Nikki was wide awake, sitting down in his seat in the hot and cramped truck. There wasn't any room to lie down. He looked at Peni. She was asleep. He looked to Madonna, Kate, Kofi, Espio, Charmy and Vector. Nobody was awake. Then he looked to Cherry.
She was totally faking it.
Nikki didn't feel comfortable in the truck, for multiple reasons now. So he opened the door and walked out into the dirt parking lot. The truck was the only vehicle in sight. He jumped up onto the taped-up roof of the car, and sighed in relief at the cool breeze blowing against his face. He stared at the midnight moon.
"What are you doing outside?" Cherry asked. Nikki sat up quickly, startled. Her voice was hollow once more. She turned to sludge and slithered up the side of the car. She sat down next to Nikki.
"How's it any of your business?" Nikki asked.
"I just don't want you running off, that's all," Cherry replied.
"Right. So you can take my heart and run off yourself," Nikki grumbled.
"What? I can't do that," Cherry told him. Nikki glanced at her, puzzled. "I'm not ditching 4D. They're my friends. Who does that sort of thing?"
"Wait… they're actually your friends?" Nikki asked. "I didn't think you cared about anyone."
"Excuse me? You've got it all wrong," Cherry replied. "I have no personality, that doesn't make me heartless." Nikki suddenly felt a sting of guilt. "It was always hard for me to make friends, but 4D is special. They're so nice and fun to be around. Madonna, Kate, Kofi… They don't care what people are like. They love anyone and everyone because they just love people." Cherry paused, and looked up at the night sky.
"I get that, I guess," Nikki replied. "I have someone like that in my life."
"I just have to wonder… would they still like me if I was somebody completely different?" Cherry asked. "I'm worried that when I find my personality that they might…" Cherry trailed off.
"That they might treat you differently?" Nikki asked.
"No… I'm worried that they'll treat me the exact same… What if I'm just filling a role that anyone can take?" Cherry muttered. Nikki heard a twig snap behind them. He and Cherry immediately spun around to face the sound.
"I am having ze doubts on whether or neither these are Eggman's associates," a voice with a heavy accent murmured. "It's more than likely just teens on a camping trip. It is a waste of time, non?" Cherry turned to sludge and slithered over to the source of the voices. Eggman wasn't a term you heard often in the empire. It was punishable by death in his land and only really used in other countries as a form of mockery.
"Quiet down, Tony," what appeared to be a bunny hissed. "You're blowing our cover. Even if they aren't associated with Eggman, they're citizens of the empire."
"Lexa, scan for weapons," a female voice whispered.
"Scanning, Mona," a computerized voice stated. "Eight rockets along with an undetermined amount of shurikens and smoke bombs detected."
"Definitely not Eggman's goons," Mona's voice muttered. "It's a false alarm, we should just head back to base before they spot us." Cherry was suddenly hit with a long wooden object to the head. She was knocked to the ground by a stick held by a crazed badger. Nikki rushed over to the tree Cherry had gone to in order to assist. He nearly Spin Dashed into the figure that had knocked her over… before he saw that the figure was none other than Sticks, the conspiracy theorist wackjob from all the way back in Seaside City.
"Sonic?" Sticks asked. "Hey guys, he's here!" Cherry sat there, dazed. Sticks helped her up. "Sorry 'bout that. Thought you were from the government."
"It's you! What are you doing all the way out in the Great Forest?" Nikki asked.
"Hello, Sonic. We've been awaiting your arrival," Mona greeted. She walked over and extended her hand for a handshake. In the moonlight, Nikki and Cherry could see that she was an anthropomorphic chipmunk with a blue vest.
"That's… not my name," Sonic mumbled.
"Well that's just plain ol' baloney. Jed here was spying on you two fighting in Station Square after the city's evac," the rabbit said. Cherry backed away. "That laminated business card was a tracker, sorry!" Sonic pulled out the business card, and gave it back to Sticks confusedly.
"Stalkin' people is only okay when I do it," Sticks, whose codename must have been Jed, interrupted.
"The Enerbeam, the speed, it was pretty obvious who it was," Mona said. "And… Jed has her pre-disposed suspicions of everyone. Needless to say, you two could be a big help to the Freedom Fighters and our cause."
"Freedom… Fighters?" Sonic asked, surprised. Seemed like these guys were the real deal. Sticks wasn't just crazy… she was also actually part of the Freedom Fighters. "I remember you guys. You were quite a pain in the butt to deal with when I was working under Robotnik."
"Dishonor! Your former forces and ours remain bitter enemies to this very night, and our brave soldiers always had you on ze tightropes whensoever we clashed," Tony the Coyote argued. "We were not merely pains within ze… necks."
"Do you know why we were always fighting, Sonic?" Mona asked. "Risking our lives by fighting Eggman, and by extension you?" Sonic shook his head slowly side-to-side. "My name is not actually Mona. It's Sally Acorn." Sally gestured to her friends as Sonic looked on in disbelief. "These two are Antoine and Bunnie D'Coolette, and you've already met Sticks the Badger. Last but not least, we have Nicole." Sally held up her phone-like device whose codename was apparently Lexa.
"We, the Knothole Freedom Fighters, were formed shortly after the Robotnik Empire invaded and took over the land of the Kingdom of Acorn, which my father was the monarch of," Sally continued. "Most of the citizens of that small kingdom were killed or exiled. But we stayed behind in hiding. Since then, we've been fighting to take back the very soil we stand on today and take back what's ours." Sonic stood there, absolutely dumbfounded.
"Look, we're sorry about what Robotnik did to your kingdom. But it has nothing to do with us," Cherry replied. "I don't want any part of this."
"Wait… let's hear 'em out," Sonic whispered.
"Thank you, Sonic. Phantom Thief, we've recently received word about what Eggman has been doing with the Silhouettes he's collected from your rampages," Sally muttered. Cherry eyed her. Sally didn't so much as flinch. "He's turning them into robots once those giant ambulances full of the Silhouettes arrive in Robotropolis." Sonic's heart skipped a beat. Cherry's eyes widened. "PT, don't worry about your identity being revealed. Regardless of whether you join us or not, we won't leak anything to the public. Because at this point, you're taking the empire down for us."
"Wait… I thought we were all in agreement that the Silhouettes being Roboticized was a bad thing!" Sonic exclaimed. "You're okay with that?"
"No. Because every ordinary RE citizen that falls to the Graying Pandemic is eventually turned into a tireless and unconditionally loyal Worker Bot," Sally replied. "But we've devised a plan to stop this and regain control. If you truly still care about these people, you will go along with it. Sonic, you know Robotropolis better than anyone here. If you can clear a way to the security cameras and hack all of them to redirect to Cherry, I believe her stare will be able to steal Eggman's heart, along with anyone else watching her as a bonus. Correct?" Sally turned to Cherry.
"Yeah, I don't have to look at someone in person to take their personalities," Cherry replied. "It works through electronics too."
"Then my theory is correct. With Robotnik out of the picture, I'll be able to take back my rightful place upon the throne and restore the Kingdom of Acorn," Sally stated. "We need both of you to make this work." Sally stared into Sonic's eyes. "Are you with me?"
"We were headed to Robotropolis anyways," Sonic said. "I suppose we could try."
"So it's settled," Sally replied. She inputted some commands on Nicole. Sonic felt the chip in his glasses buzz. He took it out, only for it to transform back to the Tails Electric. He had a message. It was a date. He was about to open his mouth to ask how Sally reached his device, when... "Meet you there, right?" Sally asked. She reached out her fist for a fist bump. Sonic obliged. "Just keep it a secret from your friends, okay?" Sonic and Cherry nodded. "See ya, Sonic." Sonic and Cherry ran back to the truck.
"I do not like ze mouth on that hedgehog," Antoine grumbled as the Freedom Fighters walked back into the woods. Sally pulled on a vine near a tree stump, and the top of the stump opened to reveal a tunnel. "He is already being on my nerves."
"Calm down, Sugar-Twahn. I'm sure he's not always like that," Bunnie replied, hopping into the opening in the stump. She was whisked away through the tunnel, presumably to a secret hideout of some kind.
"Your wife is right, Antoine," Sally sighed. "Sonic's going to be a good asset to our team, we kind of need him." Antoine grumpily jumped into the tunnel. Sally looked around for any spies, bots, or anyone really. Before she too entered the tunnel.