He turned, one last time. One last look home.

Sorry, guys. Guess you'll hafta get a new hero.

Then he climbed the steps to the Destiny Ring, ignoring its protests. "Just... send me anywhere. Anywhere but here." he mumbled. The portal warped and swirled around him. The last thing he saw was the sun, rising over the emerald hills.

Beneath him, the ground was firm. The air was fresh, and the sky was clear. He stomped off, away from the Ring. "Never going back."

He didn't run. Didn't have the right. Not after Johnny. After that noise. That horrible crack, that still rattled around the inside of his head. Blink away the tears.

A fresh start. No more heroing. No more derring-do. No more responsibility. He knew the guilt would stay with him, though. He deserved it.

What a wierd world.

Those mountains... just like the Hilltop Zone. And... was that the Floating Island?!

"Lied to me!" he snarled, swinging around to the Ring. Which wasn't there. Left him on Mobius! He screamed wordlessly at the silent sky.

An observer would have seen him stop, shaking his head. And they would have seen him vanish. But there were no observers in the ruins of Mobotropolis.

The familiar-but-not-quite-the-same landscape became a blur. Not Mobius. Like it, though. Didn't matter. The Ring screwed him over, left him at almost-home. Grass gave way to concrete, then back to grass as he moved on and on. And on and on and on.

Finally, he skidded to a halt before the ocean. The sunlight sparkled on the surf, as the fierce wind whipped through his spikes. Shading his eyes with his hands, he watched the waves crash on the beach.

"LAST ONE IN'S A ROTTEN EGG!"

Oh no.

He watched as he ran into the waves with Tails. Others lounged on the beach. Another Sonic. Not him. Not Tails. He ducked back, dropping out of sight.

Below, in the waves, Sonic spotted a spiky shape trying to hide. Shadow? He grinned. If you wanted in, bro, you only had to ask. He raised a finger, shushing Tails. "Watch this."

Sonic breathed easier. They hadn't seen him. No need to-

"HEYSHADOWHOWYOUDOINGWANNAGOSWIMMING?!"



The splash was not as loud as he thought it would be. The shriek of outrage was much louder. "Oh, man, Shadow, what I'd give to have seen your faaaaaaaacccceeee!" The other one rose from the waves like a vengeful sea-beast, ploughing into him.

"Big mistake, buddy!" the other yelled, punching him in the guts hard and often. "You just picked the worst day to-" he began, before realising that the other's friends were behind him.

"Drop him."

He whirled, and stopped. The closest one was Tails. Couldn't hurt Tails. Which was how the native Sonic knocked him out.

The last thing he heard was "Scourge-"

Meanwhile, on the Floating Island...

The attacker was powerful. It tore through walls like paper. Behind it, thousands more ominously hung in the air. One was enough for the task, though.

Ten thousand lasers scythed through the air, exposing the Shrine of the Emerald. The attacker grabbed it, claiming it.

"So begins the end."

And it was gone.