, but Mandy,” Liam replied as he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out his cell phone, “I’m afraid you’re not in the know.” Clearing his throat as if about to give a formal speech, he opened his email application and read a recently distributed announcement. “As of today, Project SA-2 is now under the management of Liam Griffith. All scientific personnel will report to him going forward on all matters relating to staffing, scheduling, leaves, workplace disputes, and work direction.” Pushing up his glasses, he gave Mandy a sinister glare. “This means what I say is now law.”

“No…” Mandy turned away, tears forming in her eyes. “I can’t believe it. Why would they promote a psychopath like you?”

“A psychopath, huh?” Liam approached her with a wicked grin. “One more insult, and I’ll report you to HR!”

“Hey, buddy.”

“Huh?” Liam peered down to find Sonic standing between him and his subordinate.

“You leave my friend alone, got that?” The newly appointed chief scientist laughed maniacally.

“Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it, vermin?” He knelt to Sonic’s level. “You are at nowhere near your full strength thanks to the tranquilizers, and even if you were,” he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, “I have a whole army of trained marines right behind me ready to take you out the second you try pulling something stupid.”

“Wanna know what I think of your threats?” Sonic spit in Liam’s face, causing him to fall back in surprise. “That’s what I think of ‘em. You think you can bully those around you because of some fancy title? Give me a break.” Sonic folded his arms as Liam pulled himself off the ground, grinding his teeth furiously. “You’re no better than Dr. Eggman.”

“Wise guy…who do you think you are!?” Liam yelled as he wiped his face with a pocket tissue.

“That’s easy.” With a smirk of his own, Sonic pointed to his chest in defiance. “I’m Sonic! Sonic the Hedgeho—”  

The blue hedgehog froze, slowly peering down with a look of horror in his eyes as he found a hole in his lower belly, a slow trickle of blood coming from the bullet wound.

“Ha! Not so cocky now, are we?” Liam jeered, brandishing the smoking pistol in his hand before aiming it at Cream, who ran to Mandy’s side and collapsed against her oversized lab coat. “Now I’m going to make this very simple…” Liam approached the wounded hedgehog and kicked him in the belly. “You will all do exactly as I say, or else I’ll kill your friends. Is that what you want, rodent!?” The blue hedgehog used what little strength he had left to lift his head and cover his wound with his bloodstained gloved hand.

“Cr-Cream…r…run…” Sonic’s head fell back once more, his arms sprawled to his side as he lay unconscious in the afternoon sun.

“Sonic!” Cream yelled, running to his side and dropping to her knees, tears pouring down her face. Mandy joined her, closely analyzing his injury.

“Sonic’s badly wounded. It went straight through but appeared to miss vital organs. He needs medical attention ASAP.” Mandy pulled out her phone, but before she could contact the emergency medical personnel, Liam snagged it from her hands.

“Nah ah ahhh!” He laughed maniacally once more, dropping her phone and crushing it below his feet. “He’s going straight to the lab.”

“You can’t be serious!?” Mandy yelled. “If he isn’t properly treated, he is going to die!” Liam raised his arm, signaling the soldiers behind him to train their machine guns on her and the Mobians.

“Must I keep reminding you who’s in charge around here?” He pushed his glasses up his nose. “One more word out of you, Mandy, and you’ll be demoted to janitorial duty!”

“You’re a real, big meanie!”

“What?” With another sinister smirk, Liam knelt to Cream’s level. The young bunny’s fists were balled, and tears were still dripping from her eyes. This didn’t stop her from matching the evil scientist’s glare with her own.

“I said…you…are…a…real…big…MEANIE!” Charging her right arm, she gave him a swift punch to the face, sending him careening to the ground. Moments later, Cream secured Cheese in her dress, placed her hands on the ground, and stretched her legs as if lining up for a racing competition.

I’ve only got one shot at this. Let’s make this count. Just like how Mr. Sonic taught me.

“Don’t just stand there, you idiots!” Liam yelled from the ground as he nursed his swollen cheek. “Fire! Kill the rabbit! Kill the raaaaabbit!” Just as the soldiers took their first shots, Cream began charging a spindash, the bullets ricocheting off her spherical form, bouncing back and hitting the opposing soldiers in the legs, sending them tumbling to the ground in agony.

“What’s this!?” the commander exclaimed, his pistol trained on the bunny as she increased her charging speed.

“Let’s go, Cheese!” Cream yelled.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese replied, matching the determination on their master’s face. Cream launched herself at the remaining soldiers, rolling through them like bowling pins and avoiding incoming fire from the snipers stationed atop the nearby buildings. The young bunny blasted her way through one such building, leaving a hole in the wall only big enough for her and Cheese to traverse through.

“Damn them!” Liam cried as he pulled himself up and approached the speechless commander, who was still in a heap on the ground with his soldiers. “I want you to bring back those insolent vermin on the double!”

“Aye, aye!” the soldiers replied as they returned to their feet and chased after the rogue bunny and her pet chao.

“As for you,” Liam turned to face the horrified Mandy, a wide, evil grin covering his face, “I have special plans for you.”

“W-what do you mean?” Mandy stepped back in horror, nearly tripping over the unconscious hedgehog.

“Let’s just say you’ve been promoted to…head surgeon.”

“Woah, this baby can really fly!” Chuck exclaimed from the backseat of the Tornado biplane. “I don’t know what’s more believable: that a youngin’ like yourself can expertly maneuver and maintain such a beautiful aircraft or that a bunch of aliens teleported to our world using magical stones!”

“Thanks, Chuck!” Tails replied from the cockpit, scratching the back of his head as he did his best to hide his blush. “I’m just thankful my baby survived the trip to Earth.”

“I look forward to seeing its innerworkings!” Chuck gave a hardy laugh. “Perhaps when we’re through rescuing your friends, we can give it a good ol’ tune-up in my workshop.”

“Of course!” Tails replied, looking back at the old man with a smile across his muzzle. A sense of excitement filled him as he imagined all the cool toys, gadgets, and doodads littering Chuck’s engineer cave. “Just don’t break anything.”

“Me? Break something?” Chuck asked as he placed his open palm on his chest, an unbuttoned laboratory jacket covering his green sweater vest. “I’ll have you know I’ve been flying planes and building things many decades longer than you’ve been alive!”

“Oh yeah,” Tails replied with a chuckle, “because you’re so ooooold.”

“What was that, sonny?” Chuck asked with a smirk, bringing his head over Tails’ shoulder and cupping his hand around his ear. “I couldn’t quite hear ya because I’m oooooold, remember?”

“I said!” Tails shouted in jest. “You! Are! Ooooooold!” The two erupted in a sea of laughter.

“Oh man,” Chuck wiped a tear away, “something tells me we’ll become fast friends.”

“But I thought we were already friends?” Tails cocked his head as he peered up at the old man through the rearview mirror.

“Of course!” Chuck lifted his arm over Tails’ headrest and rustled the fox’s hair.

“Hey, cut it out old man!” Tails shouted, removing his hands from the yoke as he tried swatting the human’s fingers from his unkempt hair. He was unsuccessful, however, as he was in no position to fight back without inadvertently hurting the elder human. “Okay, fine.” Tails fake pouted as he returned his hands to the yoke, secretly enjoying the affectionate noogie.

Engaging autopilot, Tails sat back in his chair as the rustling of his hair reminded him of his big bro and all the countless times he’d given him affectionate head pats for a job well done. Exhaling deeply, the orange kitsune gave a long sigh.

“Something on your mind, son?” Chuck asked as he removed his hand from the fox’s head and leaned back in his seat.

“Oh, nothing,” Tails replied, trying to focus on the blue skyline as he sighed once more.

“We’ve only known each other for a few hours, but I can already tell when you’re not telling the truth.” Chuck crossed his arms and sighed himself. “But if it’s too personal, I won’t pry.”

“No, that’s okay,” Tails reassured, scratching the back of his head with another blush, “I’m just worried about Sonic is all.”

“He really means a lot to you, huh?”

“…Yeah.” Tails nodded, tightening his grip on the yoke. “He’s always been there for me, taking me in all those years ago and basically raising me all by himself.” His eyes started glistening in the early afternoon sun. “I couldn’t ask for a better brother.” Chuck placed his palm on the orange kitsune’s shoulder.

“It’ll be okay, Tails. We’ll get Sonic and your other friends out of there, and they’ll be safe. Promise.”

The young fox sniffled as he dried the moisture from his eyes. “Thank you. It really means a lot.”

“Hey, it’s my job, after all!” The old man laughed in his seat once more.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been doing this all my life it seems, helping friends and family through tough times.” Chuck nodded his head. “When my son found out about Helen’s condition, he was in a total panic!”

“You mean why Helen’s in a wheelchair?”

“Correct!” Chuck replied, raising a finger to the air. “Helen was born with a condition called spina bifida. There wasn’t anything the doctors could do.” Chuck folded his arms once more and shook his head. “This condition all but prevented her from having a normal child’s life. No playing sports or chasing after friends in the park…or camping, hiking, or swimming...”

“But despite all that,” Chuck continued, shifting his focus to the skies above, “Helen is one of the most cheerful, positive, and hopeful people I know, and I attribute that, in part, to her parents providing as much as they could for their little girl. Sure, it was tough, and it’s still tough, with both of ‘em working endless hours to pay the medical bills, but they’ve managed to make it work, with a little encouragement from yours truly.”

As Chuck ended his story, Tails reflected on Helen’s condition.

All my life, I’ve been ridiculed and made fun of for my tails, but at the end of the day, they’ve been a tremendous benefit. I’ve helped Sonic and others countless times using my tails, and nowadays, the only downside to having them is twice the cleaning and brushing. Chaos, I feel like an idiot…

“Don’t feel bad for her,” Chuck said, as if reading the orange kitsune’s mind. “She’s rather happy, and she wouldn’t want you to pity her.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Tails replied with a smile, scratching the back of his head once more. “I do have one question though…what’s a medical bill?”

“Oh, that? A medical bill shows how much you need to pay for your medical care.”

“Wait…” Tails brought a finger to his lip in thought. “Are you saying you need to pay to go the hospital?”

“In this country, yes,” Chuck replied, “but in other places, they subsidize medical care using tax dollars.”

“Huh…” Tails reflected further, his thoughts interrupted by the ringing of Chuck’s cell phone.

“Hello, Chuck speaking…ah yes, how are ya doing, Doug? Oh, ummm…well, Helen was at home when I left…yep, she missed the bus and didn’t seem up to going to school today…no, I don’t think she’d want you to pick her up. You just continue working, and I’ll make sure she’s okay, alright? Kay, good.”

“What’s that?” Chuck gasped. “The noise in the background? Oh, I’m just…driving with the windows open! Yeah, and I can’t shut ‘em either. I gotta fix this ol’ hunk o’ junk. Anyway, I’ll let you get back to work. See you later!” The old man sighed in relief as he returned his phone to his lab coat pocket.

“Nice save, dude,” Tails nodded his head from the front seat. “He’s probably not ready to hear the truth yet.”

“About how an alien fox appeared in their backyard, or how we’re teaming up to rescue your friends from Area 99?”

“Ummm…yes?” The two laughed merrily once more.

“But back to business.” Chuck cleared his throat as he pulled a folded piece of blue paper from his other pocket. “I have a copy of the Area 99 schematics here, which I think we can use to our advantage. How do you propose we break your friends out?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Tails replied, itching his furry cheek as he looked up at the sky, “I’d normally just go in guns blazing, but with Cream and Cheese, we should think of a more covert approach.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Chuck laughed under his breath.

“And I think I have just the plan.”

“C’mon men, spread out and find the aliens!” barked the commander. His soldiers followed without question, scattering throughout the complex Cream blasted into moments earlier, yet there was no sign of the young bunny nor her pet chao. “Damn, she sure is a slippery one,” the commander said under his breath. He bent his knees and picked up a small pebble of sheetrock, rolling it between his fingers. “These aliens are definitely not ordinary. What are they anyway?”

Returning to his feet, the commander drew his pistol and proceeded down the hallway on high alert. He froze and aimed his gun to the ceiling at a faint metallic sound above.

The air ducts, ay? That’s the oldest trick in the book!

“You know,” he said out loud, “we were ordered to take you in dead or alive. It doesn’t matter to us either way, so I’ll give you until the count of three to hop back down here or else face the consequences.”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Three!” Immediately before the commander was about to pull the trigger, Cream emerged from the air duct cover, landing graciously as her flappy ears slowed her descent. “Ah, smart girl. Now stay there with your hands up.” As he approached the young bunny, she held firm, tightening her fists as she gave him an intimidating glare.

“Momma always said to stand up to bullies…and that’s just what I’ll do!”

“Bully? Ha! You’re dealing with someone more powerful than a bully.” The commander twirled his gun with his finger before pointing it at the rabbit. “You’re dealing with the United States Military.”

“Ready, Cheese?”

“Chao!” they replied as they hopped from their owner’s head and landed in her gloved hands. Cream proceeded to charge her right arm as her pet rolled into spherical form.

“Yeeeeaaaaa!” Cream threw Cheese as hard as she could, the chao colliding with the dumbfounded soldier before he had the opportunity to shoot, sending him tumbling to the ground as Cheese bounced back to their owner’s hands.

“B-but how?” the commander cried as he clutched his bruised belly.

“With the power of friendship, anything is possible, right Cheese?” Cream asked as she approached the downed commander and grabbed his pistol.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese replied, nodding their head in agreement. The human was speechless, still recovering from the blow to the gut as Cream ran down the hallway, Cheese reclaiming their designated spot between her ears.

Slowing her run to a walk, she peered around the bland hallway, finding no signs of soldiers nor personnel. “That’s strange, isn’t it Cheese?”

“Cha-chao…” they replied, rubbing their dumpling-shaped head with their stubby hand.

“Maybe we should hide?” She peered up at Cheese, who nodded their head approvingly. “But which room to choose?” Selecting the nearest door, she placed an ear against it, hearing nobody inside. She jumped in fright as she heard footsteps rapidly approaching. “Okay, this room will have to do.” She reached up to the handle with her tippy toes, opened the door, and dove in, shutting it behind just in time to avoid suspicion.

Cream and Cheese found themselves in a deserted staff lounge, complete with a small kitchen, a large television, a pinball table, and various microwaves and vending machines.

“We’re safe for now,” she said as she locked the door behind her. Sighing to herself, the young bunny sat on the sofa and analyzed the pistol in her hand. “I won’t need to use this…right?”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese dropped from her head and landed next to her hand. The chao grabbed the gun between their stubby hands and deposited it to her side like a claw machine. “Chao, chao, cha-chao ch-chao!” They shook their head, not approving of their master’s newfound firearm.

“Hey, you’re right, Cheese!” Cream exclaimed, a smile on her face. “With you by my side, I won’t need to use such a deadly weapon.” The Mobian peered down at the pistol once more. “I hope to never kill anyone, ever. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to make that choice.”

“Chao, chao…” Cheese rested against her side.

“You relax, Cheese,” Cream ran her gloved fingers over their head, “while I think of a way to save Sonic.” Cheese didn’t need to be told twice; they were fast asleep before Cream could even finish her sentence. As the chao slept, recent memories of the deranged scientist shooting Sonic filled her mind, clouding her ability to adequately plan her next move.

“C’mon Cream, think…” She rubbed her temple with her fingers. “Where would they take Sonic? Liam said he wouldn’t be getting treated, so that leaves the labs.” The rabbit peered down at her pet snoozing alongside her. “I wish I could just leave Cheese here, but who knows who’ll come by.” She turned her gaze to the pistol on her opposite side before eventually reaching her decision; Cream gently placed Cheese on her head and tied them securely in place with her flappy ears. Next, she picked up the pistol and, with one final sigh, crept back to the lounge exit, unlocked the door, and stepped into the empty hallway once more.

“If I remember correctly, the labs where we were staying are in the building next to this one.” Holding the pistol with both hands, she took brisk steps with bent knees, making as little noise as possible as she made her way closer to her destination. The bunny froze as she heard footsteps rapidly approaching ahead.

“Shoot, shoot, shoot,” Cream whispered as she frantically looked around the hallway. Finding no other viable hiding spot, she jumped into a large garbage can, the chao surprisingly still asleep despite being completely submerged. The human soldiers ran past, and after a minute of complete silence, the young bunny fluttered her way from the bin, dusted a banana peel from her shoulder, and proceeded onward.

“Okay, I think I’m getting closer…” She traversed through a hallway connecting the two buildings, now finding herself in the laboratory wing of the complex. Rounding a corner, she collided with a set of human legs, gasping at the surprise as the gun flew from her hands and slid several feet away. Returning to her wits, the Mobian rabbit dove for the pistol and aimed it at the man before her, tears forming in her eyes.

“P-put your hands up, mister, or I’ll s-shoot!” The human immediately raised his arms, but another figure came out from behind him. Cream gasped once more.

“W-what? Is that really you?”

“Attention, you are flying in restricted airspace. You must land immediately.”

“All according to plan,” Chuck said from the backseat as he grabbed the corded speakerphone from the Tornado’s dashboard, reaching over Miles’ shoulder. “Hello, this is Dr. Chuck. I have authorized security clearance to approach and enter the military base.” There were a few moments of silence before the authoritative voice returned.

“Land at the nearest airstrip, and we’ll verify your credentials.”

“Roger.” Chuck placed the phone back on the dashboard.

“That takes care of you getting in,” Tails noted, “but how am I gonna get inside?”

“That won’t be a problem, m’boy!” The older human pulled a luggage bag from his side. “I reckon you’ll be able to fit in here no problem.”

“Wait, are you saying I need to be your carry-on?” Tails pouted.  

“I can’t see how else to sneak you in,” Chuck replied, “and besides, with my clearance, they won’t even ask about my luggage.”

“If you say so…” Tails eyed the suitcase with a frown. “At least it has a pull-out handle and wheels.”

“You bet!” Chuck replied. “Now get in while I take control of the Tornado.”

“WHAT!?” Tails exclaimed, wrapping his arms around the yoke like an overprotecting mother bird shielding her nestlings with her wings.

“I know how you must feel, Tails,” Chuck placed his palm on the orange fox’s shoulder, “but if they see a furry little fox piloting the plane as it’s landing, things won’t go so well.”

“I guess…” Tails reluctantly switched the plane to autopilot and twisted around, awkwardly squeezing past the human and scrunching himself in a fetal position inside the bag. “How’s this?”

“Perfect…oh wait…” Chuck noticed the orange fox’s namesakes sticking out of the bag. “Let me just push those right on in for ya…” Delicately placing his tails snuggly in the bag, Chuck inspected each side of the case to ensure his new companion was completely inside. Tails, meanwhile, was blushing in embarrassment. “I’m gonna zip up the luggage now.”

“Good luck, Chuck.” Tails gave the old man a forced thumbs up as the human zipped up the bag. He then crawled into the pilot’s chair, pushed the seat back to allow for more leg room, and disengaged the auto-pilot, bringing in the plane for a smooth landing.

As the aircraft rolled to a slow stop along the tarmac, Chuck observed the buildings which formed the perimeter around the track. He noted the hole in one of the walls and the guards running about, as well as the small group of personnel approaching the biplane.

“Well, here goes nothing!” Chuck opened the hatch and peered down, his heart sinking as he discovered a fatal flaw in his plan. “Hey Tails…you think you can handle getting dropped from this height?”

“Ummm, I guess? Why would you…ohhhh, shoot.” Tails paused to think for a few moments. “Yeah, I’ll be alright.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine! I’ve had much worse battling Eggman. Just drop the case bottom-first, and that’ll reduce the probability of any injury.”

“You got it, son.” With a nod, Chuck lifted the luggage. “Hey, catch!” He threw the bag at the nearest security guard, who caught it swiftly and gently placed it on the ground. Chuck clumsily climbed down to the ground and approached the personnel.

“Identification, sir.” The security officer reached his hand out expectingly.

“Of course.” Chuck fished in his pocket for his badge, one showing a picture of the aging scientist a decade younger. He analyzed the badge carefully and ran it through a handheld scanner attached to his phone.

“Well, it says here you’re retired. May I ask why a retired research professor is flying over Area 99? Shouldn’t you be lounging at the beach?”

“I’ll have you know,” Chuck replied tersely as he snagged the badge from the officer’s hands, “that I’ve been called here for a top-secret research study, something much more urgent than sippin’ piña coladas in the Bahamas, even though that does sound quite nice right about now…”

“We weren’t expecting any visitors,” the officer replied. “Why don’t you sit tight while I phone my su—”

“You listen here, sonny!” Chuck brought his finger to the younger man’s chest in defiance. “Back in my day, we had respect for our elders! Are you really going to have me wait in the scorching desert sun, or can I get on with my important research? Will your supervisor need to be informed of your insolence?”

“Oh, no, no, not at all, sir…ummm, professor.” The officer shook his head profusely. “I apologize for the inconvenience, Dr. Chuck. Right this way.”

“Now that’s more like it!” Chuck exclaimed as he pulled up the handle on the luggage and rolled the bag behind him. “By the way, what’s up with that hole in the building over there?”

“Oh, that?” the officer replied, looking back at the defaced structure. “One of our research subjects escaped and did a number on that wall, but the soldiers stationed here are tracking them down as we speak.”

“Gotcha.” Chuck followed the employee through a door of the research building, whistling nonchalantly as they escaped the scorching heat and entered the airconditioned facility.

“You just need to walk down this hallway, take the fourth door on your right, and climb the stairs to find the research lab. One of the subjects is there already.”

“Thanks for the help, officer!” Chuck gave him a salute as he returned to his post. Waiting a few moments to confirm the coast was clear, the scientist carefully unzipped the bag, a gasping kitsune rolling out from within.

“Okay, next time, you’re going in the bag!” Tails returned to his feet and dusted off his legs as Chuck laughed merrily.

“In either case, we’re in. The guy said one of the research subjects is in the lab, so they’re probably one of your friends.”

“I bet you’re right, Chuck!” Tails replied with a smile, his namesakes fluttering from behind. “Let’s go before anyone sees us.”

“Right.” Chuck nodded as he made his way down the hall, the young fox following close behind. As he turned the corner, however, a small figure bumped into his legs and fell over. Chuck was dumbfounded at what he found: a bunny of similar size to Tails with a small, alien pet tied between her floppy ears. The scientist took a step back as the rabbit dove for the pistol she dropped.

“P-put your hands up, or I’ll s-shoot!” she cried as tears started forming in her eyes, the firearm shaking in her gloved hands. Chuck complied, raising his arms as the bunny’s eyes wandered to the one standing to his side. She froze at the sight of the orange kitsune.  

 “W-what? Is that really you?” She asked.

“T-Tails?”

Author's Revision (04/24/2021): Thank you, Noonui, for pointing out that I referred to Chuck as "Chuck Thorndyke" in my original posting of this chapter! I have since revised it to exclude Chuck's last name altogether, as Chuck has no relation to the Thorndykes in this reimagining. In fact, now that I think about it, Helen and her family lack a last name, so if you have any ideas, feel free to let me know! 

Chapter Text

“T-tails...is that really you?”

The young bunny dropped her pistol as a stream of tears rolled down her face. The orange kitsune approached Cream slowly as he opened his arms.

“Yes, Cream…it’s really me.” Standing within inches of the rabbit, the young fox wrapped his arms around her back and let her cry into his furry chest. “It’ll be okay, we’re here now…”

Chuck watched in silence as Tails consoled his Mobian companion. The small, blue creature on her head, with tears forming in their eyes as well, crawled over to Tails’ head and hugged it tightly.

The three continued hugging in silence, save for the soft whimpers of the bunny and the chao. It was only the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps that brought the party back to their senses.

“Oh no, they’re coming back!” Cream exclaimed. “We need to hide.”

“No, it’s too late for that,” Tails replied as he gently pulled himself away from her and balled his hands into fists, a single drop of sweat running down the side of his face. “We’ll need to fight them off.”

“Not quite.”

Tails and Cheese turned to the elder human, who picked up the pistol and put it in his coat pocket before approaching the young bunny and dropping to a single knee. “No time for long introductions, but my name is Chuck, and I’m a friend of Tails.”

“N-nice to meet you, mister,” Cream replied slowly as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Cheese fluttered back to her head.  

“Now then,” Chuck picked himself up, brushed off his jacket, and stood between the two Mobians. “Take my hands and follow my lead.” Confused, Tails and Cream complied, clasping the older human’s hands with their own as they marched toward the group of oncoming soldiers. “You didn’t kill any of the guards, right, Cream?”

“Oh, no, no, no, never!” she exclaimed as she raised her free hand to her face. “I knocked one out, though.”

“Good,” Chuck replied with a smile as they got closer to the soldiers. “That’ll make things easier.”

“Halt!” Yelled the armed man at the front of the pack. “We have strict orders to take in the aliens!”

“Now, now,” Chuck replied nonchalantly, “it looks like your orders are outdated. The aliens are coming with me for testing.”

“Now if you excuse us,” Chuck continued as he stepped through the dumbstruck soldiers who formed a path for him, “science awaits! If you impede my progress, I’ll be sure to write a full report to your commanding officer.” The elder human’s intimidating warning was enough to make them shudder, and they dispersed as soon as the human and the aliens were on the other side.

“It’s just up the stairs, Mr. Chuck.” Cream pointed to the nearby staircase.

“Please,” he replied as he gave the young bunny a warm smile, “Mr. Chuck was my father’s name. Just call me Chuck.”

“Okay!” she replied cheerfully.

“Chao, chao!”

“Is…Sonic okay?” Tails asked. His voice was noticeably somber, almost cracking as he dreaded what Cream had to say. After all, if Sonic wasn’t with her, then where was he?

“Sonic?” Suppressed memories of his gunshot wound came rushing back to her. Tears started forming in her eyes once more as she slowly shook her head.

“What happened, Cream?” Tails let go of Chuck’s hand and put his palms on her shoulders. “Please, answer me!” The young bunny kept her head down as a steady stream of tears ran down her face. “S-Sonic…was…sh—”

She was interrupted by the sound of screaming coming from down the hallway.

“Sonic?!” Tails exclaimed as he twisted around and ran forward. “I’m coming, Sonic!”

“Wait, hold up!” Chuck lunged for him, but he barely missed the orange kitsune’s namesakes, instead falling over as his young companion got a head start.

“Are you okay, Chuck?” Cream asked as she put her hand on his arm.

“Yes, I’m fine.” The scientist pulled himself up. “C’mon, Cream, we’ve gotta hurry!”

“Right!” Cream replied as she balled her fists, her muzzle still wet from the tears.

“Chao, chao!” With piercing looks of determination, they followed Tails to the medical wing to find him frozen at the entrance of one of the labs, his mouth agape and his face contorted in terror.

“Tails, what’s wrong?” Chuck asked. The elder human turned to face the room, understanding exactly what startled his Mobian friend. Inside were two scientists, a woman tending to the injured blue hedgehog and the other smiling maniacally in the corner, a pistol trained on her.

“What the hell is going on here?!” Chuck cried as he stepped into the lab, followed closely behind by Tails and Cream.

“And who the hell are you?” Liam replied, his gun still pointed at Mandy.

“Sonic!” Tails ran to his older brother, who was lying motionless on the medical table, blood stains across his lower belly and stitches covering a fresh wound. “Speak to me, Sonic!” Tears formed in the fox’s eyes as he pulled Sonic’s head up gently with the palm of his hand, but the blue hedgehog wouldn’t respond.

“Unfortunately for you,” Liam declared with an evil grin, “that little rodent won’t wake up for quite some time. He’s lost so much blood, I’m not sure if he’ll be alive by the time we get to the dissection.”

“The what!?” Tails cried as he approached the evil scientist, his fists tightening. “What do you plan on doing to my brother?”

“Oh, your brother, ehhh?” Liam snickered as he trained the pistol on the approaching fox. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Anger started to boil inside the young fox, the image of Sonic’s lifeless body permeating his mind as he focused all his anger on the heartless man before him.

“Do you even know what I’m holding?” Liam asked as he turned the safety off. “I could kill you in a split second with this pistol. If you come any closer, your fate will be far worse than your brother’s.”

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Tails replied with a grin.

“Huh?!” Liam yelled as the orange kitsune whipped his namesake forward and swatted his pistol away. “What is this?” He watched in horror as the seemingly harmless fox returned his confused glare with one of wicked malice, dark shadows growing below his eyes.

“You…hurt…Sonic…so you’re…gonna pay.”

Liam stepped back, now flush with the wall, as the young fox entered spherical form and spun in place, his speed increasing exponentially.

“W-what is he?” Mandy asked out loud, her hand to her mouth in shock. Chuck was equally surprised, having never seen Tails in complete and utter rage.

“T-Tails…” Cream slowly approached the glowing orange sphere, extending her arm out.

“Don’t!” Mandy grabbed her from behind, pulling her back just in time to avoid an orange streak of static electricity. “You could get hurt.” Cream put her arm down and watched in silence, speechless and unable to stop Tails from hurting this madman, even if he deserved it.

“You…will…PAY!!!” Tails yelled as he unleashed his spindash, colliding with Liam and hurling the two through the wall. The evil human’s head was spinning as he registered the sight of the angry fox on top of him, his hands balled into fists. “I’ll make sure you regret everything you’ve done to Sonic!”

Tails pulled back his arm, preparing for a devastating blow to Liam’s face.

“That’s enough!” The sound of Cream’s voice snapped Tails out of his angry rampage. He loosened his fist and stared at the palm of his hand before returning his gaze to the scientist below; his glasses were bent, and he appeared dazed and confused. Finally, the orange kitsune turned around to face Cream, who looked at him with a glare so sharp it could cut steel, all while tears were running down her muzzle. “This isn’t you, Tails! We got Sonic, so now we can leave.”

“Y-yes…” Tails slowly pulled himself off the human, stepping around the young bunny and crawling through the hole in the wall he created. He approached his older brother, who was still unconscious on the lab table with labored breathing, and gently placed his hand on his chest.

“How’s he doing?” Tails asked Mandy.

“H-he’s in stable condition,” she replied, “but Liam only let me do the bare minimum. I patched him up, but he passed out from the pain. I…wasn’t allowed to administer any painkillers or antibiotics. He needs some real medical attention soon.”

“Sonic…” Tails stared at his big bro, tears rolling down his face. “Chuck, will a hospital admit him?” He didn’t take his eyes off Sonic.

Chuck raised his fingers to his chin in thought. “I have a buddy at the Station Square hospital who wouldn’t think twice about helping Sonic, but that’s a long flight.”

“Then we’ll have to do as much as we can here, first,” Tails replied, grabbing an antibiotic from the nearby table. “I’m sorry, Sonic, but this is gonna sting.” Taking a dry gulp, the young fox pierced the skin around the stitched wound and injected the medicine.

Sonic’s eyes shot open as he screamed. Chuck held his legs down as Mandy restrained his arms, giving Tails the time and space to finish administering the drug. After what felt like hours, he removed the needle from his brother’s pale, bloodstained belly and applied a bandage. It was also by this time that Sonic calmed down, his wit returning to him as he processed the image of his younger brother tending to his wound.

“T-Tails…is that…you?”

“Yes, Sonic…” The orange kitsune replied, squeezing Sonic’s hand as he tried to suppress the tears. “I’m here, Sonic. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“Hey, buddy…” The blue hedgehog slowly pulled himself up, groaning from the pain.

“You shouldn’t move yet!” Mandy ordered. “You need more time to heal first.”

“I’m…fine…” Sonic’s gaze returned to Tails’ eyes. “My…little brother…needs me…” The blue hedgehog’s bloodstained, gloved hand slowly approached the kitsune’s muzzle, his finger gently flicking away a tear. “Don’t cry…little…buddy…”

“Sonic…” Tails lost it, tears flowing from his eyes as he hugged his big brother, who was now sitting completely upright on the table. “I missed you, Sonic! I missed you so much.”

“I know…Tails…” Sonic gently wrapped his arms around his weeping brother and patted him on the back. “I…missed you…too…” The blue hedgehog coughed into Tails’ furry chest.

“Are you alright?” Tails gently backed away and gave him a concerned look.

“Heh…never better…” Sonic allowed himself to slide from the table, his feet landing on the tiled floor. His legs started to wobble, however, and he pinwheeled his arms to keep himself upright.

“I got you, Sonic!” Tails grabbed hold of him before he could fall, holding him like a newborn against his chest. “You need to rest while we get you some proper medical care.”

“T-Tails…” Sonic struggled to keep his eyes open. “S-savin’ me again, huh? I’m…p-proud of ya…back at Eggman’s base…you t-turned Super…didn’t you?”

“Yes, Sonic…I did.” Tails nodded, tears freely falling from his face and landing on the blue hedgehog’s torso.

“And you…found me n’ Cream…way out here…”

“Not without the help of some new friends.” Tails winked at Chuck.

“Oh, nah, it was nothing, really…” Chuck replied as he rubbed the back of his head.  

“And…” Sonic concluded. “You…took out that…bastard Liam for me…” The blue hedgehog coughed once more. “I owe ya my life.”

“You’ve rescued me and kept me safe countless times, Sonic,” Tails replied. “You took me in, made me your sidekick, rescued me from Eggman, and so much more…” Memories of his stay at the hospital after fighting Robotnik in Seaside City, and the emotional breakdown he suffered at the Master Emerald shrine while trying to fix his Chaos Emerald detector, filled his mind. “It’s going to take a lot more than this to repay you.”

“H-hey…” Sonic nodded his head slowly, a smirk covering his face as he brought his arm up, forming a weak thumbs up. “That’s…what bros…are for, ri-riigh…” The blue hedgehog closed his eyes and dropped his arm, his body now limp against Tails’ chest.

“Sonic!” Tails peered down at his unconscious brother in shock.

“He’s exhausted, Tails,” Chuck noted as he placed a hand on his shoulder. “We need to leave asap.”

“Then let’s go!” Tails replied, determination filling him once more.

The motley crew of humans and Mobians set out, traveling carefully down the stairs and returning to the hangar where the Tornado was safely parked, undisturbed. There was but a single guard stationed nearby, who approached the group before saluting the elder scientist.

“Ahh, the one from earlier!” Chuck exclaimed. “Nice to see your manners have improved.”

“Are you leaving so soon Professor Chuck?” he asked, eyeing the others accompanying him.

“Yes, we need to get these aliens medical care that simply can’t be provided at this facility.” Chuck shrugged his arms. “You’d think with all the taxpayer dollars streaming into here they’d at least have decent equipment.”

“Anyway,” Chuck concluded as he patted the guard on the shoulder, “just let your superiors know that Professor Chuck has taken the aliens for safekeeping and further study and that they’ll be secured with me. Also…” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and scribbled a note down, handing it to the guard. “Deliver this message to your commanding officer. We’ll be relieving this Liam fellow of his duties.”  

“Sir, yes sir!” He replied with another salute before returning to his post.

“Unfortunately, given the limited space in the plane,” Chuck opined as he turned his attention to Mandy, “we’re gonna need to leave you behind. Is that okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine,” she replied. “I’ll play some damage control and file a report with my superiors. Liam’s certainly going to get demoted for this, if not fired and jailed.”

“If my name still has the sway it had back in the day,” Chuck replied with a grin, “that’s an almost guaranteed outcome.” He turned to Tails, who was still clutching the unconscious hedgehog against his now bloodstained fur. “Ready to take flight?”

“Yes.” Tails nodded as he began spinning his rotary namesakes, floating above his aircraft before gently landing in the pilot’s chair. He was followed by Chuck, who climbed up the wing and into the back seat with little issue, Cream, who used her flappy ears to flutter up to the passenger area, and Cheese, who maintained their seat on Cream’s head.

“You guys have enough room back there?” Tails asked as he positioned Sonic awkwardly across his legs. There was just enough width in the cockpit for Sonic’s body to fit.

“Yep!” Cream replied, happily sitting in Chuck’s lap.

“Chao, chao!”

“Alright, time for takeoff.” Starting the ignition sequence, the orange kitsune drove his biplane down the tarmac and took flight. As he established proper altitude, Chuck reached out to his connection at the hospital close to home. After briefing them on Sonic’s general condition, and the time it would take to arrive at the medical facility, the elder human ended the call.

“If Sonic can handle the long trip, I have a bed booked for him. I explained the whole thing, so there shouldn’t be any surprises.”

“Good,” Tails replied as he peered down at his older brother and ran his gloved hand through his quills. “Sonic…We’ll get you fixed up.”

“I promise.”

“Here, just try it,” Knuckles pleaded, a chili dog in either hand.

“No way!” Amy retorted, shaking her head with her arms folded. “That looks way too greasy for me, and we don’t even know if it’s safe for us to eat.”

“…it’s a chili dog,” Knuckles replied unamused. “You know, Sonic’s favorite food?”

“Couldn’t you get some vegetables over at the farmer’s market over there?” Amy pointed across the park to a long row of fresh vegetable vendors.

“Oh…” Knuckles observed the line of humans waiting to purchase bundles of carrots, corn, potatoes, kale, and other produce. “I didn’t consider that.”

“What do you mean ‘I didn’t consider that’?!” Amy yelled. “Can you at least give me the leftover money you found so I can go buy an apple or something?”

“Well, the thing is…” Knuckles stammered as he scratched the back of his head with a chuckle. “I sorta…spent it all.”

“You what!?” Amy was beyond furious. “How did you spend all our money on two chili dogs?!”

“Hey, would you calm down, Amy!?” Knuckles shouted. “I searched for hours and came up with little, okay?”

Amy scoffed. “So much for being an ‘expert treasure hunter’.” She formed air quotes with her gloved fingers for emphasis.

“I’ll have you know,” Knuckles veins started to bulge from his forehead, “that I am an expert in my craft! Besides, I’d love to see you scrounging in the dirt and behind trash cans for money.” The mere thought of having to crawl on the ground in search for misplaced coins made the pink hedgehog withdraw her arguments, instead sighing as she snagged the uneaten chili dog from Knuckles’ other hand and took a large bite.

“If only Sonic could see you now!” Knuckles laughed as she gave him a grimacing look, although she secretly thought to herself that a chili dog date may be the best way to get his boyfriend’s attention.

Finishing off the rest of their meal, the two left the park and made their way further downtown.

“Isn’t it weird how nobody found our appearance strange at all?” Amy asked as she walked alongside the red echidna.

“I thought the same thing…” Knuckles raised his palm to his chin in thought. “I wonder if it has anything to do with that.” He pointed to the hotel across the street with a bunch of humans dressed up in animal-like outfits loitering around. “Anime Convention” was plastered on the side of the building.

“It doesn’t matter,” Amy replied as she walked past him. “All that matters is that we find Sonic, Tails, Cream, and everyone else so we can figure out how to get home.”

“It may not be that simple,” Knuckles lifted his hands behind his head as he walked, “Chaos Control brought us here, so for us to return home, we’d need to find the Chaos Emeralds again, assuming they came with us to this planet. We’d also need to cause the same type of reaction.” Knuckles recalled the explosion caused by Dr. Eggman’s energy amplifier as he brought a hand to his chin in thought. “Tails could come up with something…”

“I’m sure when we find Sonic, everything will work itself out,” Amy replied with a cheery smile, one that the red echidna returned. Deep inside, though, Knuckles was already feeling homesick, not just because he missed his floating island, but because the Master Emerald was left unguarded. He didn’t let his anxiety show, though, nodding as Amy described, in precise detail, where she and Sonic would spend their upcoming date that, as she emphasized more than once, he promised her.

“Hey, wait,” Knuckles stopped and pointed at the small, red plane flying overhead.

“Is that what I think it is?” Amy asked, sparkles appearing in her eyes at the thought of being reunited with the blue hedgehog once more.

“Only one way to find out…” Knuckles peered around at the tall buildings surrounding him.

I could use my fists to climb up any of these buildings, but I don’t want to leave an imprint. How about…

“Aha!” Knuckles pointed to the auxiliary stairs in the alley between two buildings. He ran across the street, dodging some cars before making his way to the stairs.

“Hey, wait up!” Amy cried as she looked both ways before running after him. Knuckles was generally faster than the pink hedgehog, but her resolve to see Sonic again forced her to keep up with the red echidna, and she was only seconds behind him by the time he reached the top.

“Yep, it’s the Tornado alright,” Knuckles said as he shielded his eyes from the sun like a visor. “I can’t get a good view of who’s in there, but it looks like he has some passengers.” He was about to jump off the building to glide to the next one when Amy tugged at his arm.

“What about me? You know I can’t fly.”

“Hmmmm…” Knuckles thought to himself before the obvious solution came to him, one that made him shudder.

“Okay, you can hitch a ride…” The red echidna squatted down and bent his knees.

“Oh, I don’t know…” Amy twiddled her fingers as she blushed, turning away in embarrassment.

“We don’t have time to argue!” Knuckles’ muzzle was just as flush. “Either you’re coming with me or you’re staying behind.”

“Okay, fine!” The pink hedgehog wrapped herself around his back, her hands clasped together across his chest. “I’m ready to go!” With a simple nod, Knuckles leapt off the building and glided to the neighboring apartment complex. Even with the additional weight of a passenger, he still managed to keep a steady flight, parkouring between buildings with relative ease as he trailed Tails and his biplane.

“Just you wait, Sonic,” Amy declared as she tightened her grip around Knuckles, “We’ll be back together again in no time.”   

“Tails…”

Helen sat at her desk, a slice of cheese pizza resting in one hand as she stared at the ceiling in thought. “It’s getting late…I hope you and grandpa didn’t get into any trouble.” Just as the greasy cheese started dripping from her slice, she expertly lifted it above her mouth and took a bite before setting it back in the box to her right. Sipping her can of Dr. Pepper, she wiped the suds from her lips before returning to her homework.

“I’m thankful Danny brought me my schoolwork today. He’s a good friend.” Spinning a pencil around her fingers, she analyzed the list of math problems in her textbook. “Let’s see…we have to do one through 30, 35, and…42. Oh boy, this is going to be a long night.” With a sigh, the young girl rolled the half-eaten pizza slice and ate it like a burrito, chewing as she balanced the greasy food in one hand and wrote with the other.

Completing a few problems, she looked at her clock. “10 PM? Man, where’d the day go? Sure wish Tails and grandpa would get back…” Taking another sip of her soda, she erased the mistake she made on the last problem before starting again, interrupted by the sound of the front door opening.

“Tails? Grandpa?” The young girl rolled out of her room and toward the entryway to find her father.

“Hey, Helen!” He greeted, giving her a wave before removing his shoes.

“Oh…hey, Daddy,” she replied, sounding disappointed.

“Is something wrong?” he asked as he hung up his jacket.

“Oh, it’s nothing…” She shook her head. “So how was work today?”

“It was fine,” he replied as he dragged himself to the sofa and collapsed, stretching his legs out on the furniture. “Didn’t feel well today?”

“I feel fine!” Helen replied with a smile.

“So you don’t feel sick or anything? You acted kinda strange on the phone earlier, and then you missed your b—”  

“I said I’m fine, Daddy, gosh…” she replied with humorous exaggeration.

“All right, sweetie,” Doug said with a smile before taking a whiff of the air. “Hey, do I smell pizza?”

“Oh yeah!” Helen exclaimed. “Come to my room, I have a whole two slices left.”

“You ate almost an entire pizza, all by yourself?”

“Well yeah, I was hungry…” She rubbed her belly in a circular motion.

“You certainly have my appetite, that’s for sure!” The two laughed merrily as the father rolled the daughter to her bedroom and snagged one of the remaining, lukewarm slices.

“So what did you see in the backyard anyway?” Doug asked with a mouth full of food.

“What?” She froze as she remembered why she called her father during his shift.

Should I tell him? About Tails? And the plane? Is now the right time?

“…you okay, sweetie?” Doug titled his head in concern.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” Helen replied with a smile, “just kinda zoned out there a bit.” She yawned. “I need to finish up my homework before bed. Do you know when mom’s getting home tonight?” The clever girl successfully dodged the question.

“Should be soon,” Doug guessed as he grabbed the final slice, “although with her unpredictable schedule, who knows?”

“That’s too bad…” Helen turned away and peered down at her incomplete homework assignment.

“Cheer up, sweetie.” He patted her daughter on the shoulder. “Remember we’re going on that picnic this weekend?”

“Oh yeah!” she replied, her demeanor changing on a dime. “You mean the island with all the pretty flowers?”

“Yep! Should be a nostalgic adventure,” Doug declared, “and my buddy from work’s letting me borrow his boat, so we don’t even have to rent one!”

“That’s great!” She exclaimed, balling her fists in excitement. “I can’t wait to go!”

“Me too!” Doug replied as he began making his way to the door. “I’m gonna turn in for the night. Try not to stay up too late!”

“I’ll try, Daddy.” Helen nodded her head as she waved her father out.

Wow, I can’t believe we’re really going back. It’s been way too long…

She sat back in her wheelchair, spinning a pencil between her fingers as she recalled the sparkling blue water, the bright green grass, and the never-ending sea of beautiful lilies. What she really missed most, though, was the true family time she had with her mom and dad back in the day.

It was with thoughts of her family that she dozed off in her wheelchair, forgetting about Tails and her grandpa, a smile on her face.

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! I occasionally post sneak peaks of my stories on the Sonic fanfic Discord server I manage, so if you’re interested in joining, simply click here. :P

Stayed tuned for chapter 7, due out in a few weeks!

Chapter Text

“S-Sonic…”

Tails gently ran his gloved hands through Sonic’s quills as he lay in a bed at the Station Square hospital. “Hang in there…big brother.” Tears started to form in his eyes as his hand came to rest on Sonic’s open palm. “S-sorry I wasn’t there…for you.”

“Now, now,” Chuck placed his palm on Tails’ shoulder, “you did everything you could, and you ultimately rescued him. He’s going to make it because of you.”

“But Chuck…” Tails kept his eyes on the sleeping hedgehog. “If I would’ve realized where he was sooner, maybe I could’ve prevented him from getting shot.”

“Even if that were the case, we can’t lament the what-ifs. All we can do is move forward. Sonic will make a full recovery, I can guarantee.”

“Th-thank you, Chuck…” The young fox cracked a small smile before gasping at the sensation of Sonic’s palm twitching against his own.

“S-Sonic?” His eyes were glistening as he narrowed his focus on his big bro; the hedgehog was still asleep, but a small smile was present on his face.

“You see,” Chuck exclaimed, “Sonic is gonna do fine! I bet my expired licenses on it!” He stared at his wristwatch. “It’s getting kinda late. Maybe we should call it a night? We could take an Uber home or stay at the hotel across the str—”

“No.” Tails shook his head.

“Why not?” Chuck tilted his head in confusion.

“Because,” Tails turned his head to face the elder human, keeping his fingers intertwined with Sonic’s, “I’m staying here with my brother.” Chuck returned Tails’ stare of determination with a gentle smile.

“Okay, Tails.” Yawning into an open palm, Chuck stepped around the other bed occupied by a sleeping Cream and Cheese. He grabbed a nearby chair, lifted Tails by the waist, and plopped him down before the fox could protest. “You can relax right here. I’ll ask for some extra pillows and blankets.”

“Thanks, Chuck.” The orange kitsune returned his hand to Sonic’s palm.

“Not a problem!” The human replied with a thumbs up. As he was approaching the door, though, the two heard the blue hedgehog begin to stir in bed.

“Sonic?” Still holding his hand, Tails stood up and watched in amazement as his older brother slowly opened his eyes.

“T-Tails? Lil’…brother?”

“Yes, Sonic, I’m here.” The young kitsune’s eyes began to glisten.

“Where…am I?” The blue hedgehog slowly turned his head, looking around to find Cream and Cheese on the bed to his left and Tails and Chuck to his right. “A…hospital, huh?”

“Yeah,” Tails nodded. “You were banged up pretty badly.”

“Ah yeah,” Sonic lifted his arm and gave Tails a thumbs up, “b-but, how did…we escape?” The blue hedgehog repositioned himself in bed to try making himself more comfortable.

“Here, lift your head a little,” Tails said. Sonic complied, giving the fox just enough room to fluff the hedgehog’s pillow. “There, now put your head back down.”

“Ahhh, much better.” Sonic turned his head to face his younger brother. “Thanks a bunch, bro.”

“No problem, Sonic.” Tails pulled the patient’s blanket over his torso. “To answer your question, we didn’t really need to escape at all, thanks to Chuck, here.” The orange kitsune gestured in the human’s direction.

“Right on,” Sonic gave Chuck a thumbs up before returning his arm under his blanket. “Say Tails, I’m kinda hungry. I could really go for a chili dog right ‘bout now.”

“Sorry, Sonic,” Tails replied apologetically, “but the cafeteria isn’t open this late, and they don’t have any chili dogs. I checked.”

“My little brother, always thinkin’ one step ahead!” Sonic exclaimed, his energy slowly returning to him. Stretching his arms and legs in bed, he turned to face the sleeping bunny and her pet chao. “How’re Cream n’ Cheese doin’?”

“They’re doing okay,” Chuck replied, sitting on the side of their bed and gently petting the sleeping chao. “Cream told Tails and I all about your imprisonment. I couldn’t imagine how horrible it was for you.”

“Well, it wasn’t too bad,” Sonic replied, itching the base of his nose. “Well, except for the tranquilizers.” The blue hedgehog shuddered as he recalled the grogginess and utter helplessness when confronted with Liam and his soldiers while dosed up on the medication.

“You still kept Cream out of harm’s way, though,” Tails replied with a finger in the air and namesakes fluttering from behind, “and you helped make her feel safe.”

“Well, what can I say,” Sonic replied with a smile, “a bit of positive mental attitude can go a long way!”

“In speaking of which,” Tails snickered under his breath as he unwrapped a small container of applesauce and brought a spoonful to Sonic’s face, “time for the airplane to land on the tarmac, right, Sonic?”

“What is this?” Sonic asked, staring at the spoon in front of him. “Wait a minute…” He blushed the moment the realization hit him. “Cream…didn’t tell ya that sh—”

“She fed you like a little baby?” Tails replied in baby speak.

“Dang it, Cream,” Sonic said under his breath, “I told ya never to tell anyone ‘bout that.”

“Don’t worry, Sonic,” Tails reassured, letting out a few final chuckles, “I won’t bring it up too much…now open wide!” Tails brought the spoon closer to Sonic’s mouth.

“Give me that!” The blue hedgehog swiped the container away from his little brother, grumbling as he fed himself like a big boy. Just as he placed the empty cup on the bedside table, the young bunny sleeping nearby slowly awoke, rubbing her eyes and yawning into her palm before finding the blue hedgehog staring back at her.

“Mr. Sonic!” Cream launched out of bed and hugged his head. “You’re okay! I was so worried!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added.

“Nothin’ a bullet can do to stop me!” Sonic replied with a smile.

“How’s your wound?” she asked as she slowly released her hug and peered down at the freshly stitched patch on his belly.

“Let’s see…” Sonic slowly touched the skin around the stitches, causing him to wince in pain. “It hurts a lil’.” He shrugged his shoulders with a sheepish grin.

“Best not to touch it, now,” Chuck explained. “That is, if you want it to heal properly.”

“No question ‘bout that, doc!” Sonic replied with a thumbs up. The group laughed merrily, only cut off by the sudden opening of the hospital room door.

“Sonikku!”

Amy Rose lunged forward and nearly jumped on the bed, stopping when she noticed something wasn’t quite right. “S-Sonic?”

“Heya Ames!” Sonic greeted with a wave. “Long time, no see!”

“Sonic…” She stepped to the side of the bed, examining her boyfriend carefully. “You’re…injured.”

“I guess ya could say that,” Sonic replied with a sheepish smile as he ran a hand through his quills.

“You don’t see that every day.”

The party turned to the door to find Knuckles with his arms crossed and a frown across his face.

“Hey there, Knucklehead, what’s crackin’?” Sonic asked.

“I should be asking you that question,” Knuckles replied as he stepped forward, stopping at the foot of the bed. “You can’t even last a day or two on an alien planet without getting injured. While you were acting carelessly, I was busy babysitting your girlfriend.”

“Babysitting?!” Amy cried.

“Girlfriend!?” Sonic exclaimed simultaneously.

“I think you’d make a great babysitter, Mr. Knuckles,” opined Cream from her bed, “and Ms. Amy would make a great girlfriend, wouldn’t she, Mr. Sonic?”

“Ummm…” Sonic rubbed his head, a blush appearing across his face. “Sure, whatever ya say.” Saved from the embarrassment, Cream approached the pink hedgehog and gave her a big hug.

“I’ve missed you so much, Ms. Amy,” Cream cheered as her eyes glistened.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from atop her head.

“I missed you too, Cream,” Amy replied. “Has Sonic been treating you okay?”

“Of course!” Cream replied with a big smile. “He protected me and kept me out of harm.”

“I can’t take all the credit,” Sonic replied as he turned to Tails. “You saw how it was. That Liam guy had me in his clutches. If it weren’t for Tails over here, I’d have been a goner.”

“You saved Sonic?” Amy asked. Tails didn’t reply, instead laughing anxiously as he scratched the back of his head.

“It’s true,” Chuck replied. “I was there for the whole thing.”

“Well yeah,” Tails replied, “but if it weren’t for your credentials and smooth talking, we would have never made it that far.”

“Maybe so,” Chuck agreed, “but it was your incapacitation of Liam that bought us time to escape.”

“Okay,” Knuckles stepped forward, “I have a lot of questions. For starters,” he pointed at the elder human, “who are you, and can you be trusted?”

“Oh, silly me, where are my manners?” Chuck dusted off his lab coat and approached the red echidna, bending his knees and extending his arm out. “My name is Chuck! Pleasure to meet you.” Knuckles cautiously took his hand and shook back.

“You trust this guy, Tails?” Knuckles asked, peering around the towering human to find the orange kitsune nodding his head enthusiastically.

“Yep! He’s really kind, and very smart, too! He’s into mechanics and engineering just like me!” Tails smiled brightly with closed eyes.

“Well then,” Knuckles cracked a smile, “if you’re a friend of Tails, you’re a friend of mine.” He gave another handshake, this time more firm. After the echidna released his grip, Chuck repeated the same ritual with Amy.

“Nice to meet you, Chuck!” Amy greeted, taking a slight bow.

“Likewise,” he replied with a hardy laugh.

“So, about my questions,” Knuckles interrupted.

“Fire away,” Chuck replied, sitting in a spare chair and leaning back.

“What is this place, and why does the sky look identical to our own world?”

“We call this planet ‘Earth’,” Chuck replied, “and as far as the sky is concerned, I have two plausible theories: one, you guys are actually Earthlings who never ventured to this part of the world, which I doubt,” he turned to his new kitsune pal, “given how bright y’all are.” Chuck cleared his throat. “Or two: your world may exist parallel to ours.”

“Let me see…” Tails pulled out his Miles Electric tablet from his namesakes and brought it to Chuck. “Here’s a layout of our home world, Mobius…and here’s Earth by comparison.” Two blue spheres representing each planet appeared on the display.  

“Fascinating…” Chuck studied the screen intently. “The land masses are similar, but not identical…”

“What are the odds of this occurring in nature?” Tails asked rhetorically. “The probability of two planets existing with such similarities, at the same distance away from the sun, and with identical constellations are astronomically low.”

“Extraordinary…” The elder scientist rubbed his chin. “Your appearance on Earth may have fundamentally altered our understanding of basic physics. How did you get here? You mentioned something earlier about…magical stones?”

“The Chaos Emeralds,” the Mobians replied. Chuck stared back dumbfounded.

“I’ll take this one.” Knuckles stepped forward and cleared his throat. “The Chaos Emeralds are mystical gems containing energy we don’t fully understand ourselves. Bringing all seven together can unlock an even greater level of unimaginable power.”

“Like Super Sonic!” Cream exclaimed.

“And…” Sonic brought a finger to his chin in thought. “…Super Tails! How do ya like your super form name, lil’ buddy?”

“It’s alright,” Tails replied with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. “Doesn’t beat Super Sonic, though.”

“Anyway,” Knuckles continued, “the Chaos Emeralds are controlled by the Master Emerald, a large gem I’ve devoted my life to protecting on Angel Island. I’ve guarded the Master Emerald for as long as I can remember,” Knuckles grumbled as he turned to the window, “but now it’s left unprotected for anyone to steal.”

“If it makes ya feel better,” Sonic replied, “the only two thieves on your radar should also be here.”

“Rouge and Eggman…” Knuckles rubbed his chin in thought. “Rouge drives me batty, but I’m more concerned about Eggman. This world isn’t aware of the wrath he can cause.”

“Now that we’re on Earth,” Sonic interrupted, “we’ll stomp him out here, too. It doesn’t matter where Chaos Control spits us out; Eggman’s still no match for us!”

“Yeah!” The group cheered.

“What is…Chaos Control?” Chuck asked.

“Chaos Control,” Knuckles replied, “occurs when the Chaos Emeralds warp time and space. I’ve only seen it happen once…”

“The blast that brought us here?” Amy asked.

“Precisely,” Knuckles nodded his head. “I’ve heard that one with enough skill can manipulate the emeralds to cause Chaos Control at will, but this was an uncontrolled blast of pure chaos energy, so the explosion sending us here was completely willed by the Chaos Emeralds.”

“In other words,” Knuckles folded his arms, “it wasn’t a mistake that we arrived here. I’m sure the Chaos Emeralds had a reason to send us to Earth.”

“Absolutely fascinating,” Chuck replied as he scratched his chin once more. “You speak of the Chaos Emeralds as if they have a mind of their ow—” The elder scientist was interrupted by an unexpected yawn. “Oh my, it’s getting pretty late. This is all very interesting, but why don’t we call it a night?” Chuck leaned back in his chair as he yawned once more.

“And have us all sleep in here?” Amy asked as she tilted her head.

“Not sure if it’s against hospital policy, but I could always talk with them if they fret about it,” Chuck replied with a nod. “Although we could always get a hotel.”

“No, no,” Amy insisted, giving Sonic an unsolicited hug, “I’m not gonna let my Sonic out of my sight!”

“Me neither,” Tails agreed, shaking his head with his arms folded.

“It’s better than sleeping out in the wilderness, right princess?” Knuckles nudged Amy’s side with his elbow.

“I swear,” Amy turned away with a humph. “I don’t know how anyone puts up with you.”

“Neither do we!” Sonic replied, followed by a roar of laughter from everyone in the room.

“Whatever, guys, at least I’m used to roughing it like this.”

“Says the one who just built a cabin,” Tails declared.

“Hey, that was merely for personal convenience! I can still survive out in the wilderness if I want!”

“In fact,” he continued as he approached the window, “it’s a bit too crowded in here. I’ll be back bright and early tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Mr. Knuckles!” Cream said.

“Later.” He waved back before opening the window, jumping out and gliding to the nearby city park. After Chuck closed the window, the group got to work making the arrangements; Sonic stayed in his bed alone while Amy begrudgingly shared the other hospital mattress with Cream and Cheese. Tails snuggled in on his chair, staying as close to his big brother as possible, and Chuck retained the other seat.

Turning off the light, and getting himself comfortable, the elder human pulled out his cell phone and typed a message.

Hey Helen, we’re okay. We’ll be back in the morning.

Placing the cell phone aside after sending the text, he made a makeshift blanket using his lab coat and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take hold after a long day. As he slipped out of consciousness, he received a message that would go unread until the following morning:

:)

“Helen?”

The young girl jolted upright at her desk in the corner of the classroom. All eyes were trained on her, including the teacher at the front of the room, a marker in one hand and a textbook in the other. Helen blushed as her schoolmates snickered.

“Now that you’re awake,” the teacher began, “perhaps you could tell us when the Declaration of Independence was ratified?” She was tall, wore a dark violet shirt, and sported thick glasses, her long, brunette hair in a ponytail.

“Oh, ummm…” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “July 4, 1776, Ms. Johansen?”

“Very good,” the teacher replied. “And how about the Articles of Confederation?”

“1781?”

“Two for two,” Johansen declared. “And the United States Constitution?”

“17…88?”

“Excellent,” Johansen replied with a smile, “I see you did your homework. Just try to get more sleep, okay?”

“Yes, Ms. Johansen,” Helen replied with a nod. “I won’t let it happen again.”

“Alright, class,” she returned to the markerboard. “Who can tell me why the Founding Fathers sought to replace the Articles of Confederation with the United States Constitution?”

Helen was usually one of the first to raise her hand to answer a question, but she wasn’t feeling up to volunteering, as her body still felt groggy, and she could feel bags under her eyes. She tried her best to concentrate on the lecture, but all she could think about were...

Grandpa…Tails…what kind of adventure did you have yesterday? I wish I could’ve gone with…

Helen peered down at her lap, and the armrests on either side of her legs. She sighed.

Tails did say he could make his plane handicap accessible. I wonder if I could help him with the project?

The young girl raised a hand to her chin in thought as she stared at the tiled ceiling, only interrupted by the sound of the school bell.

“Lunch time!” One of the children yelled as they began to storm out of the room. As per routine, Helen was the last to leave, as it was easier for her to traverse the halls when they were less congested.

As she rolled out of the classroom, she was greeted by a boy her age in the hallway.

“Hey, Helen!” The boy waved at her with one hand as he carried a sack lunch with the other.

“Oh, hey Danny!” Helen replied with a smile. “Thanks for getting me my homework yesterday.”

“Not a problem,” he replied, running a hand through his short hair. “Sorry Ms. Johansen gave you a hard time in class today.”

“No need to be sorry,” she replied, rolling down the hall alongside her friend as they made their way to the cafeteria. “It was my fault for staying up so late.”

“About that, were you sick yesterday?” He rubbed his chin with his free hand as he studied the girl intently.

“Oh no, I’m fine, just wasn’t up to going to school is all.”

“Riiiiight,” Danny teased. “That doesn’t sound like you at all. In fact, now that I think about it, I don’t recall you missing a single day of school in, like, ever!”

“Hey, can’t a girl have a break every once in a while?” she asked with a smirk.

“True,” Danny replied, “but something’s tellin’ me there’s more to the story.” Reflecting on his words for a few moments, she tilted her head in the direction of a separate, abandoned hallway leading away from the cafeteria. The message was clear; the young boy followed with one hand in his jeans as he was casually led away.

“Promise to keep this a secret?” Helen asked in a whispered voice.

“I swear,” Danny replied just as quietly.

“Okay…” Helen took a deep breath. “Did you…watch the news at all yesterday?”

“I don’t watch the news,” he replied as he pulled out his smartphone, “but I did see Area 99 trending on Twitter.” He showed the young girl an article describing the capture of multiple aliens that were taken to the military base.  

“Don’t tell anyone, but…” She raised her finger and bent it in her direction. Getting the message, Danny crouched slightly and brought his ear closer. “I met one of the ali—”

“HEY GUYS!”

Danny fell to the floor in fright, rubbing the back of his head before peering up to find Christopher Thorndyke staring back at him.

“Ahhhh!” Danny scrambled to his feet and took a bow. “Greetings, Mr. Thorndyke. You’re looking marvelous as ever!”  

With a signature look of superiority, and a humph, the young boy turned his attention to Helen. “What’s happenin’? I saw you two strolling away from the crowd and thought I should probably snoop around.”

“And why would you want to do that?” Helen wore a frown as she furrowed her brow.

“You know me,” Chris replied, leaning against the wall with a single shoulder, “I pay kids to get the scoop on all the gossip, but sometimes it’s fun to get my own hands dirty.” He looked at his hands in disgust. “Not saying I would actually get my hands dirty, that would be gross.” He turned away as if he were about to hurl, but he composed himself moments later, dusting off his shirt and pants. “I apologize for my lack of gentlemanly manners.”

“Oh, it’s no worries at all, Master Chris!” Danny replied, bowing his head once more.

“I wasn’t talking to you, Danny!” Chris shouted. “And only my butler and badass assassin Mr. Tanaka calls me Master. You are to call me Mr. Thorndyke only, or should I burn our friend-on-retainer contract and force your family on the streets?” The boy pulled out a document, presumably the agreement, and lit a contraband lighter just below it. A wicked smirk grew on his face.

“That won’t be necessary,” Danny indicated, falling to his knees and groveling at Chris’ feet. “If you just give me another chance, I promise to keep myself in check.”

“Rise,” Chris ordered as he put away the document and lighter. Danny rose to his feet once more. “Okay, then. I’ll give you one more chance…if you go buy out the chocolate chip cookies from the cafeteria and bring them to my desk ASAP.”

“Yes sir, right away sir!” Danny shouted as he brought his hand to his forehead like a soldier saluting his commanding officer before running to the cafeteria.

“Pitiful,” Chris scoffed, spitting against the wall before turning to Helen once more, “some people are so dependent on others they lose their sense of individuality,” the young boy smirked as he grabbed Helen’s wrist and kissed the back of her hand, the girl’s face contorting in disgust, “but you? You’re the exact opposite.” Chris placed Helen’s hand back on her lap and turned to the nearby window, clasping his hands behind him. “Have you thought about my proposition?”

“Your…proposition?” It took Helen a few moments to remember what Chris was referring to. “Ohhh…yeah, no thanks.”

“Thought as much,” Chris replied as he ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “I could easily pay for all your medical expenses, and we would make such a cute couple, don’t you think? Plus, lifting a paraplegic from the ashes? It would boost the family name for sure!”

Helen wanted to vomit.

“But alas,” Chris turned around, walking past the young girl, “I’m sure your vigor alone will keep a roof over your head, no? Have fun stayin’ single.” With a condescending chuckle, he returned to the cafeteria, leaving an irate and disgusted Helen to ruminate in silence. As she was about to head to the cafeteria herself, though, her cell phone buzzed in her wheelchair compartment.

“A message from grandpa?” She gasped when she read the text.

Waiting in the school lobby to pick you up.

Zipping her cell phone back in its pocket, she rolled as fast as she could to the front entrance of the school, nearly colliding with a teacher in the process. She found Chuck waiting for her near the doors, hands in his pockets and leaning against the wall.

“Hey Grandpa!” She exclaimed, rolling to a stop and stretching out her arms. Chuck knelt slightly and gave her a hug.

“How’s my favorite granddaughter?” He asked as he gently pulled away from the embrace and gave her a few pats on the head.

“You mean your only granddaughter?” The two laughed merrily as the elder scientist pressed the accessibility door button, allowing the young girl to roll out of the school with ease. The two made their way to Chuck’s old, worn-down car.

“I hate to be a bother,” Helen said as she turned her head away, “but without my dad’s van, I don’t think I can get in.”

“You don’t think I’m too old to lift ya in, now do you?” Chuck asked.

“You could lift me when I was little,” Helen replied as she twiddled her thumbs in her lap, “but I’m a bit too big now.”

“Even so,” Chuck replied as he knocked on the door of his car, “I’ve got some help.” Out came Tails the Fox, with one hand on the door as he scratched the back of his head with the other.

“Tails!” Helen rolled forward, nearly failing to break in time. She extended her arms out, signaling to the young kitsune that a hug was in order. Approaching the young girl, he wrapped his arms around her back, giving her a big hug from the side of the wheelchair. “I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too, Helen!” Tails replied as he gently released the human girl from the embrace.

“I hate to break up the reunion,” Chuck said nervously as he peered around the parking lot of the school, receiving some strange looks from a few passersby, “but if we stay any longer, we’ll attract some undue attention.”

“Right,” Tails replied before turning to Helen once more, “can I lift you in?”

“Lift me…into the car?” Helen asked as she tilted her head.

“Yeah, where else, silly?” Tails replied as he placed his palms on his hips.

“But…you’re so smol.” Helen jeered. Tails puffed out his cheeks in response, leaning forward slightly with a look of slight embarrassment and anger.

“I am not smol,” Tails replied with finger quotes, “I’m just like other Mobians.”

“Well, you remind me of Winnie,” Helen pulled out her teddy bear from the side compartment of her wheelchair, waving its arm at the orange fox, “isn’t Tails just the cutest, most adorable thing ever?”

“Why yes, Helen,” she replied in a deeper voice, pretending to be Winnie, “Tails is definitely one of the top ten most adorable things I’ve ever seen.”

“I am not ador—” Tails raised a gloved finger to his chin. “Wait a minute…top ten? That’s it?”

“But I thought you said you weren’t adorable?” Tails blushed profusely at this retort.

“Okay, Helen, playtime’s over.”

“Wah, woooah!” Before she knew it, the young girl was in the air, two furry tails wrapped around her waist. Tails slowly brought Helen to his chest before loosening his namesakes’ grip, allowing her to gently drop into his arms, cradling her like a baby.

“There we go,” Tails nodded in accomplishment before placing her in the front passenger seat. Clicking her seat belt, the orange kitsune stepped back and gave her a once over. “Nice n’ secure! Are you comfortable?”

“Yep!” Helen replied with a bright smile. Turning back to the wheelchair, the orange kitsune rolled it to the open trunk and deposited it within. The lid wouldn’t close, so Chuck ran a bungee cord across the back of the car to keep the chair secure.  

“Heya!”

Helen peered into the rearview mirror to find an entire row of Mobians filling the back seats, with Amy on the far right, Cream and Cheese next to her, Sonic to the left, and Tails squished in next to him. She smiled at the blue hedgehog waving at her with an enthusiastic grin.

“Guys,” Tails cleared his throat before gesturing in Helen’s direction, “this is Helen. Without her kindness and generosity, we would’ve never been able to save you guys.”

“Ohhh, shucks,” Helen laughed nervously with a blush over her cheeks, “I didn’t do much, really.”

“And here are my friends!” Tails pointed to each of his companions in the back seat. “Sonic the Hedgehog, the best big brother around!”

“Nice to meet ya!” Sonic greeted with a wink.

“Cream the Rabbit and Cheese the Chao!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Helen,” Cream bowed her head out of respect.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added.

“And Amy Rose!”

“The pleasure is mine,” Amy said in a ladylike tone.

Helen was filled with a sense of joy. “I’m so happy to see you all safe! I’m sure we’ll get to be good friends!”

“Don’t cha know it!” Sonic replied, wrapping his arm around Tails’ head and giving him a noogie with his knuckles.

“Hey, quit it!” Tails exclaimed in faux-protest. “I’ll throw you in the water if you don’t stop!”

“Okay, that’s enough boys,” Chuck said from the driver’s seat as he started the vehicle. “You can save the shenanigans for when we’re back at home. I would hate to get pulled over by the police and have to explain why I have fugitives/test subjects casually playing around in the backseat of my car.”

“I guess ya gotta point, old timer,” Sonic said as he returned his hands to the back of his head, closing his eyes with a smile on his face. Once the rambunctiousness died down, Chuck drove out of the parking lot, cutting through downtown Station Square on their way back to the quiet suburb where they lived.

“By the way,” Amy said, turning her attention to Tails as Cream softly hummed to herself, “why didn’t Knuckles want to join us?”

“Oh yeah,” Tails replied with a chuckle, “he wasn’t comfortable being squeezed in here like a sardine, so he said he’d meet us at Helen’s place later. I even added her address to his wristwatch communicator’s mapping application.

“Oh Tails,” Amy replied with a smile, “you always think of everything, don’t ya?” This elicited a soft giggle from the orange fox.

“Maybe not everything,” Tails replied with a smile, “but at least we’ll be able to communicate with each other using the human network thanks to the updates I made!” The young fox tapped his watch with a smile across his face. “When Chuck and I dropped the Tornado off this morning at Helen’s place, I also quickly updated the software to allow me to remotely call upon my plane at will.”

Sonic chuckled. “So that’s why you haven’t been anxious about leavin’ your pride n’ joy behind!”

“You got me, Sonic,” Tails replied as he scratched the back of his head.

The group sat in silence for a few minutes before Chuck addressed his passengers. “So, how ‘bout some tunes?” he suggested as he turned on the radio, flipping through the stations until he found a song with a shredding guitar solo. “Ah yeah, this is my jam!” He bopped his head to the beat of the drums. “Back in my day, music used to be good, but now, all you get are these talentless hacks whose sole purpose is to make money for the record label executives.” The Mobians in the backseat exchanged confused glances.

“…don’t mind Grandpa,” Helen advised with an embarrassed smile, “he can get on these nostalgic rants from time to time.”

“In fact,” Chuck continued, raising a finger to the air while his other hand remained on the steering wheel, “music sounded better decades ago, even with relatively primitive, analogue hardware they used back in the d—” The elder scientist was cut off as the eloquent sound of a retro guitar riff was replaced by the sound of explosions, followed by the bellowing laughter of someone the alien guests knew all too well.

“Wooahhooohoohooo!”

Chapter Text

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” 

The bellowing laughter of a large, human man could be heard echoing through the metallic walls of a new fortress located on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean.

“This is delightfully devilish!” The human massaged his orange moustache as he peered at a large monitor in his command center. Accompanying him were two robots, sitting at their chairs in a separate corner of the spacious room. Decoe, the taller, thinner, yellow model, rubbed his tubular head in annoyance as Bocoe, his shorter, silver brother, groaned as he watched his master scheme.

“Don’t tell me,” Decoe began as he leaned back in his chair, “Eggman’s going to put us back to work again, isn’t he?”

“That would be a safe bet, indeed,” Bocoe replied as he rested his face against his dashboard. “We may be robots, but we still need breaks or else our circuits will overload!”

“It was hard enough reconstructing Eggman’s base from the scrap Chaos Control brought with us to this planet,” Decoe added, “but now Dr. Eggman’s going to put us to work again? Where’s our union steward when we need one?”

“Pipe down, you bucket of bolts!” Eggman shouted from his seat. “I may not have supersonic hearing, but even I can hear you two openly complaining. May I remind you that I am your creator and that you should be privileged in assisting with the establishment of the Eggman Empire?”

“And besides…” The doctor stood up and tapped the wall with his fist. “This place is shoddy at best. Much more inferior than my last fortress.”

“But Doctor,” Bocoe replied, “we had months last time, and we had a ready supply of pristine parts and materials. We were lucky to get walls and a roof over our heads with what little we have, let alone a functioning battle station.”

Eggman grumbled as he folded his arms, turning away as he walked back to his monitor. “Remind me to program the sass out of you later…” Eggman studied the satellite images of the Earth with a smirk. “This planet is nearly identical to Mobius with similar land masses, so we must have been transported to an alternate universe, but no matter.” Eggman stood up, his chair falling back behind him. “The inhabitants of this planet will fall to their knees in no time at all. In speaking of which…” The evil doctor activated his wristwatch communicator, revealing a small, dark-colored robot with beady eyes, a jetpack, and a yellow “M” affixed to his belt. “Bokkun! Do you have my report?” The evil doctor waited a few moments for a reply, but all he could hear was the unmistakable sound of his messenger robot chewing on some food. “Bokkun!!”

“Wha, whuuut?” The small robot, sitting in a small café, dropped a slice of apple pie on his lap.

“Look what you made me do, Eggman!” Bokkun shouted as his eyes started to water, his voice cracking in sadness. “That pie…was for me.”

“You fool! I didn’t send you out in the field to eat dessert! I need you to collect data on the local inhabitants. What are their species? Any characteristics we should consider?”

“Nope!” Bokkun replied as he grabbed a new slice of pie with his gloved hands, taking a large bite with a smile across his face, seemingly forgetting about the other piece still on his knees. “They’re just humans, like you but not ginormous!”

“You might want to rephrase that before I recycle you for parts,” Eggman growled into his communicator.

“No, no, no, no,” Bokkun replied, flailing his arms around for emphasis. “It’s just that most humans here are actually smaller and shorter than you, and with half the IQ, too!”

“Good, good…” Eggman rubbed his hands together. “So, if this world is mostly inhabited by humans, then my grandfather’s old notes were correct.” The evil doctor massaged his chin in delight. “I guess it’s only fitting that I’ve come to finish the work started by my ancestor!”

“Eggman has family?” Decoe asked his robotic brother.

“Apparently?” Bocoe replied with a shrug.

“Of course I do!” Eggman shouted. “What do you think I am, a robot?”

“Could’ve fooled me…” Decoe muttered under his breath.

“Maybe instead of talking behind my back, you can make yourself useful for once and go grab my capsule case!” 

“Right away, sir!” He replied, standing up with a salute before running to the supply closet. As the robot rummaged through the messy storage room, Eggman returned to his console, watching his monitor as the live feed from the satellite he hijacked gave him a brilliant display of the world. Enhancing, he found a well-populated city on the east coast of the United States.

“Our first step is to see what kind of defenses these humans have at their disposal. They obviously don’t have any natural capabilities, unlike that pesky little rodent…” Robotnik scoffed under his breath. After studying the tall buildings and the pedestrians walking across a busy street corner, he sleuthed around the human network.

“Ahh, looks like this country, the United States, uses police officers for basic civil order, not unlike Mobius…” He continued scrolling. “They generally wield pistols and drive specially marked vehicles…may have a well-trained dog with them, too...” Eggman scoffed once more. “Their next line of defense appears to be the national guard…followed by the military…okay, now we’re talking!” As he performed yet another maniacal laugh, Decoe returned with his capsule case.

“Give me that!” Robotnik swiped it away from his mechanical henchman and clicked it open, revealing multiple rows of neatly organized, multi-colored, numbered capsules.

“It was really thoughtful of you to store your robots away in those capsules in case of an emergency,” Bocoe said as Eggman scratched his chin in accomplishment.

“Indeed!” Decoe added. “If not for your brilliant foresight, you would have been back to square one after Chaos Control, but instead, you’re at square 30!”  

“Quit with the mindless praise and let me think…now which one to choose…aha!” The evil doctor plucked the first capsule out of the box. It was blue and had a ‘#1” on its label. “These humans will be a cinch to crush, so I won’t waste any of my top-tier mechs on them. They’re not worth the effort! Wooahhooohoohooo!” Inserting the capsule into his jacket pocket, Eggman climbed into his Egg Mobile, a spherical flying transport he brought on nearly every mission, and left the base, stopping at the shore of the island.

Eggman grinned as he twirled the capsule between his fingers.

“Okay, Missile Wrist, I choose you!” With a final stroke of his mustache, the evil doctor pressed the button on top of the capsule and gave an exaggerated throw, the capsule exploding as a poof of pink smoke escaped from within. As the smoke slowly dissipated, a mech took its place. It had a semi-circle head, large, silver, bipedal legs, and green missiles as arms.

“And now, a test run!” Spinning his Egg Mobile ninety degrees to his left, he found a large boulder half-submerged in water. “All right, Missile Wrist, do your stuff!” With a monotone beep, the mech bent its legs and raised its right arm at the boulder, steadying it with its left. The robot launched the missile, hitting its target with expert precision, the force causing the boulder to crumble away. Just as it made impact, the mech retracted the cord affixed to the missile head, securing it back into place moments later as if it never left its shoulder.

“Very good!” The evil doctor grinned as he peered across the ocean, seeing the sights of a major city far out in the distance. “We’ll do a number to their capitol and all but force their leaders to bow down to me. Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman spun his Egg Mobile around and pointed at his two robot henchmen.

“You two: guard the fort while I’m away…and tidy up a bit before I get back!”

“Aye, aye, sir!” Decoe and Bocoe replied with a firm salute.

“Off we go, then!” Pressing the button on his empty capsule, Eggman threw the contraption at the mech. With a Poof!, and a display of smoke, the mech was back inside the portable storage device, which had since returned to the evil doctor’s palm like a boomerang.

“And to think I invented something so useful in my spare time! I think I outdid myself on this one…” Eggman smirked as he began his venture from the island, crossing the ocean to an unsuspecting populous beyond.

Walking along the sidewalk of a quiet suburb, the sun was beating down on the red echidna making his way to Helen’s abode. Having refused to ride in Chuck’s car under the guise of getting too cramped, Knuckles afforded himself some time alone to further reflect on recent events.

“I’m not sure what to make of all this,” he said to himself as his eyes traced the cracks in the sidewalk. “Not sure how I feel about the humans, either…Chuck seems fine, but what about the rest?” The red echidna kicked a small pebble into a storm drain. “And Sonic…he would never allow himself to get captured so easily back home. Are these humans really that powerful, or was Sonic just being careless? Either way, he was banged up pretty badly.” He scoffed as he crossed his arms. “It seems like wherever we go, humans only cause us trou—”

Honk, honk!

Twisting to his left, he noticed a car veering toward him, and looking down, he found himself in the middle of the street.

“Damn!” Knuckles dove out of the vehicle’s way, hearing choice expletives coming from the driver as they drove past in a flurry of adrenaline-fueled rage. “Whew, I need to be more careful,” he said as he picked himself off the ground, dusting some pebbles from his torso before looking around. He was standing near the parking lot of two fast food restaurants.

“Hey…are these the places Tails tried?” Knuckles carefully studied the Taco Bell and McDonald’s that lay before him. “He told me his trip to Taco Bell was his biggest regret since coming to Earth…but he did recommend McDonald’s for their…Shamrock Shake?” He peered up at the hot, early afternoon sun as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt…” He reached into his dreadlocks and plucked out some greenbacks loaned to him by Chuck for such an occasion and entered the restaurant, departing a few minutes later a few dollars shorter but with the arguably more valuable ice cream delicacy wrapped around his fingers.

Moments after taking his first sip, as his taste buds interacted with the artificially flavored fast-food treat, his face lit up, nearly gasping in surprise as his feet left the ground for a few seconds. Standing still a few moments later, he peered around, blushing slightly in embarrassment as he continued his stride to Helen’s house.

“I have to admit, though,” Knuckles said to himself as he crossed another street, this time focused on his surroundings, “this thing is really good. Tails wasn’t lying…” He pondered these words as he took another long sip of his shake.

That’s right. Tails never lies, and he seemed so sincere when talking about Chuck. I sure hope these humans aren’t just taking advantage of his kindness. In a world like this, kindness alone will only get you so far. You need to know when to be tough, and that little guy can be too trusting sometimes…

Walking through the suburb in silence, he noticed the lack of hustle and bustle in the neighborhood; residents were either at work or in their homes, and the sidewalks were deserted, the children still at school.

“Not my ideal place to live,” Knuckles declared as he tossed the empty, plastic shake cup into a garbage can, “but at least it’s more peaceful than the big city.” Crossing the final street, he made it to Helen’s small, one floor home, currently unoccupied.

“Now to wait for the rest of them to show up…” The red echidna jumped onto the slanted roof and sat down, his hands behind his head for support as his eyes wandered the horizon. He could see the cityscape of Station Square in the distance, and he heard birds chirping in a small, nearby tree, as well as the rustling of squirrels chasing each other in the grass.

The soothing sensation of the afternoon wind made the echidna drowsy, nearly to the point of falling asleep, but as a pebble rolled off the roof, Knuckles became alert, his ears perking up before launching himself back on his feet.  

“All right, who goes there?” Stepping over the rooftop shingles with careful steps, the red echidna tried to find the interloper, perhaps camouflaging themself with the roof itself, but to no avail. Noticing the chimney near one of the far sides of the house, Knuckles tip-toed to its edge, peering in carefully. The resourceful echidna even flashed the light from his wristwatch communicator into the chimney, but he found nothing but soot-covered, aged bricks. Sticking his head further down for a better look, he sighed as he began pulling himself up.

Ring, Ring!

Startled by the incoming transmission, the echidna lost his balance, falling headfirst down the chimney. He landed on his head, but the scorched logs below helped break his fall.

Grumbling to himself, Knuckles crawled out of the fireplace, dusted the soot from his fur, and rubbed his head before answering the call.

“Hey, Knuckles,” Tails said from the other end, “we’ve got a problem.”

“Don’t tell me…it’s Dr. Eggman, isn’t it?”

Little did the echidna know, just around the corner of the living room, a spy was truly lurking in the shadows.

“My, my…now this is going to be interesting,” she said under her breath.  

The early afternoon sun shone over the clear sands of Station Square Beach, full of residents and tourists enjoying the waves of the ocean, basking in the heat, and consuming ice cream and other cool treats. Lifeguards were posted throughout the beach and monitoring the waves for any signs of trouble.

One such lifeguard sharpened his focus when he noticed something floating above the water, slowly approaching the beach. Removing his sunglasses, and taking out his binoculars, he was stunned at what he saw: a large man in a red jacket floating in a futuristic-looking pod. His hands started to shake when he observed the sight of a large mech seemingly materializing out of a cloud of pink smoke next to the odd man’s pod.  

Several beachgoers were playing volleyball in the sand, taking no notice of the new presence. As the ball went out of bounds, nearly landing in the water, one of the women picked it up, only to be met by the evil doctor himself. Mouth agape, she slowly turned her neck to witness the stone, robotic stare of Missile Wrist at his side.

“Ahhhhh!” she screamed, throwing the ball up high as she ran for her life.  

“Time for some more target practice!” Eggman ordered. The mech complied, launching a retractable arm toward the falling volleyball, its impact sending it to the nearby parking lot, a vehicle exploding upon impact and sending shrapnel everywhere.

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman cheered. “This is going to be a piece of cake…evil cake.” Grinning through his teeth, the doctor maneuvered the Egg Mobile through the parking lot. “You now have permission to let loose at your leisure, Missile Wrist!”

“Affirmative,” it replied in a monotone, robotic voice. Its eyes flashing red, the mech launched its missile-like arms through two rows of parked cars, hitting a semi-truck in the nearby street, pushing it over moments before retracting its arms back into its shoulders. Eggman laughed maniacally as the cars exploded like dominos.

Typing on his onboard display, Eggman projected a map of Station Square like a headlight beam in front of his Egg Mobile. Blinking on the map was Eggman’s destination: The White House.

“Taking out the leader of this country will be my first step toward ruling this pathetic little world, and if Sonic and his rodent friends try stopping me, they will be crushed like vermin! Wooahhooohoohooo!” 

The two marched on, the mech destroying cars and blasting through windows as they slowly made their way through downtown.

“What’s this?” Eggman laughed as a barricade of police cars obstructed their way.

“Halt, don’t move!” Yelled an officer into a megaphone. “We have you surrounded!”

“So I see!” Eggman exclaimed as he spun the Egg Mobile a full revolution, finding officers wielding pistols and blocking off the streets with their squad cars. “You think some mindless bruits like yourselves are going to stop my eggsquisite Missile Wrist? Ha, now that’s the worst joke I’ve heard all week.” The evil doctor turned to his mech and pointed at the humans obstructing his path. “Attaaaaack!” The robot raised both arms and launched its tethered missiles into a building across the police barricade. Retracting its arms, the mech left two large holes in its wake, debris still falling even as it secured its arms back into place.

“Fire!” The officer shouted. Within seconds, bullets were fast approaching Dr. Eggman and his mech. The projectiles simply bounced off Missile Wrist, not leaving as much as a scratch on the technical feat of ingenuity, and an invisible forcefield protected Eggman from taking damage from the officers’ guns.

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman lowered his altitude so he nearly met the height of the police chief. “Don’t you see? You are outclassed in every single way. None of your weapons can damage us, so why not just give up now?” Not yielding to the evil doctor, the police officers continued their barrage, but all their efforts were in vain. Finally, with the snap of Eggman’s fingers, Missile Wrist swiftly destroyed a squad car. The sudden impact of the mech’s arm caused an explosion, sending the nearby officers flying.

“Now quit wasting my time and hand over the city!” Eggman commanded. As the dust settled, the soot covered police chief stammered into his megaphone.

“Well, you see…” He scratched the back of his head. “That’s not…under my authority.”

“Then who’s in charge, here?” Eggman barked.

“That would…be the mayor! Yes, you n-need to take your request to the mayor.”

“Then call him up!” Eggman ordered, grumbling under his breath as the officer fled to his squad car, miraculously free of damage, and phoned the municipal leader.

“It’s only a matter of time before this city is mine,” Eggman declared, “and with control over Station Square, I’ll bring the rest of this pathetic world to its knees!”

“Turn it up, Helen!” Tails exclaimed from the back of Chuck’s car. The human girl spun the volume dial on the radio. “That has to be…”

“Hello there!” greeted the evil genius. “My name is Dr. Eggman, transmitting live from downtown Station Square, and you are now witnessing a day for the history books!” There was a brief pause before Robotnik started talking once more. “For it is today I will single-handedly topple this pathetic excuse for a government and become the absolute ruler of this world!! Wooahhooohoohooo.”

“This is the Dr. Eggman fella’ you guys keep talking about?” Chuck asked from the driver’s seat. “He sounds more like a goofball than an actual threat.”

“Those things aren’t mutually exclusive, Chuck,” Tails replied, sticking his head between the two front seats. “We have a good track record dealing with him, but we shouldn’t take Eggman’s ambitions too lightly.”

“C’mon, Tails,” Sonic replied with a laugh, playfully tugging his younger brother’s namesake, causing him to yelp as he was pulled back to his seat. “It’s not like we haven’t beaten Robuttnik a thousand times before, so why would this be any different?”

“Sonic’s right, Tails,” Amy added from across the blue hedgehog, “Eggman can never defeat my darling Sonic!” The pink hedgehog snuggled close to his side as the blue hedgehog winked back.

“Right on, Ames!” Sonic’s smile nearly melted Amy’s heart, but the romantic moment was interrupted by Robotnik’s speech.

“And that’s not all!” Eggman continued. “Anyone who dares challenge my superiority will be vanquished on the spot, like so: Missile Wrist, attaaaaaack!” The party heard Eggman’s mech launching a projectile followed immediately by an explosion. Looking off into the distance, they could see smoke billowing from only a mile away.

“Welp,” Sonic said as he unbuckled his seatbelt, crawling over Tails as he made his way to the passenger door, “time for this hedgehog to save the day!”

“Wait, Sonic!” Tails grabbed his arm. “You wouldn’t go out in the field without me, would you?”

Sonic gave the orange kitsune a warm smile. “I wouldn’t dream of it, lil’ bro!” As the blue hedgehog was about to open the door, Chuck slammed the break. Sonic almost fell forward but was quickly secured by an emergency hug from the swift fox.

“If you’re gonna fight him,” Chuck replied, “at least let me stop the car to let you out.”

“Oh yeah, sorry, Chuck,” Sonic replied as he ran a hand through his quills while sitting in Tails’ lap. “Ready to go, Tails?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “Let’s go kick Eggman’s butt!”

“You said it, Tails!” Sonic replied with a thumbs up before opening the door.

“You be safe, boys!” Helen said as she waved at the two brothers through the window. Sonic and Tails waved back at the party with matching smiles.

“Can’t we go with them, Miss Amy?” Cream asked from the pink hedgehog’s side.

“As much as I’d love to,” Amy replied as she watched the kitsune take to the air with his rotary namesakes, Sonic clasping onto his ankles moments later, “we should try staying out of sight. You just escaped from a top-secret military base after all.”

“That’s true,” Cream replied with a downcast face.

“Chao, chao…” Cheese added from atop the bunny’s head.

“But still…” Helen watched as the brotherly duo flew away, the fox calling Knuckles with his wristwatch communicator. “I would really like to help in some way, or at least watch.”

Chuck gripped his steering wheel as a vein grew on his forehead.

“Grandpa, what’s wrong?” Helen asked, placing a hand on his arm.

“I want to pursue…but your safety…thrilling action…common sense…” Chuck wrestled with these competing thoughts before taking a deep breath and shifting his vehicle out of park. “Screw it, we’re gonna watch! Who’s game?”

“I am!” Helen replied with a raised arm.

“Count me in too!” Amy declared with a thumbs up.

“I would also like to watch, Mr. Chuck,” Cream replied with a smile.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added excitedly.

“Then it’s settled.” Fueled by determination, Chuck shifted gears as he slammed his foot on the accelerator, causing the tires to squeal as he sped down the road.

“Hey Grandpa, aren’t you going too fast?” Helen asked as she gripped the handlebar above her door.

“If we’re gonna catch up to Sonic, we’re gonna need some pedal to the metal!” Rounding the corner, he laughed maniacally. “Ah yeah, I haven’t felt this young in years!” Cranking up the radio, the shredding metal guitar solo blaring through the speakers only dared him to go even faster.

“Hey, I think I see them!” Amy pointed out. “Maybe we shouldn’t get too close?” Shaking himself out of his trance, the aging scientist skid to a stop, a full block away from what would be the site of a ferocious battle between old rivals in a new world.

“Well, actually…” A man in a tailored suit stammered as he watched the evil scientist tear another hole in a building with his mech. “I-I can’t just give you the keys to the city.”

“Oh really?” Eggman asked as he massaged his long moustache. “You’re the mayor, right? Don’t you have some authority?”

“Well yeah, but I…” He pulled at his collar out of nervousness. “It would…have to be d-debated in committee b-by our c-city council, analyzing the city charter to determine its c-constitutionality, a draft environmental i-impact analysis would need to be dev—"

“Bahh, I don’t want to hear about your bureaucratic mumbo jumbo,” Eggman retorted. “Are you going to give up the city willingly, or will I need to take it by force?”

“A-actually,” the mayor replied, “M-maybe the g-governor could do it, or the p-preside—”

“Enough!” Eggman shouted. “I’ve had it up to here with your cowardly games! I’m just going to sidestep the appropriate channels and take control myself! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“Not so fast, Egghead!”

Robotnik spun his Egg Mobile around to find Sonic running toward him as his younger brother caught up, jogging slower to catch his breath after the flight.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my old nemesis, Sonic the Hedgehog…” Eggman clenched his fists. “You always find a way to show up at the least opportune time.”

“Well, you know me,” Sonic replied as he stepped forward, itching the base of his nose with a smug smirk, “bustin’ up your robots n’ stopping your plans is sort of my thing.”

“To be honest,” Eggman said as he massaged his mustache once more, “I’m surprised it took you this long to find me. What’s the matter? Can’t handle being away from your home turf?” The evil doctor analyzed the blue hedgehog’s left hand lightly grasping at his lower belly. “…or maybe something else happened? Did these pathetic Earthlings injure you?”

“And what if they did?” Sonic asked, cursing internally for forgetting to take his painkillers. “Your evil scheme will still be left scrambled.”

“Oh really?” Eggman twirled his finger, commanding Missile Wrist to steady its aim. “Let’s see if you can take on my mech in your injured state. Missile Wrist...FIRE!” With impeccable precision, the robot launched its arm at the blue hedgehog, but he swiftly dodged it. “Don’t just stand there, keep firing!” The blue hedgehog dodged the onslaught of missile and bullet-based attacks from the mech.

“Give me a break! I bet a snail could dodge your robot’s moves!” Sonic jeered.

“Keep firing, keep firing!” Eggman cried, losing his temper. “That meddlesome hedgehog will not best me again, he won’t! Give it all you got!” Missile Wrist launched several more rockets from its torso, landing near the street and forming craters.

Tails, who was also on the defensive, watched as the evil doctor’s final missile missed the blue hedgehog by a hair, but instead of a downward trajectory, it traveled in a straight flight path down the road.

The young fox’s blood ran cold as he saw who was waiting at the end of the block.

“H-Helen!”

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter of A Bridge Between Worlds! I apologize for the delay; stuff in my personal life got in the way, and I’ve also been busy trying to improve my drawing skills. In any case, I hope to get the next chapter published in a timelier manner, but if you’d like updates, feel free to follow my social medias (see a list on my FFN account here)!

Chapter Text

“Helen!”

Flicking his rotary namesakes from behind, the orange kitsune launched himself forward seconds after making the startling realization that Eggman’s stray missile was on a crash course for Chuck’s car.

“Tails?” The blue hedgehog, whose gaze was previously affixed on Missile Wrist, twisted around to find his younger brother charging headfirst down the road. “Where are yo—” Tracing his path, Sonic gasped when he saw where the missile was going. “Damn, I need to juice!” As he was charging a spindash, however, he was struck by the oversized arm of the mech, sending him careening through a semi-truck and into the windshield of a parked car.

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman couldn’t contain his laughter, watching as he basked in the delight of a well-earned blow. “See, Sonic! This is why you can never underestimate my brilliance! One false move, and it’s roadkill for you!”

Tails heard the impact behind him, but he knew Sonic would be okay. Keeping his eyes on the missile, he noticed its trajectory rapidly declining. Diving to the side, and rolling into a ball, he avoided the resulting explosion, finding himself under a parked truck seconds before debris painted the vehicle. As the dust settled, he peeked his eyes out from under the pickup to find Chuck’s car flipped over.

“Nooooo!” Running across the charred street, the young fox got on his knees to investigate the aftermath: everyone appeared okay, their seatbelts keeping them in place. Chuck and Helen’s palms were touching the ceiling as Amy and Cream dangled aimlessly.

“Hang on you guys!” Tails yelled as he ran to the front passenger seat. “Are you okay, Helen?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” she replied as she looked around. “How about you, Grandpa? Cream, Cheese? Amy?”

“Nothing a little missile can do to stop these old bones,” Chuck replied with a hardy laugh. “But this…this is rather uncomfortable.”

“We’re fine,” Amy added from the back, wrapping her arm around Cream. “We’ve been through worse, right, Cream?”

“Right!” She replied with a cheery smile.

“Chao, chao!” Clutching their master’s ears, the chao flipped themselves over and began flapping their fairy-like wings, now floating next to the two Mobians.

“This is gonna be tricky,” Tails opined as he opened the door and crawled forward. He couldn’t just unclick the seatbelt, as she would just fall over and likely make her condition worse.

“Need a hand?”

Turning around, Tails smiled in joy as he saw Sonic standing next to him, a grin on his face but clutching his arm. Tails’ smile quickly evaporated, replaced with a concerned frown.

“Sonic, you’re hurt!” The young kitsune approached his older brother, but Sonic simply shook his head.

“Just a scratch. It’ll take more than hurling me through a semi to bring me down!” The two heard Missile Wrist stomping about, trying to find its prey. “No time to chat. Let’s get them out of there and then teach Egghead a lesson!”

“Right!” Tails replied with a look of determination, furrowing his brow as the brothers focused their attention back on the car. “Sonic, I need you to unbuckle Helen’s seatbelt. I’ll stick my arms out and catch her before she falls.” Nodding his head in acknowledgement, the blue hedgehog got on his knees and crawled to the open door, his finger approaching the button as the orange fox got into position.

“Are you ready, Helen?” Sonic asked.

“Y-yeah,” she replied, keeping a brave face.

“Pressing in three…two…one…and…” Clicking the red buckle with his gloved finger, she was kept in place by Tails’ steady arms. Placing one palm behind her head, and the other against her back, the kitsune slowly pulled the young girl out of the car. Once she was entirely out of the vehicle, Tails returned to his feet and cradled her in his arms. Helen felt safe and secure as she rested her face against Tails’ furry chest.

“Sonic, can you grab the wheelchair from the trunk?” Tails asked as Sonic stood up, dusting the pebbles from his knees.

“Sure thing, lil’ buddy!” Zipping to the back of the car, the trunk was already partially opened, the wheelchair still secured by the bungee cord. Removing this cable, the blue hedgehog rolled the wheelchair to Tails, who gently set Helen down.

“Thank you, Tails! Thank you, Sonic!” She bowed her head in gratitude.

“No need to thank us, Helen,” Tails replied while scratching the back of his head. “That’s what friends are for, right?” The young girl chuckled as she gave him a thumbs up in response.

“There you are, you slippery vermin!” The three spun around to find Eggman, floating alongside his mech, now with bent legs and arms raised in a fighting stance. “I don’t know what’s worse: you being afraid of a little fight or thinking you could escape from my clutches. Wooahhooohoohooo!” 

“Dream on, Eggface!” Sonic retorted as he rubbed the base of his nose. “With your terrible aim, you put people’s lives at risk. I just had to take an intermission to help these folks is all.”

“Help these folks, you say?” Eggman snickered as he pointed at the trio below. “Missile Wrist, ATTAAAACK!” Raising its arm, the mech aimed at the young girl and fired, shooting its arm like a deadly projectile.

“Helen!” Sonic and Tails yelled as they simultaneously charged a spindash. Letting themselves fly, the two collided with the large fist, sending the arm flying back and hitting Missile Wrist in the chest, causing it to fall to the street below.

“Sonic, you distract the mech while I get everyone else out of the car!” Tails pointed at Missile Wrist, who was already getting back up.

“You got it, little guy!” Sonic replied with a thumbs up. Charging another spindash, the blue hedgehog sped toward the robot, jumping onto its head and peering up at the evil scientist controlling the death machine. “Hey, Eggman!” Sonic proceeded to stick his tongue out while pulling one eyelid down with his middle finger. “I bet you can’t catch me!” Adding another rude gesture to the mix, he turned around and slapped his behind.

“Wise guy, I’ll show him!” Sonic’s taunting worked perfectly; Eggman’s face was now red with rage, and his fists were shaking. “Missile Wrist, I don’t want you to stop until you’ve annihilated that blue buffoon off the face of this miserable planet!”

“You’ll have to catch me, first!” Sonic launched himself off the mech’s head and dodged the laser blasts the robot shot from its chest. “Hey, over here!” With a long whistle, the blue hedgehog proceeded to run up the side of a tall skyscraper.

“How foolish!” Eggman jeered. “If his concern was to limit casualties, then he utterly failed!” As if reading his creator’s mind, Missile Wrist tore through the front entryway of the building. Stepping into the center of the lobby, nearly trampling over the panicking pedestrians, the mech lifted a single arm up to the ceiling like a superhero and activated its thrusters, launching itself through the various floors before eventually crashing through the roof.

“You may run,” Eggman declared, floating alongside his creation in his Egg Mobile atop the building, “but you can’t hide.”

“Run?” Sonic laughed. “I don’t ever need to run from you. I figured fightin’ up here would be safer than dukin’ it out in the streets.”

“Safer, ay?” Eggman pointed to the hole in the roof. “Given all the damage we already caused, your calculation was a bit…inaccurate! Wooahhooohoohooo.”

“Regardless,” Sonic replied as he took a few steps forward, gently clutching his bruised arm before taking a fighting stance, “your little rampage ends now!”

“Oh? I’d love to see you try to stop me. Missile Wrist, attack!”

As the blue hedgehog and the mechanical menace were exchanging blows atop the skyscraper, the orange kitsune was hard at work removing his friends from the car. He started with Cream, unbuckling her seatbelt and gently pulling her out of the vehicle, placing the rabbit on her feet.

“You doing okay, Cream?” Tails asked as he wiped the dust from the young bunny’s shoulders.

“I’m doing better now, Mr. Tails!” Cream replied with a smile.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added, landing back on the young bunny’s head.

“And now for Amy…” The young fox repeated this ritual for the pink hedgehog, who expressed her thanks with a warm hug. Finally, Tails opened the driver’s door and unbuckled Chuck’s seatbelt. Given his size, he didn’t require much assistance getting out, and he swiftly joined his Mobian friends along the side of the road, observing the people running out of the building invaded by Missile Wrist moments earlier.

“Sonic is up there fighting Eggman all by himself!” Amy exclaimed as she withdrew her Piko Piko Hammer from her hammerspace, flames growing in her eyes as she stomped forward.

“Wait, Amy!” Tails rested a palm on her shoulder. “We need a strategy before rushing in to help Sonic.”

“What’s there to plan?” Amy asked as she spun her hammer around in her hands. “We should be able to take down Eggman with our combined strength.” She swung her weapon in the air.

“What I’m saying,” Tails replied, “is that maybe Sonic lured him away so he could take on the mech by himself, reducing the probability of collateral damage or injury to his friends. Plus,” he continued, raising a finger to the air, “the skyscraper above is not wide enough for all of us to take on Eggman safely. There’s a good chance we will fall off.”

“You can just fly us back to safety, though, right?” Amy asked. Chuck, Cream, and Cheese’s eyes wandered between the two as they argued.

“Assuming I’m not busy or incapacitated,” Tails replied. “I just don’t want to see anyone here get hurt, and I’m sure this is part of the reason why Sonic chose to run up the building: to limit the size of the playing field.”

“I guess you’re right,” Amy said, giving up on her arguments as she returned her weapon to hammerspace, her downcast face pointing to the cement below.

“Don’t feel bad, Amy,” Cream said, pulling at the hedgehog’s red dress, “we can always help out the injured, right?”

“…Yeah, you’re right, Cream! The pink hedgehog lifted her in the air before giving her a big hug. “Let’s go provide some supp—” She was cut off by fast-approaching sirens. Off in the near distance were multiple vehicles with flashing lights heading straight toward them.

Chuck grabbed Cream’s hand. “Everyone, get off the road!” Amy and Tails followed Chuck and Cream as they made their way to the relative safety of the sidewalk, watching as the ambulances drove past and stopped near the destroyed entrance of the building. The medical personnel leapt out the back of the emergency vehicles and started tending to the injured. Next came multiple fire trucks, the firefighters connecting their hoses to the hydrants, ready to tackle any potential flames. Finally, various police cruisers arrived at the scene; several officers poured out of their cars and entered the building in gas masks while the others helped the medical personnel with the injured.

“It looks like they already have things covered,” Chuck observed as he put his hands in his lab coat pockets. “In fact, we would probably be in their way if we offered any assistance, not to mention the fact they have never seen Mobians before…we could just make things worse.”

“But still,” Tails replied, “it would be nice if we could help…” Slight pangs of guilt and self-doubt started to fill his mind, reminded of when he felt like a miserable failure not long ago, when his capture by Eggman forced Sonic to go super, whereby losing the Chaos Emeralds, followed by his inability to get his Chaos Emerald detector invention to function. He had since got the devise to work, and even went super himself in his last confrontation with Eggman before Chaos Control sent them all on a one-way trip to Earth, but unlike their last battle, where he played a pivotal role, he felt more like a bystander than an active combatant.¹

Tssssstt, Tails? Can you read me?

“Huh?” Glancing at his wristwatch communicator, he found an image of Knuckles the Echidna sitting in an all too familiar cockpit. “Hey, wait a minute…are you in my plane? How are you even piloting her?”

“It’s not too complicated,” Knuckles replied, “but the tricky part will be picking you guys up.”

“What do you mean?” Tails asked as he tilted his head in confusion.

“Look up.”

The gang peered into the sky to find the Tornado flying in a holding pattern, performing figure eights as its pilot tried to determine his next objective.

“You can’t fly all the way down here, Knuckles,” Tails replied with concern in his voice. “It’s far too dangerous, and the odds of hitting a traffic light or a pedestrian are too high.”

“Yeah, I know,” Knuckles grumbled. “Can you guys get up here and help Sonic by yourselves?”

“Even if we wanted to,” Tails replied, “we decided against it. Sonic led Eggman’s mech away to minimize casualties, and besides,” the young fox rubbed his nose, “Sonic’s taken care of more deadly mechs than this one in his sleep! Maybe you should just stick around as back-up?”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that, Tails,” Knuckles said as he peered down at the battle below with binoculars.

“Wh-what makes you say that?” Tails’ voice cracked as his arm started to gently shake.

“The fight looks more evenly matched than you’d think. Sonic’s weakened from the surgery, remember?”

“That’s right,” Tails replied with a snap of his fingers. “Plus, he sustained a big hit earlier while fighting Eggman’s mech.”

“So…what are you thinking?” Knuckles shifted his focus on the group below.

Rubbing his temple with his gloved fingers, an idea came to him. Turning to Amy, he said, “I could fly us up there with my tails. I should be able to get just high enough for Knuckles to pick us up in the air.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Amy exclaimed as she exchanged a fist bump with the prodigious kitsune.

“You catch that, Knuckles?” Tails asked.

“Loud and clear,” he replied as he started increasing the radius of his flight pattern.

“You ready, Amy?” Tails asked as he bent his legs and started spinning his rotary namesakes.

“I’m always ready to rescue Sonic in his time of need!” she replied with stars in her eyes.

“Then let’s g—”

“Wait!”

Tails let his namesakes droop, spinning around to find Cream addressing the group, arms raised and hands balled into fists.

“I want to go, too!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added with an equally serious furrowed brow.

“But Cream,” Amy replied, placing a hand on her shoulder, “this mission’s going to be dangerous. Maybe you should just stay with Chuck?”

“I’ve gone on many dangerous missions though,” Cream sternly replied.

“Well yeah, but not by choice,” Tails retorted. “Remember what happened last time, when Eggman captured you and held you prisoner?”

“I was overpowered!” Cream exclaimed. “You saw all the Badniks I destroyed before Eggman captured me, right?”²

“Oh, I saw them,” Amy replied, recounting the visit she and Sonic took to Vanilla’s home to console the grieving mother whose daughter was recently taken against her will. “You did an amazing job, but Vanilla’s backyard’s gonna need some serious work.”³

“We don’t have time for this!” Tails yelled, starting to lose his patience. “Amy, grab ahold of my ankles. Cream,” the young fox started spinning his namesakes once more, “we’ll see you later.”

“But wait!” Cream extended an arm out as Tails hovered in place, just high enough for Amy to grab his legs.

“Now, now,” Chuck patted the young bunny on the shoulder, “it’ll be okay. What about we go get some ice cream while your friends take care of Eggman?”

“But I don’t want ice cream!” Cream retorted. “I wanna help save Mr. Sonic!”

“Tails, Amy, and Knuckles will be more than sufficient, I’m sure,” Chuck replied, trying to reason with the distressed rabbit. “Besides, I don’t think they would wa—” The aging scientist gasped as Cream lunged forward, gripping Amy’s ankles.

“Ohh, what is that?” Tails wondered out loud, noticing the sudden shift in weight. He peered down to find Cream dangling below Amy. “Cream? I thought we told you to stay behind.”

“Too late now!” Cream replied with a mischievous grin.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from between her ears.

“Well…” Tails was already higher than several of the buildings, and he was within 20 seconds of crossing paths with Knuckles and the Tornado, “…okay Cream, you win, but you’re so grounded when we get home.”

The orange kitsune shifted his focus on the biplane. “All right, gang, we gotta time this right. Cream, let go of Amy on my command.” Tails aligned himself perfectly with the oncoming biplane, hovering a mere few feet from the propeller. “Now!” Cream let go, landing gracefully in the backseat of the cockpit.

“What about me?” Amy asked, peering up at the orange fox.

“When Knuckles circles back around,” Tails replied, “you will need to drop into the cockpit, too.”

“But what about Cream?” Amy asked.

“Knuckles, have Cream sit in your lap,” Tails said into his communicator.

“Already on it,” Cream replied from the back seat, flipping over the front seat and surprising the red echidna as she planted herself in his lap. “You’re good to go!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added as Cream gave tails a peace sign and stuck out her tongue.

“I swear, that girl hangs around Sonic a little too much.” Shaking his head, Tails aligned himself with the center of the aircraft once more, and on his call, the pink hedgehog let go of her grip on his legs, landing in the back seat.

“And now for me…” Tails hovered in place and waited for Knuckles to circle back around once more. With ease, the fox grabbed hold of the left-most wing, clasping onto his plane as Knuckles kept a steady flight path, gradually increasing his altitude so they could reach the top of the skyscraper.

“How are you doing out there, Tails?” Knuckles asked through his communicator.

“I’d much rather be in there right now,” he replied as he tightened his grip. Thankfully, they soon made it to the roof, watching from above as Sonic was breathing heavily, a single hand against his lower belly.

“What’s the matter, Sonic?” Eggman taunted. “Are you tired already? Missile Wrist has only just warmed up, and you’re sweating bullets!”

Damn…if only I had more time to recover from the surgery…

The blue hedgehog tightened his fists as he stared into the eyes of the mech. Assuming a fighting stance, Sonic allowed the robot to make its next move.

“Oh well, it’s your funeral! Missile Wrist, do your thing.” The evil doctor increased his altitude, pulling out the recently prepared popcorn from the portable microwave installed in his console. “Why am I not filming this? To think my weakest mech will be the one to take down Sonic once and for all? This was a piece of cake. Wooahhooohoohooo!”

Missile Wrist approached the blue hedgehog and shot some missiles from its chest. Sonic spindashed forward, using each projectile as a launch pad to reach his mechanical target, hitting the robot in the head and causing it to lose its balance. Steadying itself with its arms, however, Missile Wrist only appeared to take minimal damage. Within seconds, it proceeded to launch its right arm at the blue hedgehog, surprising even him with its quick reflexes and fast recovery speed.

“Ahhhh!” Sonic was launched across the roof, nearly rolling off the edge. Shaking his head, the blue hedgehog slowly pulled himself up. “Man, today’s not my day, is it?”

“You have nowhere to run, Sonic!” Eggman cried as Missile Wrist aimed its right arm at the blue hedgehog, who was now teetering on the edge of the building. “Have any last words?”

“Yeah,” Sonic replied. “I’ll have a dozen chili dogs, with the works!”

“You insolent fool!” Eggman retorted. “This isn’t a game, and this is certainly not a fast-food restaurant. No…this is the beginning of your demise!”

“Say goodnight, Sonic!” Missile Wrist launched its arm at the blue hedgehog, but just before the strike could land, a large hammer collided with it, sending the arm flying.

“Sonic!” Amy cried, running toward her blue boyfriend. She gave him a nice, long hug.

“Nice save there, Ames!” Sonic greeted as she rubbed her back. “I owe ya one.”

“Two!”

“Two?” Sonic tilted his head in confusion as he gently withdrew from the pink hedgehog’s hug.

“Remember? You still owed me a date, so now I get two dates!”

“Ohh yeah, when I told you to stay in the plane back at Eggman’s headquarters, but you ended up falling out!”

“Aaaand you said it didn’t count,” Amy replied with a grin.⁴

“True,” Sonic said as he ran a hand through his quills. “All right, Ames, just add it to my tab.”

“I hate to interrupt,” called Eggman from above, “but your lovey-dovey rescue plan is about to go up in flames! Missile Wrist, destroy the two love birds at once!”

The mech stood quietly, failing to acknowledge its master.

“Missile Wrist? Wash the oil out of your ears and listen to your creator!” Eggman pleaded, but it had no effect. “But how? It was fully charged and runs off solar energy!” The evil doctor peered into the sky, the sun as bright as ever. “No…it can’t be dead…it must’ve been tampered with…” Eggman heard some clanging from behind the mech. “by none other than Tai—” Eggman gasped as he saw a set of long bunny ears pop out from behind the head. Flapping her ears, the young bunny used them to elevate herself and land on top of the mech, arms on her waist as Cheese floated nearby.

“Cream!? You deactivated Missile Wrist?” Eggman asked in bewilderment.

“Not at all,” she replied with a smirk, “but I can certainly deactivate you.” She maintained her innocent smile, despite her threatening words.  

“What, you? Don’t make me laugh!”

“I’ll have to demonstrate.” Furrowing her brow, she signaled for Cheese to return to her palm. The blue chao complied, sitting in her hand moments before the young bunny pulled her arm back, bending her knees to secure herself for a supercharged throw. “I hate violence, but you’ve left me no choice.”

“Oh no…” Eggman experienced a flashback of his encounter with the young bunny at her home, the gruesome slaughter of nearly his entire band of Badniks leaving a lasting impression on the evil mastermind.

“Here it goes!” Cheese rolled themself into a ball as Cream launched them toward the evil mastermind, bouncing off the unshielded Egg Mobile and sending the doctor flying through the sky.

“Cuuuuurse thaaaaat raaaaabiiiiit!” Eggman cried, his voice becoming less audible as he disappeared into the horizon.

Returning to her arms like a boomerang, Cheese peered up at their owner, as if asking if they did a good job. Cream nodded at them with a smile, causing the small chao to enter a victory dance as their owner laughed in delight.

“Good work, Cream!” Sonic said as Cream fluttered down to the roof of the building.

“Yeah, way to go!” Amy added. “You and Cheese make a really mean team!”

“Just like Sonic and I!”

They turned to find Tails sitting on top of Missile Wrist’s head, his feet dangling from the top as he spun a screwdriver around his gloved fingers, a grin across his face.

“So it was you who stopped the mech!” Sonic exclaimed.

“Yep!” Tails replied as he scratched the base of his nose with the handle of his tool. “I needed more time to fully deactivate the robot after the initial shutdown, so Cream and Cheese provided the perfect distraction. Defeating Eggman was only icing on the cake!”

“Right on!” Sonic gave the bunny and her chao a thumbs up, which the two returned with warm smiles. This was followed by a warm, loving hug from Amy. Gently releasing her grip on the young bunny, she stared up at the large mech.

“What are we gonna do about that thing?” she asked, pointing at the deactivated robot.  

“We should probably be more worried about that.” Tails pointed up at the sky to find a news helicopter hovering in place. Inside they could find a cameraperson recording the scene before panning back to an orange haired reporter in the passenger seat.

“This is Scarlet Garcia,” she said into her microphone, “and as we have just witnessed, these furry aliens defeated Dr. Eggman when, just moments earlier, Station Square’s police department were unable to subdue him. I’m receiving reports that some of the aliens atop the skyscraper are the same ones who escaped from Area 99, although the Department of Defense has yet to verify these claims…and what’s this?”

The camera panned outside to find several police helicopters hovering nearby.

“It looks like the Station Square Police Department is looking to investigate the scene. Will these aliens take questions from the police, or will they attack? Or maybe run away? Let’s find out.”

“We need to get out of here,” Tails said to the group as he slid off the mech’s head and landed on the roof of the building. He pulled his wristwatch to his face. “Hey Knuckles, there’s a rope ladder in the back compartment. I need you to affix it to the door of the biplane and fly over us. Can you do this?”

 “Would’ve been easier if we used that the first time,” Knuckles grumbled under his breath.

“What was that?” Tails asked.

“Oh, ummm…nothing,” Knuckles replied tersely. Activating autopilot, the red echidna unfurled the rope ladder and draped it out the side of the aircraft before swooping back around and flying over the skyscraper.

“Okay guys, let’s go!” Tails shouted. The orange fox was first, quickly climbing up and sitting in Knuckles’ lap, taking over the piloting. Next was Sonic, who sat in the back seat alone until Amy climbed up next, sitting in his lap, the blue hedgehog struggling to hide his blush. Finally, Cream and Cheese took their positions in Amy’s lap, filling the biplane to an unsafe capacity, but still acceptable in a pinch.

“Time to return to Helen’s house!” Tails declared. “But first…” Dialing a number into his communicator, he soon heard Helen’s voice answer the call.

“Hello?”

“Hey Helen, it’s Tails!”

“Tails! How did it go? Are you guys safe?”  

“Yeah, we’re fine,” Tails replied softly. “We defeated the mech and just need to escape the police before returning to your place. Can you and Chuck make it home?”

“We already have that covered!” Helen replied, sitting in the back of a taxi along with her grandfather. Her wheelchair was secured in the trunk.

“Sounds great! Just be safe, and be sure to watch out for Eggman and his robots. You never know when they’ll strike.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Helen said with a smile. “We’ll see you later, Tails!”

“Bye!” Tails waved into the watch, forgetting the young girl couldn’t actually see her through the outdated screen of her basic flip phone.

As their new human companions set out for the quiet suburbs, the Mobians flying above took a roundabout route, first escaping the police before finally setting a course for what would become their home base of operations.  

That about wraps this one up! I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. As always, feel free to leave a review if you want to share your thoughts or feedback, and if you’d like sneak peeks and writing updates, my social media accounts are listed on my FFN account.

Now that we’re well into the sequel to A Prelude to Chaos Control, I have decided to borrow TGN’s post-chapter note system to refer to chapters of the prequel. Thanks for the idea, TGN!

1: Tails’ journey of repairing his self-esteem is documented throughout Prelude.

2: See Prelude chapter 9: “Loss of Me”.

3: See Prelude chapter 12: “A New Plan Unfolds”.

4: See Prelude chapters 19 and 20: “Escape from the Base” and “What I’m Made Of (Part 1)”, respectively.

Chapter Text

“What do you mean it isn’t covered?!” Chuck yelled into his cell phone as he paced around the living room. “You mean to tell me I spend over a grand every damn year, and yet you won’t even help with my car?!” There was a pause as the aging scientist listened to the explanation from the emotionless customer service representative on the other line. “So you won’t cover the damage because I drove into oncoming danger? Do you have any idea what a load of crock that is!? When I get my car fixed, I am canceling my insurance, good day!” Chuck threw his smartphone against the sofa, bouncing off the cushion and landing on the carpeted floor.

“I swear,” Chuck continued, ranting to nobody as he stomped around the living room, “these car insurance companies are nothin’ but a scam, and the government let’s ‘em get away with it! My senator’s gonna have an earful when I write them a strongly worded letter!”

“Okay, Grandpa,” Helen rolled her eyes, “you tried your best, right? Maybe it was time for a new car anyway? If we can’t control what’s done, then why stress about it?”

With a long sigh, the aging scientist sat on his reclining chair and brought a hand to his chin in thought. “You know, maybe I should just build my own car! A big project like that can keep the old brain fluids pumpin’! Sure it may not be road legal,” Chuck concluded with air quotes, “but it’ll be fun and…almost as safe as all the new cars.” He turned to Helen, who watched him with a smile. “Would you like to help?”

“Would I?!” Helen replied, sparkles in her eyes as she clenched her fists. “Of course I’ll help, it sounds fun!”

“Excellent!” Chuck exclaimed, raising a fist to the air. “I’m sure Tails’ll want to help out, too.”

“Oh yeah,” Helen interjected. “Where is he, by the way? The Tornado 2 should’ve been fast enough to arrive back a while ago.”

“True,” Chuck replied as he folded his arms, “but remember what Tails said to you over the phone? He wanted to shake the fuzz off his tail so they wouldn’t track him home.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Helen scratched her chin in thought as she stared at the ceiling. “Maybe I should call him?”

“Nahhh,” Chuck waved his hands nonchalantly, “I’m sure he’s fine. What about you, though?” Chuck leaned back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. “What happened back there was a bit intense. You doing okay?”

“Yes, Grandpa, I’m fine,” Helen replied with a chuckle. “It was scary, yes, but Tails came to save the day, so it was all right in the end.”

“Except for the car…” Chuck grumbled under his breath before grabbing his smartphone from the floor, opening an automotive app to start adding parts to his cart.

Meanwhile, Helen pulled out her flip phone. “4:30 PM…I hope they’re doing okay.” As if answering her call, the young girl could hear the distinct sound of a spinning propeller in the distance. A smile slowly started to grow on her face as she wheezed in excitement. “Grandpa! They’re here, they’re here!” She started to roll to the entrance of the house. “C’mon, Grandpa! Let’s go meet them out front.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m comin’,” he replied as he placed his phone in his lab coat pocket and stretched. He proceeded to push Helen through the living room and out the front door, carefully rolling down the handicap accessible ramp to the driveway. Stopping at the entrance of the garage, Chuck input a four-digit code into a small panel on the side of the adjoining garage, causing the garage door to open. “And now we wait…”

As Chuck and Helen scanned the skies from the driveway, Tails was in the process of beginning his descent.

“It’s about time,” Knuckles complained with a grumble. “I’m not a seat, ya know...”

“Yeah, I realize that,” Tails replied from the red echidna’s lap, frowning as he peered into his rearview mirror. Miraculously, Sonic was asleep in Amy’s lap, her arms wrapped around his torso. Cream, meanwhile, was dozing in Sonic’s lap as she held her sleeping chao in her arms like a baby. “You could have it worse, you know.” Tails nodded his head slightly, signaling Knuckles to observe the sleeping bunch in the backseat.

“Okay, I’ll admit the front seat does look more comfortable,” Knuckles replied with a grin. “Hey Tails, can I borrow your computer doohickey?”

“Ummm, yeah, sure, he replied with a nod, “it’s right in my tails.”

“You expect me to just go digging through your tails?” Knuckles replied with a slight blush.

“You expect me to take my eyes off the sky?” Tails countered.

“Good point…” With a sigh, the red echidna aimlessly pawed around the fox’s namesakes until he found the portable tablet device safely stowed away. With a grin, Knuckles raised it above his dreadlocks and snapped a few pictures. Swiping through his photos, he chuckled at the snot bubble rising from the blue hedgehog’s nose. “Hey Tails, get a load of this.” Placing one hand over his mouth to muffle the laughter, he handed the orange kitsune his tablet with his other hand. Peering down, Tails burst out in a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

“Oh man, Sonic’s not gonna like these!” Tails exclaimed.

“Not...gonna like whut, buddy?” Sonic asked with a yawn. Stretching his arms, he peered around the cramped quarters; Cream and Cheese were still asleep while Amy continued hugging the blue hedgehog from behind.

“Oh, nothing,” Tails replied with a few chuckles.

“‘Kay then,” Sonic turned his attention to the pink hedgehog behind him. “Hey Ames, you comfy back there? I could always ride on the wing if you’d like?” She responded by tightening her hug, catching her blue boyfriend by surprise as she nuzzled her face against his shoulder.

“Oh no, I’m comfortable right where I’m at,” Amy replied with a smile.

“I’m sure you are,” Sonic said with a nearly indistinguishable blush.

“If you two love flickies are finished,” Tails interrupted from the front seat, “we’re about to land.”

“Oh yeah, about that,” Knuckles began as he peered down at the road below. “I’m no pilot, but doesn’t it seem dangerous to land in a place like this?”

“Maybe for amateurs,” Tails replied with a smug look of superiority, “but the streets are wide and empty enough to land relatively safely. Just need to make sure there are no oncoming cars…” As the orange kitsune furthered their descent, Sonic gently rocked his knee a few times, waking Cream and Cheese from their snooze.

“Wake up, Cream,” Sonic said softly as the young bunny yawned, “we’re here.”

“H-here?” Cream tilted her head. “Oh, you mean Miss Helen’s house?”

“Yep!” Sonic replied with a thumbs up. “We’ll be staying with her for a little while until we figure out how to get home."

"Yay!" Cream replied excitedly. “She’s so nice! I can’t wait to spend time with my new friend.”

“I’m sure we’ll all get along with Helen just fine,” Amy said with a smile.

“Yeah, she’s fantastic!” Tails declared as the landing gear made contact with the street below. “Out of all the places for the Tornado 2 to end up, I’m glad it was her backyard.”

“True that!” Knuckles said. “With everything that’s happened since we arrived here, I don’t think I trust the humans that much, but Helen…she’s all right.” The red echidna nodded approvingly.

Turning the biplane into the driveway, Tails slowly rolled the flying machine into the garage as Chuck guided him in with his hands. Signaling him to stop with his open palm, the orange kitsune fully parked the aircraft before cutting the engine and letting his passengers out. The first to descend from the backseat was Cream, who fluttered down with her flappy ears as Cheese floated alongside her. Next was Sonic, who dropped down casually, followed by Amy and Tails, the latter slowing his descent with his rotary namesakes. Knuckles was the last, landing next to the young fox.

“I see you all made it back in one piece!” Chuck observed. “Although with Tails’ expert piloting skills, this outcome shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

Tails chuckled as he scratched the back of his head, a blush forming across his muzzle. “It was nothing at all. If anything, we should commend Knuckles for retrieving the Tornado 2 without any formal piloting experience.”

“Yeah, way to go, bud!” Sonic added, patting the red echidna’s shoulder with force, nearly causing him to fall over.

“Not a big deal, really,” Knuckles replied, trying hard to hide his own blush. “I’ve seen Tails do it enough times, so it was a piece of cake.”

“You guys shook the fuzz, right?” Chuck asked as he peeked outside the garage, looking around suspiciously.

“Are you kidding?” Tails asked as he itched the base of his nose, his namesakes fluttering from behind. “Their helicopters could never keep up with the Tornado 2, and I ran multiple scans on the way here to verify we weren’t being followed or traced.”

“I don’t know why I was so worried!” Chuck replied, nervously laughing under his breath as he scratched the back of his head. “It’s not like we have any illegal, schedule I controlled substances hidden away here. All we have are these secret alien fugitives!” The motley crew burst into a chorus of laughter, eventually dying down enough for the group to head into Helen’s house.

Chuck took his place on his favorite recliner while Helen remained in her wheelchair. Knuckles leaned against a nearby wall, and the remaining Mobians settled in on the sofa, with Amy leaning against Sonic while Cream held Cheese in her arms. Tails sat on the floor next to the wheelchair to keep Helen company.

“So how long do we have?” Chuck asked as he crossed one leg over the other.

“What do you mean?” Tails replied, tilting his head in confusion.

“Until Eggman recovers from his defeat and devises a new plan,” he clarified. “You’ve been dealing with him for years, right? How long does it take him to bounce back?”

“Good question,” Tails said as he itched his head. “I guess it really depends. If it’s one of his normal mechs, he can just go back to his hideout and pick out another. When we thwart his grander schemes, though, he may take months until he makes any major moves.” Tails pulled himself off the floor and peered out the window in thought.

“Heh,” Sonic chuckled as he crossed his arms. “Egghead must’ve been so sure of himself to think he could take down the humans in one fell swoop like that.”

“That’s the thing,” Helen interjected, “if it wasn’t for you, the police wouldn’t have been able to stop him.”

“His advanced mechanizations are extraordinary,” Chuck added as he rubbed his chin. “Certainly much more advanced than what we’ve been able to achieve. I also noticed Eggman looks human himself, correct?”

“Correct,” Knuckles replied, “all the more reason why I’m suspicious. Wouldn’t Eggman want to support his own clan?”

“Maybe if they were echidnas, sure,” Amy replied, “but humans aren’t like that, right?”

“Humanity,” Chuck declared, pulling himself off his chair and raising a finger to the ceiling, “is incredibly diverse! Some societies live in collectives while others are more individualistic. Some are more religious while others are secular, and so on.”

“Either way,” Tails noted as he continued staring out the window, the late afternoon sun warming his fur, “this is Eggman we’re talking about. He only cares about his own interests. Even though we arrived on a planet with his own species, that doesn’t change who he is: an egotistical madman bent on world domination. Mobius or Earth, it doesn’t matter.”

“But still,” Helen added, “maybe seeing people like him will make him realize the error of his ways?” The Mobians, who knew Eggman better than anyone else, simply shook their heads. Helen chuckled as she ran a hand through her hair. “Well, at least I tried.”

“Ummm…excuse me, Ms. Helen?” Cream asked as she raised her hand like an elementary school student. “I hate to be a bother, but can I use your restroom?”

“Sure!” Helen replied. “It’s just down the hall. You can’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” Cream replied with a smile and a bow. As she stepped away, Cheese leapt off her head and explored the kitchen, curious about their new surroundings.

“I wonder, though…” Tails said, blankly staring outside once more. “If Mobius exists parallel to Earth, and if Earth has native humans, it’s quite likely Eggman came from this planet, perhaps suggesting a connection between our two worlds.”

“As far as I know,” Knuckles added, “only the Chaos Emeralds can teleport people like this, although I’m no expert on the whole parallel universe thing.” He ran a gloved hand through his dreadlocks.

“In speaking of the Chaos Emeralds,” Amy interjected as she stroked Sonic’s blue quills, “where are the Chaos Emeralds?”

“Good question,” Knuckles replied as he rubbed his chin in thought. “If we’re here, then the Chaos Emeralds should be, too!”

“You don’t suppose they’re scattered around the planet?” Sonic asked the red echidna as he leaned back in the sofa with his hands behind his head, Amy cuddled alongside him.

“Probably,” Knuckles replied as he shrugged his shoulders. He turned his attention to the orange kitsune. “Hey Tails, how’s the Chaos Emerald detector? Does it still work?”

“No dice,” Tails replied somberly, turning around to face the red echidna. “My detector relied on the unique properties emitted from the Master Emerald to function, so unless we were somehow able to bring Angel Island to Earth, the detector is now nothing more than a glorified paperweight.” Tails peered down at the floor.

“Hey, cheer up, lil’ buddy!” Sonic stood up from the sofa and approached the young fox, patting him on his shoulder. “Your detector helped us stop Eggman’s plan last time, and if yours isn’t working anymore, odds are Eggman’s isn’t either.”

“I bet you’re right, Sonic!” Tails replied, his spirits returning as they often do with a good ol’ pep talk from his big brother. “Thanks, as always!” The young fox’s beaming smile filled the room with a wave of positive energy.

“No problem!” Sonic said with a wide smile and a thumbs up. “Now how about we discuss our plan? We could jus’ do what we did in the ol’ days n’ just run around the zones until we find the emeralds. I don’t know ‘bout you guys, but I vote for the running optio—” The blue hedgehog was interrupted by the sound of the garage door creaking open.

“Damn!” Chuck exclaimed. “Doug and Alicia aren’t supposed to be back for another several hours!” The aging doctor rose to his feet. “Quick, we gotta hide you guys!” He dashed over to the basement door and opened it. “Everyone, follow me!”

“Right!” The gang replied. Sonic was the first to run to the basement, followed by Amy, Knuckles, and Tails. Chuck quickly shut the door, peered around frantically to confirm Helen was the only one left in the living room, and breathed a sigh of relief moments before the door to the adjacent garage opened.

“Doug! Alicia!” Chuck greeted, clasping his hands together with eyes closed. “How’s my favorite son and daughter-in-law doing?”

“Uhhh, fine, Chuck,” Alicia replied as she slipped off her shoes and threw her purse on the sofa.

“Great!” Doug added as he took his turn to remove his shoes.

“I see you two are off early,” Chuck observed as he nervously eyed the basement door.

“Yeah, well,” Doug began as he took a seat by Helen, who smiled in silence at the early return of her loving parents, “the store was pretty dead today, so my boss let me leave early.”

“And my last couple clients canceled on me,” Alicia continued, taking her place next to Doug on the couch, “so we figured we’d actually have a night with the family for once!”  

“How’s my little girl doin’?” Doug asked Helen from his side. Chuck had since returned to his chair, calmly sipping his coffee. 

“Better now that you’re home!” She replied with a smile. “I’m glad you could get off a little early for once, and you too, mom!”

“Same here,” Alicia replied before returning her attention to Chuck. “By the way, why do you have a biplane in the garage?”

Chuck spewed his beverage across the floor.

“Oh, that, ummm…thing?” He wiped his mouth with his lab coat sleeve before rushing to the kitchen for a wet washcloth, using what little time he had afforded to him to devise a clever excuse. “Well, you see, that, ummm…I’m…borrowing it…”

“You’re…borrowing it?” Alicia asked as she pushed her glasses up her nose, folded her arms, and crossed her legs, her blond hair reflecting the late afternoon sun pouring into the living room.

“Yes,” Chuck replied. “My ol’ work buddy dropped it off this morning, and I’ll be takin’ it for a little test run tomorrow.”

“Really?” Alicia replied with a frown. “Wouldn’t your work buddy just leave his biplane at the airstrip instead of, somehow, getting it here down residential streets, just for you to bring it back to the airstrip again?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Chuck was pulling at his collar, nearly at a loss for words as he tried to conjure up the perfect story.

Meanwhile, Sonic and friends were hiding in the dark basement, where Chuck had his bedroom and various knickknacks. They were hiding under the bed in the corner, though, listening to the conversation unfold upstairs.

“Man, Chuck’s such a bad liar, isn’t he?” Sonic asked as he nudged Tails in the shoulder.

“It’s hard for honest folk to lie, isn’t it?” Tails replied with a shrug.

“I guess.” Sonic chuckled. “Either way, I don’t see how he’s gonna explain himself out of this one.” The blue hedgehog clasped his nose as he contorted his face. “And what’s up with that smell? It’s like a skunk lives down here ‘r somethin’.”

“Okay, I am not hiding like a coward,” Knuckles growled as he crawled out from under the bed.

“Hey, wait a sec, Knucklehead,” Sonic replied as he grabbed the red echidna by the tail and pulled him back.

“What’d you d—” Knuckles protested, only for his tantrum to be muffled by Sonic’s gloved paw.

“Quiet down or they’ll hear us.” Sonic replied as he placed a finger on his lips. Knuckles’ face turned red from the combination of anger and embarrassment.

“To be fair,” Tails whispered to his big brother, “if you pulled at my tails, I’d be a little pissed, too.”

“Tails, language!” Sonic and Amy exclaimed simultaneously. 

“Wait, what did I say?” Tails asked as he tilted his head in confusion. “Tails? That’s not a bad word, that’s my name, goofballs!”

“No, no,” Sonic replied as he facepalmed, letting go of Knuckles’ tail. “You said pissed.”

“There’s a…better way to say you’re mad,” Amy replied from Tails’ other side. “It just kinda sounds…uncouth, you know? Totally out of character for you.”

Tails thought about this as he rubbed his chin in thought. “Whatever you say, guys.”

“I swear,” Sonic sighed as he peered at the pink hedgehog between the orange kitsune’s fluttering namesakes, “first he says damn and now this? What happened to his innocence?”

“I know, right?” Amy replied with a giggle. “He’s becoming quite the potty mouth.”

“I am not a potty mouth!” Tails protested with a huff.

“Hey, that reminds me,” Knuckles interjected. “Didn’t Cream say she was going to the bathroo—”

The gang froze as they heard the sound of flushing water coming down the old pipework of the small house. This, of course, startled the humans in the living room, especially Doug and Alicia, who thought they were the only ones home. Before the two could question it, out popped an alien, anthropomorphic bunny, walking around as if searching for something.

“Cheese? Cheese, where did you go, Cheese?” She called with her hands around her mouth. Doug and Alicia watched dumbfoundedly, and with mouths agape, as they witnessed the young Mobian walk around their house. Seconds later, they nearly fell over at the sight of a small, floating blue alien flying out of the kitchen, landing in the bunny’s arms.

“Chao, chao!” they replied, a smile on their face.

“Are you having fun, Cheese?” Cream asked.

“Chao, chao!” they indicated, waving their stubby arms in delight.

“Ummm, Cream?” Chuck sternly called from his chair.

“What is it, Mr. Chuck?” she asked, peering over at him until her eyes drifted to the unfamiliar humans on the sofa. “Ohhh, hi!” Cream said with a smile before rushing over to greet her prospective new friends. “What’s your name? My name is Cream the Rabbit, but my friends call me Cream. This here is Cheese, my pet chao! They’re my best friend in the whole world! Say ‘hi’, Cheese!”

“Cha-chaooo!”

“H-honey?” Alicia asked her husband, the woman’s face slowly starting to contort. “I-is that…what…is that?”

“I, ummm…” Doug struggled for words as the young bunny below stared at them with a beaming smile, staring intently with unblinking eyes. “I…don’t…know?”

“Okay,” Chuck stood up and cleared his throat, “I can assure you there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for this.”

“I’m gonna…be…” Alicia’s eyelids started to flutter before she lost consciousness.

“Alicia?” Her husband shook her gently, but she remained down for the count.

“Are you okay, Miss?” Cream asked as she tilted her head in concern. “Here…” The young bunny grabbed the wet washcloth from the coffee table Chuck previously used to clean his spill. Crawling onto the sofa, she gently dabbed the human woman’s face until she slowly opened her eyes. Cream pulled her hand away and watched as Alicia rubbed her forehead with her hand.

“W-what happened?” she asked lethargically.

“You passed out,” Chuck replied. “It seems like our new friend here startled you.”

Alicia turned to face the young bunny, who was smiling with rosy cheeks and closed eyes, her blue chao waving between her flappy ears.

She fainted once more.

“Ah geez, not again,” Chuck complained with a facepalm.   

The sun started to set over the horizon, painting the Station Square community park an orange hue as the park dwellers slowly retired for the evening.

Out of the sights and minds of the pedestrians below was Rouge the Bat, dangling upside down from the tallest branch of a tree situated in the middle of the park. She quietly observed the carefree humans walking down the winding paths of the park, the remaining stragglers still playing frisbee or otherwise relaxing on the various benches scattered throughout the multi-block greenspace located in the heart of downtown Station Square.

“A lady could get used to a place like this,” she chuckled to herself, eyeing a high-end clothing store and jewelry shop across the nearest street. “Seems I have many more targets to choose from.”

Rouge, quite frankly, didn’t know what to make of her current predicament. She was transported to Earth the same way her friends were back at Eggman’s headquarters on Mobius; the bat had originally infiltrated the evil doctor’s base to steal the Chaos Emeralds for herself, but after learning of Robotnik’s master plan – using the mystical gems with his energy amplifier to harness unlimited power – she agreed to help Sonic and friends stop Eggman. Despite the seemingly altruistic nature of her assistance, though, her own interests happened to align with the good guys at the time; if Eggman had control of all the Chaos Emeralds, after all, it would have been virtually impossible for her to claim the gemstones for herself.

As for why Rouge wanted the emeralds?

“The jewelry store has a fine selection,” she said to herself with a sigh, “but they’ll never beat the beauty of the Chaos Emeralds.”

Indeed, the bat didn’t seek world domination nor world peace; she just enjoyed nice things, and she decided long ago she’d stop at nothing to take what she desired.

“Oh well,” Rouge said as she shrugged her shoulders, her knees wrapped around the tree branch. She pulled herself up and glanced over at an old bird’s nest containing her recently acquired belongings. Her eyes glistened at the expensive diamonds and necklaces she obtained since finding herself alone in this new world. A pile of American currency, namely $100 bills, were underneath the jewelry, providing the bat more than enough cash to get by while she figured out how to get home.

After staring at her stash in deep thought, she ultimately decided to leave her collection behind, at least for now; she needed to find some nice accommodations where she could rest easy, store her goods, and get some good quality rest and relaxation.

With another sigh, Rouge shoved a few bills into her boots, covered the rest of her stash with some twigs, sprayed some perfume over it in the hopes the fragrance would keep away any birds or pests, and jumped off the branch, taking flight with her bat wings as she searched for the nearest hotel which met her high standards.

“It’s nice to know Knucky made it here in one piece,” she said to herself with a smile, referring to the red echidna she loved to troll and, occasionally, try stealing from while visiting his island. “Too bad Eggman’s here too…I’m sure he’ll complicate things, as per usual.” She further reflected on the conversation she overheard while scouting Helen’s home in the suburbs; the bat was able to track down the Mobians easily, thanks to her inherent skills as a spy, but she found it in her best interest, at least for the time being, to remain incognito. She would reveal herself to the rest of the party if and when it suited her.

The bat descended to the entrance of what appeared to be a five-star hotel, complete with gold-plated doors and an eloquent sign listing prices starting at $450 per night. She tried hiding her giddiness as she walked past an advertisement for their personal spa and massage therapy sessions.

“Good evening, how may I help you?” said the aging man at the front desk sporting a suit.

“I would like to make a reservation,” Rouge replied as she pulled $500 from her boot and placed the small stack on the front desk.

“Most certainly,” he replied as he began typing on his keyboard, “I’ll just need to see some I.D.”

“I.D.?” Rouge asked confusedly.

“Yes,” the man replied. “All patrons are required to present a government-issued identification card before staying at our luxury hotel.”

Rubbing her chin in thought, she snapped her fingers, remembering the card she always kept with her in a secret slot of her other boot. Pulling it out, she passed it to the man, who analyzed it closely with a suspicious glare.

“Ma’am, is this some kind of joke?”

“W-what do you mean?” she asked, stepping back as sweat formed on her brow.

“I’ve processed I.D. cards from around the world, and I’ve never seen one like this.” He adjusted his glasses and studied it more intently.

“Ohh, ummm…” The jewel thief racked her brain for a good excuse. “Well, you see, this is a foreign I.D. from a small, obscure country you probably have never heard of! Yes, I’m not from around here.”

“According to our records,” he replied as he analyzed the results on his computer, “there is no place with this address anywhere on Earth. You are either lying, or you’re an alien.” The aging man peered down at the bat. “Now that I think about it, you do look rather peculiar.”

“So am I getting a room or what?” Rouge asked, furrowing her brow in frustration.

“I’m sorry, miss,” the human replied, “but unless you can present a legitimate form of identification our system recognizes, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Okay, buster,” Rouge jumped on the counter, pulled the aging man up by his shirt collar, and threw him across the other side, “I’ve had one hell of a day, okay? All I need is a little rest and relaxation, and I have the money, so get me a room, will ya?”

“Security!!” The man yelled as he stumbled back to his feet. “Security! Escort this miscreant away from the premises at once!” Within seconds, three large men in black suits approached the bat, cracking their knuckles with smirks on their faces. Two grabbed her arms and started pulling her away.

“Hey, get off me, you brutes!” Rouge protested. Before she could be shoved out the entrance, though, she used her superior strength to twist herself around, taking down two of the men with a roundhouse kick and knocking the third unconscious with a punch to the face before reclaiming her money and Mobian I.D. and fleeing the fancy hotel.

Taking flight, the bat landed on top of a nearby building, breathing heavily as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Well, that was a bust.” She looked up at the moon starting to rise, replacing the setting sun. “What am I supposed to do now, sleep outside?” The bat groaned as she sat on the ledge of the building, allowing her feet to dangle off the side as she pondered her predicament for several minutes. “This is hopeless…” With one final sigh, the bat stood up and retracted her wings. As she was about to take flight, however, she received a transmission from her wristwatch communicator.

“What? Who could that be?” She clicked on the screen, a holographic video feed projecting from the watch to display the evil scientist she knew all too well.

“Hello, Rouge,” Eggman greeted with a smirk. “I have a proposition for you. Interested?”

“…will you offer room and board?” Rouge asked, her ears fluttering as hope returned to her.

“Why of course!” Eggman replied, clasping his hands together as his smirk grew. “We wouldn’t want you to catch cold, now would we?”

The bat didn’t appreciate the sass, but as the sun nearly disappeared, replaced by the ever-rising moon, she decided to ignore it. She may have been a creature of the night, but even she needed her beauty sleep.

“All right, Eggy,” Rouge replied with a smirk of her own.

“We’ve got a deal.”

Chapter Text

Alicia slowly opened her eyes, finding herself in bed after falling conscious from the sight of Cream the Rabbit only a few hours earlier. What she didn’t expect to find was not only the same bunny peering down at her from the side of the bed, but several other anthropomorphic aliens surrounding her sleeping quarters as well.

“Ahhhhh!” She screamed before nearly passing out again.

“Wait!” Chuck exclaimed as he dove to her side. “Just stay calm and take a deep breath.” Collecting herself, Alicia followed her father-in-law’s advice, closing her eyes and sighing heavily before glancing around the bedroom. She studied the blue hedgehog leaning on the closed door with his arms behind his head, the red echidna doing much the same in the opposite corner, and the fox and rabbit on either side of the mattress, watching her with concern written on their faces.  

“How are you feeling, Ms. Alicia?” Cream asked as she rocked her pet chao in her arms.

“I’m...fine, I think?” she replied, adjusting her glasses as she pulled herself up.

“I suppose we owe ya an explanation,” Doug offered as he slipped his hands into his pocket.

“...yeah,” she slowly nodded as she grabbed a glass of water on the bedside table, “for starters, who are you? I take it you’re not some expert furry cosplayers?”

“Why do we keep getting confused for humans in costumes?” Tails asked his friends, who simultaneously shrugged their shoulders. Facing Alicia once more, he fluttered his namesakes as he prepared his formal introduction. “My name is Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails,” he gestured toward the blue hedgehog. “This is Sonic the Hedgehog, hero extraordinaire and the best big bro around!”

“Nah,” Sonic scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. “Your smarts and flying skills have saved me more times than I can count! We’re both heroes!” Tails chuckled in response, blushing through his muzzle as he took his turn to scratch the back of his head. Collecting himself, he turned to the red echidna. “This is Knuckles the Echidna, another one of my friends.”

“Hey,” Knuckles greeted simply as he nodded his head before folding his arms against his chest.

“You’ve already met Cream and Cheese,” Tails continued.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Cream greeted, bowing politely as Cheese flew from her arms and landed between her ears.

“Chao, chao!”

“Last but not least,” Tails gestured his arm toward the door as the pink hedgehog walked into the room with a freshly baked apple pie, “is Amy Rose!”

“Nice to meet ya,” Amy greeted with a wink as she held the pie in oven mitts a bit too small for her Mobian hands. “Glad to see you’re okay.”

“Thanks,” Alicia began as she slowly made her way out of bed, “To tell you the truth, I don’t see how I could be afraid of such polite guests. Are these your friends, Helen?”

“Yeah!” Helen replied enthusiastically as she gently slammed her fists against the armrests of her wheelchair. “And you’re not going to believe this, but…they’re aliens.”

“Really? How could you tell?” Alicia replied sarcastically, earning a laugh from the merry gathering of humans and Mobians, only interrupted by the ringing doorbell.

“Pizza’s here!” Cream cheered.

“Chao, chao!”

“Oh man, I’m starving,” Sonic declared as he rubbed his belly.

The party left the bedroom single-file, making their way to the table in the kitchen as Doug picked up the pizza from the delivery person and brought the half-dozen boxes to the counter. Laying them out in a neat row, the smell of the delectable, cheesy goodness filled the room, causing nearly all the Mobians, save for Knuckles and Amy, to drool.

After everyone picked out their pizza slices of preference, they all took their seats, the Mobians in the living room and the humans at the small table in the adjoining kitchen.

“What’s this one called, Helen?” Cream asked as she brought a slice closer to her muzzle, staring at it intently.

“Ohh, that one’s my favorite!” the human girl replied. “Pineapple pizza’s the best.”

“Waaait just a second,” Sonic interjected with a mouthful of pizza. “Pineapple…on pizza? That sounds mundo nasty.”

“It may sound gross,” Amy replied as she chewed her own slice, “but the sweet flavor of the pineapple paired with the savory sauce go surprisingly well together. Here…” The pink hedgehog, who was already sitting next to him on the sofa, lifted her slice near his face. “Take a bite before the cheese starts slipping off.”

“Chao?” the chao asked as they tilted their head in confusion.

“Oh, not you, Cheese,” Amy clarified, “Cheese, as in, the food.”

“Ch-chao, chao!” they cheered before grabbing a small chunk Cream cut for them. They plopped it into their mouth and cheered even louder, ecstatic over the pizza’s deliciousness.

“So, you gonna take a bite or what?” Amy asked, bringing her slice closer to Sonic’s muzzle.

“Ummmm, okay, sure, why not?” Opening his mouth wide, the pink hedgehog fed him a generous bite. Sonic’s face lit up almost immediately. “Oh man, you’re absolutely right, Amy! Pineapple pizza is the best!”

“See, I told you, Sonic!” Amy replied as she nestled herself in closer to her blue boyfriend as she continued eating her slice.

“So…” The party turned their attention to Alicia, who was sitting cross-legged at the table. “Can someone fill me in on what’s going on?”

“Yeah, I think I need a refresher, too,” Doug replied as he scratched the back of his head. “I only remember bits n’ pieces of what you explained earlier, Tails.”

“All right, then,” Tails said with a mouthful of pepperoni pizza. Standing up, he took a long swig of his bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast and cleared his throat.

“As you guessed, Alicia, we are not from around here. We’re from a planet called Mobius, and through an extraordinary phenomenon, we were transported to Earth. Based on me and Chuck’s analysis, we’ve concluded our worlds are parallel to each other, existing in alternative dimensions.”

“Okay, I think I’m following you,” Alicia replied, nodding her head to signal the orange kitsune to continue his story.

“You see,” he continued after taking another bite of pizza, “we were battling Dr. Eggman, an evil scientist who regularly threatens our peaceful existence back on Mobius, when the Chaos Emeralds, gems imbued with mystical powers, caused a reaction which brought all of us, including Eggman, to your world.” Tails turned on the television by pressing the power button with his namesakes, his hands occupied with his pizza and soda. “We’ll let the news tell the rest.”

“…we’re live at the scene of what was an epic battle in the heart of Station Square,” said Scarlet Garcia, holding a microphone to her face as she gave the audience a tour of the dilapidated city block where Eggman and Sonic skirmished. “Earlier today, a man by the name of Dr. Eggman tore through the city with a large robot under his control. The police department was unable to stop Eggman, but a pack of otherworldly aliens managed to confront and subdue him before he could cause more damage.” The live feed of the scene transitioned to footage of Sonic’s battle with Eggman on top of the building. “The anthropomorphic hedgehog who refers to himself as Sonic worked together with his friends to defeat Eggman.”

The report transitioned to some pre-recorded interview segments with pedestrians who were at the scene as the fight unfolded.

“The battle was epoc!” said an excited kid. “They were all like pew pew, and Sonic was all like AAAAAAAAAAAAA, n’ Eggman was all like I CAN’T BELIEEEVE THIS!”

“I was scared for my life,” said an adult woman onlooker through the window of her car. “I saw another car get flipped over with people inside! Thankfully Sonic and his friends got them out, but man, I’m glad to have made it out alive.”

The report cut back to Garcia at the scene.

“Moments earlier, I had a chance to speak with the Station Square chief of police.”

The report cut to the interview.  

“While we…ummm…appreciate Sonic’s help,” the chief said, choosing his words carefully, “we want to remind the people of Station Square to let the police handle these sorts of confrontations. Vigilante justice can put yourself and others in harm’s way.”

“But would you say if not for Sonic and his friends, Eggman would’ve only caused more damage?” Garcia asked.

“Well…” The chief scratched the back of his head. “That’s certainly one of many possible outcomes, but we were ready to call in the National Guard. I’m sure their artillery would’ve taken down that mech no problem.”

The report cut back to Garcia’s live feed.

“Regardless,” she continued, “the identity of Sonic’s friends remains a mystery. We have set up a special tip line for any information regarding these visitors.” The number flashed at the bottom of the screen. “This is Scarlett Garcia, signing ou—”

“Waaait!”

The reporter stepped back in surprise to find a young boy taking up the shot, waving his arms frantically.

“Hey, my name is Mr. Thorndyke, the heir of the Thorndyke estate.” Before Garcia could respond, the rude boy grabbed her microphone and faced the camera. “I’m here to correct the false information espoused by this so-called reporter.” He made air quotes with his free hand. “She claims the hedgehog thing fighting that one dude is named Sonic, but as the one who risked his life to save it from drowning in one of my two large pools at my large mansion, I have the sole right to officially name it whatever I choose. If this reporter actually did her job, she would’ve known I named it Thorndyke Hedgehog, after me, of course.”

“Anyway,” he concluded, as he dropped the microphone, “I have a spa appointment I can’t miss. Tootles.” 

Tails turned off the television.

“I swear,” Sonic said as he folded his arms and shook his head, “Chris ought to be the most spoiled rotten kid I’ve ever seen. I don’t care if he technically saved me from drowning; he only did it for the fame n’ glory.”

The entire group nodded in agreement.

“So, Alicia, Doug…” Tails faced Helen’s parents as he clasped his hands behind his back, his namesakes fluttering from behind. “Do you have any questions?”

“Ummm…I don’t think so?” Alicia questioned as she started to slice the cooled apple pie, placing each piece on small plates. “To be honest,” Alicia brought the first plate to Cream, who smiled in delight yet didn’t want to thank her for fear of rudely interrupting, “if you all weren’t so polite, I would be inclined to call the police right now out of safety for my baby girl.” She cracked a small smile as she peered over at Helen, who smiled back at her. “But you all are Helen’s friends, and you did just save us from that nasty man, so we’ll let you stay.”

“Hurray!” The Mobians and Helen cheered.

“Is that okay with you, Doug?” Alicia asked as she handed a slice to her husband.

“Of course!” he replied after a quick swig of his bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon. “A friend of Helen’s is a friend of mine!”

“Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad!” Helen replied with a brilliant smile on her face as she became teary-eyed.

“What’s wrong, Helen?” Cream asked, darting to her side at the slightest hint of trouble.

“There’s nothing wrong, Cream” she replied as she wiped away the tears. “I’m just…so happy. So happy we can help you all out, ya know?”

“You bet!” Tails said with a thumbs up as the rest of the party provided supportive nods.

“There’s just one more thing to settle,” Alicia said as she gave the final pieces of the pie to Knuckles and Chuck. “We need to figure out sleeping arrangements.”

“Ohh, that’ll be easy,” Amy replied as she hopped off the sofa. “Sonic and I can share a bed or a sleeping mattress.”

“Whaaaaat?” Sonic asked nervously, trying his hardest to hide his blush.

“There aren’t enough beds for everyone, silly,” Amy replied as she placed her hands on her hips, “So I kinda figured we could share. Seems fair, right?”

“Ummmm, well…” Sonic ran a gloved hand through his quills.

“Just what is the nature of your relationship with Sonic?” Alicia asked as she raised a hand to her chin.

“I’m glad you asked!” Amy replied with sparkles in her eyes.

“Ah geez, here we go again,” Sonic groaned.

“You see, Sonic is my boyfriend. He may be the fastest thing alive, but everybody knows that no matter where he goes, I’m hardly a step behind him. Sonic has the speed of sound, but I have the speed of love, right, Sonic?” She turned to her blue boyfriend as she fluttered her eyelids.

“Well, I…ummm…” Staring at the crowd watching him, he jumped to his feet. “Well, would ya look at the time, I almost missed my evening run. Gotta go, bye!” With a flash, the blue hedgehog ran out the front door, leaving the entrance wide open.

“Hey Amy,” Doug asked as they all stared at the door, “are you sure Sonic’s your boyfriend?”

“Oh, he is,” the pink hedgehog replied with a smile. “He just has a hard time expressing his feelings. He’s quite the shy guy. All the more adorable!” She clasped her hands together as she stared out the window, sparkles in her eyes as she sighed deeply. “But one day, Sonic will want to settle down and start dating for real, and when he’s ready, I’ll be ready.”

“That’s all fine and good, dear,” Alicia replied as she returned her smile with her own, “but I don’t think you two should share a bed.”

“Why not?” Amy asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“Well, it’s just that…” The human woman racked her brain for a good excuse as she ran her hand through her blond hair. “Because…wouldn’t Cream get lonely?”

“Oh, that’s right!” Amy turned to face the young bunny. “We can have a slumber party together! We’ve been meaning to do that.”

“I’m so excited!” Cream replied as she waived her arms. “We can paint each other’s nails, watch movies, make macaroni art…it will be great, right Cheese?”

“Chao, chao!” they replied, flying around the room for several seconds before returning to their designated spot between Cream’s ears.

“I’m sure Sonic won’t mind either,” Amy concluded.

“Phew…” Alicia wiped the sweat from her brow, thankful she didn’t need to explain her reasoning.

“You two can share my bed if you want,” Helen offered.

“Now, now,” Alicia interjected. “I know you mean well, but your bed isn’t that big, and with your condition, they can’t really sleep on the mattress while you’re using it.”

“Ohhh…” Helen’s face turned downcast as she peered at her lap.

“Don’t be sad, Helen,” Cream replied as she grabbed hold of the human girl’s hand. “Amy and I can sleep on the floor in your room. Is that okay, Amy?”

“Of course!” the pink hedgehog replied. “It’ll be a girls only slumber party!” The three of them giggled in delight.

“So that just leaves Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles,” Doug said. “Well, we have the spare bedroom, and we just so happen to have the bunk bed from my childhood in there for guests…”

“Say no more,” Sonic replied, speedily returning to his seat after a several mile run, wind blowing into the house seconds after the blue hedgehog arrived inside. “Tails and I were meant to be bunk buddies, right Tails?”

“Heck yeah!” Tails replied with a chuckle, his namesakes fluttering from behind once more. “I’m surprised we don’t have a bunk bed at home.” The orange kitsune pulled out his Miles Electric. “Note to self…build…bunk bed…when we…arrive home.”

“That just leaves you, Knuckles,” Alicia said as the red echidna headed for the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” Helen asked concernedly.

“Thanks for the offer, but it’s a bit too stuffy in here. Besides, I’d rather be in good ol’ mother nature.”

“Just be careful out there,” Cream advised.

“Don’t worry about that,” Knuckles replied, returning the bunny’s look of concern with a reassuring smile. “I always leave my guard up.”

“Later, Knux!” Sonic waved, prompting the rest of the party to wave as well.

“Later. I’ll let you know if I find out more about the Chaos Emeralds.” The red echidna waved as he walked away, venturing from the quiet suburb to a nearby forest.

With that, Alicia and Doug got to work making the necessary bedtime preparations. They got some sleeping bags out from the closet and neatly laid them across the floor in Helen’s bedroom. The parents then prepared the guest bedroom, fluffing the pillows and dusting the comforters, having not been used in quite some time. Finally, they dug through some of Helen’s old clothing to find pajamas for the Mobians.

Sonic and Tails got dressed in the guest bedroom as Amy and Cream went to Helen’s room to try out their own PJs.

“Isn’t it strange,” Sonic pondered as he pulled a polka dotted shirt over his head, “how we wear clothes when we go to sleep but don’t wear anything at all when we’re awake?”

“You know,” Tails replied as he slipped on his pajama shirt before cutting a hole in his pants for his twin namesakes, “I haven’t really thought about it. I guess it’s just comfy to wear, ya know?” The orange fox slipped on his matching nightcap.

“I suppose,” Sonic said as he put on his pajama pants. Tails did the same moments later, neatly fitting his tails into the fresh hole in the fabric.  

“Welp,” Sonic yawned and crawled into the lower bunk, “time for bed, lil’ guy?”

“Yeah,” Tails replied, nodding his head before flying up to the top bunk. “It’s been a long day, hasn’t it?”

“You bet,” he said. “We’ve only been on Earth for, what, two days? It’s felt like forever…”

“Yeah,” Tails chuckled. “You got imprisoned, drugged, and shot, and that was before escaping a military base, fighting Eggman, and saving Station Square. I’m just glad we rescued you when we did.”

“Same here!” Sonic replied with a chuckle of his own. “I would’ve been a goner if you guys didn’t save me from that Liam guy. I’m just sorry I was too conked out to see you wail on ‘im.” Sonic punched the air.

“I kinda got a bit out of control there,” Tails admitted as he wrapped his namesakes around his chest.

“You did it to save your family,” Sonic replied in a reassuring voice. “I know you don’t like violence, but sometimes it can’t be helped.”

“Yeah, I know…I’m just glad you’re okay.”

There was a moment of silence.  

“…hey Tails?”

“Yeah, Sonic?”

“You’re the best lil’ bro a guy could ask for.”

“Thanks, Sonic,” Tails allowed a single tear to roll down his muzzle as he closed his eyes.

“Night, Tails.”

“Goodnight, Sonic.”

And with that, Sonic and Tails enjoyed a peaceful sleep, recharging their batteries for the adventures that lay ahead in the morrow.

The moonlight guided Rouge as she made her way across the ocean, following the coordinates Eggman sent to her wristwatch communicator. Eggman’s base on a small, remote island wasn’t too far away from the shores of Station Square, so the flight was a breeze for the flying bat. She grinned as the unmistakable, albeit flimsy building hastily put back together by the doctor’s henchmen came into view.

All right…let’s see what Eggy has cooked up for me.

Gently planting her feet on the small, sandy beach within several yards of the entrance of Eggman’s headquarters, the bat was greeted by Decoe and Bocoe.

“Welcome, Rouge,” Decoe said as he gestured his arms toward the door.

“Right this way,” Bocoe added. “The doctor’s been expecting you.”

Rouge followed Eggman’s robotic henchmen inside, leading her through a hallway as they made their way to Robotnik’s command center. Stepping through the automatic sliding doors, she was greeted by the mischievous face of the evil doctor. Bokkun the messenger robot was too busy eating an apple pie slice near the corner to pay much attention to the guest.

“Ahh, if it isn’t Rouge the jewel thief! Just the person I need.” Robotnik cracked an evil grin.

“Yeah, yeah,” she replied nonchalantly. “You know, I don’t know why you’d trust me after what happened back on Mobius.” She was referring to her alliance with Sonic as they fought for the Chaos Emeralds.

“Oh, don’t play silly with me, Rouge,” Eggman replied. “We all know your allegiances are only temporary, forged by the highest bidder! I know you aren’t traveling with Sonic and his friends, and I’m willing to bet the humans are not so keen on allowing someone without any sort of Earthian identification to check into a hotel, even if you’ve stolen enough money to pay for the finest suite.”

“Not far off, Eggy,” Rouge replied with a grin of her own as she placed her hands on her hips. “So, what is your job, anyway?”

“I’m glad you asked!” Eggman replied as he massaged his moustache. “You see, my Chaos Emerald detector no longer works because this world lacks a Master Emerald.”

“So you’ll need to make like Sonic and run through zones the old fashion way?” Rouge sarcastically asked. “Or are you going to steal them from him once he gathers all seven, as per usual?”

“Not quite,” Eggman replied, “for you see, even though my radar isn’t functional, I can still hack into the primitive human network rather easily and recover some valuable information.”

“Oh really?” Rouge replied, stepping closer as Eggman spun his chair around and started typing into a keyboard.

“Really,” Eggman nodded as he gestured to his monitor. “Get a load of this.”

“Hmmm…” The bat’s eyes scanned the secret government document. “Let’s see…mysterious gem found in Lake Michigan…now in custody of the United States military…” She froze as she observed the image of a green emerald. Her eyes glistened at the beautiful sight.

“That’s not all,” Eggman continued. “The Chaos Emerald is being housed at the Eisenhower Military Research Facility just outside Station Square. It is heavily guarded by around-the-clock personnel.”

“Pshhh,” Rouge waved her arms nonchalantly. “If I can get through your security systems without breaking a sweat, I’m sure getting through these humans will be a piece of cake.”

“So what do you say?” Eggman stood up and reached out his hand. “You steal the emerald for me, and I provide you with lodging, food, and the tools to hack into whatever human database piques your fancy. Do we have a deal?”

“What do you plan on using the Chaos Emeralds for anyway?’ Rouge asked as she stared at Eggman’s gloved hand. “We’re only here thanks to your last ingenious scheme.”

“First of all,” Eggman retorted, pointing a finger at the bat, “if Sonic didn’t meddle in my affairs, I would be peacefully subjugating everyone on Mobius instead of us being stuck on this rock. Secondly,” Eggman spun around and peered out the window, observing the moonlit ocean beyond, “my plan is to use the Chaos Emeralds to return us all to Mobius. Don’t you want to get home, too?”

“Oh yeah?” Rouge asked, placing her hands on her hips. “If your primary objective was getting home, why did you attack the capitol and fight Sonic?”

“Easy,” Eggman replied as he massaged his moustache once more, “I was merely testing the capabilities of these technologically backward humans! I’ve concluded that ruling over them would be boring, unfulfilling, and a waste of my valuable time.”  

“And what if I just steal the gem for myself?” Rouge countered, staring up at Eggman with one eyebrow raised.

“Then you don’t get food, shelter, or access to my high-tech espionage equipment,” Eggman replied. “I know you must be dying to gather intel on the most priceless gems this world has to offer.”

The jewel thief gave this some thought. “Okay, Eggy, we have a deal.” They shook hands, solidifying their agreement.

“Very good,” Eggman turned back to his computer and rapidly typed on his keyboard, “I just sent you the coordinates. You can be in and out before they even realize their secret files were compromised.”

“They won’t even know what hit them,” Rouge replied with a chuckle as she turned to the exit.

When the jewel thief departed, Eggman started laughing maniacally.

“What’s so funny?” Decoe asked.

“Did Rouge tell you a joke?” Bocoe followed.

“The only joke around here is you two,” Eggman replied harshly, “but once Rouge plays my little game, the joke will be on her! I don’t rightly care which world I dominate, and with all seven Chaos Emeralds, I’ll develop a way to easily travel between Earth and Mobius no sweat. I can rule both worlds simultaneously! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“Is Rouge not a bit of a wildcard, though?” Decoe asked.

“Think of it this way,” Eggman replied as he headed for the command center’s exit, “either she fulfills her mission and brings me the gem, or she double-crosses me and hoards the Chaos Emerald for herself. It would be much easier to steal the gem from Rouge than from Sonic and his band of miscreants. 

Finished explaining his plan, the evil doctor returned to his sleeping quarters, leaving the three robots behind.

“Does he really know Rouge well enough to come to that conclusion?” Bocoe asked.

“Apparently,” Decoe replied, “but given the unusual circumstances we are in, Rouge may deliver the Chaos Emerald to Sonic instead of keeping it for herself or handing it into Eggman. What do you think, Bokkun?” The two robots turned to their younger brother, who was asleep in the corner with apple pie across his face and his hands on his belly, snoring peacefully.

“At least Bokkun has the right idea,” Bocoe noted.

“I’ll say,” Decoe agreed.

Crossing the ocean once more, and stealthily making her way through the suburbs of Station Square, Rouge eventually found herself on the outskirts of town.

“If Eggy’s coordinates are correct,” she said to herself as she stared at her watch, peering down through the slits between her ski mask, “then I shouldn’t be too far away.” After walking through a stretch of forest, she came across a dirt road leading to a fenced in complex. Three humans holding machine guns were patrolling the entrance, and several more guards were stationed at various watchtowers across the perimeter.

“I could get through them blindfolded if I wanted too,” she opined as she crept toward one of the watchtowers and climbed up. Reaching the top, she jumped off and started gliding with her wings, reaching the inside of the perimeter moments before a wandering spotlight would’ve otherwise detected her.

The bat’s next target was a Humvee parked next to some men smoking cigarettes. Rouge eyed the Gatling gun stationed at the top of the military truck partially covered in a metal shell. Grinning to herself, she slipped in shortly before the soldiers stomped out their cigarette butts and returned to the truck, taking off toward the compound and parking inside its underground garage.

Rouge stayed for a few minutes after the men left, looking around to make her next move. Spotting an air duct, she carefully removed its vent before slipping in.

You’d think they would make these things smaller…

The jewel thief smirked as she crawled through the ductwork, studying the various winding metal paths in case she needed to make a quick getaway.

Crawling up several stories, Rouge stopped to eavesdrop on a conversation between two soldiers.

“They have you working overtime, too?” asked the blond woman before taking a sip of coffee.

“Yep,” the shorter man replied. “Apparently there’s a new government secret or somethin’ on the fourth floor I need to help guard.”

“Oh yeah, we were briefed about that,” she replied. “Of course, if you actually read the reports, you’d know instead of needing to rely on gossip.”

“Hey, I read the reports!” the man protested. “They just don’t sink in all the time is all.”

“Yeah, suuuure.” The woman chuckled before taking another sip.

So, the Chaos Emerald is on the fourth floor?

Rouge continued her trek until she got close to her destination, kicking down a vent and dropping to the floor. Wandering the halls, she came across two scientists entering a passcode into a thick metal door.

There’s my chance!

Just as the second employee stepped through the door, and just before it closed shut, the athletic, quiet bat slipped in right behind him, keeping as quiet as a mouse as the two men proceeded onward to a separate room. The bat noticed a green glow emanating through the door before it was closed shut.

Peering around the hallway, the bat relied once more on the building’s duct system to make her way inside, spying on the half dozen scientists as they studied the mystical gem, half of them staring into their computer monitors as the other three poked and prodded the emerald with a fancy-looking machine.

Geez, it’s 10 PM and they’re working this late into the night?

The bat sighed as she tried her best not to fall asleep while waiting for the scientists to finally head home for the evening. Just as her eyelids started drooping at the 11^th hour, five of the six scientists started packing their things.

“Hey man, you need to get some sleep,” one of the colleagues said to the other still glued to his monitor.

“I can make it up later,” he replied as he took a bite of a donut. “It’s not like we stumble across a specimen as magnificent as this every day. We’ve already been studying it for hours, and we still can’t make heads or tails of it. Why is it glowing? Why does it mess with our electrical equipment? Why does it make one feel happy and full of life just by being around it?”

“I don’t know, man,” the impatient colleague replied, “but you’re gonna need to sleep sooner or later. You sure you’re not clockin’ out for the night?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be out soon.” He waved his hand backward as he continued staring into his screen. “I’ll lock up.”

“Okay then, night.” The five scientists left in a group, leaving the sixth behind. Watching from above, Rouge waited another 15 minutes to see if he’d wrap up for the night, but when it was apparent he was in it for the long haul, she took the initiative. The scientist didn’t hear the vent fall to the ground, as he was too engrossed in his work.

Grinning to herself, Rouge dropped from the air duct, bending her knees to absorb the fall. She studied the mystical gem, completely covered in a glass casing, before making her way to the scientist, tapping his shoulder. He bolted upright in fright, but before he had the chance to turn around to see who was disturbing his work, he suffered a chop from the devastating hand of the jewel thief, falling unconscious.

“So far, so good,” Rouge said to herself as she dusted off her hands before typing into the keyboard. Clicking around, she disengaged the glass casing, allowing the jewel thief to snag the mystical gem. “Gotcha!”

With a snicker, the bat crept out of the lab and back through the main hallways until she reached the stairs leading to the underground parking garage. Miraculously, the military Humvee she previously rode in was unlocked, and the keys were in the ignition.

“These humans are so careless!” Rouge opined as she started up the engine. The vehicle wasn’t developed for Mobians in mind, though, so she had to awkwardly reach her foot down to the pedal, barely able to see through and above the steering wheel. Nevertheless, she persisted, driving through the parking garage until she was nearly home free.

Except when she arrived at the exit, she found several dozen soldiers swarming the Humvee, all of whom carrying machine guns save for one lone woman at the helm, a pistol in one hand and a pair of handcuffs in the other.

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter of A Bridge Between Worlds! Uploads have slowed a bit, mainly because the house my spouse and I are having built is approaching its final stages. Nevertheless, I’ll try to write the next chapter soon.

In the meantime, feel free to check out the Sonic Fanfiction Discord server I manage. We post story snippets, sneak peeks, ideas, and recommendations, and we currently have 68 members!

Anyway, so long for now! If you have any thoughts, comments, or critiques about this chapter, feel free to share, and I’ll see ya for the next one!

Chapter Text

“My, my…” Rouge placed her hands on his hips as she observed the armed soldiers surrounding her near the exit of the Eisenhower military research facility’s parking garage. “Looks like I was a bit too careless, huh?” Her commentary elicited no feedback from the soldiers, however; their guns were still trained on the jewel thief as their leader slowly approached her.

“All right, don’t try anything funny,” she said as she kept one hand holstering her pistol as she gripped a set of handcuffs with the other.

“You caught me fair n’ square,” Rouge replied with a sly grin as she raised her hands in the air.

“You know, that costume is pretty elaborate,” the agent said as she loosened her grip on her gun and opened both cuffs, “it almost looks like you’re a real bat.”

“And it almost looks like you’re young and attractive,” Rouge replied, “but now that you’re closer, I can clearly see you’re just an old hag.”

“Ex-cuse me?” The human replied, taking a step back as a blush grew across her face.

“You heard me,” Rouge replied as she stepped closer to the embarrassed agent, her arms still raised and her palms open, “now how about you handcuff me, or is your arthritis acting up again?”

The woman was clearly angry, her face red and steam fuming from her ears as she ground her teeth.

“You won’t be so chatty when we take you into custody,” the human replied as she aggressively grabbed Rouge’s wrists and pulled her arms down.

“My, my, I see someone likes to play rough.”

The men surrounding the two broke down in laughter.

“Hey guys, will you quit acting like morons and get a hold of yourselves!?” she yelled. Peering back down at her prisoner, she had a mere split second to react to the roundhouse kick delivered by the thief, dodging just in time. She wasn’t, however, prepared for the counter swipe kick to her knees, sending her falling to her side. Her pistol slid across the floor.

If the commanders’ orders weren’t clear enough, the fugitive’s attack was enough to break the soldiers away from their laughter and focus their attention back on her, aiming their guns steadily at the Mobian. An entire line of them, however, quickly fell as the acrobatic bat sent them flying with her screw kick, stray bullets caking the room as machine guns fell from the soldiers’ hands and dotted the ground.

Twisting herself around to face another pack of soldiers, Rouge took to the air, performing a loop before swooping down and landing a blow to the stomach of another soldier, sending the ones behind him falling like dominoes. Landing on her feet, she quickly dove to the side to avoid an oncoming punch from another soldier.

“Looks like I’ve got more than I bargained for,” Rouge noted as she wiped the sweat from her brow before raising her fists in a fighting stance.

It only took a few seconds for the jewel thief to take down the next group of men; she started out with a quadruple punch combo to the belly of the first soldier followed by a roundhouse kick to the one who tried creeping up behind her. Launching herself up, she punched the next soldier in the jaw before swiftly throwing a set of ninja stars at the remaining men, managing to bind them to the wall without causing any injuries.

Peering around, she was surrounded by the bodies of unconscious or otherwise tired soldiers.  

“Well,” Rouge began as she clapped the dust from her gloved hands, “looks like my work here is d—” She was interrupted by a blow to her back, sending her careening to the wall.

“Owww…” She rubbed her head as she pulled herself from the ground. “Okay, who did that?” Shaking the dizziness from her vision, she found the captain peering down at her.

“Well, looks like you’re tougher than you look,” Rouge placed her hands on her hips once more, “especially for an old lady.”

“I’ll have you know,” she replied as she bent her knees and raised her fists, “I’m only 36, not even close to being old.

“Hah, you’re twice as old as me,” Rouge replied, raising her fists as well. “What’s your name, by the way? I respect a woman who’s got some fight in her.”

“Topaz,” the human replied tersely, “however, I don’t have respect for those who steal government secrets.”

“Topaz, huh?” Rouge replied with a smirk. “Isn’t that the name of a jewel?”

“What of it?” Topaz asked as she tightened her fists.

“As I’m sure you already know,” Rouge pulled out the green Chaos Emerald from her wing, glowing in the moonlight pouring into the parking garage from the nearby entrance, “I’m rather fond of expensive jewelry, especially ones as rare as the Chaos Emeralds.”

“You can tell us all about it when we interrogate you,” Topaz replied before spitting to her side. “Now, are you going to come willingly, or will you make me do this the hard way?” The secret agent cracked her knuckles.

“Like I said,” Rouge replied with a smirk, “you like it rough, right?”

“All right, you’ve asked for it, punk!” Topaz lunged forward, swinging her arm for a devastating blow that failed to land, the jewel thief sliding away just in time. She swung back around, however, with a roundhouse kick the secret agent had come to anticipate, swiftly dodging and jumping just as Rouge performed a swipe counter with her feet. Instead of landing her blow, however, the Mobian was met with a knee to the face, sending her to the ground. Quickly pulling herself up, she pulled the mask from her face and wiped the blood from her nose.

“You know how long it’s going to take to clean my outfit!?” Rouge yelled as she angrily eyed the human approaching her. “Look at this! You’re luck this didn’t get in my fur.”  

“Your fur?” Topaz asked, stopping in her tracks to analyze the bat, who was now removing her espionage attire to reveal her regular outfit underneath: a purple chest plate and a skintight unitard. She appeared even more batlike than ever, complete with fur covering her head and wings which were more than just for show. “Wait…are you…wearing a disguise under your disguise?”

“What? That sounds a bit ridiculous, don’t you think?” Rouge folded her arms.

“Well, yeah,” Topaz replied as she placed her hands on her hips, “just as much as the existence of a bat thing talking to me and stealing government secrets.”

“I hate to break it to you, sweetie,” Rouge jumped up and performed some loops around the parking garage with the aid of her wings, “but I’m about as real as you can get.”

“B-b-but, where? How?” Topaz stammered, attempting to find the right words as she struggled to comprehend the sight before her; while at first she thought she was dealing with a rather short espionage expert, perhaps a spy from a foreign country sent to find U.S. government secrets, it turned out the one before her was actually some sort of alien.

“The answer,” Rouge removed the Chaos Emerald from between her wings once more and spun it on the base of her finger, “starts with this.”

“W-wha?” Before Topaz could articulate further, Rouge took her leave, heading for the parking garage exit. Now completely outdoors, the human commander stopped her, grabbing her wrist and peering down at her with stern resolve.

“I don’t quite frankly care if you’re an alien,” Topaz kept Rouge’s wrists restrained with one hand as she readied her handcuffs with the other, “the fact of the matter is that you broke into a government research facility and stole our property. This is a very serious charge.” Rouge pulled her wrist away, but before she could escape Topaz’s grip, bright headlights flashed from all corners; several Humvees surrounded the women, as did multiple helicopters from above.

“The jig’s up,” Topaz gloated, “best not to resist any longer.”

That’s it…if I just play along, spill the beans about Mobius, and tell them what I know about Sonic, Eggman, and the rest of them, they’ll grant me a full pardon for sure, or maybe even diplomatic immunity.

“All right, sugar,” Rouge relaxed her arms, allowing Topaz to easily secure her handcuffs around her wrists, “take me to your leader.”

“Oh, you did not just say that.” Topaz scoffed as she escorted the prisoner away, eyeing her closely as they entered the back of a parked helicopter. The two sat in silence as the pilot took them to a prison not far from the research facility.

Poke…

Poke poke…

“C’mon, lil’ buddy! Rise n’ shine!”

Tails slowly opened his eyes, but quickly shut them again as he swatted away Sonic’s prodding fingers, sending the blue hedgehog tumbling to the end of the bed.

“W-what time is it?” Tails asked as he rolled to his side. “And why are you up here on the top bunk?”

“Time?” Sonic blink a few times in confusion. “Oh, the time! Yeah, it’s about…5:30, and I climbed up here to wake you up, silly!”

“5:30 AM!?”

Tails threw his pillow at Sonic’s face and wrapped himself in his twin namesakes.

“Oh, come on, Tails! Is that how you’re gonna treat your big brother?” Sonic playfully asked as he placed the discarded pillow on his lap, observing the irritated kitsune from the opposite side of the bed.

“Gimme n’ hour,” Tails grumbled from within his makeshift, furry cocoon.

“Nuh ah ahhhh,” Sonic waved his finger before crawling over to his younger brother and poking his head through his namesakes. “C’mon, Tails! It’s a gorgeous day! Just think of all the places to explore.” The blue hedgehog pulled apart the fox’s protective, furry blanket and gestured his arm toward the open window. “Seriously! Today’s perfect for a lil’ jog. What do you say, jus’ the two of us, before the girls wake up?”

Tails eyed his older brother’s puppy dog eyes, and while he was still annoyed, he couldn’t help but crack a smile.

We haven’t had any real fun, just the two of us, in what’s felt like a long time. After all Sonic’s been through…he really needs this…and so do I.

“Okay, fiiiiine,” Tails yawned into his open palm as Sonic jumped off the top bunk, bending his knees to absorb the fall. The fox proceeded to climb down the ladder before the duo crept through the house, hoping not to wake anyone else.

“Where are you two off to?”

Sonic and Tails spun around to find Alicia and Doug tiredly stepping out of their bedroom.

“Oh, us?” Sonic asked as he placed a finger on his chest.

“No, the door,” Doug replied with a grin. “Nah, it’s cool. You two can come and go as you please.”

“Always be sure to lock up when you leave, though,” Alicia advised as she handed Tails, arguably the more responsible of the two, a key for the front door. “I’m also giving a spare to Amy to share with Cream.”

Tails placed the key snuggly in his namesakes and waved the adults goodbye before setting off on their trip.

“Let’s see…” Tails pulled up his map on his wristwatch communicator. “This area has many winding paths and several trails to choose from. Where would you like to go, Sonic?”

“You know me,” Sonic replied as he scratched the back of his head, “just pick a path, and I’ll be happy!” The blue hedgehog punched the air in a fighting stance, as if he were preparing to box with Knuckles.

“Sounds good!” Tails rubbed the base of his chin as he studied his watch more intently. “Let’s gooooo…this way!” Tails pointed north, his finger tracing a road which led to a cul-de-sac connected to a walking trail.

“Wanna make it a race?” Sonic asked with a smirk as he scratched the base of his nose.

“I dunno,” Tails replied as he raised a gloved finger to his chin in thought. “With your recovery, I don’t know if it’d be a fair competition.”

“You know saying it like that’s only gonna make me wanna race ya even more, right?” Sonic asked as he placed his hands on his hips.

“Good point,” Tails stretched his arms and legs. “All right, then, if it’ll get it out of your system, let’s race!”

“Ah yeah!” Sonic replied as he gave his little brother a thumbs up. “Now this is happenin’!”

Using the edge of the sidewalk as the starting line, Sonic charged a spindash as Tails spun his rotary namesakes, the two keeping themselves stationary for the countdown.

“Three…two…one…aaaaand gooooo!”

The two heroes were off, adjacent blue and orange streaks to any potential passersby, but at this time of day, most residents were either sleeping or getting ready for work.

About a mile from the starting line, Sonic was a half block ahead of his younger bro, but a pain started to form in his lower abdomen. Gritting his teeth, he slowed his speed a few notches as he clutched his lower belly. This allowed the orange kitsune to catch up relatively easily.

“What’s wrong, Sonic?” Tails asked as he tilted his head in concern, noticing the blue hedgehog wincing in pain.

“Ah, it’s my dang wound,” Sonic removed his palm from his belly to reveal his stitches.

“The doctor did say you should take it easy after the surgery,” Tails noted as the two rounded a corner, making their way to the walking trail. “Getting shot is no picnic, you know.”

“Nah, nothin’ can keep this hedgehog down!” Sonic replied with a laugh as he suppressed the pain.

“True, but doctors know more about surgeries and recoveries than even me! You know how long it takes them to get a medical degree?”

“It can’t be that long, right?”

“Ummm, no, Sonic, it takes years to become a doctor, both on Mobius and Earth. I checked!”

“Always one step ahead of me, huh?” Sonic and Tails laughed as they jumped over a puddle covering the width of the trail, a nice breeze cooling them off as the morning sun rose above the horizon.

“You got your speed, and I have my internet habits,” Tails replied with a bit of self-deprecating humor. “By the way, human internet is even more addictive than Mobian internet. Whatever you do, don’t go to Reddit, it’ll suck you in for hours.”

“Heh, I’ll take your word for it,” Sonic groaned once more. “So…you thinkin’ a doc with hedgehog experience should’ve treated me instead?”

“The doctors specializing in human anatomy were the better option, actually,” Tails explained. “You see, unlike Mobian hedgehogs and Mobian foxes, who share many characteristics with humans, Earth has their own, lesser evolved versions of hedgehogs, foxes, and many other species. A hedgehog doctor on Earth is called a veterinarian, but they wouldn’t have done much better than a doctor here, given the anatomical differences between our species. Plus, while veterinarians require many years of education, human doctors need even more to practice medicine.”

“Wow, Tails, it sounds like you’ve really done your homework!” Sonic said, giving him a thumbs up. Tails giggled in response, blushing through his muzzle as he scratched the back of his head. His laughter was cut off, however, as Sonic groaned once more, slowing his speed to a light jog.

“All right, Sonic…” Tails patted Sonic on the shoulder. “I think we should slow things down a bit.”

“You know,” Sonic replied with a small smile, “I hate to say it, but maybe I was goin’ a bit too fast. Maybe the doctor had a point.”

“You don’t say!” The two chuckled as they slowed their jog to a walk, traveling a few dozen yards until they found a nearby bench where they recuperated as the rising sun warmed their fur.  

Rouge stared at the ceiling of the small, white jail cell she had occupied since the night before.

So this is solitary confinement, huh? It’s enough to drive me batty!

The jewel thief grumbled under her breath as she rolled out of bed and stretched her legs and wings before splashing sink water in her face. Looking at her face in the mirror, she frowned upon noticing the smeared mascara over her eyelids and her faded lipstick.

“I suppose they don’t have a beauty salon here?” The bat leaned against the wall, folded her arms, and sighed to herself. “Let’s just hope this plan works.”

At least it had been working so far; upon her apprehension, it was apparent to the soldiers she wasn’t human at all, and some of them speculated correctly she was, in some way, related to the aliens who were all over the news as of late. They determined, therefore, she couldn’t stay in any ordinary prison, as the other inmates wouldn’t necessarily take kindly to an alien joining their ranks in the cafeteria. It was for these reasons she was isolated from the rest, at least for the time being, and she knew these accommodations would only be temporary until the government starts negotiating with her.

She peered down at her attire; an orange jumpsuit which was a bit too baggy; it’s not every day they had adult inmates arriving who were less than four feet tall, especially those requiring holes be ripped through the back to accommodate wings, but the prison uniform they found for the jewel thief was sufficient.  

“Okay, so orange definitely doesn’t suit me…” Sighing to herself once more, she paced around the room for a few minutes, stopping as she heard the door creak open to reveal three women, one with handcuffs and the two others eyeing the bat carefully in case she tried to escape.

“Am I finally getting out of here?” Rouge asked with a smirk. “I could go for a nice bath right about now.” The three remained silent as they handcuffed the Mobian bat and escorted her out of the cell. Rouge peered around the dull hallways, noticing the security cameras training their lenses on the group as they made their way through the complex. Stopping at the washroom, they were met by another staff member holding Rouge’s normal attire, completely washed and neatly folded, as well as bottles of shampoo and body wash.

“You have 15 minutes to clean up,” said the prison guard as the one behind the bat removed her handcuffs. “You have an important meeting to prepare for.”

“A meeting?” Rouge asked, smirking as she realized her scheme was unfolding exactly as she anticipated. “With whom?”

“You’ll find out in due time,” she replied as she handed the bundle of clothing and soap bottles to the bat. “Hurry up, the clock’s already ticking.”

“Fine by me,” Rouge replied with a shrug as she walked into the bathing room. It was an open shower with several nozzles, clearly intended for multiple prisoners to use at once, but nobody else was around.

“It’s no soothing bath, but it’ll have to do…”

Nearly thirty minutes later, the bat was escorted to a small, black car with tinted windows. After a short drive, she was led into what appeared to be an old, but well-maintained government building with an immaculate lawn and security personnel scattered every several yards. Finally, she and her escorts arrived at an oval-shaped room, American flags adorning either side of the window behind a large, mahogany desk where a stoic man was waiting. Sitting on the opposite side of the desk was the secret agent Rouge exchanged blows with the prior evening.

“Hey, Topaz!” Rouge called with a wave. “I see your old body didn’t give out after our tussle.” The bat focused her attention from the irate woman to the man behind the desk. “And who are you? I take it someone important?”

“Important!?” Topaz asked angrily. “You are staring at President Michael Reuben Kennedy! Don’t you have any awareness of current events?”

“Why would I?” Rouge shrugged as she made her way to an open chair next to the secret agent. “I haven’t been here for very long, so it’s not like I’ve had time to open a newspaper.”

“Enough, ladies,” Michael replied sternly, raising a single hand. The two complied, with the human sitting straight in her chair while the Mobian bat leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. Topaz grumbled at the alien’s casual demeanor. “Anyway, I called you here, Rouge, to discuss a matter of national security, and your involvement in it.”

“Oooh, exciting,” she smirked as she raised a finger to her chin.

“It’s clear to us you’re no human, and it can’t be a coincidence you arrived at about the same time as Sonic, his friends, and that Dr. Eggman fellow…so I must ask…” The President leaned forward to get a good look at the jewel thief. “Just…who are you people?”

“What ever do you mean?” Rouge replied as she turned away with her arms folded. “I’m just a humble woman making her way in this world.”

“Now, now…Rouge, was it?”

“That’s me,” she replied with a shrug.

“I have a proposition for you.” The President coupled his hands and placed them on his desk as he sternly stared at the batlike Mobian.

“Oh?” Rouge’s eyes fluttered as she returned his gaze with her own. “And what might that be?”

“Regardless of where you come from,” he replied, “you are highly skilled in the arts of espionage and combat, and I’m sure you hold valuable information regarding our new threat and possible allies.” The President rose from his seat, walked around his desk, and extended his arm out the jewel thief. “If you cooperate with us, tell us everything we need to know, and help us undermine Dr. Eggman’s schemes, we will grant you a full pardon for your attempt at stealing government secrets. We are even prepared to grant you full citizenship. Do we have a deal?”

Hook, line, and sinker.

“Well…I don’t know,” Rouge replied with a shrug.

“What do you mean ‘I don’t know’”? Topaz replied angrily once more. “The President is offering you a chance at forgiveness, absolutely no consequences for your treasonous acts! What else is there to think about?”

“Details, honey,” Rouge replied as she looked back at the bewildered agent before peering up at the commander-in-chief. “Will the accommodations fit my high standards?” Rouge asked with a brow raised. “I didn’t appreciate being stuck in a prison cell, you know. My back’s gonna be hurting for weeks!” She rubbed her back to demonstrate her apparent soreness.  

“You will be issued a government-issued debit card allowing you to stay at whichever hotel you’d like in Station Square,” Kennedy. replied. “You will also be able to use this card to purchase food, clothing, and anything you desire within reason.”

“So no more stealing,” Topaz replied with a scoff.

“You will also be given an American identification card, a Social Security card, and various visas, allowing you to stay or travel wherever you’d like.”

“One last question,” Rouge smirked once more, “will I be able to keep that emerald?”

“You mean the one you tried to steal!?” Topaz rose from her seat and balled her fists. “I have never, in all my years of service, met anyone as selfish as you!”

“That’s enough, Agent Topaz!” The President commanded. She blushed in embarrassment as she sat back down, looking away with a humph as she folded her arms. “Well Rouge, that depends,” Michael sat back down at his desk, “if you can explain why this gem glows and reacts to things around it, we can determine if it’s safe enough in your hands.” It took every ounce of resolve to keep Topaz from blowing a gasket.

“So, if I agree to this arrangement, I will be given a full pardon, nice accommodations, free money to use as I please, and potentially the emerald, too?”

“That about sums it up, miss,” The President replied with a nod. “So…do we have a deal?”

The bat jumped on the desk, causing a surprise shriek from the secret agent to her side and the other soldiers at the door to draw their weapons.

“Oh, calm down you guys,” Rouge replied as she looked back at them with a wagging finger, “don’t be so trigger happy.” The bat peered down at the bewildered commander-in-chief. “I was just gonna give your dear leader here a handshake.” With that, Rouge knelt and extended her arm out. Michael quickly shook her hand, solidifying an arrangement which would be sure to provide enormous benefits to both parties.

The president nodded to the personnel by the door, signaling them to leave. Only Rouge and Topaz remained.

“Okay then, Rouge,” the president leaned back in his chair and placed his hands in his lap, “tell me what I need to know. Start from the beginning.”

The bat chuckled. “I hope you have some coffee handy, because oh boy, this will take a while.”

“Agent Topaz,” Michael turned her attention to the human by Rouge’s side.

“Yes sir!” Topaz stood up and gave him a salute.

“Would you mind…fixing us up a fresh pot of coffee?”

Topaz nearly fell over.

“Ummm…y-yes, sir…” Topaz collected herself and stepped over to the sink near the back of the Oval Office and activated the coffee machine. She grumbled, lamenting the years of academy training wasted as she prepared hot beverages for the commander-in-chief and a lowly thief.  

“So, Rouge…” The President lit a cigar and took a big puff, exhaling away from the bat. “Start from the top.”

“I want to know everything.”

Chapter Text

Amy Rose slowly opened her eyes, observing the dimly lit room, the sunlight finding its way between the cracks in the blinds. Turning her head to the right, she found Cream sleeping to her side in the bundle of blankets left out on the floor for the Mobians to share. The young rabbit was wrapped around the pink hedgehog’s right arm with Cheese nestled comfortably between the two Mobians.

She gently crawled to the opposite side of the makeshift bed and pulled herself up. The young bunny was undisturbed, rolling over as she hugged her pet chao in her sleep.

Running a gloved hand through her hair, Amy stretched her back before observing herself in the mirror hanging on the bedroom door. The pink hedgehog was in a set of pajamas Doug and Alicia pulled out of storage: a blue shirt and pants with cartoonish bubbles of various sizes covering the oversized outfit.

Carefully observing her face, she nearly shrieked at the lipstick, mascara, and blush. It took the young hedgehog a few moments to remember the late-night beauty session she had with Cream, Cheese, and Helen, where they were far too tired to clean themselves up before venturing off into dreamland.

Chuckling to herself, the pink hedgehog crept to her neatly organized, folded pile of clothing and stepped out of the bedroom. Glancing at the nearby living room clock, she found it was seven in the morning. The pink hedgehog made her way to the restroom, where she washed the beauty products from her face, changed into her normal attire, and brushed her hair before making her way to the kitchen.

“What’s this?” The pink hedgehog picked a note up from the table.

Hey Helen, we were called into work again. The store and clinic were short-staffed and begged us to come in. Looks like we’ll need to postpone the trip again, but we’ll make it up to you!

Love

Mom and Dad

“O-ohhh…Helen’s not going to be happy about this.” Amy sighed as she set the note aside and approached the kitchen counters. Placing her hands on her waist, she peered up at the cabinets above. “Why do humans have to be so tall?” The pink hedgehog pushed a chair to the counter and climbed up, allowing her easier access to the cabinets above.

“There’s gotta be something here for breakfast…let’s see…aha!” Amy grabbed a box of instant pancake mix. “Success! Nothing like a sweet, homecooked meal. That’ll make Helen feel better for sure!”

The pink hedgehog got to work, gathering up the various supplies stored away throughout the kitchen. In a mixing bowl, Amy cracked an egg and combined the instant powder before pouring some over a large pan atop the stove. A few minutes later, she was flipping pancakes while cooking bacon and monitoring the toaster, putting her cooking skills to good use for the first time since arriving on Earth. To make things easier, Amy pushed several chairs together, allowing her safer access to the stove top, toaster, and what little counter space was afforded to her in Helen’s modest kitchen.

The first one lured out of sleep by the tantalizing aroma of breakfast was Cream, who rubbed her eyes and yawned into her palm. Sleepily resting between her ears was Cheese, whose drowsiness nearly dissipated at the sight and smell of the breakfast Amy was preparing.

“Good morning, Miss Amy,” Cream greeted cheerfully.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added.

“Morning!” Amy transferred some pancakes to a large serving dish before pouring the remaining mix into the hot pan. “I hope you’re ready for some mouth-watering breakfast!”

“Am I!” Cream exclaimed as she balled her fists in excitement before climbing up the row of chairs to join Amy next to the stove. “Amy, this looks delicious! I can’t wait to eat!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese agreed.

“I’m sure it’ll taste even better than it looks!” Amy replied as she flipped the bacon over with her tongs. “One can never go wrong with pancakes n’ bacon.”

It was while Cream was helping bring the tall stack of pancakes to the table when Helen arrived, rolling in with a loud yawn not unlike Cream’s from earlier.

“Morning,” Helen greeted as Amy carefully climbed down from the chair next to the stove, balancing a plate of crispy bacon in her hands. The human girl reached for a piece and took a bite. “Oh wow, this is really good, Amy!”

“Thanks!” she replied as she ran one hand through her hair. The plate wobbled in her other hand, but she quickly secured it before depositing the dish on the table.

“You know if mom and dad are up?” Helen asked as she rolled her way to the table.

“Ohh, about that…” Amy scratched her hair once more.

“Don’t tell me,” Helen replied as she peered around the kitchen until she found what she was looking for: the all too familiar sight of a hastily written note from her parents. “Yep, called it.”

“You already knew?” Amy asked as she set the table.

“Yeah, I’m used to it, unfortunately.” Helen sighed as she grabbed the note from the counter and read it. “Oh no!” she gasped, dropping the note on her lap. “We were supposed to visit the flower island today! We’ve been planning this trip for months. Looks like that’s not going to happen…”

“Don’t be sad, Helen…” Amy patted the human girl on the shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll work itself out soon.”

“Where’d your parents go, Miss Helen?” Cream asked from the table.

“Oh, to work,” Helen sighed once more. “They’re always so short staffed, so they turn to my parents to pick up extra shifts, and they always accept, no matter what.”

“No matter what?” Amy tilted her head. “Why do they work so much?”

“As you can tell,” Helen gestured around the modest kitchen and adjoining living room before turning her sights to the note on her lap, “we’re not really made of money. Plus, my medical condition is expensive. Mom and Dad can hardly afford my appointments.” She peered up at Amy and Cream at the table. “I know they work a whole bunch for my sake, but sometimes…it’d be nice to just have some time with them, you know?”

The three sat in silence. Helen quietly thought back to the last true family vacation she had with her parents which felt like ages ago. Cream, meanwhile, was thinking about her mother, Vanilla, who was left behind when Chaos Control brought her and her friends to Earth.

“It’s…just not fair,” Cream said in a whispered voice as tears started forming in her eyes. “Parents should be with their kids all the time, like with me and my mum…” The young bunny sniffled as she wiped a tear drop away.

“I bet you miss her a lot, don’t you?” Helen asked as she rolled closer to her seat. Cream nodded slowly in response, staring blankly at the tall plate of pancakes in the center of the table. “I’m sorry, Cream…” The human girl placed her hand on Cream’s own, locking their fingers together gingerly. “I shouldn’t really be complaining. I get to see my parents every day after all.”

“We can be sad together, Miss Helen,” Cream said with a smirk as she wiped the tears away from her other eye.

“Yeah, I guess we can.” Helen returned the rabbit’s smile with her own as Amy observed the moment, shaking herself out of it when she noticed the notable absence of the other Mobians.  

“Hey, where’s Sonic and Tails?” Amy asked. “It’s unlike Sonic to sleep in whenever I’m cooking breakfast!”

“I didn’t know you two lived together!” Helen exclaimed.

“Oh, we don’t, unfortunately…” Amy grumbled a bit under her breath, a small blush appearing across her face. “Trust me, I’ve broached the subject with Sonic loads of times, but he says he’d rather live with Tails.”

“What’s wrong with Tails?”

The group turned to the entryway to find the blue blur himself, standing casually with his back resting against the wall and his arms folded as the wind whooshed in. Moments later, Tails swooped in after, riding on the wind’s current with his rotary namesakes before plopping down on the carpeted floor below.

“Oh, hey guys!” Helen waved from her wheelchair. “Up early?”

“Yep!” Sonic replied as he stretched his legs. “Me n’ Tails went on a morning jog.”

“The trails around her are super nice!” Tails added. “We had a little bit of a race, too.”

“Who won?” Helen asked as she itched the base of her chin.

“Do you even have to ask?” Sonic gestured his arms. “The winner was obviously m—” he stopped mid-gloat as a familiar pain flared up near his abdomen.

“Sonic!” Launching herself out of her chair, Amy dove to the blue hedgehog’s aid. “What happened?”

“Nothin’ serious,” Sonic reassured, “jus’ my injury actin’ up is all.” He chuckled lightly as he placed a gloved hand over his stitches.

“Sonic overexerted himself,” Tails said as he scratched the back of his head. “I had to remind him the doctor’s orders.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sonic replied as he pulled himself up and stretched his back, “take it easy ‘n all that. I remember.”

Amy approached the orange kitsune and lowered her head towards his. In a whispered voice, she said, “You’re telling me he can’t run that much?”

“Yep,” Tails replied, equally quietly, “also, why are we whispering?”

“Oh, no reason,” Amy replied in her normal voice followed by a nervous laugh. “I’m not planning a surprise date Sonic can’t escape from or anything…”

“Ohh, well, okay then…” Tails sniffed the air and, within seconds, started drooling. “Is that breakfast?”

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Amy ran to her spot at the table. “Come sit! Breakfast is ready!”

“Oh, wowie!” Tails ran to the free spot next to Helen. Sonic took his time, however, finding the only remaining spot to be next to Amy, unsurprisingly.

“Let’s dig in!” Sonic exclaimed.

After passing around the food, and filling their plates with pancakes, toast, and bacon, the group enjoyed their delectable feast. Sonic forgot about his wound, and Cream and Helen’s parental woes dissipated like a smoke cloud, as they were all surrounded by the comfort of delicious food and loving family.  

“What in chaos is taking Rouge so long?”

Within the command center of his island fortress stomped Eggman, pacing back and forth as he made several circles, the doctor’s robotic assistants watching from their posts.

“How many calories do you think Eggman has burned?” Decoe asked his mechanical brother.

“I don’t know,” Bocoe replied, “but it must be several times more than usual. This is a new exercise record!”

“Enough with your commentary!” Eggman barked. “I happen to be perfectly happy with my current lifestyle, thank you very much!” Robotnik sat down at his chair and stared into his console, not detecting anyone or anything approaching his base. “Absolutely ridiculous!” Eggman slammed his fists against his desk. “Rouge said it herself this job would be a piece of cake! Did she allow herself to get caught, or did she just run off with the Chaos Emerald?”

“Doshtor, doshtor!”

“Hmmm?” Eggman, Decoe, and Bocoe turned their attention to the small messenger robot near the corner of the command center, who was busy flipping through American programming on one of the evil doctor’s many explosive television bombs.

“Lisbten!” Bokkun washed down his mouthful of mini marshmallows with a gulp of Mountain Dew Baja Blast. “Turn it to CNN!”

“This better be good…” Eggman grumbled as he projected the news channel to a large, retractable display.

“This is Scarlett Garcia reporting live from the scene of the new renovation project at the Station Square Mall.” Surrounding the reporter was the sight of several large construction vehicles. “With me is the foreman in charge of construction, whose workers discovered something miraculous. Sir, tell us what they found.”

“Welp,” the large, portly man with a handlebar mustache replied, “I reckon’ it was a large emerald if I do say so myself, but it was blue, you betcha! And it glowed, too! Can you believe that?”

“What an incredible story!” Garcia opined as she returned her attention to the camera. “The area has been closed off for the day as federal investigators study the gem on sight to determine if it’s dangerous and where it may have come from. This discovery comes amidst government leaks of a similar emerald under study at a military science facility.”

“My, my…”

Eggman fell off his chair in surprise, rolling to his side to find Rouge the bat leaning against the wall, her arms folded and a smile across her face.

“Rouge!” The evil doctor scurried up and pointed at the jewel thief. “And where have you been? What took you so long?”

“Oh, you know,” she replied nonchalantly, “I took a stroll on the beach, got my nails done, went sightseeing in the big city…”

Eggman facepalmed. “Did you at least retrieve the green Chaos Emerald?”

“Oh, you mean this?” The bat withdrew the gem from her hammerspace, glowing in the sunlight streaming into the command center.

“Ah yes, very good!” Eggman swiped the emerald from the thief’s hand and placed it in a central console near his computer. There were seven slots in total. “A bit tardy, but you’re proving to be a valuable asset!” The evil doctor returned his attention to the television.

“Civilians are asked not to stick around the area. The police department issued a statement asking citizens to be aware of the fact this is still a construction zone, which is already dangerous even when the machinery is off. The police will be on patrol and have advised that anyone caught trespassing will be subject to criminal penalties.”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Decoe asked.

“I know exactly what you’re thinking,” Bocoe replied.

“Wait…what are we thinking?” Bokkun interrupted as he rubbed a gloved finger over his head in confusion.

“Eggman is going to retrieve the emerald!” Decoe and Bocoe yelled.

“Ohh…I knew that!” Bokkun declared unconvincingly.

“How is he even our brother anyway?” Bocoe whispered to Decoe.

“Beats me.” The two shrugged their shoulders.

“No, you two have it wrong,” Eggman pointed to Rouge once more. “I will be monitoring things from home base while Rouge here collects my second Chaos Emerald.”

“And why should I do that?” Rouge asked. “I already fulfilled my end of the bargain; I stole the green emerald, and in exchange, you will provide food, a room, and a hacking computer. What else could you offer to sweeten the pot?”

“Well, I…” The evil doctor pulled out his wallet, containing an outdated Mobian driver’s license with a photo of himself with a full set of hair, a few Mobian dollars, and cobwebs. “…maybe an I.O.U. would suffice?”

“Nuh uh, no way!” Rouge shook her head. “Count me out. Now if you excuse me, I think I deserve a bit of rest and relaxation…” Eggman grumbled once more as Rouge left the command center.

“I hate that pesky bat!” Robotnik returned to his desk. “It looks like I’ll need to get my hands dirty this time.”

“Your capsules, sir.” Decoe brought his master’s small case to him, which Eggman yanked away.

“Hmmm…” He massaged his moustache in thought. “You know what, I’m feeling a bit nostalgic today!” Pulling out one of the capsules, he threw it forward, exploding seconds later in a cloud of pink smoke. They were greeted to the sight of an older-looking model of the Egg Mobile, complete with a wrecking ball connected to a metal chain at its base. “The Egg Mobile H, the first one I brought into battle!” With a snap of his fingers, the large windows of the command center retracted.

“Keep an eye on Rouge while I’m gone,” Eggman ordered as he pulled himself into the Egg Mobile. “I still don’t trust her. If she does anything suspicious, report it to me right away!”

“Aye aye, doctor!” Decoe and Bocoe replied as Robotnik flew away through the retracted, oversized windows of the command center.

“Now that Eggman is gone,” Bocoe began, “should we work on monitoring Rouge and making sure she isn’t getting into any trouble.”

Decoe pondered this suggestion as he scratched the base of his metal chin. “Ehh, what’s the point? Eggman will just find another reason to berate us even if we do find her snooping around.”

“You make a sound argument,” Bocoe added as he scratched his chin as well. “Knowing Sonic, he’ll probably catch wind of this emerald sighting and beat Eggman to the punch.”

The two mechanical brothers laughed as Bokkun watched SpongeBob SquarePants on his television bomb while slurping down the remainder of his Baja Blast.

It was this laziness and silent protest of their master that allowed Rouge to easily initiate her true mission. Waiting a few minutes after the robotic trio left the command center to play some videogames in Bokkun’s room, the bat dropped down from the air duct directly above and peered around, verifying nobody was left inside.

Rouge brought her wristwatch communicator to her lips. “Spy to gem, do you copy?”

“Spy to gem?” asked the voice on the other line.

“Well, yeah, Topaz, I had to come up with some cool spy names for us.”

“Rouge, you know that’s only a thing in the movies, right?”

“How would you know anyway?” Rouge asked as she approached the windows.

“Hello, I’m special agent Topaz, remember?” she angrily replied.

“Hold it.” The jewel thief jumped up, swooping around the room with the aid of her wings before finding a good vantage point where the large windows and metallic walls met. She removed a small, pea-sized device from her pocket and affixed it to the wall. “How’s the feed?”

“Looks like it’s coming in clear,” Topaz said as she stared into her monitor at home base. The bat waved at her, eliciting a giggle from the human agent.

“Looks like you’re easy to entertain,” Rouge replied with a smirk as she kept herself suspended in midair, her hands on her hips.

“Oh, shut it,” Topaz replied before mumbling to herself.

“In any case, it looks like my work here is done!” Returning to the floor, the bat wiped her hands in accomplishment as she headed to the door.

“Remember the second phase of your mission.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t need to remind me,” Rouge replied with a shrug. “I’m the mole on the inside, yada yada. Now let’s see…” The bat stepped out the front door, flying over the sandy beach to the unmarked police boat she commandeered. “With my new government debit card and ID, where should I stay? Have any five-star hotel recommendations, Topaz?”

“Do you think I’m made of money or something?!” Topaz exclaimed. “I don’t have the luxury of being a subsidized criminal!”

“I have a feeling you wouldn’t be interested in a political career, then,” Rouge quipped as she started the engine. “I know! I’ll order a cab with this new phone the president gave me! I’ll ask the driver to take me to the nearest fancy hotel.”

“You do you, sweetheart,” Topaz replied sarcastically followed by a scoff.

“Sounds like someone’s coming onto me,” Rouge commented with a smirk.

“Wha, wha, nooo!” Topaz’s face turned crimson red as she yelled into her microphone. “Who do you think I am? I am a consummate professional!”

“I’m sure you are, sugar,” Rouge replied with a giggle.

“Okay, ending transmission,” the human agent grumbled as her finger hovered over a button on her dashboard.  

“Love ya, toots.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

Click.

“Yeah…she’s totally into me.” Rouge laughed as she headed back to the mainland, where she’d spend the rest of the day lounging around her gold-plated hotel room.

Emerging from his basement to the smell of breakfast, Chuck dragged himself to the kitchen.

“Morning, Grandpa!” Helen called as she was wiping the table.

“Mornin’,” he greeted before yawning loudly. Peering around, he found Amy and Sonic washing the dishes, standing on top of chairs next to the sink, laughing as they enjoyed each other’s company. Meanwhile, Tails was reading a science fiction novel borrowed to him by Helen while Cream and Cheese enjoyed a television program featuring a blue cartoon dog and his owner sitting in an oversized chair discussing the mail they recently received.

Chuck peered back at his granddaughter with a pouty face. “Did I miss breakfast?”

“Oh no, we saved you a plate!” The human girl pointed to the microwave. Opening its door, Chuck smiled widely as the smell of semi-fresh pancakes and softened bacon permeated his nostrils.

“Now I jus’ need a fresh pot o’ coffee and I’m ready for the day!” Setting his plate down on the recently cleaned table, Chuck prepared the coffee machine and watched as the liquid slowly dripped into his mug before taking his beverage back to his breakfast. He saw his son’s note on the counter, but instead of bringing it up with Helen, he simply shook his head disapprovingly before scarfing down his breakfast, finishing rapidly.

“So Tails,” Chuck began as he approached the young fox, taking a seat in his reclining chair as the orange kitsune placed his book on his lap, “I was thinking maybe we could head down to my workshop and give the Tornado a little tune-up.” Tails’ ears perked up in excitement as his namesakes fluttered from behind.

“Sure, Chuck! That’d be awesome! I haven’t given her a good inspection in a long time, and after everything she’s been through, she deserves it.”

“Mr. Tails,” Cream interjected as she unglued herself from her cartoon, “is the Tornado a she?”

“Oh, well…” Tails scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. “I…don’t know, to be honest. That’s just how I’ve always referred to her. Is that…weird?” The orange kitsune blushed at the thought of appearing cringe to his friends and those around him over the years when describing his baby in detail.

“Not at all!” Cream replied with a beaming smile as her small tail wagged from behind. “I think it’s adorable.”

“Ah gee, thanks.” Tails chuckled nervously before returning his attention to the elder human. “When would you like to leave?”

“Why not right now?”

“Yeah!” Tails jumped out of his seat, the hardcover book toppling to the floor below.

“We goin’ on an adventure?” Sonic asked as he stepped into the living room as he dried off his gloved hands with a towel. He was followed closely behind by Amy.

“I own some farmland a few miles away where I have my workshop,” Chuck replied. “Tails and I were going to stop by and fine tune his plane. Anyone else wanna come along?” The other Mobians raised their hands simultaneously. “Looks like it’ll be a party! Tails can fly his plane over, and the rest can take my rental van there.”

“Yeah, let’s g—” Tails’ declaration was interrupted by a breaking news bulletin, cutting off the arguably less important discussion the blue dog and his owner were having about their freshly delivered mail.

The party listened in awe as the foreman described to Scarlett what appeared to be a Chaos Emerald.

“The humans already found one?” Tails wondered out loud.

“Sure looks like it, lil’ buddy,” Sonic replied. “The only question now is how to take it back.”

“Knowing the U.S. government,” Chuck noted as he folded his arms, “they won’t just give it away freely. If you’re going to take it, you’ll need to be careful and strategic.”  

“Does being fast work?” Sonic asked as he scratched the base of his nose. “I could zoom in n’ out like there’s no tomorrow!”

“That’s all well and good,” Amy replied as she placed her hands on her hips, “but sooner or later they’ll find us. Do you think it’s a wise move to make the humans mad?”

“You have a point,” Sonic replied as he scratched his chin in thought. “It’s only one emerald, two if that leak is correct, but as long as Egghead doesn’t steal it, there’s no real harm in the humans holdin’ onto it.”

“But still…” Tails scratched the back of his head. “I agree we shouldn’t try taking the gem just yet, but we should still be close by in case Eggman tries any funny business.”

“That place is swarming with police, though,” Chuck replied. “How would you ever get close enough without giving away your identities?”

“I know!”

The party turned to Helen, who swiftly rolled out of the living room, returning moments later with an oversized box in her lap.

“These disguises should do just fine.”

Chapter Text

“Come again?” Sonic asked, tilting his head in confusion as he stared at the human girl and the large box on her legs.

“Disguises!” Helen replied excitedly. “You can’t get close without someone recognizing you, right? Well, here’s a solution to that problem!” Opening the box, she dug into its contents. “We’ve kept my collection of Halloween outfits over the years, and I think most should fit you guys!”

“Do ya think that’s really necessary, though?” Sonic asked as he ran a gloved hand through his blue quills.

“You want to monitor what’s going on at the construction site, right?” Amy asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Well, yeah…”

“Then let’s get digging!” Amy started sifting through the box alongside Helen. With a groan, Sonic joined her, followed by Tails and Cream. Before they knew it, they had all the viable outfits organized on the floor.

“This is really what we’re workin’ with, huh?” Sonic asked in disbelief as he studied the disguises.

“It appears so,” Tails replied.

“They’re all really nice outfits, Helen,” Cream said with a cheery smile.

“Chao, chao!”

Helen giggled in return as Chuck observed from his chair, sipping another cup of coffee.

“As the most stylish Mobian in this room,” Amy began, “except, of course, for Cream,” this elicited an even bigger smile from the young bunny, “I will, in the interest of time, select everyone’s disguises for them.”

“Surely you can’t be serious?” A cartoonishly large sweat droplet appeared on the side of his head as Amy ignored his question, instead dropping to her knees, collecting one of the bundles, and throwing Sonic the outfit he would need to wear.

“Oh chaos, not that! Anything but that!” Sonic draped the nurse’s outfit over his torso as a blush appeared over his face.

“From a practical perspective,” Amy replied as she raised a finger in the air, “this outfit is most likely to fit you, and I think you’d look adorable dressed as a nurse.”

“Just don’t fight it, Sonic,” Tails replied from her side, “it’s not like anyone’s gonna know it’s you anyway, except for us, of course.”

“You do got a point there,” Sonic replied as he ran a hand through his quills once more. Finally, with a long sigh, he replied, “Okay, fine. I’ll wear the disguise.”

“Great!” Amy cheered before pointing to the spare bedroom Sonic and Tails were sharing. “Now go get dressed! Time’s a wastin’!”

“Okay, okay, geez…” Sonic made his way to his room, uncharacteristically slowly, but he was shoved in by Amy, who volunteered to help.

The two emerged several minutes later. Sonic wearing a white apron and a pink dress underneath, his quills pulled into a ponytail and covered by a red-haired, double-looped wig and topped off with a white medical hat. Amy even went through the trouble of applying mascara and lipstick.

“That’s strange,” Chuck opined, “I don’t think nurses look like that in the real world.”

“That’s because they don’t,” Helen replied. “This is a Nurse Joy outfit. She’s a character in Pokémon.”

“Poké-what now?” Sonic asked as he tucked his tail into the dress.

“Oh, it’s a videogame. I’ll show it to you later!” Helen replied cheerfully before returning her attention to the remaining outfits.

“Either way,” Cream replied, “I think you look really cute, Mr. Sonic. Don’t you agree, Mr. Tails?”

“Yep! He’s a real cutie!” Tails replied with a chuckle.

“Shut up, Tails.” Sonic blushed profusely as he balled his hands into fists.

“There’s no shame in looking cute,” Cream replied. “You should try dressing up more often, right, Cheese?”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese replied as they flew around the room in excitement.

“Tails is next!” Amy proclaimed as he shoved him into his bedroom as well. Emerging soon after, Sonic burst out laughing followed by the rest of the party.

Tails was not amused by the group’s reaction to his clown outfit, which was complete with a wacky red hair wig, white face paint, a big red nose, a red and white striped shirt with red suspenders, and large, red shoes.

“C’mon Tails, tell us a joke!” Sonic jested as he approached the orange kitsune, honking on his nose. His fake nose squeaked loudly, causing the group to laugh even harder.

“Okay guys, I get it, I get it!” Tails huffed with his arms crossed.

“Don’t be upset, Mr. Tails,” Cream replied with a smile. “It’s just that your outfit is so funny! Funny…like a clown!” The group laughed once more.

“Okay Cream, you’ve been hanging out with Sonic a bit too much,” Tails retorted in gest.

“Last but not least,” Amy interjected as she grabbed hold of Cream’s hand and stepped into Helen’s bedroom, the human girl following suit. The three emerged after another ten minutes, Helen in her normal attire while Cream and Amy appeared drastically different.

The young bunny was in a blue uniform, with a blue hat, a plastic set of handcuffs on her belt, and a yellow badge affixed to her chest. She tucked her long ears into the hat and pushed the peak down, making her appear more incognito. Finally, for added effect, she chewed on the stem of a piece of hay, adding to the complete and utter badassery that was Cream the Police Officer.

She was accompanied by Amy the Astronaut, the outfit completely hiding her face unless you looked closely into the plastic cover of her helmet.

“And I’m going as myself,” Helen replied with a thumbs up. “I don’t need to be incognito. What would the police want with me anyway?”

Chuck grumbled from the back of the room, loud enough for the others to take notice and shift their attention toward him.

“That is…if I’m allowed to go?” Helen followed-up.

“I don’t know…” Chuck itched his chin in thought. “Remember the last time we got close to danger? My car got totaled, and we were almost killed.”

“Yeah, but this time it’s different,” Helen replied. “There’s no danger, the police will be around, and we’d have our friends to protect us.”

“Well…” Chuck tried to ignore Helen’s pleading puppy dog eyes. “…okay! I just need everyone to assure me they will protect Helen if things start escalating.”

“You can count on us, Chuck!” Sonic replied with a thumbs up.

“We’ll protect Helen with our lives!” Tails added.

“With the power of friendship, nothing can stop us!” Amy quipped.

“Ummm, yeah!” Cream added, failing to come up with something original on-the-spot but still wanting to be a part of the conversation. 

“Chao, chao!”

“Let’s get this show on the road, then!” Chuck proclaimed as he stood up from his chair and pointed to the door. The group filed out and piled into the scientist’s handicap-accessible rental van.

“Ahhh, now this is living!”

Rouge the Bat was relaxing in the bathtub of her five-star hotel suite, paid for by American taxpayers thanks to the debit card issued to her by the President. As to be expected, the hotel’s bathroom was exquisite in size, coming with dozens of towels and several bottles of soap, which she used plenty of to make a bubble bath which ran over the edge of the tub.

“Not my problem,” Rouge said out loud as she closed her eyes, using a towel as a pillow to rest her head against.

Knock, knock.

“Oh, that must be room service,” Rouge said to herself. “Come in!” The hotel staffer, an older lady, stepped into the foyer of her room. “Come into the bathroom, too,” Rouge clarified. Doing as she was told, she opened the door, wheeling in a tray of sautéed fish, a generous serving of lasagna with garlic bread, a Caesar salad, and a chocolate mousse cake.

“Marvelous,” Rouge said upon inspecting the food. “And the beverage?”

“Oh, about that, miss,” the elder human cleared her throat. “According to your profile, you are 18, right?”

“Right, and?” Rouge folded her arms underneath the water.

“Well, you are aware those below the age of 21 can’t drink alcohol, right?”

“What?” Rouge gasped. “Says who?”

“The government,” the employee replied.

“Well, I’m going to have a long talk with Mikey next time I’m at the White House.” She huffed with an exaggerated pouty face.

“I apologize for the inconvenience,” the staffer bowed, “but may you be interested in something else?”

“Such as?” Rouge’s ears perked up.

“Well, we have a variety of sodas, all of the Coke and Pepsi products, as well as various milks, juices, coffees, teas, sparkling waters, and hot cocoa.” The employee opened a cooler on the lower level of her cart, revealing to the bat many beverage options.

“What’s that one?” Rouge asked, pointing to a lime green can.

“…You’re not from around here, are you?” asked the human.

“What, did the bat ears give it away?” Rouge asked sarcastically as she massaged them.  

“This beverage is one of America’s finest delicacies. We call it…Mountain Dew.”

“Ohhh, sounds fancy,” Rouge replied as she licked her lips. “I’ll take three.”

“Consider it done,” the elder human replied as she cracked open a cold one, poured it into a tall champagne glass, and handed it to the bat. Rouge took a sniff and observed the contents as she swirled it around the cup. Finally, the jewel thief took a small sip. “Oh wow, this is absolutely lovely!”

“I’m glad you like it,” the human replied as she bowed once more. She then set up a bathtub food stand, allowing the eloquent bat to enjoy her dinner in the comfort of the hot water.

“Is there anything else I can get you this afternoon, miss?”

“Nah, you’re dismissed,” Rouge replied, waving her hand in a shooing motion.

“Very well,” the human said, bowing for the final time. “We hope you enjoy the rest of your stay.” With that, the employee left, pushing away the empty cart and leaving Rouge to her privacy.

“My, my,” Rouge took a gulp of her beverage, “I’ll have to remind myself to take some home with me once I return to Mobius.” Setting her beverage down, she chowed down on her delectable lunch, not minding her normal ladylike matters, until she set the stand on the floor and allowed herself to slowly sink into the tub once more, only her eyes, nose, and mouth left above the water’s surface.

“Actually, I don’t know if I want to return to Mobius,” Rouge opined. “This gig is the best thing that’s ever happened in my entire career!” With a content sigh, the bat closed her eyes, but she snapped up in surprise, splashing even more water out of the tub, when her government-issued cell phone started ringing. With a groan, she dried her hand and answered the video call request.

“Agent Rouge, it’s Topaz.”

“Hey girl, what’s up?”

“I’m on an important assignment and need your he…wait, are you taking a bath?”

“No, I’m shooting a beauty ad.”

“…really?” Topaz tilted her head in thought.

“Of course not, silly!” Rouge replied with a chuckle. “You know…this tub is big enough for two…do you wanna stop on by and join me?”

“Just what are you implying, agent?!” Topaz exclaimed, a blush appearing across her face.

“Well, I kinda figured you haven’t bathed in a while, and I’m givin’ you the opportunity for a free bath, with me, in a fancy hotel. It’d be romantic.”

“And what makes you think I’d want to bathe with you?”

“Oh c’mon, no need to beat around the bush,” Rouge replied. “We both know you’re into me.”

“LISTEN HERE, MISSY!” Topaz shouted, nearly causing the jewel thief to drop her phone. “YOU ARE A LYING, MANIPULATIVE CRIMINAL! I’ve built my career on stopping lawless people like you, so why do you think I would be into you?”

“You’re into strong, independent women like yourself, right?” Rouge asked with a wink.

“Was that…a compliment?” Topaz seemed flustered, blushing harder than before.

“I guess it was,” Rouge replied with a smirk, secretly surprised at herself for letting out such nice words.

“Well, ummmm…” Topaz ran a hand through her hair, flustered as she tried getting back on topic. “…well dry off quick, Agent Rouge! Like I was saying before, I need your help with this mission. Can you meet me at the Station Square Mall in a half hour?”

“Consider it done, old timer!” Just as Topaz was about to quip back, Rouge hung up the phone and slipped deeper into her bath once more.

“Hey, uhhh, Cream?”

“Yes, Mr. Tails?”

“Would you stop doing that!”

Cream was sitting next to the orange kitsune in the back of Chuck’s rental van, honking on his clown nose.

“Ah, c’mon, Tails,” Sonic interjected from Tails’ other side, “can’t you let the kid have some fun?”

“Well, sure, but does it have to be at my expense?” Tails folded his arms as the young bunny got in a few more honks before she felt satisfied. “You’re supposed to be a police officer, right? Isn’t that sort of thing a crime?”

“If playing with my friends is a crime,” Cream retorted, “they can confiscate my badge, lock me up, and throw away the key.”

“Touché,” Tails chuckled as he scratched his head through his red clown wig before turning to Amy in the middle row, sitting next to the spot reserved for Helen and her wheelchair. “How are you holding up in that suit?”

“Just fine,” Amy replied with a sigh. “It’s a bit hot in here, though. Too bad the ventilation is terrible.”

“Yeah, I didn’t enjoy wearing that one at all,” Helen commented. “Plus, it was too bulky for my chair, and the store wouldn’t take it back.”

“Looks like we’re here!” Chuck interrupted. He stopped the van, unable to proceed further due to police tape blocking the road. “I’m going to try pulling into the alley…” Thankfully, the alleys were wide enough for the van and unblocked by the officers. In fact, as they progressed a few more blocks, they didn’t notice any officers patrolling hardly anywhere. “That’s odd…would’ve thought security would be tighter.”

“If only they knew what they were in for,” Tails replied. “They haven’t unlocked the powers of the Chaos Emeralds and don’t know about their mystical properties. They’re also not aware Eggman is probably planning on stealing the gem as we speak.”

“Dr. Eggman plus Chaos Emeralds equals no good,” Sonic nodded his head.

Parking the van, the gang filed out, an automatic ramp allowing Helen to roll out from the side with ease. Locking up, they left the alley, finding themselves on a deserted street, save for one police officer.

“Hey, what are you guys doing out here?” the young patroller asked.

“Ohh, us?” Chuck asked as he ran a hand through his thinning hair. “I’m just taking my…class…to a…party! Yes, a…dress-up party! Right, guys?”

“But Mr. Chuck,” Cream replied, “I thought we were staki—”

Amy covered the young bunny’s mouth with her oversized gloved hand. “What she meant to say,” Amy corrected, “was that we were staking out a good place to eat before the party!” The entire group nodded their heads.

“Oh, well why didn’t you say so!” The officer replied. “There’s a good pizza joint right down the street here,” he pointed in the direction where they were headed anyway, “but be sure not to stray too close to the construction site at the mall. We have it blocked off so the government can look into some strange gem or somethin’.”

“We’ll keep that in mind!” Tails replied with a thumbs up.

With a final wave, the officer returned to his duties, spinning his nightstick around his arms like a terrible ninja while whistling.

“Pizza does sound kinda good, actually,” Sonic rubbed his belly. “Any chance we can stop for a slice?”

“We just ate, Sonic,” Amy replied, placing her hands on her waist. Also, don’t slouch like that! It’s unladylike!”

“Unladylike?” Sonic asked as he nearly tripped over his high heels.

“If you want this nurse costume to work as a disguise, you need to act the part, too. Your mannerisms are clear as day right now!”

“Whatever you say, Ames,” Sonic groaned, slouching even more out of spite.

“Hey…do you guys hear that?” Tails asked. Turning their heads up, they followed the sight of a sphere-like shape closing in on the construction site a few blocks away.

Blocking the sun with her gloved hands, Cream said, “I think that’s…”

“Eggman!” The group shouted.

“C’mon, guys!” Sonic kicked off his high heels. “Let’s get juicin’!”

“Wait a second!” Just as the blue hedgehog was about to speed off, Amy grabbed the back of Sonic’s pink dress, forcing him to run in place for a few seconds before realizing he wasn’t making any progress.

“What’s the deal, Amy?” Sonic asked. “Are you mad I’m not ladylike enough?”

“No, no,” Amy shook her head. “Remember, we don’t want others to recognize us. I say we monitor what happens first.”

“I don’t like it,” Sonic replied, “but if you think that’s the best plan, I’ll stick with ya…” Sonic slowly stepped away, tightening his fists, “but if Eggman starts hurting innocent civilians, I’ll be out of this get-up faster than a blue hedgehog.”

“Deal.” Amy nodded her head as she and the rest of the group followed him. Not having to travel far, they were soon greeted by the sound of Eggman’s trademarked laughter.

“Please, don’t hurt us!” One of the scientists said as he cowered on the ground, joined by the rest of his team inadvertently blocking the entrance of the large military tent harboring the blue gem.

“Oh, please,” Eggman swayed his hand to the side as he peered down at him from his Egg Mobile, “it would be a waste of my precious time to dispose of you pitiful Earthlings. If you hand over that emerald you have stored in there,” he pointed to the tent’s entrance, “nobody will be hurt.”

“Freeze!”

Eggman and the scientists turned their attention to a wall of police officers.

“Funny, the perimeter was sparsely guarded moments ago. You thought trying to ambush me would be a smart move, ayyy? Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman entered some commands on his Egg Mobile dashboard. “Jokes on you, though! Prepare to be annihilated!” Pressing the fire button, he launched multiple missiles from his ship, sending the officers flying and scrambling.

“And now I’ll take that gem, thank you very much!” Activating the wrecking ball affixed to the bottom of his Egg Mobile, he pushed through the scientists like bowling pins and destroyed the tent. Finally, with a portable claw device, Eggman swiftly grabbed the blue Chaos Emerald, shimmering in the afternoon sun, and reeled it back in.

“Aha! My second Chaos Emerald! Pretty soon I’ll have all seven, and both Earth and Mobius will be under my control! Wooahhooohooh—” The evil doctor was cut off, however, as a blue blur suddenly encapsulated the Egg Mobile, sending it spinning out of control in an inescapable tornado. Just as the winds subsided, however, Eggman regained control, flying out from the top of the vortex and was now higher than he was before. “Well, at least I still have my Chaos Emer—WHAT!” Looking at his handheld claw reel, he discovered, to his horror, the blue gem was nowhere to be found.

“Looking for this, Egghead?”

Spinning the Egg Mobile around, and tilting it toward the road, he watched Sonic gloating from the ground.

“Ah, if it isn’t my old nemesis Sonic the Hedgehog! Although…” Eggman scratched his bald head. “…what’s up with that outfit?”

“Oh, this thing?” Sonic peered down at his Nurse Joy cosplay before ripping it off, the mascara and lipstick still plastered on his face. “I was getting sick of that disguise anyway!” Placing the gem in his quills, Sonic entered a fighting stance. “Shall we?”

“Yeah…” Eggman dropped his elevation until the wrecking ball was dragging on the ground, “Let’s.”

“You asked for it!” Launching himself up, he was about to land a blow to the Egg Mobile when the wrecking ball seemed to defy gravity, deflecting Sonic’s attack from above.”

“I’m not the only one with tricks up my sleeve!” Eggman jeered. “This baby may be old, but I made some modest enhancements to make the wrecking ball a bit more…dynamic. A bigger challenge than our fight in Green Hill Zone, huh?”

“Ehhh…” Sonic wobbled his hand. “One surprise hit doesn’t make this a challenge.”

“Oh yeah?” Eggman began punching keys into his dashboard. “Then come and meet your doom!”

“With pleasure!” The evil doctor launched some missiles, all of which were swiftly dodged by the blue hedgehog. The second round of missiles were the perfect target for his homing attacks, getting him to Eggman’s height. Finally, he launched himself at the Egg Mobile, making a sizable dent in the side of the vehicle before returning to the ground below.

“Why you little!” Eggman charged at the blue blur, waving the wrecking ball about but failing to land a single blow. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang were watching from across the street.

“Is this how all their battles go?” Helen asked Tails to her side.

“More or less,” Tails replied. “We’ve had some close calls over the years, but for the most part, Eggman’s basic strategies are no match for Sonic!” He cheered from the sideline, compelling the others to do the same.

“Hey, looks like I have a crowd!” Sonic jeered. “Can’t say the same for you, though.”

“Who needs a crowd when you’ve already won?”

“What do ya mean, Eggfa—oooof!” The blue hedgehog was kicked in the back of the head by a feminine figure wearing a dark spy outfit. Using her bat-like wings, she immediately fled, the blue Chaos Emerald in her palm.

“Ahhh geez, what’s the big idea!?” Sonic shouted from the ground. “If you’re gonna fight, at least fight fair!”

“Nah ah ahhhh!” Eggman waved his finger to the blue hedgehog as if giving a lecture. “All’s fair in love and war, as they say.” Just as the bat sat down on the edge of the Egg Mobile, the evil doctor spun around and started to fly away. “Sayonara, you blue rodent! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“Ohh no you don’t!” Sonic ran up the side of the nearest tall building, jumping off its side and targeting a homing attack at Robotnik and his mysterious passenger.

“Don’t you know when to give up?” Eggman asked as he cranked up his joystick, slapping Sonic away with the force of his wrecking ball.

“I gotcha, Sonic!” Just as the blue hedgehog was about to fall to the street below, he was caught by his little brother, who swiftly brought him close to his chest as he held him like a baby in his arms, his rotary namesakes keeping the two suspended in the air. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Sonic replied as he peered over Tails’ shoulder to find Eggman escaping. “Ah shoot, he’s gone…”

“If only I had the Tornado, I could chase him down,” Tails said as they returned to the ground, soon surrounded by their friends. Tails returned Sonic to his feet.

“Thanks for the save, lil’ guy.” With a smile, the blue hedgehog gave him a thumbs up.

“No problem, Sonic!” Tails returned his thumbs up with his own.

“So what happens now?” Chuck asked as he folded his arms in concern.

“Well,” Sonic replied as he placed a hand on his chin, “I heard Eggman gloat about having two Chaos Emeralds, so he’s already beating us two ‘ta zip.”

“What are you going to do, Mr. Sonic?” Cream asked worriedly.

“Chao, chao…” Cheese replied, poking their head out of the oversized pocket of the young bunny’s uniform.

“The same thing we always do, Cream.” With a smile, Sonic patted her head between her ears. “We’re gonna stop Eggman!”

“That’s right, Sonic!” Amy added. “And I’ll – err – we’ll be right by his side!”

“Yeah!” The group cheered.

“Huh?” Sonic reached his hand into his quills.

“What’s the matter?” Tails asked, tilting his head in concern.

“That’s odd…” The blue hedgehog pulled a note from his fur. Unfolding it, he read the message out loud.

“Meet me in the alley behind the Station Square Olive Garden at 4:30 PM. Love, Rouge.” Sonic peered up at the group. “There’s a little heart there, too.”

“So that was Rouge the Bat!” Amy angrily replied as she withdrew her hammer, flames growing in her eyes. “Well if she thinks she can steal the emeralds for Eggman and make a move on my boyfriend, she has another thing coming!” The angry hedgehog started swinging her hammer this way and that.

“Calm down, Amy,” Tails advised, raising a concerned hand to the pink hedgehog but only accomplishing a blow to the face.

“Oh chaos, I’m so sorry!” Dropping her hammer, Amy pulled the young fox from the ground. “Are you okay?” Amy asked as she brushed the orange kitsune off.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Tails replied as he rubbed the bruise across his cheek. “What I was trying to tell you is Rouge may not be on Eggman’s side at all.”

“What do you mean?” Cream asked.

“Chao, chao?”

“Well,” Tails raised a gloved finger to the air, “why would she slip a note to Sonic asking for a meeting shortly after stealing the emerald for Eggman?”

“Tails has a point…” Sonic itched the base of his chin. “I mean, she is a master spy, right? Maybe she’s only working with Eggman to collect information.”

“Who is Rouge anyway?” Helen asked, feeling out of the loop.

“Oh, just some jewel thief from Mobius,” Amy replied. “While this profession is ethically questionable, she’s been an ally in our fight against Eggman…when she’s not trying to steal the Master Emerald, that is.”

“Fascinating…” Chuck raised a finger to his chin in thought. “Mobians are truly fascinating individuals. Sonic the Hedgehog, Amy the Hedgehog, Tails the Fox, Knuckles the Echidna, Cream the Rabbit, and now Rouge the Bat…it’s like anthropomorphization, but in real life!”

“There’s just one thing buggin’ me ‘bout this note,” Sonic twirled it around his fingers, “why would Rouge invite me to a garden? Seems kind of strange…”

“I’m sure she meant the restaurant,” Helen replied with a chuckle.

“Ohhh, a restaurant serving olives?” Sonic asked.

“Well, no…” Helen ran a hand through her hair. “They mainly serve pasta…don’t know why it’s called that.”

“Well you see!” Chuck began as he pulled out his smartphone. “According to Wikipedia, Olive Garden got its name fro—”

“I hate to interrupt,” Tails pulled at the aging scientist’s coat, “but I think the police are on their way.”

“Damn, you’re right!” Chuck replied as he peered around. The only others in sight were the scientists and humans knocked unconscious by Eggman. “All right, let’s get back to the van on the double!”

“Right!” The group agreed.

With that, the motley crew ran for it, Tails pushing Helen as the others cut through the alleys to get back to the van before ultimately returning home unscathed to prepare for their meeting with Rouge the Bat.

Chapter Text

“Really, Rouge? Really?” Topaz glanced around the lobby of the restaurant in disbelief. “You have virtually unlimited money, and you take us here, of all places?”

“What’s wrong with Olive Garden?” Rouge asked, peering up at the human in confusion. “I could fancy some olives, and someone with such…modest income like yourself could afford their prices, too!”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Topaz asked, placing her hands on her hips as a blush appeared across her face. “I make an adequate amount of money, thank you very much!”

“How come you had fast food wrappers in the back of your sedan, then?” Rouge asked, placing her hands on her hips as well, her grin growing wider.

“Welcome to America, Rouge, where even the most well-off members of society eat garbage!” Topaz flung her hands in the air.

“Ehem…”

The two bickering colleagues turned their attention to the lone waitress waiting for them to stop arguing.

“Right this way, ladies,” she said, gesturing for them to follow. Grumbling to herself, Topaz followed closely behind Rouge until they made it to their table.

“So,” Topaz began as she slid down her booth, “what time are your friends meeting us?”

“I wouldn’t call them friends per say,” Rouge replied, a glisten in her eyes, “well, maybe except Knuckles. He’s adorable, especially when I pick on him.”

“Ah, so you’re insufferable to your own kind, too.” Topaz chuckled, “Good to know.”

“They’re meeting us in an hour behind the restaurant,” Rouge replied, ignoring Topaz’s comment, crossing one leg over the other.  

“And why exactly did you invite them here?” Topaz folded her arms, watching the bat judgmentally.

“Hey, I only had like, what, 30 seconds to write that note?” Rouge replied, referring to the secret message she tucked into Sonic’s quills when snatching his Chaos Emerald for Dr. Eggman. “First place I could think of was Olive Garden…I’m lucky they actually have an alley, too!”

“Hello there,” the waitress said as she placed some cups of water on the table followed by a plate of warm breadsticks. “Can I start you two out with some beverages? Some appetizers?”

“Oh, none for her,” Rouge replied, pointing to her human companion. “She’s on a diet, so no empty carbs f—ooowwww.” The jewel thief rubbed her knee as Topaz grumbled from her side of the table.

“You know what,” Topaz turned her attention to the waitress, “I think I will have an appetizer! A plate of toasted ravioli, a Mountain Dew, and a few more plates of breadsticks!”

“Oh yeah?” Rouge quickly read through the menu. “For my appetizer, I’ll have two orders of toasted ravioli, five Mountain Dews, and fried mozzarella!” Rouge sat back, folding her arms as she smugly stared at Topaz with a wide smirk.

“Oooookay, then…” The waitress jotted down their orders. “I’ll get the food right up.”

“What’s that?” Rouge asked as Topaz pulled out a contraption from her side.

“It’s my laptop,” she replied as she folded it open and typed in her password. “Headquarters will need to know what happened today. Best report it as soon as possible.”

“Relax, sugar,” Rouge slowly brought her hand closer to the laptop until she pushed it closed with her palm.

“Hey, what’s the big idea?!” Topaz shouted, drawing some unwelcome glares from the other patrons.

“Haven’t you ever heard of a nine to five?” Rouge asked. “Gotta focus on that work-life balance, girl. If all you think about is work, you’ll be sent to an early grave.”

“I am a special agent for the United States government,” Topaz replied. “My duty to the citizens of this country is paramount and takes precedence over my personal comfort.”

“If you don’t treat yourself every once in a while,” Rouge indicated, “you’ll end up making mistakes.”

“What would you know about an honest living anyway?” Topaz asked, turning away as she folded her arms, not bothering to re-open her computer.

“I’ll have you know my work is completely honest,” Rouge cracked a smile, “I can honestly say that I am an open and proud jewel thief.”

“Yeah, you can shove it,” Topaz replied, running out of witty one-liners and retorts. “Like I was going to get any real work done anyway.” She ran a hand through her hair in annoyance.

“Sure, honey,” Rouge brushed off Topaz as she pulled out her government-issued cell phone and started scrolling through her apps. “I found this awesome website called Twitter recently, and people post the dumbest stuff imaginable.”

“You guys don’t have internet back on Mobius?” Topaz asked.

“Well, we do, and we also have social media, but It isn’t nearly as funny or entertaining as your apps.” Rouge continued scrolling through her feed. “Wait, what’s this?”

“What’s what?”

“Here…” The jewel thief handed over her cell phone. “Looks like photos from that last battle are circulating online.”

“The people were going to find out anyway,” Topaz replied. “There were no pedestrians, but I can guarantee you there were plenty of pictures taken from the apartment windows. Oh wait…” She zoomed in on one photo, taken of Sonic, Helen, Tails and company reviewing a piece of paper in the middle of the street. “It looks like Sonic is reading the note.” 

“So now he has no excuse to miss our meeting,” Rouge replied as she snagged the phone back from her human companion. “Of course, if they bail on us, I know exactly where they’ve set up camp.”

“Oh yeah, that human girl’s place, the one with the wheelchair?” Topaz slouched back as she took a sip of the Mountain Dew delivered to her by the waitress.

“Exactly the one,” Rouge said as she took a sip of her own beverage. “Isn’t she guilty of harboring a fugitive?”

“Oh, the government definitely has their eyes on her place,” Topaz indicated, “but it’s a delicate situation. The news has been reporting Sonic in a mostly positive light, and he’s keeping Eggman at bay. Going after Sonic and his friends for escaping Area 99 would only make us look bad and give Eggman a huge advantage.”

“How foolish of the government to think they could keep someone like Sonic behind bars for very long.” Rouge peered over at the waitress who delivered several plates of appetizers. Taking a bite of one of the fried food items, she slouched as well, eyeing the human across the table carefully. This made Topaz self-conscious, blushing ever so slightly.

“H-hey, what are you staring at me like that for?”

“Oh nothing, you’re just cute when you eat.”

“What the hell is your problem!?” Topaz’s outburst earned her nasty looks from the rest of the restaurant-goers and staffers alike, the establishment falling completely silent as all attention was drawn toward her and the jewel thief.

“Secret agent business,” Rouge called out, “go back to your drinks.”

“Will you shut the fuck up?!” Topaz whispered loudly. “What part of ‘secret agent’ don’t you understand?”

“What can I say,” Rouge replied, sitting back in her chair as she brought her beverage to her lips once more, “this Mountain Dew is making me a bit tipsy.”

“Oh…my god…” Topaz facepalmed, intending on ignoring her spy partner as she gorged on the plates of comfort food before her.

“So that’s the long and short of it, huh?”

“Yep! Any questions, Knucklehead?”

“Well…” The red echidna sat next to the blue hedgehog on a bench in the Station Square municipal park. “This really does fit Rouge’s M.O., right?” He leaned back in his seat, using his palms to prop up his head. “Playing both sides to get what she wants?” Cream was playing hopscotch on the trail with Cheese, the sound of her clicking feet filling the silence. 

“Do you think she’s truly working against Eggman, then?” Tails asked, breaking the quiet as he tinkered with his Miles Electric, sitting close to his big bro.

“I doubt it,” Amy replied as she basked in the late afternoon sun, lying in the grass with her eyes closed. “Remember who we’re dealing with here: a jewel thief, a professional liar. What makes us think she’s gonna start being honest any time soon?”

“Surprise!”

The Mobians peered over at Chuck and Helen, who were carrying seven milkshakes across two to-go containers, one held by the elder scientist and the other resting on Helen’s lap.

“Oh boy!” Tails exclaimed as the gang circled around the humans. Tails immediately fixated on the green shake in Helen’s possession. “Is that…what I think it is?”

“Yes it is!” Helen replied with a beaming smile. “How could we not get you a mint milkshake?”

“Gimme, gimme, gimme,” Tails chanted as he yoinked his beverage from the to-go container and took a long sip, reminded of the Shamrock Shake he had the night he arrived at Helen’s abode.

“Now, now, Tails,” Amy said, waving a finger in his face. “That wasn’t very polite.”

“Hmmm?” Tails stopped half-drink, his straw still in his mouth, as the group stared at him. Swallowing, he cleared his throat. “Ohh, sorry ‘bout that. I don’t know what came over me!” This earned a collective laugh, even from Knuckles.

“Hey, should you guys even be out here out in the open?” Helen asked as the others grabbed their shakes as well.

“You see, I’ve been thinking,” Tails replied after taking another long sip, “and, well…we’re in a big city, right?”

“Yes,” Helen followed.

“And the government can track citizens pretty easily, correct?”

“Absolutely,” Chuck replied, crossing his arms as he nodded his head.

“So why sneak around like common thieves?” Tails asked.

“You said it, lil’ bro,” Sonic gave him a thumbs up, “if they have business with us, we don’t need to hide!”

“But what about everyone else?” Helen asked, peering around at the fellow humans populating the park.

“It’s basic psychology, Helen,” Chuck replied. “Most people are either too preoccupied with their own affairs or don’t want to get involved in others’ business to cause a ruckus. Nah…” Chuck sat down between Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles on the bench, slouching back as he peered up at the orange sky, the sun starting to set over the horizon. “…I doubt anyone will be harassing any of you out in public—”

“Hey, it’s Sonic!”

“Wha—” The blue hedgehog was rushed by a group of three small children.

“Woah, it really is him!”

“I can’t believe we get to meet him!”

“Sonic, I’m your biggest fan!”

“Wooahh there,” Sonic raised his palms forward. “Easy, easy.”

“Can I have your autograph?” asked one of the children, waving a black marker and a photo of the blue hedgehog in his face.

“Ummm, sure, I suppose…” Grabbing the photo and marker, he made out his signature and handed it back to the child.

“I will cherish this for eber and eber! Thanks, Sonic!”

“No problem, kid!” The blue hedgehog gave him a thumbs up.

Just as the younglings were about to leave, another kid came up to Tails.

“Hey, ummm, Tails? I just think you’re, like…really cool, n’ stuff.” He was wearing glasses, braces strapped across his teeth and a picture of a telescope on his t-shirt.

“Ummm, thanks,” Tails replied, chuckling nervously as he ran a hand through his hair. Just as quick, though, the nerdy child ran off to rejoin the rest of the pack.

“Well, that was weird,” Amy opined.

“At least they didn’t give us any trouble,” Knuckles replied. “We don’t want to be late for our meeting with Rouge, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” taking the last sip of his milkshake, the orange kitsune glanced at the time on his wristwatch communicator, “it’s almost time. If we leave now, we should have a few minutes to spare.”

With that, Chuck pushed Helen as the Mobians followed the humans back to his van, soon arriving at the destination selected by the jewel thief. The restaurant had a relatively spacious parking lot and a clear path to the alley between the establishment and the building next door. Sonic sat in the passenger seat, studying the path to find the bat.

“I don’t see her,” Sonic observed. “Wonder what’s takin’ her so long…”

“Maybe she’s hiding in plain sight?” Tails replied.

“Only one way to find out!” Amy declared as she opened one of the van’s passenger doors. She was followed by Tails, Cream, Cheese, and Knuckles while Helen departed from the other door, disengaging and slowly rolling down the retractable ramp before joining the rest of her friends on the side facing the alley.

“Nothin’,” Knuckles said as he placed his palm on the wall. “She isn’t here.”

“You think it’s a trap?” Helen asked as she brought a hand to her chin in thought.

“Nah,” Sonic replied as he peered up at the roof. “That’s not her style. She may lurk in the shadows, but she’d never try somethin’ like that.”

“She has no real reason to trick us anyway,” Tails added, raising a finger to the air. “Even if she could somehow defeat us all, how would Eggman getting all the Chaos Emeralds benefit her?”

“Ohhhhh man,” came a distinct voice from the nearby restaurant entrance. “I haven’t eaten that much food in ages. This place will not be good for my figure at all.” The jewel thief was carrying a plastic bag full of to-go boxes.

“Tell me about it,” Topaz replied, carrying her government laptop in one hand and food in another. “I’ll have leftovers for days!”

“Thank the taxpayers,” Rouge said with a smirk as the two entered the alley, locking eyes with Sonic and friends. “Heya!” Rouge placed her bags on the ground.

“Long time, no see,” Sonic replied, leaning against the outer wall of the restaurant with his arms crossed. “I don’t see the Chaos Emerald you stole from me.”

“No hard feelings, right?” Rouge approached the blue hedgehog with a grin. “How’s your head feeling?”

“Your heel packs quite the punch,” Sonic replied with a grin of his own, “but it was no big deal.”

“Enough flirty business,” Amy interjected angrily, “and start talking…now.”

“But of course,” Rouge turned away, a grin covering her muzzle as she chuckled condescendingly. “This is Super-Secret Agent Topaz.” She waved to the party, who returned her gesture. “Topaz, here are the other Mobians I was telling you about.”

“Sonic the Hedgehog,” Topaz observed with a finger across her chin, “the only one who has been able to stop Eggman’s recent attacks…one anthropomorphic hedgehog has been more effective against this terrorist than the United States government.”

“What can I say?” Sonic replied, chuckling with eyes closed. “They don’t call me the Blue Blur for nothin’.”

“Miles ‘Tails’ Prower,” Topaz continued, turning to the orange kitsune, “Sonic’s trusted sidekick.”

“Nice to meet you,” he replied with a polite bow.

“Amy Rose, Knuckles the Echidna, Cream the Rabbit, and Cheese the…what was that thing again?” Topaz asked.

“Oh, Cheese?” Cream asked as she plucked them from between her ears and raised them up in the air with outstretched arms. “Cheese the Chao of course!”

“Chao, chao!”

“Wanna hold them?” Cream asked as Cheese waved their arms and legs in excitement over the prospect of a new friend.

“Sure, why not?” The human grabbed the alien pet and cuddled them in her arms. “Cheese is sooo adorable!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese replied, eliciting laughter from the rest of the group.

“And of course,” Topaz continued, still holding the chao in her arms, “Chuck the retired scientist and Helen, his granddaughter. It’s unfortunate civilians got wrapped up in all this.”

“It’s not a problem at all,” Helen replied. “I love having them as guests and going on these adventures.” She wore a brilliant smile, positive energy radiating from the young girl.

“In any case,” Topaz continued, bending her knees to carefully hand Cheese back to Cream, “this obligation no longer needs to rest on your shoulders.”  

“What?” Helen asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“Let me explain…” Topaz peered around, confirming nobody was eavesdropping or otherwise nearby. “The President has recruited Rouge here to perform undercover espionage, acting as a henchwoman for Dr. Eggman but secretly reporting to us in the process. The plan to steal the emerald from Sonic went off without a hitch.”

“Do you realize what you’ve done?” Knuckles asked, a vein appearing across his forehead as he struggled to contain his anger. “Eggman now has two Chaos Emeralds. Just one alone in his hands is incredibly dangerous, but now he’s well on his way to collecting all seven. That’s what brought us here in the first place.”

“You should know,” Rouge said as she turned her attention to Topaz, “that Knuckles has this weird, religious-y connection to the gems or something. Back home, he spent most of his time secluded on a floating island guarding a giant emerald. Needless to say, I’m sure he didn’t take too kindly to our plan.”

“You’re damn right I didn’t,” Knuckles replied. “Your recklessness could get us all killed!”

“Easy there, drama queen,” Rouge replied casually, placing her hands on her hips. “Just calm down for a few seconds and put a bit of trust in us.”

“Trust you? Of all people?” The red echidna waved his arms in the air. “That’s rich, almost as rich as a jewel thief becoming a government spy. How’d that even happen, anyway? Did you get caught or something?”

“More or less,” Topaz replied. “What I can say is that we are plotting every step carefully, planning any and all contingencies.” The human woman cleared her throat. “Now, as I was saying before, the plan went off without a hitch. If Rouge’s report on Eggman is accurate, this victory should give him a false sense of security.”  

“He gets cocky when he wins,” Rouge added with a shrug. “We’ve seen it countless times; premature celebration when he wins the battle that ultimately leads to his downfall.”  

“That’s where you all come in,” Topaz continued as she gestured toward the Mobians. “The President has, in secret, called off the search for Sonic and Cream after the breakout from Area 99. He believes, as do I, that you guys would be an invaluable asset to this nation, to put a stop to Eggman’s terrorism and restore things back to the way they were.”

“To that end,” Topaz concluded, “we would like you all to come back with me to our secret headquarters, where you’ll have your own living quarters, food, and any other necessities you may need while you’re a guest on our planet. In return, we would like you to assist Rouge and I in any way possible as we neutralize Eggman. Helen, Chuck…” Topaz turned her attention to the humans, “you would also be spared of any charges of aiding and embedding suspected criminals, and your lives would return to the way they were before the Mobians’ arrival on Earth.”

“The way…things were?” Helen asked as the uncertain girl peered down at her legs.

Tails gazed at her in concern. “What’s wrong, Helen?” He approached her side. “Don’t you want things to return to normal?”

The human girl was silent, but the tears that started forming in her eyes provided a clearer answer than any words could produce.

“Ehhh, I think we’ll pass.”

The group turned to the blue hedgehog, who was cracking a smile with hands on his hips.

“What?” Topaz asked, shocked to hear his rejection. “But why?”

“If you know anything about me,” Sonic explained before running a few dozen circles around the group, stopping with a skid, “you’d know I don’t like being anchored down. Plus…” The blue hedgehog stared up at Topaz as he folded his arms, a frown on his muzzle. “…how do we know we can trust ya?”

“What do you mean?” Topaz asked, eyeing the hedgehog carefully.

“What you guys put me and Cream through back at Area 99 was hell.” Sonic turned to the young bunny behind him. “I can take it, but locking up an innocent young girl? Performing tests? What were you guys thinking?” Memories of the traumatic experience, complete with having to witness Sonic getting shot, bubbled their way back into Cream’s consciousness, causing tears to form in her eyes.  

“I…” Topaz was speechless.

“And what will happen once we do defeat Eggman?” Knuckles added. “When we arrived on Earth, you treated us like guinea pigs. You’re only being nice now because you need our help. What will come of us once we stop this Eggman problem? Will you allow us to return home…or will you keep us prisoner here?”

“I can see why you have doubts,” Topaz replied, flustered with their negative response, “but the treatment Sonic, Cream, and Cheese underwent at Area 99 was not approved by the President, and Dr. Liam Griffith, the one who led the confinement and experimentation, and his associates are being questioned as we speak. I hope you realize that, while there are some bad apples, not everyone in the government, or all humans for that matter, are bad people.”

“Helen and Chuck are good examples,” Tails added. “When I first arrived on Earth, I was, literally, covered in garbage…cold, hungry, and had nowhere to go. Helen took me and the rest of us in with open arms.” He gestured to the young girl. “If anyone embodies the best of humanity, it’s her.”

“Thanks…Tails…” The young girl was blushing, tears pouring down her face as the orange kitsune’s kind words sunk in. “You’re my friends, and I’d do anything for my friends in need.”

Tails gave her a thumbs up before refocusing his attention on Sonic and Knuckles. “So, what if…we work out a compromise?”

“A compromise?” The group asked in unison.

“Precisely!” Tails raised his finger in the air once more, a smirk on his face as he closed his eyes, preparing to explain his proposal. “The government clearly needs our help to stop Eggman, right?”

“Right,” Topaz replied.

“And we would rather stay with Helen, Chuck, Doug, and Alicia, right?”

“Absolutely,” The Mobians replied, save for Knuckles who previously elected to live with nature.

“Why, then, don’t we make an arrangement similar to the one we had back on Mobius, Sonic?” Tails asked as he turned to the blue hedgehog.

“Oh yeah,” Sonic nodded his head. “That could work.”

“What sort of arrangement?” Topaz asked.

“It was pretty simple,” Tails replied. “Sonic and I would partner with the Mobian Federation of States to help fight Eggman, but we were never fully-fledged members of their military. I guess we were considered ‘independent contractors’?”

The blue hedgehog shrugged. “Taxes ‘n paperwork are your business, not mine.”

“Anyway,” Tails continued, “why don’t we have a partnership like this? It’s not like the U.S. government hasn’t had similar military arrangements before.”

“Oh, you’ve studied American history?” Topaz asked. “In the short amount of time you’ve been here?”

“Yep!” Tails replied with a smile, his namesakes fluttering from behind. “Wikipedia is highly addictive.” The orange kitsune gestured to his Mobian friends. “I would like to offer to work with the military, but not for the military. We would partner together in our common battle against Eggman while still retaining independence. While we wouldn’t require any direct pay…” Tails gestured in the direction of Chuck and Helen, “we would want all proceeds to go to Helen and her family.”

The two humans gasped.

“But why?” Helen asked, gripping the handles on either side of her wheelchair.

“We have no use for human money,” Tails replied, “and I’m sure it hasn’t been cheap to lodge us. Plus, knowing how much the government doles out in these sorts of arrangements, hopefully you’ll receive enough money to cover all your healthcare costs, and maybe your parents won’t have to work as much so you can spend more time with each other.”

“Tails…” Helen’s eyes glistened, tears starting to form once more. “I…don’t know what to say.”

“What do you all think?” Tails asked the group.

“…Count me out.”

They turned their attention to the red echidna, who pulled himself away from the restaurant wall and headed to the alleyway exit.

“If I’m going to get the Chaos Emeralds back, I’m going to do it my way.”

“Oh, come on, Knucklehead,” Sonic obstructed his path. “Could you not be narrowminded for, like, five minutes?”

“Get out of my way, Sonic,” Knuckles replied as he shoved him aside, causing the blue hedgehog to topple to the ground below.

“Hey, wait up!” Sonic pulled himself up, but as he was about to run after him, he was stopped by the gentle hand of the pink hedgehog.

“Leave him, Sonic,” Amy advised. “It’s no use trying.”

“Okay, Ames,” Sonic replied as he dusted his legs off. “He didn’t have to be so rude, though.”

“I don’t think he was fully convinced that Topaz is any different from Liam and the Area 99 scientists,” Tails opined. “It’ll take plenty of time for him to establish any sort of trust with those claiming to be from the government. Rouge becoming an agent didn’t help matters either.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right, lil’ guy,” Sonic replied, giving the orange kitsune a thumbs up before returning his focus to the entire group. “Are we all in, then, except for Knuckles?”

“Yeah!” Tails and company replied with a cheer.

“I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Rouge added. “What about you, old-timer?”

“If you call me ‘old-timer’ one more time…” Topaz grumbled as she toggled with her wristwatch communicator, trying to hide the blush across her face. “Well…” She turned her focus to the other Mobians. “I personally don’t see a problem with it, but I’ll need to run this by the President for official approval. I’m sure he’d also want to meet you all.”

“Sounds radical!” Sonic replied with a thumbs up.

“In fact…” Topaz pushed some buttons on her watch. “After taking care of some Eggman business, I’ll request a meeting in the Oval Office. I’m sure once you meet him, any lingering doubts about our trustworthiness should be resolved.”

“Did you say ‘Eggman business’?” Amy asked, leaning on her Piko Piko Hammer.

“Oh yes,” Topaz replied as she brought her hand back down to her side. “As we said before, Eggman will likely have his defenses down, inflated with renewed confidence after securing two Chaos Emeralds. We think the time is ripe to strike.”

“What do you have in mind?” Sonic asked, raising a finger to his chin in thought.

“Let’s discuss the details in a more…secluded location,” Topaz replied as she gestured to Chuck’s van. “By my count, there should be enough room for all of us in there. We can talk while heading back to our headquarters.”

“Sounds good!” Chuck replied as he dug in his pockets to find his keys. As the group made their way to the van, however, a long, black limousine stopped them in their tracks. This car was followed by a dozen motorcycles, operated by intimidating-looking men.

“Who are these guys?” Sonic asked. He didn’t need to wait long, however; as the rest of the motorcycles continued making circles around the group, one driver skid to a stop, approached the passenger door of the limo, and opened it. Stepping out was a young boy Sonic and Helen knew all too well…

Chapter Text

“It’s you!” Sonic and Helen exclaimed simultaneously, pointing at the boy pulling himself out of the backseat of the limo surrounded by intimidating men on motorcycles.

“Salutations,” Chris said, taking a bow to the blue hedgehog and the young girl next to him, ignoring the rest of the gang.

“Why are you here?” Helen asked, folding her arms in disapproval.

“Silly Helen,” Chris replied condescendingly, “why else would I be here but to have a cordial conversation with Thorndyke Hedgehog himself.”

“Huh?” Helen and Sonic tilted their heads in confusion.

“Well, you see,” Chris itched the base of his nose, “as I explained on television, because I am the one who first found this anthropomorphic hedgehog, I have the sole right to name it whatever I like, so I, Mr. Thorndyke, decided to grant the indisputable honor of granting it my name. Thorndyke Hedgehog should be thankful!”

Sonic scoffed as he folded his arms as well. “Yeah, as if.”

Ignoring the blue hedgehog’s displeasure, Chris raised his arm and snapped his finger, summoning his butler, who was adorning glasses, a blazer, and a bowtie. “Tanaka, fetch the paperwork, will you?”

“Right away, Master Chris,” Tanaka replied with a bow.

“Hey, dumb ass! It’s Mr. Thorndyke, not ‘Master Chris’,” Chris replied, saying the latter in a childish voice.

“My sincerest apologies, Mr. Thorndyke,” the butler bowed several times in quick succession, “I will remember next time.”

“Yeah, you better,” Chris grumbled under his breath as the butler returned to the limousine, grabbing a large stack of documents and dropping them between the rich kid and the blue hedgehog.

“What’s all this?” Sonic asked as he gestured to the paperwork.

“I have a proposition,” Chris replied as he pulled out a fancy fountain pen from his pocket, spinning it around his fingers.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Tails opined to Chuck.

“If it involves that spoiled brat, it can’t be good,” the elder scientist agreed.

“I previously held an arrangement with this poor classmate of mine, his name is not important, and let’s just say it ended in a…contractual termination.”

“You didn’t…” Helen clasped her mouth with her hand.

“What’s this all about, Helen?” Sonic asked.

“Chris thinks he can buy friendship by pressuring poor families to sign their children into “friendship contracts”. He required one of my friends to help with homework and play videogames with him, and Chris would pay his parents in exchange.” The young girl turned her attention to Chris. “Are you saying you fired Danny?”

“Indubitably!” He replied, raising a finger to the air. “His performance has been lacking as of late, and despite repeated promises to do better, he failed this simple task, so I cut him and his family off the gravy train.” The rich kid laughed condescendingly with his hands on his hips. “Looks like his parents will need to get real jobs instead of mooching off their kid!”

“Why are you like this?” Helen asked, her eyes glistening and her hands clasped into fists. “You can be a real jerk, and you don’t even realize it!”

“Oh, Helen…” Chris chuckled as he approached the young girl. He brought his hand to her chin, gently tilting her head to match her gaze of disdain. “Don’t worry your pretty little head.” Giving her some unwelcome head pats, he returned his hand to his own unkempt hair. “So…have you reconsidered the proposition I gave you?”

“Another arrangement?” Sonic asked. “Does this guy just dole out deals all day?”

“It’s his thing,” Helen replied unamused. “He offered to pay for my medical expenses if I agreed to be his girlfriend.”

Sonic couldn’t contain his laughter.

“Oh man, how desperate must he be!?” The entire gang laughed.

“I’m going to ignore this attack on my honor and just stick to brass tacks.” Chris cleared his throat, pulled the first form off the stack, and handed it to the blue hedgehog. “Now that Danny’s out of the picture, I need a suitable replacement, and well, I think you’d make a great employee.”

“How so?” Sonic asked.

“When I first dragged you out of my luxury pool,” Chris replied, “you were pitiful…weak…hardly suited to be a member of the esteemed Thorndyke Estate staff, but I’ve been following your feats online, and I must say, even I, of all people, am impressed.” The rich kid turned away and swiped the sky with his hand. “The media loves you, so if they see us out in public together, it will only help the Thorndyke brand, and of course, my positive reputation will rub off on you as well.”

“Anyway,” Chris forced his fountain pen into Sonic’s gloved hand and pointed to the first dotted line, “we have a lot of signing to get through! By signing here, you agree perform all acts, legal or illegal, on behalf of myself and the rest of the Thorndyke Estate. The next line formally acknowledges that you must attend all of my classes and take notes on each subject. This line right here mandates your assistance of my butler and maid staff at the esteemed Thorndyke Manor, and this line mandates you must do my laundry, read me bedtime stories, play videogames with me, give me baths…”

“Okay, time out!” The blue hedgehog crossed his hands together. “I think I heard just enough of this little proposition you have here.” The latter item in particular made chills run down his spine.

“Oh, so you’ll sign all 346 signature lines without reading the fine print?” Dollar signs appeared over Chris’ eyes. “Marvelous! Get to signing, and when you’re done, we’ll go to Dairy Queen to celebrate! It’ll come out of your paycheck, of course…”

“No, no, kid, you have the wrong idea,” the blue hedgehog took the cover page of the document in both hands and ripped it in half.

“Whaaat!?” Chris yelled in agony. “What are you doing? Do you not know how to sign a document? Do I need to show you how to use a pen?”

“Can’t you take a hint?” Sonic asked as he threw the torn paper to the side and jumped up in the air, forming a sphere as he grew closer to the stack of documents. Finally, before making contact, he charged a spindash, slicing through the paper like a chainsaw.

“What the hell are you doing?” Chris yelled, flailing his arms frantically.

“Let me give it to ya straight,” the blue hedgehog approached the young boy, raising a finger to his face, “you will never be my buddy. You can’t just bribe your way to friendship.”

“What are you talking about?” Chris asked, a smirk on his face. “Money controls the world. I just wave my fat stacks, and I can make people do what I want.”

“Even so,” Sonic crossed his arms, “do you want someone to have your back because they care about you, or do you just want them to treat a friendship like a job?”

“But…” Chris lowered his head, pulling out a wad of $100 bills. “Money’s...all I know…”

“Chris…” The party turned to Helen, who rolled over the shredded documents with her wheelchair, blocking the path between the blue hedgehog and the rich kid. “People are more than just money...and I’m sure if you try, you can make friends without taking out your wallet.”

“Are you saying…” Chris crushed the wad of bills in his fist. “...that my friends aren’t real? That’s it’s all a façade?” Tears started to well up in his eyes.

“No, I’m not sa—”  

In a fit of existential anger, Chris swung his arm back and slapped Helen across the face with his wad of cash.

“Helen!” Tails ran toward the young girl, but as he got closer, Chris prepared a second slap, a few bills slipping from his grasp but still enough to make an impact. As the rich kid swung his arm once more, though, the orange kitsune grabbed him, gripping his wrist tightly in rage, forcing Chris to drop the cash as his fingers contorted.

“You. Will. Never. Hurt. Helen. Ever. Again. You hear me?!” Tails swiped Chris’ arm away, spun himself around, and flung him away with a flick of his namesakes.

Chris fell to the ground, loose dollar bills flying all around as he lay motionless on the pavement, dry tears across his cheeks as he stared blankly at the night sky.

“MAST--I mean, MISTER THORNDYKE!” Tanaka came running to the rich kid’s aid, pulling him to his feet. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah…” The young boy quietly wiped the dirt from his attire before turning to the young fox, giving him a sinister glare. “This isn’t over, you…you freak.” He marched back to his limo, his butler closing the door behind. Within seconds, the car departed, surrounded by the bodyguards on motorcycles.  

“Are you okay, Helen?” Tails asked, turning his attention back to the young girl.

“Y-yeah…” She rubbed her cheek, a small bruise growing. “I’ll live, but Tails...are you okay?” Helen observed as the fox stared at her, his breathing elevated and fists still tightened.

“Yes…” Tails paused, closing his eyes as he took in a long breath.

“Do you think that was a bit…overkill?” Chuck asked from his side.

“I...don’t know…” Tails averted his gaze to the pavement below, his hands loosening up as he weighed his recent actions. “I just got angry, ya know?”

“It’s okay to defend your friends,” Chuck replied as he crossed his arms, “but that stunt was a bit unnecessary.”

“At least ya showed him what you’re made of, though!” Sonic interjected, returning to the orange kitsune’s side with a thumbs up. “Now he’ll learn not to underestimate you and stay away from Helen for good!”

“Do you...think I did the right thing, Sonic?” The young fox shifted his focus to the blue hedgehog. “Was it really...overkill?”

“Well…” Sonic ran a hand through his quills. “Maybe a little bit, but your heart was in the right place.”

“But was it, though?” Tails asked. “It just feels like I experience momentary bouts of blind rage when my friends are in danger. I blasted that scientist through the wall, remember?”

“I was conked out, buddy,” Sonic replied, referring his rescue from Area 99, “but that wa—”

“And what about what...happened…with you?” The orange kitsune’s voice turned to a whisper. Sonic, knowing exactly what he was alluding to, wrapped his arm around the fox’s shoulder and turned him to the side, lowering his voice for privacy.

“No need to worry ‘bout that,” Sonic replied, remembering the incident where Tails, facing immense frustration while studying the Master Emerald, threw his nonfunctional Chaos Emerald detector at his face, leaving a temporary bruise. “Sometimes you need to let it out of your system, ya know?”

“But what if...I do something that I regret again?” Tears started to well up in the fox’s eyes.

Lifting his arm away from the kitsune’s shoulder, the blue hedgehog instead lowered a gloved finger to his face, drying the single tear running down his muzzle. “Nobody’s perfect, lil’ buddy. All heroes make mistakes. It’s what we do after the fact that really counts.”

“I guess…” Tails tilted his head to meet Sonic’s brotherly gaze. “Thanks, Sonic.” A small smile appeared across his muzzle, but he quickly shifted his focus to the rest of the party, who were watching the two brothers in confusion. “Can we...talk about this later?”

“Sure thing, lil’ bro.” Sonic chuckled as he gently ran his gloved hand between the fox’s ears. “Now…” The blue hedgehog found his way back to the rest of the party. “On to business.” With determination in his eyes, and smashing his fist into the open palm of his other hand, he turned to Rouge and Topaz. “What’s the plan, girls?”

“Oh, right,” Topaz collected herself. “As I was saying before Chris and his entourage interrupted us, we can discuss our plans on the way. If we act now, we can strike while the iron is hot!”

With that, the gang filed into the van, with Chuck taking the driver’s seat, Helen rolling into her designated spot, Tails riding shotgun, Cream, Cheese, and Amy in the back row, and Rouge and Topaz sharing the seat next to Helen’s wheelchair.

“This is a bit romantic, don’t you think?” Rouge asked, sitting in her human partner’s lap.

“Shut up, jewel thief, Topaz replied, a blush appearing across her face.

“Where to?” Chuck asked as he started up the vehicle.

“To the beach,” Topaz replied. “Everything we need is already there.”

“Wooahhooohoohooo! Fill ‘er up, boys! Tonight, we par-tayyyy!”

Dr. Eggman uncorked a bottle of champagne, the cap flying across the room, nearly missing Decoe. Allowing excess suds to spill from the spout, he poured three tall, narrow glasses: one for himself and the others for Bocoe and Decoe.

“Cheers!” Eggman declared as he raised his glass.

“Cheers!” Decoe and Bocoe replied as the three clanged their cups together before taking a long sip.

“I am an absolute genius!” the doctor exclaimed with a mustache full of champagne suds. “Thanks to my full-proof schemes, we are now in possession of two Chaos Emeralds!” He gestured to the green and blue gems, glistening in the moonlight streaming into the command center of the evil doctor’s island lair.

“You were right about Rouge after all!” Decoe said after a sip.

“Indeed!” Bocoe added. “It was enough to claim one Chaos Emerald, but the jewel thief stealing the second one from Sonic during your fight was unexpected to say the least!”

“I never lost my faith in my most trusted evil sidekick!” Eggman declared before repeating his signature bellowing laugh.

“Except when you said you didn’t trust her,” Bokkun corrected, sitting in the corner as he sipped on his root beer float.

Do you mind repeating that?” Eggman asked, menacingly tapping his bottle against the open palm of his other hand.

“Ohh, ummm...I mean, you totally trusted Rouge from the very beginning!” Bokkun replied nervously, tugging at a non-existent collar.

“Better…” Eggman grumbled before cracking open another bottle of alcohol. Taking a sip, the doctor’s eyes dilated, reacting to the unexpected strength of the beverage. “Decoe, Bocoe, where’d you get this one?”

“A fan dropped it off,” they replied in unison.

“Care to explain?” Eggman asked as he took another gulp.

“Yeah, the bottle was left in a basket along with some breadsticks from Olive Garden at the front door,” Decoe replied.

“A card celebrating your recent victory was also included,” Bocoe added, handing the evil doctor the note.

“Hmmm…” Eggman read the card to himself as he munched one of the cold breadsticks. “Congratulations on your recent victory! Signed - An anonymous fan.” Robotnik placed the note next to the Chaos Emerald pedestal. “Wooahhooohoohooo! At least some Earthlings aren’t imbeciles! Why, if this keeps up, I could even run for President!”

“Dr. Eggman, he’s our man; if he can’t win, nobody can!” Decoe, Bocoe, and Bokkun cheered, somehow materializing cheerleader outfits and pom poms out of thin air.

“Save it for the campaign trail.” Instead of filling his cup once more, Eggman elected to take some drinks directly from the bottle.

“Should we play some karaoke?” Bocoe asked, holding a microphone in one hand and a tambourine in the other.

“Or perhaps some Guitar Hero?” Decoe added, holding a plastic guitar controller in either hand, strumming the fake instrument like a rockstar.

“Oooh, we could watch the SpongeBob marathon on Nickelodeon!” Bokkun suggested.

“Will you three shut up for five seconds,” Eggman barked as he rubbed his forehead. “Oh chaos, I think I need...to sit down…”

“Are you okay?” Decoe asked.

“You are not looking so good,” Bocoe added. The two robots approached the doctor.

“No, no, I’m all right…” Eggman leaned back in his seat, his eyes slowly closing. “I just...need to shut my eyes...for a little bit...wake me up...when…” Before Robotnik could finish his thought, he fell asleep, leaving his robotic assistants staring at him in confusion.

“What do we do now?” Bocoe asked.

“Beats me,” Decoe replied, shrugging his metallic shoulders. “Maybe we should get Eggman to bed?”

“I don’t know if he would like that…” Bocoe crossed his arms as he thought of their next move. “What if he wakes up while we’re hauling him halfway across the fortress?”

“Guys, guys!”

Decoe and Bocoe turned their attention to their younger brother, who had a wide smirk on his face.

“If we can get Eggman to bed, think of all the fun we can have in the command center! Bocoe, you’d get to do some karaoke, and Decoe could play some video games! Best of all, I would get to watch as much SpongeBob as I’d want!”

“You do raise a good argument…” Decoe turned to the sleeping human, whose snoring was drowning out their strategic planning session. “Okay, I’m in.”

“Me too,” Bocoe added.

“Then let’s get to work!” Bokkun declared, slamming his fist against the palm of his other hand.

As Decoe lifted Eggman up by the armpits, Bocoe grabbed the doctor’s ankles. The messenger robot, meanwhile, opened the doors and served as a guide, hoping to prevent his older siblings from smashing Eggman into a wall.

“Easy now, easy now…” Bokkun waved his arm, pointing his brothers in the direction of Robotnik’s living quarters after successfully navigating them into and out of the nearby elevator. “That’s it, don’t bump his noggin now…”

Finally, Decoe and Bocoe arrived at Eggman’s king sized bed. The two placed him on the mattress, freezing when the evil doctor rolled onto his side but quickly sighing in relief when it was clear he was still asleep. Wiping the sweat from their foreheads, they pulled a blanket over him before silently creeping out of the bedroom, closing the door as gently as possible.

“Operation: Egg Delivery was a success!” Bokkun declared, raising a fist to the air in excitement as he walked alongside Decoe and Bocoe back to the spacious command center.

“Eggman will be thankful we brought him to bed,” Bocoe added.

“Or perhaps he won’t even remember anything from tonight?” Decoe suggested.

“Yeah, what’s up with him getting so tired all of the sudden?” Bocoe asked. “It’s not like his alcoholic beverages were even that strong.”

“Does it matter?” Bokkun asked, running in front of his two brothers and twirling around, walking backward as he peered up at the two. “What matters is that we have a night of freedom! Freedom to do whatever we want!”

“Yeah!” The three cheered as they entered the command center. Immediately getting to work, Bocoe fired up the karaoke machine while Decoe switched on the PlayStation 2 he found while plundering an antiques shop. Bokkun was warming up some nachos in the communal microwave as he gathered the salsa, sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and shredded cheese from the nearby refrigerator.

“Hmmm...what song should I sing first?” Bocoe asked himself as he jingled his tambourine in one hand, cycling through the tracks on the music player with the other. “Aha!” Selecting the Yakuza 0 original soundtrack, he cleared his digital throat, tapped his microphone to confirm it was working, and bent his knees, preparing to dance and sing his heart out.

I’m readyyyy goooo toniiiiiight;

There isss a partyyyy all riiiight;

We don’t neeed a reeeeason for joy, oh yeahhhh!

The robot waved his arms, playing his tambourine as he showcased his swag for the audience of zero, Decoe still plugging in his video game console as Bokkun was waiting for the cheddar to melt over his tortilla chips in the microwave.

Tick down to midnight;

Tonight’s gooona be briiiight;

So the groooves makes me move, oh yeah!

I’m feeling liiiike;

I’m feelin’ jus’ as flyyyyyy!

It was at this point the robot dropped his microphone and instrument altogether, instead opting to dance like a disco star.

Can’t stop dancing all niiiiiight long;

Jumpin’ up, shakin’ up, move your boooodyyyy!

Don’t stop the music alllll niiiight loooong;

Keep it on, it’s Friiiidayyyy Niiiii--

Bocoe froze, his body almost completely paralyzed as he took a debilitating blow to the neck. Sweat rolling down his face, he used his last ounce of energy to turn his head to face his assailant: a small fox boy dressed all in black, his ski mask too small to contain his fluffy muzzle and his namesakes fluttering from behind.

“T-tai--” The robot fell to the floor unconscious as the upbeat disco music looped from the karaoke machine.

Tails peered up at the open grate of the air duct. Giving a thumbs up, out came Sonic the Hedgehog, dressed in a similar outfit, his blue tail and quills still exposed. The two nodded their heads as they slowly crept up on Decoe, who was now just starting to play One by Metallica on his plastic controller when he met a similar fate, a precise blow to his neck from the tip of the orange kitsune’s namesake causing him to fall to the floor. Finally, the brotherly duo slowly made their way to the kitchenette, where Bokkun was putting the finishing touches on his party snack.

“These nachos look delightfully devilish! I can’t wait to eat ‘em all!” As he finished pouring the salsa on his chips, he felt the force of a blow to the back of his head, causing his face to land in the pile of steaming hot nachos. “Ahhhh! What the hecc was that for?” As he wiped the melted cheese from his face, he felt a precise flick of Tails’ namesake on his neck, causing him to fall to the floor as his big brothers did moments earlier.

Returning to the command center, Sonic and Tails collected the green and blue Chaos Emeralds, respectively, before returning to the oversized air duct in the ceiling, with Tails flying up first before helping his older brother up after him.

“Recon lead, the burger is in the bun,” Tails whispered into his wristwatch communicator. “I repeat, the burger is in the bun.”

“What kind of secret agent mumbo jumbo is that?” Rouge jeered. “Even Topaz can come up with better names than that, and she’s an old lady!”

“For the last time,” Topaz replied, “I am not an old lady!”

“Everything okay up there?” Sonic asked as he gently tugged at Tails’ namesake.

“Yeah, yeah,” Tails returned his attention to his communicator, “will you two stop arguing so you can guide us out of here?”

“Sure, hon,” Rouge replied, “just go straight and hang a right in 50 feet, and then drop out of the third grate you come across. This will place you at the entrance.”

“Thank you,” Tails replied with a sigh. “Tails out.” Disengaging his communicator, the fox continued crawling along.

“What do ya think is up with those two?” Sonic asked.

“Beats me,” Tails replied as the two made their way closer to the exit. “It seems like Rouge always gets on people’s nerves.”

“I dunno man,” Sonic chuckled under his breath, “I think they’re startin’ to like each other, if you know what I mean.”

“You’re the one to talk.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Sonic tilted his head in confusion, getting a good view of the back of Tails’ head as the orange kitsune fluttered his namesakes from behind.

“Ohhh, nothing,” it was the fox’s turn to chuckle, “you plan your date with Amy yet?”

“What do ya mean?” A blush appeared across the blue hedgehog’s muzzle.

“You promised a date with Amy shortly before we were transported to Earth, remember? Kind’ve would’ve thought a love expert like yourself would’ve already fulfilled his romantic promise.”

“Ohh, I’m gettin’ to it…” Sonic chuckled nervously, stopping to run an anxious hand through his quills. “You think...Amy would like Olive Garden?”  

“You need to do better than that,” Tails replied as he slipped out of the air duct, followed closely behind by the blue hedgehog. “Amy would want something a bit more creative.”

“How would you know what Amy wants?” Sonic asked playfully.

“Just a bit of intuition,” Tails replied with a finger raised to the air, his namesakes fluttering from behind once more.

“Whatever you say, lil’ buddy…” Sonic thought to himself. “How about…McDonald’s?”

“Ohh, you are hopeless…” Tails shook his head as they made their way back to the Tornado 2.

“Hey, at least I try,” Sonic replied with a chuckle, waiting as his younger brother crawled into the cockpit before the blue hedgehog took his turn, seating himself right behind.

“The package has left the depot,” Tails said into his communicator. “Ready for the final phase.”

“Over,” Topaz replied from a secret agent van off the coast of the mainland. “Eggman’s missile defense system is still offline. You are safe to take off. Rouge,” The human turned to the jewel thief, who was leaning back in her chair casually, “initiate the final phase.”

“You got it,” Rouge replied as she adjusted her headset. “Amy, Cream, you get that?”

“Loud and clear,” Amy confirmed as she held a box in her hand, wearing all black. Turning to Cream, the pink hedgehog nodded her head slowly. The young bunny, who was wearing the same spy outfit as her friends, repeated this gesture, holding onto a box of her own.

Running briskly into the lair, the hedgehog and rabbit followed a blipping icon on the map displayed on their wristwatch communicators.

“Take the stairs to the basement, and scatter the charges throughout,” Rouge ordered.

“Right.” Amy nodded as she and her younger colleague slid down the handrail to the lower level, landing expertly on the concrete floor. Cream followed, keeping her remote bomb snug against her belly.

“Ready to plant the charges?” Amy asked as she peered over at the young bunny.

“Yes, Ms. Amy,” Cream replied with a nod.

“Okay, just like I showed you.” Pressing some buttons on the box, she gently set it near Eggman’s excess supply of television bombs. A large, blinking “10:00” appeared on the bomb’s display, ready to start ticking down with a single press of a button. “Now it’s your return, Cream.”

“Right.” The young bunny placed her explosive device nearby, repeating the same process as Amy, albeit a bit slower. Finally, the bomb’s digital display showed an identical red “10:00”.

“Engaging bombs…now!” Amy and Cream pressed the start sequence buttons simultaneously.

“Time to go, Cream,” Amy said as she ran for the stairs, Cream following close behind.

Making it back to the main floor, Cream skid to a stop as the duo passed the command center. The karaoke machine was still playing, but Decoe, Bocoe, and Bokkun were still unconscious. The sight of the messenger robot in particular made the young bunny wince.

“C’mon, Cream!” Amy called from ahead. “What’s the hold up?”

“It’s just that…” The young bunny peered down and clasped her hands behind her back, a small blush forming across her face. “B-Bokkun…can…I save him?”

“Why would you want to sa—” The look on Cream’s face made the pink hedgehog remember the connection she developed with the robot, who tried unsuccessfully to rescue her from Eggman’s clutches once before. “Do you…like him?”

“Well, I…” Cream shook her head. “What does that matter? He’s not evil or rotten; he’s just forced to do bad things by Eggman!” The young bunny pointed at Bokkun’s unconscious form, nacho sauce and tortilla chips still covering his face. “I’m going to rescue him!”

“I’ll help!” Amy replied as the two rushed in. Cream wiped Bokkun’s face clean, to the best of her ability given time constraints, before taking him by the hands. Amy grabbed his ankles, and the two continued their trek out of Eggman’s headquarters, soon arriving at the small boat Amy and Cream used to infiltrate the island.

Sitting on the floor of the boat, Cream placed Bokkun’s head on her lap as Amy pushed the boat into the water, jumping into the vessel just in time to avoid landing in the ocean. Twisting the boat around, Amy drove away as the one-minute warning alarm sounded on her wristwatch communicator.

“Rouge, Topaz: Cream and I have left the island. We’re now less than a minute from the bombs going off.”

“Perfect!” Topaz replied merrily. “I knew it was a good idea to recruit you all to the cause.”

“You may even get a presidential medal,” Rouge replied with a snicker.

“You know what?” Topaz turned to her Mobian counterpart with a smirk across her face. “Maybe I will receive a medal for this.”

“Whatever floats your boat, old lady.” Rouge waited for Topaz’s angry retort, but hearing none, the confused bat turned to her, who was uncharacteristically slouching in her chair, a blush across her face as she stared at the ceiling of her secret agent van.

“Can you believe her?” Rouge asked Chuck and Helen, who were sitting on the opposite side of the van. Cheese was resting on Helen’s lap, sleeping soundly as the young girl gave them loving pets.

Chuck merely grunted in response, his eyes closed as he nodded away himself.

“Does this mean…Eggman is finished?” Helen asked the jewel thief.

“Unlikely,” she replied. “I’ve known him long enough to know this will merely be a minor set-back for him. I’m sure he’ll survive the explosion and be back by dinner time tomorrow.”

“I guess we’re in this for the long haul, right?” Helen asked, a look of concern across her face.

“You have nothing to worry about,” Rouge replied reassuringly. “Eggman may be too much for the humans to handle, but us Mobians know how to deal with him. If all goes according to plan, we’ll take him back to our world once we gather up the Chaos Emeralds.”

“I guess…” Helen sighed as she stared at one of the van’s monitors showing a live feed of Tails flying back to the mainland.

Chapter Text

“Oh…my mechanical head is spinning…”

Decoe slowly opened his eyes, only the weight of a light Guitar Hero controller against his metal chest. Peering around, he saw flashing red lights permeating the command center, accompanied by an omnipresent alarm.

Pulling himself up with the aid of the PlayStation 2 peripheral, the robot noticed his brother lying back-first on the other side of the large room, a microphone cable covering his body while the karaoke machine was playing Thriller by Michael Jackson.  

“Wake up, Bocoe,” he dropped to his knees and shook him by the shoulder.

“Is it…Friday Night yet?” Decoe asked in a daze, shielding his eyes from the alarms.

“No, it’s not,” Bocoe replied as he offered his hand, “but if we don’t get out of here quick, it’ll be our last night.” His wits returning to him, Decoe grabbed hold, allowing his metallic brethren to pull him up.

“Where’s the Doctor? And Bokkun?” Decoe scanned the room, noticing the spilled nachos by the nearby kitchenette.

“Either Bokkun escaped, or he’s been taken hostage!” Bocoe replied. “We should worry about him later. We need to rescue Dr. Eggman before this place goes completely under!”

“Right!” Decoe agreed, following Bocoe down the hallway. The two screeched to a halt, though, as they heard shaking from below.

“What was that?” Bocoe asked.

“I see some smoke,” Decoe replied, pointing to the nearby stairwell, black fumes bellowing from the basement.

“Someone must have planted some bombs hoping to take down headquarters!” Bocoe exclaimed. “This place was already shabby to begin with, so we don’t have long before the foundation collapses!” The two robots boosted their strides, running as fast as they could to Eggman’s bedroom. Just as Decoe was turning the doorknob, however, the door burst open, sending the two careening to the opposing hallway wall.

“Get a hold of yourselves, you bucket of bolts!” Eggman exclaimed, his hands on his hips as he peered down disappointedly at his creations. “You hear the alarm, right?”

“Yes, Doctor!” Bocoe replied. “We were in the process of rescuing you whe—”

“Can it you tin can!” Robotnik replied as he started running to the exit, leaving them behind. Thankfully for the robots, the evil doctor was still, at least somewhat, inebriated from his adult beverage, as evidenced by his uneven strides, allowing the two to catch up with relative ease.

“I’m detecting no other presences, machine or organic, within the vicinity,” Decoe observed as he studied a monitor in his metallic arm. “The perpetrator must have activated the bombs and left quickly.”

“Please save my ears from your useless commentary!” Eggman complained between huffs.

“We’re nearly there!” Bocoe added, pointing forward.

“What did I say about useless commentary?”

As the three ran out through the exit, another explosion sent them blasting out of the building and into the air.

“Ahhhh, hold me, Doctor!” Bocoe and Decoe pleaded, latching onto Eggman’s arms as their upward incline slowly began its descent to the ocean waters below. Thankfully for them, the evil doctor was prepared, already punching in keys into a computer device wrapped around his wrist, and just moments before they landed in the ocean, a dark blue, transparent, glowing orb kept them dry.

“Wooahhooohoohooo! Sonic’s not the only one who can use the water shield! With my recent upgrades, it can even sustain the size and weight of multiple occupan—” Eggman started losing his footing, eventually falling on top of Decoe and Bocoe, causing the sphere to spin, tumbling them like towels in a drying machine until it finally stopped.

“What do we do now, Doctor?” Decoe asked as Eggman pulled himself off the two robots.

“We can hardly move in this thing, after all.” Bocoe added.

“You think I don’t know that?” Eggman barked. Averting his attention away from his metallic assistants, he peered over at the small island, his headquarters now up in flames.

“Did you two at least grab the Chaos Emeralds?”

“Ummmm…” Decoe and Bocoe stared nervously at each other as Robotnik slowly turned to face them once more.

“You useless, miserable, absolutely contemptible hunks of junk! When we’re back on land, I swear I’ll take you apart and repurpose your components for my next headquarters!” As the steam from Robotnik’s red face dissipated, he slumped on the uneven surface of the sphere, placing his hands on the orb’s side for support.

“Just moments ago, I was winning! I had two Chaos Emeralds, and then a little bit of booze and poof: all gone! Not only were the gems stolen from me, but my headquarters has been destroyed…again!” The evil doctor shuddered as he recalled the last time his base of operations collapsed, which occurred during his final battle on Mobius before getting teleported to Earth. “By the time I’m able to get back to the island, I’ll have little to salvage. It’s going to take a long time to recover from this…”

As the three sat in silence, Eggman not in the mood to contemplate his next strategy, they did not notice the speedboat heading their way. In fact, it was only when the loud boat was within a hundred yards when Eggman peered up to find the aquatic vehicle rapidly approaching them.

“What’s this?” Eggman removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes to ensure his vision didn’t deceive him. “Doesn’t look like a police boat. Who’d come out here this late at night?” Decoe and Bocoe shrugged their shoulders as Robotnik noticed what appeared to be an armada of large boats following close behind. Finally, the speedboat, generating uncomfortable waves for the water shield’s occupants, slowed to a stop, and its driver reached out to pull the sphere inside.

The water shield burst moments after contacting the floor, giving Eggman, Decoe, and Bocoe freedom of movement once more.

“Looks like they’re safe n’ sound!” came the enthusiastic voice of the boat’s driver. Turning his chair around, he greeted the evil doctor with a smile as he ran a hand through his short, orange hair. “This rescue was courtesy of Station Square’s own Speed Team, with me, Sam Speed, at the helm.” Eggman remained silent, rubbing his head as he listened attentively to his rescuer. “But I can’t claim all the credit, though,” Sam continued as he gestured to the young boy in the chair opposite of the driver’s seat. “If it wasn’t for Mr. Thorndyke’s intel, you’d still be floating out in the ocean like a buoy.”

“Huh?” Eggman peered over at the kid in question.

“Hello, Doctor…” Chris crossed one leg over the other. “We finally meet.”

“You a fan or something?” Eggman pulled himself up and sat on the side of the boat.

“Of sorts,” Chris replied with a smug sense of superiority. “A fan…with a proposal.” He gestured his arms at the larger, military-esque boats descending upon the fiery island. “My men are putting out the flames as we speak, and they will collect whatever they can salvage from the wreckage, and we will return everything to you in due time.”

“That’s awfully generous…” Eggman furrowed his brow. “Too generous. What’s in it for you?”

“A partnership,” Chris replied, pulling out an iPad from his backpack, throwing it to the evil doctor who nearly fumbled it into the ocean water. “You can start e-signing as we make our way back to shore.”

“What is this, a joke?” Eggman smirked. “If you were truly a fan, you’d know I’m the one who calls the shots.”

“Are you now?” Chris gave a smug grin. “You see, Doctor, I’m holding all the cards here: as you can clearly see, I have the resources to summon an army of men to do my bidding at a moment’s notice, and we’ll be keeping all your gadgets and technology for ourselves…unless you cooperate.”

“Oh yeah?” It was Eggman’s turn to scoff. “And cooperate on what?” The evil doctor froze as the young boy bellowed a laugh even more sinister and deranged than his.

“Why…ending Sonic and Tails, of course.”

“Ohhh…what…happened?”

Waking up in a bright white room, Bokkun was able to move his body. Peering down, he found himself completely restrained to the table, a black window along the wall but not much else.

“Ummm…hello? Is…anybody there?” Tears started to form in his eyes. He couldn’t hear anybody coming to rescue him, making him feel alone, isolated, and trapped.

Little did he know, he was being watched.

“Quit hurting him, Ms. Topaz!” Cream exclaimed from the opposite side of the one-sided window. Her hands were pressing against the window, anger boiling over as her friend suffered by himself.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese agreed, flying around the room to vent their own anger, nearly hitting Sonic in the back of the head. The rest of the gang were waiting with the young bunny, sitting on various chairs, including Helen, who was watching the window attentively alongside Tails. Amy was sitting next to Sonic, Chuck was leaning against the far wall, and Topaz was eyeing the young bunny in concern, her arms crossed as she tried mustering up a response to her pleas.

“I’m sorry, Cream, but this Bokkun character is considered a threat unless proven otherwise. He is an Eggman creation and likely has operative directives hardwired into his programming we need to crack.”

“You’re treating him like a machine! A…criminal machine!” Tears started to form in her eyes.  

“She ain’t exactly wrong, kid,” Rouge interjected from Topaz’s side. “You remember what Bokkun did back on Mobius, right?”

“What did he do?” Topaz asked as Cream turned away, not wanting to be reminded of their final moments on Mobius.

“Bokkun is innocent at heart,” Rouge replied, “but at the end of the day, he’s still a machine. He proved as such when he caused the Chaos Emeralds to react the way they did.”

“Wait…” Topaz ran a hand through her hair. “Are you saying Bokkun, that little robot in there, is responsible for everything?”

“Pretty much,” Rouge replied with a shrug. “Well, I guess technically Eggman’s the one who programmed him, so I guess he is the one to blame?”

“It doesn’t matter!” Cream stomped her foot. “He was being controlled. Manipulated.”

“He followed his words religiously,” Tails added. “He heard Eggman say he’d blow us all up if we didn’t turn over Sonic, and when Bokkun stole the detonator from me, he didn’t realize the Doctor was bluffing. Pressing that button didn’t cause an explosion, but it did trigger Chaos Control, which brought us all here.”

“Regardless of Bokkun’s involvement in this whole ordeal,” Topaz concluded as she approached the door, resting her hand on the knob, “I still have a job to do.”

“Just…don’t hurt him.” Cream’s downcast face melted the government agent’s heart. Topaz turned to the young bunny, knelt on one knee, and placed her hand on the rabbit’s shoulder.

“I promise I won’t hurt Bokkun.” Cream didn’t respond, instead giving a soft nod as she allowed a single tear to flow down her muzzle.

Pulling herself up, Topaz dusted off her attire before entering the interrogation room.

“Good evening, Bokkun,” Topaz greeted as she approached the table.

“Hey, how do you know my name?” Bokkun asked worriedly.

“I know a lot of things about you,” Topaz replied. “Like how you are Eggman’s ‘messenger robot’ primarily tasked with delivering threatening recordings to Sonic and his friends? How you’ve been working by Eggman’s side, on both Mobius and Earth, to cause mischief?”

“I’m innocent! I’m innocent, I swear!”

“Are you now?” Topaz asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Yes, I don’t want to do bad things, honest!” Bokkun’s eyes started glistening once more with a fresh round of tears. “It’s just that…Eggman makes me do bad things.”

“So…you are coerced into this behavior against your will?”

“Mmmmhmmm…” Bokkun slowly nodded his head, failing to keep eye contact with the elder human above. After some thinking, Topaz bent her knees to bring herself to the messenger robot’s level.

“Well…would you like to do some good for a change?”

“What…what do you mean?” Bokkun tilted his head in confusion.

“You don’t seem like a bad kid,” Topaz replied, “but perhaps with some adjustments to your coding, you’d be willing to work with us?”

“I dunno…” Bokkun tilted his head to face the human agent. “I don’t…even know you. How do I know you’re not just gonna use me too, just like Eggman?”

The door swung open, revealing an energized bunny, tears filling her eyes. She ran to the opposite side of Bokkun’s table.

“Because I trust her,” Cream said, nodding to Topaz before returning her gaze to the messenger robot.

“Cream…you’re okay,” Bokkun’s eyes were completely awash with tears.

“Topaz, can you free him?” The rabbit rested a hand between the robot’s pointy ears.

“Yeah, sure.” Topaz clicked a few buttons on the side of the table, disengaging the locks. Just as Bokkun pulled himself up, Cream gave him a big hug, her tears flowing down her face and running down the robot’s back.

“I missed you, Bokkun!”

“I missed you, too…Cream…”

While the two cried in each other’s arms, the rest of the party filled the interrogation room. Tails, Amy, and Helen couldn’t help but shed a tear at this emotional reunion while Sonic wore a smile, his arms folded as he watched the hugging session unfold. Alongside him were the equally stoic Chuck and Rouge.

“So what happened, Cream?” Bokkun asked as he slowly pulled himself away from the embrace, looking into Cream’s watery eyes.

“We infiltrated Eggman’s base,” Cream replied. “Sonic and Tails got the Chaos Emeralds while Amy and I planted the charges to blow it up.”

“You did?” Bokkun was still confused. “What happened to Eggman?”

“Dr. Eggman’s headquarters is still ablaze,” Topaz replied. “We plan on recovering anything salvageable or any remains after it’s deemed safe for our crew to investigate.”

“I know Decoe and Bocoe are still alive,” Bokkun replied as he rubbed his hand behind his head.

“How do you know that?” Sonic asked.

“Bokkun shares a digital connection with them, Sonic,” Tails replied, raising a finger to the air with his eyes closed. “This allows them to know each other’s general presence from a distance. We’ll need to disable this while rewriting his programming to make him completely independent from Eggman.”

“So if Decoe and Bocoe survived,” Amy opined.

“Then that means,” Helen continued.

“So did Eggman!” The entire party exclaimed.

“See,” Rouge placed her gloved hands on her hips, “I told you this wouldn’t be the end of the Doctor. It’ll take a lot more than merely blowing up his headquarters to get rid of him once and for all.”

“All the more reason why we could use your help,” Topaz said as she knelt once more to face Bokkun. “Your data could be the key to taking down Eggman, and Tails and Chuck here can ensure your freedom with a bit of reprogramming.”

“What do you say, Bokkun?” Cream asked with a small smile across her muzzle, her eyes starting to dry but her face still covered with tears.

“I’ll…I’ll…” Bokkun felt something deep inside forcing a sense of uncertainty, no doubt the evil doctor’s software-based failsafe, hoping to prevent any of his creations from flipping sides or spilling the beans on his secrets. Nevertheless, the messenger robot gathered up the strength to break away from his programming. “I’ll…do it.”

“Yay!” Cream hopped on the table and took Bokkun’s hands as she initiated a happy dance, spinning them both around. “We’ll finally get to spend some time together, and best of all, you can stay with us at Helen’s house! Would that be okay, Helen?” The excited rabbit turned to the young human.

“I don’t see why not?” Helen replied with a smile. “If my parents will welcome a bunch of furry aliens into the house, why not a cute lil’ robot too?” This made the messenger robot blush, a blush that only grew as Cream gave him another spontaneous hug.

Bzzzzzzt, Bzzzzzt.

“Oh, excuse me for a second,” Topaz pulled a cell phone from her pocket and answered the call. “Agent Topaz here. What? What do you mean there are a bunch of boats surrounding Eggman’s island? Did you investigate? Yes…Mmmhmmmm…uhuuuhhhh…right…well what do you mean they said they had exclusive legal right to the island and that your entry was considered trespassing?! Did you explain you were from the government? Yes…well what do ya mean they asked you for a court document giving expressed permission to search the island and seize any potential evidence? Yes…okay…well then, okay, bye now.” Just as Topaz ended the call, she threw her phone in anger, the device crashing against the surface and shattering the screen. Out of fright, Bokkun jumped into Cream’s arms, shaking until his mechanical heart rate dropped back down to normal.

“Bureaucratic nonsense?” Chuck asked.

“That’s an understatement,” Topaz replied. “Apparently Eggman had an entire legal team on the island ready to defend his intellectual property, or something like that.”

“That’s strange,” Tails replied as he itched the base of his chin in thought. “That’s not usually Eggman’s style. He doesn’t care much about the laws when he’s trying to take over the world.”

“That’s not all,” Topaz said as she picked up her phone and downloaded an image sent to her by her colleague in the field, “my team found evidence Eggman has been working with a human. Looks like he got saved by them after the explosion. Here’s a picture.” The agent showed the party the image of a boat containing Eggman, an orange haired driver, and a young boy sitting alongside the evil doctor.

“No way…” Sonic peered over at Helen, whose eyes were starting to fill with tears as the realization struck her like a freight train.

“No…” She shook her head. “Chris isn’t a nice guy, but working with Eggman? Why would he stoop so low?”

“Did I,” Tails began as he stared at his shoes, his hands behind his back in uncertainty, “did…I…drive him over the edge?”

“What do you mean, little guy?” Sonic asked as he approached his little brother.

“When I pushed Chris down after he slapped Helen…if I would’ve handled the situation differently, do you think we could’ve gotten through to him?”

“No,” Helen shook her head. “This was probably in the cards since Eggman first made his debut. You did nothing to make Chris join Eggman’s side, Tails.” She rolled to the orange kitsune’s side and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You defended me after he slapped me in the face. Most would’ve been too afraid to stand up to someone as wealthy and powerful as the Thorndyke heir, but you did just that. I’m lucky to call you my friend.”

“Thanks, Helen…” Tails returned the human girl’s smile with his own as he ran a gloved hand behind his head.

“Besides,” Sonic added from Tails’ other side, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder as well, “you showed that little snot-nosed brat a thing or two about respect. Hitting someone is one thing, but slapping someone defenseless and out of the blue like that? He clearly has no conscience whatsoever.”

“Agreed,” the party replied in unison.

“We haven’t even gotten to the worst part,” Topaz interrupted. “Sure, Eggman doesn’t have the Chaos Emeralds, but much of his tech has been salvaged by Chris’ goons and is now being stored at a secured, unknown location under the powerful Thorndyke name. We’ll have to go through a lot of red tape to gather a list of Thorndyke properties and to obtain court warrants to investigate each one. By then, I’m sure Eggman will have extracted his most useful tools for whatever nefarious scheme he has cooked up next.”

“Not only that,” Chuck added, “but he now has the financial backing of one of the wealthiest families in the world. He was already a force to be reckoned with before, but with these latest tidings, he’ll be an even greater threat.

Sonic chuckled at these words, causing the party to shift their attention to the blue hedgehog.

“What’s so funny, Sonic?” Amy asked as she placed her hands on her hips, giving her boyfriend a judgmental glare. “You know it’s impolite to laugh like that, right?”

“Sorry, I was just imagining Eggman having to rely on that little brat.” Sonic peered around the room. “Regardless of Eggman’s new evil sidekick, we’ll defeat him like we always do, right gang?”

“Yeah!” The Mobians replied in unison.

“Plus, we have Topaz and Bokkun here to help us out as well!” Cream replied with a wholesome smile.

“Yeah!” Bokkun said, giving the young bunny another hug.

“In speaking of which,” Topaz said as she shifted her focus to the messenger robot. “The final item on the agenda is getting you all checked out. Tails, Chuck…I know it’s getting late, but now that we know Eggman is still a threat, it is gravely apparent that whatever you need to do with Bokkun needs to be addressed as soon as possible.”

“Right on it!” Tails replied. He peered up at Bokkun, who, along with Cream, was still on the table. The orange kitsune reached a hand up. “Here, Bokkun, Chuck and I will take you to a separate lab room so we can work out the software updates.”

“But…but…” Bokkun turned away as he played with his fingers.

“What’s wrong, Bokkun?” Cream asked, tilting her head in concern.

“I’m…scared, is all,” he replied, turning back around to face the young rabbit. “I don’t like being put under like that. It always feels like a part of me is being erased or controlled.”

“You have our guarantee,” Chuck replied, “that we will not touch any of the programming that makes you, well…you. We are only going to remove all coding associated with Eggman’s directives and delink you from his network.”

“O…okay…”

“Would it help you if I were by your side during the procedure?” Cream asked.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added, signifying their intent to join the messenger robot during the operation as well.

“Yes, that would make me feel a lot better,” Bokkun replied with a small smile.

“Then let’s get you down from there,” Tails raised his arm up, allowing Bokkun to take his hand as he dropped to the floor, “and let’s get you to the lab.”

“Okay!” Bokkun was now cheerful, back to his old self, as he followed the orange kitsune and the elder scientist out of the interrogation room. Cheese and Cream followed shortly after, as well as the rest of the crew.

“Hey Ames,” Sonic asked as he tapped Amy’s shoulder.

“What is it, Sonic?” Amy replied. By this point, everyone else had already left the room, following Chuck and Chris to the lab located down the hall of the government base.

“Remember that…promise I made back on Mobius?” Sonic ran a hand through his quills as a blush appeared over his face.

“Y-yeah?” The pink hedgehog was caught off-guard, not expecting her boyfriend to willingly bring up such a romantic topic.

“Well, I’ve been thinkin’…” Sonic cleared his throat. “It’s probably gonna be awhile until we make it back home, so I was wonderin’ if you just wanted, to…ummm…go on a date here on Earth?”

“Ohhh, Sonic!” Amy charged the blue hedgehog, making him fall to the ground with her terrorizing, albeit loving, full-body hug. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask me out like that?”

“Y-yeah,” Sonic replied as he pulled himself up, sitting on the floor as he rested his back against the wall.

“And now it’s finally happening!” Amy gave a contented sigh. “I knew if I just waited patiently, you’d slow down a bit and start making time for me!”

“So…” Amy sat next to the blue hedgehog and smirked. “Where are you planning on taking me?”

“Oh, well…ummmm…” The blue hedgehog ran a hand through his quills. “I hear…Taco Bell is good?”

Amy’s pupils filled with flames as she withdrew her Piko Piko Hammer from her hammerspace. “Do you wanna try that again?”

“No, no…what I meant to say was that I don’t really know any good places ‘round here, so like…ummm…” Sonic gulped as the pink hedgehog tightened her grip on her hammer. “I was wondering if we could decide, together, ya know…like a…couple?”

Amy dropped her hammer and immediately snuggled up to her blue boyfriend.

“Oh, how romantic!” Collecting herself, and putting her weapon back into her hammerspace, she returned her gaze to the blue hedgehog. “Yes, Sonic. That sounds lovely. I have some ideas of some good places that serve Italian food that are more highly rated than that Olive Garden place Rouge and Topaz went to.”

So as Chuck and Tails got to work on Bokkun’s code, Amy and Sonic spent the late-night hours researching on Helen’s phone for various restaurants. All seemed well; Tails and Chuck were exchanging jokes as they updated Bokkun’s software, Rouge and Topaz were casually chatting in the corner, and Cream kept a careful eye on the messenger robot as she pet Cheese in her lap.

Helen, however, felt a wave of anxiety, one she kept hidden from her friends, over what was to come.

“Chris…” She whispered to herself as she stared at her knees.

“You say something, Helen?” Tails asked as he removed the lid protecting Bokkun’s central processing unit in his head.

“Oh, not at all!” Helen replied with a nervous wave and a blush. “Just talking to myself.”

“All righty,” Tails replied with a smile as he got to work. What Helen didn’t know, though, was the orange kitsune was quietly observing the young girl, realizing she wasn’t doing well.  

Sighing to himself, he continued his work, resolving to ask Helen how she was fairing tomorrow.

Chapter Text

“Your tea, sir.”

“Why thank you, ma’am.”

“My, my, what polite manners, Mr. Bokkun!” Cream exclaimed as she poured her robotic friend a cup of the soothing beverage from a warm tea kettle. Unlike the tea parties she hosted for Cheese and her stuffed animals back on Mobius, though, the young bunny was given the privilege to make her own tea, with a little help from Amy, to make her first date with Bokkun even more memorable.

“Why, it was nothing, really,” Bokkun replied as he ran a hand behind his head, a blush appearing across his face.

“Mr. Bokkun,” Cream said as she placed her teacup on the table and crossed one leg over the other, “if you’re a robot, why do you blush?”

“Why…do I blush?” Bokkun placed a gloved hand on his chest, his teacup shaking in his other. “Was I…blushing?”

“You sure were, Bokky,” Cream replied with a bright smile. “It was rather cute.” This complement only made the messenger robot blush even harder.

“Well,” Bokkun stammered, “I’m…not just a robot, per say. The Doctor gave me sentience and other Mobian-like qualities, too. Like…I can eat!” As if to demonstrate to the young bunny, Bokkun placed his cup on the table and grabbed a slice of vanilla cake. Instead of eating it like a gentleman, however, he plucked it from its plate, threw it up in the air, and caught it in his throat. “See? I ‘an surbive on bood ‘nd elebrical bower.” The sight of the robot trying to speak with his cheeks full of food made the young bunny giggle.

“How do you feel after last night?” Cream asked as Bokkun took a long swig of tea, which helped him swallow the entire slice.

“Honestly, I feel great!” Bokkun replied, raising his fists in the air. “I miss the connection I used to share with Decoe and Bocoe, but besides that, I’ve never been happier!” The messenger robot leaned back in his small, plastic chair. “I no longer fear Eggman controlling me from far away, and I feel I’m truly where I belong!”

“Where you be-belong?” Cream asked, this time stammering herself as a blush appeared across her muzzle.

“Yeah, with my friends!” Bokkun sat up straight and grabbed his teacup, sticking out his pinky in the process. He cleared his throat, preparing to emulate his gentlemanly accent once more. “Having tea and cake with a beautiful lady such as yourself is much better than putting up with Eggman berating me day in and day out.”

“If you’re happy, then I’m happy!” Cream grabbed a slice of cake for herself, electing to eat it politely with a small fork and even smaller bites.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from atop the umbrella shielding the sun for the two socialites below.

“This cake is very yummy!” Bokkun declared as he worked his way through his second slice.

“Thank you! Well…I shouldn’t take all the credit. I only helped Helen and Amy bake this morning.”

“The fact you helped makes it extra sweet!” Bokkun replied as he reached for his third slice.

“You re-really mean that?” Cream asked, a sparkle in her eye as a blush returned to her muzzle. Bokkun stopped mid-chew, admiring the adorable bunny as his heart pumped a million times a minute.

“Mr. Bokkun, are you okay?” Cream asked, tilting her head in concern as the messenger robot stared at her, sweat starting to form across his brow. He remained frozen however, his hands wavering as a half-eaten slice of cake started to slide from his plate.

“Oh no, your cake!” Cream cried as she lunged forward, hoping to catch the pastry before it fell to the grass. Unfortunately for the young bunny, however, she tripped over the leg of her chair, causing her to careen into the messenger robot instead, sending them both rolling to the grass like a tire. Finally, as they made their final tumble, Cream ended up on top of Bokkun, her head just above his.

“Bokky! Are you o-okay?” Cream asked as she stared into the messenger robot’s beady eyes.

“Y-yeah,” he replied as he stared back at the glistening orbs above him. The two blushed profusely, frozen in place for several seconds.

“Okay, what is going on here?”

Cream rolled to Bokkun’s side in surprise and looked up to find the menacing glare of Amy Rose staring back at the young robot.

“Just what are you up to with Cream?” Amy asked as she pulled out her Piko Piko Hammer.

“W-what do you mean?” Bokkun asked as he crawled away backwards, his eyes focused on the devastating hammer he’d prefer to be kept at the pink hedgehog’s side.

“I look away for ten seconds and you two are in the grass together…” Amy approached the terrified messenger robot until she was within inches of him. Finally, she dropped to one knee. “Just what are your intentions with Cream?”

“What, intentions? I don’t know what you mean, I swear!” Bokkun replied frantically, waving his hands forward in protest.

“Mr. Bokkun didn’t do anything wrong!” Cream protested as she pulled herself up and helped him off the ground as well. “It was my fault, honest! I tripped and pushed him over. He’s not trying to kidnap me or anything!”

“Riiiiiight…” Amy eyed the young bunny and the messenger robot suspiciously, changing focus between the two before her site was set back on Eggman’s creation once more. She pointed at her eyes before pointing her fingers back at the robot. “I have my eyes on you, mister. Any funny business, and we’ll have Tails and Chuck disassemble you. Got it?”  

“Y-yes, ma’am,” Bokkun replied slowly, tears starting to form in his eyes.

“Great!” Amy’s demeanor changed on a dime. “With that out of the way, I can finally start preparing for my date.”

“You have a date?” Cream asked as she tilted her head in confusion.

“Why, but of course!” Amy replied enthusiastically. “Sonic finally, after all these years, asked me out on a date! We have the entire afternoon and evening all planned out!”

“Wow, congrats, Ms. Amy!” Cream replied cheerfully.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from her side.

“Thanks!” Amy giggled like a giddy schoolgirl, her pitch even higher than normal and her blush on full display. After regaining her composure, the pink hedgehog peered around the backyard. “In speaking of which, have you seen Sonic anywhere? I need him to try on this suit.” She pulled a black tuxedo with a blue bowtie from her hammerspace.

“I haven’t seen him, Ms. Amy,” Cream replied, “but you’ll be the first to know if I do.”

“Thanks!” Amy gave Cream a wink before giving Bokkun one final stare down, pointing at her eyes before rapidly pointing her fingers back at the young robot. The pink hedgehog stepped away, turning around to enter the house.

“Sonic?” Amy walked through the small kitchen, freshly cleaned after her baking session with Helen, and knocked on the human girl’s bedroom door.

“Come in!” Helen said, moments before the pink hedgehog entered her bedroom.

“Hey Helen, have you seen Sonic around?”

“I don’t…think so?” Helen replied as she twirled a pencil between her fingers. “I’ve just been doing homework. I need to get this math assignment turned in by Monday.”

Amy sighed. “Okay, thanks anyway, Helen.” The pink hedgehog left the room, closing the door behind, before approaching the spare bedroom. Knocking, she didn’t hear anyone, so she made herself welcome.

“Sonic?” The pink hedgehog crept into the small bedroom, pinching her nose in the process. “Yuck! It smells like old gym socks and chili dogs in here!” She was about to head out when she noticed Tails in the upper level of the bunkbed. Amy jumped and pulled herself up from the side of the bed, startling the orange fox in the process.

“Whatcha up to, Tails?” Amy asked as she peered down at the device in his lap. “Hey, what’s that thing?”

“Oh, I’m playing human videogames!” Tails replied as he removed his earbuds. “Helen really wanted me to try this game called Pokémon, so I’m giving it a go! You get to set off on a quest to collect these monsters to train and battle with other Pokémon masters to gather all the gym badges and make one’s way up to the Elite Fo—” 

“Yeah yeah, very fascinating,” Amy replied as she rolled her eyes and loosened her grip, allowing herself to gently drop to the floor below. “Have you seen Sonic around? I need his tush in this tuxedo for our date!”

“Oh, Sonic?” Tails scratched his chin in thought. “Well, have you tried the roof? If he isn’t running around, he’s probably taking a snooze up there.”

“Oh, of course!” Amy smashed her fist into the open palm of her other hand. “Thanks, Tails!”

“Don’t mention…” The pink hedgehog was already gone, slamming the door behind her and running to the backyard. “…it…”

As Amy was about to step outside, she collided with a blur of blue, causing her to get launched across the room. Happening in a literal instant, she had no time to scream, and before her mind could catch up with what occurred, she was safely in the gentle arms of the azure hedgehog.

“Sonic?” Amy shook her head in confusion. “What just happened?”

“We ran into each other, silly!” Sonic placed her on the nearby sofa. “Are you okay? I think I might’ve hit your arm.”

“Oh, well, now that you mention it…” The pink hedgehog rubbed her right arm. “It is a bit so—” She gasped as Sonic rapidly sped to the kitchen, returning seconds later with an ice pack. Setting it to the side, Sonic sat next to her and lifted her arm. Blushing profusely, Amy watched as Sonic got to work, placing the pack on her arm before wrapping it with a kitchen towel.

“There we go! All better.” Sonic gave Amy a wink. “Sorry if this messes up our date today.”

“Our…date?” Having to take a few moments to remember, the pink hedgehog peered over at her ice pack. “Oh yeah…my dress won’t go over this.”

“Why do you need a dress when you look fine the way you are?”

“Sonic…are you…saying I’m…beautiful?”

A blush appeared across the blue hedgehog’s face, turning away as his pink counterpart stared at him with glistening eyes.

“Well…ummm…” Sonic’s voice trailed off, the blush across his muzzle growing all the wider, noticed instantly by the pink hedgehog.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” The pink hedgehog pulled Sonic’s tuxedo from her hammerspace. “If I’m not going to be dressing up, then it’d be weird for you to wear this, huh?”

The blue hedgehog pondered Amy’s thought as he brought a hand to his chin. “Well, you know, Ames…maybe I could, I dunno…try it on? Just for you, before we go out?” This lit a spark in Amy’s eyes.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” She proceeded to drag Sonic to the spare bedroom, where Tails was peacefully still playing Pokémon in the top bunk.

“All right, Tails, we need a bit of privacy here,” Amy called as the orange kitsune shifted his focus from Helen’s Nintendo Switch to the pink hedgehog at the door. “Sonic’s gonna get dressed for me.”

“Wha, but, ummm…why do I need to leave?”

“Just…cause, all right?” Amy’s voice rose. “Sonic’s gonna show me what he looks like in that tuxedo, and it’s impolite to change in front of other people.”

“Except…what about you?” Tails tilted his head like an Earth dog hearing food dropping on the floor.

“I don’t count, Tails!” A vein near Amy’s ears visibly pulsated as her eyelids twitched in annoyance.

“Hey, bud,” Sonic whispered from behind the irate hedgehog. He flicked his hand in front of his neck, signaling to his little brother to drop the argument before it escalates further.

“Okay, fiiiiine…” The young fox slipped off the bed. “I’ll go see what Helen’s up to. Good luck, Sonic.”

“Thanks, buddy!” The blue hedgehog gave him a thumbs up as he walked past. Moments after Tails left the bedroom, Amy shut the door and threw the tuxedo at the blue hedgehog, a bundle including the jacket, white undershirt, bowtie, black pants, black socks, and leather shoes. Sonic peered down at the outfit in confusion before Amy, sighing to herself, grabbed the clothing and neatly arranged them along the lower bunk.

“First, the shoes need to go,” Amy said. Sonic complied, kicking them to the side. Amy was too excited to even notice the odor emanating from his feet. “Next, the undershirt!”

“Oh man, I hate clothes…” Sonic pulled the shirt over his quills, but…

“Uhhh, Amy? The shirt’s stuck.” The blue hedgehog tried pulling it down, but it was caught by the sharp ends of his quills.

“Oh Sonic, you’re so hopeless, but that’s why you have me around!” Amy smiled as she approached Sonic and carefully pulled the shirt back before using her hands to stretch the cloth, allowing it to travel along the quills more freely. Encountering further resistance, however, Amy yanked the shirt down, but as she came to find out, she applied a bit too much force, so much so that Sonic fell forward, grabbing hold of the pink hedgehog in the process.

The two yelped as they fell to the floor, the blue hedgehog on top of his pink counterpart.

“Ames…” Sonic slowly pulled himself up, his hands along either side of Amy’s head. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah…” Amy blushed as she locked eyes with the love of his life, who just so happened to be blushing as well.

“Ms. Amy! Mr. Sonic!”

Turning their heads, they froze as they saw Cream standing at the doorway, holding Bokkun’s hand. She was blushing nearly as hard as the two hedgehogs.

“What are you doing?” Cream asked.

“Oh, n-nothing! N-nothin’ at all!” Sonic replied as he pulled himself up, shreds of his shirt still stuck in his quills.

“Yeah, I was just helping Sonic here try out some clothes!” Amy added as she joined Sonic’s side, equally flustered.

Cream eyed the two suspiciously, raising a hand to her chin in thought as her focus continuously shifted between the elder Mobians. Finally, her frown was replaced with a beaming smile. “I’m sure you’ll look really nice in that outfit, Mr. Sonic!” The young bunny turned to the door. “Want to go play somewhere else, Bokky?”

“Sure!” Bokkun replied with a smile of his own, pleased to be led to the living room.

As the messenger robot closed the door, Amy and Sonic sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from their brows.

“That was a close one, right Ames?” Sonic asked as he sat along the side of the lower bunk.

“Y-yeah…” Amy sat next to the blue hedgehog, observing the tattered bits of shirt which found their way into Sonic’s quills. “Here, let me get some of that out for you.”

“Thanks.” Sonic smiled as he allowed the pink hedgehog to run her gloved hands through his quills, gently plucking out the remains of the white shirt as he sat patiently. “Looks like the tuxedo was a bit of a bust, huh?”

“Yeah,” Amy replied with a sigh. “I suppose there’s a reason why you don’t wear shirts…the tuxedo would look weird without something underneath, and I don’t think Helen has anything else suitable.”

“That’s too bad,” Sonic replied with a sigh of his own. “Any way I can make it up to ya?”

“Well…” The pink hedgehog blushed once more as she removed her hands from Sonic’s quills, placing her palms on her cheeks instead. “I know of one thing…”

“What is it?” Sonic tilted his head as he lifted one leg across the other.

“Maybe…ohhhh, I don’t know…I’ve never had a kiss before…can I have my first kiss?”

Sonic fell over.

“Sonic?” Amy pulled him off the floor. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah…” The two faced each other, but they looked away awkwardly, both running their hands through their quills. “So, like…” He slowly approached the pink hedgehog, bending his knees slightly so he was at eye level. “Ummm, on the cheek?”

“That’s…a good start, yeah,” Amy replied, a million thoughts running through her head. She gulped in anticipation as her blue boyfriend’s face slowly approached her cheek. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she felt the warm sensation of Sonic’s lips against her pale muzzle. She closed her eyes, cherishing the moment before Sonic pulled his lips away, a bright red blush across his face once more.

“Like that?” Sonic asked with a smirk. “Actually felt kinda nice, ya know?”

“I think I’m…gonna…catch me, Sonikku…” In traditional Saturday morning cartoon fashion, Amy swooned, twirling in a semi-circle before falling back, allowing the blue hedgehog just enough time to catch her.

As Sonic stared at the unconscious hedgehog, a lightbulb went off in his head. Grinning, Sonic gently placed Amy on the bed and rushed to the kitchen, preparing the most romantic luncheon the blue hedgehog could think to share with his girlfriend.

While Sonic was making preparations, Tails was lying in Helen’s bed, peering over at the young girl at her desk as she plugged numbers into her calculator.

“How are you feeling after yesterday?” The orange kitsune asked.

“I’m…fine,” Helen tersely replied as she was drawing out her equation on her homework assignment. The led tip broke, however, forcing her to flip her pencil around and aggressively erase her entire answer.

“Are you sure?” Tails asked as he pulled himself up, sitting on the side of her bed. “It seems like something’s bothering you. If you want to talk about it, I’m all ears.” Helen put her pencil down and stared at the wall. “It’s about Chris, isn’t it?” Tails approached the young girl and sat on the side of the desk. “About how he’s teaming up with Eggman now?”

“How’d you guess?” Helen asked sarcastically as she turned her head to face the concerned kitsune. “It’s just that…well, I feel like I could’ve done more, you know?”

“What do you mean?” Tails asked as he pulled one leg across the other, resting his palms on his knee.

“Chris and I have known each other since kindergarten. Sure, he’s always been spoiled, and I’ve tried to be friendly, but despite showing him kindness, he always got worse and worse. Maybe if I did something differently, he wouldn’t have turned out the way he did?”

“No way, Helen,” Tails slipped off her desk and gently grabbed her hands. “Some people are just too far gone to reach. If you couldn’t convince him to see the error of his ways, then nobody could. You tried your best, but he’s not your responsibility. In fact,” Tails gently let go of her hands and approached the open window, staring into the sky, “his resources will make Eggman that much harder to stomp out. If we’re going to defeat Eggman, we’re going to have to defeat Chris as well.”

“What are you saying?” Helen asked as she stared back at the orange fox, his fur glistening in the late morning sun. “We’re not…going to hurt him, are we?”

“Physically, I hope not,” Tails replied as he spun around once more, returning to Helen’s side, “but he’d rather have his money do all the work for him anyway. Cutting off his ability to support Eggman financially would really stifle whatever the evil doctor has cooking up. Unfortunately…” Tails brought a finger to his chin in thought. “I’d get us all in trouble if I just hacked into his family’s bank accounts, and the government’s going to need to gather enough evidence before they can freeze their assets and investigate every Thorndyke-owned property spanning the U.S. and the rest of the world. In the meantime, we’ll need t—” Tails turned to face Helen, whose head was tilted. “Oh, sorry Helen, I was just rambling there…” The orange kitsune ran a hand behind his head.

“It’s fine,” Helen replied. “I enjoy your rambling. Makes me feel better.”

“Glad I could help!” Tails replied with a thumbs up.

“I just…don’t want to hurt Chris. Let’s go fight Eggman and let the authorities go after him when they have the evidence.”  

“Right!” Tails gave Helen a nod and a thumbs up, returned by the young girl with a smile. “Feeling better?”

“Yep!” Helen replied. “Thanks for the talk. It really helped!”

“That’s what friends are for!” Tails replied, scratching the back of his head once more.

“And now I’ll be able to focus on this math assignment.” Helen sharpened her pencil before returning her focus to the paper below.

“I’ll go see what Chuck’s up to,” Tails replied as he approached the door. “I’ll see you later!”

“Bye, Tails!”

As the young fox approached the basement door, he felt the unforgettable breeze of Sonic running past him. Turning to face the Blue Blur, however, something wasn’t quite right.

“Ummm, Sonic…is Amy okay?” Tails pointed to the pink hedgehog, who was being cradled in Sonic’s arms with a picnic basket on her belly.

“Shhhhh…” Sonic brought a finger to his lips. “Long story, will tell ya later.” He proceeded to reach his head down and bite into the handle of the basket. “Shee ya!” Moments later, Sonic was gone, bursting down the street to a location unknown to the young fox.

Tails blinked a few times, attempting to process what he just witnessed before shrugging his shoulders, closing the front door Sonic rudely left open, and heading to the basement to check in with Chuck.

“Ohhh, where…ahhh!” As Amy tried opening her eyes, she was blinded by the piercing sun above.

“Ooops, sorry ‘bout that! Lemme fix the umbrella for ya!”

“Huh?” In an instant, the sun’s rays were replaced by the refreshing shade offered by the umbrella promised to her by the blue hedgehog. Rubbing her eyes, she tried opening them once more. As her sight adjusted, she studied the sand seemingly all around, the small, snake-like lake a few yards away and nobody else in sight, save for Sonic sitting next to her in a matching beach chair. “W-what is this, Sonic?”

“It’s our date!” Sonic replied. “I found this place during one of my runs, thought you’d enjoy it, too! I think we’re in…Brazil? Oh yeah…” The blue hedgehog reached down to the sand below, pulling out his picnic basket. “They’re still fresh! Here, Ames, catch!” The pink hedgehog nearly fumbled the tinfoil-wrapped food item, but she caught it before it could fall on her lap. Unwrapping it, she was greeted with the unforgettable sight and smell of a chili dog. Bringing the hedgehog delicacy to her lips, she took a small bite.

“How d’ya like it?” Sonic asked as he rolled to his side on the beach chair, one arm propping him up.

“This…this is…” Amy’s eyes started to well up. “This is the greatest day of my life!” Throwing the chili dog to the side, the pink hedgehog dove to her blue boyfriend, giving him a big kiss on the lips before snuggling in next to him, leaving Sonic temporarily paralyzed and a crimson tint burning brightly across his muzzle. “The fastest thing alive finally slowed down to take me on a date like this…I feel like the luckiest thing alive.”

“What can I say,” Sonic replied with a chuckle, having since regained his composure, “even I need to slow down from time to time…and…” Sonic kissed Amy’s forehead, almost making her swoon once more. “…this is nice, ya know? I guess being so far from home really puts things into perspective…”

“What do you mean?” Amy asked as she pulled herself up, resting her hand on Sonic’s chest as she stared at the blue hedgehog, who was looking into the sky, deep in thought.

“It’s made me think of all that I appreciate. Like…when Cream and I were in that military prison, and I couldn’t run away, I learned not to take my abilities for granted. Being separated from my friends, it’s made me realize just how lucky I am to have everyone in my life, ya know?”

“I’m lucky, too, Sonic…” Amy rested her face on Sonic’s chest as she closed her eyes. “Lucky to be with you.” The pink hedgehog slowly started to close her eyes once more until sleep took hold, the light breeze, the umbrella’s shade, and the blue hedgehog’s warmth making her feel comfortable, protected, and loved.

Lightly chuckling to himself, he used his left arm to reach for the picnic basket, grabbing a chili dog and skillfully unwrapping it with one hand, careful not to disturb the pink hedgehog’s slumber. Instead of wolfing it down like normal, though, he ate it slowly, holding Amy in place with his other arm as he relaxed in the afternoon sun.

Chapter Text

“My name…is Knuckles. Knuckles the Echidna…and I’m sitting here in Station Square’s community park in the dead of night, having refused the warmth and comfort of Helen’s home. Man, do I miss my cabin…”

The red echidna was sitting cross legged in the grass, his eyes closed and his mind deep in thought.

“So far I am no closer to finding any Chaos Emeralds, or any way off this planet. The Master Emerald lay unguarded, keeping Angel Island afloat but unprotected against any threats. I should be thankful the two biggest threats to the Master Emerald are here on Earth…Eggman and Rouge.” The echidna peered up at the moon above, partially obscured by the clouds, light pollution only allowing him to see a few of the stars.

“Rouge…what’s her angle in all this? She goes from being a jewel thief to a government spy? This doesn’t add up at all…” Knuckles rubbed his forehead in frustration. “In any case, I need to hunt for food tomorrow. I’m not going to be dependent on humans to keep me nourished, although…” He peered down at what can only be described as his only Earthly possession: an unopened can of grape soda. “Tails said the drinks on Earth taste good…and I am thirsty…” Peering around, as if desiring to perform a sacrilegious act in private, the echidna picked up the can, used the spiky end of his knuckle to pull the tab up, and took a sip.

His face lit up.

“This is great! It doesn’t beat real grapes, but it’ll do.” Knuckles proceeded to gulp down the entire can before crushing it against his forehead and throwing it at the nearest recycling bin. Unfortunately, the can hit the rim of the bin but didn’t fall inside, so cursing to himself, he approached the receptacle to finish the job.

“Guess I should head back to camp…” Leaving the park, Knuckles traveled west, ignoring the prying eyes of pedestrians, hoping to take a long snooze in the nearby forest before returning to his Chaos Emerald search the next morning. “I should touch base with Sonic at Helen’s place, too…see if they’ve been able to track down any emeralds...”

As the red echidna made his way down the sidewalk, a limousine pulled up to his side. Out from one of the passenger doors came a man dressed in a business suit, with hair slicked back and muscles larger than average, the latter fact Knuckles identified immediately.

“Knuckles the Echidna?” The man opened his door wider, signaling him to enter.

“Yeah, who are you?” Knuckles replied, standing still and on his guard.

“That’s not important,” he replied as he gestured his arm into the car, “all you need to know is we’ve been sent here to retrieve you.”

“I may live in the wilderness,” Knuckles replied as he crossed his arms, “but even I know not to just enter a stranger’s car. What are you going to do, promise me candy? Now, if you excuse me…”  

“You’re looking for the Chaos Emeralds, are you not?”

“What’s that to you?”

“My boss has some information you may find rather…interesting.”

“Okay, then spill it!” Knuckles bashed his fists together.

“Not here,” he replied. “He wants to see you in person.”

“If he wants to share anything with me, he can visit my camp.” Knuckles started to stomp away with a huff.

“Don’t you want to return to the Master Emerald?”

Knuckles stopped in his tracks, pondering his options.

What do I have got to lose? I have no leads, and the guy doesn’t look like much of a challenge. I could leave whenever I want if their info is useless…

“Fine…” Knuckles turned around and approached the limo, entering through the door left ajar by the suited man. “Just don’t waste my time.”

“Oh, trust me, Knuckles,” he replied as he sat across from him in the spacious vehicle, “after you meet my employer, you’ll have wished you complied sooner.”

“Yeah, right.” Knuckles folded his arms and placed one leg over the other, studying the half-dozen others in the vehicle dressed like their apparent leader.

The trip didn’t take long. The tinted windows made it hard to see where they were going, but when they got out of the car, Knuckles found himself away from the bustle of Station Square, on the edge of the city and in the parking lot of an ocean front. He was led to a small, shaded venue with tables, generally booked for party reservations but unused at this time of night. Knuckles could hear a conversation coming from their destination as they got closer.

“These tables are absolutely filthy. Why don’t they have janitors cleaning these at least once per hour?” The young boy scoffed as he snapped his fingers. “Tanaka, fetch me my chair from the supply truck.”

“Yes, Mr. Thorndyke.” As the butler ran off, Chris’ smirk widened as he noticed Knuckles and his henchmen approaching close by. When they arrived, Knuckles folded his arms and leaned against a table.

“So, you’re the informant I was told about?”

“Why yes,” Chris replied, as well as someone else you know quite well.” Dr. Eggman stepped out of the shadows, making his presence known to the red echidna.

“Dr. Eggman?” Knuckles gasped. “What are you doing here?” He furrowed his brow and raised his fists in anticipation of a brawl.

“Now, now, Knuckles, no need for violence,” Eggman replied with a smirk of his own. “But if you want to take your anger out on someone, it should be Sonic.”

“Oh yeah?” Knuckles loosened his fists.

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” Eggman threw a newspaper at the red echidna, who caught the cover page but let the others slip from his grasp, soon blowing away in the wind. Peering down, he started to read the frontpage story:

Sonic the Hedgehog, former captive who is now working with the government in their ongoing efforts to capture Dr. Eggman, has declared his intentions to stay on Earth.

“What can I say,” Sonic said to us in an exclusive interview, “it’s nice here, ya know? The scenery is neat, much better than that boring hunk of rock where I came from, so I’ll just live here for now on.”

He later clarified that he still intends to cooperate with federal authorities in attempting to apprehend Dr. Eggman, who was transported to Earth alongside Sonic amidst mysterious conditions, but he does not intend to return to his home planet. He also said his friend Knuckles should “get a life” and “stop obsessing over a big stupid rock” and needs to “take a bath because he stinks.”  

“Want to know the worst part?” Eggman asked. “He’s hoarding all the Chaos Emeralds to prevent us from leaving! I don’t want to be stuck on Earth forever, and I’m sure you want to get back to the Master Emerald as soon as possible.”

Knuckles crushed the newspaper in his hands. “That fiend. Who does he think he is?!”

“That’s what I’m saying,” Eggman agreed. “Unfortunately, I can’t retrieve the emeralds alone. You and I will need to work together to get Sonic to cooperate…by any means necessary.”

Knuckles pondered this thought as he massaged his chin. “Wait a minute…how do I know this isn’t a trick?”

“You saw the news story, right?” Eggman asked with an evil grin. “And besides, at a time like this, we need to come together for…shared interests! I want to build the Eggman Empire on Mobius, and you want to get back to Angel Island…so what do you say…partner?” The human scientist approached the red echidna and extended an arm out, an open palm welcoming him to seal the deal.

“I don’t like it, and you’ve lied to me before, but this time feels different…okay, Eggman, we’ve got a deal.” The two shook hands, an act which was cut short by the sound of a stack of documents dropping to the floor between them by multiple suited men.  

“Knuckles the Echidna,” Chris interrupted as he sipped a Capri Sun on his reclining chair, “to solidify this deal, we need 493 signatures from you.”

“Who is this, your subordinate?” Knuckles chuckled.

“No, you ignorant buffoon!” Chris retorted loudly. “I happen to be Mr. Thorndyke, the heir to the Thorndyke financial empire! Now, can we skip the pleasantries, or can you get to signing?”

“No way,” Knuckles replied. “I’m going to march on over to Helen’s place right now and get back the emeralds he’s hoarding for himself.” As he turned to leave, he was stopped by Eggman’s gloved hand on his shoulder.

“You don’t need to sign anything, but we need to plan things out strategically.”

“What do you mean?” Knuckles asked. “I knock his skull in and leave with the Chaos Emeralds. What’s so difficult about that?”

“Aren’t you forgetting about Sonic’s friends?” Eggman asked as he massaged his mustache. “You go charging in, and you’d need to face Tails, Amy, Cream, and that turncoat Bokkun all at once!”

“I can take them all down with one hand tied behind my back, just watch!” The red echidna threw some air punches as if he were a boxer psyching himself up for a match.

“You’re going to need more than gumption if we are going to take back the Chaos Emeralds. Thankfully, I’ve come prepared…”

“That’s our queue,” Decoe said as he joined Bocoe in delivering a small television bomb, placing it on the table across from Knuckles.

“Here is the plan.” Eggman gestured to the T.V. “You will record a message for Sonic to meet you in the mountains tomorrow afternoon. Challenge him to a one-on-one brawl. He would never turn that down. Once you defeat him, you can claim the Chaos Emeralds for Team Eggma—I mean, Team Knuckles!”

“I don’t care about teams,” the red echidna replied with a scoff, “all I care about is getting home.”

“You and me both,” Eggman replied as he snapped his fingers. “Decoe, Bocoe: start recording. You can edit it later before delivering our special message to Sonic.”

“Yes, sir!” The two replied as they pulled a tripod and a camera from their hammerspace. They proceeded to put the camera in place, reducing the height of the tripod to meet Knuckles’ height.

“You may begin when you are ready, Knuckles,” Bocoe said.

Knuckles cleared his throat and looked into the camera eye. Decoe zoomed in on the echidna’s eyes for dramatic effect.

“Sonic! I’m sick of all your selfish stunts! This time you’ve gone too fa—” The echidna was interrupted by the sound of snoring coming from Chris’ direction. Peering over at the young kid, his jaw dropped at the sight of him sleeping in his recliner, the footrest pulled up and his hands on his belly, a snot bubble growing and shrinking with his breathing.

“Chris, wake up!” Eggman yelled, causing the young boy to jump in fright, tipping backward over the recliner and falling to the ground below.

“Ewwwww, is this dirt? Gross, gross, gross, gross, ewwwwwww! Tanaka, fetch me my hand sanitizer!”

“At once, Mr. Thorndyke!” The butler retrieved the small bottle from his pocket and squirted a decent amount into the open palm of the rich kid’s hands. He proceeded to rub it in, cursing under his breath before sitting back down again.

“Remind me to burn these clothes when I get home,” Chris muttered. Tanaka took note of Chris’ command in his smart phone.

“Why do I put up with this?” Eggman asked himself.

“Because you have no other options?” Decoe replied.

“And because Chris took you in when your base was destroyed?” Bocoe added.

“Just shut up and record, you buckets of scrap heap!” Eggman commanded.

“Y-yes, sir!” The two replied as they prepared to redo the take.

“Aaaaand, action!”

“Sonic! I’m sick of all your selfish stunts! This time you’ve goo-buuuuuurp.” Knuckles blushed as he covered his mouth. “Sorry, must’ve been the soda I had earlier.

Eggman facepalmed. “This is going to be a long night, isn’t it?”

In the week following Sonic and friends’ collaborative mission with Topaz and Rouge, where they managed to blow up Eggman’s headquarters and secure Bokkun as an alley, the party decided to take things easy for a while; Helen had her studies to catch up on, and Cream wanted to give Bokkun a chance to relax and get better acquainted with his friends after getting rescued from Eggman’s island.

While Tails heeded the advice of Chuck to use this opportunity to enjoy himself and relax before planning the search again for the next Chaos Emerald, and finding out more about the whereabouts of Dr. Eggman and Chris Thorndyke, his new accomplice and financier, the orange kitsune eventually returned to his old habits: working endlessly to make progress on whichever gadget or contraption tickled his fancy at that particular moment. When confronted about his workaholic nature, Tails reassured the elder scientist that keeping his mind and body occupied on his projects was a form of relaxation and that sitting around and doing nothing would actually make him anxious. Sure, he did manage to capture all the available monsters in that game he borrowed from Helen, but he wanted to do something more…so Chuck, obliging his Mobian counterpart, introduced him to his lab…if one could call it that.

Situated on the outskirts of Station Square, and bordering the mountains, the old barn was spacious enough for the retired scientist to work on projects of his own, such as building a new car to replace the one wrecked previously by Dr. Eggman and Missile Wrist. It was here Tails was able to begin work on tuning up the Tornado 2, and after a few days of nonstop work, he had some exciting news.

Chuck was sitting in a rocking chair just outside the barn, smoking what appeared to be a cigarette but producing a fouler, skunk-like odor, as he watched Cream and Bokkun playing tag in the grassy clearing separating the barn from the nearby dirt road, corn fields surrounding the remaining perimeter of Chuck’s land. Sonic, meanwhile, was basking in the sun, sleeping on the roof with his hands propping up his head and Amy cuddled to his side.

“Chuck, Chuck!” Tails ran out of the large, open barn door, grease stains covering the orange kitsune’s fur.

“What is it, Tails?” Chuck asked before taking another drag.

“Come see for yourself,” Tails replied with a wide smile as he waved the elder scientist into the barn. Chuck got up from his chair, stretched his arms, and placed the joint in a cigarette cup sitting next to his rocker.

“Tada!!” Tails gestured to the immaculate, shiny plane resting in the center of the barn. Various parts, tools, and paint buckets were strewn along the hay-covered floor, and Helen was studying the blueprints nearby, trying to absorb as much of Tails’ teachings as she could.

“Very impressive,” Chuck replied as he placed his hands in his lab coat pocket. “The fact you tuned up the engine, made all your repairs, and gave it a fresh coat of paint in only a few days is remarkable given what little supplies I had to offer.”

“That’s not all,” Tails added as he pulled at Chuck’s arm, nearly dragging him near the rear of the plane. The fox pulled a remote from his namesakes and pressed a button. Chuck’s jaw dropped as a portion of the plane’s side retracted into the rest of the plane’s body, revealing an open elevator. “I made the passenger seat handicap accessible! We can finally take Helen out for a ride!”

“Yay!” She cheered from the side. “I’ve always wanted to ride in a plane, and I’ll be able to join you on your adventures now!”

“Shall we try it out?” Tails asked the young girl, who enthusiastically and swiftly nodded her head in response.

“I trust your mechanical prowess, Tails,” Chuck said as he folded his arms, “but given how fast you built this add-on, I’m not so sure we should test it just yet.”

“How else are we going to know it works?” Tails asked as he tilted his head. “I constructed the elevator and measured the seat precisely to Helen’s specifications, and the only way we’ll know if it’s going to work is if she tries it herself.”

“I’ll be fine, grandpa,” Helen added as she rolled to his side, handed him the blueprints, and backed into the elevator. “Ready when you are, Tails!”

“Okay!” With another press of the button, the elevator’s platform locked the chair’s wheels in place before slowly rising. The platform spun as it reached the top, eventually securing Helen in the back row automatically.

“Truly marvelous,” Chuck noted as he rested his fingers below his chin. “I suppose you’ll be wanting to go for a test run, huh?”

“Yep!” Helen replied from above, admiring the high view. “Tails and I want to check out Silver Valley.”

“It’s not too far from here,” Tails added as he raised a finger to the air, his namesakes fluttering from behind, “and there are ample clearing spots to land safely.”

“Can we come, too?”

The party turned to Cream and Cheese, Bokkun following from behind, still a bit nervous but ultimately getting more comfortable with his new friends by the day.

“Amy showed us Silver Valley on her phone the other day. We could pick so many flowers for Helen’s parents!” The young bunny squealed in delight. “And Bokkun and Cheese can help, too!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese agreed, twirling around the bunny with a wide smile across their face.

“I can’t wait!” Bokkun said. “I’m sure they will love it!”

“I’m coming, too!”

The party once more turned to the entrance to reveal Amy, having slid down the side of the barn’s roof to land gracefully on the ground below. “I wanna pick some flowers for Sonic! Don’t tell him, though…” Amy lowered her voice to a whisper. “It’s gonna be a surprise.”

“Ya know I can hear you, right?” Sonic called from the rooftop, still resting above.

“Oh, oooops…” Amy chuckled nervously as she ran a hand behind her head, a large sweat drop forming along her brow.

“I’d love some flowers, though!” Sonic continued, peeking his head down to get an upside-down view of his friends in the barn.

“You want to come with, Sonic?” Tails asked as he gestured to the Tornado 2. “There’s enough room for all of us!”

“I’ll pass this time, lil’ bro,” Sonic replied as he pulled himself up and crawled to his designated resting spot on the roof. “I’ve been to Silver Valley loads of times already. I’ll let you all enjoy the scenery while I catch up on my Zs.”

“Fair enough.” Tails turned to the elder scientist. “Chuck, you want to join us?”

“Nahh, I’m good,” he said. “I was fixin’ to take a nap myself.”

“Okay, so that means…” Tails counted out the ones who’d be joining them on this adventure. “I’ll be in the passenger seat, Helen will be in her spot, and Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Bokkun will sit in the middle. It’ll be a tight squeeze…I should probably build something a bit bigger eventually…” The young fox used his rotary namesakes to fly up to the pilot’s seat.

Amy was the next Mobian to enter the plane; she crawled up and sat on the right side of the middle row. Cream flew in with her flappy ears, and Bokkun sat next to her, flying up with his jetpack. Cheese was situated on the bunny’s shoulder. The pink hedgehog glared at the messenger robot as Cream held his hand. Needless to say, Amy’s stare made the poor robot nervous.

“Why is your palm so sweaty, Bokky?” Cream asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Bokkun replied with a sigh, shifting his attention to the waving human below.

“Have a safe trip!” Chuck called from below as Tails started the engine.

“We will!” Tails reassured, waving at the elder scientist as he drove the plane out of the barn, using the path between the structure and the road as a runway to gain momentum. Shortly before reaching the road, the kitsune pulled back on his yoke, allowing the plane to go airborne.

With a smile, Chuck returned to his rocking chair, took another long drag of his joint, and closed his eyes. After what only felt like a few moments, however, he was awakened by the presence of two unexpected guests.

“Hey, I’ve heard of you,” Chuck said as rocked in his chair, “you’re those Eggman robots…Decoe and Bocoe, right?”

“Yes,” Decoe replied, sweat dripping from his forehead as he helped Bocoe carry a yellow CRTV.

“We have a special message for Sonic the Hedgehog,” Bocoe added.

“We had a difficult time tracking you down, so tell us Sonic’s location, or else Eggman will hear about it!” Decoe declared.

“Hey, what’s up, fellas!” Sonic peered down at the two robots while waving a hand, his other keeping him secure above the barn door.

“Normally we have Bokkun deliver these messages,” Bocoe replied, “but since he abandoned his master, we’ve been left doing double duty!”

“Why won’t the Doctor just give us a break?” Decoe complained as the two placed the television on the ground.

“You know, you could always join our side, too,” Sonic offered before dropping to the ground below. “I’m sure Bokkun would be happy to be with his big brothers again.”

“I could use some extra hands in my lab,” Chuck added. “I couldn’t pay you, but you wouldn’t be worked to the metallic bone.”

“Not a chance,” Decoe and Bocoe replied as they defiantly shook their heads. “Although…” Decoe pondered. “It would be nice not to be worked to death.”

“Yeah, and the benefits are abysmal,” Bocoe added.

“More like nonexistent.” Decoe clarified.

“If you like being ordered around all day,” Sonic placed his hands on his hips with a smirk, “it’s none of my business to interfere. Now let’s watch this video already.” The blue hedgehog pressed the red button on the television, falling back in surprise at the sight of Knuckles, the camera zoomed in on his menacing eyes.

“Sonic! I'm sick of all of your selfish stunts! This time, you've gone too far! I'm challenging you to a showdown! Meet me at Silver Valley at 12 PM sharp. Don't be late!”

Knuckles’ image faded away, replaced with Eggman’s logo flickering on the television screen as well as the voice of the evil doctor himself. 

“This message was brought to you by the Eggman Empire, which is not responsible for its contents… except this part! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

Seconds before the television bomb exploded, the blue hedgehog spindashed the TV away, colliding with Decoe and Bocoe, the resulting explosion cartoonishly blasting them off over the horizon.

“That knucklehead got himself tricked by Eggman again, huh?” Sonic asked as he rubbed the base of his nose.

“This happen often?” Chuck asked from his chair, still rocking throughout the entire exchange.

“More or less,” Sonic replied with a shrug. “Some days, Knuckles can be ridiculously easy to trick while other days he is super cautious. Eggman knows how to manipulate him, though…probably guilt tripping him over the Master Emerald.”

“Welp,” Sonic continued as he stretched his arms and legs. “Don’t wanna keep Knuckles waitin’!” The blue hedgehog slammed one fist against the palm of his opposing hand. “If it’s a fight he wants, it’s a fight he’ll get!”

“Remember, Helen and the rest are in Silver Valley right now. Try not to drag my granddaughter into this kerfuffle.”

“You have my word, doc,” Sonic replied as he wagged his finger. “Helen’s safety will be my top priority. Now, if you excuse me, I’ve got an enchilada to fry!” The blue hedgehog charged a spindash, speeding down the path in a blink of an eye, leaving Chuck alone with the chirping birds, the late morning sunshine, and the light, pleasant breeze.

“Boy this is my kind of day,” Chuck said to himself as he took another puff and slouched back in his chair.

Chapter Text

“Wow, this is amazing, Tails!” Helen exclaimed from her designated seat at the back of the Tornado 2, peering out of the glass casing protecting her from the wind. The young girl was provided with the breathtaking view of the mountains comprising Silver Valley, as well as the lakes, forests, and fields peppered throughout. “The pictures online don’t do this place justice.”

“Yeah, it’s amazing, all right!” Tails replied from the cockpit, itching the base of his nose. “We have the entire afternoon to explore too!”

“Will we be able to pick lots of flowers?” Cream asked from the middle seats, Cheese sitting between her ears and Amy next to the young bunny.

“Of course, Cream!” Tails replied. Cream nearly squeaked in excitement, followed by the enthusiastic “chao, chao!” from Cheese.

“Even though I spoiled the surprise for Sonic,” Amy said, “I’m sure he’ll love the flowers I’ll pick for him! Cream, can you help me create a bouquet?”

“Yes, Miss Amy,” she replied with an enthusiastic nod and a wide smile, turning to Bokkun to her other side. “Bokky here can help too!”

“Yep!” The messenger robot replied, a slight blush appearing across his face as he ran a hand behind his head.

“We’re here, guys!” Tails lowered the altitude of his plane, homing in on a natural landing strip. The party oof’ed as the plane’s landing gear made contact with the grass, and once the aircraft arrived at a complete stop, the orange kitsune opened the protective glass shield, allowing the party to exit. Amy jumped out with grace, landing perfectly on her feet with bent legs, while Cream dropped slowly to the ground, using her ears to slow the descent. Tails merely jumped, opting not to use his rotary namesakes to cushion the fall, while Bokkun used his jetpack to land safely. Finally, with a press of a button, Helen’s wheelchair was lowered to the ground thanks to the recently installed handicap accessible elevator on the side of the plane.

Jumping up and activating his namesakes, the orange fox took to the sky to survey the immediate area. Shielding his eyes from the sun with his gloved hand, the fox pointed to the north. “There’s a field of flowers just down this path!” He returned to the ground and approached Helen. “You want me to push you?”

“I’m fine,” Helen replied as she gripped the wheels of her chair and rolled herself forward. She sighed heavily. “It’s nice to get out of civilization, you know? I definitely need more green in my life.”

“Nothing like fresh air on a bright, sunny day!” Tails replied to her side as Cream, Cheese, Amy, and Bokkun followed close behind. “I may enjoy locking myself away in the workshop for days on end, but even I need to take a break, and today’s that kind of da—” The fox was interrupted by a bleeping sound coming from between his namesakes. Reaching in, he pulled out his Miles Electric.

“What’s going on?” Amy asked over the orange kitsune’s shoulder.

“A Chaos Emerald…” Tails sat on the ground and placed his tablet on his lap. Cracking his knuckles, the fox got to work pinpointing the location of the mystical gem.

“A Chaos Emerald?” Cream replied, tilting her head in curiosity.

“Precisely.” Tails’ eyes were glued to his screen. “But this doesn’t make any sense. The Chaos Emerald detector programmed into my Miles Electric relied on the unique energy frequencies emitted by the Master Emerald to operate properly.”

“The Master Emerald’s all the way back on Mobius, though,” Amy replied, placing her hands on her hips. “Are you sure your device isn’t broken?”

“I’m…not sure…” Tails replied as he typed at a greater speed. “I ran some diagnostics, and there don’t appear to be any issues from what I can gather.” With a sigh, the young fox pulled himself off the ground and dusted the dirt from his namesakes. “There are two possibilities: either my detector is malfunctioning, or it’s able to detect the frequency of the Master Emerald across dimensions.”

“Is that even possible?” Helen asked, tilting her head in curiosity as well.

“I don’t know…” Tails itched the base of his chin in thought. “Interdimensional physics isn’t my strong suit. Maybe we created a link, or, perhaps, a bridge between Mobius and Earth when we were transported here, allowing the Master Emerald’s frequency to emit here, too…or maybe it was always like this? More study will be required before I can formulate a proper conclusion.” The orange kitsune spun around and started walking the trail. “But first, I want to scout ahead to see if it’s a false positive.”

“But what about the flowers?” Cream asked, her voice slightly shaky.

“We can still look for flowers, Cream,” Tails replied, “but I’d like to make a quick trip to the waypoint. How about everyone picks flowers while I check out the signal?”

“Sounds fine with me!” Amy replied with a thumbs up. Cream and Bokkun nodded as well.

“Actually…” The party turned to Helen. “Tails…can I come with you too?”

“Sure!” Tails replied. “The path beyond the flower patch gets a bit bumpier, though. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” Helen replied with a nod of determination. “Although I’ll probably accept your earlier offer to push me.”

Not five minutes after Tails and Helen departed from Amy, Cream, and Bokkun did the path start growing less stable, with large slopes and rocks. Helen could manage on her own in a pinch, but Tails was more than happy to assist the young girl.

“You can be my eyes,” Tails said as he pushed Helen up a steep hill.

“You’re almost at the top,” she replied.

Reaching the hill’s peak, Tails stopped to catch his breath before pulling his Miles Electric from his namesakes once more. “According to the waypoint, we are only a few dozen yards away! In fact…” Tails slowly pushed Helen down the hill, gripping onto the handlebars tightly as they slowly made their way to the base. “I believe it’s in this bush!” Sure enough, after blindly reaching his arm into the shrubbery, he felt the unmistakable, mystical energy of the gem coursing through his fingertips the moment he made contact. Slowly pulling out the emerald, the red gem glowed in his gloved palm. Helen watched in awe.

“This is…beautiful. No words…can describe it…”

“Do you wanna hold it, Helen?” The young fox presented the girl with the mystical gem.

“I…ummm…sure…” She carefully reached for the emerald, clasping it firmly between her palms and bringing it to her lap. “It’s warm...and feels…almost alive.”

“There’s much to learn about these gems,” Tails replied. “If I could study them for a month straight, I would, but we generally only gather them in one place when we need Super Sonic or if Eggman stole them all. Having all seven on-hand is dangerous to say the least.”

“With the red emerald, that means we have three!” Helen noted. “One more step to everyone returning home.”

“Yep!” Tails replied with a thumbs up. “Of course, replicating the Chaos Control that brought us to Earth will be a challenge. The sheer number of calculations to ensure it doesn’t send us somewhere else, or to, like, the deep vacuum of space, will be tedious. Chuck could help with this!”

“I’m sure he would be more than delighted!” Helen replied with a bright smile. “You know, this is the most fun Grandpa has had in a long time. I think having a prodigy like yourself around keeps his mind sharp.”

“Oh really?” Tails asked playfully. “Well…what if us leaving Earth wasn’t the end? What if…we figure out how to truly bridge our two worlds, allowing us to come and go as we please?”

“I’m sure Chuck would love that! I know I would.” Helen replied, giving the young fox a thumbs up. The arm motion, however, brushed the Chaos Emerald from her knee, rolling to the grass below.

“I got it.” Tails reached down to pick up the mystical gem, but moments before his gloved fingers made contact, a set of metallic hands plucked it from the grass, startling the young fox.

“Excellent! Dr. Eggman will be so proud of me!” Peering at the uninvited guest, they found Decoe gloating with the red Chaos Emerald proudly in his metallic hand.

“He will be proud of me as well,” Bocoe added as he stepped out of a nearby bush. “After all, it was I who tracked these two thieves down.”

“Hey, give that back!” Tails yelled, pulling himself up and balling his hands into fists.

“Not a chance,” Decoe replied. “In fact…” The robot pressed a button on his arm, retracting a monitor. “Dr. Eggman! You’re not going to believe this! I found a Chaos Emerald!”

“And I helped!” Bocoe added from his side as brother showed the evil doctor the shimmering emerald.

“Wooahhooohoohooo, absolutely marvelous! Bring it back here at once.”

“No, stop!” Tails protested.

“Ah, if it isn’t Sonic’s little pup! I have a new buddy of my own that, well…let’s just say he has a bit of a vendetta against you.” The display on the robot’s arm immediately shifted to Chris, patched it from the Thorndyke estate.

“Miles Prower!” Chris bellowed with hatred dripping from his lips. “You will pay for disgracing the Thorndyke name! Eggman and I will conquer the world and make you and your friends our slaves! Your fate will be worse than death. Mwaaahahahahah!” The young boy’s maniacal laughter screeched through the small, internal speakers in Decoe’s arm.

“All right, Thorndyke, turn it down like…five notches, will ya?” Eggman’s face appeared on the feed once more. “If Chris’ tantrum served anything, it was the perfect distraction.”

“Distraction from what?” Tails asked, tilting his head in confusion.

“This.”

Decoe was startled as a grapple hand yoinked the red Chaos Emerald away from him. Above was Eggman and his Egg Mobile floating several feet above.

“Wooahhooohoohooo! Didn’t think I’d be this close, didn’t you?” Tails growled under his breath as Eggman’s bellowing laughter echoed across the valley. “I’m well on my way to building up my collection again! Just six more until I can finally conquer this pathetic little planet!”

“Don’t count on that, Eggbreath!” Flicking his namesakes, the Miles Electric flew out, allowing the young fox to grab the tablet. Like a stylus, Tails pulled a small zapper pistol from the body of the computer, swiftly taking aim and shooting at Eggman’s wrist.

“Yeoowww!” The evil doctor dropped the gem as he nursed his sore wrist.

“Got it!” Tails exclaimed as he scooped up the gem and started running back to the Tornado 2, pushing Helen’s wheelchair in the process.

“What are you waiting for!? Go catch that fox!” Eggman barked to his metallic assistants.

“Yes, Doctor!” They replied simultaneously before starting the chase.  

Normally fast, especially with the assistance of his rotary namesakes, he lacked much of his speed thanks to the added responsibility of keeping Helen safe. He did manage to push the young girl up the steep hill, however, but just as they reached the top, and just as the fox gave Helen one final push…

“Extendo-arm, activate!” Bocoe yelled as he stretched his arm. Nearly reaching the orange kitsune, something else collided with the young fox, sending him rolling into the tall grass adjacent to the path. Tails opened his eyes.  

“Hiya, bud! Long time, no see!”

Earlier:

Knuckles the Echidna was sitting on a boulder near the cliff of one of the many mountainous plateaus dotting Silver Valley. Crossing one leg over the other, and grumbling under his breath, he watched as the sun shifted in the afternoon sky.

“What’s taking that hedgehog so long? He should’ve been here by now…” Peering across the horizon, the red echidna couldn’t help but feel invigorated, and a little at ease, at the sight and smell of the outdoors. He was so calm, in fact, that a butterfly landed on the tip of his knuckles, the insect perched on the pointy end without any trace of fear. Cracking a small smile, he shifted his arm slightly to get a better view of the butterfly, but an unwelcomed, albeit unsurprising, gust of wind from behind forced the defenseless insect to fly away.

Grumbling once more, the red echidna stood up and turned around to find Sonic standing nonchalantly, eyes closed with a flower near his nose.

“Hey there, Knucklehead,” Sonic said, a smirk across his muzzle.

“For being the fastest thing alive, you took your sweet time getting here,” Knuckles replied, crossing his arms.

“Yeah, well, I stopped n’ enjoyed the scenery!” Sonic took another sniff of his flower. “This planet’s way past cool; it’s nice here! You’d like this world too if you weren’t such a party pooper!”

Grinding his teeth as a vein appeared across his forehead, the red echidna stepped toward the blue hedgehog. “Enough talk, let’s go!”

“Oh, relaaaax, will ya? We have all afternoon to duke it out, buddy boy!”

The red echidna brought his fist to the blue hedgehog’s face, the spike on his glove touching the tip of Sonic’s nose. “I’m not your buddy, and don’t forget it!” He stepped back and raised both of his fists, throwing practice punches like a boxer preparing for a match. “Now put ‘em up! I didn’t come here to sniff the flowers!”

“That’s your loss, Knucklehead,” Sonic took one final whiff of the flower before throwing it in the air, the wind blowing it off the mountainside and to the forest below, “but if you’d rather get clobbered by me, I’ll bite.”

Knuckles scoffed. “First you steal the Chaos Emeralds, and now you’re spouting nonsense? Wait until I teach you a lesson.”

“Wait…steal?” Sonic tilted his head in confusion. “What the heck are you talking about? Your brain’s even slower than your fee—” The blue hedgehog was cut off by Knuckles’ fist colliding with the side of his muzzle, sending him off the side of the plateau. Not falling too far, however, Sonic landed in the bushy branch of a tall tree on a lower plateau.

“Owww...now that’s gonna leave a mark,” Sonic complained as he rubbed his cheek. Peering up, he gasped as Knuckles descended toward him with surprising speed. Dodging the echidna’s shoe, the might of Knuckles’ strike destroyed the branch. Launching himself off the tree trunk moments later, Knuckles glided down to the ground, where Sonic was catching his breath.

“Since when do you play dirty, Knucklehead?” Sonic asked as he rubbed his cheek once more.

“You shouldn’t have left your guard down,” Knuckles replied. “If you don’t want another helping of my Knuckle Sandwich, you’ll turn over the Chaos Emeralds you stole.”

“You’re not making any sense,” Sonic said as he pulled the green and blue gems from his quills, glistening in the afternoon sun. “I never stole these emeralds, Knuckles.”

“Don’t play games,” Knuckles angrily cried as he ran toward the blue hedgehog once more. Sonic stuffed the emeralds back into his quills, allowing more than enough time to dodge the echidna’s fist and retaliate with a sweeping kick, sending Knuckles into the side of the mountain, his head fully encased in rock. Placing his palms and feet on the rock, he pulled himself out from the side of the mountain, falling to the ground below.

“If you want these Chaos Emeralds,” Sonic said with a smirk, “you’re gonna have to catch me first.” Turning around, he smacked his rear end before twisting around once more, sticking out his tongue and pulling one eyelid down with his finger. “You’ll never catch me, though, because you’re too slow.”

“That’s it!” I’ve had it up to here with you, hedgehog!” Knuckles pulled himself up and watched as Sonic disappeared into the thick forest. Flames growing in the echidna’s eyes, he spun his arms so rapidly they appeared like spinning wheels to the untrained eye. “Ora ora ora ora ora!” Sonic ran away as Knuckles carelessly blasted through the trees, his spinning arms shredding their trunks apart on contact.

“Don’t you care about the environment?” Sonic asked as he effortlessly dodged each tree as ran toward yet another edge of a mountainous plateau.

“Don’t change the subject, you thief!” Knuckles retorted. “Quit running away, and the trees will be spared!”

“Maybe I would if you weren’t being such an aaaaaaaa—” The blue hedgehog fell off the plateau, this time entering spherical form and rolling down the side of the mountain.

“Oh no you don’t!” Knuckles chased after him, running down the side of the mountain and throwing a punch toward the blue sphere. Leaving his spherical form, Sonic reflected the punch with his palm as he ran backwards.

The two exchanged punches as they made their way down the mountain. To any bystander, the fight would’ve appeared to be a flashing, red and blue lightshow.  

“You…pulling…your punches?” Sonic asked between jabs and dodges.

“I was just…thinking the…same…THING!” With a final punch, Knuckles landed a blow to Sonic’s muzzle once more, launching the blue hedgehog into a pool of water below.  

“Ahhhh! Someone help me! I can’t swim!” Sonic flailed his arms in the shallow water before realizing the depth of the pond was only a foot. “Hehe, looks like I fell in the kiddie pool!” He ran a wet, gloved hand through his quills in embarrassment.

Knuckles slowly stepped toward Sonic, the water failing to hinder his strides.

“Welp, gotta go!” Jumping out of the water, and quickly shaking himself off, Sonic hopped off this plateau, skiing down the rocky side like a snowboarder before reaching the grassy base of this particular mountain.

“Quit running, you coward!” Knuckles exclaimed.

“Silly Knucklehead,” Sonic replied as he spun around in a patch of tall grass, easily deflecting the echidna’s punch with his palm. “You think I’m running because I’m scared?” The blue hedgehog grinned as he punched the red echidna’s muzzle, sending him to the ground. “I’m running because it’s fun!”

“Oh yeah?” Knuckles replied as he pulled himself up, wiping some blood from his mouth. “You won’t be entertained after I deal my ultimate blow!”

“Bring it!” Sonic braced himself, entering into a defensive stance and putting his arms up like a shield as the red echidna’s fist came hurling at him. Protected from any real damage, the force of the impact still sent Sonic careening through the tall grass, but instead of landing on the ground, he collided with what felt like a fluffy pillow.

Opening his eyes, the blue hedgehog found a confused, disoriented orange fox below him, the two surrounded by grass taller than themselves.

“Hiya, bud! Long time, no see!” Sonic said as he pulled himself up, offering the confused kitsune a supportive hand.

“S-Sonic? What are you doing here?” Tails asked as he rubbed his head before realizing something was missing. “Oh no, the red Chaos Emerald.”

“The red emerald?” Sonic asked.

“Yeah, I found it with my detector!” Tails replied as he dropped to his knees, crawling around in search of the gem.

“I thought you couldn’t use it on Earth?” Sonic raised a finger to his chin in thought.

“I don’t understand it either!” Tails replied before finally finding the gem in a pool of mud. His knees and hands were caked in the brown sludge as he stood up, holding the red gem proudly in his palm. This Chaos Emerald caused a similar reaction to the green and blue gems tucked away in Sonic’s quills, making the hedgehog’s back glow as well.

“Sonic!” Knuckles yelled as he found his way to the brotherly duo through the bushes. “It’s time you give back those emeralds!”

“Like I said, Knuckles,” Sonic replied, “I never stole them. We took ‘em back from Dr. Eggman. Shouldn’t you be working with us to prevent him from getting the emeralds like he did last time?”

“I, ummm…” Knuckles stammered as he ran a hand through his dreadlocks.

“Let me guess…” Sonic brought his hands to his hips. “You let the good doctor trick you again, didn’t you?”

“I, well…” Knuckles pulled the newspaper clipping Eggman previously shared with him from his dreadlocks. “It’s not like that. Didn’t you say you wanted to stay on Earth forever?”

“Huh?” Sonic grabbed the clipping from Knuckles’ hand and read it. “No, Knuckles. I didn’t say any of this, although that last bit about how you stink and need a bath was pretty funny!” The blue hedgehog approached the echidna, took a whiff, and chuckled, earning an unamused stare from his echidna counterpart. “Yep! This part of the story was true!”

“The newspaper material appears authentic,” Tails replied as he ran a gloveless finger across the article before pulling his dirty glove back over his hand. “Then again, he is working with Chris, and his parents do own the presses. He used actual newspaper material to make this extra convincing.”

“I’m sure Knuckles would’ve been convinced by a story printed on toilet paper,” Sonic replied with a grin.

“Hey, shut up!” Knuckles replied with a blush. “So I got carried away…I just…it just seemed believable, you know?”

“Knuckles…” The blue hedgehog placed a hand on the red echidna’s shoulder. “I enjoy this planet, don’t get me wrong, but keeping everyone else here against their will? Stopping Cream from reuniting with her mother? That wouldn’t be right…”

“Yeah…” Knuckles turned away. “I know you love adventure…I let Eggman cloud my judgment, using my longing for home to make me feel guilty.” The red echidna turned to Sonic. “I’m…sorry.”

“No worries, Knucklehead!” The blue hedgehog gave his red counterpart a noogie, rubbing his knuckles across his scalp. “Let’s just talk things out next time, okay?”

“You got it,” Knuckles replied with a thumbs up.

“Not to interrupt your reconciliation,” Tails said, “but I’m pretty sure Decoe and Bocoe were chasing me and Helen when I found the red Chaos Emerald.”

“The red Chaos Emerald?” Knuckles asked.

“Decoe and Bocoe?” Sonic added. “And…Helen!?”  

“Yeah…” Tails brought a finger to his chin. “I’m guessing you flung me from the path so quickly that they totally missed us! But…if they were heading in that direction…” The orange kitsune pointed south. “…and if Helen isn’t with us…that must mean…”

“AAAAAAAA!”

“Helen!” Sonic and Tails exclaimed before running to save the human girl, followed close behind by Knuckles.

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman exclaimed as he gloated from his Egg Mobile, floating above a large robot trapping Helen inside its inner-glass casing, a drill on its underside and two large, spider-like legs on either side of the large, purple machine. “My latest robot, E-47 Pumpty, now has your friend captive! I am, of course, willing to let her go in exchange for the Chaos Emeralds you stole from me.”

“Not a chance,” Amy replied, wielding her Piko Piko Hammer with her legs bent in anticipation for an impending showdown. “Let Helen go at once!”

“Yeah!” Cream added, her hands on her hips in defiance.

“Chao, chao!” added Cheese from atop their master’s head.

“Oh, and who is that?” Eggman asked, pointing toward the small robot hiding behind the young bunny. “Bokkun, you traitor. Come out and face me like a real machine.” Out came the messenger robot, his legs trembling. “And to think I spent hours building you, developing a unique living/robot hybrid entity, only for you to abandon your creator. You’re useless.” This brought tears to the robot’s eyes.

“Hey, Bokky,” Cream placed her hand on the robot’s shoulder. “You don’t need to put up with Eggman’s bullying anymore. Remember, he is no longer in control of you.” This earned a slight nod from Bokkun, who dried his tears with his metallic arm.

“Are you making kids cry again, Egghead?”

The party turned to Sonic, who emerged from the tall grass surrounding the flower patch, followed by Tails and Knuckles.

“Looks like you’re a bit late, rodent!” Eggman replied. “But as you can see, I have your little friend captured in my robot! I can give her up in exchange for all three of the Chaos Emeralds currently in your possession, or is the life of this human not worth it to you?”

“Uhhhh, Eggy?” Sonic placed his hands on his hips as he impatiently tapped his foot.

“What is it?”

“Your robot is empty.” The blue hedgehog pointed a finger toward Pumpty.

“WHAAAAT!?!” Eggman lowered his altitude, finding the robot devoid of his human captive.

“Helen, you’re safe!” Tails exclaimed, running toward the young girl who had just returned to the party, giving her a hug from her side.

“But how did you escape?” Amy asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“I…” She pulled a tool from the pocket of her wheelchair. “I…used my screwdriver. I unscrewed the hinge from the door and then rolled out. The landing wasn’t too tough either…” Helen pointed to the wheels of her chair and her feet, both full of mud. “I’m all dirty now, but it helped break my fall.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay!” Tails continued, releasing the young girl from his embrace and turning to Sonic and Knuckles. “You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”

“Ah yeah, now this is happenin’!” Sonic replied.

“What are you plotting now, you vermin?” Eggman asked before turning to Pumpty. “Destroy these pests on the double!”

Grabbing hold of Sonic’s ankles, Tails let Knuckles grab his ankles as well, spinning the brotherly duo followed by a menacing throw, sending the two hurtling toward the robot like a multi-colored projectile. Shortly before impact, Sonic curled into a ball, and a last-minute kick from the orange kitsune served to enhance Sonic’s lethality.

Within milliseconds, a hedgehog-sized hole appeared through the robot’s core. Glowing white, the party took cover moments before Pumpty exploded.

“And now for Eggman!” Amy pulled out her hammer once more before hopping up, grabbing hold of Cream’s ankles as she flew him toward the stunned doctor. With a fling of her legs, Amy was propelled away from the young bunny, and with a devastating swing, Eggman was launched into the sky.

“I’m blasting off agaaaaaain! Cuuuuurse thaaaaat heeeeedgehooooog!” As Eggman disappeared into the sky, a sparkle signified his departure.

“Wait up, Doctor!” Decoe and Bocoe cried as they ran in his general direction, leaving the party, and the smoldering robot, alone in the flower patch.

“Good work, team!” Sonic congratulated with a thumbs up, earning a cheer from the rest of the party.

“But…the flowers,” Cream gestured toward the flower patch, a large portion destroyed by the robot.

“I’ll tell ya what,” Amy replied. “Let’s come back here soon and plant some new flowers. What do you say?”

“That’d be lovely!” The young bunny replied.

“Chao, chao!”

“Then it’s a date!” Tails added. “But first, I gotta text Topaz so her team can extract the remnants of the Eggman robot. I’m sure they could put his tech to good use…” As Tails pulled out his cell phone, issued to him by the United States government similar to Rouge’s smartphone, Amy cleared her throat and turned her attention to the blue hedgehog.

“Hey Sonic, I, ummm…” She pulled a bouquet from behind her back. “I…hope you like these, Sonikku.”

Sonic’s eyes glistened as he slowly studied the flowers. He took a sniff of them as well.

“Amy, these flowers are beautiful…reminds me of a certain Rose I know…” He gave the pink hedgehog a wink, causing her to blush profusely.

“Sonic, I….ohhhhh…” She fell to the ground, caught last second by the blue hedgehog.

“I guess she can’t handle my new romantic side, huh?”

The party laughed as they prepared for the journey back to the Tornado 2.

Chapter Text

“That meddlesome hedgehog…”

Dr. Eggman was pacing in a dimly lit, shabby warehouse, massaging his orange mustache.

“Always getting in my way…always foiling my plans, and for what? What does that meddlesome pincushion have to gain from returning to Mobius anyway? No matter…I’m about to unveil my latest scheme, one that even Sonic won’t be able to foil! Wooahhooohoohooo!” The evil doctor’s laughter echoed throughout the mostly empty building, the only other inhabitants putting the finishing touches on Robotnik’s ace in the hole.

“Are you two slowpokes done yet?” Eggman asked as he peered up at Decoe and Bocoe on the top level of a large, narrow structure, a satellite perched at the top within a few feet of the ceiling.

“Nearly finished, Doctor!” Decoe replied, waving to the elder human.

“We built everything to your specifications,” Bocoe added, “but why isn’t the satellite dish outside of the building?”

“Don’t worry about the why,” Eggman replied, tapping his foot impatiently. “I don’t pay you to ask questions.”

“He doesn’t pay us at all,” Decoe whispered to his mechanical brother, earning a supportive nod from Bocoe.

“My eggsquisite plan will be made plain as day when the time comes,” Eggman continued. “All you need to worry about is ensuring the mind control satellite is properly installed and calibrated.”

“Mind control?” Decoe asked, tilting his head in confusion. “Control whom?”

“Control the masses, of course!”

The party turned to Chris Thorndyke, an evil grin across his face. Stepping around the evil doctor, he decided to personally inspect the base of the pillar himself, not having a clue what he was looking at beyond bars of metal but wanting to appear intelligent and impressive nevertheless.

“The mind control signal emitted to everyone’s television and computer monitors will force them to enter a stupor, and with enough exposure, I can simply transmit my command, and everyone will obey! It’s the perfect plan! Mwaaahahahahah!”

Turning away, Eggman snickered under his breath.

Little does this brat know, the message I’ll transmit will affect him as well! Only my special glasses can protect against the signal.

Eggman adjusted his spectacles before returning his attention to the young boy, asking himself how the kid was too dumb to realize this fundamental flaw in his plan.

“Just imagine…once I use this mind control to force everyone to obey my commands, there will be no stopping me from achieving my desires!” Chris continued.

“But Mr. Thorndyke,” Bocoe interrupted, “you are already one of the wealthiest people on Earth.”

“Yeah,” Decoe added, “what could you possibly want that you can’t already obtain.”

“No, bad robots!” Chris waved his hand down, signaling Eggman’s creations to meet him on the ground floor. Once they slid down the ladder, the young boy pulled a rolled-up newspaper from his back pocket and proceeded to smack the two with it repeatedly. “Seriously, you’d think Eggman would program a bit of obedience into you two.”

“Robots without personality would get boring!” Eggman replied. “Having subjects to do my bidding, and watching their displeasure, is half the fun!”

“That’s where I disagree,” Chris replied as he folded his arms. “I despise the utter contempt others have for me…my classmates, Helen, and these supposed heroes all hate me…” His disdain for the Mobians was signified with air quotes. “I’ve been told that, to make friends, I should be my authentic self, to not simply buy friendships or hire classmates to do my bidding. The problem with this theory, though, is that the stupid, contemptable wastes of space around me either follow me for the financial reward or out of fear…” Chris firmly stomped his feet on the concrete floor, echoing across the factory. “If the foolish people around me won’t change, then I will make them change. If they don’t want to be my friends, then I will force them to be my friends…and the best part…” The rich kid turned toward Eggman, a menacing, sadistic grin plastered along his face, “is that they will be forced to smile. They will be happy to serve me.”

“But enough about me,” Chris concluded with a chuckle, his self-inflated superiority dripping from his every word, “I just came here for a progress report. If things are going according to plan, I will take my leave…” Chris peered down and placed his hands on his belly. “What do you want to eat, stomach?” He then switched tons, elevating his pitch.

“I don’t know, Mr. Thorndyke, whatever you’d like!”

“Thanks for your consideration,” Chris replied to his digestive system. “Maybe we’ll do…tacos! I’ll have Tanaka buy out the Taco Bell nearest here and have them serve me exclusively!”

“Make sure to get some Baja Blast! I really like it,” his stomach suggested.

“I do, too!” Chris replied with a laugh, almost sounding like a real kid. “Okay, I’ll get a few dozen Doritos Locos Tacos with Baja Blast. I won’t be able to finish it all…but I can just throw the leftovers away. No dent in my wallet!”

“Oh wow, you’re so cool!” Chris’ elbow said in a lower voice. “When I grow up, I want to be just like you, Mr. Thorndyke.”

“Ahh, shucks…” Chris ran a hand through his hair as he stepped out of the warehouse, returning to the limousine parked out front, leaving Eggman and his henchmen speechless.

“Ummm, Doctor?” Decoe asked, breaking the silence.  

“What…was that?” Bocoe added.

“I…have no words…” Shaking his head to escape his perplexed trance, Eggman spun around and returned his attention to his mechanical henchmen. “Enough about the boy! Get this mind controlling satellite working on the double!”

“Yes, Doctor!” The two replied as they picked up their wrenches and began tightening seemingly random bolts.

Sharing a smirk of his own, the evil doctor massaged his mustache as he ran the series of events through his mind. “That meddlesome hedgehog and his cohorts will fall victim to my mind control, but even if they somehow escape the clutches of this signal, I will have another card up my sleeve!” As if on cue, the evil doctor slipped the purple Chaos Emerald out from his sleeve.

The warehouse was filled with Dr. Eggman’s laughter as Decoe and Bocoe put the finishing touches on what Eggman predicts to be his greatest plan yet…the scheme that will finally make him reign supreme.

“Pikachu, I choose you!”

“PIKA, PIKA!!!”

“Alright, Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack!”

“PIKAAAAAA CHUUUUUU!!!!”

Cream watched the living room television in awe as the Pokémon incapacitated his foe, thus allowing his trainer to collect the latest gym badge on his mission to becoming the ultimate Pokémon master.

“Oh wow, Ms. Helen, you were right!” The young bunny’s eyes were sparking in delight. “This show is amazing. Isn’t that right, Cheese?”

“Chao, chao!!” Cheese put on a mock expression and imitated the Pokéball throwing motion used in the show moments earlier. 

“I’m glad you like it!” Helen replied. “I have an entire VHS collection my dad kept from his childhood. The older episodes are the best!” The young girl was hardly able to contain her giddiness, the feeling of converting a friend to one’s fandom nearly overwhelming her.

“Wartortle is unable to battle,” called the referee. “Trainer Ash Ketchum is the wi—”

“We hate to burst your bubble,” Called a woman’s voice from the shadows.

“..but that winning Pikachu is coming with us,” continued her cohort.

“Oh yeah?” The referee turned to the disturbance. “Says who?”

“Oh my gosh, they’re gonna say it, they’re gonna say it!” Cream cheered. “I love Team Rocket so much!”

“Prepare for trouble…and make it double!” Cream chanted along with the program. “To protect the world from devastation…to unite all peoples within our nation! To denounce the evils of truth and love! To extend our reach to the stars abo—”

The television screen turned black, the audio silent save for the quiet buzzing from the TV.

“But…where’d they go?” Cream asked, her head tilting in confusion.

“Chao, chao?” Cheese added.

“I…don’t know?” Helen brought a finger to her chin in confusion. “Maybe the VCR is broken?” A lightbulb appeared over her head. “Hey, maybe Tails can fix it!”

“Yeah!” Cream agreed, balling her fists in excitement. “We can always count on Tails to save the day!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added in excitement, zipping around the room.

“Don’t worry,” Helen concluded as she gripped her hands on the wheels of her wheelchair. “I’ll find Tails and bring him ba—” The television’s signal miraculously reappeared, but instead of Team Rocket’s motto blaring through the speakers, they were met with a warbly, distorted sound coupled with a swirling black and white image. “Hey, what’s going on here?” Helen stared at the screen, joined by Cream and Cheese. They grew silent, mesmerized by the image and unable to move, their minds blank and backs resting in their chairs. Their mouths were open, and their eyes were unblinking.

“Oh, hey guys!” Called Bokkun from the kitchen. “I was wondering if I could grab a snack? Maybe some leftover pie?” The messenger robot stepped in front of the living room’s inhabitants, waving his small arms across their field of vision. Confused, he turned his attention to the television. “This is the weirdest show I’ve ever seen! I wonder why Helen and Cream like it so much?” Bokkun stared at the television more carefully, gasping as he saw Eggman’s flickering logo fade in and out.

“Oh no!” Bokkun cried as he placed his hands on his head, nearly panicking. “All my friends are being hypnotized!” The messenger robot nudged Cream’s shoulder, but she did not react, her eyes transfixed on the shifting spiral image on the screen. “Wake up Cream! Please, wake up!” Tears started to form in his eyes as he picked up Cheese, but they were just as immobilized as their master. Finally, poking at Helen’s leg, he found that she was just as transfixed as the others.

Wiping away the tears in his eyes, he peered around. “I’ve gotta find Sonic and Tails before they get hypnotized too!” As he ran around the house, he heard a clang from the garage. Nearly careening through the door separating the house from the garage, he was greeted to the sight of Tails working on his Miles Electric at the small workbench as Sonic observed his little brother’s work intently. Their concentration was broken, however, when the messenger robot appeared before them.

“What’s going on, Bokkun?” Sonic asked.

“You seem worried,” Tails added. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah,” Bokkun replied. “Mind control! Screens! Cream, Cheese, Helen! Pokémon!”

“Woah, buddy,” Sonic raised his palms toward the small robot, “slow down there. Take a deep breath…” Bokkun did as he was told, filling his artificial lungs with oxygen before breathing out moments later. “There…feel better?”

“Mmmhmmm,” the messenger robot replied with a slow nod.

“Okay, let’s take it from the top. You said something about…mind control?” Sonic tilted his head.

“Yes,” Bokkun replied. “I don’t know how he did it, but Helen, Cream, and Cheese were watching Pokémon when I went to find some food. When I returned, a hypnotic signal was on the TV, and they were under its control.

“That doesn’t sound very good,” Sonic replied as he scratched the base of his chin.

“But you saw it, though,” Tails added as he pointed at the messenger robot, “meaning it only impacts humans and Mobians. You are an artificial creation, or at least partially artificial, thus making you immune from the signal.”

“Yes, that must be it,” Bokkun replied with a smile before frowning nearly as quickly, “but how do we stop it?”

Tails closed his eyes, allowing himself time to strategize before addressing the party once more. “Well, first we should determine who isn’t affected. Doug and Alicia are at work and have probably already been hypnotized. Knuckles is out in the wild, but without a way to communicate with him, he may not be of any—” The blue hedgehog burst out of the garage at supersonic speed, returning seconds later with a confused red echidna in his arms, cradled like a baby. “Ummm…use?”

“Okay, what the hell was that?” Knuckles asked before pushing himself off Sonic’s chest, returning to his feet. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do!”

“Relax buddy boy,” Sonic replied with a lighthearted chuckle. “You know I wouldn’t do that to ya unless it were an emergency, right?”

“Sonic is right,” Tails replied as he gestured toward the blue hedgehog. “Long story short: Eggman is hypnotizing people using televisions.”

“And not just that,” Sonic replied as he led the party out to the patio, “but check out the old man.” He gestured to Chuck, whose eyes were wide open, staring at a similar signal on his cellphone.

“So we can’t look at any screens?” Knuckles said as he folded his arms.

“There’s still one we haven’t tried yet,” Tails replied as he peered over at his Miles Electric, sitting on his workbench powered down. “I’m not sure if I should try it, though.”

“It doesn’t work on Bokkun, right?” Sonic asked as he placed his hands on his hips.

“You’re right, Sonic!” Tails cheered before turning to the messenger robot. “Bokkun, do you want to test my tablet?”

“Sure!” He replied with a smile across his face, feeling happy to be useful. Tails handed him the device before leading the Mobians out of the garage. Once they were safely outside the visual range of the tablet, Bokkun powered the device on. He was greeted with a welcome screen showing a symbol of Tails’ namesakes, identical to the decal he uses on many of his machines.

“It’s safe!” Bokkun called, signaling Team Sonic to return.

“That’s a relief!” Sonic said as he peered down at the tablet.

“I’ll say!” Tails agreed as he extended his arm out, allowing Bokkun to return the Miles Electric to its owner. “I can use this device to track the source of the signal…” The orange kitsune got to work, tapping on the screen at a speed that could almost make Sonic blush. “Aha! I think I found it!” Tails spun the tablet around, allowing Sonic and Knuckles the opportunity to study a map pinpointing a location. “Just as I suspected, it appears that whatever is disrupting telecommunication signals is coming from what appears to be an abandoned warehouse just outside of Station Square.” Tails swiped his finger over the screen, revealing a picture of the structure. “And according to property records I found online,” he swiped once more, “the building was recently purchased by a shell company tied to Thorndyke Industries. This can’t be a coincidence.”

“Way to go, Detective Tails!” Sonic complimented as he rustled his little brother’s hair.

“Oh, puuuleeeeeze,” Tails replied as he brought a pretend pipe to his muzzle, “that was elementary my dear Sonic!” The two brothers chuckled. Even Knuckles cracked a smile, quickly subsiding as he thought about their next move.

“Our mission is simple enough, then,” Knuckles replied. “We should bust in there and destroy whatever is hypnotizing people!”

“Precisely!” Tails replied as he brought a finger to the air. “To the Tornado 2!”

“Roger!” Sonic and Knuckles replied as the three hopped into the airplane, parked in Helen’s garage. Bokkun quickly followed, flying into the middle seats using his jetpack.

“Everyone strapped in?” Tails asked, peering up at the rearview window.

“Since when do we need to wear seatbelts?” Sonic jokingly replied, sitting next to the red echidna and the messenger robot in the middle row.

“It’s a basic rule of the road in the United States,” Tails replied as he pulled the biplane out of the garage, entering the deserted street as he gained enough speed to lift the aircraft from the ground.

“But Tails…” Sonic replied. “Where we’re goin’…” He pulled his sunglasses from his quills and put them on. “…we won’t need roads.” This earned yet another laugh from the orange kitsune.

“I think you enjoyed Back to the Future a bit too much,” Tails replied as the plane left the ground, rising steadily as he pulled the yoke toward him.

“All right, then, Tails,” Sonic quipped as he removed his sunglasses and placed them back in his quills, “you get to pick the next thing we watch for movie night!”

“Don’t make promises you’ll regret, Sonic,” Tails replied. “Last I checked, you fall asleep whenever we watch documentaries.”

“I swear,” Knuckles said, “as far as we know, half the world is being mind controlled, and you two are sharing casual banter?”

“Relax, Knucklehead,” Sonic replied as he leaned back in his chair, placing his gloved hands behind his head. “It’s just what we do. Besides, it’s Egghead we’re talkin’ ‘bout. We’ll crack his latest scheme like we always do! Isn’t that right, Tails?”

“You bet, Sonic!” Tails replied, winking at his older brother through the rearview mirror.

“Hey Tails?” Bokkun asked.

“What is it, Bokkun?” He replied, tilting his head as the party’s focus turned to the messenger robot.

“What’s that beeping sound?” Bokkun asked. “I think it’s coming from your tablet.” He pointed at the Miles Electric, which was affixed to the Tornado 2’s dashboard, a recent innovation from the two-tailed fox.

“It…can’t…woah…” As the young kitsune grew closer to the warehouse, the fox divided his attention between the air and the tablet, one hand on the yoke as the other frantically tapped the screen of the tablet.

“What’s goin’ on, buddy?” Sonic asked, peering over the fox’s shoulder.

“It’s a…Chaos Emerald,” Tails replied.

“Oh yeah, the detector is working again,” Sonic said. “Just like in Silver Valley.”

“The signal is a bit spotty,” Tails tapped the screen a few times more, “but the gem’s current location is the same as the warehouse. So that must mean…”

“Eggman has a Chaos Emerald!” The party said in unison.

“That would explain the source of the frequency’s power,” Tails theorized, raising a finger to his chin in thought. He averted his gaze to the rearview mirror. “Sonic, do you still have the blue Chaos Emerald?”

“Is grass green?” Sonic replied as he pulled the shimmering gem from his quills. “Is water wet?”

“Knuckles, do you have the red one?” The red echidna nodded as he pulled the red emerald from his dreadlocks.

“And I…” Tails reached into his namesakes to pull out the green gem. “…have this one.” The three Chaos Emeralds glowed in unison, detecting each other’s presence, and filling the party with vigor, the natural effect of these mystical gems.

“So Eggman thought he was so clever, huh?” Sonic asked. “He thought we would fall for his brainwashing scheme.”

“I’ll show him!” Knuckles added as he crashed one fist against the open palm of his other hand. “This is the last time he uses the sacred powers of the Chaos Emeralds for his own selfish desires!”

“I wouldn’t bet on that, Knucklehead,” Sonic replied, “but one thing’s for certain: we’ve gotta get the Chaos Emerald back and stop his mind controlling device.”

“Right!” Tails replied as he started his descent, using the abandoned highway to land his biplane within a few dozen yards of the warehouse. The four leapt out once the aircraft came to a stop, and they headed for the door.

“Locked,” Tails observed after twisting the knob.

“Stand back, Tails,” Knuckles requested as he tapped the orange kitsune on the shoulder. Tails did as he was told and watched as the red echidna blasted through the door with the might of his fist.

Sonic whistled. “Man, watching Knuckles punch things never gets old. Good thing I wasn’t on the receiving end of his fist this time!” Knuckles blushed at the unsolicited compliment before rapidly shaking his head and leading the troupe into the building.

“Is it just me,” Tails asked, “or is it pitch dark in here?”

As if on cue, the party was met with a barrage of industrial lights, all centered on the four. They peered around to find the walls covered with televisions.

“Sonic the Hedgehog,” Eggman said as he approached the heroes, “always a displeasure.”

“What can I say?” Sonic replied with a shrug. “Putting a stop to bad guys is sort of my thing.”

“Well, Sonic,” Eggman quipped as he ran a hand through his mustache, “it looks like I will be having the last laugh this time! Decoe, Bocoe…turn on the televisions.”

“Yes, Doctor!” Decoe and Bocoe did as they were told, pressing a large red button which simultaneously switched on all the televisions covering the walls and ceilings. Eggman cheered as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were instantly transfixed on the spiraling images flickering on the screens surrounding the open warehouse floor.

“At last! I have Sonic and his friends in the palm of my hands! Wooahhooohoohooo!” Grinning, he approached Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails, who were slouched over slightly as they stared at the televisions, their mouths open and saliva dripping from their lips. “Now, you will do exactly as I say! Starting with…” Eggman brought a finger to his chin in thought. “You know…I’ve been trying to stop Sonic for so long that I haven’t thought this far ahead yet…well…I think it’d be rather funny if they sing that one song I saw on the internet! Yes…” Eggman cleared his throat. “Sonic, Tails, Knuckles: sing and dance to the song Peanut Butter Jelly Time.”

Team Sonic proceeded to bend their knees, swinging their arms as they started singing in monotone voices. “Peanut. Butter. Jelly. Time. Peanut. Butter. Jelly. Time.”

“Yes, yes, yes, this is delicious!” Eggman’s bellowing laughter filled the factory once more. “I think I’ll order them to make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich next! Wooahhooohooh—” The Doctor’s laughter was cut short as the spiral graphic disappeared from the televisions. “Wait, what just happened?” Eggman peered around frantically as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles regained their composures, rubbing their eyes in confusion. Finally, the evil doctor’s gaze was turned to the top of the satellite tower, a small robot clasping the purple Chaos Emerald from above.

“Bokkun!” Eggman cried. “Damn that no good double crosser! When I get my hands on him, I’m going t—” He was interrupted once more, this time from tapping on his back. Immediately when Eggman turned around, he was greeted with a punch to the gut from an angry echidna, sending the elder scientist careening to the tower.

“Egg Mobile, I summon you!” Eggman called as he forced himself up, clutching his gut before pulling himself into his flying, egg-shaped vehicle. “This isn’t over! Not by a long shot!” Using a laser, he blasted a hole through the wall, using this opportunity to escape.

“Hey, come back here!” Knuckles called as he ran toward Eggman, but he tripped, still dazed from the recent mind control.

“Are you alright, Knuckles?” Tails asked from the red echidna’s side, offering his supportive hand.

“Y-yeah…” he replied as he accepted the fox’s offer of assistance, grabbing his palm and returning to his feet.

“Hey guys!”

Team Sonic peered up to find Bokkun at the top of the tower, giving the three a peace sign with one hand as he proudly held the purple Chaos Emerald with another.

“Good going, Bokkun!” Sonic complimented, giving the messenger robot a well-deserved thumbs up. The robot blushed as he descended to the ground below.

The blue hedgehog addressed the group. “Ready to blow this popsicle stand?”

“Yeah, these TVs are giving me the creeps,” Tails replied, peering around at the walls of televisions for the final time before stepping outside, heading back to the Tornado 2.

“So…Sonic…Tails…”

Before they could hop into the aircraft, they were met by Christopher Thorndyke, leaning against his limousine as he sucked on a candy cigarette. Taking a fake drag, he blew the nonexistent smoke from his lungs before dropping the candy on the ground and crushing it with his shoe. “Our next plot will certainly bring you down!”

“I’d like to see you try,” Sonic replied with a snicker, “but partnering with Eggman? You realize that’s more of a weakness than a strength, right?”

“Just you wait, hedgehog,” Chris replied as he reached a hand into the open window of the limousine, pulling out a roll of toilet paper. He threw it over the biplane before diving into the car, commanding his driver to book it. The limo peeled out of there, escaping over the horizon as the heroes were left dumbfounded.

“Well…” Tails picked up the stream of toilet paper with both hands. “Cross this off the grocery list at least.”  

Chapter Text

“Hmmm…” President Michael Kennedy studied a spreadsheet printout placed on his desk moments earlier by his political aide, Jerome Wise.

“Things aren’t looking good, Mr. President” Jerome said as he loosened his blue tie and ran a hand through his normally well-kempt brown hair. “Pardon my language, but the electorate are beating your ass in the public approval ratings.”

“I don’t understand,” Michael said as he brought a glass of whiskey to his lips, spinning his chair around to peer out the window of the Oval Office. “I’ve been such a diligent leader, fulfilling most of my campaign promises despite a divided Congress.”

“Much of the situation is outside of your control, sir,” Jerome replied as he tossed a copy of the New York Times on his desk, the title of the front-page story reading “World Recovers After Mass Mind Control Scheme”. “Dr. Eggman’s mind control resulted in the loss of thousands of lives – from folks crashing their cars to out of control oil rigs…not to mention untold billions of dollars it’ll take to fix everything up.”

“My intelligence officers report he’s being aided by the Thorndyke boy,” Michael said as he spun around back to his desk, pouring another glass of whiskey. “Apparently once Sonic and his friends helped Agents Rouge and Topaz blow up Eggman’s base, he was rescued by the boy and is now receiving funding from the Thorndyke family…”

“You and I both know,” Jerome interrupted, “that there’s nothing we can do to curtail this revenue stream. The Thorndyke’s control the media and contribute to all major legislative leaders, even funding a good chunk of your campaign for president.”

“Damn dirty money…” Michael muttered under his breath before taking another sip of alcohol. “If Sonic and his friends weren’t cooperating, we would’ve been doomed. Our military was no match for Eggman, and yet a small group of alien children can keep that maniac at bay? What a time to be alive…”

“In speaking of Sonic…” Jerome flipped on the television to find a news report from Scarlet Garcia.

“Our undercover journalists have found that the ones responsible for stopping Dr. Eggman’s mind control plot were none other than Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends.” Jerome flipped the channel to find another report.

“If it wasn’t for Sonic,” one balding commentator yelled into his microphone, “we’d be toast! The President is a useless moron compared to the true hero the United States of ‘Merica needs right now!” The sharp words were met with ferocious applause from the audience. Jerome groaned as he flipped the channel again.

“Sonic and Tails: A Documentary, airing tomorrow night at 7 PM Eastern Time…”

“AHHHHH!” Jerome cried. “It’s all about Sonic this, Sonic that, Sonic everywhere!” He threw the remote on the floor. “At this rate, the American people will elect him president!”

“Beaten by an alien hedgehog, huh?” Michael chuckled under his breath. “Wouldn’t that be ironic…the way things are headed, Congress may actually pass a constitutional amendment making Sonic eligible to run.” He brought a hand to his chin in thought. “These Mobians are making me look weak, and my tenure in office may get cut short if I don’t do something about it.”

Jerome was pulling at his hair when a lightbulb suddenly appeared over his head. “That’s it!”

“What is it?” Michael asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

“You are trailing in the polls,” Jerome replied, “and the aliens are popular with the people, so what if…” The advisor slammed his fist against the open palm of his other hand. “…what if we host a special party at the White House to celebrate Sonic’s latest victory against Dr. Eggman?” The advisor stole the President’s jug of whisky and took a swig, earning a half-hearted protesting grunt from the commander-in-chief. “Yeah, yeah, we invite all the press, wine n’ dine them and then give them the perfect shot of you shaking Sonic’s hand! That’s a sure-fire way to boost your approval ratings!”  

“That’s brilliant!” Michael replied. “Can I count on you to get this organized?”

“Of course, Mr. President,” Jerome promised, raising a palm to his heart, “I swore an oath to serve the President of the United States, and if this will help boost your credibility in these dark times, then I consider this task an utmost priority!”

“But what about the guest of honor?” Michael asked as he took another sip of his beverage. “How do we know he’ll even want to attend?”

“Oh, trust me...” Jerome rubbed his hands suspiciously. “I have my ways. One quick call and I can summon the military, the navy, and the Airforce to ensure their complete cooperation!”

“That sounds like a waste of taxpayer dollars,” Michael replied as he leaned back in his chair, “not to mention abuse of power. I will not authorize such measures. Let’s just hope he attends on his own accord.”

“As you wish,” Jerome replied disappointedly. “We will provide an offer to Sonic, Tails, and their friends. We will pick them up in an expensive limousine, pay for their attire, donate to a charitable organization of their choice, and even pay them directly to attend.”

“However, you can’t convince them to come along with force,” Michael concluded as he pulled himself off his chair and turned to the window, studying the sky intently. “You have my permission to start planning the gala.”

“Yes, Mr. President,” Jerome said as he took a slight bow before leaving the Oval Office. Shutting the door behind him, he started giggling under his breath. “The President is too preoccupied with Eggman and his approval ratings to notice if I call in a favor with the military…” He pulled out his cell phone and selected a contact from his favorite’s list. “I will arrange to have the Marines, National Guard, Coast Guard, Airforce, and Navy on standby in case those Mobians refuse our generous offer. Sonic is going to support President Michael Kennedy’s re-election whether he likes it or not!”

“Since when were we messengers?” Rouge asked with a groan as she leaned back in the passenger seat of Topaz’s compact car.

“Any assignment from the President is of the utmost importance,” her human superior replied as she gently came to a stop at a four-way intersection. “Just be lucky you’re gainfully employed and not in the slammer, jewel thief.”

“You’re still on about that?” Rouge asked as she sat straight in her chair. “You’re never gonna let that go, are ya, sis?”

“It depends on if you turn over a new leaf,” Topaz replied as she turned a corner. “To be frank, you have a long way to go. You may have earned the trust and respect of the President, but I still have my eye on you.”

“Whatever you say,” Rouge replied with a sigh. “I guess that romantic night we shared didn’t do much to help.”

“That was off the clock!” Topaz replied with a blush. “Besides, all we did was watch a movie, nothing special.”

“And you let me cuddle up besides you,” Rouge replied as she nudged her human compatriot with her elbow.

“I was sleeping,” Topaz protested, her face turning a deeper shade of crimson. “And then that mind control thing happened, putting us both out.”

“Are you sure we were mind controlled,” Rouge asked as she lowered her eyelids, “or just asleep together on the sofa?” Topaz slammed her fist on Rouge’s head, a cartoonishly-large bump appearing between her ears. “Owww! You didn’t have to do that ya know!” The bat rubbed the bruise with her gloved hand. “I know you like it rough, but this is ridiculous!”

“One more word out of you, and I’ll eject you from my car!”

“Oh, like in those James Bond films? Oh wait, you can’t afford a luxury spy car!”

“Shut it,” Topaz gripped her steering wheel, “or you’ll see what this Honda Civic is truly capable of.”

“Right, right…” Rouge turned her back to the road, noticing they were now in a suburb dotted with small houses. Not too long after, Topaz pulled into a driveway and got out of the car. She approached the front door, followed closely behind by her Mobian counterpart.

Ring, ring!

Moments after Topaz rang the doorbell, Cream and Cheese answered, opening the door and greeting the guests with wide smiles.

“Good morning, Miss. Rouge and Miss. Topaz,” Cream stepped back and to the side, “come on in.”

“Chao, chao!!” Cheese added, making circles around the two agents as they stepped inside. Their attention turned to the living room, occupied by Helen and Tails.

Rouge burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Topaz asked before shifting her focus to Tails, who was sitting atop Helen’s lap as the young girl was using the wall mirror to carefully apply mascara to the Mobian fox’s eyes.

“Hey, stop laughing, Rouge!” Tails protested, a blush appearing through his furry muzzle. Helen spent the entire morning beautifying the fox, giving him fake eyelashes, lipstick, mascara, and glitter after he lost a dare.  

“Yeah!” Helen added. “You wish you were as cute as Tails!” This caused the bat thief to gasp.

“Sick burn, Helen!” Tails replied as he peered back at the human girl, sticking his hand up for her to give him a high five.

“Well, clean that stuff off,” Rouge retorted as she placed her hands on her hips, “because you gotta get ready for tonight.”

“What’s happenin’ tonight?”

The party turned to Sonic, standing at the kitchen entrance with a half-eaten chili dog in his gloved hand. The blue hedgehog proceeded to throw the entire hotdog up in the air, catching it in his mouth.

“Gross,” Amy replied, emerging from the kitchen with an apron. “If you’re gonna have me cook for you, at least take the time to enjoy your food.”

“Sorry, Ames,” Sonic replied as he ran a hand through his quills, “but your cookin’ was too good! I couldn’t resist!” Amy’s look of disgust and disappointment was replaced with a smile, sparkles shimmering in her eyes.

“A formal celebration,” Topaz replied, standing up straight as if addressing her commanding officer, “to commemorate your latest victory over Dr. Eggman.”

“It’s gonna have nice food,” Rouge continued, “and the celebrities in attendance will be wearing the most exotic, expensive jewelry out there.” 

“Rouge,” Topaz peered down at her Mobian counterpart, “are you…drooling?”

“N-no!” Rouge shook her head to get herself out of her trance. “And I’m totally not going to steal any priceless jewelry at the party.”

“Remind me to have you assigned elsewhere tonight,” Topaz replied as she folded her arms in disapproval.

“A party sounds like fun!” Amy said as she removed her apron and flung it to the side. “But do we even have enough time to prepare? I need to pick out a dress, do my hair, get a mani pedi…” The pink hedgehog continued mumbling to herself as she counted each of the tasks with her fingers.

“I’d love to go too!” Cream added, balling her hands into fists in excitement.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added as they made a few circles around the living room before ultimately resting on their master’s head.

“Sorry guys…” Tails ran a hand behind his ears. “…but Helen and I have other plans.”

“What do you mean?” Rouge asked. “What other plans could be more important than this?”

“Tails and I are gonna go pick some flowers!” Helen replied with a bright smile.

“…Couldn’t you do that any time?” Rouge asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Well…not exactly…” Helen’s expression turned downcast as she turned her head away. “My parents have been promising me for the longest time to take me to this special island we visited long ago, but unfortunately…” She gripped her wheelchair tires. “…given my condition, it’s too difficult to just get up and go, ya know? What makes matters worse, my parents can’t afford to buy or even rent a boat. They need to get it from a friend, and with how much my mum and dad work, it’s just never worked out.”

“But then…” A smile returned to Helen’s face as she patted Tails’ head, rustling his hair between her fingers. “…thanks to this little guy, we now have a nice little boat that’s handicap accessible!”

“Oh, it was nothin’ really,” Tails replied as a blush covered his face once more. “I only used the spare supplies in Chuck’s workshop. Only took me a few hours to get it goin’!”

“In speaking of which…” Helen brought a finger to her chin in thought. “Where is grandpa?”

As if being summoned, the door leading to the basement swung open, a skunk-like stench filling the main floor as the old man emerged wearing a tie-dye shirt and sunglasses, a joint artfully balanced between his fingers.

“Hey bros, what’s happenin’?” Chuck asked before taking a drag. He was about to exhale when he saw the two federal agents at the door, the surprise causing him to cough profusely, dropping his joint in the process.

“I (cough) can…(cough, cough) explain!”

“Hmmm…” Rouge picked up the marijuana and brought it to her lips, taking a drag of her own.

“Rouge!” Topaz grabbed it from her hands and crushed it on the vinyl floor with her boots. “You are a federal agent. Schedule I substances are strictly prohibited.”

“Oh, don’t get your panties in a bunch, sista,” Rouge replied nonchalantly before approaching Chuck, mouthing the words “call me” as she brought her hand to her ear, shaping it like a cell phone.

“Okay, that’s about enough out of you, troublemaker!” Topaz grabbed Rouge’s ear, yanking her back to her side, earning a yell with choice expletives from the bat. “We came to deliver the news about the party, not to get high, and quite frankly…” Topaz turned her attention to the old man, who was hiding behind his rocking chair. “If you weren’t living with Sonic and his friends, I’d file a report for illegal possession of drugs!”

“Well, in any case…” Topaz shrugged her shoulders. “Tails and Helen being absent is a blow, but the party can still go on as long as Sonic’s there.”

“Yeahhhhh, no.”

The party turned to the blue hedgehog, who was leaning against the wall with his hands behind his back.

“Excuse me?” Rouge said, placing her hands on her hips once more before approaching the blue hedgehog.

“You heard me,” Sonic replied with his eyes closed. “I’m not goin’.”

“And why’s that?” Rouge asked, flicking Sonic’s black nose, causing him to wince.

“You said it yourself,” Sonic replied as he rubbed the base of his sore nose, “there’s gonna be a lot of people. Not really my juice or jam. Plus, I’m helpin’ Tails n’ Helen get their boat to the lake.”

“But the President!” Topaz exclaimed. “Don’t you want to meet him?”

“Nah, I think I’ll pass,” Sonic replied as he headed for the door.

“But what about maintaining good relations?” Topaz questioned. “It’s because of him, after all, that you’re not back in Area 99.” This comment made Sonic’s ears twitch. Moments later, the blue hedgehog turned around.

“I’m not going to attend some fancy party out of fear, and to be frank, the President still owes me and Cream an apology for the nightmare his soldiers put us through.”

“Sonic…” Tails dropped from Helen’s lap and walked toward the blue hedgehog. “You okay?”

“Yes, Tails…” Sonic spun around once more, heading to the exit. “I’m fine. Just gonna take a little walk is all.” Within a second, the blue blur was gone, leaving behind a gust of wind.

“So much for a little walk,” Amy said with air quotes as she strengthened out the entryway rug, thrown halfway across the living room.

“You’ll have to forgive Sonic,” Tails said as he peered up at Topaz. “He’s not the type to handle diplomatic meetings. He just does what he thinks is right.”

“What are we going to tell the boss?” Rouge asked. “Sonic, Tails, and Helen aren’t attending. Do they call off the entire party?”

“Seems unlikely,” Topaz replied as he brought a hand to her chin in thought. “They already invited all the A-list celebrities and the press. Not to mention the food vendors…why did they decide to send us to invite the guest of honor last? It’s as if they set themselves up for failure.”

“Well…” Topaz returned her attention to the group, pulling a custom card out of her pocket for each of them. “The address is located on this invitation. If it ends up getting canceled or delayed, I’ll let you know.” She handed each of them their cards and returned to the entryway. “Well, Rouge, shall we?”

“How polite, girly girl,” Rouge replied with a wink. “If you’re gonna hit on me, at least do it in private.” Steam was bellowing out of the elder agent’s ears.

“I’m leaving now.” Topaz stomped back to the car, revving up the engine and pulling out of the driveway before Rouge had the opportunity to enter the car herself.

“Wait!” Rouge dove through the open window before Topaz peeled away. “Why’d you try leaving me for?”

“Oh, you know why,” Topaz replied as she gripped her steering wheel.

“Whatever,” Rouge shrugged her shoulders before pulling a joint from her pocket. “You got a light?”

“Where did you get that pot!?”

“Easy. I swiped it from the old man’s pockets…and also…aha!” Rouge pulled a small lighter from her other pocket.

“You are not going to smoke marijuana in my car!”

“Oh yeah? Says who?”

“Me.” Topaz clicked a button on her dashboard, instantaneously activating a spring in the passenger seat, sending the bat launching away along with the detachable roof.  

“James Bond would be proud,” Topaz noted to herself, a smirk covering her face before bringing her lukewarm Caribou Coffee cup to her lips.

The afternoon sun was high in the sky, illuminating Silver Valley and the various lakes, forests, and mountains encompassing the vast nature preserve. It was the perfect evening for an outdoor trip, exactly according to Tails’ plan.

Tails chose this day to bring Helen to the flower island she dreamed of returning to based on an extensive weather analysis, ensuring the odds of uncomfortable wind, rain, or other inclement conditions to be infinitesimal. Of course, one wouldn’t expect anything less from the two-tailed prodigy.

“Things are going exactly as planned,” Tails said under his breath as he lifted the rowboat upside down from the front. Ahead of him was Helen, who navigated herself through the trail while wearing a life jacket, and behind was Sonic, helping his little brother carry the boat to the lake.

“What was that, buddy?” Sonic asked, peering ahead as he tilted his head slightly.

“Oh, just talking to myself,” Tails replied. “Just making sure I accounted for everything is all.”

“You’ve really thought everything out, haven’t ya?” Sonic asked.

“Yeah, well…Helen’s been waiting to visit this flower garden for years, and while she would prefer to go with her parents, I want to make sure her visit is still special, ya know?” Tails peered forward as Helen exerted effort rolling up an incline. “Despite everything Helen has gone through, and despite the bad cards life dealt her, she still remains as cheerful and hopeful as ever. She’s among the nicest humans…no…nicest people I’ve ever met, despite the adversities she’s faced. She deserves this.”

“I hear ya, little buddy,” Sonic replied with a wink. “You’re a great friend for doin’ this.”

“Thanks, Sonic…” The orange kitsune paused before shifting the conversation. “So...you doing better now?”

“Oh, of course!” Sonic replied with a laugh. “Just needed to go for a run, ya know?”

“I know what happened at Area 99 wasn’t easy,” Tails added. “But you can always talk to me about it. You’re always there for me, and well…I want to be there for you too, you know?”

“Yeah…” Sonic nodded his head and cracked a smile. “Thanks, bro.”

“No problem,” Tails replied with a nod of his own.

“To be honest,” Sonic said as they made their way up the hill, the lake now within their visual range, “I’m surprised Cream recovered so quickly.”

“Some kids are not as impacted by events that may otherwise be traumatic to others,” Tails replied.

“But still,” Sonic reminisced. “She watched me get shot. She drew a gun on a soldier. She had to watch her hero be helplessly imprisoned, and now she’s safe but still missing her mother.”

“I think,” Tails replied after giving it some thought, “that her resilience comes from the comfort of being with her friends. Yes, I’m sure she is still sad deep down, but when she can be with Helen and the rest of us, she’s still able to be happy….” The young fox nodded his head once more. “…and once we secure the Chaos Emeralds, we can finally go home, and Cream will finally be reunited with her mom.”

“We’re here, guys!” Helen cheered as she spun her wheelchair around, watching as the two brothers gently placed the rowboat in the water next to the dock. The resulting splash disturbed the otherwise tranquil water, the waves from the rowboat dissipating shortly after.

“All right…” Tails ran through his mental checklist. Studying the boat from the dock, he ensured the ores were all inside. Removing a remote from his namesakes, he pressed a button, activating a raised platform with locks for Helen’s wheels. Finally, he pulled the straps on Helen’s life vest to ensure they were tightened.  

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with, Sonic?” Helen asked as she rolled onto the dock.

“On a boat, in the water?” Sonic shook his head. “No thank you. I’m happy with my two feet on dry land.” He tapped the tip of one of his shoes against the wooden dock. “I’ll be exploring the area a bit, though, so just holler if ya need anything!”

“Sounds good, Sonic!” Helen replied with a thumbs up before rolling to the platform. Pressing another button, the lock secured the wheelchair in place, and the platform lowered itself to the base of the boat before unlatching the wheels. Once she was comfortably in the boat, Tails gently stuck one leg inside, keeping the rowboat as steady as possible before getting the rest of himself inside. Finally, he grabbed both ores, one in either hand, and used one of them to push the boat away from the dock.

“So long, Sonic!” Tails yelled.

“Bye, Sonic!” Helen waved at the blue hedgehog, who waved back from the dock, a smile across both of their faces. Not in any particular rush, Sonic sat on the dock, allowing his legs to dangle near the water but, crucially, not letting his shoes touch the surface. He whistled softly as the boat drifted further away.

“Oh wow,” Helen said as she peered around the lake. “It’s been forever since I’ve been on the water.”

“I don’t usually go out on a boat myself,” Tails replied. “I’m more of a flying type.”

“Did you…just drop a Pokémon reference?” Helen asked as she tilted her head.

“Yep! Just for you.” The two laughed as the orange kitsune continued paddling the boat.

“Sure wish my parents were here, though…” Helen’s face turned downcast as she stared at her knees. Tails frowned as well, thinking of a way to help her feel better.

“Ya know,” Tails said as he pulled his Miles Electric from his namesakes, “we can take some pictures if you’d like. I’m sure Doug and Alicia would love some photos.”

“That’s a great idea!” Helen replied, her frown disappearing, replaced with a wide smile.

“In fact…let me just…” The orange fox tinkered with his application’s settings before sitting next to Helen and bringing his tablet up so its camera could capture them.

“Say mint chocolate!” Tails said.

“Mint chocolate!”

Click.

Bringing the computer back to his lap, the two studied the photo on the tablet screen.

“That came out perfectly,” Helen replied. “Really captured the moment!”

“You can thank the advanced photo capturing technology of the Miles Electric for that!” Tails replied with a laugh. “And I guess it was a good moment, too.”

“Oh, Tails.” Helen lightly jabbed Tails’ shoulder as the two laughed, the boat unmoving, resting in the water roughly halfway between the mainland and the flower island.

“Well, the flowers won’t pick themselves!” Tails noted as he returned to his seat opposite Helen. He grabbed both ores, rowing gently as the two made it closer to their destination.

Little did they know, however, they were being watched…

Chapter Text

Chapter 23: Flowers Blooming on the Island (Part 2)

“We’re here!”

Tails carefully maneuvered the canoe to the side of a short dock sticking out from the island. He proceeded to pull some rope from his side and used it to tie the boat to the dock. With a tight pull, the orange kitsune ensured their ride was fully secured before pulling himself out of the boat. Finally, with a click of a remote, Helen’s wheelchair was elevated to the level of the dock, allowing the young girl to safely roll out.

“We finally made it,” Helen said with a smile. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.” She peered at the lake, the fog too thick to see the other side whence they came, before turning around to observe the trail awaiting them. Unfortunately, however, the path was steep, a bit much for Helen to comfortably traverse.

“Need some help?” Tails asked as he gripped the handlebars of her wheelchair. She nodded with an even brighter smile than before. “Off we go!” The orange kitsune slowly pushed Helen’s wheelchair back to solid ground.

“The trees…” Helen peered around once more, admiring the habitat as they made their way down the dirt trail, not a human or Mobian in sight. “It’s exactly how I remember them.” Signaling Tails to stop, the young girl reached her hand out, gently placing her palm on the bark of the nearest tree. “Can you feel it?”

“Feel what?” Tails asked as he studied her hand intently.

“Try it.” The confused fox removed his right glove and placed his palm next to hers, feeling the rigid bark against his fingers. “It feels…natural. I feel life coursing through the tree’s veins.”

“I know what you mean,” Tails replied as he peered up at the birds in the lush branches above. “This entire forest is full of life. Reminds me of home.”

“What’s your home like, Tails?” Helen asked as she removed her palm from the tree. Tails followed suit, putting his glove back on before pushing the wheelchair once more.

“In many respects, it’s just like Earth,” Tails replied. “The planet is similar, nearly identical, in size. Land masses are as well. The biggest difference is population.”

“You see,” Tails continued as he maneuvered around a puddle, “Mobius is full of life, both intelligent and wild. The foxes you see on Earth, for example, are like the ones on Mobius, except some of us, the “Mobians”, resemble humans in intellect, self-awareness, and cognition, whereas the wild animals, or the “Mobini”, are more akin to animals on Earth. The same is true for hedgehogs, alligators, rabbits, and so on.” The orange kitsune paused to shield his eyes from the sun poking through the trees. “Unlike humans, whose population is in the billions and spans most of the planet, the Mobian population is much sparser. Sure, we have a few major cities, but many of us live in nature, away from suburbs and big urban centers. As a result, our environment is much better preserved than what we see on Earth.” Tails chuckled. “Our biggest threat to the environment is Eggman!”

“Do you…” Helen brought a finger to her chin. “…do you like it here on Earth?”

“I do!” Tails replied with an enthusiastic nod. “Sure, I miss my home, but your planet has so much about it left undiscovered, and human society alone is fascinating to study.” Tails nodded. “Did I mention your internet is hilarious? The memes on your planet are exquisite!” Tails and Helen laughed, their merry voices echoing through the trees.

“Well, do you think I could visit Mobius some day?”

“Great question…” Tails brought a gloved finger to his chin in thought. “The power of the Chaos Emeralds brought us to Earth in the first place, and their use scattered them around your planet. I’m sure the same thing will happen once we return to Mobius. Unless we create some sort of permanent bridge connecting Earth to Mobius, it wouldn’t be very likely.”

“But…but the tablet!” Helen exclaimed. “Didn’t it connect with the Master Emerald?”

“By all accounts, yes,” Tails replied. “The Master Emerald is so powerful that even its faintest signal can be detected here, although Knuckles is unable to feel it at all. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just that…” Helen placed her hands on her legs, tugging at her skirt. “I’m…going to miss you guys, ya know?”

“We’ll miss you too, Helen,” Tails replied before stopping the wheelchair, stepping to her side, and placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll be sure to have a lifetime’s worth of fun while we’re here, and if we can’t return, we’ll have our shared memories to cherish forever.”

“That’s true,” Helen replied, a small smile returning to her face. “In speaking of memories…” The young girl gestured to the path ahead, the trees ending as the trail gave way to a majestic field of white flowers, sparkling in the shimmering sun.

The two absorbed the scenery in awe.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, Helen!” Tails stepped around her and slowly approached the edge of the path. Kneeling, he gently plucked a flower from the grass and brought it to his nose. Taking a whiff, the smile across his muzzle grew even wider. “Deeeelightful!” The orange kitsune pulled himself up and handed the flower to Helen, whose eyes were glistening in the sun as she, like Tails before, brought the plant to her nose.

“The smell is wonderful. This island is wonderful. Thanks for taking us here, Tails!” Helen cheered, tears of joy filling her eyes.

“That’s what friends are for, right?” Tails replied with a wink.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Helen winked in return, using her free hand to give the young fox a thumbs up.

“Hey, I think I see a little clearing up ahead!” Tails pointed up the path to reveal a patch of grass where the flowers weren’t growing.

“I remember this spot,” Helen brought a hand to her chin as Tails pushed her to their new destination, “this is where my parents and I picnicked.”

“Sounds like the perfect place for us to have a snack too,” Tails replied as he gently came to a stop. He unzipped the pockets on either side of Helen’s wheelchair to find carefully prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a bag of Doritos, chocolate chip cookies baked by Cream and Cheese, water bottles, and individually wrapped fruit cups.

“Ah yes, all the essential food groups,” Helen commented as Tails pulled a foldable tray from the mesh pocket behind the chair, placing it on Helen’s lap. The fox proceeded to neatly arrange her food, even opening her water bottle.

“Lunch…is served,” Tails said with a bow.

“Tails the Fox? More like Tails the Butler.” The two exchanged laughter before the human girl took her first bite out of her sandwich, the orange kitsune pulling a foldable stool from behind the wheelchair, allowing him to sit in comfort as the two enjoyed a nice, quiet luncheon. Only the sound of the light wind brushing over the flowers and birds chirping in the distance filled their ears.

Unfortunately, this experience did not last.

Tails’ ears twitched as he heard the faint, unnatural and unmistakable sound of a helicopter in the distance.

“What’s wrong, Tails?” Helen asked as she tilted her head in concern.

“We’re not alone.” Tails pulled himself up and jumped in the air, activating his rotary namesakes and leaving the young girl behind as he got high enough for a good vantage point. Bringing a hand over his brow to narrow his focus, the orange kitsune spotted three helicopters in the distance, all heading in his direction and flying too close to the ground to simply be passing over the island.

“Is everything okay?” Helen yelled from below. Slowing his namesakes, the fox descended back down to the ground.

“We’ve got company…appears to be military helicopters heading our way.”

“What do they want with us?” Helen shifted her attention to the sky above, the military aircrafts now clearly in view.

“I don’t know, but we’ll soon find out.” Tails stood by Helen as they watched the helicopters land.

“No, the flowers!” Helen watched in horror as the helicopter’s landing skids damaged the plants. She didn’t have much time to mourn the loss, however, as soldiers filed out, led by their senior commander and Mobian sidekick.

“Topaz? Rouge? What are you two doing here?” Tails asked as the two ladies approached them, soldiers forming a closer circle around the young fox and his human companion.

“We’ve been sent to find you and Sonic,” Topaz replied. “By orders of the President of the United States, we have been asked to escort you to the White House for the gala.”

“We already told you we weren’t interested,” Helen replied as she gripped her chair’s handles. “Why did you come all the way here to search for us? And look what you did to the flowers!” The young girl pointed angrily at the nearest helicopter.

“Oh relax, will ya,” Rouge replied as she folded her arms, “the flowers will return, but your chance at attending a presidential gala is once in a lifetime!”

“I don’t care about your dumb gala,” Helen replied as she gestured to Tails. “I just wanted to spend the afternoon with my friend.”

“You know, girly girl,” Rouge approached the young human with a smirk, “we’ve been tasked to complete this mission by any means necessary. Do you know what that means?”

“You’re not going to try taking us by force, are you?” Tails asked as he created a shield between them.

“That depends, fox boy,” Rouge replied as she got closer, leaning in so her lips were within inches of his ear, “if you come quietly, force won’t be needed.”

“W-what do we do?” Helen asked, her voice shaky as the soldiers went for their weapons.

“Are you guys serious?” Tails asked, stepping around the jewel thief and shifting his focus on the soldiers. “Just what is the president trying to accomplish here? I’ve studied the Constitution and contemporary American law, and this abduction is hardly legal.”

“I know it seems a bit…sketch,” Topaz replied, approaching the fox and dropping to a single knee, the two now on a similar level, “but the important thing here is to trust the president. I’m sure he has his reasons.”

“Like an impending nuclear apocalypse?” Rouge asked with a smirk across her face.

“This is no time for jokes, Rouge,” Topaz replied with a frown before shifting her focus once more to the orange kitsune. “We were not briefed on the circumstances surrounding the request. Just make this easier for everyone and come with us.”

Sweat dripped from Tails’ forehead as he pondered their options. He glanced at Helen from the corner of his eyes; her breathing was elevated, and her eyes were filled with tears.

“We may be partners in our fight against Eggman,” Tails replied as he slowly reached a hand into his namesakes, “but that doesn’t mean your leader can do whatever he wants with us.”

“He’s got a bomb!” A soldier from behind fired his automatic rifle within several feet of the fox’s tails, causing him to drop a spherical device, now blinking red.

“Everyone, cover your ey—” Tails’ warning was cut off as the smoke bomb detonated, surrounding the immediate area with a black veil, making it impossible to see. Coughing, Tails gripped the handlebars of Helen’s wheelchair and ran through the humans, pushing over a soldier in the process who was experiencing a coughing fit.

“After them!” Topaz yelled as she finished collecting her bearings. As the smoke cleared, the soldiers ran off in multiple directions, Tails and Helen no longer in sight.

“Do you think we lost them?” Helen asked as the two hid behind trees on the other side of the flower clearing. Tails was breathing heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow as he studied the path behind.

“I think so,” Tails replied, “but we shouldn’t take any chances.” The orange fox gripped the handlebars once more. “Are you ready, Helen?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Right.” With a nod, Tails took off down the path once more, Helen gripping her handles as the kitsune studied the path through the trees surrounding them, looking for any contingency escape routes or places where soldiers may be hiding.

“You know,” Helen said as she wiped her tears away and peered up at Tails, “I’m honest to God terrified right now…but the thrill…is indescribable. I’m almost having fun.”

“I know what you mean,” Tails replied with a chuckle as he dodged a puddle. “This is basically just a normal day for me and my friends back on Mobius, so I’m used t—hey, where’s the bridge!?”

Tails skid to a stop, the wheelchair nearing the edge of a cliff.

“I’ve never come this far before,” Helen replied. “How do you know a bridge is supposed to be here?”

“Google Maps,” Tails said, “and these.” He pointed to wooden stakes where the rope bridge was previously fastened. Across the divide were similar posts on the opposite side.

“Buckled in?” Tails asked.

“Yes, why do you a—”

The fox jumped up, his rotary namesakes spinning as he retained his grip on the handlebars of Helen’s wheelchair. The two were now hovering in the air, with Helen staring directly at the ground.

“If you get scared, just close your eyes,” Tails suggested as he flew forward.

“Okay!” Helen replied over the whooshing sound of the orange kitsune’s namesakes. Of course, the apparent thrill-seeker did not follow this advice, taking in an aerial view of the water below, unphased by the steep fall.

“Woahh…we’re…halfway…theeere.” Sweat dripped from Tails’ face as he clenched his teeth, his flight pattern unstable as he struggled to safely arrive to their destination.

“C’mon, Tails, you can do it!” Helen cheered from below. “Also don’t drop me please, I’m pretty sure I’ll die.”

“I bet…not even…Team Rocket…could survive a…fall like that…” Tails’ vision was blurred by the sweat dripping into his eyes, unable to wipe it away or risk dropping Helen to an untimely demise. His arms were sore, and his namesakes were getting tired, their rotations getting slower as his altitude started dropping.

“Ahhhhh!” With one final shout, Tails summoned from within a second wind, one which carried the two over the cliff’s precipice. With his last reserve of energy, the fox gently brought the wheelchair back to the ground, ensuring it would land wheel-first, before ultimately collapsing next to the human girl.

“Tails, are you okay?” Helen asked as she watched the fox pant heavily, his face buried in the grass as his lungs rapidly filled and expelled air. His namesakes were drooped, and his arms and legs were sprawled out across the ground.

“Y-yeah…” Tails forced himself to roll over, eventually propping himself up with his hands. “Talk about exhilarating, huh?”

“I’ll say!” Helen replied as the two shared a laugh.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Tails noted as he pulled himself off the ground completely. He pulled out his Miles Electric and brought it to the young girl. “See, we are riiiiight here.” The fox pointed to the blip on the island map, a fissure dividing the land mass into two. “We started out on the other side of the island, but with that bridge out, the only way off is back the way we came, unless we find another mode of transportation.”

“What do you suggest?” Helen asked as she brought a finger to her chin in thought.

“I suggest hiding overnight,” Tails replied. “I can construct a makeshift, camouflage tent using twigs and leaves. That should protect us from the cold and keep the soldiers from finding us, assuming they’d even make it this far.” The fox zoomed in on the map to reveal the foliage covering the island. “There are no good places for a helicopter to land, so they would need to repel individual soldiers from high up. They would have to bring in a lot of people to make a search successful, so if I start building a shelter now, we should have a good chance of evading their detection.”

“A decent plan…”

Tails and Helen peered around, but by the time Rouge made her physical presence known, it was too late.

The jewel thief swooped down from above, kicking Tails in the back of the head and sending him rolling toward a nearby tree, colliding with its trunk seconds later.

“Tails!” Helen rolled to the fox’s side. Black X shapes appeared across his eyes, and his tongue was sticking out of his mouth. “Tails, are you okay?”

The orange kitsune slowly opened his eyes, shaking the flickies from his vision before pulling himself up, only to drop down to one knee as he clutched the back of his head, moaning in pain. “Y-yeah, I’m alright.” Finally returning to his feet, Tails was met by the sight of Rouge towering over him from above, her hands on her hips.

“Pathetic. I thought you’d be more of a challenge, but I guess you’d rather work on your airplane than develop your fighting skills.”

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Helen replied angrily, her hands balled into fists. “Tails was exhausted after flying me over here. I’m sure he could easily take you down in a fair fight.”

“Listen here, hon…” Rouge approached the fox once more, but her words still focused on the human child. “You know firsthand the world isn’t fair. The only way to get ahead is by overcoming the odds through any means necessary.” The bat charged a swiping kick, but instead of colliding with Tails’ legs, the agile fox jumped back, his feet contacting the tree, giving him a surface to propel himself against. The plan to execute a retaliatory kick to Rouge’s face, however, was swiftly deflected by the bat’s effortless block.

“My my, I see you’ve made a quick recovery.” Rouge chuckled as she bent her legs and readied her arms. “Perhaps I’ve underestimated you.”

“You wouldn’t be the first.” Tails readied himself as well, his namesakes fluttering from behind as he searched for a way to undermine the bat’s defenses. Rouge seemed to be doing the same, the two locking eyes, staring each other down as the tension in the air thickened.

“Hey guys, what’s happenin’?”

This broke Tails and Rouge’s concentration; the two looked up to find Sonic casually resting on a tree branch.

“Sonic? What are you doing here?” Tails asked.

“I came here to find ya, lil’ bro.” The blue hedgehog jumped from the branch, landing within feet of the orange kitsune. “I was chillin’ on the dock when I noticed the helicopters hot on your trail.”

“But how did you even get here?” Helen asked. “You didn’t have a boat, and you can’t swim either.”

“I didn’t like it, but…” The blue hedgehog shivered. “I ran across the water and made it to the island no sweat. My shoes are still soaked, though…” Sonic raised one knee, raising the soles of his shoes for the group to see. “I’ll have to dry these out when we get back to Helen’s place.”

Rouge stepped back, scoffing under her breath as she maintained her fighting stance.

“Why the long face, Rouge?” Sonic asked. “Aren’t we on the same side here?”

“Rouge was trying to force us to go to that presidential gala,” Tails replied.

“Did you tell her earlier you didn’t wanna go?” Sonic brought his hands to his hips.

“Exactly!” Helen replied. “I don’t understand what was going through the president’s head.”

“Quite frankly, I don’t know what’s going through your heads,” Rouge complained. “Why don’t you want to go anyway? I get you wanted to see the flowers, Helen, but they’ll always be here.”

“I know,” Helen replied, “but I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back next, and Tails won’t be around forever…”

“It’s okay, Helen,” Tails placed a hand on her shoulder, “you don’t need to explain.”

The sound of helicopter blades quickly descended upon the group.

“If you don’t decide soon,” Rouge replied, “you’ll need to explain to human authorities why you disobeyed a presidential command.” The helicopter continued its descent, now hovering near the cliff’s precipice.

Sonic took immediate action, spindashing through the passenger door of the helicopter.

“Hey, what the he—”

“Oh relax, will ya?” Sonic replied to the pilot as he pointed to the cargo area in the back, where anxious soldiers watched the scene unfold. The pilot got the message, fleeing to the back with his colleagues. “Hey Tails, wanna keep this bird steady before we crash?”

“Oh, right!” Tails quickly dove into the helicopter as well, crawling over Sonic to find himself in the pilot’s chair. Using the cyclic stick, the orange kitsune steadied the helicopter. “Now what?”

“Turn the ‘copter 90 degrees so everyone else can get on.” Doing as he was told, Tails swiveled the helicopter and opened the hatch in the back. Sonic whistled from the passenger seat, signaling to Rouge and Helen that it was time to go. Helen eagerly rolled into the helicopter’s cargo compartment, despite the considerable gap between the aircraft and the precipice that would’ve made anyone queasy. She was followed by Rouge, who nonchalantly took her seat next to Topaz.

“Hey there, sweetie,” the jewel thief greeted.

“Just what is going on here?” Topaz asked.

“We’ll give ya what you want,” Sonic replied through the intercom. “We’ll even take over piloting duty. Tails, to the White House!”

“Roger.” The young fox nodded as he increased the helicopter’s altitude. Tipping the cyclic stick forward, the crew of confused soldiers and savvy Mobians made their departure, leaving the flower island behind.

“Well, this party’s officially a bust,” Amy complained as she poked at an olive on her plate, sitting at a table in the corner of the presidential gala. She was dressed in a pink dress and covered expertly in make-up.

“I think the party is just lovely, even without Sonic and Tails,” Cream opined from her side, “right, Cheese?”

“Chao, chao!” Cream’s faithful companion sat in an elevated baby seat as they nibbled on the last of a brownie.

“The media doesn’t seem super enthusiastic,” Chuck commented as he watched a line of reporters and camera operators nearly falling asleep at a long table across the room.

“Who wants more booze?!” A man in a business suit, with disheveled hair normally parted, was carrying a large bottle of wine, a sight which caught the attention of the tired reporters. They all raised their empty glasses, nodding happily as they received another serving of alcohol.

“What’s taking the military so long?” Jerome asked himself as he finished filling the reporters’ cups. “I sent in more than enough soldiers to apprehend that little hedgehog and his foxy friend. Now this party’s looking like a failure, and the president’s approval ratings are going to sink even lower.” The advisor lamented the mental images of news headlines poking fun at the commander-in-chief for hosting a gala for well-revered guests who didn’t even bother to attend.

Setting the empty wine bottle on a vacant table, he approached the president, who was casually conversing with a wealthy individual wearing a top hat and a monocle.

“Mr. President, sorry to interrupt, bu—”

“Can’t you see I’m busy entertaining our esteemed guests?” Michael replied before turning his attention back to the guy who looked like the Monopoly Man. “Sorry about that. Now where were we? Ah yes, the new billionaire tax cut you were proposing…” The two continued their conversation, stepping away from the frustrated advisor.

“Gahhh, at this rate, this gala will just be a gathering of rich people! Where is Sonic when you need him?” Peering around the room, he nearly missed the sight of the blue hedgehog himself at the front door, accompanied by his two-tailed brother, Helen, Rouge, Topaz, and a group of soldiers. “Sonic, you’re here!” Jerome cried, bursting through a small group of wealthy aristocrats and aggressively shaking his hand. “Come, come, the president is right over here.” Jerome yanked Sonic away, dragging him by the arm as he shoved the Monopoly Man away and replaced him with the blue blur.

“Now I just gotta get the press!” Jerome ran over to the journalists’ table and gasped; their faces were flush red, and they were down for the count, too inebriated to perform any sort of reporting, let alone getting a good shot of Sonic and Michael shaking hands.

“Damn it all!” Jerome returned to the president and pulled out his cell phone. “If you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself.” The advisor rolled on the floor and prepared an action shot as Sonic and Michael watched dumbfoundedly.

“Is…this guy always like that?” Sonic asked.

“He’s…just a bit passionate about his job is all,” Michael replied with a chuckle, wiping away the cartoonishly large sweat droplet covering the side of his face. “Now, anyway, Sonic: it’s an honor to finally meet you.” The president extended his arm out. Sonic returned the shake, firmly clasping the commander-in-chief’s hand.

“Yes, yes, yes! These are good, yes!” Jerome took several pictures, rolling every few seconds to cover different perspectives like a cross between a gymnast and celebrity paparazzo.

“Perhaps we could offer you and your friends some gourmet food?” Michael offered, gesturing his arm to a half-picked buffet table.

“Fancy food isn’t really my jam, Prez. Besides, I wanted to have a little chat about the military trying to kidnap us and about that Area 99 business!” The president stepped back in surprise as Sonic wore a serious frown with a furrowed brow, but the unforgettable smell of something absolutely delightful caught the blue blur’s attention, transforming his demeanor instantaneously. He took a few long sniffs. “Although…if that’s what I think it is…” Sonic ran toward the table and removed the metal cover from a heated plate full of freshly made chili dogs. “I think the conversation can wait!”

“We saved them all for you and your friends!” Michael replied. “Help yourself!”

“Will do, chief!” Throwing the cover to the side, the blue blur grabbed two handfuls of hotdogs and started devouring them as the gang laughed, soon joining him for a feast fit for a hedgehog.

“I think that’s enough pictures for today!” Jerome declared as he opened Facebook. “Now I just gotta post these on social media, and then we’ll be good to g—” He was startled as he felt a tug at his pant leg, causing him to drop his iPhone, shattering into pieces the moment it collided with the floor below.

“Excuse me, mister,” Cream said, “I just wanna say you hosted a fantastic party!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added from atop her head.

“You absolute moron!” Jerome shoved Cream aside to scoop up the remaining pieces of his $1,000 cell phone. “God I fuckin’ hate children…” The advisor ran out of the gala in the hopes his tech wizard contact could extract the photos from his phone.

“What…did I do?” Cream asked Cheese, who simply shrugged their shoulders in return.

Chapter Text

“This way, Sonic!”

“Do I haaaave to?”

“Of course! I can’t think of anything more romantic than going shopping for bathing suits!”

Sonic groaned as he stared at the half-eaten chili dog on his plate at the food court of the Station Square mall. He was joined by Tails, Cream, Cheese, Bokkun, Helen, and Chuck, all enjoying an assortment of food from the various mall vendors. The only one who wasn’t eating was Amy; she finished her salad swiftly and was now pulling on Sonic’s arm, the blue hedgehog all but ignoring his girlfriend as he debated whether his upset stomach could handle the rest of his lunch.

“C’mon, Sonic, why are you being like this?” Amy released her grip from Sonic’s arm and placed her hands on her hips. Sonic didn’t reply, still staring at his chili dog, for once unable to finish a plate of his favorite food.

“You may be excited for the cruise,” Tails replied, balancing a French fry between his fingers like a cigarette, “but you forget who you’re dealing with here.” The orange kitsune took a bite before washing it down with a long sip of his long-overdue Shamrock Shake.

“It’s a little water,” Amy huffed. “He doesn’t need to go swimming.”

“Have you considered Sonic’s feelings, Miss Amy?” Cream asked before taking a bite of a Chicken McNugget.

“You too?” Amy gasped. “Is everyone against me now?” The pink hedgehog flung her arms up in the air.

“No, it’s not like that at all,” Cream replied. “If there’s anything I’ve learned from spending time with Bokkun, it’s learning to be accommodating. Not everyone is comfortable in all situations. Right, Bokky?”

“Mmmhmmm,” Bokkun replied as he munched on a slice of apple pie.

“Bokky is shy around strangers, so I introduce him to others.” Cream patted the messenger robot’s leg, earning a smile from him as he continued chewing his latest bite.

“I just don’t understand why he chose a cruise, of all things, as his apology for the way the government treated us.” Sonic complained as he pushed his plate forward. “Does anyone want the rest of my dog? Just thinking ‘bout the ocean is making me sick.”

“Clearly the President didn’t do his research,” Chuck noted through a bite of orange chicken. “But hey, if there’s one thing to be thankful for, it’s that the trip will be all-expense paid, and it’ll only be us.”

“Mom and Dad too!” Helen noted before taking a sip of her boba tea. “The government checks finally reached my parents, and they made it clear to their bosses this would be a trip they wouldn’t miss under any circumstances.”¹

“Back in my day,” Chuck interjected as he sipped his Sierra Mist, “a small family could have one wage earner and still afford to go on vacations. Now my son and daughter-in-law work around the clock just to put food on the table. This country has really gone down the toilet.”

“I’d hate to rain on the parade,” Sonic interjected as he folded his arms, “but maybe I should stay home? Y’all are lookin’ forward to this trip, and I’d hate to be a party pooper.”

“Oh no you don’t!” Amy pulled the blue hedgehog from his chair. Sonic face planted on the sticky surface of the mall floor and was immediately pulled back up by his girlfriend. “You’re gonna help me pick out a swimsuit, and we’re going to go on a nice, long, romantic cruise, and you’re gonna like it.”

Sonic spun around, restrained by the might of Amy’s passion. “Tails, a lil’ help here?”

“How about this.” The orange kitsune took one final sip of his shake before pulling himself from his chair and approaching the two hedgehogs. “Sonic, why don’t you go on the cruise?”

“Whaaa?” Sonic tilted his head in confusion, and Amy stopped trying to pull him away. “I thought you were my friend!”

“Let me finish,” Tails replied, sticking his palms out. “What I’m trying to say is that maybe this trip will finally help you conquer your fear of water.”

“What do you mean?” Sonic notched his head even more.

“The best way to conquer fear,” Tails raised a finger to the air, “is to confront it head on!” He slammed one fist against the open palm of his other hand. “The cruise ship’s so big that you won’t need to constantly be looking at the ocean. There are many amenities inside as well as a few pools to help you learn how to swim in a safe environment.”

“You call the middle of the ocean a safe environment?” Sonic used air quotes for extra emphasis.

“Think of it like this,” Tails grabbed Sonic’s half-eaten chili dog and took a bite. “You know how most of Eggman’s schemes have been on land or aboard an airship, right?”

“Yeah, and?” Sonic folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

“Well, there haven’t really been many plots at sea. Sure, you have Eggman’s Oil Ocean base, but there were more than enough oil rigs to keep solid footing.”

“It’s been years, and I still can’t get the smell of oil out of my nose.” Sonic plugged one nostril and sniffed heavily through the other.

“And then there’s Aquatic Ruins, but the structures were intact just enough to ensure safe travels most of the time.”

“Yeah, except when we fell into the water. If you weren’t there to pull me out, I would’ve drowned!”

“The point is,” Tails burped, earning an immediate high five from his big brother, before tossing the chili dog tin foil wrapping on the table, “it’s only a matter of time until Eggman thinks to develop a base of operations in the middle of the ocean. Sure, his dilapidated headquarters here on Earth was on a small island before we blew it up, but we should be prepared for anything! Plus,” the young fox whispered in Sonic’s ear, “It’s one less thing for Amy to nag at you about.”

“I heard that!” Amy withdrew her Piko Piko Hammer from her hammerspace, causing Tails to step back, laughing nervously as he ran a hand behind his head.

“Ya know…” Sonic raised a hand to his chin in thought. “I think Tails has a point.”

Amy raised her hammer once more, a flaming aura glowing around her. “You mind repeating that?”

“Not about the nagging,” Sonic replied. “About learning to swim. Tails is spot on.” The blue hedgehog gave his little brother a pat on the head. “Water is my greatest weakness, one that Eggman could easily try using against me. Maybe this cruise will help me overcome this fear.”

“That’s the spirit, Sonic!” Tails cheered.

“Way to go!” Helen exclaimed.

“We’re proud of you!” Cream said.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added, holding a half-eaten McNugget between their stubby hands.

“And this is why I love you so much, Sonic!” Amy declared as she grabbed Sonic’s arm, nearly dragging him off his feet once more. “You’re always striving to do better, be better.” The pink hedgehog pointed in the opposite direction, her other hand still firmly clasping onto her boyfriend’s arm. “To J.C. Penny we go!”

“I’ll come too!” Cream said, slipping off the food court chair and running to catch up to Amy.

“Chao, Chao!” Cheese added, flying close behind.  

After making their way through half the mall, the group of Amy, Sonic, Cream, and Cheese made it to the clothing store.

“C’mon, guys,” Amy declared after walking into the store, “all the bikinis are on sale!” Sonic groaned as he was led to the woman’s swimwear department.

The pink hedgehog wasted no time; finding a step stool, she climbed up and started exploring the various swimming outfits. Sonic, meanwhile, paced around in circles, waiting for Amy to make a selection.

“What do you think about this one, Sonic?” Holding it out for the blue hedgehog to see, it was a red, two-piece swimsuit with yellow hearts.

“It’s great!” Sonic replied enthusiastically, giving Amy a thumbs up. “We gonna buy it now? This place is startin’ to make me all claustrophobic.” The blue hedgehog peered around, the walls feeling as if they were closing in on him.

“Why don’t you take a few laps around the mall while I help Cream pick something out?” Amy suggested. “We’ll also need time to try these on.”

“Will do!” Sonic waved his hand as he spun his body around. “See ya!” Within seconds, the blue hedgehog was gone, multiple clothing racks toppled over and customers peering around in confusion at the disturbance.

“Ohhhh, that Sonic!” Amy grumbled. “Why is he always so impatient?!” Shaking herself out of her brief funk, she peered down at Cream. “Let’s go pick something out for you too!”

“Yay!” Cream replied. “I had my eyes on this one over here.” Grabbing the step stool, the young bunny climbed up and picked out a one-piece yellow bathing suit with a frilly pink skirt and flowers adorning the straps. “What do you think, Ms. Amy?”

“I think it’ll suit you well!” Amy replied. “Let’s try these on before Sonic gets back. Knowing him, he’ll stop for another chili dog or two, so we should have time.”

“Okay!” Cream replied as the two headed to separate changing rooms. Cheese, meanwhile, sat on a chair across from the changing room doors.

“Hey ma! It’s a toy!”

“Chao?” Cheese peered up to find a young girl with a ponytail and braces peering at them. Her mother was several feet away comparing two different pairs of jeans.

“That’s nice, dear.” The mother placed one pair back on the rack and returned to her daughter. “My, that toy looks very realistic!”

“C-chao?” Cheese tilted their head in confusion.

“Oooh, it must be battery powered.” The woman plucked Cheese from the chair, lifting them up to inspect their entire body. “I don’t see a battery slot, though…nor a tag. I’ll have to ask Customer Service how much this thing is wor—” She froze as Cheese flew away from the woman’s grasp and spun around the two.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese cheered happily; the chao was confused at first, but they came to the conclusion that these humans were now, in fact, two new friends.

“Ahhhhh!” The mother flung her purse away in fright, grabbed her daughter, and ran off.

“C-chao?” Cheese was now even more confused, flying in place as they observed the humans leaving the store. Finally, with a shrug of their shoulders, the chao returned to their chair, bopping their head to the pop music playing over the speakers, waiting for their master to return.

Amy was the first to emerge from her dressing room. Peering around, she approached Cheese and knelt, getting on eye level with the chao. “Cheese, did you hear a woman scream just now?”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese replied happily.

“Huh…” Amy peered around once more before looking back at the chao. “I was probably just hearing things!” As the pink hedgehog reached this conclusion, Cream stepped out of her changing room as well.

“My, that bathing suit does suit you nicely!” Amy complimented.

“Thanks! Yours too, Ms. Amy! Right, Cheese?”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese replied with a big smile.

“Now we just gotta find So—” Amy was interrupted by the unmistakable whoosh of the blue hedgehog’s return. “Hey girls, miss me? Y’all try the clothes on ye—” Sonic stopped, studying Amy in her new attire. “Lookin’ good, Ames!” Sonic gave her girlfriend a thumbs up, a slight blush appearing across his muzzle.

“You really mean that?” Amy asked, clasping her hands together.

“Sure do!” Sonic replied, running a hand through his quills. “Now we ready to go or what? I think I explored every inch of this place a dozen times already!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Amy said. “Just let us get back into our clothes and we can check out.”

“Sounds good.” Sonic sat in the chair opposite of Cheese.

“How’s the best chao on Earth doin’?” The blue hedgehog lifted one leg over the other.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese flew up and crawled on top of Sonic’s head, their stubby arms resting between his ears. The chao started sniffing vigorously.

“Oh, you smell that?” Sonic pulled a small bag from his quills. “I got ya a lil’ snack.” He opened the bag to reveal individually wrapped, cup-shaped candies. “They’re called Reese’s. I hear they’re good!” The blue hedgehog unwrapped one of the candies and gave it to the chao, who balanced it between their stubby hands, studying the morsel intently before plopping the entire piece in their mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, and pausing a few moments to reflect on the pairing between the chocolate and peanut butter flavors, Cheese ultimately flew up in the air, a wide grin across their face.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese approved.

“Hey, I bet you can’t catch this.” Unwrapping another Reese’s, Sonic tossed one piece high up the air. As if acting on instinct, Cheese opened their mouth wide, the candy landing perfectly on their tongue.

“Perfect score!” Sonic cheered, pumping his fists up in the air as Cheese celebrated in their own way: flying around the blue hedgehog’s head.

“Time for me to try one of these bad boys.” Throwing another one up in the air, he caught the Reese’s in his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, he was overcome with joy. “Move over chili dogs: I think I may’ve just found a new favorite food!”

“Blasphemous!”

Peering over at the voice, Sonic found Tails sipping on another dessert treat.

“You got another Shamrock Shake?”

“Nope!” He displayed the cup more prominently. “This is an Andes Mint Shake from Arby’s. Totally different!”

“Ah, if you say so, lil’ guy.” Sonic proceeded to toss another Reese’s into the air, but instead of landing in his mouth, it was caught by the tip of the orange kitsune’s namesake. The blue hedgehog’s eyes were closed, and his mouth was open for several seconds before he determined the candy missed its mark. Finally, opening his eyes, he peered over at the young fox, who had already devoured the chocolate.

“If you’re gonna steal my treat,” Sonic said as he yanked the shake from Tails’ gloved hands, “at least lemme have a sip of yours!”

“Fair enough,” Tails replied with a giggle. He stopped, though, when he found that Sonic sipped up nearly a third of his beverage. “Okay, that’s about enough.” The kitsune grabbed the drink with his namesake, returning it to his hand.

“I’ll say, that was pretty good!” Sonic wiped the whipped cream from his lips, using his other hand to give Tails a thumbs up.

Amy and Cream emerged once more from their changing rooms.

“Find anything you like, girls?” Tails asked.

“Yep!” Amy replied, showing the young fox the neatly folded attire in her hands.

“Neat!” Tails peered over at his big brother. “Speaking of shopping, I realized back at the food court that we don’t have any swim trunks.”

“Wait…why do we need swim trunks?” Sonic asked, putting his hands on his hips. “We don’t wear clothes normally, so why do we need to dress up to go in the water?”

“Well, you see,” Tails closed his eyes as he raised a single finger to the air, “a swimming outfit can help improve the efficiency of one’s velocity in the water, not to mention provide zipped pockets for any valuables you don’t want to lose, and finally, to reduce the amount of fric—” 

“We can wear matching outfits!” Amy interrupted. Yanking the blue hedgehog by the arm once more, she pulled him to the other side of the store, where she would spend the next twenty minutes finding the right pair of matching trunks for her boyfriend.

Sonic was not liking this.

Not at all.

Peering out the window of a Greyhound Bus, the blue hedgehog sighed as the morning sun warmed his fur but did nothing to warm his spirits. To his side was Amy, who was leaning on his shoulder, her eyes closed as she gently snored against him. Directly behind was Helen, who sat in her wheelchair in the far back section of the bus, Cream and Cheese in her lap like an oversized plushy. To his left, Tails and Chuck were having a conversation, and in front of Sonic, Bokkun sat awkwardly between Doug and Alicia.

“Hey Tails,” Sonic called, interrupting the orange kitsune’s conversation with the elder scientist. “Remind me again why we’re taking the slow route to the ocean?”

“The cruise departs quite a ways south of Station Square,” Tails replied. “I’m sure you could make it there in a flash, but where would that leave us? Plus, we have no place to park the Tornado or any other vehicle unless we paid an exorbitant fee to kee—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it…” The blue hedgehog sighed, resting his head back as he tried finding some comfort in the trees surrounding the interstate highway.

“Something wrong, Sonic?” Helen asked from behind.

“Nope! Everything is just peachy!” The blue hedgehog gave the world’s least convincing thumbs up, dropping his arm with a flop shortly after.

“Feeling anxious?” Chuck asked. 

“Well, I guess you could say that,” Sonic replied, running a hand through his quills in embarrassment.

“Hey, it’s all right,” Tails said. “Everyone has their fears and things they don’t like. It’s admirable you’re willing to confront this head-on.”

“You think so?” Sonic asked, a small grin appearing across his muzzle.

“Of course!” Tails gave an infinitely more convincing thumbs up in response. “This is exactly the kind of thing that makes you my role model, Sonic! Seeing you confront your fears makes me feel like I can tackle the world. Whenever I feel down, or question my self-worth, I turn to my big brother as my guiding light.”

“Oh wow, I don’t think you’ve spelled it out quite like that before.” Sonic blushed through his muzzle as his hand returned to his quills once more.

“Sometimes stating the obvious helps people feel better,” Chuck replied. “But also: don’t feel too much pressure. Your friends clearly look up to you, but that doesn’t mean you need to be perfect either.”

“That’s right,” Cream interjected. “If you’re not comfortable swimming at all, you can just relax in the hot tub.”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added.

“I appreciate the support, you guys,” Sonic replied with a smile. “But you know what? I think I’m gonna go for it. I’ll get on that ship and take as many swimming lessons as I need to learn how to swim!”

“That’s the spirit!” Helen said. “I’ll be cheering you on!”

“Thank you,” Sonic replied before slightly nudging the sleepy hedgehog resting her head on his shoulder. “And you’ll be my tutor, right?” The blue hedgehog shifted his attention back to Helen. “What was that term they used in your anime? Senpai, was it?”

“Oh, yep!” Helen replied, pulling from her reservoir of knowledge obtained from her interests in Japanese media. “Amy will be your teacher, the one you go to for guidance. She’ll be your senpai for sure!”

“Yeah,” Amy replied with a yawn, rubbing her weary eyes with her fists before returning to full strength. “I’ll give you as many lessons as you need!”

“The first step,” Chuck noted, “will be to board the cruise ship.”

“When will that be do you think?” Sonic asked, peering over at the elder human.

“If my calculations are correct,” Tails replied, itching the base of his chin in thought, “I’d say we’ll be there in exactly…”

The bus came to a stop in a large parking lot near the beach.

“…now.”

The party laughed before filing out of the bus. Helen was assisted by the elevator at the entrance, making her departure a breeze.

“We’re finally here!” Amy declared, taking a sniff of the air. “Ahhh, you can just smell the scent of the ocean! It feels so refreshing!”

“I’ll say,” Tails replied before jumping up, activating his rotary namesakes to get a good view of the coastline. “I see the ship! Looks like they’re ready to board.” The orange kitsune dropped back to the pavement below.

“Then what are we waitin’ for?” Sonic asked, leading the pack. “The sooner we get on that ship, the faster we can get this over with.” The blue hedgehog gently placed a palm on his belly, not wishing to show his friends his vulnerability once more. He quickly pulled his hand away, however, when Amy snuck up to his side.

“You doing okay, sweetie?” Amy tilted her head in concern

“Oh yeah, doin’ jus’ fine, Ames!” Sonic chuckled before extending his arm out to the pink hedgehog. “You wanna hold my hand? I hear that type o’ thing is romantic.”

“Would I?!” A blush appearing across her muzzle, Amy clasped onto Sonic’s gloved hand, interlocking her fingers between his. “Why, what a gentleman you’ve become my darling Sonic! Earth’s been good to you!”

“Ohh, young love,” Alicia commented from behind, her words directed at her husband. “Remember when we used to be like that, Doug?”

“You mean before life kinda put things into overdrive?” He chuckled as he ran a hand through his short hair. “Well, no time like the present, right?” He extended an arm out to his wife, who couldn’t help but gently blush as well before taking his hand, emulating the ritual they witnessed from the hedgehogs moments earlier.

Cream, who was previously holding Cheese like a baby in her arms, placed the chao between her ears before extending her arm out to Bokkun. The messenger robot, blushing as well, nervously accepted the invitation, grabbing her hand and following the troupe to the cruise ship.

Last in the pack were Tails and Helen, the former pushing the latter.

“Love is in the air, am I right?” Helen asked with a chuckle.

“Sure is!” Tails replied, laughing alongside her.

“I can’t believe I haven’t even asked if you’ve ever been in a relationship.”

“No worries, Helen.” Tails shook his head gently. “I’ve just never really been interested in dating. I’ve mostly kept myself busy in my workshop or joining Sonic on adventures. This romantic streak with Sonic lately is actually quite recent. Amy used to chase him down all the time, but now that they’ve been all but forced to live together, I think that brought the two of them closer.”

“How romaaantic!” Helen clasped her hands together. “It’s like another one of my Japanese anime!”

“I take it you’re not referring to Pokémon this time?”

“Nah,” Helen replied, “Although I do have a soft spot for PokéShipping.”

“What’s that?” Tails asked, tilting his head in confusion.

“The Ash and Misty pairing, of course!”

“Oh yeah!” Tails replied. “They’re a cute couple. Shipping names are weird, though. Especially the ones that combine people’s names.”

“I’ve already come up with one!” Helen raised a finger to the air. “Henceforth, we shall refer to Sonic and Amy as SonAmy.”

“Well, that’s certainly easier than Sonic and Amy!” Tails replied, earning a giggle from the young girl.

Not paying attention to the path ahead, Tails nearly collided with the metal bars separating the landing from the precipice, a relatively long drop to the ocean waters below.

A large sweat droplet started to appear across Sonic’s forehead. He took a gulp.

“I’ve got this.” The blue hedgehog nodded to himself. “Yes, I’ll overcome this fear. I won’t let my friends down.”

As the heroes awaited permission to board the cruise ship, a long, black limo pulled up in the parking lot not too far away.

“Sonic…Tails…I’ll make you regret all the times you humiliated me.” Pulling himself out of the car, Mr. Christopher Thorndyke nearly rolled, his inflatable life vest puffing out his form. His large goggles and snorkels, which he insisted he wear for the journey to the cruise ship for reasons unknown, didn’t help with his hand-eye coordination.

“You think you’ll be enjoying a nice little vacation, well…” The young boy laughed maniacally. “Just like how you ruined my fun, I’m going to go ahead and ruin your fun!” As he stepped forward, he slipped on a half-empty can of Mountain Dew, causing him to fall on his back. Trying to pull himself up, he only managed to tilt his body left and right, like a turtle flipped onto its shell.

“Tanaka! I require your assistance!” Tears started forming in the young boy’s eyes.

“Coming, Mr. Thorndyke!” The butler jumped out of the car, grabbed him by the life jacket strap, and returned him to his feet. For added measure, he diligently inspected Chris from all sides. Finally, with a handkerchief bearing the fancy Thorndyke “T”, the butler wiped the tears and snot accumulating on his face. “Is everything okay now, Mr. Thorndyke?”

“Gah, of course everything is okay, you miserable idiot!” Chris marched forward. “Now grab my luggage before I fire you.”

“Right away, sir.” Bowing repeatedly, the butler quickly ran to the trunk of the car, pulling out several overstuffed bags. Years of academy training were used to ensure he could transport each piece of luggage without needing to make a second trip.

“Just you wait.” Chris chuckled once more. “Because once we’re done with this little vacation, you’ll wish you would have never met me.”

1: This is in reference to the arrangement spearheaded by Tails for any compensation the heroes would receive in exchange for helping the U.S. government fight Dr. Eggman to go to Helen and her family instead. 

Chapter Text

“Okay Sonic, don’t be scared…don’t be scared…”

The blue hedgehog stared at the ocean water below, gripping his hands on the metal guardrails separating himself from the long fall. Sonic gulped.

“Alright guys!” Chuck called as he made his way back to the party from the cruise ship. “I just checked in with the captain, and we’re good to board!” Everyone had faces of glee, excited to board right away and enjoy their ocean getaway, except, of course, for the blue hedgehog. “I did learn that the cruise won’t be totally private, though.”

“Oh?” Tails tilted his head in curiosity. “Who else is joining us?”

“Well…” The aging scientist ran a hand through his silver hair. “About that…we’ll be joined by…”

“MISTER CHRISTOPHER THORNDYKE!”

The party spun around to find the young boy himself accompanied by Tanaka, nearly full to the brim with Chris’ unnecessary luggage.

“Ah geez, this loser?” Sonic scratched the base of his nose. “What are you doin’ here?”

“Can’t your parents afford their own ship?” Amy placed her hands on her hips.

“Of course they can,” Chris replied with a chuckle. “What an absolutely stupid question, but I suppose I should commend such primitive aliens for knowing about my family.” The young boy gestured his arm to the ship. “I persuaded the powers that be to allow access!”

“But why?” Helen asked. “Why do you want to vacation with us?”

“Oh, my sweet, sweet Helen…” The boy marched past Tails, Cream, and Bokkun and patted the girl on the head condescendingly. “Don’t worry your pretty little head abo—” Chris froze as his arm was grabbed by a single white glove.

“Don’t touch her,” the angry kitsune threatened, staring into Chris’ eyes with a menacing glare.

“Or else what?” Chris laughed once more. “If you even attempt to strike me, I’ll have Tanaka unleash his wicked ninja moves, and then I’ll sue you until you’re dead!”

“That’s right!” Tanaka dropped the bags and proceeded to enter an intimidating stance. “I’ve trained for years mastering various forms of martial arts so I can best serve the Thorndyke Estate! Hiiiiyaaa!” Tanaka karate chopped the guardrail, but instead of breaking through it, as he anticipated, the butler’s hand was left throbbing, growing to a cartoonish size and forming a red bruise. “Yooooouch!!” He blew on his injured hand in the hopes it would provide some relief.

“It’s crazy to see the Thorndyke heir in person,” Doug whispered to his wife.

“Yeah, he’s even more evil in the flesh,” Alicia whispered back, the two snickering in the background, drowned out by Tanaka’s yelping.

“You still haven’t answered our question,” Chuck said, directing his focus toward Chris as he folded his arms and tapped his foot. “You could’ve gone on any cruise, so why this one?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Chris replied. “You alien freaks have been making a mockery of me since first setting foot on our planet, and for that, I’m going to make you all pay. I know you lot are too poor to ever afford a vacation without the President doling it out like welfare, so I figured ruining your once in a lifetime cruise would be the perfect opportunity for getting back at you.”

“Wow, how petty,” Sonic replied. “Truly such class. I’m sure you’re making your parents very proud.” The blue hedgehog clapped condescendingly.

“Why thank you, hedgehog,” Chris said, failing to comprehend his sarcasm, “but by the end of this, you’re going to wish you would have never messed with me.”

Sonic scoffed. “Yeah, you keep tellin’ yourself that. I’m not gonna waste any more time chatting with you.” The blue hedgehog spun around, returning his focus to the rest of the party. “We ready to get this show on the road?” Everyone responded with a nod.

Chuck was nearest the bridge between the pier and the ship, so he walked across the bridge first. Next was Sonic, who froze at the entrance, peering down at the water once more. Taking a big gulp, and gripping the rope on either side, the blue hedgehog slowly waddled across.

“What’s wrong, hedgehog?” Chris laughed as he taunted Sonic merely a few inches behind. “You’re not afraid of a little saltwater, are you?”

“N…nooo…” Sonic gulped once more as he attempted to go faster, but he was still walking at a snail’s pace.

“You should be careful…” Chris placed a hand on Sonic’s shoulder, causing him to shudder. “If you’re not careful…” The young boy lowered his head to the blue hedgehog’s ear. “…you might just fall.”

“What?” Sonic turned his head back slightly, his legs bent as his tightened his grip on the rope.

“Just an observation…” Chris snickered as Sonic returned his focus to the path ahead. “Or…rather…a prediction.” With that, the young boy shoved Sonic down to the rickety surface of the bridge below. It was so narrow that he quickly slipped off the side, a single sneaker wrapping itself around the rope guardrail.

Chris scoffed. “How pathetic. And to think this rodent gives Eggman so much trouble…” With a kick, the young boy loosened Sonic’s foot from the rope, sending him careening to the ocean below.

“Sonic!” Amy watched helplessly as his boyfriend splashed into the water. Moments later, his head emerged from the surface, his arms flailing about.

“Oh my god, this is rich. Riiiich! Just like me!” Chris pulled out his smartphone and began recording his nemesis struggling in the water. “I can’t wait to see all the likes and retweets I’ll get from this!” Not five seconds into his recording, however, the one-fox rescue party was on his way.  

“Grab my hands!” Tails lowered his altitude just enough for the blue hedgehog to grab hold. Tails gripped Sonic’s hand before increasing the speed of his rotary namesakes, successfully bringing the two of them to the cruise ship. While Tails remained dry, Sonic was dripping wet, shivering as he dripped water all over the floor of the deck.

“That was just an appetizer, you miserable rodent,” Chris declared as he walked past the hedgehog. Twirling around for his final departing gesture, the young boy pulled his lower eyelid down with his middle finger and stuck out his tongue before turning to Tanaka, who had since collected the rich kid’s bags and brought them aboard. “C’mon, servant. My cabin awaits.”

“Right away, Mr. Thorndyke.” Tanaka bowed, even under the weight of the bags slung over his shoulders.

“Sonic?” Tails approached his big brother. “You gonna be okay?”

“Y-yeah…” Sonic replied, his teeth chattering. “C-could u-use s-some h-hot cocoa, th-though…”

“I can get that arranged!” Chuck replied. “This ship has unlimited hot and cold beverages, so coffee in the morning, and some good ol’ whisky at night!” The elder scientist snickered as he departed the group in search of the kitchen to collect the hedgehog’s requested drink.

“You know, if Chris is gonna be a bother,” Helen said from Sonic’s side, “we can just turn around and go home. The ship hasn’t departed yet.”

“And let Chris have the satisfaction?” It was as if a fire erupted in his eyes, his shivers replaced with a grin of determination. “I’m not going to let that brat get the best of us. No, I’ll make sure you all enjoy this trip, and Ames…” The blue hedgehog turned to his pink counterpart. “You can teach me how to swim. I can’t wait to see the look on that kid’s face when I’m doing laps in the pool.”

“Perfect!” Amy pulled a clipboard from her hammerspace. “I developed a rigorous training regimen for the entire cruise! Of course, the first day is just going to be pure relaxation, but we’ll start bright n’ early tomorrow!”

“Great!” Sonic gave Amy a thumbs up. “I knew I could count on you!” This praise made her blush. “Now…are there any towels on this ship?” Suddenly aware he was still wet, he started shivering once more.

“Here, I’ve got you covered!” Tails positioned himself in front of his big brother, spun around, and activated his rotary namesakes, his tails serving as a natural fan that helped air dry Sonic’s damp fur.

“Deeelightful!” Sonic leaned against the deck’s guardrail, allowing the kitsune’s namesakes to work their magic. The party watched amused as Sonic’s damp fur grew fluffier before their eyes, but not without the cost of Tails’ stamina; the fox was starting to pant, sweat forming along his brow as he kept his furry propellers spinning.

“You doin’ okay, Tails?” Sonic asked, noticing the fox bending his knees.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine!” Tails managed to say as he squinted his eyes. “How’s your fur?”

“Honestly, much better than before!” The blue hedgehog made circles around the party before skidding to a stop in front of Tails. Sonic’s fur was practically gleaming in the morning sun, not a spec of saltwater remaining. “Thanks for the assist, lil’ buddy!”

“Don’t mention it!” Tails replied as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “Although I could use some water!”

“Water is served!”

The party turned to Chuck, who was carrying a plate of water, distributing a cup to everyone, including a special cup of hot chocolate for the speedy hedgehog.

“Thanks!” Sonic replied as he blew into the cup. Before taking a sip, however, he glanced up at the sky and remembered just how hot it was that day. “On second thought…Imma let this chill for a bit.” He placed the mug on Chuck’s serving dish and spun around. “I’ll be explorin’ this joint! Just holler if ya need me guys!”

“Okay, Mister Sonic!” Cream replied, Bokkun and Cheese nodding alongside her.

“Have fun!” Helen said, waving at the blue hedgehog, who waved back before spindashing away.

“Well…” Tails peered around. “Should we get settled in?”

“I wanna see our accommodations!” Amy declared.

“They should be quite nice from what I heard,” Alicia said. “Apparently we all get our own rooms, except Doug and I will be sharing.”

“Yeah,” Doug replied with a nod. “We get to see the ocean from our windows too! It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity we’ll likely never be able to afford again, as much as it pains me to agree with that Thorndyke brat…”

The party froze as they heard a metallic sound close by. Turning around, they soon found Sonic grinding on the metal guardrail surrounding the perimeter of the ship’s deck.

“Yahoooo!” Sonic past them by, soon turning a corner around the front of the ship and looping around the entire vessel.

“Oh Sonic…” Amy smiled as he watched the sparks fly from Sonic’s sneakers. “Always enjoying the simple things in life. He’s just so wholesome!” The pink hedgehog proceeded to swoon, eventually snapping herself out of it to find the entire group had vanished. “Hey, where did everybody go?” Turning around, she saw the party stepping inside the interior lobby in the hopes of finding their individual living quarters.

“Hey, wait for me!” Amy ran toward the group, eventually catching up to find them standing at a sign affixed to the wall.

“It looks like they already assigned us rooms!” Tails pointed at the sign. “Looks like I’m in room 104…Sonic is in 103, Amy is in 102, so on and so forth.” Moments later, Sonic came whizzing into the lobby, skidding to a stop once more.

“Hey, looks like they put us next to each other, lil’ guy!” Sonic gave his little brother a wink. “Sounds like they knew we were best bros.”

“Maybe!” Tails replied as his namesakes fluttered from behind. “How about we get comfortable and meet back out here in 20 minutes? Maybe spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship and grab some dinner later?”

“Sure!” The party nodded their heads simultaneously before making their way to their bedrooms.

In the late hours of the night, when the sun had long since set and each vacationer was sleeping in their respective rooms, one remained awake.

Tails was lying in bed, pillows propped up behind him and his Miles Electric tablet resting on his pudgy belly. While Helen, Chuck, Doug, and Alicia complained about the lack of cell phone reception out in the ocean, Tails was able to connect to the human network perfectly fine using his portable computer.

“Dear Diary,” Tails narrated out loud as he typed, “today was a blast! I’m glad we accepted the President’s offer to vacation on this cruise ship. I miss the Tornado 2, but the ocean air is exactly the kind of refreshment I need right now. I can’t help but think of home, though; the scent of saltwater, and the crashing of the waves against the boat, reminds me of my workshop on the edge of the Mystic Ruins overlooking the ocean. I hope my tools are doing okay…well, I’m sure they’re enjoying the vacation from work too!” Tails nodded to himself before cracking his knuckles, preparing to type his next thought. “Anyway, after a nasty little run-in with Chris Thorndyke, who bought his way on the boat to troll us, we spent the rest of the day relaxing. I can’t wait to see Amy trying to teach Sonic how to swim tomorrow!” Tails snickered at the thought before closing out of the application, placing the tablet to the side, and peering out the circular window giving him a pleasant view of the ocean; the moonlight was reflecting off the calm surface of the water, and all was quiet and peaceful.

Cracking a small smile, he yawned and stretched his arms before pulling his blanket over himself. Moments after closing his eyes, though, he heard a knock at the door.

“W-who is it?” Tails pulled himself up, sitting against the bed board once more.

“I-it’s me, Sonic.” The blue hedgehog seemed anxious, indeed not like his normal self at all. “C-can I come in?”

“Sure thing.” Sonic opened the door and, using the moonlight to guide him, made his way to Tails’ bed. “Is something wrong, Sonic?”

“Well, kinda…” The blue hedgehog ran a gloved hand through his quills. “You see…I’m, well…you know how you get scared of lightning?”

“Yeah,” Tails replied with a nod.

“And how I’d let you share my bed when you started getting anxious?”

“Yes.” The orange kitsune nodded once more.

“Well, the thing is…” Sonic stared out the window. “I’ve…never slept at sea before. I can handle it, but…could I…well…” The blue hedgehog blushed in embarrassment.

“Ohhh, I see…” Tails positioned himself to the side of the bed next to the wall and pulled the blanket up to reveal the sheets below. He patted his gloved hand on the new spot he created. “I won’t judge, Sonic. It’s like what you’ve always done for me, after all.”

“Heh, thanks, buddy.” Sonic removed his sneakers before gently crawling into bed, sharing a pillow with his little brother.

“What if,” Tails pondered out loud, “we have a thunderstorm out in the middle of the ocean? Who’s gonna comfort us then?”

“Good question…” Sonic placed his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling of the cabin. “Maybe Amy?”

“Yeah, for you at least,” Tails replied with a playful scoff.

“Oh, c’mon, Tails,” Sonic chuckled, “I’m sure there’d be enough room for all three of us!”

“Yeah, but with how lovey-dovey you two have been recently, I’d want to stay miles away from your romantic snuggles.”

“It’s okay, you could just sleep at the foot of the bed like a human doggy. Arf! Arf!”

“Are you implying that I’m a pet?” Tails asked, faux-offense in his voice.

“Nah, but you’re certainly as cute as one!” Sonic proceeded to lunge at his little brother, tickling his sides and causing him to laugh out loud.

“Okay, okay, I yield!” The kitsune playfully kicked the hedgehog off him, the latter rolling back to his side of the bed. The two shared a laugh.

“See, I almost forgot we’re on a ship in the middle of the ocean with no solid ground anywhere.” Sonic wiped the base of his nose before turning his head to meet Tails’ eyes. “Thanks again, lil’ bro. I needed this.”

“Don’t mention it,” Tails replied with a yawn before rolling to his side. “G’night, Sonic.”

“Night, Tails.” Giving the orange fox a final head pat, Sonic rolled over on his side as well, the two falling fast asleep shortly after. Little did they know, however, there was still a friend among them who was still awake.  

Within steps of Tails’ cabin was the creeping boots of Amy, who was slowly approaching Sonic’s sleeping quarters. She gently knocked on the door. “Pssst, Sonic. It’s Amy.” She waited several moments. Not hearing an acknowledgement, the pink hedgehog tapped on the door a little louder, but like before, nobody greeted her. “Okay,” she said in a whisper once more, “I’m coming in. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

Amy gripped the doorknob and slowly turned it before pushing the door open. She was greeted to a messy bedroom with tinfoil chili dog wrappers and stinky socks strewn about, producing scents that, perhaps, would’ve sickened the pink hedgehog in her past life before spending so much time with the blue blur. “Where are you, Sonic?” She brought a hand to her chin in thought. “Maybe he’s using the restroom?” Shrugging her shoulders, she sat on the bed and peered around. “Well, if he’s not back here soon, I’m sure we’ll have other chances to hang out by ourselves during the cruise…” Amy yawned into her palm, her eyelids growing heavy as she peered down at the bed. “I’ll just wait here for Sonic to come back.”

Yawning once more, the pink hedgehog lied on the bed, resting her cheek on the pillow. “This smell…reminds me of Sonic…” A blush appeared across her face, and her tail wagged, as she cuddled in, hugging the pillow as she slowly drifted off into dreamland.

“Curse that spoiled rotten brat!”

Eggman threw a wrench, nearly hitting Decoe and Bocoe who were shining his Egg Mobile.

“The only thing that punk is good for is his money and connections. That’s it…” The evil doctor folded his arms and tapped his foot on the metallic floor. “I’ve never, in all my years, seen anyone as spoiled as that kid…just all together evil!”

“But, sir,” Decoe interrupted, slinging a cloth over his shoulder, “isn’t being evil a good thing?”

“Well, you see,” Eggman replied, “my brand of evil has style, has…form! I have a clear objective orchestrated through careful planning and sharp wit! Chris, on the other hand, is just sadistic, entitled…annoying…”

“Dumb?” Bocoe suggested.

“Ridiculous?” Decoe added.

“Exactly!” Eggman crashed one fist against the open palm of his other hand. “His aims are purely dominated by a deep-seeded wickedness in his heart.” He raised a single finger to the air and closed his eyes. “It just goes to show how a lack of proper parenting and being granted virtually anything at the snap of one’s fingers can really create the worst kind of people…now…” Eggman snapped his fingers. “Fetch me my wrench, will ya?”

“But sir,” Bocoe inquired, ignoring Eggman’s command, “what about the Chris situation? You hate him, yes, but without him, you’ll have no place to hide and no more resources.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Eggman replied, “but this alliance is only temporary, rest assured! While we hide away in this underground warehouse, I’m slowly siphoning away Chris’ resources so I can reestablish my own base of operations! Having direct access to Chris’ bank account has allowed me to slowly start accumulating my own Earth-based wealth! No more refurbished parts and store-brand cereal once our new headquarters is up and running!”

“You mean I’ll finally be able to have an oil spa?” Decoe asked.

“And you’ll buy the name brand lubricant?” Bocoe added.

“Precisely!” Eggman replied. “After all, what’s not a good ruler without spoiling his minions from time to time?” The evil doctor chuckled once more before walking to the other side of his secret, Thorndyke-funded underground workshop, sitting at a computer console and typing away at his keyboard. “Chris mentioned he was going to infiltrate Sonic’s vacation cruise. That boy may be dumb, but at least he could stick up some remote cameras around the ship…” Eggman toggled through various feeds. “From all my spying, I found that Sonic’s entire cohort is with him except for Knuckles. Assuming they’ve split up the Chaos Emeralds, that means three of the gems are likely on the ship while Knuckles is keeping the remaining one on his person.”  

“What are you going to do, Doctor?” Decoe asked.

“Well, Chris did give me a direct order to stay out of his way, saying he wants to relish the opportunity to annoy Sonic.” Eggman sighed. “As much as I’d love to exploit Sonic’s fear of water and strike him when he’s vulnerable, angering Chris at this stage would prove too risky.”

“So you can’t do anything?” Bocoe added.

“Well, I wouldn’t say anything.” Eggman pulled a bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast from the mini fridge next to his desk, opening it up and taking a long gulp. Next, he opened a bag of Doritos before switching one of his monitors to a videogame.

“When I added improvements to this bunker,” Eggman commented, “I ensured that I’d always have the most immaculate of pings! Now leave me be! It takes a lot of brain power to game while monitoring those pesky rodents!” The evil doctor slipped on his gaming headset and brought his attention to his gaming monitor, keeping his other screens set on the various cameras Chris placed throughout the cruise ship.

“I wonder what game Doctor Eggman is playing,” Decoe commented.

“It’s probably one of those highly competitive online multiplayer games,” Bocoe replied.

“Or maybe a shooter!” Decoe added. “Surely it’s something that’ll stimulate his mind as good practice for his next confrontation with Sonic!”

“I am sure you’re right,” Bocoe replied to his metallic brother before returning to polishing up the Egg Mobile.

“Haha!” The two turned around to find Eggman laughing into his headset. “That’s what you get for accusing me of killing our crewmate, AlligatorVampire69420!”

“What’s he talking about?” Decoe asked.

“I have no idea…” Bocoe tiptoed to Eggman’s desk, keeping his distance between himself and the evil scientist, providing enough of a vantage point to get a good look at his screen.

“Oh, now look who’s a bit suspicious! Serves you right for making false accusations, you moron! I hope you enjoy being a ghost, you prepubescent simpleton! Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman took a celebratory swig of his Mountain Dew, but when the sound of a creak from his robot servant’s limb reached his eardrum, he spat out his carbonated beverage all over his keyboard in fright.

“Now look what you did!” Eggman barked. “Can’t a man play Among Us in peace! Now I’m going to have to acquire a new keyboard!” The evil doctor ripped the USB cable from the computer and threw the drenched keyboard as Bocoe. “Now go disguise yourself and buy me a new one at Best Buy! And make it snappy!” He proceeded to whip the Thorndyke credit card at the robotic assistant, who barely managed to catch it.  

“Yes, Doctor!” Bocoe proceeded to his resting quarters to find his trench coat disguise.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Eggman pointed at Decoe, who was attempting to tiptoe out of the workshop.

“I was just, ummmm…going to get some more polish for your Egg Mobile!” Decoe wiped the non-existent sweat from his metallic forehead.

“Hold off on that for now,” Eggman commanded. “Instead, I want you to clean up this mess and then fetch me an order of Taco Bell, the usual.”

“Yes sir!” Decoe, just like his brother, obeyed his command, quickly cleaning up the soda before rushing out the door, finding his disguise before making his way to the nearest Taco Bell a few blocks away.

“It’s moments like these when I question why I haven’t simply built better robot slaves…” Shaking his head, the evil doctor pulled out another bottle of Baja Blast, unscrewed its cap, and took a long swig.

“Ah man, why’d I ever agree to this?”

Sonic was sitting on the edge of the cruise ship’s massive pool, his legs dangling in the water below as he watched his friends enjoying themselves. Tails was chilling out in a floating tube wearing sunglasses while Cream and Bokkun were snorkeling in the shallow area of the pool. Helen was sitting at a nearby table, an umbrella shielding her, Chuck, Doug, and Alicia from the harsh morning sun.

“C’mon, Sonic, you said you’d make an effort at this.” Amy pulled herself out of the pool and sat next to the blue hedgehog.

“Well, you see…” Sonic kicked his legs in the water gently. “I’m…ummm…getting a cramp! Yeah, had one too many chili dogs for breakfast!”

“…For breakfast?” Amy was not amused.

“Yes! And a bit too spicy, too…” Sonic rubbed his belly before forcing a burp. “I should probably sit this one out. You know what they say about eating before swimming after all!”

“Sonic, you didn’t eat chili dogs for breakfast.” Amy shook her head. “You had a Pop-Tart.”

“Oh, well, yes, of course I did, but it was…chili dog flavored! It was mundo gross!”

“You’re not fooling anyone, Sonic. I know you more than most, and I can tell when you’re lying.”

“Yeahhh, I guess the hedgehog’s out of the bag…” He stopped moving his legs in the water, his downcast face reflected in the pool below.

“Are you scared?” Amy asked as she slid closer to him along the side of the pool.

“…Maybe a little.” A light shade of red appeared across his muzzle.

“Well…maybe this can help.” Amy scooted even closer to the blue hedgehog and brought her face to his, planting a gentle kiss on the side of Sonic’s muzzle. This made him blush even harder, but the effect of the pink hedgehog’s kiss proved to be potent; the nervousness emanating from Sonic mere moments earlier was replaced by an aura of confidence, his trademarked smirk returning to him.

“All right, Ames, I think I’ll go for a lil’ dip!” Sonic raised his arms, tightening his fists in determination.

“That’s the spirit, Sonic!” Amy pulled two floaties from her hammerspace.

“What are those?” Sonic asked as he tilted his head in curiosity.

“They help keep you afloat in the water!” Amy replied cheerily. “Now put these on so we can practice swimming in the shallow part of the pool.”

“Hahahaha, what a loser!”

Sonic and Amy turned their attention to Chris, who was wearing swim trunks and Oakley sunglasses, his body covered in sunblock. Tanaka was at his side holding an electric fan to keep the young boy cooled.

“Oh yeah, you can’t swim! Remember the time you almost drowned in my pool? I think you owe me your life after my brave heroics that night!”

“What’s the matter? Won’t dive in yourself? Is the sun too hot for your pale skin?” Sonic’s retort earned a chuckle from his girlfriend.

“Oh yeah?” Wearing a shit eating grin, Chris removed his sandals and socks, cracked his knuckles, and approached the diving board on the other end of the pool.

“Show me your moves! I bet I’ll be so amazed!” Sonic quipped as he watched Chris prepare for his demonstration.

“Oh yeah? Just watch my mastery of the art of swimming!” Chris brought both hands up in the air and bent his knees. As he was about to jump, however, he swiftly sat down on the edge of the plank and allowed himself to slip off, landing in the water feet first.

“That’s it?” Sonic asked as Chris’ head emerged from the depths of the deep end. “I bet I’ll be much more skilled than you after my first swimming lesson.”

“Oh…y-yeah…ro-dent?” Chris huffed as he doggy paddled back to the side of the pool. After a grueling several seconds, the young boy’s hands managed to grip the side of the pool. He tried pulling himself out, but he found that his scrawny arms were too weak to pull up his light weight.

“Tanaka! I demand your assistance at once!”

“Coming, Mr. Thorndyke!” Tanaka threw the electric fan over his shoulder and immediately came to Chris’ aid, dropping to one knee and extending his arm out. Chris grabbed his hand, allowing his butler to pull him out of the water.

“Well, hedgehog,” Chris said before spitting in Sonic’s face, “I think I’ll go retire for a spell with my future wife.” He pointed toward Helen, who simply folded her arms and looked away with a humph. “If you start drowning again, I’ll laugh as your lungs fill with water.”

It took every ounce of restraint for Sonic not to deck Chris right then and there, instead resorting to flashing the spoiled kid the middle finger moments after he turned away.

“Are you okay, Sonic?” Amy asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Never better,” Sonic replied as he wiped the spit from his forehead. He turned to his pink hedgehog counterpart with a grin across his muzzle. “C’mon, Ames, I think I’m ready for my first swimming lesson.”

“Right!” Amy nodded, balling her fists in determination. “Let’s get you in the pool.” She was the first to slip in, her feet touching the ground of the shallow end. “Now your turn.”

“Okay, here we go.” Sonic let out a big sigh before slowly slipping in himself. He shivered as the water crept higher up his legs, but he managed to make it in.

“See, just like when you’re running through the water back in Labyrinth Zone!” Amy replied with a smile.

“Not quite,” Sonic corrected. “When I’m trying to get from Point A to Point B, and I’m forced to run in the water, that’s purely out of survival. I can run under and over the water for short distances, but swimming? Totally different story.”

“Right…, well, by the time we’re through with your lessons, you’ll be a swimming pro!”

“I wish I shared your confidence,” Sonic replied as he peered over at Chris, who was sitting uncomfortably close to Helen at the beach-style tables. He returned his attention back to Amy. “Okay, what next?”

“Well…” Amy replied. “Let’s try the breaststroke technique. I’ll demonstrate.” She proceeded to swim away from Sonic, extended her arms out from her chest as she kicked her legs, propelling her well into the deep part of the pool before making a lap and returning to Sonic. “Do you think you can do that?”

“The floaties are makin’ it a bit difficult,” Sonic replied as he tried the movements with his arms.

“Let’s try something easier, then…” Amy pulled the floatation devices from Sonic’s arms. “Before you can swim in the deep end, let’s ensure you can calmly keep yourself afloat. Watch.” She used her arms to steady herself in the water, her head bobbing up and down with the waves she was creating, but her lower lip never went below the water’s surface. “As long as you stay calm and stay focused, you can keep yourself afloat no problem.”

“Alrighty, let’s try it.” Sonic paddled toward Amy until he was standing on his toes. Taking one final step, he was forced to follow Amy’s advice; after flailing his arms for a few seconds, he took a deep breath to relax before using his arms to steady himself in the water.

“See, Sonic! You’re not drowning! That means you’re swimming!”

“Hey, you’re right!” Sonic cheered before twirling around in the pool. “Hey Chris, I bet you can’t swim for more than five seconds without panicking!” He started to pull his lower eyelid down with his middle finger, but he lost his balance, forcing himself to flail for a few seconds before regaining his composure once more.

“How uncivilized…” Chris shook his head before returning his attention to Helen, who seemed totally not interested in the rich kid’s antics.  

“So, how ya doin’, hot stuff?” Chris asked as he pulled his sunglasses down.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Helen replied as she pulled her Nintendo Switch from the zippered compartment of her wheelchair.

“You know…” Chris scooted his chair closer to Helen’s wheelchair, the girl trying to focus on her game. “This entire cruise ship, and many more, can be yours, and I can cover all your medical bills, if you accept my offer.”

“This again?” Helen scoffed. “How many times do I have to tell you? I wasn’t interested in dating you before you started being mean to Sonic and Tails, but now I’m especially repulsed by your gross behaviors, so can you just leave me alone?”

“Fuckin’ women, they’re all the same!” Chris stood up, picked up his plastic chair, and with an obnoxiously loud shout, threw it overboard. “If your head wasn’t as messed up as your back, you would’ve accepted my offer ages ago.”

“That’s about enough, young man.” Doug approached the spoiled kid. “Or am I going to have to call your parents for harassing my daughter?”

“Oh, please.” Chris scoffed. “You wouldn’t be able to complain to mommy and daddy if you tried, and plus, one call to my lawyer, and I can destroy your life in a little under an hour.” The Thorndyke snapped his fingers, his butler appearing at his side moments later. “Tanaka, I think it’s about time we leave these miscreants alone. Wouldn’t want to catch a sickness from these poor people after all.”

“Your wish is my command, Mr. Thorndyke.” The butler proceeded to get down on his knees, allowing Chris to climb onto his back.

“Now ride, workhorse, back to my cabin!” Chris pointed forward.

“Neighhh, neiiiiigh!” Without shame, the butler galloped like a noble steed back to Chris’ living quarters, leaving the humans and Mobians speechless.

“That…was weird,” Tails commented from the pool, sipping a soda from a straw, the cup resting on his belly. It was moments later when he heard his Miles Electric vibrating from the side of the pool.

“Huh…I wonder what that’s all about…” The orange kitsune paddled to the edge of the pool with his gloved hands, eventually reaching his tablet.

“Ummm, hey guys?”

“What’s up, lil’ buddy?” Sonic asked from the deep end of the pool, keeping himself afloat with Amy by his side.

“I think…we may’ve just stumbled across another Chaos Emerald.”

Chapter Text

“Another Chaos Emerald?” Sonic asked, tilting his head in curiosity as he kept himself afloat in the pool.

“Y-yeah…” Tails jumped from his floatie and back to the side of the pool before studying the findings on his Miles Electric once more.

“Where?” Sonic pulled himself out of the pool as well, shaking himself like a wet dog to get the water out of his fur, before peering over the horizon, using his hand to shield his eyes from the sun above. “I don’t see landfall anywhere.”

“That’s the thing,” Tails replied. “It isn’t on land at all. In fact…” The fox pointed toward his feet. “The fifth Chaos Emerald is in the ocean!”

“In the ocean?!” Sonic gasped, raising a palm to his mouth in fright. “T-tails, tell me you’re jokin’ lil’ buddy!” He placed his hands on the fox’s shoulders and started shaking him.

“I’m sorry, Sonic,” Tails shook his head, “but my detector isn’t lying. The signal is spotty, with the link to the Master Emerald back on Mobius being weak, but it’s been accurate for us thus far.”

“For once…” Sonic released his grip on Tails’ shoulders and approached the guard rail surrounding the perimeter of the cruise ship. “I wish you were wrong.” The blue hedgehog peered down at the ocean waters below gently crashing into the side of the ship. He took a big gulp before turning back around to face his little brother once more.

“All right, Tails, so we know where the Chaos Emerald is, but how are we supposed to get to it?” Sonic crossed his arms as he tapped his foot on the floor. “Could you invent something to get it for us?”

“How would that even work?” Tails asked, raising a hand to his chin as the other held his tablet outstretched. “It’s not like there are parts lying around, and besides: it would take days to construct something sophisticated enough to retrieve and return the Chaos Emerald from such a deep depth.”

“I suppose swimming isn’t an option either?” Amy asked as she pulled herself out of the pool as well.

“No dice.” Tails nodded. “The emerald is rather deep. Either the water pressure or lack of oxygen would kill you if you made that attempt.”

“Well, there goes that plan,” Amy replied as she snapped her fingers in frustration. By this point, Cream and Cheese had finished playing in the water and were listening in on the conversation from the side of the pool. Helen had also made her way over to the group, and Doug and Alicia stayed behind, resting under the shade of their beach table umbrella. Chuck arrived too, carrying a martini in one hand and a cigar in the other.

“What about Topaz and Rouge?” Helen asked, raising a finger to her chin. “If we tell them there’s a Chaos Emerald out here, I’m sure they could get the government to send a submarine to retrieve it.”

“That’s true,” Chuck replied after taking a sip of his beverage, “but if the government got their hands on one of the emeralds, I’m sure they’d want to keep it for themselves, meaning Eggman would get his hands on it eventually.”

“But still,” Tails replied, “that may be our best option.” The fox opened the calling application on his tablet. “Any objections to asking Rouge?”

“None from me,” Sonic replied, giving his younger brother a thumbs up. “Do whatcha gotta do.”

“Alright, calling now.” Placing the Miles Electric on the nearest beach table, the fox stood it up and sat down, clearing his throat in preparation for the impending conversation.  

“The worst part of this job,” Topaz muttered as she grabbed a form from atop a high stack on her small desk in her cramped office, “is all the damn paperwork!” Peering at her monitor, there were no incoming messages or alerts; it was a quiet day with no thrill or action.

Taking a sip of her coffee, she sighed into her cup before returning her focus to work. “Well, at least I can start getting through my backlog.”

“Hey there, partner.”

Topaz peered up to find Rouge at the door. Instead of her normal attire, though, she was wearing a custom secret agent outfit like the one Topaz was issued.

“What do you think? Fits me perfectly, right?” Rouge put one hand on her hip before twirling around to give her human companion a look from behind as well. Her pants even had a covering for her tail which offered enough elasticity for her to wag it without restriction.

Topaz blushed. “It’s great that you’re finally dressing the part at least.”

“That’s not what I asked, and you know it,” Rouge replied as she approached the desk, placing her palm on the surface before using her fingers to slowly walk her hand closer to Topaz’s paperwork. “You think I look good, don’t you?”

Topaz returned to her report, her face a brighter shade of crimson. “I think you look like a consummate professional.”

“Such praise coming from Topaz, indeed!” Rouge replied before swiping her paper away.

“H-hey, give me that!” Topaz swung her arm in a failed attempt at retrieving the document, but the mischievous bat folded the paper and hid it behind her back, using her free hand to wag her finger.

“You work too damn hard, sister,” Rouge said.

“Yeah, and you’re making my job a million times harder,” Topaz argued, reaching forward with another failed attempt.

“Haven’t you ever thought about taking a load off? Maybe goin’ on vacation?” Rouge grinned. “They offer enough leave for you to travel anywhere you’d like.”

“As long as the President needs me, my personal comfort can wait, now hold still!” Topaz leapt across her desk, spilling her stack of paperwork as she lunged toward the jewel thief. Rouge was caught off guard, and the human agent was on top of her within seconds.

“Aha!” Topaz cheered as she pulled the form from Rouge’s hands. “It looks like I came out on top this time!”

“Yeah, in more ways than one…” Rouge gave Topaz a wide smirk. It was in that moment when the human agent realized the position she was in, sitting on top of the bat, her legs on either side of her belly.

“You comfy up there?” Rouge asked. “See, I knew you were a top.”

“I take back what I said about you being a consummate professional!” Topaz exclaimed as she pulled herself off the bat, dusted herself off, and returned to her desk, her face still flush red. She was followed behind by Rouge, who returned to her feet as well before taking her seat on Topaz’s lap.

“Do I need to file a complaint with Human Resources?” Topaz asked as she tried peering over Rouge’s shoulder.

“C’mon, you know you like it. Why would you settle on boring paperwork when we could play some good cop, bad cop? I even have the outfit and everything!”

“Was that seriously why you commissioned the uniform?” Topaz sighed as she tried peering over Rouge’s other shoulder, but the bat simply tilted her head.

“Maybe,” Rouge replied with a grin. “Now are we gonna go on that date or what?”

“What date?” Topaz asked, a vein appearing across her forehead.

“What, don’t tell me you already forgot? Tisk tisk…” Rouge wagged her finger once more. “For someone as professional as you, I’m surprised you can’t remember something as simple as a date.”

“The only date I have is the one with my couch.” Topaz leaned back, dropping her pen on her desk, coming to the realization that she would get no work done as long as Rouge was there to interrupt her.

“No, no, you promised me last week we’d go for a girl’s night out, remember?” Rouge tilted her head back to stare into the human’s eyes. “Maybe grab some drinks too?”

“If I say yes, will you stop bugging me?” Topaz’s face grew a darker shade of crimson as Rouge’s face crept ever closer.

“Hey, that’s what you said last time!” Rouge replied. “This time, I’ll hold you to it!”

“Okay, sure,” Topaz nodded her head. “Now can you leave me alo—” She was interrupted by the sound of a loud saxophone.

“Hey, someone’s calling me!” Rouge pulled the smartphone out from behind her wing and answered. “Hello? Super Secret Special Agent Rouge the Bat at your service.”

“Hey there, Rouge! It’s Tails,” said the two-tailed fox on the other line.

“What’s up, fox boy?” Rouge pulled herself off Topaz, electing to take a seat on the agent’s messy desk instead.

“Well, we’ve kinda got a situation here…” Tails rubbed the back of his head.

“What kind of situation? Something fun?” Rouge smirked as she crossed one leg over the other, dangling off the side of Topaz’s desk.

“Remember that trip the president sent us on? Well…we kinda found a Chaos Emerald.”

“Oh?” The mention of the priceless gem immediately piqued the interest of the jewel thief. “You found it in the middle of the ocean?”

“Precisely!” Tails nodded. “The only problem is that we lack the means to retrieve the emerald.”

“Topaz and I will take care of it! Just send us the coordinates, and I will secu—I mean…we will secure the Chaos Emerald in no time at all!”

“Great! Thanks a lot, Rouge! I owe ya one.”

Rouge hung up the phone and twisted her body around, still sitting on the desk with her legs now dangling off the opposite side, resting on Topaz’s knees.

“It looks like we’re going on an adventure after all!” Rouge said with a wink. “And for a Chaos Emerald no less.”

“Well, I guess the paperwork can wait,” Topaz replied as she started picking up the documents that Rouge spilled across the floor. The eager bat grabbed hold of her hand, however, dragging her out of the office. “At least let me clean up your mess first!”

“No time, boss woman,” Rouge declared. “There’s an unclaimed emerald in the middle of the ocean, and it’s our job to retrieve it.”

“Okay, fiiine, at least let go of my hand.” For once, the bat accepted her request, letting go of her palm.

“What’s wrong? Not into it today?” The bat proceeded to give her partner a wink before walking forward, further toying with her by wagging her tail.

Topaz was blushing furiously, but taking a long sigh, she composed herself, soon following the bat down to the command center to receive permission to requisition the necessary supplies for the job.  

As Tails was wrapping up his conversation with Rouge, a figure dressed in black, complete with a ski mask, found his way under a nearby, towel-covered beach chair. He peaked out from underneath to get a good view of the party and exclaimed when he heard Tails’ plan to seek help from the government.

“I need to report this to Mister Thorndyke right away!” he said to himself as he threw his arms up, sending the chair flying overboard, revealing his secret hiding spot for the Mobians and humans to plainly see, confused expressions across their faces.

“Ohh, ummm…” The figure jumped up and tiptoed away. “You didn’t see anything! I’m just a figment of your imagination…” For good measure, he twirled his arms around as he walked backward before twisting around and making a run for it, heading back to Chris’ cabin.

“Mister Thorndyke! Urgent ne—” Tanaka froze as he observed Chris sitting in an oversized hot tub pouring a cup of Mountain Dew for a half-submerged, upright body pillow of a wheelchair-less Helen. “Oh god, I’m so sorry! I’ll come back when you’re decen—”

“No! You come back here this instant so I can punish you properly!” Chris jumped up, tipping his cup all over the body pillow. “AAAAAA, Helen!! Nooo!!!!” The boy pulled the pillow out of the hot tub and laid it across the floor, stroking where hair would have been. “You’re not hurt, are you Helen my darling?” He lowered his head toward the pillow, placing his ear where the heart would be. “Oh, thank God. Now…” Chris turned to his butler. “If you don’t tell me why you so rudely interrupted my romantic moment, I will wrap you in chains and throw you into the ocean!”

“It’s Sonic, sir!” Tanaka began flailing his arms frantically. “They found a Chaos Emerald right below us in the ocean, and they’re calling in the government to help retrieve it!”

“Oh, is that so…” Chris grinned as he lifted the Helen body pillow off the floor, giving the forehead a long kiss before placing it back in the hot tub. Pressing the button to generate bubbles, he ensured the pillow was properly secured before approaching his butler, punching him in the gut. “Send for my submarine at once. If all ends well, we’ll be out of here before the military even arrives.”

“Yes, Mister Thorndyke.” The butler coughed multiple times, clutching his lower belly before running out of the room to make the call.

“C’mon, Topaz, let me take this baby for a spin.”

Rouge reached out from the passenger seat to the controls of the helicopter.

“Absolutely not,” Topaz replied as she swatted the bat’s hands away.

“Wow, someone’s in a feisty mood,” Rouge said with a smirk. “I kinda like it.”

“I will remind you,” Topaz was blushing profusely once more, “that you are to remain in your designated seat. Helicopters can be difficult to maneuver, and I need utmost concentration until we get to the cruise ship.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, toots,” Rouge shrugged her shoulders, “I’ll have you know that I have experience piloting a helicopter myself.”

“Oh really?” Topaz said with a raised eyebrow. “Did you receive classroom and field training on how to effectively pilot helicopters and other aircrafts in combat situations?”

“Well…not quite,” Rouge replied as she placed her hands behind her head, leaning back in her seat. “I’ve piloted a helicopter one time, and that was while fleeing Eggman’s base back on Mobius.”

“And did you happen to crash?” Topaz asked, peering over at the jewel thief with a smirk across her face.

“That’s not important!” Rouge protested¹ as she crawled over the human, placing herself in Topaz’s lap.

“What in the hell are you doing?!” The elder agent tried pulling the Mobian off her, but the bat held firm, gripping the controls until Topaz gave up.

“Relax, relax, I know what I’m doing! I’m a consummate professional, after all.” The bat gave her human companion a wink before returning to the controls.

“Fiiine,” Topaz replied with a sigh, placing her hands on her legs. “Just don’t get us killed, okay?”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n!” The Mobian gave her a salute with her free hand before leaning the helicopter forward, increasing its speed. “Hold on, girl, it’s time to see what this thing can do!”

“Rouge, stop it!” Topaz pulled back on the control, leveling off the helicopter.

“Oh no you don’t!” Rouge pushed in the control stick once more.

“Watch out, you’re gonna crash! Aaaaaaah!” Topaz screamed as Rouge, with a wide smirk across her face, pulled back on the controls at the last second, leveling out mere feet away from the surface of the ocean.

“That was reckless and irresponsible!” Topaz complained as she pulled Rouge from her lap. Unlike before, however, the bat did not resist the human plopping her back in the passenger seat.

“But you enjoyed it, right?” Rouge folded her arms as she stared back at the elder agent.

“I…ummmm…well….” She blushed before returning her focus to the path away. “That’s not the point.”

“So you did enjoy it!” Rouge pointed at her, smirking once more.

“Our pleasure shouldn’t come at the cost of wasting taxpayer dollars.” Topaz argued. “Maybe if you acted more professionally you could grow to become a well-respected, high-ranking officer.”

“Ohh, you really mean that?” Rouge smirked as she placed her hand on her chest. “I, Rouge the jewel thief, have always wanted to be a top general for the government! Yes, that’s my new career aspiration!”

“You’re wasting your talents, Rouge.” Topaz shook her head. “You could go really far if you abandoned your life of crime and lived a legitimate life.”

“Oh, and my life before wasn’t legitimate enough?” Rouge tilted her head, clearly not offended by her human companion’s blunt words.

“Well, maybe that was a bit too har—” Topaz froze when she felt a kiss on her cheek. Pulling away after a good 10 seconds, Rouge watched in satisfaction as the human’s face remained cherry red. Topaz placed a hand on her cheek.

“What, did you enjoy tha—” Rouge’s question was cut short as she was interrupted by a sudden kiss on the lips by her superior officer. Lasting a solid 15 seconds, Topaz quickly pulled away, returning her focus back on the controls as the jewel thief sat in a daze. For once, it was the bat who was blushing. “W-wow, I didn’t th—”

“Shut it.” Topaz ordered. “We’re almost there.” Sure enough, Rouge shifted her focus to the cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. Pressing a few buttons on the control panel, she dialed Tails.

“Hey Topaz! We can see you!” Peering down at the ship, the agent was able to make out Tails waving back at the helicopter. “You can lower your altitude and deploy the submarine.”

“Roger.” Topaz nodded before dropping the helicopter closer to the water’s surface, and with a final button press, the submarine affixed to the bottom of the helicopter fell, landing in the water and floating in place.

“Thanks, Topaz!” Tails replied. “I think we’re ready t—” Tails was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of a different helicopter heading their way.

“You fools!”

Tails and the rest of the party turned to face Chris, who was still wearing his bathing suit, his hands on his hips as he laughed defiantly at the others.

“You see, I had my super-secret spy Mr. Tanaka report to me that you were going to ask the government to help you get the Chaos Emerald, but unlike you, I don’t need to ask for handouts! My family’s wealth paid for an expedited submarine delivery, and unfortunately for you losers…” Chris gestured toward the other submarine as it dropped to the water, the hatch opening shortly after by the onboard pilot. “…I will be claiming dibs on the emerald.”

“Ummm, I don’t think you know what dibs are, dude,” Sonic replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.

“Of course I do, you uncultured swine!” Chris raised a defiant finger to the air. “When someone calls dibs, that means the person with the most wealth can claim the thing in question. In this case, because I have billions upon billions of dollars in my trust fund, I will always win at dibs.”

“How does that make any sense?” Tails asked. “By that logic, you could claim dibs on everything!”

“I wouldn’t expect your feeble little animal brains to comprehend my superior mental processing powers!” Chris tapped his head with a single finger before eyeing the submarine once more. “Now, I’d like to stay n’ chat, but I have a date with a Chaos Emerald.”

“Wait!” Helen called, rolling toward the young boy.

“What is it? Did my well-defined pectorals make me irresistible?” Chris proceeded to flex his noodle arms, a sight that made Helen’s face green. She forced herself to contain her vomit.

“You don’t have to do this, Chris,” Helen clasped Chris’ hands. “Please, don’t work with Dr. Eggman! Imagine what harm he’ll do if he gets ahold of the emeralds!”

“Stupid girl.” The Thorndyke slapped her hand away. “I have Eggman under my thumb. As long as I control his assets, he can’t rebel against me, so when I gather all the Chaos Emeralds, I will use them for good.”

“Good, huh?” Sonic scoffed. “I bet good isn’t even in your dictionary.”

“I’ll have you know,” Chris replied angrily, marching over to Sonic, whose grin made the young boy irate, “that when I force the people to respect the supreme rule of me and my family, they will be happier and live more fulfilling lives. They’re too stupid to know what’s in their best interests, but if I force them to worship me, they will finally have a purpose greater than themselves.”

“Spoken like a true psychopath,” Sonic scoffed. “Or maybe it’s the daddy issues talkin’? Can’t stand when someone says no to your face? Is that why you want to take away everyone’s free will?

“Why I oughta…” Chris threw a punch at the blue hedgehog, but he swiftly dodged it, making Chris fall face forward.

“What’s the matter, Chris? Can’t keep up?” Sonic laughed as he placed his gloved hands on his hips. “You may be rich, but it’ll never buy you class, and it will never make you fast enough to keep up with my speed.”

“When I have the Chaos Emeralds,” Chris replied as he pulled himself up, “I will wish for speed immeasurable, and you’ll be forced to bow down to my supreme awesomeness! Now, my prize awaits.” The boy approached the rail nearest his private submarine. “Tanaka! Go fetch a ladder for me at once.”

“Yes sir!” With a salute, the butler ran back to his cabin.

“Do you think we’ll just let you steal the emerald that easily?” Amy approached the rich kid, the Piko Piko Hammer in her hands and a fiery aura glowing around her. The pink hedgehog pointed the hammer at Chris’ face, causing him to stand back, leaning against the guard rail as sweat started forming along his brow.

“If you even so much as touch a strand of my hair with your kawaii hammer, I will have my team of lawyers so far up your ass that you’ll be given a life sentence.”

“As much as it pains me to say it,” Tails said as he placed a hand on Amy’s shoulder, “he’s right. People like Chris’ parents write the rules because they hold all the power. We’d be on the run, with no support from Rouge or Topaz, if that were to happen.”

With a frustrated scream, Amy threw her hammer in the opposite direction, eventually rolling into the pool. “Damn it, I know! That bastard just makes me so angry I wanna strangle the guts out of him!”

“Ms. Amy!” Cream approached the pink hedgehog. “That’s not nice to say at all. My momma taught me to keep my mouth shut if I had nothing nice to say…”

“Y-yeah, you’re right, Cream…” The innocent words of the young bunny resonated. She dropped to a single knee and gave her some head pats. “Sorry, that probably wasn’t very pleasant to hear. I’ll do better next time.” The young bunny simply smiled in response as Cheese made circles above the two girls.

“You may have a veil of flame around you,” Chris said, approaching the pink hedgehog and giving her a few condescending pats on the head, “but my money cloaks me in a shield of invincibility! Which is a shame, too, because I could totally beat the shit out of everyone on this boat with my insane karate skills.”

“Yeah, I bet…” A vein appeared across Amy’s forehead as she rearranged her hair, trying as hard as she could to resist the urge to flatten him like a pancake with her hammer.  

“How ‘bout this.”

The party turned to Sonic, who was smiling as he leaned against a guardrail, his arms crossed along his chest. Opening his eyes, he raised a single finger to the air. “Let’s race for it.”

“Excuse me?” Chris scoffed. “What do you mean?”

“It’s simple, really.” Sonic approached the young boy. “You and your pilot can try getting the emerald before Tails and I do in our submarine. The one who gets the Chaos Emerald first keeps it.” The blue hedgehog rubbed the base of his nose before locking eyes with the young boy. “Sound fair?”

“Fair?” Chris laughed maniacally. “You do realize my sub’s piloted by a navy veteran, right? We’ll eat you for breakfast!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure ‘bout that,” Sonic replied as he gestured to Tails, “because I’ll have the best pilot on Mobius on my side!” The compliment made Tails blush.  

“Well, you’re on!” Chris proceeded to spit in his palm, extending his arm out to the blue hedgehog. Sonic cringed at the sight, stepping back.

“No thank you.” Sonic shook his head and turned his attention to Tails. “Let’s have a quick huddle before we start.” Chris cringed in offense at the hedgehog’s refusal to shake his dirty hand.

“Sure thing.” Tails nodded as the two stepped away, kneeling slightly and putting their arms over each other’s shoulders as if they were preparing a football play. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Well,” Sonic replied, “I doubt Chris thought his half-baked plan through, but I figured you’d have a winning strategy.” The hedgehog crouched lower, the fox bending his knees further as well. Sonic whispered, “How do we grab the emerald while we’re in the sub?”

“Good question…” Tails raised a finger to his chin in thought. “Well, the submarine should have a pressurized waste disposal system. I should be able to reverse the system so that it sucks in water at high pressure, but only for a brief period. We don’t want to overfill the sanitary tank and make the submarine fill with water!”

“Yeah, tell me ‘bout it…” Sonic peered across the ocean and visibly shook. “You know, I kinda forgot that we’d be in the water here. I’m startin’ to get goosebumps.”

Tails placed his hand on Sonic’s shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Sonic, promise! I’ll do the piloting and keep us dry. But first…” The fox dialed Topaz once more, who was still hovering in the helicopter, keeping their submarine suspended above. “You are free to drop the sub now. I’ll need to make a few modifications before we can retrieve the emerald.”

“Don’t forget to tell ‘em about the competition!” Sonic reminded.

“Oh yeah, don’t mind the other submarine. Chris and Sonic are going to compete to see who can grab the emerald first.”

“What?” Topaz raised a finger to her chin. “Well…if this were anybody else, we’d order them not to interfere in official government business…but it’s that damn Thorndyke brat.” The agent gritted her teeth. “Okay, I guess we have no choice in the matter. A feud with the Thorndyke heir would spark political drama for the President.”  The human agent turned to her Mobian counterpart. “You are clear to drop the submarine.”

“Aye, aye.” Rouge pressed a button on the dashboard, releasing the submarine from the helicopter’s restraints, landing in the ocean below.

“Use the top hatch to enter,” Topaz said into her phone. “Do what you need to do, but just try not to damage government property.”

“Understood.” Tails placed the Miles Electric back into his namesakes and called to Chris. “Just give me a few minutes to prepare. Get my bearings n’ all that.”

“Take all the time in the world, losers.” Chris was relaxing in a beach chair sipping a Capri-Sun as Tanaka held a portable fan to his face. “I needed to work on my tan anyway.”

“You coming, Sonic?” Tails asked, looking back at his nervous yet ultimately determined big brother.

“Y-yes, let’s do it to it!” The blue hedgehog gave the orange fox a thumbs up before the two jumped on top of the submarine. Twisting the hatch open, the fox opened the door, letting Sonic dive in first, an offer he didn’t let slip through his fingers. Tails hopped in next, closing the hatch above.

“Wow, talk about claustrophobia!” Sonic noted. “It’s cramped even for us Mobians! Just imagine what it’d be like for a team of humans to be livin’ in this thing.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Tails replied. “I’d much rather be in the air.” The fox approached the controls, studying the various buttons, monitors, and levers. “Okay, I think I’ve got a firm grasp of how this baby operates. Now I just need to tinker with the waste disposal system. Just don’t use the bathroom while we’re on board, and we should be fine.”

“You got it, bro.” Giving the fox a final thumbs up, Sonic watched as Tails traveled to the rear of the submarine. Turning back to the monitors, the blue hedgehog took his turn to study the hardware. “Ya know, I dunno how Tails can just read a dashboard n’ already know how to use it. I’m sure glad I’m not the one who’s piloting!” Sitting in the passenger seat, Sonic twirled the chair around before peering into the display showing the blue sky and ocean waters. “Man, I’d rather be out there than in here! I feel like a sardine in this tin can.”

“Finished!” Tails called from the rear.

“That’s great!” Sonic replied as the fox returned to the control center, pulling out his Miles Electric.

“Do you have a Chaos Emerald handy?”

“Of course!” The blue hedgehog pulled the green gem from his quills.

“Excellent!” Tails shifted his focus to the controls, starting the submarine and running through an impromptu safety checklist. “The Miles Electric can still track the emerald’s signal, but it may get spotty, but your emerald should start glowing as we get closer.”

“Way past cool!” Sonic cheered. “You’ve always got contingencies. I have no idea how Chris thinks he’ll get the emerald before us.”

“Through trickery,” Tails replied. “We should be on our toes.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Sonic nodded as he folded his arms. “That’s brat’s only good for playing dirty. I wasn’t expecting a fair race.”

Tails grabbed a corded communicator from the dash and started speaking into it. “Sonic and I are ready to go!”

“Okay, okay, hold your horses…” Chris clapped his hands, a signal for Tanaka to help him up. The butler then prepared a rope ladder the boy would use to climb down to his submarine. After a few minutes of carefully meandering down the ladder, the boy finally reached the hatch, which the pilot opened for his convenience.

“Hey, snot for brains,” Chris said through his own communicator, the signal transmitting to Tails’ submarine. “You can hear me, right?”

“Sure.” Tails replied.

“Then a onetwothreelet’sgooooo!” With that, Chris’ submarine took a head start.

“Talk about bein’ overeager.” Sonic scoffed.

“Lucky for us,” Tails replied as he enhanced the image on his Miles Electric, “he’s going in the wrong direction.” The fox proceeded to sink down, submerging the vessel under the ocean water. Only the sounds of the submarine’s blips and Sonic’s nervous teeth chattering could be heard.

“When I said we were under the Chaos Emerald,” Tails commented as Sonic’s green gem started glowing in his quills, “I meant it. It actually wasn’t very far. I don’t know where Chris thinks he’s going, but as far as I can tell…” they could now see the turquoise gem on their monitor’s feed from the camera directly below the vessel, “we’ve already won.”

With the press of another button, the fox sucked the emerald into the submarine. Leaving the control center, Tails returned moments later holding the mystic gem, whose glow drew stark contrast to the pale green lights of the submarine.

“And now we can head back,” Sonic noted as Tails took his seat. “Kind of anti-climactic, though.”

“Don’t jinx it,” Tails replied with a chuckle as he started the ascent back to the ocean’s surface. “You’ll never know what Chris’ll do if he’s on the verge of loosi—” The fox was cut off by a rumble from the side of the vessel. Gasping, Sonic and Tails watched as Chris’ submarine careened into their own.

“Hehe, sorry,” Sonic said as he ran a hand through his quills, a sweat drop appearing on the side of his head.

“You didn’t jinx anything, Sonic,” Tails replied as he grabbed the communicator. “What the heck are you doing, Chris? You do realize what you’re doing is stupid and dangerous, right?”

“I don’t think you numbskulls realize who you’re messing with,’ Chris replied. “I always get what I want, no exceptions!”

Crash!

“Ummm, Sonic?”

“Y-yeah, buddy?”

“The submarine is sinking!”

“Dang it! That stupid brat!” Sonic snapped his fingers. “Looks like we’ll need to make an emergency escape.”

“Come on!” Tails pointed to the hatch. “Just hold your breath, and I’ll swim you out of here.”

“No, Tails,” Sonic replied. “I think I’ll do the savin’ today.”

“What do you mean? You don’t mean…”

“Yes.” Sonic nodded. “Just hug me tight, and I’ll take you to safety.”

“Alright, I trust you, big brother…” Tails wrapped his furry arms around Sonic’s back, his face buried into his chest and his cheeks full of air. Sonic took a deep breath as well before opening the hatch. Just as the water started pouring in, Sonic jumped out, his body now completely submerged in ocean water.

Okay Sonic, don’t panic…don’t freak out…just like Amy taught me…

The blue hedgehog couldn’t take in a deep breath to calm his nerves, but he was still able to wash away his anxiety with deep mental focus. He studied the calm water around him, the feeling of Tails’ heart pounding against his chest, and the sunlight penetrating through the surface of the ocean above.

Let’s do this…

Kicking his legs, and performing breaststrokes, Sonic slowly made his way to the water’s surface, with Tails still wrapped around his torso.  

Hey, I’m doin’ it! I’m swimming in the ocean! I wish Amy could see me now.

Sonic didn’t have time to celebrate, however; he was in dire need of oxygen, so he swam faster, eventually reaching the surface with little time to spare.

Sonic and Tails took big gasps of air as the fox loosened his grip on his big brother.

“You okay, lil’ bro?” Sonic asked.

“Y-yeah,” Tails replied with a nod. “I didn’t think you had that sort of swimming in you.”

“Hey, you know what they say,” Sonic replied as he started swimming back to the cruise ship, lifebuoys already flung out for them, “an old hedgehog can still learn new tricks.”

Sonic and Tails grabbed hold of their buoys, getting pulled back up to the deck of the cruise ship moments later.

“Sonic!” Amy was the first to hug the blue hedgehog, getting herself nearly as drenched. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“Nothin’ Tails and I can’t handle,” Sonic replied, giving the pink hedgehog a thumbs up.

“What happened to the sub?” Topaz asked, Rouge by her side. Their helicopter was parked on the helipad on the opposite side of the ship.

“Well, you see…” Tails ran a wet hand down the back of his head. “Chris kinda…sunk it.”

“He what!?” Topaz exclaimed. “Who does that brat think he is?”

“I can answer that!” Sonic pulled the turquoise emerald from Tails’ namesakes. “A loser!”

The team cheered. Even Cream, who generally doesn’t like when people are mean to each other, joined in on the fun.

“So that means we have five Chaos Emeralds?” Helen asked.

“Yep!” Tails replied. “Knuckles has the red one, and we have the purple, green, blue, and now turquoise gems. Only two more to go until we get to go home!”

The celebration was cut short when the Thorndyke submarine emerged from the ocean. The hatch opened, revealing an irate Chris.

“What the fuck are you guys doing on the ship?!” The boy pointed angrily at the ocean below. “I crashed your submarine! You should be fish food by now! God dammit!” Chris slammed his foot on the submarine’s roof. “I hate that hedgehog! And I hate that fox! Always ruining my plans…getting in the way!” He sighed loudly. “This vacation is officially over.” Chris shifted his attention to Tanaka, who was watching from the side of the cruise ship. “Butler! Get my room packed. We’re leaving on the Thorndyke helicopter on the double!”

“Right away, Mr. Thorndyke!” Tanaka bowed before running back to his room to pack.

After taking a good three minutes to climb up the rope ladder, Chris fell at Sonic’s feet in exhaustion. Peering up, he saw the hedgehog snickering back down at him.

“What’s so funny, blue freak?”

“Oh, nothin’. Just thinkin’ about how much fun the rest of our vacation will be without you stinkin’ up the joint.”

“Why you…” The Thorndyke made another attempt at punching Sonic, and like before, the speedy hedgehog dodged, except this time, Chris didn’t fall on the floor; he fell over the guardrails and landed back in the ocean.

“C’mon, guys,” Sonic called. “Let’s leave that brat alone. He can fend for himself. How ‘bout some chili dogs?”

Tails watched as Chris struggled to keep himself above the water’s surface before clasping onto the side of his submarine. Tails chuckled before turning to his big brother. “Yeah! Let’s get some food and enjoy the rest of our cruise in peace!”

“Yeah!” The group cheered.

By the time Chris managed to pull himself back up into the cruise ship, all the guests were lined up in beach style chairs, soaking up the rays as they enjoyed plates of chili dogs. Sonic and Tails were even wearing matching sunglasses.

“Mr. Thorndyke never accepts defeat!” Chris yelled as he pointed at the two brothers. “You will be sorry for besmirching the family name!”

“Big oof.” Sonic waved the boy away with one hand as he kept the other behind his head. “Hey, didn’t you say you were leavin’? You’re blocking the sun and ruinin’ the vibe.”

Chris was fuming, but he left all the same, pouting in his cabin as he awaited Tanaka to finish packing his bags.

“Well…” The boy pulled out the half-drenched Helen body pillow from the hot tub. “At least I still have you, my love.”

He gave the pillow a kiss on the lips.

1: See chapter 6 of A Prelude to Chaos Control.

Chapter Text

“Hey Tails, pass the syrup, would ya?” Sonic asked as he rudely stretched his arm over Tails’ plate anyway, helping himself to the warm bottle. “Oop, never mind! Guess I was a bit too impatient!”

“Yeah, I’ll say!” Tails replied with a laugh as Sonic poured a generous serving of the brown liquid over his stack of fluffy pancakes. The syrup ran down all sides of the stack.

“That’s about enough, Sonic,” Amy scolded as she yoinked the bottle away from the blue hedgehog’s hands. “You almost have more syrup than pancakes!”

“And your point?” Sonic asked with a smirk.

“Oh, never mind,” Amy replied with a sigh, taking her turn to pour a smaller amount over her single cake before passing the bottle to Cream.

“Thanks for the pancakes, Helen and Amy!” Cream cheered as she handed the bottle off to Bokkun, who, like Cream, was elevated with several pillows on his chair.

“It was no problem at all!” Helen said from the opposite side of the table. “I always love making breakfast for family!”

Chuck grinned as he sipped his coffee, holding up a newspaper with his other hand. Pulling the paper down, he shifted his attention to Sonic. “I see our special guest hasn’t arrived yet.” The aging scientist gestured to the empty chair on Tails’ other side, a tall stack of pancakes, multiple pieces of crispy bacon, and a few eggs resting undisturbed along with a cup of grape juice.

“That knucklehead isn’t known for his punctuality,” Sonic replied as he wrapped a single pancake around his fork and slurped it up like a long spaghetti noodle, earning a look of disgust from his pink counterpart.

Ring, ring!

“That timing!” Sonic exclaimed as he pulled himself out of his chair.

“Knock knock, Sonic! It’s Knuckles.” Not a moment later did Sonic swing the door open, swaying his arm toward the kitchen like a butler welcoming an esteemed guest. The red echidna walked into the kitchen, taking his seat at the table.

“Hey, Knuckles!” Tails greeted. “How’ve you been?” He waited for a response as Knuckles took a big swig of his grape juice.

“Considering how my search for the Chaos Emeralds continues with little success, and the Master Emerald remains unguarded back on Mobius, I would say…okay.” He proceeded to wrap the top cake like an enchilada and eat it with his gloved hands. 

“Well, prepared to be stunned,” Sonic replied as he returned to his seat, pulling the green gem from his quills. This was followed by Tails pulling the blue emerald from his namesakes, Amy retrieving the purple gem from her hammerspace, and Helen pulling the recently acquired turquoise gem from the zipped pocket on the side of her wheelchair. As the emeralds reunited, each started glowing in tandem, and as Knuckles pulled the red gem from his dreadlocks, his emerald joined the lightshow. The entire kitchen glowed in a majestic combination of all five brilliant colors, the party watching in awe.

“So much for being an expert treasure hunter,” Knuckles said to himself as he put the red gem away. “I haven’t been able to track down any on my own. Meanwhile, you guys managed to get yet another one!”

“To be fair,” Tails replied as he pulled the Miles Electric from his namesakes, “I did have a little help from my detector. I still don’t fully understand how it’s able to connect with the Master Emerald way back on Mobius, but its spotty signal has helped us thus far.”

“How ironic…” Knuckles took another swig of his juice. “That little machine has a stronger bond with the Master Emerald than I do. The guardian of the Master Emerald…tshhh…”

“It’s not like that at all, Knuckles,” Amy said. “You’ve been a wonderful guardian. You spent practically every day guarding the shrine until we were sent to Earth.”

“Yeah, and plus,” Tails added as he raised a single finger to the air, “if it weren’t for your meditation lessons, I wouldn’t have been able to establish my own connection with the Master Emerald necessary to get my detector to work in the first place!”¹

“Don’t feel bad, Knucklehead,” Sonic slapped the red echidna’s back, nearly causing him to choke on his pancakes, “sometimes Tails’ tech beats all…except for my speed of course.”

“Sonic!” Amy stared at her boyfriend with a frown on her face. “Can’t you see he’s upset? It’s no time to be snarky.”

“I’m fine,” Knuckles replied, waving his hand away to brush off the concern. He took a long swig of his grape juice before wiping his mouth with his arm, seemingly fueled with renewed determination. “Tails may have the tech, but my treasure hunting skills will get us the remaining emeralds and return us home for sure!”

“I can drink to that!” Chuck replied as he lifted his coffee mug. Everyone else imitated this gesture with their own cups. Even Knuckles raised his empty grape juice cup, clinging his glass with Sonic’s. They lowered their glasses, however, at the sound of the doorbell.

“I think I’ll get it this time,” Chuck said as he put his newspaper aside and went to the door. Standing on the porch were Rouge and Topaz.

“Good morning,” Topaz said. “May we speak to Sonic and his friends?”

“Morning to you too,” Chuck said as he turned to face the kitchen. “Just give us a few minutes to clean up. Have a seat in the living room.” He gestured to the open sofa where the two agents took their seats. Rouge sat romantically close to Topaz, whose face turned red as a cherry.

“I told you, not while we’re on the job,” Topaz pleaded as she tried pushing the bat away.

“Only because you’re so cute when you’re flustered,” Rouge replied as she scooted to the opposite end of the sofa. To Topaz’s pleasant surprise, she noticed the bat being more respectful of her boundaries as of late. She still had work to do, but she was seemingly trying to improve, further earning the human agent’s respect.

Within a few minutes, everyone made their way to the living room. Helen was next to Chuck, who took his normal seat on his reclining chair, Knuckles leaned against a nearby wall, and Tails, Amy, and Sonic sat on the other sofa. Cream, Cheese, and Bokkun sat on the floor between the sofas.

“You’re awfully quiet, Knucky,” Rouge said playfully, blowing the red echidna a kiss.

“Humph…” Knuckles turned his head away and crossed his arms.

“You jealous I’m no longer on the market?” The bat smirked as Knuckles’ ears perked up.

“W-Why would I care about your private life?” He shifted his focus to Topaz. “Just spill it already! The less I need to put up with her batty nonsense the better!”

“I guess I’ll get to the point.” Standing up and clearing her throat, the human agent pulled her phone out of her pocket, using it to turn on the living room smart television and stream a video.

President Michael K. materialized out of nowhere in front of what was clearly a greenscreen, a fighting arena in the background. He was wearing a light, white vest with matching pants and a cloth black belt. He pointed at the camera. “Do you have what it takes to face off against the most powerful challengers around?” He flexed his artificial muscles. “Do you have the wherewithal to go all out in a competition that will push you beyond your limits?!” The President proceeded to chop a stack of bricks, the crumbling stack falling apart even before his arm made contact. “Then sign up today for the first annual Chaos Emerald Tournament Extravaganza!”

He gestured at a row of representatives stationed along a nearby table, with phones ringing constantly accompanied by flashing monitors. “Spots are filling up fast! If you want an opportunity to win a priceless Chaos Emerald,” he pulled the yellow gem from his pocket, glowing in his palm with unconvincing sparkle effects surrounding it, “sign up today! Our operators are standing by to sign up any and all participants!” The President pulled his arms back, cupping his hands as a sphere of energy filled his palms before pushing his arms forward, releasing a violent beam like an anime character.

As the President’s computer-generated attack continued, a separate announcer rattled off, “This event is sponsored by the President Michael Kennedy for Re-Election Campaign. Participation in the tournament does not obligate an endorsement of this campaign. Financial contributions to the campaign will not provide a competitive advantage during the tournament. Participants agree to enter the competition knowing risks of serious bodily harm or death while fighting in a controlled environment. Fighters agree not to press charges due to injury or death.”

“That fool!” Knuckles exclaimed. “Who does he think he is, offering one of the Chaos Emeralds as a reward when it’s not his to give away in the first place?”

“The tournament is being framed as an event to boost the President’s approval ratings,” Rouge said, “but that Jerome political consultant he keeps around thinks this will help draw out Eggman, and with Sonic in attendance…”

“…the President could claim credit for apprehending him as well,” Chuck finished as he brought a finger to his chin in thought.

“Exactly,” Rouge replied, pointing at the aging scientist. “Michael’s hoping this will be doubly advantageous for his reelection campaign.”

“Regardless,” Knuckles said as he headed for the door, “he has no right to use the Chaos Emerald, for bait or any other reason. I’m going to go pay him a little visit.”

“Wait, don’t do that!” Tails said as he ran to the door, blocking the red echidna’s path. “You don’t want to show up to the White House unannounced, especially with such hostile intentions! Remember what they did to Sonic and Cream?”²

“The Area 99 scientists went too far,” Topaz clarified, “but still, Tails has a point. You will be met with a swarm of secret service agents, and if they don’t load you full of bullets, you’ll be spending the rest of your life behind bars.”

“So what do you suppose we do, huh!?” Knuckles exclaimed. “Just let us lose the Chaos Emerald to some random tournament fighter?”

“Not quite,” Rouge replied. “As I mentioned before, the President wants Sonic to be there. In fact, he wants him to compete. What’s more,” the jewel thief gestured to the rest of the party, “he’s offering all of you first dibs free of charge! The more heroes in attendance, the greater likelihood of defeating Eggman when he inevitably shows up. Us Mobians competing will drive up ratings, which will be icing on the cake for his campaign.”

“I don’t know…” Knuckles crossed his arms and closed his eyes before turning his attention to the blue hedgehog. “What do you think?”

“I must admit,” Sonic replied as he stood up, scratching the base of his nose, “I don’t fully understand all this political nonsense, but the plan sounds reasonable enough.” He entered a fighting stance, throwing some air punches with knees bent. “Yeah, I could go for a good ol’ tussle. Maybe we’ll even get a match in the ring, Knucklehead.”

“Ha! That fight would be over in a heartbeat!” Knuckles boasted.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Sonic replied, a smirk growing across his muzzle. “You’d be thrown out of the ring in ten seconds flat.”

“You mind repeating those words?” Knuckles approached the blue hedgehog, their noses nearly touching.

“You heard me,” Sonic replied, his grin ever widening as he closed his eyes, turned his head away, and folded his arms in satisfaction, “unless you’re too chicken to find out?”

“Who you callin’ chicken?” A blood vessel pulsated across his forehead. “I will enter that tournament, kick your butt into the pavement, and retrieve the Chaos Emerald before Eggman can get his greedy paws on it!” The red echidna swiped Topaz’s cell phone and tried dialing the number on the television screen, but his oversized gloves made typing a challenge. Instead, he used the spikes on his knuckles to carefully dial the number before bringing the smartphone to his ears. “Yes, I will be entering the Chaos Emerald competition. Name? Knuckles. Knuckles the Echidna. Okay, bye.”

“Anyone else wish to challenge me?” The red echidna banged his fist against his chest.

“Yeah, you’re on!” Sonic swiped Topaz’s phone. “Can I sign anyone else up too?”

“I’ll try my hand at it!” Tails replied, his namesakes fluttering from behind. “I could go for some CQC experience!”

“I’ll fight too!” Amy added, swinging her Piko Piko Hammer.

“Me too!” Cream said, waving her hand enthusiastically.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added, waving their stubby arms to indicate their desire to join as well.

“Are you sure?” Tails asked. “I know you’ve been in your fair share of fights, but we don’t know who’ll be in this competition. You could get hurt.”

“I know,” Cream replied cheerfully, “but I’ve mastered Mr. Sonic’s basic lessons! Plus, I have the element of adorableness on my side.” As if to demonstrate, the young bunny gave her best “UwU” impression.

“C-Count me in too!” Bokkun added nervously from beside the bunny. “I don’t like fighting, but if it helps us get the emerald, and helps Cheese reunite with her mom, I’m all in!” The messenger robot raised his fists in determination, but he froze as the young bunny beside him lunged for a surprise hug. A bright blush grew across his face.

“All right, so I’ll register myself, Tails, Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Bokkun. Anyone else?”

“Rouge and I are already registered,” Topaz said. “Being in the midst of the action will provide a strategic vantage point in case things go south.”

“And more importantly,” Rouge added, “that Chaos Emerald prize sounds quite enticing, although I can’t imagine what winning it legitimately would do to my street cred.”

“Hmph…bat thief…” Knuckles folded his arms once more as he judgmentally turned his head away.

“Can I join too?”

The party turned to Helen, who nervously raised her hand.

“I…don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Tails said.

“Why not?” Helen tilted her head in concern. “Surely if Cream can enter, then I can as well?”

“Well, yeah…but…” The orange kitsune scratched the back of his head.

“It’s about my disability, isn’t it?” The young girl’s face turned downcast. The fox struggled for words when the simple truth was as plain as day. “You think I can’t fight or fend for myself?”

“We don’t know what other challengers we’ll face out in the ring,” Tails replied, “and with your condition, I would hate for someone to do irreparable harm to you.”

“I would have to agree with Tails on this one,” Chuck added, his eyes closed and arms crossed, nodding his head. “I don’t think your parents would want you fighting out there either.”

“But it’s not fair!” Helen protested, slamming her fists on her handlebars. “Everyone else is competing! Plus, I can hold my own just fine!” The young girl made a lap around the kitchen before returning to the living room. “Name anyone else who can go that fast in a wheelchair! Plus, I still have my arms!” She threw some air jabs to prove her point.

“True…” Chuck raised a finger to his chin in thought once more.

“If you compete,” Topaz noted, “you would need to sign medical waivers, but we would also have trained medical personnel at hand in case you got injured.”

“I understand,” Helen replied, nodding her head, only interrupted by the mischievous chuckles coming from the orange kitsune. “What’s got you all giggly?”

“Oh, just thinking about some enhancements for your wheelchair I’ve been putting off, but…” The orange kitsune crawled over to Helen’s wheelchair, inspecting the seat, wheels, and armrests. “Yes…with a few modifications, and some training, you’d be able to hold your own in the fighting arena just fine.” Tails rubbed his palms together suspiciously.

“I don’t know…” Chuck looked sternly at the young fox. “I just don’t think I could face my son and daughter-in-law if anything were to happen to their only child.” The old man sighed before turning to Helen. “Do you promise to be safe out there?”

“Yes.” Helen nodded.

“And if things get too rough, do you promise to wave the white flag?”

“Yes,” she nodded once more.

“Okay then…” With one final sigh, Chuck turned to the blue hedgehog, giving him a thumbs up. “Add Helen to the list, and you know what?” He stood up, stretching his back. “Add me in too!”

“Now that’s a decision that even I would question,” Sonic retorted.

“What, you think I’m too old to go up against the youngins?” Chuck placed his hands on his hips.

“Well, maybe, kind of…” The blue hedgehog ran a hand through his quills, sweat starting to form along his brow.

“Back in my day,” Chuck said as he returned to his seat, “we weren’t afraid of a little thrill!” The aging scientist raised a fist to the air. “Or, to put it in a way the kids will understand: we yeeted our way to victory with a lot of drip. We were very based. In fact, I was the biggest pog champ around!”

“Okay, grandpa…” Helen gestured for her grandfather to sit down. “We get it. Please spare us this cringe.”

“Back in my day,” Chuck continued unabated, “we were on fleek, no cap! We were low-key vibin’ until the cows came home, I tell you whippersnappers! Yep…” He sighed heavily, reminiscing of memories from his youth. “The times back then really hit differently.”

“Okay, boomer, please stop.”

“Bet.” Chuck leaned back in his chair and took another sip of coffee.

“So…everyone is competing?” Sonic asked.

“Yep!” Everyone said in unison.

“Okay, I’ll make the call!” The blue hedgehog redialed the number. “Yes, I would like to sign my friends and I up for the tournament.” He proceeded to give the operator his name and the names of each of the competitors before hanging up.

“Well, that’s a wrap!” Sonic said as he gave Topaz back her smartphone and headed for the door. “I’ll be on my morning run if anyone needs me!” He gently slapped his belly with his palms. “I ate so much for breakfast that I need to burn some of this off!” He stepped out onto the patio and spindashed down the driveway, taking a sharp turn down the street at rapid speed.

“The tournament is one week from today,” Rouge said as she made her way to the door, followed behind by Topaz. She approached Knuckles on her way out, bringing her lips to his ear. “Can’t wait to see you out there, Knucky.” This caused the red echidna to blush profusely, steam escaping his nostrils and ears like a train engine.

“One week to prepare the enhancements?” Tails chuckled under his breath as the secret agents left the abode. “I’ll only need one day!”

In the clearing behind Chuck’s barn/laboratory in the outskirts of town, roughly 24 hours after Rouge and Topaz’s visit, Helen observed as the orange kitsune made his final preparations on the wheelchair.

“That ought to do it!” Tails exclaimed as he lifted himself up, wiping the sweat from his brow before returning his screwdriver to his namesakes. “You remember how to work the controls?”

“Yep!” Helen replied cheerfully.

“Go ahead and press the activation button.”

“With pleasure.” A grin across her face, the young girl pressed the red button on her right armrest. The wheelchair rapidly transformed, elevating the young girl as the contraption folded out various machinations that eventually resembled a mech. “Woah, this is really cool!” She peered around the protective casing around her body; she was still sitting in the original chair, the wheels serving as side bracings for the mech’s metallic legs. A Switch Pro controller wired to the mech like a mall videogame kiosk would give the young girl, who was adept at gaming, the ability to swiftly maneuver the arms and legs with simple button inputs.

“Press the shoulder button!” Tails yelled from below.

“All right!” Helen’s voice echoed through the speakers installed on the mech for added effect. Pressing the shoulder button on the controller, the mech raised a single arm, a blaster folding out from the top part of its wrist.

“Now, I want you to fire at the target!” The orange kitsune pointed at the stack of Mountain Dew Baja Blast cans arranged around the perimeter of their makeshift sparring arena.

“Okay!” Sticking out her tongue in concentration, Helen pulled the trigger on her controller, a laser shooting from the blaster and destroying the metal cans like they were candy wrappers. She proceeded to take out a few other stacks with ease. In the process, she fiddled with the buttons, even managing to perform a tactical roll, which was scary at first until she realized that she was completely secured in the confines of the mech.

“Now that you’ve taken out our practice targets…” Tails gestured to the blue hedgehog standing on the opposite end of the yard. “…let’s see if you can land a shot on the fastest thing alive!”

“Wouldn’t that be lethal?” Helen asked, tilting her head in concern, the mech matching this movement.  

“The blasts will not result in any real damage,” Tails replied, sticking a finger in the air. “A successful hit will render the target paralyzed for several seconds, and it may sting similar to a mild electrical shock, but there should be no actual damage from getting hit by your laser blaster.”

“Well, if that’s the case…” Helen grinned in determination as she eyed the blue hedgehog. “Are you ready to get vaporized?”

“Oh wow, you almost made me think you were possessed by Dr. Eggman!” Sonic replied with a chuckle. “If you think your new mech has a chance of keeping up with the fastest hedgehog in the multiverse, then give it your best sho—” The blue hedgehog froze as Helen aimed the mechanical arm and blasted several laser rounds at him. “Woahh!” He ducked the first one, dove away from the second, and spindashed to safety from the third. “You playin’ dirty too? Is today Eggman Cosplay Day or somethin’, because I definitely didn’t get the memo ‘round the watercooler.”

“Silly hedgehog!” Helen exclaimed, doing her best Eggman impression. “When I’m through with you, you’ll be a black mark on the floor! Get a load of thiiiis!” The young girl pulled the trigger once more, the mech shooting its blaster in rapid succession, but the hedgehog was able to dodge every single laser.

"Is that the best ya got, Helen?" Sonic turned around, bent his back, and slapped his rear end, utilizing one of his top twenty favorite taunts. “It’s gonna take much more than using Eggman’s lame catch phrases to even come close to hitting me!”

“Oh yeah?” Helen grinned. “How ‘bout this!?” With a button press combo, she had the mech’s legs swipe in Sonic’s general direction, an unexpected maneuver that forced Sonic to jump at nearly the last second.

“Now this is gettin’ interesting!” Sonic cheered. “If this keeps up, I will have to actually try!”

With another combination of buttons, the mech attempted to stomp out Sonic with its metallic palms, but to no avail.

“You’re too slow!” Sonic chuckled as he turned around, about to blitz away from Helen’s next attack, when he heard a call from the pink hedgehog.

“Lunch is ready! Dozens of chili dogs with the works!”

“Did Amy just say chili dogs?” Sonic asked, his stomach instantly gurgling at the thought of his favorite food.

The distraction proved to be a welcome opportunity for Helen to go in for the kill; with a press of the shoulder button, the young girl landed a blast on Sonic, causing him to yelp in surprise before falling to the ground, temporarily paralyzed.  

“Hurray, I finally captured that meddlesome hedgehog!” Helen cheered before pressing a few buttons on her armrest. This made the mech transform back into her normal wheelchair. By the time the devolution finished, Sonic had already pulled himself up.

“Good game.” Sonic offered his hand to Helen, a smile appearing across his muzzle.

“Agreed!” Helen nodded as she accepted the gesture, gripping his gloved hand for a firm shake.  

“Now how ‘bout we head back to the lab and have some of Amy’s chili dogs?” The blue hedgehog clasped his gurgling stomach.

“Agreed!” Helen rubbed her belly as well. “Controlling a mech really takes a lot out of ya!”

“Last one in is a rotten egg bellied slowmo!” Sonic spindashed into the barn, leaving Helen and Tails behind.

“Hey Tails?” Helen turned to face the orange kitsune.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.” A smile appeared across her face. “I never would’ve ever imagined having the opportunity to pilot such a thing! I’ve never felt so much power at my fingertips!” She peered down at her palms, wiggling her fingers. “I imagine this is what it must be like to pilot an Eva.”

“A what now?” Tails asked, tilting his head in confusion.

“Oh yeah, I still need to show you Evangelion! It’s best known as being a deconstruction of the mecha genre.”

“I’d love to watch it with you!” Tails replied enthusiastically, his namesakes fluttering from behind. “Just remember what Sonic once told me, though: with great power comes great responsibility. Be sure to use the mech only as necessary, and be wary of civilian casualties.”

‘Was that…a Spiderman quote?” Helen brought a finger to her chin in thought.

“You know, I thought Sonic was lying when he said he made that up himself!” Tails crashed a fist against the open palm of his other hand. “I guess not even copyright laws can stop the fastest thing alive!”

The two laughed as Tails gripped Helen’s handlebars, the fox helping the girl back to the lab.

“Even if Sonic totally stole that quote,” Helen replied, “I’ll be sure to use this suit responsibly.”

“Good to hear,” Tails replied with a smile. “I just hope I won’t have to compete against you in the tournament!”

“It’ll be like…the Tournament of Prower!” Tails stopped the wheelchair and looked at Helen confusedly. “Oh, it’s another one of my Japanese anime references. It’s like the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super but Prower…like your last name.” She peered up at the kitsune, chuckling nervously as an anime-sized sweat droplet appeared across the side of her face and a blush covered her cheeks.

“I’ll take your word for it!” The fox gave her a thumbs up. The two laughed merrily once more as they entered the lab, fresh chili dogs awaiting them.

Chapter Text

“Well guys,” Chuck said as he put his van into park, “we’re here!”

“Oh great, finally!” Amy complained as she opened one of the side doors. “It was starting to get stuffy in there! You should really fix the air conditioning!”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s on the list,” Chuck replied as he took a final hit of his marijuana before putting it out, securing the unused portion in his cup holder.

“Doesn’t help that it’s so hot today!” Tails commented as he slipped out of the main passenger seat, closing the door behind him and wiping the sweat from his forehead. Peering up, the orange fox observed the sun lighting up the sky, making the cement parking lot even warmer than before.

“I’m feeling pretty chill myself!” Sonic commented as he jumped off the roof of the van.

“Well yeah,” Helen replied as she rolled from the handicap accessible door, “illegally riding up there on the interstate can do that!”

“Heh, the cops’ll have to catch me first!” Sonic gloated as he gave his signature thumbs up.

“Shhhhh…” Amy brought a finger to her lips and tilted her head toward Cream, Bokkun, and Cheese, who were filing out from the other side of the van.

“Heh, me and my big mouth.” Sonic approached the trio of youngsters. He bent his knees to address the kids. “What I meant to say is that you should totally follow all the laws…exceptwhenyouwannagofast, ehem…”

“What was that, Sonic?” Amy questioned.

“Oh, nothin’, nothin’…” Sonic ran a gloved hand through his blue quills before twirling around. “Say, let’s go get registered before we’re late!”

“Agreed!” Tails replied, giving his big brother a thumbs up. The fox turned to Helen, who was rolling alongside. “You feel ready?”

“Yep!” Helen replied with a cheerful smile. “I’ve been practicing after school every day! I feel like the mech is now an extension of my body!”

“Like Evangelion, right?” The orange fox giggled. “Like…Helengelion?” Tails grinned widely, sharing a reference now known to both as the two binged the entirety of the show the night before.

“Exactly!” Helen cheered. “Maybe without the world-ending catastrophes, though.”

“Mmhmm,” Tails nodded. “Agreed.”

The gang slowly made their way to the entrance of the Diamond Stadium, the home of Station Square’s premier baseball field but repurposed for the First Annual Chaos Emerald Tournament. The outer perimeter of the stadium was full of street vendors selling fried foods and souvenirs, and as they got closer to the entrance, the crowd thickened.

Sonic was stopped as a group of teenage girls twice his height pulled him by the arm.

“Oh my god, it’s Sonic!” One of them called.

“It’s true!” Another said.

“He’s much cuter in person!” The entire group of girls, clad in their private high school uniforms despite attending the non-academic event on a weekend, were blushing hard as all gave an iteration of the UwU face.

“I dunno if I’m cute,” Sonic replied as he gave the girls a grin, “but I know I’m way past cool!” The blue hedgehog proceeded to jump in the air, rolling into his spherical form to bounce a few times before unfurling mid-flight, performing a few backflips before landing perfectly on his feet. Giving the girls another smirk, a sparkle glistened in his teeth as he revealed the sunglasses he swiftly put on while in a ball. To top off his display of coolness, he pointed to the girls with his gloved fingers. “Ayyyeeee.”

“He’s cute and cool!!!” The girls cheered and screamed simultaneously.

“Listen here, homewreckers!” The girls turned around to find Amy stomping toward them, her Piko Piko Hammer at the ready. The pink hedgehog grabbed Sonic by the other arm. “This handsome hunk is already taken by yours truly.” She turned around and gave the high schoolers a menacing glare, fire filling her eyes. “If I see any of you lay a finger on my boyfriend again, I’ll make sure you’ll regret it!”

The girls, now screaming for a different reason, fell over in intimidation before crawling away rapidly.

“Ya know you didn’t have to go that far, Ames,” Sonic replied. Amy stopped and turned to the blue hedgehog.

“Yeah, maybe I got a little carried away,” she replied, putting away her hammer and running a gloved hand through her pink hair.

“Nah, it’s cool,” Sonic said as he brought Amy’s hand up to his lips, giving it a light kiss. “You’re just protecting what’s yours is all.” The blue hedgehog gave her a wink.

Amy froze at the sudden, unexpected romantic gesture, falling back as her heart pounded through her chest.

“Amy!” Sonic approached the pink hedgehog, lifting her head up and kneeling before her. “You okay? Did I do anything wrong?”

“Oh, not at all!” Amy replied, quickly pulling herself up and dusting herself off. “Sometimes I forget that we’re a couple for real.” She grabbed Sonic’s hand once more, giving it a kiss as he did moments before. “C’mon, let’s go get registered!”

“Right.” Nodding in agreement, the two hedgehogs led the pack into the stadium. The central lobby was packed, mostly with spectators but also some tournament staff.

“Hey, look at that,” Helen observed, pointing at a large sign. “It says for tournament competitors to meet in the fighter rest building.” The sign showed a map depicting a pop-up structure on the opposite side of the fighting arena planted in the middle of the turf.

“Oh man,” Chuck said as he placed a palm on his forehead, “I bet the stadiums’ groundskeeper went nuts when they decided to host the tournament here.”

“Why is that?” Cream asked from the professor’s side, Bokkun and Cheese following alongside.

“Well, you see,” Chuck replied, “the Diamond Baseball Stadium is home to the world’s most beautiful baseball turf. Teams from across the world love competing here, some even preferring our home field to their own!”

As the group emerged onto the turf, Cream removed her glove, bent her knees, and slowly ran her palm across the individual blades of grass. “Yeah, you’re right!” Cream replied cheerfully as she slipped her glove back on. “The grass here is beautiful! Bokky and I could have the best tea party here!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese agreed, flying around the young bunny.

“I’d love to share some tea with you in the grass,” Bokkun replied, a blush appearing across his face.

“It’s not that common that the field is open to the public, though,” Chuck added as the group continued their trek across the newly constructed ring. “The stadium staff want to keep the field as pristine as possible for the primetime baseball games.”

“That’s a shame,” Cream replied with a downcast face.”

“Chao, chao,” Cheese agreed, the pompom affixed to their head drooping as well.

“Not to fret, though!” Chuck said as he raised a finger to the air. “We can always enjoy tea in the yard at home, or even at my lab in the outskirts!”

“Yeah, you’re right!” Cream replied before sniffing the air. “In speaking of tea…” The bunny followed the scent to the competitor’s rest building, leading the pack inside to find a spacious area with a table full of complementary beverages and light snacks, including a boiling pot of tea. “Well don’t mind if I do!” The bunny approached the table, but she accidentally ran into a boy who was occupying the kettle. The human was unfazed, but Cream fell back. Peering up, her pupils dilated, and her mouth went agape, as the boy before her turned around, giving the young bunny a maniacal grin.

“Oh look, it’s one of those freaks, fancy seeing you here…” Chris dusted off his pants. “You just made my jeans wrinkled. I should have my legal team sue you for everything you’re worth.”

“Leave her alone, Chris!” The rich kid peered down at Tails, who was already assisting Cream up from the floor. The rest of the party soon joined them.

“A festival of aliens,” Chris laughed as he took a sip of his tea before spitting it out in disgust, throwing his cup over his shoulder and splashing the pastries in the process. “The tea here is rather dreadful. I should’ve had my personal maid Ella set up a personal kitchen here just for me, but alas…” Chris shrugged his shoulders. “Live and learn, I guess.”

“What are you even doing here anyway?” Helen asked.

“First the cruise ship, and now this?”¹ Sonic added, placing his hands on his hips. “Just how obsessed are you with trolling us anyway?”

“None of your damn business, rodent,” Chris replied as he clapped his hands in the air, summoning Tanaka from seemingly out of nowhere. “Butler, get me a bubble tea from across town, A.S.A.P. The usual.”

“Yes, Mister Thorndyke!” Tanaka bowed multiple times in succession before running out of the building.

“If you absolutely must know,” Chris sighed, “I was rather bored and thought the world could see me kick some ass in this tournament. I would win a Chaos Emerald, show off my incredible muscles,” the boy displayed his noodle arms in a flexing pose, “and, most importantly…” He approached the orange fox, bent his knees, and flicked his black nose. “…stomp you freaks into the ground where you belong.”

“Oh, puleeeze,” Sonic scoffed. “What sort of fighting experience do you even have anyway?”

“I wouldn’t suppose lesser beings such as yourselves would remember,” Chris replied with a grin, “but back on the ship, I explained that my karate skills were unmatched. I was, indeed, trained in the martial arts by Tanaka himself. HIIYAAAAH!!!” Chris randomly kicked the wall of the popup building, but there was no discernable damage. “That was only a warmup!” The boy brought his hands to his hips and laughed. “You’ve only seen two percent of my ultimate power!”

“Yeah, sure…” Sonic squeezed his nose. “I can smell his ultimate power from here guys, better move to the other side of the room before we start reeking too!”

Everybody laughed, save for Helen and Cream.

“I’ll have you know,” Chris replied, raising a finger to the blue hedgehog, “that I use only the finest body wash. I don’t smell of anything putrid as you’re implying, whereas you smell of yesterday’s trash!”

“Oh boy, I’m so insulted!” Sonic raised a hand to the air. “Look out guys, we’ve got a badass over here!”

“Sonic!” Amy yelled. “Language in front of the youngins!”

“Oop, sorry Ames!” The blue hedgehog ran a hand through his quills once more.

“Oh my god, that’s riiiich!” Chris laughed uncontrollably. “You let that pink brat boss you around? That’s not very masculine of you.”

“I’ll have you know,” Sonic approached the rich kid, grabbing him by the shirt collar and pulling him closer in, “that I don’t appreciate your tone. Amy isn’t a brat; she has a million times more grace, dignity, intelligence, and fighting skills than you’ll ever have.”

“Get off me you brute!” Chris pulled himself away from Sonic’s grip. “If I see one loose thread on my shirt, I will sue your ass so hard you’ll be forced to be my servant until the end of your miserable, pathetic life!”

“Working for you?” Sonic rubbed the base of his nose. “I’d rather drown in your pool.”

“Don’t waste your time, Sonic.”

“Huh?” The blue hedgehog turned to face Knuckles, who was leaning against the wall. “Oh, hey Knucklehead! Long time, no see.”

“It’s only been a week,” Knuckles replied, “but as I was saying: best not waste your time trying to reason with idiots like that kid.”

“Hey, who are you calling an idiot!?” Chris complained, approaching the red echidna. Knuckles was unfazed however, pretending as if the young boy wasn’t even in the room.

“Have you been training hard or just taking it easy like usual?” Knuckles asked, approaching the blue hedgehog and stepping by Chris as if he were a ghost.

“Hey, you know me!” Sonic replied, giving him a thumbs up. “If running counts as training, then I’ve been gearing up all week!” He pointed at the red echidna. “How ‘bout you? You smash any boulders or somethin’?”

“Perhaps a few,” Knuckles replied as he folded his arms, “but training includes more than just exercising your muscles. It requires discipline and mental fortitude. I spent several days straight meditating to prepare both my body and my mind for the challenges ahead.”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re takin’ this a lil’ too seriously?” Sonic placed his hands on his hips.

“Given the stakes,” Knuckles replied, “I’d say that vigorous preparation is well worth getting the Chaos Emerald back.”

“STOP IGNORING MEEE!” Chris screeched, but everyone had since drowned out his voice; Sonic and Knuckles were still bantering as Tails, Cream, Cheese, Bokkun, and Helen were enjoying a cup of tea. Chuck was enjoying coffee as well.

“I won’t ignore you, senpai,” Danny said, returning from the restroom.

“Shut up, Danny,” Chris said, scoffing at the classmate he previously paid to be his friend.² “Remember, you’re still fired, but if you manage to do well enough in this tournament, and even knock out a few of those freaks, I’ll consider rehiring you. You’d be back on the gravy train, and your parents could quit their jobs at K-Mart.”

“Yippee!!” Danny cheered.

“So then I said ‘those jewels cost how much?’” Rouge said to Topaz as the two entered the building. “Needless to say,” she continued, “I didn’t actually purchase the gems, if you catch my drift.”

“Do I need to report you to the authorities?” Topaz asked unimpressed, folding her arms judgmentally.

“In a way,” Rouge replied, giving her human counterpart a wink, “I already am.” The bat placed her hands on her hips. “The last time I checked, though, your jurisdiction doesn’t extend across dimensions.”

“That’s fair,” Topaz replied with a wink of her own, seemingly more comfortable with her girlfriend sharing her stories of Mobian plunder illicitly obtained.

“Heya Rouge!” Sonic waved. “And Topaz, too!” The group approached the two newcomers, all carrying their hot beverages. “Ready to duke it out?”

“I certainly am,” Rouge replied. “I just hope to go one-on-one with Topaz again. Our last battle ended a bit prematurely.”

“Yeah, when my reinforcements arrived to arrest you,” Topaz replied, folding her arms. “I still don’t understand how your arrest ultimately led to the President hiring you as a secret agent!”³

“Attention competitors!!!” Everyone peered at the man in the center of the room wielding a megaphone. “The First Annual Chaos Emerald Tournament will be commencing soon! Before we can begin, we will need everyone to draw a number to determine the order.” The group gathered around the announcer, who was dressed in a suit, had long, parted yellow hair, and a stylish set of sunglasses.

“They even brought in the fabled tournament announcer,” Chuck whispered to the orange kitsune.

“Is he famous?”

“Famous? He has refereed the most high-profile fights of the last few decades. He travels the world in search of these sorts of events, so it’s no surprise that he found himself in the government’s employ.”

“Now then…” The announcer gestured at a table next to him. A tall box was sitting in its center. “When I call your name, please approach the table, and pull a ball from this box. Each ball contains a number that will determine the order of the tournament.”

“First up…” He carefully studied his clipboard. “…is Helen!”

“That’s me!” The young girl approached the table.

“Ummm…are you sure it’s okay to fight in your condition?” He tilted his head in concern as he observed her wheelchair.

“Oh, I’ve been training all week!” Helen replied with a bright smile. “Plus…” she whispered to the announcer, who brought his ear closer. “…my wheelchair has some hidden surprises.”

“Here are the documents in case there are any questions,” Tails added as he pulled out a thick binder from his namesakes. “Medical waivers as well as schematics for Helen’s wheelchair are all included, signed and approved by the tournament’s governing body. She has been cleared to compete with all the equipment included with her wheelchair.” The young kitsune handed the documents to the announcer, who nearly fumbled at the unexpected weight of the paperwork.

“I’ll just…take you at your word.” He chuckled nervously, a sweat droplet appearing across his forehead. Dropping the documents on the table with a thud, he proceeded to wipe the sweat away with his pocket handkerchief.

“All right! Helen will pull the first lot!” The announcer stepped away to give the group a decent view. The girl reached her hand into the box and pulled out a sphere with a black “1” label.

“Helen has drawn the number one lot!” The announcer approached a tall, dry erase board and wrote her name in the appropriate bracket. “Next is Cream the Rabbit!”

“Right here!” Cream happily pulled out the #5 ball.

“Next is the one, the only, President Michael Kennedy!”

“Thank you, announcer,” Michael replied as he stepped into the building, secret service agents surrounding the commander-in-chief as he approached the table. He reached his hand into the box and pulled out the #4 ball.”

“Now it’s Knuckles the Echidna’s turn!”

Knuckles’ hand wouldn’t fit into the hole, so he jammed his fist inside, making the hole wider in the process. He plucked the #10 sphere from the box.

“O-ohhhkay…” The announcer regained his composure. “Now it’s Tanaka’s turn!”

“Coming, coming!!” The butler just made it back, panting heavily with two bubble teas in either hand. He gave the beverages to Chris before approaching the table. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out the #15 ball.

“And now we have The Dark Knight!”

“The what now?” Sonic asked as he tilted his head in confusion. The group observed as this mysterious competitor made his way to the table; a knight clad in armor, complete with a long sword, reached his hand into the box and pulled out the #7 lot.

“Danny is up next!”

Chris’ classmate approached the table, pulling out the #3 lot. A feeling of dread filled the young boy as he realized that he’d need to fight the president himself. He gulped as he stepped away from the box and the announcer wrote his name on the board.

“Christopher Thorndyke is up next!”

“That’s Mister Christopher Thorndyke to you!” Chris protested before stomping angrily toward the table, pulling out his lot.” Gripping the sphere, he laughed maniacally before turning to face Helen, proudly displaying the #2 ball he pulled.

Helen gasped.

“Oh boy,” Sonic commented, “looks like you’ll be sending him packing right from the get-go.” The blue hedgehog punched his open palm with his other hand. “I’m kinda jealous, to be honest. I would’ve wanted to show that brat a lesson or two…”

“I don’t know how I feel…” Helen peered down at her knees. “We’ve had our differences, and we’ve known each other for years, but I still feel that, maybe…just maybe…there’s some good left inside of him…” The young girl observed as Chris flexed his muscles once more, even kissing his noodle arm as a show of intimidation. She nearly vomited. “Actually…never mind. Let’s kick his butt.”

“That’s the spirit, Helen!” Tails cheered from her side.

The next several minutes were spent drawing the remaining lots. After writing the final name on the board, the announcer brought everyone to attention once more.

“Now, let us confirm the tournament roster. Round 1 will be Helen vs. Mr. Christopher Thorndyke. Second will be Danny vs. President Michael K. Third will be Cream vs. Topaz. Fourth will be The Dark Knight vs. Amy Rose. The fifth round will be Rouge vs. Knuckles.”

“You wouldn’t hit a girl, would ya?” Rouge asked the red echidna playfully.

“If it’s to recover the Chaos Emeralds…” Knuckles folded his arms, focusing intently on the tournament announcer. “…then I will do what I must.”

“Not the romantic type are ya?” Rouge returned to Topaz, wrapping her hands around her leg. “Unlike my new girlfriend here. She’d never raise a fist to me.”

“I would only punch you if it meant winning the Chaos Emerald,” Topaz promised.

“Well, okay, I can respect that at least,” Rouge replied with a grin. “I would do the same, to be honest.”

“Ehem…” The announcer cleared his throat as the party turned their attention to the jewel thief. A sheepish grin covered her muzzle.

“Excuse me, just having a private conversation. Feel free to continue.” The bat proceeded to inspect her nails.

“Anyway, as I was saying…” The announcer returned to the board. “The sixth round will be between Chuck and Bokkun. The seventh will be Sonic vs. Cheese, and the eighth round will be Tanaka the Butler vs. Tails the Fox! That concludes the reading of the tournament roster!”

“You will be given thirty minutes to rest until the first match starts! Be sure to get your stretches in, drink plenty of water, and take some time to relax before the competition!” With that, the announcer left the building, pulling the portable microphone from the inner pocket of his suit jacket to address the crowd, leaving the fighters alone.

Helen quietly observed Chris, who was arguing with Tanaka about the flavor of his bubble teas before throwing the beverages at his face.

“Are…you sure you’re good, Helen?” Tails tilted his head in concern as he studied the young girl.

She reached into the zipped compartment of her wheelchair, pulling out her Nintendo Switch Pro controller. The young girl gripped the controller, placing her fingers on the trigger buttons as she furrowed her brow.

“Yes.” Helen nodded her head. “I am ready.”

“Ladies and gentlemen!” The announcer cried into his microphone in the center of the fighting arena. All the seats were full of spectators, many of whom were wearing knockoff hats and shirts depicting their favorite Mobians. The crowd was a rainbow of color representing Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and the rest of the heroes. “The First Annual Chaos Emerald Tournament is about to commence! Are you ready to see some thrilling action!?”

The crowd cheered in response, waving their foam hands while guzzling down copious amounts of beer.

“The first fight features the world-renown, world-famous heir of the Thorndyke family: give it up for Christopher Thorndy—”

“Umm, excuse me!?” The boy yanked the microphone from the announcer’s hands, bringing it to his lips. “It’s actually Mr. Christopher Thorndyke. If you don’t get my name right next time, I’ll make sure you go from hosting internationally broadcasted fighting tournaments to bingo nights at the old folks’ home.”

“Yikes…” The announcer whispered under his breath as the rich kid handed him back the microphone. “Ohh, ummm, excuse me: Mr. Christopher Thorndyke here will be facing off against one of his classmates. What are the odds!?” He gestured to Helen, who was sitting patiently on the opposite end of the ring. “Give it up for Helen!”

The crowd cheered as she waved back, a blush appearing across her face.

“Not used to the world’s affection, aye?” Chris asked with a smug grin, rubbing his chin with his hand. “You know, this isn’t even going to be a fair fight! I’ve been training for years under my totally kickass butler…while you’ve been sitting in that chair studying like a bookworm.” The boy laughed, placing his hands on his hips. “What hope do you have of even defeating me anyway? You gonna roll all over me?”

“I think you’re in for a little surprise,” Helen replied with a confident grin.

“The offer is still on the table, my sweet Helen,” Chris replied. “If you throw the fight and agree to be my girlfriend, I’ll have the top doctors in the world care for your every medical need.”

“You know, there’s a term for people like you.”

“Oh yeah? What is it? Lemme guess: charming? Daring? Charismatic? Brave? Tenacious?”

“Nope!” Helen replied, pointing at the young boy. “More like…simp. Cringe. Spoiled.”

“What did you just say?!” Chris’ face turned red with anger, a vein appearing across his forehead.

“Cope! Seethe! Mald! L + Ratio!” Helen swiftly pulled her Switch Pro controller from the zipped compartment of her wheelchair.

“A videogame controller? Is this a joke?” Chris asked, laughing in place once more. “By the time we’re finished with this fight, it is you who will be coping, seething, and L + Ratioing!”

“Oh, I don’t think so…” Her grin widened as she pressed a button on her right armrest. Chris was frozen, his mouth agape, as he watched Helen’s wheelchair transform into a large mech before his eyes.

“But, but, but, but…how!?” Chris turned to the announcer. “This can’t be legal! I demand Helen be immediately disqualified for pulling such a stunt.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Chris Thorndyke,” he replied, flipping through the pages of the binder Tails gave him during the check-in, “but Helen’s mech suit was fully approved by the tournament’s governing body.” The announcer faced the crowd. “The fight will start in three…two…one…and BEGIN!!”

A gong signified the start of the fight.

Helen took a fighting stance, bending the knees of her mech as she trained her focus on the young boy below. “What’s wrong, Chris? Where’s that bravery you were boasting about? Here…” The young girl took a knee. “I’ll even give you a free shot! Put your karate skills to good use and cut through my leg.” She pointed at her metal appendage. “You can’t miss it. C’mon and get your free first shot while it’s fresh!”

“That conniving little piece of…” Chris muttered under his breath. “Fine, if you’re stupid enough to let your defenses down and offer me the first blow, then I will happily oblige!” The young boy ran toward the girl’s mech, screaming as he jumped up, raising his arm in preparation for a brutal chop. “SUPER MEGA ULTRA KARATE CHOP OF DOOOOOOM!”

Chris’ attack landed, but there was no discernable damage to the leg. Seconds later, his arm stuck in mid-chop, the boy’s hand ballooned in size, turning red from the impact.

“Owwwoowowowowowowow!!!” He blew on his pulsating hand as he ran around the ring.

“Now that you’ve had your free shot,” Helen said as she attached the Switch controller to her central console, “I’m going to go ahead and finish this quickly.” The young girl maneuvered her mechanical arm so that its palm was hovering over Chris, who cowered as he shook in fear. She pinched the collar of his shirt, picking him up and allowing him to dangle from her metal fingers.

“Hey, put me down! Put me down!!” He wiggled his feet about.

“Oh, so you want me to drop you? From this height?” Helen grinned.

“Whaa?” Chris peered down, his eyes bulging from their sockets as he found himself a few dozen feet away from the arena. “A-actually, just s-set me down g-gently.”

“If you insist…” Helen carefully dangled the young boy within feet of the ground and loosened her metal fingers.

Chris fell into the grass just outside the ring.

“The winner of the first match is Helen!” The announcer exclaimed.  

The crowd roared in applause as the young girl waved at the onlookers with her mechanical arm before reverting the mech back into its standard wheelchair form.

“Helen!” Tails ran into the ring. “That was incredible!” He grabbed her hands in joy, the two laughing wholesomely. “And you’ve mastered the sensitive controls, too! If you tried picking Chris up like that on the first day of training, you would’ve squashed him like a bug!”

“Yeah, that would’ve been such a tragedy,” Sonic sarcastically added, joining the two in the arena.

“Thanks!” Helen replied. “I didn’t want to humiliate Chris in front of the world, but I’ve got to admit…” The three turned their attention to the young boy, who was rolling in the grass crying, flailing his arms about. “It did feel a bit cathartic.”

“Congratulations, Helen!” The announcer said into his mic as he approached the young girl. “Tell me, what do you call this thing? Does your mech have a cool name?”

“A name?” Helen placed a hand on her chin in thought until she remembered the conversation she had with Tails outside the stadium.

“Ummmm…Helen…gelion?” She tilted her head as if unsure, but still christening the official name of her final form all the same.

“You heard it here, folks!” The announcer roared. “The Helengelion is a force to be reckoned with! I feel sorry for all the tournament competitors who will have to go toe-to-toe with her unstoppable mech!”

The crowd cheered once more.

“We will begin the next round in a few minutes, so don’t go anywhere, folks!”

“Thanks for that cool name, by the way,” Helen said to Tails as the trio returned to the competitor rest building.

“No problem at all, Helen,” Tails replied with a thumbs up. “I’m flattered you took it up!”

Helen, Sonic, and Tails returned to their friends, who quickly circled the young girl, offering their praises for her first victory. They were interrupted, however, by President Michael K., accompanied by his bodyguards.

“Congratulations, Helen.” Michael said as he lowered his arm, allowing her to shake his hand. The entire group started clapping.

“Congratulations,” Tails said.

“Congratulations,” Sonic added.

“Congratulations,” Cream cheered.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added.

“Congratulations!” Bokkun said.

“Congratulations,” Knuckles said.

“Congratulations,” Amy said.

“Congratulations,” Chuck added.

“Congratulations,” Rouge said.

“Congratulations,” Topaz added to her side.

“Oh wow, everyone saying ‘congratulations’ back-to-back while clapping?” Helen laughed. “This really is like Evangelion, isn’t it?”

“More like…Helengelion!” Sonic replied, earning a laugh from the entire group.

The President turned to face Danny, who was stuffing his pockets with pastries to return to his parents. “So, you must be Danny.” The President offered his hand to the young boy as well. After wiping the crumbs from his palms, he shook the commander-in-chief’s hand.

“It’shth nishthe taa meetch yuuu,” Danny said through a mouth full of food.

“Likewise!” The president ended the handshake before straightening his tie. “All right, ready to head out to the arena?”

“Sure!” Danny replied, sneaking a few extra snacks into his pockets before following the President out to the crowd.

Chapter Text

Danny vs. President Michael Kennedy

“Ladies and gentleman!” The announcer raised his fist in the air, the sunlight reflecting from his black sunglasses. “I hope you were entertained by the first match, but this tournament is just getting started!” The crowd roared in applause, waving banners, foam fingers, and half-consumed cans of Coors Light. “And this next one promises to be a doozy! I am proud to introduce the pr—”

“Uhh, sir?”

The announcer peered back at one of the tournament assistants. Grumbling under his breath, he put his palm over the microphone.

“What is it? Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?”

“That kid’s still here, sir…” The assistant pointed at Christopher Thorndyke rolling in the grass, throwing a tantrum over his previous defeat at the metallic hands of Helen and her mech.

“Oh, right…” With a sigh, the announcer slipped his microphone into his jacket pocket, hopped out of the fighting ring, and approached the child. “Ummm, Mr. Thorndyke?”

“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m wallowing in my own shame?” Chris didn’t stop flailing his arms and legs as tears poured down his face like a baby. His clothing was starting to stain from the grass.

“I’m sorry you lost, but we need to move on to the next round. Maybe you could recover in the rest area?”

“And face Helen after such a humiliating defeat? Ha!” Chris pulled himself off the ground, dusting off his attire before wiping the tears from his eyes. “Screw that! Screw this tournament, too!” The rich kid snapped his fingers, and within a few seconds, a helicopter descended from the sky, hovering over the ring. A muscular man in a suit opened the side door and extended his arm out.

“Now if you excuse me,” Chris said as he struggled to pull himself back up into the ring, “I’ve got better things to do.” Huffing loudly, the boy ran to the helicopter with his arms streaming behind him like a wannabe ninja before taking the suited man’s hand, allowing him to pull him up. Before the door closed, Chris eyed the drone camera hovering several feet away providing a live feed for those watching from home. With a grin, he flipped off the camera with both hands as the door shut. The helicopter flew away moments later.

“Well, that was…something…” The announcer commented into his microphone, seemingly at a loss for words. The audience was speechless. “But at least we can get back to the tournament!!” This made the crowd react with gusto.

“I am proud to announce that one of our next competitors is none other than the Commander-in-Chief, the leader of the free world, the head of the executive branch: President Michael Kennedy!” The crowd went wild as the leader entered the ring, his suit replaced with a white jersey, matching gym shorts, and red boxing gloves. He threw air punches, garnering an even larger applause.

“The President will be facing off against Danny, who just so happens to also be in the same class as Helen and Mr. Thorndyke! Boy, what are the odds!?” The crowd clapped as the young boy stepped into the ring, leaving behind a trail of crumbs from the pastries stuffed in his pockets.

The two challengers took their spots on each end of the arena.

“Aaaaaaand, begin!!”

GONG!

“Nothin’ personal, kid,” Michael said as he slowly approached the boy, smashing one fist into his other glove, “but my years on the college boxing team won’t go to waste! Do you give up?”

“Not a chance.” Danny pulled some biscuits out of his pockets. “My parents are counting on me to win this tournament so Chris’ll give me my job back.” The boy entered a fighting stance, wielding both biscuits with legs bent. “Even if I have to fight the President, I’m willing to do whatever it takes!”

“I appreciate your gumption, kid,” Michael replied, grinning through his teeth, “but it’s gonna take a lot more than determination to defeat me.” The president leapt forward, pulling his right arm back in preparation for a devastating blow. Instead of dodging, however, Danny slammed one of the biscuits directly into Michael’s exposed mouth.

“Whumhghg!” The President was unable to speak.

“Here, have some seconds!” Danny proceeded to shove the other biscuit into Michael’s mouth, causing him to fall back as his face started turning purple. Out of desperation, Kennedy jumped out of the ring and ran back into the fighter’s lounge, pouring an entire bottle of water down his throat.

“And the winner is…Danny!” The announcer raised the kid’s arm as the crowd cheered.

“God damnit!” Michael cursed as he threw the bottle on the floor. “How could I let that kid pull such a trick on me? Now I’m disqualified!”

“That’s not all, Mr. President,” said Jerome to his side, wiping the water from his chin with his tie before pulling out his smartphone, “your approval rating is also starting to tank!”

“What!?” Michael ripped the phone from Jerome’s hands and gasped at the downward slope of the live approval rating chart. “This is an absolute nightmare!”

The President sighed as he swiped a stale biscuit from the nearby table.

Cream vs. Topaz

The agent approached the young bunny in the center of the ring. The human dropped to a single knee and extended her arm.

“Good luck, Cream.” With a smile, Topaz extended her arm, allowing the rabbit to shake her hand.

“Thank you, Ms. Topaz!” Cream replied. “Good luck to you as well!”

Taking their places on either side of the ring, they raised their arms as soon as the gong signified the start of the battle. Both had their legs bent and their arms extended outward, keeping their defenses secured and their eyes trained on each other.

I don’t want to hurt the bunny, so I’ll take it easy on her. I’ll be sure to pull my punches.

With a grin, Topaz dove forward, rapidly approaching the Mobian.

Without her sidekick chao, she’s at a great disadvantage. For her sake, I’m gonna end this now!

“Heeeeiiiiiyaaa—” Topaz’s attack was swiftly dodged by Cream, who immediately retaliated with a sideways kick to the stomach, sending the human agent flying before touching the surface of the ring, rolling until she was feet away from falling out of bounds.

“O-owww, that’s gonna leave a bruise…” She pulled herself up, clutching her belly after the surprisingly brutal attack.

“What an astonishing counterattack from Cream the Rabbit!” The announcer cried, the crowd cheering her name, making the young bunny blush.

“T-thank you!” Cream bowed at the crowd, whose cheering only intensified. “I hope you are all enjoying the tourname—” Cream was swiftly kicked in the back by Topaz, who was now fully recovered and ready to claim victory.

Like Topaz before, the rabbit rolled several yards before hopping off the ground, returning to a fighting stance.

“You’re pretty good,” Topaz complimented. “Better than most your age.”

“I have Mr. Sonic to thank for that,” Cream replied with a wink. “He taught me a lot about combat and how to get out of dangerous situations. I’ll demonstrate!” With a rosy smile, the young bunny gripped the arena floor with her gloved fingers. “I’ll show you one of Sonic’s techniques.”

“Brace yourself!” Cream yelled before spinning in place, entering her spherical form just like Sonic taught her.

“Nani!?” Topaz watched in amazement as her rotation speed continued to grow.

“Ready or not, here I come!” Cream launched herself in Topaz’s direction.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Topaz dove out of the way a second before the spindash would’ve made impact. Unfortunately for her, however, the bunny quickly pulled a 180, still rolling toward her at ferocious speed. All the human agent could do was guard against the onslaught, but even her defensive position wasn’t enough to keep the human on her feet; Cream made contact with Topaz’s torso, sending her flying out of the ring and into the grass.

“The winner of the third round…” The announcer ran to the young bunny, bent his knees, and pulled her arm up. “…is Cream the Rabbit!” The crowd cheered. “Who would’ve thought such incredible power would come bundled in such a small, fluffy package?”

“Cream!” Amy hopped into the ring. “That was amazing! Your training with Sonic paid off!”

“Thanks, Ms. Amy!” Cream was blushing as the pink hedgehog gave her a long hug, only interrupted by the sounds of Topaz’s grunts as she pulled herself off the ground.

“Topaz…” Cream watched as the human agent approached the bunny, a small smirk across her face. Cream smiled once more as Topaz offered her hand again, the two sharing a shake as they did before the fight.

“Next time, I won’t underestimate you.” With a wink, Topaz returned to the fighter’s lounge, with Amy and Cream following close behind.

The Dark Knight vs. Amy Rose

The pink hedgehog leaned against her Piko Piko Hammer impatiently as the man clad in black armor stood stoically on the opposite side of the arena.

“I guess he’s not the conversationalist type,” Amy said to herself as she gently swung her hammer. The knight’s stance remained unchanged.

“The fourth match between Amy Rose and The Dark Knight will begin…now!” The announcer cried into his microphone.

Gong!

Amy stood at the ready, her knees bent as she wielded her oversized weapon. Meanwhile, the knight slowly went for the sword in his hilt, his fingers lightly gripping its handle.

“If you won’t make the first move,” Amy declared as she launched herself at the knight, “then I will!” The pink hedgehog screamed as she jumped in the air, preparing a devastating swing above her head. Just as the head of her hammer was about to make contact with her challenger’s helm, however, he swiftly blocked with his glistening sword.

Amy gritted his teeth as she used the force of the blocked sword to push herself away, performing a backflip and returning to her feet with practiced grace.

“This guy’s tougher than I thought,” Amy admitted through labored breaths. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she peered at the window of the fighter’s lounge, Sonic watching with arms crossed. She retrained her focus on the knight, gripping the handle of her hammer. “I won’t let it get to me! I’ll knock the sword right out of his hands for Sonic to see!” With a grin, the pink hedgehog leapt forward once more, except instead of taking a high jump, she dove to the knight’s side.

“Aha, blind spot!” Amy swung her hammer, connecting a devastating blow to the knight’s hip, sending him tumbling to the ground. As he struggled to return to his feet, the pink hedgehog attacked him with a blow to the chest. He flew back, nearly dangling off the side of the ring.

“And now for the finishing blow!” Amy dove forward, preparing for her final swing. With a swipe of her arms, she nearly made contact, but the knight reached for his sword and blocked.

“Wha—” Amy was caught off guard long enough for the knight to return to his feet and immediately lunge himself toward the pink hedgehog. She blocked the attack, but the knight’s sword cut through the head of her hammer, his blade within centimeters of slashing her black nose. “Yeek!” Amy screeched as she jumped back, entering a fighting stance void of her weapon.

The swordsman, kicking the remnants of her destroyed weapon to the side, slowly approached the hedgehog.

With a grin, Amy placed one arm behind her back. “Come and get me, sir knight! I’m wide open and clearly defenseless!” As if accepting her invitation, the knight lunged at the hedgehog, his sword glistening in the afternoon sun as he swung it back, preparing for a devastating blow.

“Amy, no!” Sonic yelled, gripping the windowsill with his gloved hands.

Before the knight’s attack could land, the pink hedgehog pulled another Piko Piko Hammer from her hammerspace, using it to block the knight’s attack. The surprise deflection caused the knight to jump back, dropping his sword in the process. Learning from before, Amy didn’t take any time to recuperate; lunging forward once more, Amy swung her hammer at the knight, landing a blow to his chest, causing him to fly back…

…and for his helm to come off as well.

Amy screamed as the knight fell to the ground, sparks flying from where the head should’ve been. The announcer, followed by a team of paramedics, ran to the contestant’s aid.

The pink hedgehog’s face turned blue as she watched in horror the consequences of her seemingly reckless actions.

“I…killed him…” She dropped her hammer and fell to her knees, tears starting to form in her eyes. “I killed him…” The pink hedgehog’s crisis was interrupted as the sparks emanating from the knight’s neck grew, shooting out like a firework. “W-wait a minute…” She approached the beheaded helm and carefully grabbed it, peering inside to find the insignia all too familiar to her kind.

“Eggman…” Gently placing the helm on the floor, Amy grabbed her hammer and hit it like a nail, crushing it like a tin can, earning a surprised yelp from the announcer and the medics. “Relax. The knight was nothing more than an Eggman robot.”

“An Eggman robot?” The announcer massaged his chin in thought.

“Exactly!” Amy placed her hands on her hips. “Looks like Eggman wanted to try winning the Chaos Emerald, so he built this robot to get the job done.” As the pink hedgehog finished her explanation, Sonic, Tails, and Chuck arrived on the scene. The two-tailed fox and the elder scientist studied the knight’s suit closely.

“Yep, Amy is right guys,” Tails said, addressing the others as he raised a finger to the air. “Looks like Eggman was up to no good again. To be frank…” Tails put a gloved hand to his chin. “…I’m surprised he was able to construct a unique robot like this in such little time.”

“You’ve said before that Eggman has many robots at the ready that he’s never deployed, right?” Chuck asked as he folded his arms. “I bet this was one he had in his back pocket, ready to use at the drop of a hat.” The aging scientist nodded his head with eyes closed. “Yep, seems the most likely.”

“Well folks,” the announcer declared into his microphone, “it appears The Dark Knight was really just an Eggman robot in disguise! I would say this is grounds for disqualification, but Amy and her deadly hammer opted for a decapitation instead!” He approached the pink hedgehog and raised her arm. “The winner of the fourth round is Amy Rose!” The pink hedgehog blushed as the crowd cheered her name.

“Way to go, Ames!” Sonic gave her a thumbs up. “You really showed that Eggman robot who’s boss!”

“Yeah,” she replied with a smile. “I guess I did.” As if on instinct, the two hedgehogs clasped each other’s hands and strolled back to the fighter’s lounge, followed behind by Chuck and Tails, who were both carrying the robot’s body back with them.

“Once we remove the scrap metal from the arena,” the announcer declared, “we’ll get the fifth match underway!”

Rouge vs. Knuckles

“C’mon, Rouge!” Topaz cheered from the window of the fighter’s waiting area. “Kick his ass! You can do it!”

“Don’t you know it!” Rouge blew the agent a kiss before making her way to the arena. Knuckles was already there, sitting with his legs crossed and his eyes closed. “Ah, I didn’t know it was nap time, Knucky!”

“I’m not napping, jewel thief.” Knuckles opened his eyes. “I am meditating, preparing my mind for the battle ahead.”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re taking this too ser—”

“Yeah, yeah, spare me,” Knuckles replied, remembering Sonic’s tease from earlier. The red echidna pulled himself up. “So, you ready to throw hands?” He entered a fighting stance.

“For the Chaos Emerald? Of course!” Rouge took her place on the opposite side, bent her knees, and raised her fists.

“Get ready for the first fight between two Mobians: Rouge the Bat and Knuckles the Echidna! The match will begin…now!”  

Gong!

“Heyaaa!” Rouge ran toward the echidna before jumping high, performing a flip, and aiming her kick for a direct assault before spinning her body like a drill. “Screw kick!” The Master Emerald guardian, though, deflected the attack with his gloved hands, Rouge’s legs still spinning as she pushed Knuckles back. Finally, as the bat started losing momentum, the red echidna grabbed her ankles, spun her around a few cycles, and threw her across the arena. She was about to fall into the grass when she froze in the air thanks to the aid of her bat wings.

“Well played, Knucky,” Rouge taunted as she returned to the ring, “but it’s gonna take more than that to throw me out of bounds.”

“Oh, I’m just getting started!” Knuckles called as he lunged at the bat while pulling his arm back. He threw a punch, but the bat dodged it, allowing her the opportunity to perform a spinning roundhouse kick. The counterattack connected, sending the echidna forward, his face eating the surface of the pavement. As Rouge prepared a sweeping follow-up kick, Knuckles rolled to the side, grabbing the bat’s ankle once more and throwing her to the other side of the ring. This time, though, Rouge recovered quickly, landing swiftly back on her feet and lunging at the echidna once more. With another Screw Kick, the bat was, again, deflected by Knuckles’ fists, but this time flipping back instead of letting the spin end on its own.

“Third time’s the charm?” Rouge asked as she ran toward the echidna, this time swinging her arm back and preparing a punch.

All right…time to unveil a technique that will certainly throw that bat thief off guard.

The red echidna grabbed Rouge’s wrist, preventing her fist from making impact, but instead of retaliating or diving away, Knuckles pulled the bat in, giving her a kiss on the lips.

It only lasted five seconds, but while Knuckles was lightly blushing, Rouge’s muzzle was as bright as a Christmas tree, and her body swayed as if put under a spell.

“Yes, I knew it would work!” Knuckles declared as he grabbed the bat by the hips and threw her out of bounds.

“After a brutal fight,” the announcer declared, “Knuckles has won the battle…albeit, through…unconventional means…”

Rouge was unresponsive, her head leaning against the side of the ring as a perpetual blush covered her muzzle, stars circling her head and her tongue sticking out.

“And the winner is…” The announcer grabbed the red echidna’s arm. “…Knuckles!”

The crowd cheered his name, seemingly not judging the Master Emerald guardian for resorting to such a technique to defeat the bat.

“Now wait just a minute!”

The red echidna was met with the anger of Topaz, who was towering over him with hands on her hips.

“What the hell makes you think you can go about kissing my girlfriend on national television!?”

“I did what I had to do to defeat my foe,” Knuckles replied, stepping around the irate human to return to the tournament lounge.

Topaz was fuming, grinding her teeth in anger as steam escaped her ears.

“Relax, sweetie.” Having recovered from the attack, Rouge pulled herself back into the ring and grabbed her hand. “I should have been prepared for anything, especially for a favorite technique of mine.”  

“I guess…” Topaz gripped the bat’s hand, and the two returned to the rest area as well.

“Wow, smooth move, Knucklehead!” Sonic teased. “Since when would you resort to such a cheap trick? You gonna ask Rouge out on a date now? You stud!”

“We were equally matched out there,” Knuckles replied. “I knew that this was one of her biggest weaknesses, and while I’m not proud of what I did, it did get me the victory.”

“That may be so,” Tails replied, his namesakes fluttering from behind, “but you really got Topaz angry. She’s a secret government agent, so making an enemy out of her was probably not the best idea.”

“Plus,” Helen added as she scrolled through her Twitter feed, handing the echidna her smartphone, “fans are already making memes out of it.” Knuckles looked in horror as he scrolled through various edits people were making of the kiss, adding romantic hues, hearts, and the #knuxouge hashtag to their Tweets.

“Disgusting!” He continued scrolling through the feed. “Absolutely gross. Why do people share this?” He continued scrolling some more. “I swear, the nerve of these humans.” He scrolled some more. “The nerve of these people!” He scrolled some more. “Don’t they have anything better to do!?” His muzzle slowly turned cherry red as he continued scrolling.

The echidna refused to give Helen back her device until the battery was depleted.

Chuck vs. Bokkun

“And now, for our first intergenerational fight: Chuck the retired scientist, vs. Bokkun, an Eggman robot who switched to the good side! Who will win?” The announcer waved his arm. “Find out, now!”

Gong!

The two combatants entered their fighting stances, bending their knees and raising their arms, carefully studying each other.

“I’ll have you know,” Chuck gloated, “that back in my day, I was the star player of my collegiate wrestling team!” The aging scientist stretched his back. “Yep, I rarely lost a match! My age hasn’t caught up with me either! I’m still as deadly as I was all those decades ag—”

Crack.

“Owwwwwww, my back!”

Chuck fell to the ground, Bokkun watching confusedly. A team of paramedics arrived with a stretcher moments later.

“And the winner by default,” the announcer declared, “is Bokkun!”

“Well, that was easy,” the messenger robot said, a blush covering his face as he ran a hand over his head, chuckling nervously as the crowd cheered his name.

“Bokky, you did it!” Cream cheered as she lunged at Bokkun, giving him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

It was Bokkun’s turn to fall to the ground, his face a bright shade of red.

Sonic vs. Cheese

“And now, the one you’ve all been waiting for!” The announcer gestured his arm toward the blue hero. “Sonic the Hedgehog, the savior of Station Square!”

The crowd cheered the loudest they had that day, blue foam fingers swaying back and forth in the audience. Sonic gave the crowd a smirk and a thumbs up, somehow making them cheer even louder.

“Sonic’s competitor is a little-known alien creature from Mobius: Cheese the Chao!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese waved their stubby arm at the crowd, whose cheering was replaced with a long, collective awwwwwwwe.

“Ready? Set. Fight!” The announcer declared.

Gong!

Cheese furrowed their brow and flew toward the blue hedgehog. Sonic caught them, however, the chao flailing their arms and legs, unable to escape his light grip.

“Having some trouble there?” Sonic asked with a smirk. “Here, want some help?”

“Chao?” Cheese stopped struggling and peered up at the blue hedgehog, tilting their head in confusion.

“You know the throw attack you and Cream like to use?”

“C-chao, chao!” Cheese’s face lit up at the thought of fighting alongside their guardian.

“How about we try that together? It’ll be fun!”

“Chao, chao!!” Cheese was now excited.

“All you need to do is wrap yourself up into a ball like you’d normally do.” Sonic released the chao, who proceeded to do as instructed, forming into a sphere and returning to the blue hedgehog’s palm. “There we go! Now I just need to get into position.”

“Chao!” Cheese replied, waiting patiently as Sonic approached the edge of the arena.

“Whoops!” Sonic exclaimed as the chao slipped from his fingers, landing in the grass outside of the ring.

“Cheese is out of bounds! Sonic is the winner!” The announcer cried as the crowd cheered. Cheese peered up at the sky confusedly.

“Sorry ‘bout that, pal.” The blue hedgehog hopped out of the ring and to the chao’s side, picking them up. “Without Cream here, it would’ve been a one-sided fight. I just didn’t want you to get hurt is all.”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese didn’t care; they were simply having the time of their life being with a good friend.

Tanaka vs. Tails

“The last round before we enter the quarter-finals is about to commence!” The announcer declared, with roaring applause from the rambunctious audience. “To my left is the long-serving butler of the Thorndyke estate: Tanaka!” He bowed to the audience. “And to my right is Sonic’s best friend and two-tailed prodigy: Tails the Fox!” The orange kitsune ran a gloved hand through his hair, a blush appearing across his face as the crowd cheered even louder for him.

“Let the match begin!!”

Gong!

“I’ve trained for years in several forms of combat,” Tanaka said as he approached the young fox, “so I’ll make this quick and painless for you.”

“You’re gonna have to catch me first!” Tails jumped in the air, using his rotary namesakes to fly above the butler’s head.

“Get down here and fight me with honor!” Tanaka cried as he jumped up, unable to reach the fox’s sneakers.

“If that’s what you want!” With a smirk, Tails took a nosedive before entering into a spindash. Tanaka peered up in shock at the orange kitsune’s surprise attack, and while he attempted to deflect the blow at the last second, the impact caused him to lose his footing, falling to the arena floor.

“Quite impressive, fox boy,” Tanaka pulled himself up, entering a combative stance once more, “but not enough to defeat me!” The butler lunged toward the fox, swinging his arm back in preparation for a punch, but just as his fist was about to make impact, Tails’ namesake wrapped itself around his wrist.

“Hey, let me go!”

“Not a chance!” Tails’ other namesake wrapped around the butler’s other wrist, and with a flick, the fox hurled him over his head, sending him careening into the pavement like a ragdoll.  

“Give up yet?” Tails asked, tightening his namesakes’ grip on the human’s wrists.

“N-never…”

“Very well then! I’ll just, in your words, make this quick.” The fox bent his knees and rapidly spun his tails. Tanaka screamed as he was taken along for the ride, caught in the rotating appendages until the fox showed mercy, loosening his grip and allowing the human to fly off, landing in the bleachers.

“Oops, guess I got a little too carried away,” Tails said with a nervous chuckle, running his hand through his hair once more.

“Tanaka has been tossed out of the ring!” The announcer cried, pulling the fox’s arm up. “The winner is Tails the Fox!”

The crowd cheered the furry kitsune’s name, causing him to blush once more.

“Ohh, my head’s…spinning…” Tanaka pulled his face out of a wide bowl of popcorn. He tried pulling himself up, but the butler slipped on a can of Coors Light, falling back over several rows of seats before slipping over the guardrail back into the grass.

He was seeing stars, his vision blurred as he rested his back in the grass. Moments later, he felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket.

“H-hello, this is T-Tanaka…” The butler was met with a ferocious outburst on the other end.

“You fool! You idiot! You baka!!! You absolutely insolent, shit for brains dumbass! You failure, you ingrate, you useless hunk of junk! You…you…youuuuuuu!!!!”

“Mr. Thorndyke, I can explain!” The butler pulled himself up from the grass and prepared an explanation before his master would blow a gasket. “It was that fox! I’ve never been trained to handle close quarters combat with an alien, especially one with such versatile appendages.”

“I don’t care about your pitiful excuses!” Chris cried as he sat in his hot tub, sipping a bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast while tuning in on a large television. “You were my back-up, and you failed! Now we’re gonna have to steal the Chaos Emerald a different way.”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Thorndyke.” Tanaka bowed repeatedly as he was on the phone. “I promise this transgression will not be repeated.”

“That’s right,” Chris replied after feeding himself a large spoonful of a cotton candy-flavored Dairy Queen Blizzard, “because if you fuck up again, your ass will be fired!”

“Understood.” Tanaka nodded just as the spoiled brat hung up, throwing his phone to the side as he took a bite of cheesy pizza with anchovies.

“I swear, money can’t buy decent service these days…” After eating his slice, the boy sunk deeper into the hot tub, trying to calm down after his butler’s humiliating defeat.

With a sigh, Tanaka returned his cell phone to his pocket, brushed off the grass from his suit, and headed for the exit.

“Ummmm, excuse me?”

Tanaka turned to find the orange fox.

“What do you want?”

“Oh, I just wanted to shake your hand for a good fight.” Tails nervously extended his arm out. The butler stared at his open palm for several seconds.

Shaking hands with the enemy? Master Thorndyke wouldn’t like it, but…

Tanaka shrugged his shoulders.

…he’s not here.

With a smile, the butler accepted the Mobian’s handshake. “Good match. You’ve helped me discover the shortcomings in my training, and I now know where I need to improve. Thank you.”

“No problem at all, Mr. Tanaka!” Tails replied with a thumbs up. “Say, you want to watch the rest of the tournament with my friends? You’re more than welcome to hang out with us!”

Tanaka thought about this proposition, raising a finger to his chin in thought. He balanced the desire to please his master with the desire to spend time with quality folk for a change.

“You know what? I think I will. Master Thorndyke doesn’t need to be babied 24 hours a day!” With a nod, the butler followed the orange kitsune back to the fighter’s lounge.

Chapter Text

Helen vs. Danny

“The quarter finals are about to commence!” The announcer declared. “Expect the rounds to start getting more intense from here on out! After all, the prize is this priceless Chaos Emerald!” The announcer waved the yellow gem in the air, earning a roar of cheering from the audience. He slipped the gem back in his pocket. “The first round will feature classmates Helen and Danny!” The crowd cheered as the two combatants blushed at the audience’s attention, waving sheepishly. “Thanks to her Helengelion, Helen was able to take down Mr. Thorndyke with little effort, but she will need to contend with whatever Danny may have in store! His brutal biscuit attack sent the President running from his last battle, so Helen will need to brace herself for any and all unexpected attacks.”

“The round will begin…” The announcer sharply lowered his arm. “Now!”

Gong!

“I’ll take you down before you get a chance to transform!” Danny declared as he lunged at his combatant, a biscuit in either hand. Hoping to try the same technique on the young girl as he did on the President, the young boy’s palm nearly reached the girl’s mouth when she swiftly shifted her neck, the biscuit crushing against her headrest. Helen sped forward, shoving Danny aside as she accelerated to the other side of the ring. As Danny fell to the ground, his supply of treats spilled out of his pockets like Sonic’s rings when taking damage.

“So that clearly won’t work,” Danny noted to himself as he pulled himself off the ground. “Looks like I’ll have to resort to more drastic measures if I’m going to win this round.” The young boy dove forward once more, this time sidestepping as he got within feet of Helen, appearing behind her moments later and gripping the handlebars of her wheelchair.

“What?!” Helen gasped as she peered over her shoulder to find her classmate pushing her toward the edge of the ring.

“You should’ve transformed your Helengelion when you had the chance!” Danny yelled.

“That won’t be necessary,” Helen replied within several yards of the edge.

“What do you mean? You’re about to be pushed off the side of the ring!”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Danny!” Helen replied with a grin.

“What do you mea—” The wheelchair came to a screeching stop; the girl activated the handbrake, locking the wheels in place. The sudden stop caused the young boy to flip over the handlebars, landing in the grass out of bounds.

“Danny fell out of the ring!” The announcer declared as he pulled Helen’s arm up. “The winner of the first quarter finals round is Helen! No high octane mech action this time, but this clever girl used her wits to outsmart her classmate. A stunning and swift victory indeed!” The crowd cheered as Helen waved once more. The girl’s attention shifted, however, as she observed Danny pulling himself out of the grass, his mood downcast.

“Ah man…” The boy shook his head in frustration. “So much for getting my job back as Chris’ friend. Now my family will go broke for sure!”

“Don’t say that Danny,” Helen replied as she rolled alongside the boy, the two making their way back to the fighter’s lounge. “Take it from my parents: things always seem to have a way of working out, no matter the obstacle.”

“You really think so?” Danny asked, his eyes glistening at the young girl’s friendly and reassuring words.

“Yes, I know so,” Helen replied with a thumbs up. “Hey, do you wanna maybe watch the rest of the tournament with me and my friends?”

“S-sure!” Danny gave Helen a thumbs up. “You know what? Getting paid to be Chris’ fake friend was a terrible idea. I’d rather hang around you guys for free than be anywhere near that spoiled rotten brat!” The two laughed merrily as they returned to the rest building, greeted by the equally kind words of their Mobian counterparts.

Cream vs. Amy

“The next round features another battle between two of the aliens from the planet Mobius! First up, Cream the Rabbit!” The announcer gestured to the young bunny who was hiding her blushing face behind her rabbit ears. “Don’t let her adorableness fool you, though! As she demonstrated in her first round, she is a force to be reckoned with!” The crowd cheered for the rabbit, waving cream-colored foam hands.

“Cream will be facing off against Amy Rose! Her last battle found her pitted against the Dark Knight, which we later learned was an Eggman robot! Despite its expert swordsman programming, the pink hedgehog took it down with the might of her Piko Piko Hammer!” As if on cue, Amy raised her weapon, the crowd cheering her name as well.

“If both combatants are ready, the battle will begin in three…two…and…”

GONG!

“Good luck, Ms. Amy!” Cream called from the opposite side of the ring.

“Thanks, Cream! You too!” Amy replied, a smile across her face. Her demeanor quickly changed though; the pink hedgehog gripped her hammer and bent her knees, studying the opponent before her. Cream, too, entered her fighting stance, furrowing her brow as she raised her arms defensively.

Amy launched forward, pulling her arms back in preparation for her first attack. Swinging her hammer, the pink hedgehog’s target dodged, sliding between her legs and swiftly counterattacking with a roundhouse kick to her back.

“C-Cream! How unlady like!” Amy complained as she pulled herself up.

“But Ms. Amy,” Cream replied, “you’ve always told me that ‘all’s fair in love and war,’ right?”

“Well, yeah, but…” The pink hedgehog stammered. “That’s only when I was chasing Sonic around!”

“Oh, well…” Cream brought a finger to her chin, but before she could comprehend Amy’s logic, the pink hedgehog lunged in for a second attack, this time landing a blow to the bunny’s belly, sending her flying back.

“You left yourself unguarded, Cream!” Amy called as the bunny pulled herself up, clutching her gut. “All’s fair in love and war, after all!”

“I won’t make the same mistake again, Ms. Amy!” Cream called as she placed her palms on the ground. “Are you ready for a Sonic spindash?”

“Telling your opponent your strategy was also not very smart,” Amy replied with a grin as she placed her Piko Piko Hammer back into her hammerspace. She gripped the tiled floor of the ring and furrowed her brow.

“Woah!! It looks like Cream and Amy are readying Sonic’s signature attack, the spindash!” The announcer observed, making the crowd go wild.

The two Mobians started charging their attacks, spinning in place for several seconds. Releasing simultaneously, the pink and cream spheres collided, sparks flying all around as the two bounced back. Still in spherical form, they charged once more, bouncing off each other and repeating the cycle. The announcer watched with mouth agape as dust obscured his vision, seeing only glimpses of the Mobians through the electrifying sparks emanating from them as they made contact.

As the dust settled, and the sparks stopped flying, the bunny and hedgehog were revealed, the two breathing heavily on opposite sides of the ring, their clothing slightly tattered and their limbs covered in light bruises. Staring each other down, Cream was the first to fall to her knees.

“Getting…tired…Cream?” Amy asked through labored breaths, her gloved hands clutching her knees as she struggled to keep herself upright.  

“…Maybe…a little…Ms…Amy…” The bunny pulled herself up and wiped the sweat from her brow. She proceeded to grip the floor once more before charging up another spindash. Unlike the last time, however, Amy didn’t emulate Cream’s attack. Instead, she reached one arm behind her back, a grin appearing across her face.

“I’m going to put the rest of my energy into this attack, so be ready!” Cream called. She spun faster, screaming like an anime character transforming into their final form before releasing her attack, coming at the pink hedgehog faster than before.

“You know what they say…” Amy revealed her Piko Piko Hammer, holding it like a bat as she bent her knees. “The faster they are,” she swung her weapon, making direct contact with Cream’s spindash, “the faster they fall!” Cream screamed as she was launched across the ring, hitting the wall directly below the bleachers. The impact created a spherical indent, at which point Cream unfurled and fell face first into the grass.

“Cream the Rabbit has been launched out of bounds!” The announcer lifted Amy’s hand, still wielding her hammer. “The winner is Amy Rose!” The crowd cheered, but the pink hedgehog didn’t celebrate; pulling her arm away from the taller human, she launched herself out of the arena, rushing to the bunny’s aid. Amy slid a palm under Cream’s head.

“D-did I…do good…M-Ms. Amy?” Cream struggled to keep her eyes open.

“Yes,” Amy replied, tears dripping from her eyes. “You did well, but that’s not important right now.” The pink hedgehog observed the young bunny, who was panting heavily. “I’m so sorry, Cream. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You put up such a big fight that I had to go all out.”

“I’m…n-not hurt, A…I me-mean…Ms…Amy…” Cream slowly lifted her arm, giving the pink hedgehog a thumbs up. “T-thanks for…n-not…going…e-easy…on…m-me…” The bunny’s arm fell as she closed her eyes, slipping out of consciousness.

“Please step aside,” said a medic, who gently picked up the bunny and placed her on a stretcher.

“Let me come too!” Amy called. The medical team didn’t argue, allowing the pink hedgehog to follow.

“Poor Ames,” Sonic said from the windowsill of the fighter’s rest building. “I bet she feels so bad…” The blue hedgehog jumped through the open window. “Hey Tails, I’m gonna go with Amy for a bit. Tell me how Knuckles’ round goes!”

“Will do, Sonic!” Tails replied, giving his older brother a thumbs up before turning his attention to the two new combatants, who were making their way to the arena.

Knuckles vs. Bokkun

“The next round features two more Mobians! The crowd favorite Knuckles the Echidna stands to my left!” The announcer’s words made the crowd cheer. “He’s tough as leather and all business, but he’ll resort to unconventional means to achieve victory if necessary!” The red echidna blushed slightly at the reference to his prior fight with Rouge. “To my right is Bokkun the Messenger Robot!” The crowd cheered for him as well. “We didn’t get to see him in action, unfortunately, due to Chuck’s medical disqualification, so this former Eggman robot will be a wildcard!”

“The match will begin riiiiiiight, now!”

GONG!

“All right, Bokkun! Put ‘em up!” The red echidna pulled up his arms and bent his legs, clearly ready for a fight. “Let’s see what you’re made of!”

It was at this moment that Bokkun realized that entering the tournament was, perhaps, a mistake.

“I shouldn’t be here right now,” Bokkun said to himself, shivering in fear. “I should be by Cream’s side in the recovery room! I wonder how she’s feeling…” The messenger robot imagined the bunny sleeping in a medical bed, with fluids being fed to her arms and legs, making him worry even more. His distraction was cut short, however, as Knuckles’ fist met his face, sending the smol robot across the ring.

“Owww…” Bokkun pulled himself up, massaging the bruise on his cheek.

Don’t give up, Bokky!

“Huh?” Bokkun peered around. “C-cream? Is that you?”

Don’t be silly, Bokky! I’m just the voice in your head that just sounds like Cream!

“Oh, okay,” he replied, tilting his head in confusion.  

I’m here to tell you not to worry about me! The nice medical crew are taking care of me! Just give it all you’ve got! I’m rooting for you! I love you, Bokky!”

“Cream…” Bokkun stood still, blushing with a sheepish smile across his face. Awoken from his stupor from a fist to the gut, the messenger robot clutched his belly, and dropped to his knees, as he peered up at the red echidna.

“Are you gonna fight, or are you going to throw in the towel?” Knuckles raised his arm up in preparation for another attack. Bokkun peered up speechless until an idea came to him; just as the red echidna threw his punch, the robot pulled a television bomb from his backpack.

“Nani—” As Knuckles’ fist made contact with the volatile CRTV, the bomb within exploded, sending the two flying in opposite directions. As the smoke cleared, both combatants were no longer in the ring; Bokkun was lying back first in the grass, but Knuckles was nowhere to be found.

“Bokkun has been knocked out, but where is Knuckles?” The announcer asked, running around the ring until he found his answer. “Unbelievable! Ladies and gentlemen, Knuckles is still technically in the fight!” Grinding his teeth, Knuckles’ spiky fists was firmly planted in the side of the ring, clinging to the wall with great effort, the might of his fists keeping the rest of his body suspended as he kept his torso and legs parallel to the ring. Sweat formed along his brow.

“As Bokkun has been knocked out of the ring, Knuckles is the winner!” As the winner was confirmed, the red echidna allowed himself to fall into the grass, breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Bokkun was down for the count, digital birdies flying around his head as he lay in a daze. A team of medics sent him away, soon joining Cream in the hospital.

Sonic vs. Tails

“Hey Tails, what did I miss?” Sonic asked as he skid to a stop at the entrance of the fighter’s lounge. “Lemme guess: Knuckles beat Bokkun?”

“Precisely!” Tails replied. “I’ll have to show you the rerun, though. Bokkun actually almost won!”

“You don’t say,” Sonic replied, scratching his chin with his gloved fingers. “Heh, looks like I’ll have to give Knucklehead a hard time later! In the meantime,” the blue hedgehog turned to face the ring, “we’ve got our own round comin’ up.”

“Right.” Tails nodded his head enthusiastically and walked alongside him.

“And here they are!” The announcer called into his microphone, the crowd cheering as they waved blue and orange foam hands and banners. “The final match of the quarter finals features the brotherly duo: Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails the Fox! The two have been instrumental in saving Station Square from Dr. Eggman’s schemes.” The announcer gestured to the two Mobians. “Sonic’s speed is unparalleled, but Tails’ namesakes allow him to keep up while providing the advantage of flight. Indeed, this match promises to be a doozy!”

“Are you ready?” The announcer asked.

“Yes!” Sonic and Tails replied with a nod.

“Then let the match…BEGIN!”

GONG!

“Okay Tails, let’s think of a good strategy…” The orange kitsune studied his older brother, who was standing nonchalantly on the opposite end of the ring, his hands behind his head as he took in the mid-afternoon sun. “I’ve sparred with Sonic for years, and I know his combat style inside and out. The only problem…” Tails bent his knees and raised his fists, his namesakes fluttering from behind. “…is that Sonic knows my techniques as well.”

“You gonna make the first move, lil’ bro?” Sonic asked as he readied himself, a smile across his muzzle. Tails didn’t answer right away, a sweat drop forming across his brow as he calculated his options. The blue hedgehog folded his arms, closing his eyes as he tapped one foot on the floor. “C’mon, Tails. I’m waaaaiting.”

Now’s my chance.

Rotating his namesakes, Tails lunged forward, pulling his arm back as he tightened his fist. A second before making impact, however, Sonic materialized away, his afterimage still present as the young fox punched through it.

“Lookin’ for me?”

Tails spun around to find Sonic itching the base of his nose.

“I know you’re faster than that, lil’ bro! Give me everything ya go—” Tails punched Sonic in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.

“I was just holding back,” Tails replied with a smug grin. “Maybe you’re the one who’s too slow this time.”

“Looks like playtime is over then!” Sonic removed his palm from his belly, a grin across his face as well. The blue hedgehog performed some backflips, creating distance between his target, before performing a vertical jump, kicking rapidly in the air. This sent shockwaves of energy at the two-tailed fox, who only had time to brace himself for impact. He fell back, landing on his behind before quickly jumping back up, keeping himself in the air with his rotating namesakes.

“That a new technique?” Tails asked.

“Yep! Do you like it?” Sonic grinned as he stretched his legs. “I call it the Sonic Boom Kick Combo! Hope it wasn’t too much for ya!”

“Not at all!” Tails replied from above. “In fact, I’ve got some new tricks of my own.”

“Oh yeah?” Sonic placed his hands on his hips. “Then come dish it out!”

“With pleasure!” Tails grinned as he flew above the blue hedgehog, his spinning namesakes separating the two. He flew in place as he increased the speed of his tails. “Taste the wrath of my Tornado Tails Attack!” A gust of wind shot from Tails’ namesakes, forming a cyclone as it hit the unsuspecting hedgehog. Rotating his tails even faster, the orange kitsune gritted his teeth, and clasped his fists, as Sonic was lifted off the ground.

“Woah!” Sonic peered up to find himself rapidly approaching the fox’s deadly propellers. “Gotta think fast n’ act fast!” The blue hedgehog rolled into a ball just as he collided with the fox’s tails, launching Sonic away from the cyclone and back down to the ring below. Meanwhile, the impact caused the fox’s namesakes to get twisted, causing him to lose altitude and glide to a landing on the opposite side of the ring.

“That was a pretty sick move, lil’ bro!” Sonic said as he gave Tails a thumbs up. “If I didn’t protect myself at the last second, I would’ve been a goner!”

“Thanks, Sonic!” Tails replied with a giggle, a blush across his muzzle.

“Absolutely spectacular!” The announcer cried. “Sonic and Tails just showed off some new techniques! We’ve just become witness to history!” The crowd roared, spilling ice cream and alcohol as they waved their novelty foam hands and banners.

“The audience really loves us, huh?” Sonic said as he rubbed the base of his nose.

“Yeah,” Tails replied. “We take it for granted that we see combat all the time, so it must be thrilling for them to see all of this in person.”

“Ready to get back to the fight?” Sonic asked, a grin across his face.

“Yep!” Tails replied enthusiastically.

“As much as I enjoy sparrin’ with ya,” Sonic declared as he ran forward, “all good things must come to an end!” The blue hedgehog threw a punch, but Tails dodged, performing a roundhouse kick in retaliation, a maneuver that Sonic also avoided. Returning the kick with another punch, Sonic’s attack was deflected with Tails’ namesakes, which gripped the hedgehog’s arm, whipping him across the ring. Sonic rolled to a stop within a few yards of falling out of the ring but quickly bounced back, charging a spindash.

“Two can play at that game!” Tails charged a spindash as well. The two glowed blue and orange, respectively, as they ramped up their speeds.

Finally, Sonic and Tails unleashed their spindashes simultaneously. Instead of bouncing off each other, however, the two continued rolling in place, exerting as much force as possible against each other. The two screamed as a hole started forming below them.

“Oh my god!” Helen cried. “It’s like a Dragon Ball Z beam struggle!”

“What’s a beam struggle?” Knuckles asked, standing next to the young girl with his arms folded. “And what’s a Dragon Ball? Don’t tell me your world has something like Chaos Emeralds we need to worry about!?”

“Ehhh, never mind.” Helen laughed nervously before returning her focus to the fight. She tightened her fists and rocked them on her armrests, chanting “beam struggle, beam struggle” under her breath.

Sparks were flying as the brothers continued trying to overpower their familial counterpart.

“Getting tired?” Sonic yelled.

“N-nooo,” Tails replied unconvincingly. He knew that he was on the losing end of this struggle. He had to come up with an alternative strategy.

“Sorry, lil’ bro, but I’ve gotta finish this!” Sonic rapidly accelerated.

“Now!”

Tails dove to the side, hoping to jump out of Sonic’s way, but the blue hedgehog stuck his arm out as he flew by, grabbing hold of the fox’s namesake and bringing him into his spin. Sonic and Tails were spinning in a collective, orange and blue ball, the hedgehog taking sharp turns to avoid falling out of the ring. Finally, skidding to a sudden stop, the young fox flew out, flying out of the ring and landing in the grass.

“And the winner is…” The announcer jumped over the hole in the ring, grabbing hold of the hedgehog’s arm and raising it up. “…Sonic the Hedgehog!” The crowd cheered loudly. “That was a very impressive fight! How do you feel?”

“Well, it’s certainly no sparring in the front yard, I can tell ya that!” Sonic replied as he ran a hand through his quills. “But it was fun! Tails’ fighting skills have improved. I couldn’t be prouder of my lil’ bro!”

“Thanks, Sonic!” Tails replied as he pulled himself back into the ring, his eyes glistening as a wide smile formed across his muzzle.

“You put up a valiant effort, Tails!” The announcer said. “What advice do you have for Sonic as he enters the semi-finals?”

“Well,” Tails began as he peered up into the sky in thought, scratching his chin with his gloved finger, “Sonic will be facing Knuckles in the second semi-finals round. They’ve been friendly rivals for years, so I’m sure Sonic will be able to hold his own; Knuckles is stronger, but Sonic can keep a cooler head.”

“Very good!” The announcer brought the microphone back to his face. “Give it up for Sonic and Tails!” The crowd cheered once more. “We will be taking an intermission while our crew repairs the ring. We’ll be back shortly with the first semi-finals round: Helen vs. Amy Rose!”

“Oh man,” Sonic clasped his belly, “you put up such a fight that I worked up an appetite! I could go for some…” Sonic froze as he sniffed the air. “Chili dogs!” He ran back to the fighter’s lounge to find a long table of deluxe chili dogs, among other sides, prepared by Amy, Cream, and Bokkun.

“Cream, you’re out of the hospital!” Tails noted. “That was pretty quick! How are you feeling?”

“I’m doing well, Mr. Tails!” Cream replied.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese added as they stirred a pot of chili.

“The doctor didn’t recommend an early discharge,” Amy noted, “but Cream was doing just fine! Can’t say the same for Chuck, though…” The elder human was still in the hospital after his failed pre-fight warm-ups. “She just needed a little nap, as did Bokkun. She left the match with only a few bruises. We even had time to change before preparing this mid-tournament lunch! I wonder if Sonic will like my cookin—” Amy turned to the table to find the blue hedgehog already chowing down on his unforgettable luncheon. “Well…” The pink hedgehog sighed. “At least he enjoys my cooking.”

“Don’t mind if I do too!” Tails approached the table to grab lunch for himself. As he assembled his hotdogs, he noticed Tanaka leaning against the nearby wall. “Hey Tanaka, want to try some chili dogs?”

“Chili…dogs?” Tanaka approached the table. Taking a sniff, his face cringed. “I don’t think my stomach would agree with this meal.”

“C’mon, man,” Sonic insisted, pulling the butler toward the table as he held a hotdog between the fingers of his other hand like a cigarette. “You only live once! Don’t let the problems of tomorrow get in the way of living your best life today!”

“Wow…” Tanaka brought a finger to his chin. “That was actually rather profound…screw it, let’s do it!”

And so, after Helen, Cream, and Amy prepared their meals, Tanaka lined up as well. After preparing his chili dogs, he took a bite.

“How is it?” Sonic asked, eager to see how someone new to the culinary delight of his favorite meal would enjoy the hotdogs.

“It’s…actually rather pleasant!” Tanaka gave a thumbs up of approval.

“And now it’s your turn, Knucklehead!” Sonic brought the red echidna a prepared chili dog.

“No, thank you.” Knuckles shook his head. “Don’t want to sour my stomach for our battle ahead.”

“C’mon, Knuckles,” Sonic replied, “I even added your favorite food.” The red echidna studied his meal more closely, finding grapes sprinkled on top along with cheese and finely chopped onions.

“Gross. No.” Knuckles returned to meditating in the corner of the lounge.

“Welp, can’t let a good chili dog go to waste!” Sonic flicked the grapes off the hotdog, hitting Knuckles with each projectile, before gobbling the chili dog in one bite. This earned a grumble from the red echidna

And so (most of) the group ate peacefully as they waited for the ring repairs to finish.

Chapter Text

Helen vs. Amy

“A one, and a two, and a three, and a…”

Amy was stretching on the floor of the competitor’s lounge, gripping the tips of her toes with her gloved fingers.

“Hey Ames, getting’ ready for the fight?”

“Oh, hey Sonic,” Amy replied, waving to the blue hedgehog as she pulled herself up. “Helen’s going to be quite formidable, especially in her mech. I can’t afford to pull any punches!” The pink hedgehog pulled the Piko Piko Hammer from her hammerspace. “Or, should I say…swings!” She proceeded to swing her weapon at an invisible target.

“I know you’ll do great out there,” Sonic assured, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder.

“Thanks, sweetie,” Amy replied with a smile. “Maybe you can give me a good luck hug?”

“A good luck hug?” Sonic scoffed before bringing the pink hedgehog in for a kiss on the lips. “I think this would bring more luck than a simple hug, don’t ya think?” Amy’s face went crimson red, but the love and support from the blue hedgehog only further solidified her resolve.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the competitor’s lounge, Helen and Tails were having a debrief of their own.

“This will be my first serious match,” Helen said as she fidgeted with the joysticks of her Nintendo Switch Pro controller. “How well do you think I’ll fare against Amy?”

“Well,” Tails replied as he scratched the back of his ears, “I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. She’s an experienced fighter who has taken out numerous Eggman mechs over the years, however, unlike Eggman, you actually practiced before testing it out in the field.” With eyes closed, the fox raised a finger to the air. “Your adeptness combined with the Helengelion will even the odds for sure!”

“Any tips before I go out there?” Helen asked as she watched through the open window as the announcer stepped into the ring.  

“Ummm…” The young kitsune raised a gloved finger to his chin before looking back at the pink hedgehog, who was performing practice swings. “Oh, look out for her hammer. She may try destabilizing you by going for your legs.”  

“Got it.” Helen nodded as she gave the fox a thumbs up.

“Good afternoon!” The announcer cried into his mic. “I hope you’re ready for the semi-finals!”

“Oop, that’s my cue,” Helen said as she placed her controller back in the zipped compartment of her wheelchair and approached the door.

“Good luck, Helen!” Tails waved at the young girl, who simply gave him a peace sign before rolling to the ring.

“And good luck to you, Ames,” Sonic said to the pink hedgehog.

“Thanks, Sonic,” Amy replied before following Helen.  

“To my left, is the young Helen! She has utterly wiped the floor of her previous opponents, hardly utilizing the full potential of her Helengelion!” The crowd roared in applause as Helen waved back at them.

“And to my right is Amy Rose, who has already demonstrated her fighting prowess against multiple foes in heated combat! Using her trusty Piko Piko Hammer, this hedgehog puts up a fiery fight!” The audience cheered just as much for the blushing Mobian as she returned the praise with waves of her own.

“If the combatants are ready,” the announcer declared, “let the match…BEGIN!”

GONG!

“I’m not going to waste any time,” Helen told herself as she pressed some keys on the pad on her wheelchair’s armrest, starting the transformation sequence of her mech. Amy’s gaze was focused on the machine’s limbs as she tried finding what would hopefully be a weak spot.

“Are you ready, Amy?” Helen called from her seat above, attaching the Switch controller to her front console.

“Oh, you bet,” she replied with a smirk, pulling out her hammer before diving forward, her arms over her head as she charged a deadly swing. Jumping up, the pink hedgehog landed a blow to the mech’s knee.

“You’ll have to try again!” Helen called from above, undeterred by the attack. “I’ll demonstrate!” Forming her metallic hand into a fist, she punched in Amy’s direction, but the pink hedgehog narrowly avoided the hit with a speedy dive to the side.

“C’mon, Helen,” Amy said from below. “I’ve been chasing Sonic for years. You’re gonna have to be faster than that to land a blow!”

“That’s my Ames,” Sonic said from the sidelines, brushing a tear from his eye.

“All right,” Helen replied with a grin. “Let’s see how you try this on for size!” Pressing several complex inputs into her controller, a slew of missiles shot up from the mech’s shoulders, eventually arcing down in Amy’s direction.

“She means business,” Amy said as she dodged a few missiles before jumping up and, taking a page out of Sonic’s book, targeting a nearby projectile with a homing attack. Bouncing off several missiles, the pink hedgehog progressively made her way higher until she was at eye level with the human. Finally, Amy kicked off from the last missile, jumping high as she brought the hammer over her head.

Helen gasped as the head of Amy’s weapon made contact with the glass casing protecting the human from the outside world. The blunt attack caused a crack to form.

“Hiiiyaaahhhh!” Kicking herself over the mech, the pink hedgehog performed a flip behind the Helengelion before swinging around, dealing a blow to its back and sending Helen to her mechanical knees.

Amy landed gracefully back in the ring, wiping sweat from her forehead as she plotted her next move. Grinning, she jumped up once more, using the momentum to land a blow to Helen’s knee pit.

“Ahhhhhh!” Helen screamed as the back of her mechanical leg started sparking.

“Helen!” Tails called from the sidelines. “It’s no use! You’ve gotta throw in the towel before it gets too dangerous!”

“…no.” The young girl pushed herself up with the palms of her metallic hands. Turning around, the mech was now facing Amy, its weight supported by a single leg as the other limped from the injury.

“All right…this is gonna get brutal…” Carefully tilting her joysticks, Helen grabbed the broken leg and, with a forceful yank, completely detached it from the rest of her mech, earning a surprise gasp from the audience and the contestants in the competitor’s lounge.

“Here’s a present!!” Helen threw the discarded limb toward Amy.

“Not gonna work!” Amy exclaimed as she performed a vertical jump, hopping onto the leg and launching herself off it, once again using this opportunity to gain some leverage over her metallic foe.

Unfortunately for her, however, the cunning human was ready for this counterattack; just as the pink hedgehog lifted her hammer over her head, she was swiftly grabbed by the Helengelion’s hand, its silver fingers wrapped around her, preventing her from escape.

“Game over, Amy!” Helen declared as she swung her arm, throwing the Mobian on a crash course for the grass surrounding the ring.

“Gotta think quick…” The pink hedgehog pulled out her Piko Piko Hammer, throwing it toward the ground, its handle sticking into the grass. She landed on the head of the weapon and quickly launched herself back up.

“What!?” Helen exclaimed as Amy dove at the mech like a speeding bullet. The hedgehog curled into a ball and, not a moment later, pierced the metallic skin of the Helengelion, emerging on the other side through a clean hole. Helen gasped as sparks started flying along her dashboard, her Switch controller no longer operational. She tightly closed her eyes as the mech started losing its footing.

“Helen!!” Tails watched as the mech fell out of bounds.

“Helen is unable to battle!” The announcer called. “The winner…is Amy!” He raised the arm of the pink hedgehog as the crowd started cheering her name.

Pulling herself away from the announcer, Amy climbed up the torso of the downed machine. Reaching its head, she found Helen secured within, the sparks having ceased.

“You all right?” Amy asked through the cracked glass barrier.

“Y-yeah,” she replied as she pressed the emergency hatch button on her armrest, the casing opening moments later. It was at this time that Tails made his way to the scene, floating in place next to his hedgehog counterpart.

“Here, Helen, lemme help you out of there…” The orange fox reached in, grabbing the young girl and cradling her in his arms against his furry chest.

“Tails, down here!” Chuck called, pointing at an empty wheelchair below.

“Roger!” Tails steadily reduced his altitude, landing gently in the grass below and placing the young girl in the chair.

“How do you feel, Helen?” Tails asked.

“I’m doing fine,” Helen replied as she shifted her attention to her downed mech. “But the Helengelion? I think it’s seen better days.”

“Yeah, you’ve got that right,” Tails replied with a chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

“Soooo…” The announcer approached them. “That’s a big mess, huh? Gonna be difficult for the next round to commence with the debris all over the ring.”

“Oh, well…lemme see here…” The fox approached the mech, studying its limbs and the hole Amy made through it. “Unfortunately, what allowed me to make the mech compact and fold into itself is no longer functional, so all of these parts will need to be salvaged.” Tails approached the announcer, scratching the back of his head once more. “I don’t suppose we could have this stuff shipped to Chuck’s barn, could we?”

“Well, we’re gonna need to clear it anyway,” the announcer replied, “so I don’t think that’d be a problem. It’s not like there’s a better place to keep piles of twisted metal.”

“Thanks!” Tails gave the announcer a thumbs up who immediately called up his tournament contact to arrange the cleanup.

“How are you feeling?” Amy asked, approaching Helen from her side.

“I’m doing fine,” she replied with a thumbs up, “although I should be congratulating you on your victory!”

“I’ll admit, you had me on the ropes there,” Amy said through a blush. She turned to the mech. “Sorry about the Helengelion.”

“I’m sure Tails and I can fix it up in no time,” she replied.

“And better than ever, too!” Tails added with a thumbs up. “In fact, I already have some plans cookin’ in the old noggin!” The fox rubbed his palms together mischievously, earning a laugh from his friends.

Sonic vs. Knuckles

“Now, for the penultimate fight, we have Sonic the Hedgehog to my left!” The announcer pointed to the blue hedgehog, who simply gave a thumbs up, with eyes closed, at the cheering crowd.

“And to my right: Knuckles the Echidna!” He simply kept his arms folded as the crowd cheered for him nearly as loud as his hedgehog counterpart.

“These two Mobians need no introduction, as their short time here on Earth has already earned them reputations for their fast speed, wicked strength, and their tenacious bravery in the face of evil! Indeed, our world has never seen a competitive match-up quite like this, so be sure to stay on the edge of your seat as these two visitors duke it out for all of us to enjoy!”

“If the combatants are ready,” the announcer concluded, “it’s time to du-du-du-du…du-du-du-du-DUUUEL!!”

Gong!!

“Let’s start out with a lil’ warm-up!” Sonic charged a spindash before launching himself as the red echidna, who planted his feet into the ground and extended his arms, catching the blue hedgehog in his open palms like a baseball.

“You call that power?” Knuckles gloated as he started walking forward, the spinning sphere sparking as the undeterred echidna pressed on. “I’ll show you power!” He jumped up, holding the hedgehog in a single palm before launching him back down to the ring. The hedgehog bounced off the surface before unfurling, ultimately landing back on his feet.

“Not bad, Knucklehead!” Sonic said with a grin as he itched the base of his nose. “Got anything better?”

Knuckles launched himself at the cocky hedgehog. Throwing a punch, the blue hedgehog swiftly dodged. This was followed by a torrent of punches from the angry echidna, all effortlessly avoided by Sonic, who ended the combo by kneeing Knuckles in the belly. Knuckles stepped back, clutching himself as he used his other hand to keep his body steady, bending his knees to be ready for Sonic’s follow-up attack.

Not a moment after Knuckles raised his guard, Sonic jumped up, performing a stomp from directly above. Instead of squishing the echidna like a pancake, however, Knuckles deflected with his palm once more, shoving the hedgehog away. Landing back on his feet, Sonic immediately charged a spindash, but when he launched himself at Knuckles, he stopped the moment before impact, catching the red echidna off guard. With a smirk, Sonic began launching a series of punches as he moved so quickly around him that he formed after-images, making the echidna’s head spin.

Landing a few blows to Knuckles’ chest, the blue hedgehog ended with an uppercut, sending the red echidna flying to the other side of the ring.

Bruised, the tenacious echidna pulled himself up, putting up his arms and snarling.

“Ready for some more?” Sonic asked with a smirk as he threw some air punches.

“Unfortunately for you, my warmup has hardly begun!” Knuckles replied before diving forward. He swung his arm, but instead of attempting to connect his punch, he swung his leg where he anticipated Sonic to dodge. His prediction was accurate; the blue hedgehog tripped over his leg, giving Knuckles the opportunity to pounce, kicking Sonic straight up in the air. Once the blue hedgehog reached his apex, the red echidna launched himself up, cupped his hands together over his head like a volleyball player, and slammed his fists against Sonic’s belly.

“Ugh!” Sonic groaned as he was launched back down to the arena below. He landed back first, but before he could recover, Knuckles descended like a heatseeking missile, leading the charge with his spiky fist. Sonic just barely managed to avoid this follow-up attack, rolling away at the last second.

Sonic and Knuckles stood on opposite sides of the ring, sweat dripping from their brows.

“Amazing, folks! Just look at the two go!” The announcer waved his hands in the air. “Sonic had the upper hand at the start of the fight, but Knuckles pulled through, landing a few blows of his own.” He waved the microphone in his hand, pushing his sunglasses up his nose. “Indeed, Sonic and Knuckles appear equally matched!”

“Here that, Knux?” Sonic called with a grin. “He’s saying we’re ‘equally matched’. You agree?”  

“Of course not!” Knuckles cried. “We both know that I’m the stronger fighter!”

“Even if that were the case,” Sonic replied, appearing before Knuckles’ a split second later, “you’re still too slow!” The blue hedgehog performed a backflip somersault kick, smashing the echidna’s jaw and launching him up in the air once more. As he fell back down, however, the red echidna curled into a ball and prepared a spindash attack.

“Ah, you’re gonna use my own technique against me?” Sonic grinned as he started charging a spindash of his own. “How cute!”

Knuckles landed mere yards from the blue hedgehog, instantly rolling in Sonic’s direction. The two clashed, red and blue sparks forming around them as a crater grew beneath them.

“I know you can’t keep this up, Knucklehead!” Sonic jeered as the crater grew beneath the two Mobians.

“No, but I can do…THIS!”

Sonic stopped as Knuckles’ fists pressed between Sonic’s cheeks like a knuckle sandwich, holding the blue hedgehog in place. This was immediately followed by a knee to Sonic’s belly, sending him flying out of the crater and back into the ring. Knuckles’ follow-up dive was stifled as Sonic grabbed hold of the echidna’s leg and twirled him away, sending him flying to the opposite side of the ring.

Sonic yawned. “Are you about done, Knuckles? I’m startin’ to get bored. Kinda wanna get this over with so I can have s’more chili dogs.”

“Chili dogs!?” Knuckles exclaimed as a vein appeared along his forehead. “I’ll shove those chili dogs right up your a—”  

“Woah, chill out, Knux! This is a family friendly fanfic!” Sonic replied, but his warning fell on deaf ears; Knuckles charged at him in a flurry of anger, diving toward the blue hedgehog. It only took Sonic stepping to the side to dodge the ill-tempered attack, sending the runaway echidna out of the ring and faceplanting into the grass below.

“Knuckles has fallen out of the ring!” The announcer grabbed Sonic’s arm and pulled it up. “The winner…is Sonic the Hedgehog!”

The crowd cheered his name as the blue hedgehog waved back at his fans.

“And with that victory marks the end of the semi-finals! Once we patch up the crater, we will host our final match. Don’t go anywhere, folks!”

Knuckles pulled himself up and approached the blue hedgehog, the vein along his upper face now receded. With no words spoken, the red echidna extended his arm out and opened his palm. Sonic accepted the handshake, grabbing his palm for the sportsmanlike ritual…  

…at least until Knuckles tightened his grip, causing Sonic to yelp in pain.

“Hey, what’s the deal, Knuckles!?” Sonic asked as he nursed his hand.

“It’s my show of respect, or did you forget?” Knuckles gave Sonic a smirk of his own as he folded his arms.

“Yeah, I guess,” Sonic replied, hiding the pain through his smile before giving his friendly rival a playful punch to the shoulder.

The two walked side-by-side back to the competitor’s lounge.

“Sonikkuuuuu!!!” Amy hurled herself at Sonic, giving him a big hug. “You did really great out there, sweetie!”

“Thanks, Ames!” Sonic replied. “Although…you know what this means, right?”

“Yeah…”

The two looked away awkwardly as they blushed.

“I don’t think we’ve really fought before,” Amy said.

“Well, then I guess that’ll make the finals all the more interesting!”

The two chuckled as they scratched behind their heads.

“Regardless of the results,” Tails interjected, “the Chaos Emerald will go to us either way!”  

“You’ve got that right, Tails,” Sonic replied, giving his little bro a noogie, “but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t put on a good show for our adoring fans out there!”

Sonic’s stomach started to gurgle. “But first…I think I need some more fuel! Imma check the fridge for any leftovers!”

While the tournament staff repaired the ring yet again, the blue hedgehog gorged himself on his late afternoon morsel.

Sonic vs. Amy

The late afternoon gave way to early evening. The moon was starting to creep over the horizon, the arena lights shining brightly over the repaved arena. The announcer had just recombed his perfectly parted hair.

The final match was ready to go.  

“This is it folks!” The announcer gestured to the two hedgehogs occupying opposite sides of the ring. “This is the moment you all have been waiting for! The final round of the First Annual Chaos Emerald Tournament is about to begin!”

Knuckles scoffed. “‘First Annual’…who does he think he is?”

“Relax, Knuckles,” Tails replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not like they’ll get the emerald back after we use them to get home.”

“Yeah, they better not…” Knuckles folded his arms as the two watched from the fighter’s lounge.

“To my left is Sonic the Hedgehog, the Blue Blur who needs no introduction!” Sonic waved at the crowd who was chanting his name. “And to my right is Amy Rose! She has battled her way up to the very top of this tournament with a combination of her raw strength and her signature hammer! This fight will certainly prove to be exhilarating!”

“Are the combatants set?” The announcer asked.

“Yes,” Sonic and Amy replied simultaneously.

“Then the match will begin…NOW!”

GONG!!

Amy bent her knees and tightened the grip on her Piko Piko Hammer, studying the blue hedgehog as he placed his hands behind his head.

“I…don’t know if I can do this…” Amy lowered her arms, resting the head of her hammer on the tiled floor of the ring. “Fight…Sonic? Why’d it have to be Soni—” Amy gasped as the blue hedgehog sped forward, screeching to a halt within feet of her muzzle.

“You know, I could just forfeit the match for ya.”

“What do you mean, Sonic?” Amy asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“Well, it’s clear you’re not very comfortable with this situation, and we’re getting the emerald either way.” The blue hedgehog shrugged his shoulders. “I kinda figured we could at least give the audience a good show before you punt me out of the ring. What do you think?”

“Well, I…ummmm…that’s not particularly fair to you,” Amy protested. “I mean, wouldn’t that hurt your image? Being beaten by a girl?”

“Nah, who cares about gender stereotypes,” Sonic replied, waving his arms forward. “Besides, if there’s any lady I’d want to beat me in the ring, it’d be you.”

“Sonic…” The pink hedgehog’s eyes glistened, and her cheeks were flush. “That’s…so romantic.”

“Yeah, well…” Sonic chuckled as he ran his hand through his quills. “It’s how I roll.”

“The hedgehogs appear to be having a…conversation?” The announcer indicated. “Keep your eyes peeled, though; the combat could start any second now!”

“Sounds like the audience is getting restless,” Sonic noted, hearing some boos coming from some of the attendees. “How about we give ‘em a good finale?” He gave his girlfriend a smirk.

“Yeah, let’s do it, to it!” Amy nodded her head before entering her fighting stance, bending her knees once more and gripping the handle of her hammer.

“All right, Amy!” Sonic shouted as he jumped back to his side of the ring, making sure the audience could hear his declaration. “I’m ‘bout to give it my all! I hope you’re ready!”

“Bring it on, Sonic!” Amy replied, furrowing her brow as she prepared her hammer for a swing.

“Here I go!” Sonic started charging a spindash, blue sparks flying as he set his sights on the pink hedgehog. Within moments, he launched himself forward, but before he could land his attack, there was an explosion from above. “Whaaaa—” The surprised hedgehog tried screeching to a halt, but he toppled over Amy in the process, the two forming into a ball and rolling out of the ring.

“It appears Sonic and Amy…fell out simultaneously!” The announcer declared. “But more importantly…what the hell is that!?” He pointed up at the sky.

“Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“It’s Eggman!” The announcer shouted. “And he brought a mech with him! Everyone should flee the stadium immediately!”

“Ames, you okay?” Sonic asked from atop the pink hedgehog.

“Y-yeah,” she replied, blushing as the blue hedgehog pulled him up. The two quickly shifted their focus to the evil scientist floating in his Egg Mobile a few feet from his machine.  

“Yo, Egghead!” Sonic called. “You have a good reason for ruining my match with Amy?”

“You know why I’m here, rodent!” Eggman replied. “Chris’ foolish plan of trying to use his ‘fighting prowess’ to win the emerald was a complete failure. That pipsqueak should know that evil masterminds like myself never play fair! Oh, and…announcer guy…” He shifted his attention to the suited human below. “You should probably tell the audience that fleeing is out of the question. I have Egg Pawns stationed at every exit, and they will resort to lethal force if anyone tries leaving.

“V-very well…” The announcer cleared his throat. “A-actually folks, it’d be safer if you stayed in the stadium! Eggman has this place surrounded by robots!” This made the audience confused, the attendees crawling over seats and flailing their arms in panic. Throwing his mic in the grass, he facepalmed. “Why do all these shenanigans always happen on my watch?”

“So, Sonic,” Eggman grinned as his mech shifted its focus to the two hedgehogs. “What do you think of my E-12 Behemoth? Pretty impressive, huh?”

“Looks just like your other failed mechs, Robuttnik!” Sonic replied. “Can we just get to the part where I crush your machine like a tin can?”

“You’ll regret those being your last words, pincushion!” Eggman cried. “Behemoth, ATTAAAAACK!!”

The unmanned mech threw a punch toward the two hedgehogs, but Sonic and Amy dodged successfully in opposite directions.

“Sonic, want some help?” Tails floating in place with his rotary namesakes.

“Nah, Amy and I got it,” Sonic replied, giving the orange fox a thumbs up from below. “Just focus on taking out the egg pawns around the stadium.”

“You got it, Sonic!” Tails replied, giving him his own thumbs up before grabbing Knuckles’ hands, taking him along for the ride as they ventured forth to exterminate Eggman’s robotic nuisances. Cream, Cheese, Rouge, and Topaz, meanwhile, separated to the other corners of the stadium to contain the mechanical threats.

“You ready, Ames?” Sonic asked, balling his hands into fists.

“Yes.” Amy nodded her head as she tightened her grip on her hammer. “Let’s take it down!”

Completely synchronized, Sonic jumped up in the air, rolling into a ball and preparing a spindash. Amy soon joined him, jumping high above as she prepared a swing. When Sonic reached the apex of his jump, Amy smashed the sphere like a professional baseball player, sending the blue blur careening toward the mech.

Sonic pierced halfway through the Behemoth before getting stuck inside its torso, a thick, inner wall preventing him from cutting further. Straps latched themselves to the blue hedgehog’s wrists and ankles, becoming Eggman’s unwitting prisoner.  

“Wooahhooohoohooo! You thought you were so clever piercing a hole through my mech?” The evil doctor directed his focus to his mech. “Well guess what! I prepared for this very contingency.” Robotnik pointed at his mech. “Behemoth! Begin the denotation sequence! I want to have barbequed hedgehog for dinner!”

“Detonation in 10 seconds…”

“9…”

“8…”

“Sonikkuuu!” Amy cried from below.

“7…”

“6…”

“Wait!” Amy ran toward the announcer. “Quick, the Chaos Emerald! Give it here!”

“Oh, ummm, okay…” He pulled the yellow gem from his inner suit pocket and handed it to the pink hedgehog.

“Here, Sonic, catch!” Swinging her hammer, Amy punted the mystical gem into the machine. The blue hedgehog caught it with his mouth and, with a toothy grin, started spindashing, tearing through the latches as he glowed a magnificent blue.   

“2…”

“1…”

“0…”

The core of the mech exploded, sending large pieces of shrapnel flying in all directions. What was left of the inside, however, was an exhausted, charred hedgehog, the Chaos Emerald in his mouth.

“Sonic!” Amy exclaimed as she ran to his aid.  

“Re-relax, Ames…” Sonic pulled his head up slightly and, with a grin, gave the pink hedgehog a thumbs up. “Nothin’ a…lil’ R n’ R can’t fix…”

Just as the grip on the gem loosened from Sonic’s lips, it was snatched from above thanks to the Egg Mobile’s grab hook.

“I’ll be sure to disinfect this before I put it to use!” Eggman’s maniacal laugh echoed throughout the stadium. “So long, losers!” Eggman started flying away.

“Oh no you don’t!” Tails exclaimed as he flew up to meet Eggman, cutting through the retractable rod of the grab hook with his rotary namesakes.

“Nooo! Curse that fox!” Eggman slammed his fists on his dashboard. “Foiled again!” He spun the flying transport around. “You may’ve beaten me this time, Sonic, but next time, you’ll be sorry!”

“Yeah, like I haven’t heard that one before, Egghead!” The blue hedgehog pulled himself up, slightly limping and holding one arm with the other.

“Sonic, you’re injured!” Tails exclaimed as he returned to the arena.

“Nah, just a bit burnt is all.” Sonic chuckled. “You guys destroy the Egg Pawns?”

“Yep!” Tails replied. “They were no match for us! Eggman should’ve upgraded long ago instead of relying on these worthless consumer models.”

“Sonic, Tails, Amy!” Helen called, rolling into the ring, followed by Chuck and Bokkun. “I’m glad you guys are okay.”

“Glad you weren’t caught in the crossfire,” Sonic replied.

“Yeah…” The human girl’s face went downcast. “I just wish I could’ve helped.”

“Don’t be upset, Helen,” Tails replied, placing a palm on her shoulder. “Hey, I’ll tell ya what: when we get home, we can start drafting up plans for the Helengelion 2.0! You’ll be unstoppable!” The fox grinned as his imagination started running wild.

“Yeah, well, at least not as unstoppable as me,” Sonic noted, pointing his thumb to his chest, earning a chuckle from the party once more.

“So…” The announcer approached the group. “I guess the award ceremony is canceled then, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Tails replied. “But now we have six Chaos Emeralds! That means only one more until we get to go home.”

“Go home…” Helen turned away once more, sighing under her breath, a reaction noticed by the concerned kitsune.

“Then it’s settled!” Sonic declared as Knuckles, Cream, Topaz, and Rouge returned to the party. “If the humans have things covered, I say we go home and have a long nap.”

“Yeah, I’ll say,” Rouge replied, winking to Topaz to her side.  

“And a snuggle would be nice, too,” Amy added, giving the hedgehog a hug.

“Ow ow, still kinda stings.” The blue hedgehog gently pushed her away.

“Let’s get back to the van,” Chuck stated, “and get out of here. The last thing you guys probably want is a media circus harassing you.”

“Yeah, let’s go!” Sonic led the group out of the stadium, save for Rouge and Topaz, who had to return to HQ to file a report. Packing the van, they departed downtown Station Square back to Helen’s house in the nearby suburbs for a long, overdue rest.

Chapter Text

“Tails…”

Helen sighed as she gazed over the dormant farmland beyond the old barn serving as Chuck’s lab. The early afternoon breeze blew through her hair, and her hands gently gripped the handlebars of her wheelchair.

“Is something wrong, Ms. Helen?” The young girl peered down at Cream, who was sitting opposite of her, with Cheese by her side, sipping a cup of tea on the picnic blanket strewn out across the grass. “You haven’t touched your sandwich yet.” Looking down at her lap, she found a fly sitting atop the perfectly cut peanut butter and jelly sandwich with potato chips on the side.

“Oh no, I’m okay,” Helen replied, cracking a forced smile as she grabbed one of the chips and took a bite. Her gaze shifted back to the horizon. Cream frowned, an act mirrored by her chao companion, as she returned to her own sandwich. Her expression changed on a dime, however, the bunny nearly spitting out her latest bite before reaching into the picnic basket as her tail wagged from behind.

“I almost forgot!” Cream pushed aside the dried fruit, chips, and treats to find a folder at the bottom. She pulled it out and opened it. “I made this for you, Ms. Helen…” The young bunny gave her a crayon drawing of herself sitting on Helen’s lap, the sun wearing a bright smile in the distance and white flowers blooming around them.

“It’s…beautiful.” A single tear dripped down the young human’s face.

“Please don’t cry,” Cream pleaded as she approached her side, leaning in for a hug around her shoulder.

“I’m okay, Cream,” Helen replied. “I’m just…so thankful to be your friend.”

“Yeah, we’re really good friends!” Cream added as she rested her face on the human’s arm.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese mimicked the bunny by resting their entire body like a cat on Helen’s opposite shoulder.

“I promise to always cherish this drawing,” Helen added.

“Glad you like it, Ms. Helen,” Cream replied.

“Chao, chao!”

Helen nodded as she returned her gaze to the distance, sitting silently until her thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of her cellphone in the side pocket of her wheelchair. Opening her flip phone, she read the new text message from Tails.

“Meet me in the barn.” Nodding her head, as if to acknowledge the orange fox’s request, Helen returned the phone to her wheelchair pocket. “I’ll be right back, Cream. Tails needs me for something.”

“Okay!” Cream replied with a cheery smile. The young rabbit and her chao companion waved as Helen rolled inside.

“Hiya Tails,” Helen greeted.

“Oh, just in time!” Tails replied as he leapt off the head of a large structure, his fur covered in oil stains. “Feast your eyes on this!” He gestured both arms toward the completely rebuilt, taller mech. “I call it the Helengelion 1.1!”

“Original name,” Helen relied with a smirk. “Wouldn’t it be better to call it the Helengelion 2.0?”

“You of all people should get the reference,” Tails said as he leaned against the leg of the machine, a smile across his muzzle.

“Well yeah, of course it’s the name of one of the Evangelion films,” Helen replied, raising a finger to the air with eyes closed not unlike Tails when he’s making a point to a group.

“I chose that one in particular for a reason,” Tails replied.

“Oh yeah…its full name is “Evangelion 1.1: You are (Not) Alone”…” Helen froze, realizing the implications of the name.

“Yes…” The young kitsune made his way to the young girl’s side, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder. “I know you’ve been anxious as of late. I’ve noticed it even before the tournament. I just want you to know that…regardless of what happens when we gather the seven Chaos Emeralds and attempt to replicate chaos control, we will always be with you.” Tails pointed a finger at his heart. “We’ll always be here when you need us the most.”

“Th-thank you…Tails…” The young girl shed a few more tears. “You’ve all…been such great friends. Words can’t describe it…I’m just so…I don’t know…”

“I think I know how you’re feeling,” Tails replied, wiping a tear away from the young girl’s cheek. “I know things haven’t always been easy for you, well…with your disability and whatnot,” the fox stammered over his words, “but, well, I admire your tenacity, strong will, and, well…your kindness in the wake of everything life’s dealt you.” Tails stepped toward the barn’s exit, the sun warming his fur. “Here I was, feeling down on myself for having two tails, and without Sonic helping me out of my rut, I don’t know how I would’ve ended up…” The fox turned back to the young girl. “But you? Despite everything life’s put you through, you’ve managed to view the world positively and to see the good in people. I think…” Tails ran a hand through his hair. “…that you’ll be just fine, regardless of what happens.”

Helen slowly rolled to the fox’s side and extended her arm out. Tails grabbed her hand, and she gripped it tight. “I know, Tails…” The two smiled until, after several seconds, the human girl noticed her grip slipping from the fox’s hand. Letting go, she found black grease covering her palm. Peering to her shoulder, she noticed a black stain there as well, and feeling her cheek, she smeared a smidgen of the same black residue.

“Hehe, sorry about that,” Tails said as he chuckled, blushing through his fur as he ran a dirty, gloved hand through his hair once more.

“Nothing a little stain remover can’t get rid of,” Helen replied. “Besides, I have, like, a dozen of the same exact outfit in my closet at home anyway. I’m totally fine.”

“But still,” Tails said as he removed his gloves and threw them to the side, “I should really be more considerate before I go spreading my grease everywhere.” The fox pulled a spare set from his namesakes, slipping them on. He wiggled his fingers and made fists. “Good as new!” Tails turned his attention back to Helen. “Oh yeah, there’s one more thing I wanna show you.” Tails led Helen to the mech and pointed at its chest. “Notice something different?”

“Hmmm…” Helen placed a finger on her chin in thought. “Yeah, there appears to be…a spot for something?”

“Right on,” Tails replied as he pulled the green Chaos Emerald from his namesakes. With a grin, the orange kitsune jumped up, spinning his rotary namesakes as he flew to the center cavity of the mech’s chest plate. He placed the mystical gem inside, making the entire machine glow green.

“Woahhh…” Helen’s mouth was agape. “It’s beautiful.”

“Well, it’s not a required power source,” Tails commented as he returned to the ground, itching the base of his nose, “but if you ever have access to a Chaos Emerald and find yourself in a jam, you can always add some extra umph! I even installed a chute in the mech’s dashboard for easy installation in a pinch.”

“You seem to think of everything,” Helen replied with a giggle.

“Well, maybe not everything,” Tails replied, chuckling as he scratched the back of his head once more before removing the gem and, with a small keypad behind its leg, made the Helengelion fold into itself, devolving back into…

“My old wheelchair!” Helen exclaimed.

“Yep!” Tails replied with a grin, scratching the base of his nose once more in satisfaction. “Couldn’t upgrade the Helengelion without using your favorite wheelchair, after all.”

“Can you help me in?” Helen asked.

“Sure!” Tails gently picked up the young girl, cradling her in his arms and placing her back into her old seat.

“Now all we gotta do is test it out…” Tails brought his hand to his chin. “Say, I wonder if Sonic’s around for sparring pract—”

“I’ve been summoned.”

Tails and Helen spun around to find Sonic leaning against the wall, spinning two chili dogs on the tips of his fingers like basketballs. With a flick, the hotdogs flew in the air, and Sonic caught them both in his mouth with a single bite. Chewing and swallowing rapidly, Sonic belched loudly before giving the two a thumbs up. Their faces contorted in disgust.

“All right, then,” Sonic grinned as he folded his arms against his chest, “let’s see how much I judge you after getting gassy from eating just a single chili dog!”

“Okay, fair,” Tails replied with a chuckle. “But I don’t burp thaaat loudly…most of the time…”

“Manners aside,” Sonic approached the young girl, giving her another thumbs up, “I’d be more than happy to duke it out with ya!” The blue hedgehog punched one fist into the palm of his other hand.

“You’re on!” Helen replied, matching the blue hedgehog’s grin with her own.

Tails sat with Cream and Cheese on the picnic blanket, grabbing a mint bakery treat from the basket as Helen transformed her wheelchair into the Helengelion 1.1, allowing her and the blue hedgehog to start their friendly sparring session.

“Truly fascinating,” Decoe said as he watched a large display on the dashboard he shared with his mechanical brother.

“Indeed,” Bocoe replied. “The only other person I can think of who is as efficient at constructing machines so rapidly is Dr. Eggman!”

“Let me just get a better perspective…” Gripping the joystick affixed to their dash, Decoe zoomed the lens on the camera attached to the small, spider-like Badnik which had formed a metallic spiderweb in one of the upper corners of Chuck’s barn. They watched in amazement as the Helengelion 1.1 glowed a majestic green.

“The doctor needs to hear about this!” Bocoe exclaimed.

“What do I need to hear?” Eggman asked from behind, his hands behind his back. The two robotic henchmen fell out of their chairs in fright, but quickly recovered.  

“Tails completed the reconstruction of Helen’s mech suit, Dr. Eggman,” Decoe replied.

“Yeah, and he even retrofitted a Chaos Emerald energy converter within,” Bocoe added.

“Well, has he now?” A sinister grin grew across Robotnik’s mustachioed face. “Well, it looks like intelligent minds do think alike.”

“What do you mean, Doctor?” Decoe asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

“It just so happens,” he replied as he pulled the white Chaos Emerald from his jacket pocket, “that I, too, have been doing a bit of…retrofitting of my own.”

“A Chaos Emerald!” The brothers exclaimed in unison.

“You seem surprised?” Eggman replied. “Well, I was too when Chris presented it to me. Turns out that spoiled brat is good for exactly one thing: connections. Apparently, the Chaos Emerald made its way through the Japanese underground auction scene. Chris heard about it through some sort of high society message board and begged his parents to increase the spending limit on his credit card so he could obtain the gem for himself.”

“I’m assuming he didn’t just give you the Chaos Emerald with no strings attached?” Bocoe asked.

“Right you are,” Eggman replied as he spun around. “Follow me. I’ve been working on one of his…side projects.” Eggman cringed as he said this, disgusted at himself for being put in the unfortunate position of having to work for someone else, let alone someone as detestable as Chris. Decoe and Bocoe diligently followed Eggman through the hallways of the secret underground facility, funded completely by the Thorndyke estate.

“Here we are,” Eggman said as he pushed some buttons into a keypad, opening the automated door seconds later. Clapping his hands, a set of lights luminated the large room. Decoe and Bocoe gasped at the sight of a mech, slightly taller than Helen’s, painted black with red stripes.

“So this is what you have been working on?” Bocoe asked.

“Precisely,” Eggman replied. “Ever since his humiliating display at the Chaos Emerald Tournament, Chris wouldn’t stop brooding about how he lost to Helen, calling the match rigged because she came prepared with a mech. When he obtained the Chaos Emerald, he had me build his own mech in the hopes of being able to defeat Helen in a rematch and, in his words, reclaim his manhood.”

“Wow, talk about toxic,” Decoe replied.

“I may be evil,” Eggman replied, “but at least I’m still a feminist, and how Chris is treating that Helen girl is nothing short of repulsive.” The evil genius slammed his fist against the wall. “If you’re going to take over the world, at least treat all your subjects the same. What he’s doing is nothing short of backward.”

“Then why did you make the mech for him?” Bocoe asked. “Are you not afraid of Chris letting that sort of power get to his head?”

“That thought has echoed in my head since he requested the mech,” Eggman replied as he massaged his mustache. “Thankfully, I have a little…insurance policy.” The evil genius pulled a remote from his other jacket pocket. “Even when powered by a Chaos Emerald, if his behaviors start conflicting with my ultimate vision, I’ll simply shut down his mech remotely! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

Just as Eggman finished divulging his backup scheme, the elevator door on the opposite side of the lab opened, revealing Chris Thorndyke.

“Ahh, perfect timing!” Eggman said as he approached the young boy. “Your mech is finished, and with the power of the Chaos Emerald, you will be unstoppable!” Decoe and Bocoe were not fooled by the evil doctor’s pleasant tone, knowing full well he was struggling to contain his lunch.

“Very good!” Chris replied. “Maybe if I were paying you, I’d give you a raise!” The young boy let out a menacing laugh. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s pop in that Chaos Emerald and see what this baby can do!”

“All right, if you insist…” With a snap of his finger, the mech activated, dropping to a single knee. Decoe brought a ladder that Chris used to climb the rest of the way up to the head of the mech, taking his seat in the leather chair. Finally, Bocoe used his extending legs to reach the torso of the mech, placing the white Chaos Emerald within the slot.

The mech started glowing a majestic white, glistening in Chris’ eyes as a sinister smirk formed across his face once more. “Yes…yes!!! This is perfect!!!” The young boy let out a prolonged, sinister laugh, one that made Eggman finger the emergency remote in his pocket as sweat started to form along his brow.

“With this mech, I’m going to show Helen just how much of a man I truly am!!” He pulled out the Xbox controller from his baggy pocket and affixed it to his dashboard, a special request he made of the evil doctor when he found that Tails did the same using Helen’s Nintendo Switch Pro controller. He licked the handle of the controller to remove the excess Cheeto dust.

“Now now, Mr. Thorndyke, let us not be hasty…” Eggman raised his arms. “Let’s cool our jets for a second here, let you get your bearings before you do something drastic.”  

“Do you ever see Sonic ‘cooling his jets’?” Chris asked, his voice echoing through the speakers installed on the shoulders of the mech. “With the power of the Chaos Emerald, I am certain my victory will be guaranteed!! Now, I just gotta figure out the controls here…”

Chris tilted the analogue stick of his controller, causing the mech to swing its arm, smashing into the wall. He tilted the stick the other way, making Eggman dive to avoid the swinging arm.

“What are you doing? Stop!!” Eggman yelled.

“I don’t take orders from anybody except my mommy and daddy!” Chris peered at his controller once more. “I wonder…what does this button do?” Pressing one of the action buttons, the mech jumped up, its head and shoulders breaking through the next floor of the multi-level basement.

“Stop, you’re destroying my lair!”

“Your lair?” Chris scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous! You own nothing. Everything here belongs to me, and I can do whatever the hell I damn well please!” The young boy pressed a shoulder button, causing a missile to launch from the mech’s torso. Robotnik dove out of the way once more, pushing Decoe and Bocoe with him, narrowly avoiding the explosion.

“That’s brat’s out of his mind!” Eggman reached into his jacket pocket and pressed the button on the remote, causing the mech to freeze and the white glow to disappear.

“Wh-what’s going on?” Tears started to form in Chris’ eyes. “Eggface! Explain yourself! Why isn’t my mech working!” The spoiled brat started to flail his arms.

“Well, you see, Mr. Thorndyke,” Eggman replied as he pulled himself up, dusting the soot from his jacket, “the mech wasn’t constructed for indoor, close quarters combat! That last missile, ummm…jammed a sensor, which caused the processing unit to become unstable, so instead of melting down, it…ummmm…just shut down! Yes, that’s exactly what happened!”

“How do you fix it then!?” Chris was becoming increasingly irate.

“Fixing it is relatively simple,” Eggman replied. “Just give me a week, and I’ll have the mech back to full working order.”

“A week!? Ha!” The young boy wiped the tears from his eyes. “No. You’ll get exactly two days to fix up my mech and the lab! Do you read me!?”

“…if you make it three, I’ll throw in an air fryer and a refrigerator.”

Chris pondered this bargain, raising a hand to his chin in thought. He could confront Helen for his epic rematch while enjoying a freshly cooked plate of Totino’s pizza rolls and a cold bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast.

“Bet.”

“C’mon, Ames, this thing is suffocatin’ me…”

“Oh, will you relax, blue boy? I’m trying to fix your tie here…”

Sonic peered around, a blush across his muzzle as Amy straightened and tightened his black tie, which accompanied his black suit and pants, his blue tail sticking out from behind. They were standing on the opposite side of a stage located in the Station Square Community Center.

“Do I really have to do this?” Sonic asked.

“Sonic, we’ve been over this,” Amy replied with a sigh. “The President put together this event on behalf of you and your friends to show his appreciation for everything you’ve done for the humans. The least you can do is go up there and accept the medal.”

“Heh, sure doesn’t beat a ring,” Sonic replied with a chuckle. “Or a chili dog.”

“Here…” Amy reached in for a kiss on Sonic’s lips, making him freeze and blush harder than before. “Can you go up there and act mature? For me?”

“Well, when you put it like that,” Sonic replied, giving Amy a kiss on the cheek in return, “I promise to be on my best behavior.” The blue hedgehog even raised his palm.

“Thank you,” Amy said with a smile.

“And now, I would like to introduce our special guest!” The president paused for the applause in the crowded hall, humans completely filling the auditorium save for the row of Mobians, and their friends, occupying the front row. Rouge and Topaz were on either side of the double doors on the far side of the hall, looking out for any suspicious activities.

“Anything for you, Ames,” Sonic replied, blowing his girlfriend a final kiss before spindashing through the curtain, earning a facepalm from the pink hedgehog. The crowd gasped at his sudden appearance.

“Sonic the Hedgehog is always known for his speedy entrances,” The President joked, earning some muffled chuckles from the audience. Sonic smirked in satisfaction, his eyes closed as he itched his nose. The black tie Amy worked so hard to get just right had since loosened up. “Well, I’ll just let Sonic give his prepared statement!”

“My prepared statement?” Sonic took his position behind the podium and cleared his throat, sweat starting to form along his brow. “Well, hi everyone! My name is Sonic…Sonic the Hedgehog!” The audience started to cheer.

Man, this is gonna be easier than I thought!

“You may remember me from all the times I’ve fought Eggman, or maybe from my good looks!” This earned whistles from some women in the audience. Amy kept her Piko Piko Hammer at the ready.

“Anyway, I’m honored to be accepting this Presidential…ummm…” He turned to Michael K. and whispered, “what is this thing called?”

“The Presidential Medal of Freedom,” he whispered back.

“Right!” Sonic exclaimed as he returned his lips to the microphone. “The Presidential Medal of Freedom! While I do appreciate this award, I can’t accept it on my own!” Sonic jumped on top of the podium, causing the crowd to gasp once more. “C’mon up here, Tails! Knux! Cream n’ Cheese! Helen and Chuck! Rouge and Topaz! Bokkun!” Sonic turned around. “And you too, Ames!”

His friends sheepishly shuffled their way to the stage. Tails, Amy, Helen, Cream, Cheese, and Bokkun were embarrassed, blushing profusely. Knuckles and Topaz simply stood stoically, and Rouge casually placed her arms on her hips. Chuck took a hit from his blunt.

“Everyone here has helped stop Eggman and keep the fine folks here safe from his threats,” Sonic began, giving Tails some headpats (earning some awwwwwes from the audience). “Without my lil’ bro’s ingenuity, support, tactical genius, and wicked inventions, I’d be at a major disadvantage.” He quickly shifted to Knuckles. “And Knux, here? His brute force is always welcome! He may not be the brightest shovel claw in the crayon box, but sometimes blunt strength is enough to win the day!” Knuckles tried punching Sonic in the gut, but the blue hedgehog shifted too quickly to Amy, wrapping his arm around her back. “And Amy here, well, let’s just say there’s a reason why I love her so much!” The audience awwwwwed once more. “Her hammer makes my heart beat a billion times a second, and yet she’s as gentle as a flower. Give it up for my one true, special rose everyone!” The crowd cheered as Amy blushed hard. She turned away as she brought a tissue to her bleeding nostrils.  

“Helen and Chuck have been gracious enough to provide support as well! Helen has accompanied us on our adventures and helps Tails in the shop! Not to mention her infectious kindness keeps a smile on our faces, and now she has the raw power to boot thanks to her Helengelion!” Sonic shifted over to Chuck, whose eyes were bloodshot. “Chuck’s scientific prowess only rivals that of Tails! He’s truly a wise elder who has bestowed his wisdom upon the younger generation! For the kids watching, though…” Chuck took another hit of his marijuana. “…drugs are never the answer! Stay in school, do your homework, file your taxes, and brush your teeth before every meal!” He wagged his finger at the camera.

“Cream and Cheese!!” Sonic gestured to the iconic duo. “I can’t imagine anyone as wholesome as these two polite folks, but as you saw in the tournament, they pack quite the punch! I’m sure when we return home, Cream’s mother is going to be proud of her daughter’s accomplishments!” The crowd cheered once more as happy tears started to form in the young bunny’s eyes.

“Bokkun was created by Eggman, but despite his origins, he helped Cream escape from Eggman’s captivity back on Mobius! He’s been a good guy ever since! It just goes to show that, no matter what circumstances you were born into, you have the power to be a good person!” Bokkun blushed as he ran a hand over his ears. Cream gave the robot a hug, causing him to blush an even deeper shade of red.

“And finally, I can’t forget Rouge and Topaz, the power couple!!” Sonic turned to the jewel thief first. “Rouge is crafty, stealthy, and powerful, and so is Topaz! You’re lucky to have ‘em doing their super-secret missions for the President!” Rouge jumped up, keeping herself suspended in the air by flapping her bat-like wings. She went in for a kiss, which Topaz gladly accepted, earning applause from the audience. Just a few months ago, the thought of kissing someone on a stage watched by millions on live television would’ve been unfathomable for the human agent, but being in a relationship with Rouge has had a profound impact on her.

“I may be way past cool,” Sonic concluded as he approached the podium once more, “but I couldn’t do any of this alone. I may be the one getting the medal today, but it’s my friends who deserve the most applause!” The audience clapped, giving the honored Mobians and humans alike a standing ovation.

“Thank you for that touching speech,” President Michael K. said. “Before we conclude today, I will now give Sonic the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his outstanding bravery in the midst of unspeakable threats.” Sonic stood on the stage, his arms on his hips, and his friends on either side, as the President clipped the necklace around his neck, the circular medal against his chest glistening as it reflected the auditorium lights. The audience clapped once more.

Beep, beep beeep…

“Oh, that must be…” Tails pulled the Miles Electric from his namesakes as the audience continued clapping. “Oh, ummm…Sonic?”

“Yeah, lil’ bro?” Sonic replied to his side.

“Look at this.” Tails gave the blue hedgehog his tablet.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes: a Chaos Emerald.” There was a dot approaching the cluster of six other dots representing the gems held by Sonic, Tails, Helen, Knuckles, Rouge, and Cream. “And it’s almost he—”

Tails was interrupted by an explosion on the opposite side of the auditorium. Through the smoke, a large, black silhouette could be seen, and a menacingly evil voice came from its direction.

“Hello, Helen…we meet again.”

Chapter Text

“Hello Helen…we meet again.”

“W-what?” Helen asked, lined up with her friends on the stage as chaos ensued, smoke obscuring their visions and the sound of screaming attendees filing their ears. Slowly, however, the dark silhouette of a mech not unlike hers appeared in the sight of the explosion at the far entrance of the auditorium.

Tails peered across the hall. “Is that…Chris?”

“Right you are, you impotent furball!” Chris exclaimed. “And you’re not the only one who can build mechs!” The evil child slowly crept toward the stage, crushing seats in his wake.

“Topaz!” Rouge exclaimed as she pulled herself out from under a large metal door. She rushed to the aid of her human counterpart, who was lying unconscious in Chris’ path. Just as the child was about to crush the unsuspecting agent, the jewel thief swooped in, nabbing her and disappearing into the shadows.

“What’s the big idea?” Sonic asked, pointing a finger at the approaching mech. “I’m all for dukin’ it out, but a warning would’ve been nice…and a secluded area away from pedestrians would’ve been even better.”

“Silly hedgehog!” Chris exclaimed with a condescending laugh. “You think I care about the plebians and their safety? You think I even care about the President of the United States? Ha! My parents bought him out years ago while he was still a Senator. That chickenshit wouldn’t dare raise his finger to me…and besides…” The evil boy gave a wicked smirk, now within a few yards of the stage. “…I’m not here for you. I’m here…for you.” The mech’s metallic finger pointed at Helen, who gasped in surprise.

“DON’T MOVE!!”

Chris peered around as a group of Secret Service agents circled his mech, all wielding machine guns. The suited men took aim, and the sergeant directly facing him raised his arm.

“You have one chance to stand down! If you do not surrender yourself immediately, we will be forced to subdue you with lethal force!”

“I’m afraid you need to get the gunk out of your eardrums,” Chris replied. “The President would never cause any harm to the heir of the Thorndyke Estate…right, Mr. President?”

Michael emerged from the curtains behind the stage, sweat dripping from his forehead. Multiple cameras were trained on him, broadcasting the event in real time, with millions of viewers at home watching to see what their commander-in-chief would do next.

“The President of the United States is controlled by no one,” Michael declared, pointing at the smug face of the evil child. “I don’t care about your family’s money. What you’re perpetrating is nothing short of terrorism. Not even your parents’ status will save you from this stunt.”

Chris stared at the President dumbfoundedly before breaking out in laughter. “Ah man, that’s rich! Rich, I tell ya!” He made the mech slap its knee with its mechanical palm. “That’s some strong rhetoric there, big boy! You may sound tough now, but once my mommy and daddy pull their money from your reelection campaign, your political career is going to be over!” The young boy turned his attention back to the Secret Service agents. “Now perish!”

With a swift swipe of his leg, he sent half of the men flying. The other half started shooting their machine guns at the mech, but a white aura shielding the mech deflected the bullets. Turning around, he slammed his metallic fist on the ground, shaking the floor and bringing the remaining men to their knees.

“Now…” Chris shifted his attention once more to the stage. “…we have some unfinished business…Helen.”

“Just...what do you want?” Helen asked, gripping the armrests of her wheelchair as she furrowed her brow.

“Oh, you don’t know?” Chris laughed maniacally as he approached the stage. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Cream all shielded the young girl, serving as a Mobian barrier between her and the mech. “Stand down, you filthy animals! This feud is between me and her.”

“Why don’t you start by answerin’ her question?” Sonic replied, folding his arms as he tapped his foot on the floor.

“Helen humiliated me,” Chris replied as he slammed his metallic fist on the floor, squishing some auditorium chairs and creating a hole into the building’s basement. “I was about ready to prove my manliness by defeating her in combat, but then what did she decide to do? She pulled out her freakin’ mech suit! That was totally unfair!”

“Are you jealous you didn’t think of the idea first?” Tails asked, placing his hands on his hips.

“Heh, good one, Tails!” Sonic said as the two brothers exchanged a fist bump.

Chris made another hole in the floor with his mechanical fist. “No, you imbecile! Helen completely shattered my public image. To think, me, at the height of my masculine performance, could lose to a woman…a cripple no less!”

“Hey, watch your tone, young man!” Chuck replied, raising a finger at the spoiled child. “That term is derogatory and condescending. Listen to your elder and apologize!” The aging scientist took a puff of his joint.

“Me, apologize to her?! Ha! That’s so stupid I forgot to laugh!” Thorndyke’s laughter filled the auditorium. “Helen’s a nobody! She has nothing to lose, whereas I am the heir of the Thorndyke estate! My reputation means more to me than anything in the world!” Chris turned his attention back to Helen and frowned. “And yet, I offered my love to this wretch, but she repeatedly denied me. Despite my money, despite my fame, despite my good looks!” He flexed in place, his metallic arms emulating his movements. “And as her last cherry on top, she went and destroyed my reputation during the tournament!”

“You have done that to yourself,” Helen replied defiantly. “Real men don’t harass women who reject them. You should’ve taken the L and went home, but instead, you’ve continued harassing me and my friends.” The young girl pulled the turquoise Chaos Emerald from the compartment of her wheelchair. “We’ve collected the Chaos Emeralds fair and square, and…” She peered around at her Mobian friends, her eyes starting to glisten with fresh tears. “…and while I don’t want to see my friends leave Earth, collecting the emeralds is the only way to get them home…but you…” She pointed her finger at the young boy. “…you’ve been a jerk to all of us, and now look what you’re doing.” She gestured around the destroyed auditorium. “You’re causing mayhem because of your fragile ego.”

“It’ll all be worth it,” Chris replied, a sinister grin growing across his face, “when I get to take my revenge out on you!”

“Have you ever considered therapy?” Sonic asked. “I’m sure your mommy and daddy can afford it.” Chris’ face grew red in anger.

“Now, now, Sonic,” Knuckles replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. “The brat’s not going to listen to our words.” He slammed a fist against the open palm of his other hand. “He needs an attitude adjustment.”

“Does it really have to come to that?” Cream asked.

“Chao, chao?” Cheese added from atop her head.

“I don’t think he can be reasoned with, Cream,” Amy replied, pulling out her Piko Piko Hammer.

“No, none of you will fight me,” Chris declared as he pointed his metallic finger at the young human girl at the center of the stage. “Only Helen and I will engage in combat. We will fight with our mech suits in the Station Square Park across the street.”

“Why should we listen to your rules?” Tails asked defiantly.

“Because, you two-tailed freak,” Chris replied, “I am a man of my word, and I have a little proposition for this fight.” Pressing a button on his dashboard, the white Chaos Emerald started to glow in its central compartment in the mech’s chest. “If I win, I will take all your Chaos Emeralds. If you win, you get my single Chaos Emerald and a million dollars.”

Sonic scoffed. “Doesn’t sound like a fair deal if you ask me.”

“…Ten million dollars.”

“It’s not about the money,” Helen replied. “You’re not giving me a good reason to fight you.”

“Fine then…” Chris peered around and, with a wicked smirk across his face, extended his mechanical arm to grab President Michael K. “How about this: if you don’t agree to battle me on my terms, I will kill the President with my own two hands!”

“You wouldn’t!” Helen shouted. “Put him down!”

“The choice is up to you: either you fight me…or the President dies.”

Helen gripped her arm rests and bit her lips. All eyes were now trained on the young girl, who eventually took a deep breath, sighed, and nodded her head.

“Fine. You want a mech battle? I’ll give you a mech battle.”

“Are you sure about this?” Tails asked to her side. “That Eggman tech he’s using means business. Plus, it’s being powered by his Chaos Emerald, just like yours. It’s gonna get dicey.”

“I know,” Helen replied, “but if this will save the President and get us the final Chaos Emerald, then I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Sonic replied, placing a palm on her shoulder. “Go kick his butt for all of us!”

“I will,” Helen said with a nod. She and the rest of the party watched as Chris already made his way out through the enlarged exit he created with his mech. Police cars were waiting for him on the street, but they froze at the sight of the President dangling from his mechanical hands. The young boy stomped through the line of patrol cars as he made his way to the center of the community park.

Helen and the rest of the gang followed the evil boy, and behind them Topaz was limping to catch up.

“Where are you going, sweetheart?” Rouge asked, pulling Topaz’s leg. “You’re still hurt from the explosion. There’s no way you can do any sort of rescuing in your condition.”

“My job isn’t complete until the President is safe,” Topaz replied, “and he’s being held captive by one of the most unstable billionaires on the planet! I need to rescue him!”

“You heard him, though,” Rouge pleaded. “Chris wants to fight with Helen. If anyone tries to interfere, he may actually hurt Michael.” Topaz grumbled under her breath, realizing that her Mobian counterpart was correct. “Hey, how about this…” The bat smirked as she grabbed the agent from the armpits, placing her on top of a medium sized building. “This is far enough away to where we should be safe while also close enough to intervene if necessary, and with your binoculars, you should get a good view of the fight.”

Topaz pulled out her binoculars as instructed to find Chris waiting as the heroic party met him near the large water fountain at the center of the park. “I suppose this will work.”

“Great!” Rouge replied before sitting on the edge of the roof, pointing to the spot next to her. “Now sit so we can enjoy the show!”

“I wouldn’t really call it enjoy, per say,” Topaz said as she sat next to the bat.

“…How is your arm?”

“It’s…fine…” Topaz held it up for Rouge to see: her limb didn’t appear broken, but the cloth of her tactical gear was scrapped, and the bat noticed a bloody spot.

“Except for the shrapnel here,” Rouge noted.

“I’ve had worse,” Topaz said, putting on the tough woman persona for her girlfriend.

“Yeah, well, you still need some medical care,” Rouge replied as she reached into Topaz’s utility belt for her portable first aid kit.

“How’d you know I had that?!” Topaz exclaimed with a blush.

“Trust me, I know everything you carry around,” Rouge replied with a smirk. “With all the handcuffs you keep on hand, I guess I was right about the S&M.”

“Jewel thief.” Topaz scoffed.  

“You will never let me live down my past, will you?” With a set of tweezers, Rouge gently pulled some small metal pieces from the human agent’s wound.

“Once a thief, always a thief?” Topaz asked before wincing in pain.

“Perhaps…or perhaps not.” Rouge gave Topaz a grin before pulling out another piece of metal. Inspecting the wound further, she pulled out a cloth and ointment from the kit. “I don’t see any other debris in your wound, but you should get that looked at by a medical professional when this is all over.”

“I will.” Topaz nodded as Rouge cleaned the wound, applied ointment to a large bandage, and covered up the spot on her arm. “Thank you, Rouge.”

“Anything for you,” Rouge replied with a wink before giving her companion a kiss on the lips, which was jointly reciprocated.  

“You know,” Topaz noted, “this would be romantic under the right circumstances...” She pulled out her binoculars once more. “…but, time to get serious.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rouge replied with a shrug. “Maybe after this you can take me out for a drink.”

“Maybe,” Topaz replied with a smile as she focused her attention on the upcoming battle.

“Now stand back, rodents,” Chris said as he lifted the president in his mechanical hand, “so I can fight Helen alone. Failure to comply will result in the untimely demise of your leader here.”

“Hey, put me down you scoundrel!” Michael called, dangling helplessly.

“Don’t worry,” Helen said, peering back at her Mobian counterparts. “I got this.” They did as she commanded, stepping back to let Helen handle Chris by herself.

“Very good.” With a chuckle, Chris threw Michael over Helen’s head. Tails jumped up in the air, activating his rotary namesakes so he could catch him in the air before falling to the ground. “Now, let’s engage in combat: one-on-one with no distractions.”

“Fine by me.” Helen pressed a sequence of buttons on her armrest, allowing her wheelchair to transform into the Helengelion 1.1. She attached her Nintendo Switch Pro controller to her dashboard, and placing the white Chaos Emerald on a separate holder and pressing a button, the emerald shot down through a tube, landing in the center of the mech’s mechanical chest, glowing brilliant shades of turquoise as it shimmered through the transparent display, matching the glistening white emanating from the gem in Chris’ mech.

“Onetwothreegooooooooooooooooo!” Chris yelled as he dived forward.

“Whaa—” Chris punched Helen in the torso, sending her mech flying back and forcing her friends to dive for cover. Detecting Chris’ second attack incoming, she firmly grasped her controller, pressing the shoulder buttons to block the boy’s incoming jump with her legs, kicking him away.

Helen pulled herself up. “Resorting to dirty tricks? I thought you wanted a fair fight?”

“What, like the one you failed to give me during the tournament?” Chris retorted as he pulled himself up as well.

“You kidnapped the president because you’re a sore loser!” Helen yelled. “I just don’t understand you. You have everything you could possibly want, all the wealth in the world, so why are you like this?”

“I don’t have everything,” Chris replied as he jumped up in the air, slamming his fist toward the head of Helen’s mech, swiftly deflected by her arm. “I don’t have you.” Chris launched himself off her head into the air, and when he reached the apex of his jump, he pulled a massive sword from his back, and charged it behind his head.

“Helen, get out of the way!” Tails yelled.

Helen rolled to the side, barely missing what would’ve been a lethal strike.

“What’s wrong, Helen? Scared of my impressive sword?” Chris asked with a grin.

“Hardly,” Helen replied as she aimed her arm at the young boy. “You’re the one who should be scared!” Pressing a few buttons on her dash, she shot several lasers in succession, all of which dissipated when colliding with Chris’ energy field.

“You fool,” Chris laughed maniacally. “What hopes do you have of defeating me? Eggman’s tech plus the power of my Chaos Emerald are no match, and before long, I’ll have all seven at my disposal!” Chris slashed his sword at Helen, who dodged once more. “I will topple governments.” Another slash, and another dodge by the young girl. “I will topple militaries.” He slashed again, and Helen performed a backflip out of the way. “World leaders will bow to me.” Chris shot some lasers from his wrist, but Helen dodged with a roll to the side. “I will have control of everything! And you…” He dove forward, grabbing Helen by the mechanical neck. “…will be my BRIDE!” Chris slammed Helen on the ground, creating a crater below her and making the earth shake.

“You…” Helen’s vision was dizzy; what little she could see was Chris’ mech on top of her. “You’re a disgusting animal.”

“Am I!?” Chris laughed maniacally as he pulled out his sword. “Am I really?” He pointed the sword at Helen’s head. “I will give you two options. See, animals don’t bargain like us civilized humans.” An evil smirk grew across his face. “You can either agree to marry me, or I will kill you on the spot. Either way, I will prove my superiority and show the world just how powerful I truly am!” The tip of Chris’ sword tapped the glass shell shielding Helen within the confines of her mech. “Well…what will it be?”

“I…choose…” Helen furrowed her brow as she grabbed the sword with a single mechanical hand. “Neither.” She proceeded to bend the blade, electrical sparks flying as her metallic hand sustained damage.

“What?” Chris froze as Helen snapped his sword in half before pulling herself up, a slew of sparks falling from her right hand. Helen dove forward, headbutting Chris in the chest, sending him flying across the park and landing in the water fountain.

“Do you give up yet?” Helen asked as she slowly made her way toward the destroyed fountain.

“Never!” The Thorndyke pulled himself up and shot his laser at the young girl. Pressing a button on her dash, a turquoise energy shield made the laser dissolve upon contact. Chris tried several more times, but it was having no effect. Finally, Helen stood over the young boy’s mech, grimacing.

“Pathetic…” With her good hand, Helen pierced through the protective shell and yanked Chris from his seat, her mechanical fingers wrapped around Chris’ body.

“Okay, okay…” Chris peered up at Helen. “Let me go…and you can have the Chaos Emerald.”

“Really?” Helen’s demeanor shifted sharply.

“Yes!” Chris replied. “I’ve given up my greedy ways! I will turn myself over to the authorities, and once I bribe my way out of prison, I’ll start a charity to help the wheelchair bound!”

“You’re…not lying, are you?” Helen tilted her head, suspicious of the young boy’s sudden and apparent change of heart.

“No, no, not at all!” Chris shook his head. “Getting my ass handed to me twice in a row by a crippl…I mean, handicapped girl has really given me a fresh perspective on life.”

“…you promise to change your ways?” Helen dropped to a single knee and lowered her arm to the grass below, preparing to loosen the grip on her captive.  

“Yep! I’ve definitely learned my lesson.” Chris nodded vigorously.

“No, Helen! He’s lying!” Knuckles exclaimed. “He’s just telling you what you want to hear!”

“Yeah, don’t listen to ‘em,” Sonic added. “Knuckles may not be the brightest bulb, but he has a point! He has first-hand experience when Eggman pulled this exact trick on him many times before.”

“Hey!” Knuckles bashed the top of Sonic’s head with his fist. Sonic chuckled as he rubbed the resulting bruise.

“I…don’t know…” Helen watched as Chris gave her a set of shimmering puppy dog eyes, his eyelids fluttering as if to imitate an adorable dog begging for table scraps. “Are you absolutely sure that you’ve changed?”

“Yes, yes! With a cherry on top!” Chris nodded profusely.

Helen peered back at her friends and family, all of whom were shaking their heads aggressively. Even Cream, who was usually the first to forgive someone for their faults, was agreeing with the overwhelming, unanimous consensus that Chris had not changed one bit.

“Well…” Helen peered into the distance to find Rouge and Topaz watching from a nearby building. She waved at them and gestured her arm toward the battleground, signaling to the agents that their assistance was needed. “I’m going to hand you off to the authorities. You can ask them for forgiveness instead of me.”

“What?!” Chris exclaimed as Rouge and Topaz, who was hanging from the bat’s hands, arrived at the scene. “You’re really going to throw me, your classmate, your admirer, to the hands of the police?”

Helen nearly vomited at the idea of Chris being her admirer. Instead, she tuned out the young boy as she lowered her mechanical arms and loosened the artificial hand of her mech, freeing Chris for a few seconds before the two agents secured him.

“All right, wise guy,” Topaz said as she restrained his arms. “Rouge, you know what to do.”

“Aye aye, captain, I learn from the best,” Rouge replied as she handcuffed Chris’ wrists. “Your parents are gonna need the best lawyers around if they have any hope of keeping you out of prison.”

“No, this isn’t happening!” Chris screeched as he frantically peered around, surrounded by the Mobians and a group of police officers and secret service agents. “You can’t do this to me…you know how much my parents sacrificed!?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Topaz said as she escorted Chris to the nearest police car, the backseat already open for him.

“No!! I will never be told what to do!!” Chris placed the sole of his shoe on the side of the car. He was foaming at the mouth as multiple agents restrained him further.

“Michael!” Chris yelled at the President, who was watching from a distance with several agents on either side. “You’re going to regret this for the rest of your political career.”

“You’re already lookin’ at hard time,” Topaz said as she shoved Chris into the squad car. “You’ve just added resisting arrest to your list of crimes.”

“Helen!” Chris peered over at the young girl, who had since transformed her mech back into her wheelchair. “Please, won’t you tell them that this was a play? A…ruse for charity! Yes, a charity event to help people in wheelchairs!”

“Oh, shut up,” Helen replied from the other side of the police car’s open window.

“Yeah,” Sonic replied from her side. “Nobody’s gonna believe your lies.”

“Let’s just hope,” Tails added, “that this will be an important life lesson for you.”

“Life lesson!?!?” Chris laughed hysterically. “I don’t need lessons when I have money!” He shook violently in the backseat of the car.

“Let’s go,” Helen said as she spun her wheelchair around. “Seeing Chris like this is making me sick.”

“Agreed,” Sonic replied as he, Tails, Knuckles, Chuck, Cream, Cheese, Bokkun, Rouge, and Topaz followed the young girl back to the Thorndyke’s downed mech.

“You know, maybe I could harvest this machine, maybe learn from Eggman’s designs,” Tails said as he crawled to the mech’s chest to secure the white Chaos Emerald.

“Hey, aren’t you the one who always complains about Egghead’s shoddy craftsmanship?” Sonic asked, placing his hands on his hips.

“Well, yeah,” Tails replied, as he jumped off the mech, gem in hand. “You know what they say, though: even a broken clock is right twice a day!”

“But Eggman,” Sonic replied with a shake of his head. “He operates more like an egg timer.” The group laughed at the blue hedgehog’s bad comparison.

Vrrrrrrrrmmmm.

“Ahhh, oh no!” Tails cried as the two emeralds in his possession floated away from his grasp, the green gem from his namesakes and the white gem from his palms getting sucked up into the sky. Helen, Sonic, Knuckles, Cream, and Rouge also gasped in shock as their emeralds were vacuumed away, getting sucked up into the compartment of a floating vehicle above.

“That’s…” Sonic peered up. “Dr. Eggman!”

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman bellowed as he juggled several of the Chaos Emeralds in his possession, the rest in the palms of Decoe and Bocoe. “Thank you for offering up the emeralds on a silver platter! Seriously, that was the easiest ploy of my entire life!” The evil doctor laughed once more as he shifted his focus to Chris, who stared up at Eggman in disbelief from the police car.

“Help me, Eggman! You gotta free me!” Chris cried.

“Me, help you? This time, I don’t think so.” Eggman smirked as he approached Chris’ mech.

“You traitor!” Chris yelled. “I literally saved you from drowning after the government blew up your old base!¹ I gave you your own lair! We were a team!!”

“I wouldn’t call it a team, more so a rich kid thinking he had power over a genius mastermind,” Eggman replied as he massaged his mustache. “We were never a team! You were merely a pawn in my ultimate quest for world domination, and your little stunt with the President, with everyone all in one place, gave me the perfect opportunity to gather up all the emeralds in one fell swoop! And now…” Eggman and his robotic assistants jumped into Chris’ vacated mech and placed all seven gems into their respective slots on the dashboard, triggering the mystical emeralds to glow a brilliant display of rainbow colors.

“Oh no…” Tails peered up at Chris’ mech as it floated in the air, constantly shifting colors every second and a yellow aura glowing around it. “Sonic, this is bad…very very bad.”

“Yeah, I know lil’ buddy…” Sonic peered up at the mech as well, joined by his speechless Mobian and human counterparts.

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman laughed as he lowered his arm at the party. He opened his metallic palm, a ball of energy forming within.

“Say goodnight…rodents.”

1: See Chapter 17.

Chapter Text

“Wooahhooohoohooo!” Eggman bellowed from the seat of his mech, his metallic palm open as a ball of energy started to form within. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to put an end to you vermin.”

The aura of yellow color grew around the mech, rocks and other debris floating alongside Eggman’s machine as the ball of energy expanded in size, static electricity forming around the sphere.

“Get a load of this!!” Using his other arm as a brace, Eggman launched the energy ball, forging a path of destruction that left nothing but smoke, fire, and devastation through the city, as far as the eye could see.

Eggman observed his immediate surroundings as the dust settled, onlookers watching in shock as they processed the decimation caused by the mech.  

“Yes, I’ve won! Took them all out with one blast!” Eggman laughed as he shifted his focus to the President, who was already being escorted into a military van by a group of soldiers.

“Oh no you don’t!” Eggman cried as he took aim at the vehicle. “The presidency, along with the rest of your pathetic government, is hereby dissolved!” The evil doctor charged a sphere of energy, but just as he was about to release it, the ball was kicked away. “What?” Robotnik peered down to find Sonic falling back to the ground while watching the sphere of destruction arc toward the nearby Station Square coastline bordering the Atlantic Ocean.

“No, how did you escape!?” Eggman cried, twisting around to find the rest of the heroes behind his mech. “No matter. You may be fast, but even you need to rest at some point, but the power of the Chaos Emeralds is infinite!”

Without so much as a quip, the blue hedgehog jumped up in the air, wrapped himself into a ball, and targeted the center of the mech, launching himself at Eggman’s machine. Sonic merely spun in place, however, causing no visible damage to the outer shell of the mech.

“For example,” Eggman continued as he grabbed Sonic with his metallic hand, “you’ll find it nearly impossible to pierce my armor!” Robotnik squeezed, causing Sonic to yelp in pain as he tried using his hands to pry himself out from the metallic hold.

“Sonic!” Tails flew to Sonic’s aid, but he was quickly swatted away like a bug by Eggman’s other hand.

“Tails!” Sonic tried tugging his way out from the robot’s deadly grip, but he was unable to slip away.

“As you can see, my reflexes have increased several fold, and my strength is beyond calculation!” Eggman peered down to find Rouge and Knuckles attacking the mech’s legs. As with Tails moments before, Eggman whipped the two Mobians away, sending them flying in the opposite direction. “It’s because of our skirmish back on Earth, where Bokkun was able to easily steal the Chaos Emeralds from my last mech, that led me to increase the maximum power capacity of my latest creation and install proper fortifications to ensure my mistake won’t be repeated!”¹ Eggman squeezed Sonic once more, causing the blue hedgehog to choke in pain. “I think I’m enjoying this a little too much!”

“Open fire!”

“Hmmm?” Eggman twisted the mechanical neck of his mech just in time to witness a slew of missiles hit his back. The evil genius dropped Sonic in surprise, but when the smoke cleared, there were no signs of visible damage. His bellowing laughter echoed out of the speakers of his mech once more as he watched the soldiers who took aim at him moments earlier starting to flee. The one exception was Topaz, who stood her ground, grinding her teeth with knees bent as she tried thinking of a strategy to take down the terrorist threat. “When will these ants realize resisting the Eggman Empire is futile?” With a sweeping kick, he sent Topaz flying high in the air.

“Topaz!” Rouge yelled as she launched herself from the ground and flew as fast as she could, swooping down and grabbing the agent within seconds of what would’ve been a debilitating fall.  

“Rouge?” Topaz opened her eyes to find the bat thief above, holding her in her arms against her chest as she flew the two to safety.

“How many times do I have to save you today?” Rouge replied with a smirk, earning a small chuckle from the injured agent. “You definitely owe me a drink after this.”

The bat landed near a set of ambulances, the emergency medical personnel taking the agent in as soon as she landed.

“Be…careful…” were the last words Topaz spoke before she fell out of consciousness and was rushed out of the warzone.  

“Don’t worry, Topaz…” Rouge returned her sights back to the mech. “I will.”

“You better stop, you big meanie!”

“What?” Eggman peered down to find Cream lecturing him from below, Cheese floating at her side. “Oh, it’s just you brats. You looking to get captured again?”

“You will never win!” Cream yelled. “Just stop this senseless violence!”

“Chao, chao!” Cheese agreed.

“Given how you’re just a child,” Eggman replied, “I’ll go easy on you. Surrender to the Eggman Empire, and I will promise no harm to you. In fact, you can be the first enrollee of my new Eggman Obedience School! You can teach your classmates how to bow down to the Eggman Empire like a good little rabbit!”

“I would never do such a thing!” Cream yelled in response, keeping up her resolve. Cheese nodded beside her.

“Well, at least I tried…” Eggman shook his head. “Youth these days are so rebellious. Maybe they just need an attitude adjustment.” The evil doctor raised one knee, his foot directly above the two Mobians. “Lights out, kiddos.” The evil doctor slowly lowered his foot. Cream and Cheese, for the first time during this confrontation, were paralyzed with fear, peering up with dilated pupils as their arms shook in terror.

“Heyaaaa!”

Cream gasped at the sight of Bokkun, who used his arms and jetpack to keep the mech’s foot from crushing the two Mobians.

“Cream, run!” Bokkun struggled to say under the pressure of Eggman’s foot.

“Bokky…” Cream stood still, watching hopelessly as the messenger robot struggled to keep them both alive.

“Pathetic little robot,” Eggman replied as he pressed a few buttons on his dash, enhancing the aura around his metallic form. “For betraying the Eggman Empire, your fate is sealed.” The evil doctor pressed his foot down harder, making Bokkun’s arms buckle under the pressure. Before his arms gave way, however, a blue blur stepped in.

“Need some help?” Sonic gave him a wink as he raised his palms up.

“Sonic?” Eggman replied before grinding his teeth in anger. “No matter. Not even he can stand up to the might of my Chaos Emerald-powered mech!” The evil doctor pressed more buttons, forcing the machine to exert even more energy than before, its glowing yellow aura growing as the ground started to shake.

“I’ve got your back, too,” Tails added as he swooped in, joining Sonic by his side.

“Let’s defeat Eggman once and for all,” Knuckles declared as he lent his strength.

“Let me join, too,” Amy said to Knuckles’ side as she raised her palms.

“Those Chaos Emeralds are mine,” Rouge quipped as she joined Amy’s side.

“Don’t forget about me!” Helen said as she rolled under the foot, raising her arms and pressing her palms against the underside of the robotic boot.

“Curse you!” Eggman cried as he pushed several more buttons on his dash. “I’m going to increase my power output to 300 percent! Let’s see how you handle THIS!” The aura surrounding the mech was now as tall as a building and spanning a half a block. Small tornadoes were forming around the machine, making it even more difficult for the heroes to maintain their hold on its foot.

“Are you ready to help, Cheese?” Cream asked as she turned to her chao companion.

“Chao, chao!” Cheese replied with a nod of determination.

“Then let’s do it!” Cream declared as she jumped up, using her ears to fly upward as she pressed her palms against the mechanical foot above. Cheese quickly joined using their stubby arms, floating in place next to the young rabbit.

“Gahhhh!” Eggman cried as the mech started tipping in the opposite direction.

“Keep it up, everyone,” Sonic said. “We’ve almost got him!”

“Right!” They replied as their second winds took over, the blue hedgehog’s motivational push tipping the scales in their favor.

“Nooooo!” Eggman yelled as he fell backward, landing in the already destroyed decorative water fountain.

“We did it!” Cream cheered.

“The fight’s not over yet,” Knuckles noted. “By the look of things, that fall hardly made a scratch, and we’re already pretty beat.”

“You idiots!” Eggman cried as he pulled himself out of the fountain, balling his metallic hands into fists. “Didn’t I tell you it was futile to resist! Gahhh, you’re making me so angry!” Steam left Eggman’s ears as he aimed his arm at the party once more. “Enough of this nonsense. I’m going to keep blasting until I burn this entire damn city to the ground, and you lot with it! Wooahhooohoohooo!” The unhinged scientist started charging another sphere of energy as the aura surrounding the mech grew once more.

“Say goodbye, you pathetic swine!” Just as Eggman was about to unleash the energy beam, however, the ball dissipated. “What’s this?” Eggman peered around frantically as his golden aura disappeared. “What’s the meaning of thi—” The evil doctor was launched out the top of the mech by the spring in his chair, landing in the grass below with his head below the ground.

“What…just happened?” Sonic asked, instinctively turning to Tails for an explanation, but all he could do was shrug.

“I have no idea,” Tails replied as he turned his attention back to the empty mech above, “but I think things went from bad to worse!” He pointed up to the mech, which started levitating autonomously, the golden aura returning. It raised its arms and released several beams of energy into the air, falling like bombs to the city below.

“Run!” Sonic yelled as the party left the openness of the city park, finding refuge in a nearby bank. Tails pushed Helen through the doorway, who was closely followed behind by Chuck. Knuckles was the last to arrive, dragging Eggman in by the left side of his mustache.  

“All right,” Knuckles began as he threw the evil scientist into the lobby. “Start talking. What’s going on out there? What sort of trick are you trying to pull on us?!”

“Take it easy, you brute,” Eggman replied as he pulled himself up, dusting the dirt from his red jacket. “You rodents weren’t giving in, so I had to crank up the mech’s power to its maximum capacity, using the power of the Chaos Emeralds to give it a nice supercharge.”

“But now the mech has a mind of its own?” Chuck asked.

“Such an unscientific conclusion coming from a fellow researcher,” Eggman replied with a snicker. “It would be more accurate to say that the high levels of Chaos energy corrupted the CPU of my mech. The last time I got my hands on all the Chaos Emeralds back on Mobius, I only tapped into a fraction of their true power, but this time, I put my mech into overdrive.”

“So what you’re saying is that you miscalculated,” Tails chastised, “and likely doomed us all?”

“If there’s one comfort from all this,” Eggman replied, “it is that my machine will be the end of you, even if it takes me down with it! Wooahhooohoohooo!”

“There’s just gotta be a way to stop it, though,” Helen said as she rolled to Eggman. Chuck was about to stop her, but Tails tugged at his lab jacket and shook his head. Instead, Chuck watched with arms folded. “Don’t you have a master override you can use remotely?”

“Well, as a matter of fact,” Eggman said, “I very well may…” Pressing a button on his wristwatch, he summoned the floating Egg Mobile, which crashed through the glass doors of the bank. Hopping inside, he pressed several buttons on his dash. “I’m about to disengage the mech’s security protections, meaning that, even in its super form, one could infiltrate the mech and retrieve the emeralds. I can’t completely shut it down from here, though.”

“All right!” Sonic replied, giving Eggman a thumbs up.

“Before I do,” Eggman said, a mischievous grin growing across his mustachioed face, “I want to work out an arrangement.”

“An arrangement?” Helen asked.

“I save your lives, and in exchange, I get all the Chaos Emeralds. I will keep you lot alive, but you must obey the Eggman Empire. I’d say that living in servitude is better than death, wouldn’t you say?”

The entire party simply stared at Eggman, placing their hands on their hips. They were not amused.

“So you don’t want me to save your hides?” Eggman asked.

“What we want is for you to do the right thing,” Knuckles replied as he smashed the back of the Egg Mobile with his fist, sending the evil doctor flying backward.

“Disengage the mech’s security protocols,” Rouge declared as she placed her foot on Eggman’s chest, “or we will make you.” Eggman tried crawling back, but Knuckles’ foot against the back of his skull stopped him in his tracks. The evil doctor was quickly circled by the heroes.

“Okay, fiiiine…” Robotnik pulled himself up, dusting the debris off his jacket once more. “All I’m saying is that you’d be far less stressed if you simply accepted my rule. Plus, we’d have the most diabolical outfits!”

“Just get on with it,” Rouge commanded, pressing her government-issued pistol against Eggman’s back.

“So uncivilized,” he complained as he pulled himself back into his Egg Mobile. Pressing a few more buttons, he turned his attention back to the party. “If you’re able to get close to the mech, you should now be able to get into its head and press the big red button to disengage and remove the Chaos Emeralds.”

“Why is it always a big red button?” Helen asked herself.

“Regardless,” Tails said as he called the team in for a group huddle. “I have a plan.” The Mobians and humans, save for Eggman, locked arms around each other’s shoulders. “First, we will need a distraction. Multiple distractions, in fact.” The orange kitsune turned his attention to Knuckles. “I need you to get the mech’s attention by bashing the ground.”

“Ah yes, my specialty!” Knuckles replied, raising his fist into the air. “That is, besides treasure hunting and guarding the Master Emerald.”

“Rouge,” Tails continued, turning her attention to the jewel thief,” I want you stationed near Knuckles. Fly around him to get the mech’s attention away from him. I want you two to keep distracting it while Sonic and I retrieve the emeralds.” The prodigious fox shifted his focus to Helen and Cream as he pulled out some headsets from his namesakes. “I want you two to keep Sonic and I posted from the ground. If it looks like the mech’s gonna do anything that will put us at a disadvantage, let us know ASAP.”

“We will,” Helen and Cream replied as they put on their headsets. Tails placed a single earbud in his left ear, giving the right piece to the blue hedgehog.  

“What should we do about Eggman?” Amy asked, pointing over her shoulder to the evil scientist who attempted to slip away, but stood frozen when his attempt at fleeing the scene was noticed.  

“Keep him detained,” Tails replied.

“I’ve got that covered,” Amy declared as she pulled her Piko Piko Hammer from her hammerspace, destroying Eggman’s unguarded personal transport with a single swing of her weapon, earning a cry of dismay from its owner.

“I’ll inform the authorities of the plan,” Chuck said.

“And I’ll…” Bokkun peered around, eventually hearing a cry for help from an injured child in the nearby alley. “I’ll go help that kid out!”

“Good luck,” Cream replied, giving the messenger robot a kiss on his forehead, making him blush a deep shade of red.

“Yes, Cream!” Bokkun replied with a salute before rushing out of the bank. The rest of the party, save for Eggman and Amy, who was eyeing the evil doctor carefully with both hands gripping her hammer, left the bank as well, peering around to find the mech still on a rampage, launching energy balls of various sizes into the sky, peppering the city with destruction.

“Let’s finish this!” Knuckles declared as he ran toward the mech, dodging the falling energy spheres until he was close enough to get its attention, slamming his fist on the ground. Making the Earth shake just enough to force the mech’s focus on him, Knuckles continued pounding the ground. The mech slowly walked toward the red echidna, but just as it got within striking distance, Rouge flew around its arm, giving the unmanned machine a second distraction. The mech didn’t notice Tails flying in from behind, Sonic dangling from his hands.

“You’re clear to land,” Helen noted from a distance.

“Agreed,” Cream added. “The mech is completely distracted, Mr. Tails.”

“Perfect,” Tails whispered under his breath as he found the open roof where Eggman was launched from. The orange kitsune began swinging his arms, gaining enough momentum to toss Sonic into the mech. He let go of the blue hedgehog, who loosened his grip on his little brother’s gloved hands as well, launching him into the mech. The orange fox soon swooped in after him.

“It’s tight in here, you think?” Sonic asked as the two tried sitting on the single chair.

“Allow me,” Tails said as he pulled himself up and sat in the blue hedgehog’s lap. If not for the circumstances, the sight would’ve been adorable.

“It appears the display is frozen,” Tails said as he studied the monitor affixed to the control panel. He tried pushing the shoulder buttons on the Xbox controller installed in the dash. “Nothing. Looks like Eggman was telling the truth about the mech going haywire…” He turned his attention to the red emergency button on the far side of the dashboard. “…and if he was completely truthful, this should put an end to things.” He smashed the button with his fist.

“Self-destruct sequence initiated,” said a robotic voice. “30, 29, 28…”

“Well, that was a bust,” Tails replied.

“Look!” Sonic pointed to the seven slots in the dashboard which have since opened, revealing the entire set of Chaos Emeralds.

“18…17…16…”

Tails started pulling them out. 

“13…12…11…”

“We’re not gonna make it!” Tails cried.

“Just relax,” Sonic replied with a smile, “and let’s use the Chaos Emeralds…”

“You mean…Super Sonic?” Tails asked.

“And Super Tails!” Sonic replied with a wink. “I’ll finally get to see your super form in action!”

“Right.” Tails nodded as he reversed himself in the chair and placed the gems in their lap. Finally, the two brothers held each other’s arms, closed their eyes, and took a deep breath. Before they knew it, the Chaos Emeralds started to glow, floating in place between them.

“3…2…1…”

BOOM!

“NOOO, SONIKKUUUUU!” Amy cried, falling to her knees moments after witnessing the head of the mech exploding before her eyes.

“YES!” Eggman cheered, performing a happy dance. “Down goes Sonic and Tails! That ruse was too easy.” He massaged his mustache in delight.

“Tails was my friend…” Amy slowly approached the evil doctor. “And Sonic was my one true love. My future husband.” She pulled out her Piko Piko Hammer, her face turning dark and her eyes wickedly staring at Eggman. “You are going to pay…”

“Well, just…calm down, will you, I mean…” Eggman stepped back until he was against the wall. “Let’s just talk this out rationally.” The evil doctor peered over Amy’s head, through the broken window of the bank, to find two golden forms floating above the downed mech. “Hey…is that…Sonic and Tails?”

“Don’t try tricking me with your nonsense again!” Amy smashed the evil doctor’s belly with her hammer, sending him falling to the ground in pain. The pink hedgehog turned around to find exactly what Eggman described, except the two brothers were now emanating a golden aura.

“Sonic! Tails!” Amy dove out of the bank and peered up into the sky, accompanied by Knuckles, Cream, Cheese, Bokkun, Rouge, and Chuck.

“Hey, Tails! Lookin’ good!” Sonic gave his golden apprentice a thumbs up, making the fox blush as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Still hard to get used to,” Tails replied, “even after using this form back on Mobius.”¹

The moment didn’t last long, however; the mech, now headless and without Chaos Emeralds, managed to return to autonomous mode nevertheless, pulling itself up and entering a fighting stance.

“No way!” Tails exclaimed. “The brains of the mech must be stored in its chest, and there must be enough backup power from the Chaos Emeralds to keep it charged for who knows how long!”

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’, Tails?” Sonic asked, giving his little brother a smirk.

“Yes, exactly,” Tails replied with a wink.

The two floated so they were nearly at eye level with the mech. The machine pulled both arms back, charging an energy beam in its palms. The two brothers furrowed their brows and tightened their fists, bracing themselves for its attack. Just as the mech unleashed its devastating energy beam, they charged forward, meeting the stream of chaos energy head on.

“Beam struggle, beam struggle, beam struggle…” Helen whispered under her breath as she gripped the handlebars of her mech. She was soon joined by the rest of the party, who also chanted as they balled their hands into fists, watching intently at the display of intense power above.

“Sonic!” Tails yelled from the golden hedgehog’s side. “It’s…so much power.”

“Just focus,” Sonic shouted. “We’ll get through this.”

“Right,” Tails nodded as he pressed onward. He exerted an incredible amount of strength thanks to the power of the Chaos Emerald-induced super form, but while he felt he was flying at the speed of sound, he had only moved a few feet against the seemingly insurmountable pressure of the energy beam. Nevertheless, the brotherly duo was making incremental progress, inching closer to the mech.

“It’s…I’m losing power,” Tails said as his momentum started slowing.

“Don’t give up buddy!” Sonic bit his lip as he pressed on, the two flying like Superman as they reached a few yards of the mech’s chest.

“C’mon, Tails,” he said to himself. “Almost…there…”

Sonic and Tails screamed as they made one final push, not only overcoming the gap between them and the mech but completely penetrating the robot’s armor, blasting through to the other side. The energy beam completely dissipated, and the mech started falling back. At the speed of light, Sonic and Tails flew through and around the decimated robot like an atom, turning the machine into Swiss cheese. Before it had the chance to fall to the ground, the mech exploded, but there was no smoke, no fire, and no loud noise to accommodate the brotherly duo’s final blows.

Instead...

“Sonic…it’s a white void…” Sonic peering at the center of the mech, frozen in midair as an aura of pitch white completely encapsulated the machine and started growing outward in all directions.

“Just like…back on Mobius…” Tails noted. “Just like what sent us to Earth…”  

“Let’s get back to the group,” Sonic said.

“Right,” Tails replied with a nod, furrowing his brow as he followed Sonic back to their gathering place.

“It’s Chaos Control,” Knuckles said, his arms folded as he stared at the incoming white wave that would soon engulf them, and the rest of the Station Square municipal park. “It means…we’re finally going home. Back to the Master Emerald.”

“Back to my mother!” Cream replied with a cheer.

“Chao, chao!”

“To…Mobius?” Helen asked. The group turned to her and Chuck.

“Yes…” Tails replied, gripping the young girl’s wheelchair handlebars. Sonic grabbed Chuck, placing him over his shoulder.

“Where are you taking me!?” Helen cried as Sonic and Tails, still in their super forms, got them away.

“This should be far enough,” Tails replied as they screeched to a halt. Indeed, peering back, the featureless, blank white space was still growing, slowly approaching the four of them but providing enough time for them to say their goodbyes.   

“Time for us to go, Tails,” Sonic said as he gave his little brother a thumbs up. He turned his attention to the two humans. “It’s been fun you guys! Catch ya on the flip slide!” Sonic zoomed forward, diving into the creeping white void.

Smiling, Tails turned to face Helen. “Well, I’ll admit, this departure was sooner than expected…” The golden fox scratched the back of his head nervously.

“No, Tails…” Tears started to form in the young girl’s eyes. She reached her arm out, grabbing the golden kitsune with her fingers. “I’m not ready…please…” Pulling at the fox’s arm, she pulled herself and the wheelchair closer to him. Tails hugged her from her side, letting her tears soak into his fur. “Please take me with you.”

“Helen…” Tails patted Helen on the shoulders before leaving his super form. “I’m sorry, but I need to go. I wish I could take you with me.” He started walking in the direction of the white void, which was now only a few dozen yards away. “There’s still so much I wanted to experience on Earth, and you’re one of my closest friends, but you have family here on Earth. You don’t want to leave them, do you?”

“Then we’ll find a way back!” Helen protested. She rolled forward once more, grabbing Tails by the arm. “We can work together, using the Chaos Emeralds, to create a bridge between our worlds.”

“A…bridge?” Tails asked, stopping to give Helen the opportunity to explain herself.

“Yes,” Helen replied. “You guys came here by accident, and you’re about to return home.” Helen peered into Tails’ eyes, tears streaming down her face. “Please, we can work on this together. With your brains, it wouldn’t take long at all, and we could create a permanent way to get between our homes!”

Tails froze for several moments before turning back to face Chuck. “What do you think?”

“Well…” Chuck folded his arms, peering down at his only granddaughter and sighed. “Helen deserves the most out of life, and this would provide her an opportunity no other Earthling has ever experienced, at least to our knowledge,” Chuck peered up at Tails, “but the thought of facing my son and his wife, letting them know I let their daughter leave like this…” Chuck raised a finger to his chin in thought. Finally, he approached Tails, placing a palm on his shoulder. “Let me come, too.” Helen peered up at his grandfather, a smile slowly forming across her face.

“You really wanna come with?” Tails asked, tilting his head concernedly.

“Why yes,” Chuck replied. “The thought of exploring a whole new world, working on technological innovations with both my grandkids all day would be a dream come true. Certainly the best way I can imagine spending my retirement!”

“Grand…kids?” Tails peered up at the aging scientist, his eyes glistening. “You consider me…your grandkid?”

Chuck lowered himself to one knee, placing a palm on the orange fox’s shoulder once more. “Absolutely. You and Helen give me a reason to get up in the morning, even as old age makes it increasingly difficult to do so.” Chuck pulled himself up but was quickly met with a warm hug from the young kitsune.

“You’re the best grandpa a fox could ever ask for,” Tails said, his tears soaking into the aging scientist’s lab coat. With a warm smile, Chuck lifted him up, placing the orange fox on his shoulders.

“Well, there’s no time like the present. Let’s go!” Chuck declared.

“Right,” Tails and Helen replied. The young kitsune rested his palms on his knees as Chuck and Helen locked hands, bracing themselves for their new adventure.  

“Well, here we go,” Tails said as they were enveloped by the void.

And then all went white…

…and then faded…

…to black.

End of Season 1.  

---

1: See Chapter 21 of A Prelude to Chaos Control.

---

All right, folks! That’s a wrap for season 1 of my Sonic X reimagining! Stay tuned for season 2, which will start with the next chapter! I want to thank everyone who has read up to this point, especially to the ones who have provided positive comments and constructive feedback. These reviews help motivate me to keep pushing forward, and I appreciate them all!

I may take a brief break to brainstorm season 2 ideas. In the meantime, feel free to join me on the Tails Discord server, where we have an entire channel dedicated to Sonic fanfiction. I’d love to connect!

Chapter Text

“That’s it…just a few more…”

Tails rolled out from underneath the Tornado 2, only enough to stretch his arm out, opening and closing his palm rapidly.

“Hey Helen, can you hand me the wrench please?”

...

“Helen?” The orange fox rolled back out from his creeper and analyzed his surroundings from the floor. He wiped the sweat from his brow, getting grease all over his forehead, a common occurrence for the hardworking fox. With a sigh, Tails pulled himself up and walked over to the open toolbox, finding his wrench undisturbed. Before returning to work, however, concern started to enter his mind. “My workshop’s not far from the edge…better check to make sure Helen’s still safe.”

Placing the wrench next to the creeper, the fox opened the garage door, the sunlight pouring into the relatively dark workshop, filling the young kitsune’s fur with rejuvenating warmth as he took in the fresh breeze. He took a few steps out, walking along the landing strip connecting the workshop with the edge of the precipice, fake palm trees dotting either side.

Putting his gloved hands over his brow, the fox focused his sight to find Helen looking off in the distance. With a sigh of relief, the fox casually made his way to the end of the landing strip to find the young girl, with several flickies perched on the armrests and handlebars of her wheelchair. One was curled in a ball, sitting in Helen’s palm as she ran her thumbs over its wings.

“Hey, Helen,” Tails greeted as he waved his hand.

“Oh, hi Tails,” Helen replied with a smile. The disturbance made the flickies scatter, save for the one still sleeping in the girl’s hands. The departing wings of its brethren, though, made it open its eyes, and moments later, the remaining flicky took off, eventually catching up to the nearest flicky.

“You doing okay?” Tails asked. “I didn’t notice you left while I was working on the plane.”

“Yeah, I’m doing fine,” Helen replied as a small gust of wind blew through her blond hair. “Just wanted to get outside is all.”

“Yeah,” Tails said, sitting on the edge of the runway, allowing his legs to dangle off the side. “It’s pretty relaxing up here.”

“Could use less noise, though,” Helen replied with a chuckle.

“Yeah, you’re right about that!” The orange fox peered down to find the hustle and bustle of Station Square below. “You know, Angel Island doesn’t usually float above a major city like this.”

“I remember you telling me that the island used to float above an ocean, right?” Helen asked as she peered down at the fox, who was kicking his legs opposite of each other.

“Yep!” Tails replied with a nod. “I’ll admit, Angel Island was much more tranquil back then.” Indeed, the cityscape below was partially obscured by the clouds, but the traffic, horns, and emergency vehicle sirens could still be heard from below.

“I worry more about those under us,” Helen observed. “The island may protect against the rain, but nobody below is getting any sunlight.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Tails replied as he rested his chin on his palms, his arms kept upright on his legs as he continued kicking his feet. “I still don’t know what’s going on with this island.”

“You mean how it got here?” Helen asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

“More than that,” Tails replied as he pulled himself up, placing his hands on his hips as he studied the island around him. “I falsely assumed that Chaos Control would bring us back to Mobius, but based on our experiences so far, it appears Mobius is coming to us.” He gestured his hand, as if using Angel Island as his evidence. “At first, it was just a small group of us who were transported. When we activated Chaos Control from Earth, instead of going back, we inadvertently brought a chunk of home back here. It makes me think we’ll never be going back home…”

“Don’t say that,” Helen replied, rolling to the orange fox’s side and placing a palm on his shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll come up with a way.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence,” Tails replied, peering up at the young girl with a smile. “Let’s just hope you’re right.” The orange fox pulled the yellow Chaos Emerald from his namesakes. “At least now I have an entire workshop to myself so I can study the mystical properties of the Chaos Emeralds, and with the Master Emerald within a walking distance, it won’t be as tedious as the time I tried hauling all of my stuff from my house to Angel Island back on Mobius.” The fox chuckled. “I sure do miss my old workshop, but I’m glad Knuckles gave me permission to build a new one up here.”

“And we can have sleepovers too!” Helen replied with a smile.

“Yeah!” Tails raised his arms in excitement. “I miss being at your place all the time, but on the flip side, there’s a certain level of peaceful tranquility up here that I didn’t really have at your place, no offense.”

“None taken,” Helen shook her head. “My parents’ house was a bit too small anyway.”

“You know,” Tails continued. “I offered to have Sonic come live with me like in the good ol’ days. I even told him I could build a bunk bed like what we had before, but he prefers living at Amy’s.”

“Oh yeah,” Helen replied as the two began making their way back to Tails’ workshop. “I’ve been there a few times. They have a small, one bedroom apartment not far.” It was Helen’s turn to chuckle under her breath. “Plus, her place always smells like baked goods! She’s gotten even better at baking since she started working at the bakery just down the road from her apartment.”

“Everyone seemed to move on after our showdown a few months ago,” Tails replied. “We’ve gotten so comfortable living here, but it isn’t all bad. Eggman and Chris are in jail, and even Cream’s about to enroll in elementary school with Bokkun.”

“Yep,” Helen said with a nod as they stepped through the open garage door of the workshop. “She’s super excited, too! We’ll take the same bus and everything!”

“Sure was nice of your parents to let them stay with you,” Tails said with a chuckle.

“Well, if they could handle an entire batch of aliens for months on end, they can handle Cream and Bokkun for a bit longer.” This earned the laughter of Tails, with Helen quickly joining in.

“Now that I finished the routine maintenance on the Tornado 2, I can take you home if you’d like.” Tails put on a backpack. “Otherwise, you can come with me to the Master Emerald Shrine.”

“Oh, what’s going on there? Going to study the Master Emerald like you did on Mobius?” Helen asked, placing a finger on her chin in thought.

“Yes,” Tails replied. “When I was having difficulties constructing my Chaos Emerald detector back home, Knuckles taught me how to speak to the Master Emerald through meditation.¹ I’m hoping he will let me try that again in the hopes of getting some answers.”

Pulling out her flip phone, Helen checked the time. “2 PM? Yeah, it’s still pretty early, so I’ll come with!”