Hey there! Thanks for clicking on my fic. It really does mean a lot that you've given me a little chance, as I'm very new into the world of publicising my writing. Now, a little bit of information before you begin reading...

1 - This is based on the Sonic SatAM TV series (and therefore the early Archie Comics universe), so no Shadow/Amy/Knuckles!

2 - There is an OC, and he's a little generic, but give him some time! I don't usually like adding OCs to established series, but his character is necessary for the story I wanted to convey!

3 - This is for fans of the show - the fic ignores a few episodes for various reasons. These would be 'Super Sonic' for Lazar's OP magic, 'Harmonic Sonic' for the weird robot designs and bad science of the episode, 'No Brainer' for the could-be deus ex machina of the mind-control gun, and 'Fed Up With Antoine/Ghost Busted' and 'The Odd Couple/Ro-Becca' for being rubbish filler. Hopefully nothing too complex!

4 - Some of the plot elements will seem quite similar to Dragon Ball Z, although by coincidence, and the writing style is inspired by Game of Thrones and 24. I may also bump up the length of a few chapters in the future too!

5 - This is an altered timeline story, so the ending of Season 2 has not happened yet. The story's aim is to make the season ending a little clearer and allow you to imagine more stories in the incredible world of SatAM!

Thanks again for opening this fic to give it a read. It's still a work in progress sitting at around 20000 words right now, but there's going to be a lot more! Hope you enjoy the story, titled The Doomsday Project!

The lava pits exhumed a heat that distorted the views of the multiple SWAT-bots around, with their blasters aimed at the small blue hedgehog in front of them. The cracked brown dirt itself seemed to pulse in the intense temperatures, and the magma beneath could be felt shifting. The last faint echoes of Sonic's voice could be heard fading into nothingness. A low grumble from far away re-affirmed Robotnik's powerful presence - Robotropolis, and the Doomsday Machine, were looming ever closer.

"No, hedgehog, don't do it!"

"...then no-one can!"

"NO!"

The Deep Power Stone almost appeared to glide as it flew into the bubbling lava. There was a hissing noise, then an explosion. The Deep Power Stone was gone forever.

A short silence followed. Then a small chuckle. Then a deep, echoing laugh "You thought that was a fake, hedgehog?" Robotnik smiled.

"It's the real deal, 'butt-nik. And it's gone!" Sonic replied defiantly, after a doubting pause.

"More's the pity for you when Doomsday arrives, then. Capture him... and get me back to Robotropolis. I'm homesick already," Robotnik commanded, with a touch of bittersweet irony. He turned with a grand swoop of his cape and stepped into the waiting hovership.

"You're all kinds of sick, 'butt-nik!" Sonic yelled as the SWAT-bots began to converge. He would get away, Robotnik knew that by now. But the hedgehog had made an incredible mistake. If what the time-traveller had said was true, then now the Deep Power Stones had no use at all – for neither him nor the freedom fighters. It was a large risk, but from what he was made to believe, allowing the hedgehog any use of the Stones would have destroyed everything. Weighing up the other options, it was a risk he simply had to take.

As the hovership took off, thoughts of betrayal crossed his mind. If the messenger had lied, what could he do about it? The Void was always an option, but that felt merciful. Robotization was a bit bland, as well. As his mind trailed off to more exotic punishments, he wondered for a split second what he would do if this turned out to be a success. He wouldn't ever consider himself a pessimist, but to expect the worst was the easiest option, especially with this time-traveller. His first thought was yet again betrayal, as he had done with his once-ally Naugus... But if the messenger did indeed come from the future, then perhaps he knew what Robotnik would have planned for him.

Robotnik stroked his top chin.

THE DOOMSDAY PROJECT

A week passed, and the freedom fighters were getting nervous. There hadn't been a word from Chuck for almost a fortnight, leaving the fighters to fear the worst, and because of this the status of the Doomsday Project was unclear. Hurriedly, Sally had called a general meeting of all the freedom fighters at Knothole. The only chance they had was now. If they risked waiting any longer, then they risked Doomsday coming one day sooner every time. In addition, every second of freedom fighter absence would put Robotnik on higher and higher guard.

The fighters collected in the huts, leaving the leaders of each group to gather and discuss tactics outside in the meeting hall, and in relative peace. Even so, the atmosphere was claustrophobic and every fighter anxious, and the wind felt bitterly cold. Panic was rife.

"Princess Sally, I propose that we use the underground tunnels to surround Robotnik's HQ before launching a quick and stealthy ambush-" Ari began, but was interrupted by an irritated Griff.

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but I've had enough trouble getting from the abandoned underground sectors to here 'cause Robotnik has a lot of the underground sealed and patrolled. It'd be impossible to get anything close to a large group through there without being spotted and choked. " he said.

"Yeah," Rotor added, leaning forward and over the table to look down at the far end, where Sally sat. She was holding her head. "And Sonic spotted some of the toughest perimeter defence we've ever seen, so ground approach is just as impossible."

Sally closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. The group collectively sighed and the murmuring started again. Sonic, sat beside Sally, leaned over and pat the squirrel on the back. Sally looked up and gave Sonic the faintest of smiles, but her head fell low again when someone mentioned air defence and cloud cover being thin – Robotnik's smoke towers had stopped spewing for the time being, which they suspected was a sign that the Doomsday Project was taking Robotnik's full attention. A brief moment of respite came when a door slammed somewhere, followed by an oblivious cheer from the other freedom fighters, until the murmur began anew.

Sonic leaned close to Sally. "Yo, Sal. Where's the time-traveller at?" he whispered, his feet tapping impatiently on the floor beneath. On Sally's left side, Lupe the wolf turned and looked at the two. Sonic didn't notice.

"I don't know, Sonic," she groaned. "He said he'd be here."

Lupe's expression became one of worry. "What time-traveller?" she asked quietly.

Sonic looked up in surprise and gave Sally a quick questioning glance. Sally, without looking, nodded, and Sonic stood up. He took Lupe's hand to drag her quickly out of earshot of the others. Shooting a quick glance down the meeting hall, nobody seemed to be paying any attention to them. He looked back at Lupe.

"About a month ago, me and Sal found some guy out in the middle of the Great Unknown. Says that he's from a future where Robotnik won the war, and the planet is dying or something. Also says he wants to help us out in stoppin' him. 'butt-nik, I mean," Sonic explained. Lupe looked back to the group, and Sally.

"How do you know we can trust him?" she asked.

"Sal says she doesn't trust him. We been careful with any info he's given us so far, but everything's checked out. He's clear, we think."

"How did he get here?"

"The Time Stones, he says. He's shown them to us. Oh, and one other thing. He says he knows one of the freedom fighters here from the future... didn't say who they were."

Both of them went silent. Eventually Sonic spotted Sally gesturing for the two to come back. The evening dragged on, but miraculously, tactics emerged, and the mood calmed. As the meeting was called off at midnight, Sally couldn't help but feel a little more optimistic. The participants dissolved away, leaving just Sally and Rotor alone.

"Thank you for your insight, Rotor. We really couldn't have come up with this plan without you," Sally smiled at the walrus. Rotor smiled in return and scratched the back of his neck.

"Aww, thanks, Sal. I should have at least 3 of the helmets done by tomorrow morning, and after that, it'll be cool!" he beamed.

Both of them were on their way to their huts when a rustle of fallen autumn leaves startled them. A face came out of the darkness and moved forward slowly.

"You're a bit late, you know," Sally pointed out jokingly, but also with a hint of annoyance.

"I was collecting something. A little present."

The time-traveller pushed a pointy-nosed dwarf towards the walrus and squirrel, wrapped badly with ropes. Both of them gasped.

"What? How'd you-" Rotor asked, stunned.

Snively was out cold, and a little muddy. The time-traveller looked at Rotor. "He let down his guard on a supervised scouting mission. He doesn't know where he is, and nor does Robotnik."

Sally scanned Snively with her eyes, then frowned and looked at the time-traveller. "Are you sure about that?"

"No."

Both Sally and Rotor felt their hearts sink. "What?!" they exclaimed, almost in unison.

"Listen. If the assault is tomorrow, you won't have to worry about Robotnik knowing about the location of Knothole, unless Snively here escapes."

"Tomorrow?! We'll be barely ready for an assault in a week!" Sally screamed. The noise had already drawn a small audience – hut doors were opening, and various animals were stepping out and staring.

"Well, according to Chuck, Doomsday initiates in 24 hours at the most."

And then the time-traveller turned his back and left.