"Princess, please! This news is of utmost urgency! If we do not take the necessary precautions, who knows what other ruffians may come from the woodworks to get what they want!"
A frightened fox pleaded with a young woman adorned in a blue and white fluffy robe, she seemed to be scouring through maps and various miscellaneous items while her trusted advisor continued to follow her around her large study, who by the way, knocked on her door, complained about the state of affairs about the remaining cities in need of help after dealing with a near world-wide crisis, and spared no time letting her know what he has seen when surveying the last bits of damage. Surprise surprise, he missed the clear lack of sleep she's unfailingly kept. She looked as though she hadn't had a proper wink of sleep in days as her eyes continued to droop and daze about through her attempts at doing the essential means of work. She pushed back her auburn hair and massaged the tiredness away from her onyx eyes. The fox didn't let up, he strode back and forth schmoozing away the many problems that run slapdash in her kingdom thanks to the Metal Virus incident. She recounted the days she aided in the resistance, leading brigades and survivors away from the danger, and witnessing many succumb to the festering robotification. So many were fearful, and so little could be done to reassure their worries. It still plagues her in spite of all the efforts her friends made to help her drive beyond those days.
"Antoine..." Sally weakly called, not yet turning around to face him. "I understand that there is much to discuss and deliberate but do ya gotta be so passionate when you speak about every little thing?" she tried to put as much humor into her remark imaginable so as to not offend or stress her skittish fellow.
"I am so sorry Your Majesty, I know there is a lot on your plate, it's just that I want to make it clear just how vulnerable some important landmarks are! I mean for heaven's sake, Sally, they raided one of the oldest capitals in the country! Not just a store, or a bank, the entire capital has looked as though it has been ransacked! Ancient relics, millions of dollars, all-you-can-eat buffets, Sally !" Antoine dramatically listed down word for word. Sally tried her hardest to hold back her laughter at the last bit. Who steals from not one, but several buffets? "I tell you with my whole heart, this is pure madness! My, if I were you I-"
"Wouldn't allow the termites to even scavenge the sawdust, I am aware-"
"And that is precisely the sort of philosophy I recommend you adorn to evade any further impairment to our already wounded kingdom!"
"You are one of the few people who know me best..." Sally somberly uttered, looking extra dazed making mention of her closest friends. "( 'Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it...') You know that I will make certain work of what's been misplaced with the help of the gang, you know this. " Antoine noticed the sadness in her voice and zipped right up. Truth be told, he let the concern get a little too much in his head considering all that has gone downhill these past few months, but he sometimes forgets that Sally has to shoulder this burden quite often and more than anyone else.
"Ahem, I in no way mean to dampen your spirits, mademoiselle. It's been hectic in the cities, heck even the small villages have been in disarray in an attempt to go from the ground up, the damages costing many a fortune! Some vandals may use this open wound to infiltrate and pursue far more things than necessary-"
"Don't worry. I understand." Sally whispered yet in such a quiet room, it sounded so loud, very clear.
"R-right"
"I know you're...worried about the safety of everyone and just want as much progress made as possible. Trust me, I do too. It's just a bit taxing."
"If rest is what you need, that's completely fine! I can handle the remaining work needed-"
"No no!" Sally finally turned to meet the gaze of her fox friend who jumped at her sudden objection. "I can manage just fine! I just need to freshen up and get ready for the day." Sally got up from her desk ready to do just that. First things first, bathtime. As she walked, paused midway to let her silly buddy know of something. "I will need some help getting the extra details for any reports by the locals, however. So if you could help me with that, it would be splendid." Sally smiled softly, feeling a little better seeing Antoine proudly puff up his chest, smirk stretched wide, salute engaged and his list ready to spill very much so from his lips.
'Here we go...'
"Remember! I stated that some important relics to the history of Mobius had been stolen and had gone missing for a time now, the history of our kind helplessly getting whisked away to some no man's land ordered by a nobody despot attempting to ransom it away like a cruel joke," thirty minutes have gone by and Antoine stood outside the bathroom door still extrapolating peculiar events, heavy on the fear-mongering but of course, in good ole Antoine fashion, implementing himself in scenarios as if he'd work his distinctive magic and obliterate the issue in no time flat.
"Have I mentioned the repugnant state our neighboring cities are in, all thanks to some low lives who refuse to do so much as mind their behinds! I swear, what will it take to make the Blue Menace rid the world of the filth amongst men and women." another thirty minutes later, and now Sonic was mentioned.
"Come on, Antoine, he helped save the world for the thousandth time, the least you can do is show appreciation for his efforts."
"Hah! His drudgeries wouldn't be such an uphill battle if he thoroughly vanquished the evildoers once and for all, seeing as how he's the only one, ugh, 'capable' of resolving these unsettling matters."
Sally came from her room fully dressed in black, white, and gold, meeting with an irritated Antoine at her door. "I sense a hint of jealousy~" Sally teased, giggling as she left her friend a lush blush mess.
"Me?! Jealous ?!" His embarrassment, it's enigmatic! Or so he would like to trick himself into believing, for he nervously tried to think up reasons for exactly why he, Antoine, being envious of the Blue Punk was not in the realm of any sort of possibilities.
"I'll have you know that if I were to be in that hooligan's shoes, 90% of the world's issues would cease to exist!"
"Only 90%..?" a sly smirk laid confidently on her face.
"Well, I mean there's only so much good I'd be able to provide, Mademoiselle! I may be great but I need my beauty sleep as well!"
A gentle laugh spilled out of Sally, who felt a lot better after taking a break from her work to have some breakfast with Antoine outside in the garden. This time a ten-minute endeavor. "Yes of course! You are correct about that."
"Sonic has no excuse, however, for the majority of times he is in battle, he is given every opportunity to thwart Eggman's plans and stop him for good. I swear, he is far too careless to be deemed Mobius' hero! I have seen you take charge and lead the people through the resistance in various better ways than he could ever possibly dream of!"
Finally, after finishing her meal, she went to her study to retrieve some of her important documents for a meeting she planned on having with the rest of the Freedom Fighters. She made sure to detail some of the worries and complaints received from a number of people, namely the Curators of the Starlight National Museum, one of the areas Antoine stated got raided. ' This report is extensive. This could very much be cause for concern. May need to hire some detectives to sniff out the culprits and their intentions. We don't need any more catastrophes. ' Sally thought, rereading what she had written down on her status report.
"Heading to the meeting now, I presume?" Antoine stepped next to her, looking over her paperwork. Sally nodded as she tapped all her files on her desk, evening them out.
"Wishing to make all this info a lot more structured and digestible when reading over top-priority work. Hoping to make some major strides in progress this month."
"And that you will most certainly do! You have done such an exceptionally splendid job leading everyone out of this rut!" Antoine cheered with much pride, puffing his chest out with a self-fulfilled smile. Sally rolled her eyes and shook her head, not buying his newfound confidence now that he saw Sally finally head out to end the varying issues littering the country. Before she could head her way toward the door, her wall phone rang out alerting her and especially Antoine, he was caught off guard by it. Sally walked toward the device and answered the call.
"Princess Sally to the court, what seems to be the problem?"
"[Your Majesty, forgive my intrusion!]" a soft voice spoke on the other end of the line. "[I must inform you that a Princess Blaze wishes to meet you.]"
Blaze? Well, that's strange. Why did Blaze come all the way here to meet up with Sally? Not to mention the timing couldn't been any more inconvenient...
"While I am sure she came to visit for a good reason, is it possible for her to come by another time? I am busy right now."
Antoine's ear twitched with curiosity and skid on over to get a better listen to the conversation.
"[I would, but she has made it clear that her reasoning for being here is of the utmost importance. She seemed quite stressed.]"
' Stressed? ' Sally thought to herself. ' That certainly helps to make me nervous... ' Sally contemplated what to do next as she had a meeting scheduled, but she was also wondering if there was enough time to speak with Blaze before her appointed conference with the other Freedom Fighters. While ignoring Blaze's request could do more harm than good, Sally is aware that she needs to manage her time well. She checks the clock in her study and realizes that she will be about fifteen minutes early if she leaves for the conference room right now. ' Hmmm, I suppose I do have enough time to speak with her before the meeting starts. '
"Okay, I'll be down momentarily!" with that Sally hung up and briskly walked toward her door, catching her fox friend off guard tremendously. He nearly tripped over himself leaning too closely to get a good listen over the situation.
"Now wait a moment, what happened? Uh, there wouldn't happen to be another fight between some of the staff, would there? My poor rump is, er, still sore from last time..." Antoine somberly rubbed at his buttocks at the thought of the memory.
"No, nothing like that don't worry. Princess Blaze has visited the castle and is seeking a meeting with me."
"W-w-what? Why on earth has she traversed so far from home to be here?"
Sally opened her door before looking back at Antoine "I don't know, but I intend on finding out."
"What about the meeting!? A-aren't you supposed to-"
"I have enough free time to see Blaze and go to the meeting, don't worry!"
Clearly, being told not to worry was of little help to the poor fox, who had a peculiar expression on his face. Sally sighed but that didn't stop her from forming a smirk on her features.
"If you'd like, you can come with me if you're curious."
Antoine gasped, offended that Her Majesty even needed to request his involvement. "Of course, I will! What type of advisor would that make me if I don't help oversee the discussions made between two majesties."
In the garden, there are several beautiful kinds of flowers calmly doing their happy little dance every time the wind blows by, they seem so happy when it passes through, so content and free, and this puts Blaze's mind at ease with every little dance the flowers had to offer, letting the world know how alive and well they are whenever the wind whisked on by. She gently placed her hand on one of the many flowers, tilting it upwards and getting a good whiff of paradise. How relaxing. She really did need a breather after what she's been feeling lately. Apprehension, confusion, hopelessness...death. None were doing her any good to her psyche.
"No offense to you, Blaze, I trust ya a whole bunch, but why can't we just go straight to Sonic instead of wastin' our time wit some random royal?"
Blaze didn't turn her head but took the time to digest the question. Taking in the fragrance with her mind wandering like a playful child.
"Princess Sally has not only helped in saving her world from a dangerous virus that went around turning people into brainless soulless robots, but she is also very good friends with Sonic. She is capable of many things and can protect her people better with important knowledge in hand." Blaze pushed past the large flower she happily coddled and was saddened to see a wilted flower, barely holding onto life.
"Well, a friend of Sonic is a friend of mine, but man, if I had a nickel for every time I befriended someone who is from royalty, I'd have two nickels...which if ya ask me is a nickel too many..." A laugh lightly bounced upon the air at Sticks' little comments.
"I can't blame ya fer feeling uneasy, Springs!" a robotic hand thumbed away at a long blonde braid. "I'm still tryna wrap ma head around befriendin' a goofball like you, can ya imagine my face when I realized who I'd be rubbing elbows with?" the same robotic hand pointed to the now upset Blaze, who was currently too focused on the wilted flower.
Sally and Antoine reached the garden in time to see three girls all sitting together at one of the many tables spaced out in the enormous garden area. One of the girls was passionately spilling her heart out to another until she sensed a new set of presences in the area. She looked in their direction with great intensity while her buddy who followed her gaze was the opposite.
"Well, howdy y'all! Thank you kindly for allowin' us to be in the company of such prestige! Oh, where are my manners? The name's Bunnie Lepori! Be a pleasure being in the presence of another royal pal of Sonic's." The tough cowgirl humbly introduced herself with a wide pearly white smile, snatching the attention of Antoine who couldn't help blushing slightly at the very sight of her beaming face.
Sally couldn't help but brighten up at such a friendly face. "The pleasure is all mine, Bunnie! I am just as delighted to meet someone as sweet as you! Oh, Sally Acorn, by the way, hee hee!" as Sally shook Bunnie's hand he couldn't help but scan the cowgirl, landing his eyes on her robotic arm and legs. Confused, he felt the urge to ask for the backstory surrounding her robotic limbs but opted out of that awkward situation. Sally turned to see Sticks already a mere inch away from her face with her spread wide eyes peering into her soul as if to collect any sort of secret she could be hiding.
It was...unpleasant...but Sally didn't dare back away, holding her breath in fear of maybe unleashing a dramatic reaction out of a woman who somehow was getting closer and closer as time passed. "Yeah, you seem legit." In the blink of an eye, she stood a good distance away from her, giddy and excited "They call me Sticks! Though my lil sis, Marine, calls me by my real name Marg-I DIDN'T SAY THAT!" Sticks nose dived behind a table before she could finish her initial sentence. A deafening pause was met.
Sally cleared her throat to get the attention of the three girls. "Well, this is certainly an interesting way to get acquainted. Their liveliness is making me envious right about now!" Sally joked, causing Blaze to groan at first but then give in to her laughter along with the others.
"Well, at least Sticks' antics have managed to make us both laugh. Oh, and no offense intended!" Blaze quickly felt the need to reassure her friend. The last thing she wanted was to make Sticks feel like a clown, but it seemed that Sticks didn't mind as she raised a thumbs-up from behind a chair.
"Say, I was wondering what brought you over, Blaze. Would this be a more diplomatic situation or just a visit between friends?"
"Both."
"Both? What do you mean?" she asked, surprised by her friend's response as she blinked her eyes, curiosity abundant.
Blaze fixed her posture and tried to hide her concern, sometimes avoiding Sally's gaze and wringing her hands.
"Blaze...?"
"Dear friend, I value our friendship greatly. I have made many companions on Mobius which extended to me making new friends at home. Through my interactions with Sonic and his friends, I have learned a great deal about the importance of teamwork and the value of friendship as a whole. So, I would hate to withhold any vital information from you all when it can greatly aid you in defending your people."
" Defend your people ? Defend them from what??" A slightly shivering Antoine questioned.
"What happened?" Sally tried further to read Blaze's features and noticed the worry that swept over her face.
"There is...something lurking out there... festering . I don't know what it is but it may pose a threat to everyone and I do not wish to wait and find out how accurate my hypothesis is."
The response elicited a pause from everyone, which slowly transformed into complete fear. What on earth is happening!?
"H-how have you come to know of this newfound conundrum?" He said nervously, twiddling his thumbs.
"Did you find out through the Sol Emeralds, by any chance?" Sally asked. Blaze nodded, lost in thought as she pondered what the revelation could mean. So many emotions were stirred by such a brief glimpse into the unknown. "When did you learn about it?" Sally asked.
"A few days ago, it was all shown to me in a dream, one I can barely remember but distinctively feel. Like a fragmented memory. The girls and I have been discussing and searching the strange nature surrounding this revelation, even traversing archives in my personal library, only to come back with nothing but a map that leads to the unknown." Blaze pulled out a notebook that held inside it a rough sketch. "This was the first clue given to me by the Sol Emeralds when I attempted to get into contact with them. Clearly, they want me to follow the path illustrated, but so far I have yet to find any place that looks anything like it!" Sally and Antoine both examine the map, trying their best to think of any places like it on Mobius that match it, but to no avail.
"I told ya they'd run blanks!" Sticks loud voice startled Bunnie.
"Paranoid much, Springy..." Bunnie slyly teased a scoffing Sticks, who got up from behind her chair to quickly get a hold of the map.
"Paranoid, Polaroid!" Sticks waved away Bunnie's disregard for her concerns.
"I mean c'mon look at this thing! It's gotta be rooted in some otherworldly alien tech, zapping the natural juices of stars to feed their extraterrestrial overlord so they can have full reign of the building blocks of life!"
To say the two royals before her were bewildered would be a gross understatement.
"Well that is a, er, strong lead, but uh to be fair, Sticks, we haven't had a fair amount of time to research on the matter." Sally walked up to Sticks as she spoke. "Just give us another shot, I'm sure we'll find something. I'll even call Sonic over so he can help out!"
"That would be helpful. Sonic has faced many obstacles rooted in what was once unknown first-hand, so he would be a great ally for us." Blaze took a seat near the flowers, feeling a little dizzy but managing to hide it well. She didn't want to worry anyone about her nausea, although she couldn't understand why she was feeling that way.
"Noted!" Sally happily cheered getting ready to contact her Blue Adventurer through his ComLink, which captured Sticks' attention.
"I tells yah, Blaze looked like a kitty stuck in a winter storm smack damn in the middle of Jan. Never have I ever seen her so spooked before!" Bunnie shook her head just thinking about that day. "So when she called me and Sticks over to help let Sonic and his pals in on this news, how could we possibly say no? Sides, this be one heck of an adventure we'd be missin' out on! Be a mad woman to skip this ride, heh heh!"
"I'll never understand willingly going after danger, I mean I've had my fair share of scuffles but to such an extent? Sometimes it feels as though such individuals are trying to compensate for something, hmph!" Antoine grumbled and Sally rolled her eyes at his lack of self-awareness. Bunnie made her way over to the fox with a mischievous smirk.
"Come now, suga' plum, why be a Debbie Downer when you can be a rough houser? It's fun and gets the heart pumping mighty fierce!" with a wink of an eye, Bunnie demonstrated her physique with flexes to get her point across, leaving Antoine a blushing mess. He only tore his eyes away from the, ahem, ' bewitching presentation ', when Sally laughed at his red as a berry mug sweating bullets. He made sure not to spare even his highness from the infamous stank eye.
"I like the way you think, Bunnie!" Sally praised. "I especially like how you get Antoine to turn into a living furnace. It was getting a little chilly, y'know?"
"Ha ha ha, very funny!" He said sarcastically but to his dismay, the girls still had a jolly good laugh, leaving poor Antoine to pout
"[Sorry! Can't talk right now! Too busy either having fun or kicking butt! Leave a message at the beep!]"
"Huh. Sonic isn't answering his ComLink." Sally scratched at her head. "He usually picks up even when on an adventure. Guess this time around he's extra preoccupied."
Blaze didn't like the fact Sonic wasn't answering Sally's calls. Her paranoia was slowly starting to eat at her each time Sally called Sonic only for the same voice message to come up. What could Sonic be doing right now that caught his attention away from his devices?
Sighing, Sally pulled up her ComLink call logs one last time to try and contact the Blue Hedgehog, but this time, it went straight to voicemail. This was alarming.
"Uuuuh, where did the silly brrrrrr noise go?" Sticks asked.
Sally too began to feel a little uneasy. "I-I don't know...wait hold on let me call Tails! Maybe he knows where Sonic is." And so she went ahead and called Tails...
"[Miles "Tails" Prower here! Sorry, I can't make it to the phone right now, but you can leave a message after the beep!]"
The concern turned into dreadful reminders...
"Why isn't Tails picking up?! What's happening here?!" Antoine shivered, teeth already chattering. "The Hedgehog not picking up is one thing but Tails is a reliable young lad!"
Sally said nothing and just continued to call Tails back. Same result. Over and over came the blasted voice message and despite her best efforts, the recollection of past events was being toiled into the soil. Knuckles also didn't pick up and as Tails and Sonic, his voice message rang about like an omen.
"[Not available, leave a message.]"
Oh, the irony of a deafening silence. How deep can one's gut tumble down? Blaze had no intention of waiting around for answers to spill and immediately left the garden to locate Sonic on foot. No one could blame her for reacting fast.
"Blaze wait up!" Sticks shouted after Blaze with Bunnie closely following behind. Before she could leave, Sally caught up to Bunnie and grabbed her arm.
"Before you go, take this!" said Sally as she handed her ComLink to Bunnie. "Don't worry, I have an extra one, but it's not with me right now. I'll try to contact more friends to see if they've seen Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles at any point during the day. Use this Comlink to to map out your immediate area and, if their location is hopefully still on, you can try and track 'em down! I'll catch up with you guys later!"
"Thanks, Sally-Girl! This'll come in handy!" Bunnie ended their conversation with a wink and began to charge her boosters, hoping to catch up with the two speedsters.
"Ehe heh..." Sally turned to a nervous Antoine twiddling his thumbs. "What, er, do we do now?"
Sally gave Antoine a stern look, crossing her arms in front of her chest. It was clear that she didn't want him to run away. "We need to find Sonic," she said. "Maybe Eggman is behind his disappearance, or perhaps something else is going on," Sally recalled Antoine telling her about ancient artifacts that had been stolen from the Starlight National Museum. "Antoine, I need you to help me with something."
He blinked comically and said, "Yes, of course, my liege! What can I do for you?"
"I'll take the time to contact more people, you contact the Chaotix."
"Do you think they could help find Team Primary?" Antoine asked.
"No, but it is for those artifacts you brought up earlier. I wanna confirm a hunch I'm having." Though she truthfully hopes that whatever hunch she has, it all is just a huge misunderstanding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The workshop was pitch black, with only the eerie glow of the Chaos Emerald and the faint light from outside. The once-organized room was now in shambles, with most of Tails' gadgets slightly distorted. Six figures knelt in silence, one of whom had not been there before. They watched in shock as the emerald loomed before them, unsure of what other surprises it might bring.
"Is it o-over?" asked Nicole, her mind overwhelmed with strange inconsistencies and messages. She twitched violently, unable to properly anchor herself to reality, so she tried restlessly to reconfigure herself. The Emerald seemed to have caused a sort of hysteria that she didn't even know was possible. Sonic and Surge looked after her while she regained herself but never kept their eyes completely off the emerald.
"Phew, I think so. What happened just now?" A puzzled Tails' wondered, looking around his workshop, saddened by its state. "Knuckles?"
The Red Echidna knelt, his eyes shut in deep concentration. Beads of sweat formed as he tried to connect with the emerald once more which not too long ago, unleashed a strong reaction the moment Knuckles told everyone what he had heard from within the powerful gemstone. He attempted again and again to hear the voice but to no avail.
"She's gone...I can't hear her..."
"What is going on?" Standing up from his knelt position, Silver stood his ground in case anything else happened. "What caused this?"
"Hell if I know! Maybe the idiot accidentally triggered it or something!" Surge scowled, straightening her clothes. "He said some lady was talking to him like some nut-job!"
"Knuckles, when you said a woman was calling out for help, was it someone we knew by any chance?" Sonic asked.
Knuckles shook his head, eyeing the emerald once more before turning to Sonic. "No. Whoever she was, she sounded like no one I know of. But her voice was...so familiar despite the fact." Knuckles turned back to the emerald, it continued glowing ominously upon the distorted workbench, mesmerizing any who dares to look on for too long. "Regardless of who she is, she sounded like she was in grave danger."
"Is this what you and the others were trying to figure out, Nicole?" Tails asked. Nicole weakly nodded before attempting to stand up only to lean helplessly into Surge, who looked very troubled.
Sonic smoothly got back on his feet, stretching to release the tension from his limbs. "Good thing Silver arrived when he did, who knows what could have happened otherwise..." Sonic made sure to give his signature thumbs up and wink as a grateful gesture. "Thanks for the save bud! Came in the nick of time!"
"Don't mention it! Just glad everyone's okay...Well uh..." His eyes glazed over to Nicole who was still dizzy from the immense energy ripple that took place. "For the most part at least....You okay, Nicole?"
"Don't w-w-[w]-worry! Just encounter[ing unanticipated] inter-inter[fer]ences with my body. It seems that [due to] my distinctive composition, whatever was ca-ca-carried on by the two separate [unstable polarities] of the emerald entered my divisive characteristics [and so my body is trying] to manage it accordingly. Other than that, I am only suffering from slight nausea."
"Least one problem's getting fixed, but what the hell ya s'pose we do about this irritating mess?!" Surge extends her hand to the powerful gemstone in vexation. "We finally got more clues on there being a bigger issue, so what now, Fluff?!"
"When we were given this task, Mr. Purancer advised that we make extra sure that the Master Emerald wasn't facing the same issues. Though this is far from what happened to us on our planet."
"Before you guys came by, me and Tails got wrapped up in a disagreement. It was about Tails calling me to check out what he found..."
"Oh, that's right! You said I called you but I hadn't done anything of the sort in weeks!"
"How are you guys sidekicks and fail to mention stuff like this when it's necessary!?" Surge seethed
"Surge now's not the time."
"I think it's the perfect time! While we wasted time prattling about crap that doesn't matter, these wastes of space thought keeping important crap like this hidden until everything hit the fan was a good idea! This should have been one of the first things stated!"
Knuckles growled darkly. " Wastes of space ?" Sonic had to play the middleman and interject between the two hotheads
"Knux-"
"Pot calling the kettle black? Weren't ya the one wasting everyone's time by attacking Sonic, time needed to get vital work done? Sounds like a bit of projection if ya ask me-"
"Better watch yourself, cheerleader." Now it's Silver's turn to play the middleman. "I may have fought that parasite during a mission, but at least I didn't sit on my lazy butt with game-changing information. I've made it clear that I hate that Faker for as long as I can possibly remember, so don't act like your anything special, boot-licker."
"Shadow's not gonna like his signature line being hijacked-" Sonic couldn't finish his statement. Knuckles was getting more riled up at being called a 'cheerleader' and 'boot-licker'.
Tails and Nicole watched on helplessly, unable to comprehend the argument that was unfolding before them. Discord was spreading seamlessly, all for the sake of petty remarks and delayed information. The two couldn't fathom why such trivial matters were being given so much importance at this moment.
"The one thing I'm not is a follower, unlike you! I may not know you all too well, but one thing I do know is that your dear old pal Dr. Starline-"
"Hey Silver," Sonic interrupted Knuckles before he could finish his sentence by embracing him tightly. Knuckles, who was still upset, glared at Sonic with irritation but was also confused by this random gesture. Sonic isn't the type to give out hugs. "I have to ask, where were ya during all of this? It shocked the heck out of us when we learned you formed a team with-"
"Get outta the way rodent! Can't you see this wuss is begging to be placed into the ground?! What are you aching for your demise too?" Silver's eyes were slowly growing darker at her behavior. He was not at all a fan of her words flung at Knuckles and especially didn't like how she spoke to Sonic.
The blue hedgehog nervously scratching his head "Hey, I'm just the mediator, there's no need for the hostilities!" Sonic, a little too casually, sheepishly replied, which served as ire for Surge's and Knuckles' flames. Too casual and playful for their liking. "Everythin' goin' kaput hardly seems like a picnic in the park if ya ask me, so why don't we just settle with a truce?"
"Who died and made you boss?"
"Just handing out a suggestion. Though if you wanna burn away the remaining time we have, provin' Knuckles' point, go for it, just don't blame me if ya fall flat on your spikey mug."
Her face flushed red from embarrassment at his comment and even further once Knuckles snickered loudly and pridefully afterward.
Tails let out a groan as he tried to relieve the tension mounting inside him. "Guys, we really shouldn't-" Before he could finish his sentence, Surge pushed him violently to the side, causing him to stumble and almost fall. Fortunately, Sonic caught him just in time.
"You guys can solve this stupid mystery on your own. Unlike you guys, I could care less if the world keels over and rots!" Surge exited the damaged workshop with a large slam of the now completely destroyed door, leaving behind a now silent crew of people.
"Good riddance..." Knuckles grumbled, taking his attention back onto the emerald. "No offense to you Silver, but how do you manage to work with the worst possible person?"
Silver looked troubled by the question, unsure of what to reply with as it was a seemingly touchy subject. When Knuckles turned to face him, he instead looked to Knuckles sadly, soft somber features caught the echidna off guard.
"Silver," catching the hedgehog's attention, Nicole grunted as she slowly stood from the ground. "Surge, she's-"
"Don't worry, I'll catch up with her. In the meantime, I think enough time has been spared. We need to see the state of the Master Emerald as quickly as possible. If what I have been told is true, The Master Emerald having an unauthorized absence would not be pretty."
"The Master Emerald is what keeps all other emeralds at bay. The Emeralds are the servers, the Master Emerald being the controller. If anything were to happen to it." Knuckles grew more agitated the longer he spoke, his heart pumped with fear and sorrow at the thought of the Master Emerald going silent. "We have to go, NOW!"
"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's head out now and get the proper intel needed for further investigation!"
"Took the words right outta my mouth, Tails!" Sonic chuckled.
"Alright, Nicole, I'll contact you if I find anything once thing's settled with Surge."
"Heh, good luck Silver...or should I call ya, Fluff. " Silver groaned at Sonic's teasing but laughed playfully nonetheless.
Silver sarcastically replied, "Very funny," before leaving in a hurry after his angry companion. However, he suddenly stopped in his tracks as he realized that he had forgotten something important. He quickly turned back and grasped the damaged doorframe. "Oh, one more thing! To answer your question, Sonic, I let Shadow in on the situation. I lent him a holographic device that contained all the important data so that I could come back to you guys."
"Wait what-"
"I'll explain more later, see ya!" Silver flew back off cutting Sonic off from his question. Sonic shrugged and with everyone else in the room, he waved for them to follow him outside.
"Now or never!" Then there were four. With the situation piecing itself more and more, they needed to think and act fast...and so they did.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At G.U.N Headquarters, Shadow and Rouge are reviewing the device handed by Silver in one of the secured rooms they hang out in. It shines beautifully like a royal pendant, effortlessly getting the attention of the famous thief.
"My, my! Where do you suppose Silver got his hands on this lovely accessory?" Rouge continued to ogle the device, even going as far as to fix her hair in its reflection. Shadow merely hummed calmly in response, thinking back on what Silver told him about the Chaos Emeralds. Rouge pouted at his subpar response and attempted to swipe the ivory beauty out of his hands. She seemed to have forgotten just who Shadow was at the moment, as he ended up effortlessly moving it away from her grubby hands. "Oh come now, Shadow, all I wanna do is get a closer look-"
"You've had enough sightseeing as it is, last thing I'd want is for you to act reckless and lose what vital info we have..."
"Please, who do you take me for, a rookie? I've been involved in more heists and expeditions than you have, pal!" Rouge argued, poking Shadow's head while doing so. He was slightly annoyed but ignored her attempts at vexing him. He went back to focus on the questions floating in his head. Where did Silver get this from? Why was he given the task? Who is he working for? What does this insignia mean? Each question served to fuel the doubts that echoed in his head. Too many tricks and toils have been doctored with nothing but malicious intent, it's only natural to oppugn the nature of this circumstance.
"[ Why does Shadow have an unidentifiable device in his possession? ]"
Rouge looked up to see E-123 Omega entering the room, his heavy footsteps filling the area with his domineering presence.
"Oh, just something Silver dropped off," Rouge answered, eyes still on it, trying to patiently wait for Shadow to finally get a move on and activate it. "Where have you been, casanova? I presume to track down every single badnik in the vicinity?"
"[ Affirmative. I have surveyed the immediate areas around the municipality and have found zero Eggman robots. ]"
"Well, that's good. Wouldn't want any distractions if we plan on finally opening up this beaut." Rouge directed Omega's attention back to the disk. Shadow finally looked up at Omega and figured he should give his idea a whirl...though he hoped that, if his hunch was true, it wouldn't leave Omega in shambles.
"Omega, try scanning this. I need to know if it's safe to look into."
"Why on earth would you need to do that? Do you seriously think Silver got tricked by some low-brow salesmen or something?" Rouge asked, lying on the table bored as she watched Omega take the ivory disk from Shadow. "Silver may be naive, but he learns from his mistakes. He's shown that much."
"You can never be too careful. Silver can be overly trusting even when taking proper precautions."
"[ This is true. ]" Omega chimed in. "[ Silver The Hedgehog, while an ally, has aided and burdened us with many tribulations. He behaves like that of a fool. ]"
"I think you guys are being a little hard on the cutie." Rouge giggled.
"And you weren't? Didn't you push him down a hill over your precious gemstones?"
"If it means saving my darlings, I'd do it again~" Rouge said without skipping a beat, her sly sensual smile taking center stage. "But back to the topic at hand. Sure, he's stumbled and maybe brought some poor suckers down with him, love you guys by the by," She winked at the suckers in question. "But you two aren't without your fair share of sins, now are you?"
What could they say to counter the truth? They have caused further damage in their own right all on purpose and Rouge was there to see it firsthand. They also couldn't call her out on her actions because unlike them, she's never truly changed her ways and doesn't plan on doing so. Especially not if a certain stubborn Red Echidna keeps cutely guarding her ultimate prize. So they settled on either grunting in defeat or analyzing the peculiar disk.
"Alright, we're here." All turned to look toward the door that now bore two new faces gazing back at them. "Why'd you call us over, Rouge?"
"Took ya long enough. I swear, Topaz, you say you're not an old lady yet move exactly like one-"
" Why'd you call us, Rouge! " The angry woman repeated, scaring the timid man who tried his damnedest not to get too close to an active explosive.
"Now, is that any way to speak to your best friend? Have a heart, old lady!" Rouge sarcastically responded, trying her best to hold back her laughter.
"Best friend?! More like worst enemy!" Topaz seethed
"I've noticed you've been extra infuriating today, Rouge, what's that all about?"
"For your information, Shadow, I'm merely teasing, having fun, not giving a damn? Though, I'm not surprised such a concept has never dawned on you." A throbbing vein appeared on Shadow's forehead. "God forbid a woman have hobbies."
"Is it safe to assume that your anger stems from the Chaos Emeralds being-"
"Yes."
"Hmm, figures..."
"Uh, could I possibly intervene by any chance?"
Topaz spun around to face Chris Throndyke, G.U.N's top scientist and a trusted friend of Sonic, Shadow, Silver, and the rest of the gang. He laughed nervously, not knowing how to continue from this point forward. He's spent a considerably long time with Team Monochrome since they happen to stick with G.U.N as their main occupants and top agents, but they still exude an energy he could never keep up with. It was pretty scary at times.
"I'm so sorry, Dr. Thorndyke! Excuse my behavior!"
"Heh, you can just call me Chris! Also, It's fine! I'm sure you and Rouge have fun interactions like this all the time!"
Topaz's eyes squinted in annoyance. "With all due respect sir, 'fun' is a huge misinterpretation of our exchanges."
"You know you love me!"
" Shut it! "
"[ Analysis complete. ]" Omega removed the disk from his tray and handed it back to Shadow.
"What'd you find?" Shadow glanced at the disk as he waited for the answer.
"[ No signs of danger. Negative anomalies. Zero threats or tracking devices located. ]"
"What'd I tell ya? Knew Silver didn't get involved in anything sketchy."
"Was worth the thorough deliberation."
"Hold on, what are you guys investigating?" Chris asked.
"[ I was tasked with analyzing a peculiar messaging device and concluded that its mechanisms serve no known threat. Its whereabouts evades my careful analysis. ]"
"Silver was the one who handed it to me and advised I look it over with trusted officials at G.U.N." Shadow clarified, he walked up to the two humans to hand them the disk. "He said it would help fill in the blanks for why he came to Mobius."
"Would you believe it! He said the Chaos Emeralds may be suffering from a fever of all things!"
The instantaneous shock that came after such a ludicrously terrifying theory was no small reaction. They're sure that their hearts skipped a beat even.
"Chaos Emeralds? Fever?" Chris repeated Rouge's words as he looked over the disk.
"How is he so sure about this?" Topaz asked frantically to a now visibly worried Rouge. "When did he even find out?"
"That's where the disk comes into play."
Chris and Topaz examined the insignia carefully. It depicted a bird with raised wings and a circle above it. Despite their efforts, they couldn't determine its origin. As Chris traced his finger over the symbol, it suddenly glowed a bright white color, surprising everyone present in the room.
Topaz tried to see what was happening through squinted eyes, managing to witness a strange figure forming through the light surrounded by bright white feathers. "What's going on!?"
"[ I am unable to determine the exact source within the disk. Scans unreliable. ]"
Shadow looked on while shielding his eyes from as much light as possible and viewed what seemed to be a young woman with short red hair and a beautiful white outfit adorned with both feathers and motifs of feathers. She stood there gracefully as if she were praying earnestly waiting for the feathers that circled to dissipate like gentle snowflakes.
Rouge slowly opened her eyes to witness the woman before her. "Who on Mobius is that!?"
Opening her eyes, revealing the crystal lake blue that shone with righteous determination, she stood there staring into nowhere but thinking of somewhere...her lips parted gently, ready to relay the message they all sought to hear but weren't prepared for what was awaiting them.
Elegant Bliss and Cautious Realism. A tale as old as time. Those who have seen it don't know how it has brought about salvation for simply existing, but they don't dare to stop it, worrying that it may pave the way to inexhaustible distress and misery. " It is that Bliss that our world has harbored and praised, erasing what makes reality a necessity ". Said the Cautious side. " Repeatedly reminding us of turbulent terrors that have yet to come or even exist, does little to better our lives ". Said the Blissful side. Instead of balance, they drew a line in the sand and became two dots on opposing ends...facing each other only through illusions of perceived notions, evermore. This has become Symmetry. Their Symmetry.
Everyone stood in awe at what they were hearing and seeing. The words spoken by the mysterious woman hold so much sincerity and depth, almost as if they have witnessed her sorrowful recollection...was it a recollection even? No one was sure so they chose to let her continue rather than question.
Their Symmetry didn't last, however. They laid a line out but failed to make it permanent. Marks in sand eventually wash away. So too stability and what we as people come to know...Both sides argued, fought, and unleashed a disaster long past. Elegant Bliss was lost alongside Cautious Realism. Only pain remained as a grim consequence of their misconstrued balance. What stays is the derivatives, which is today.
Chris' expression drew his features glumly. "Sounds like an explanation for why Torque forever burns violent flames. A divided nation that refused to see eye to eye, only to falter and plunge into a perpetual twilight."
"Lasting darkness via endless flames. An ironic end to a once advanced world?" Topaz whispered glumly.
I do not come here to lecture, but to share. Not many people know the history of this planet or why we are constantly surrounded by devastation. Once you see the turmoil that lies within the beautiful minerals that serve their respective planets, you'll understand how we reached such circumstances. We ask not only for aid. We ask also to avoid the dark reality we live in today. The sins of the past now make up our reality. Tainting what we once loved. I fear the same may happen to you in the worst way possible, for chaos unquestionably will reign if so.
Rouge's ear twitched as her eyebrow slickly rose once the mention of minerals serving their 'respective planets' was brought up. 'So there are other pretty gemstones to nab? ' she thought mischievously, hiding her wide smile behind her gloved hand as best as she could, as she lay there staring at the holographic woman.
"So what I'm gathering," Shadow started, inching closer to the hologram, stern eyes reading her face. "Is that the emeralds on her planet, like ours, were being misused and it blew up in their faces, as per usual."
"[ Impassionate woman states there is a greater threat, yet her allusions are not transparent. Threat should be disclosed in detail. ] Omega said, serious as ever.
"I assumed she meant the emeralds, though it is very possible for her to allude to a bigger threat." Topaz emphasized.
"Not only that. It seems like whatever those fools accomplished, it didn't just destroy everything in its wake." Shadow's eyes sharpened just thinking about what he was about to say. "It left residuals of the cataclysm, cursing the very planet with perpetual flames."
"So that's why after all this time, they haven't been able to get back on their feet! They, in reality, are trapped in the past's mistakes!" Chris finished off Shadow's thoughts enthusiastically.
Shadow nodded astutely. "Precisely. How truthful the details are is another story of its own, however. At the end of the day, she's a stranger handing us a report."
"[ Details on emeralds' condition are mandatory. Requiring needed lists of symptoms to properly diagnose. ]"
"That's another thing, how is she so certain that her emeralds acting up means ours will too?" Rouge interrogated.
Topaz chimed in with her own fair share of questions. "That's right. Isn't it odd to jump to such big conclusions? This is exclusively tied to her planet. Why the universe?" Topaz bore her doubtful eyes into the paused hologram. "Who's to say she isn't selling a lie?"
"We don't even know who she is! You'd think she'd at least introduce herself before getting into the dirty details." The sassy Bat quizzed.
"To be fair to her, we are interrupting the holographic message she sent. It seems to halt automatically when a voice or more is heard in the vicinity." Chris articulated. He couldn't prevent his thoughts from rummaging through his brain as he mused the tech used to make the hologram so clear and concise.
"Fine, just hope she gets to the relevant stuff already." Rouge sighed, laying her chest flatter on the table, kicking her feet back and forth like a schoolgirl.
After a three-second countdown, the message went on like clockwork.
The obstacles that may come our way will not succeed, it mustn't succeed. Reaching its goal only means we as people will cease to be, forevermore. So please, as a princess, I ask of you a troubling yet significant task to ensure all will live a better future filled with nectar and honey, not soot and tar.
There was a pause for a brief moment, the woman looked as though she struggled to find the right words, teetering even. She shook her head, confusing those watching, and regained her composure.
Silver, Surge, and Nicole will guide you all to the necessary steps to avoid world-ending threats and to help them soothe the savage beast aching to bring upon innocent minds and hearts with cries of despair. I'm hoping that I helped make clear just how grave this entire situation is...I am entirely sure that we will overpower this festering evil!
In a snap, she suddenly looked up as if she was being spoken to before her face flashed a slight red upon her pale complexion.
Oh! Uh, before I go!
Her current bashfulness was such a stark contrast to her heavenly and reassuring presence earlier. How jarring!
My name is Elise Cientia Sophia III. I, uh, apologize for my ineptitude! We will meet again! I promise!
Elise playfully placed her knuckles on her head, sticking her tongue out like that of a young girl.
Seems that even when she stumbles and warns of terrible dangers, she won't shy away from displaying her soft-spoken kind soul, unafraid of showcasing her playfulness during such a dark time.
"[ What an odd specimen. ]"
"Aren't we all kinda odd?" Chris responded to which Omega turned to him slowly causing the scientist to sweat.
"[ Mayhaps. ]"
The hologram vanished into the disk, returning it to its previous flatter state. Now all that remained were further questions and worries about the emeralds.
"Let's get to work." Shadow commanded already on his way to the door.
"Now wait a second, Shadow! We just got done listening to the report! Don't you think it would be better to discuss all that we've learned?" Chris asked nervously. "I know, I know, you think going a more head-on approach would be more effective..."
"Which it is."
"R-right! But there was a lot to take away from this. Wouldn't mulling it over be of great help here?"
Topaz hummed in uncertainty. "I think it's better if we were the ones to do that rather than have all of us think it over, Dr-er-Chris." Topaz added.
"I mean yeah but..."
"Sending out a search team to look for the emeralds while the remaining squad members stay behind to look over any new developments would make for a far more effective tactic."
"Not to mention that Shadow has an annoyingly good memory." Rouge joined in, with a smirk for good measure. Omgea offered his hand for Rouge to climb on and sit on. "If you're worried about info slipping past us, Shadow's the last person to worry about. Just relax and let us handle this mess accordingly."
The team, as confident as ever, made quick work of the scientists' worries, bringing about a newly acquired confidence in their methods. He has good reason to be cautious, of course, but how could he forget that Shadow doesn't function the same way Sonic does? He's far more discreet but quick to rid of the issue whenever possible. Speaking of Sonic...
"Do you plan on telling Blue about all this?" right on que Topaz asked what was on Chris' mind.
Shadow looked back and paused. "Telling Sonic is a given. He needs to know so further casualties can be avoided."
"Don't worry dark and handsome, I'll contact Big Blue now so he's in on the scoop." Rouge went on to activate her ComLink and dialed Sonic's contact info.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Can the tornado go any slower?!" Knuckles growled, firmly seated on the plane's wings with little trouble as it soared through the crystal blue skies. Sonic, who was on the opposite end paid the irritable echidna no attention as he laid about carefree, simply enjoying the fresh air and soothing sights that came with it. Nicole sat behind Tails as she rummaged through her memory files to further review the numbers and state of the chaos emerald, safely held in a glass case.
"I'm sorry Knuckles, I know you're in a hurry but this is the fastest the Tornado could go!" Tails yelled over the turbulence, seemingly unfazed by Knuckles' agitation. "We should be getting to the island soon though!"
"You said that an hour ago!"
"Knux, he said that thirty seconds ago, what are ya on about?!" Sonic chuckled causing a good laugh to come from Nicole as well.
"Well excuse me for being rightfully pissed about this crappy situation!" Knuckles roared at the Hedgehog. Sonic shrugged with his classic playful smile.
"If I had a nickel for every time I heard that excuse come outta your mouth-"
"Watch it, Blue Boy!"
"Guys! I can't see! Move outta the way!" Tails whined. Nicole giggled away at their shenanigans. Even though the situation is less than ideal, they always manage to make the atmosphere feel so much less tense. She missed this. Dearly.
"You guys haven't changed one bit have you" Nicole said happily, feeling a lot more...lax now...just a tad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This will be Rouge's third time calling Tails after trying three times to call Sonic. Each time leaving Rouge more and more confused. One adventurer not answering is one thing, but two ? A dash of worry passed over her when she transfixed on Knuckles' name on her contacts list, a sort of worry that Shadow caught onto. Her eyes. He was the only one to notice.
He grabbed onto her wrist before she could even attempt to call him, to which she gave Shadow an annoyed glare.
"You mind?"
"Very much so."
"What's going on? Why isn't Sonic or Tails answering their calls?" Topaz nervously asked as she and Chris walked up to them.
"It's not usual for them to not answer their calls, especially Tails." Chris worridly pointed out.
Rouge pulled her wrist away from her teammate, a tad rougher than needed. "It's why I wanna see if at least Knuckles will pick up! They hang out all the time even when the Knucklehead is on duty, it's only natural to see if he at least picks up-"
"No." Plainly, Shadow ordered Rouge with his famous stare that looks through anyone who beckons for it. She was beginning to get a little more annoyed but didn't say anything else to give Shadow the chance to make his case. "Wasting time, calling them over and over, it does nothing. We're wasting valuable minutes that could be used to figure out the situation. Yet you dawdle. If you wish to let the clock tick, don't expect me to wait around until you've come to your senses." Shadow didn't spare a singular second before he walked away.
"[I am in agreement. I'd like to start this mission as to return to my usual duties.]" Omega stated, looking to Rouge for her response
"Guys-"
"It's okay, Topaz." Rouge calmly reassured. Her dear friend looked on in worry but was surprised to see Rouge hold an indifferent expression. "I hate to say he's right, but..."
She had to throw in the towel early for this one. She trusts his intuition and reasoning. It hasn't failed them yet, so why fight what works? She also has a sneaking suspicion that he didn't just tell her that just so they can start working...
"Could I at least call-"
BEEP BIP BEEP BIP
Rouge's ComLink caught everyone by surprise.
"Who is it?!" Chris rushed for answers.
Rouge quickly checked and saw that it was...
"Amy?!"
Shadow's eyes slightly widened and his full attention was met. Rouge answered her call.
[Rouge!! Do you know where Sonic is!? I tried to call him several times but he won't answer! Same for Tails and Knuckles!]
Rouge's heart skipped a beat.
"What happened Amy?! Are you in danger?"
[Cream, Cheese, Gemerl, Big 'n I found a Chaos Emerald and thought to keep it with us just in case the boys would need it, but ever since we've found it, we've dealt with nothing but trouble!]
"Amy, I need that Chaos Emerald. I'll be heading your way now to retrieve it." Shadow calmly stated.
[That would be great! I don't think I have the patience to deal with it anymore-Cream wait! Don't touch it! I'll call ya back!] She ended the call abruptly and just as quickly, Shadow left the room.
"There he goes!" Chris shouted before Omega rushed after him with Rouge seated in one of his hands.
"I'll call if we find anything!!" Rouge shouted as Omega blasted off through the halls nearly knocking over several humans as he did.
The two humans left in the room stood dumbfounded by how quickly everything came and went, but what's new? Same old same old…