Chapter 1 – Ruins Of An Age

A figure slowly raised her head and blinked. Yawning slightly she got out of bed and dressed. Still rather sleepy she walked over to the window and drew the curtains back. The usual sight met her as always. A huge military base that spread for at least a mile along the coastline. She sneered at it and then sighed.

"I really do hate this place." she said softly.

She walked over to the balcony and opened the door that led to it. As she did a gentle rustle of wind blew through the room. It smelt of engine fumes and cigarette smoke and she almost gagged. She had been here for twelve years now and she still hadn't got used to the smell. She stepped out onto the balcony. The figure now became clearer in the morning light. She was a slender looking black and white cat. She wore a pale two tone green dress and had golden bangles around her ears, tail and upper arms. Her hair was a blond colour and was cut at about shoulder length and her expression would have melted the heart of even the foulest villain. She placed her hands on the railings and looked down. It was about seven stories down to the ground and she had often considered ending it this way but there were a number of things that stopped her. Firstly there was hope. Hope that she would finally be out of this place and back with the one she loved. Secondly, and probably more on her mind now than hope was…..

"Mother!" came a loud cry.

The cat turned to see another small grey cat strolling into the room. He wore a smalt blue coloured military jacket and a pair of green shoes. He had a smile from ear to ear.

"Yes Jet…what is it?" she answered.

"Can I go down to the base this afternoon?" replied Jet.

"Why do you want to do that?"

"Jeremy promised to show me the new fighter jets. Can I go? Pleeeeeease!"

"Alright then…but be back before dark. I don't want you wandering around after dark…even with Jeremy. Ok?"

"Ok mum. Sure thing."

Jet smiled again, turned and strode from the room humming happily. The cat turned back to the window. Jet was such a feisty little thing. Ever since he had been born he had been active and inquisitive. It was a good thing though. In their current situation they always had to be alert. Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Yes….who is it?" she asked.

"Miss Mathews. It's Commander Jake. I need to see you…now!" came a reply.

"Alright come in." replied the cat.

The door opened and a figure stepped in. It was Commander Morgan Jake. Standing at about six foot tall he was easily bigger than the cat. And another thing about him was that he was human. He glared down at the cat.

"Miss Mathews. I don't know what you're doing but it will stop now." said Morgan.

"What do you mean?"

"You know fine well what I mean. You have been sneaking around the third hanger. You know you're not allowed outside the quarantine area. If it happens again there will be…..unpleasant consequences."

Morgan had made this threat before and the cat sneered at him.

"You wouldn't dare do anything. You need me and my son alive. So don't make threats you can't follow up."

Morgan leaned right over her. He was so close she could see the veins in his eyes. His breath smelt like cigarettes and beef ribs.

"Don't be so cocky miss. One day we will find it and on that day we won't need you anymore."

Morgan twisted his face in anger at her, straightened up and walked towards the door.

"Oh and by the way. It's Sarah…not Miss Mathews!" spoke the cat.

She could see Morgan's fist clench tighter. He growled slightly and walked from the room, slamming the door as he went. The cat turned back to the room and sneered again.

"Sarah…pfft! If only he knew." she said to herself.

Sarah Mathews. There couldn't be anything further from her real name. She had never told anyone her real name…not even her son. Everyone knew her as Sarah Mathews and she was pleased. Her real name could be used against the one she loved and it could lead to his destruction if used correctly. Sarah walked over to the window and looked out again. Below and to the north she could see the figures of Jet and Jeremy standing next to a large, and she had to say, impressive looking fighter plane. Jeremy was human too…in fact every person on this planet was human. Sarah had been shocked when she had woken up and found herself here. She still didn't understand what happened to her. That dreaded day twelve years ago. The day she had told him to run and leave her. She had been healed, tormented and finally….well she didn't know. She had woken up on a grassy bank about fifteen miles from where she was now. It hadn't taken long for the military to find and hold her. She had stuck out like a sore thumb. She looked up at the sky. She didn't even know if she was in the same galaxy anymore. The sun was there but it wasn't her sun. It was alien and strange and shone down on this world, equally as alien and strange. A planet called Earth. This planet was all that Jet had known. Sarah had never told him about her world. She didn't want him feeling lost and alone like she did.

Most of the people on this planet seemed to be trustworthy but there were a few like Morgan who were cold and ruthless. Jeremy wasn't like that though and she trusted him. She wouldn't have let Jet near him otherwise. About six months after she had arrived here Jet had been born. She hadn't known she was pregnant until a few months before that. But it was probably best that way. At least her love wouldn't be worrying about his son as well as her. Jeremy had been there at the birth. He had taken a huge interest in Sarah and where she had come from. She knew to start with it had been orders from Morgan but as time passed, and Jet grew up, Jeremy had developed a strong bond with the small cat and they were now close friends. Jet had once told Sarah that he hoped to be like him one day. At first this had shocked and distressed Sarah……but as role models go Jeremy was a good example. He was kind, generous and always willing to lend a hand to anyone. Jet had picked up these qualities too and Sarah had thanked Jeremy more than once for his efforts.

Sarah had mixed feelings about her life at the moment. She was happy for Jet. He had formed a good friendship and knew very little of anything else. But he should be on his own world. The world both of them belonged on. But then the only way to get back was if the military search found it. They had been searching for twelve years now with no luck. Sarah sometimes wondered what would happen when they found it. What would the military do…..and what could her world do in response? She looked up at the sky again and sighed.

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"Come on Lavender!" moaned Links, "This is easy stuff."

"It's easy for you you mean!" moaned Lavender in response.

Links could have screamed at her at this point. She was driving him crazy. The two of them were sat around a table in a hut in Knotlake. Lavender had a sheet of paper in front of her and she was staring at it unhappily. On the paper were a number of different math problems.

It was only a few weeks after Robotnik had been defeated and life had once again taken on a slow pace. This time they had checked fully and couldn't find any sign of Robotnik. Everyone had their own things to attend to now. For Sonic and Sally it was rebuilding Mobotropolis, Tails and Amy had gone off to Never Lake and everyone else was busy too. Links looked at Lavender again and rolled his eyes. It had occurred to Tails and Amy that Lavender hadn't had an education. Unlike Miles and Alicia, who had had access to the Royal Library since they were born until Robotnik took over, Lavender hadn't had anything. Her entire life had been one battle after another. Now that things had settled down Links had taken up the job or tutoring Lavender. Her twenty year old personality had come out with guns blazing at the idea. She had said it was an insult to her. But after he had explained that it was Lavender not her that needed tutoring she had calmed down and gone away. Even though Lavender was only seven she had picked up a few things quickly. She had flown through history and science and had passed geography without ever getting a wrong answer. Links figured it was because she controlled the planets energy and so instinctively knew where everything on the entire planet was. But she was having a terrible time with maths and Links couldn't understand why.

"Come on Lavender." he said again.

"Stop it!" whined Lavender still staring at the problems.

Links sighed and shook his head.

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Sally sighed and brushed her hand along a console. A thin layer of dust rose into the air.

"Still sad Sal?" said a voice.

Sally turned to see Sonic walking into the room. He carried a large bundle of papers in one hand and a small comm unit in the other. He looked tired which was very strange for him.

"Yeah a bit." replied Sally.

"I think we all are. It's funny though. Robotnik is gone and here we are feeling sad."

"I know but I think it's more the wake he left behind that is making us sad. There is just so much to do."

"I know Sal but we'll manage. We always have. At least everyone is ok."

"You're right Sonic."

Sally turned quickly and planted a kiss on Sonic's cheek. Sonic smiled and put an arm around her shoulder. They were standing in the main control room that Robotnik had built his empire around. Unlike last time Robotropolis hadn't changed back into Mobotropolis. This time they would have to work to make things right again.

"Well aren't you the happy couple." said another voice.

Sonic and Sally turned to see T2 and Manic walking into the room.

"Wish I had a camera." continued T2.

Sonic raised an eyebrow at him and smiled.

"Well yeah, whatever." he replied with a shrug.

T2 walked over to him and slapped his hand with the Power Stone in it down on his shoulder. There was a crack and Sonic jumped making T2 grin.

"Sorry couldn't resist." he said.

"T2, always full of happiness. You amaze me sometimes." said Sally.

"It's not hard to do. Just take everyday one at a time and don't bother thinking about the future. What will be will be as they say." replied T2.

"Hey you're right." said Manic, "I mean that's how I live."

Sonic nodded.

"So how are things going?" he asked.

"Very well. We have been able to locate all the robotisised citizens and we are almost done with the de-robotisation process." said T2.

"Good. Once it's done I want it all destroyed. Every last bit. This time we will make sure that this technology is NEVER revived again." said Sonic in a commanding voice.

Sally nodded at him.

"I sincerely hope that I never see that technology again. It has caused so much pain over the years." she said.

Sonic sighed and looked at the floor. The other three looked at him.

"What's wrong Sonic?" asked Manic.

"The pain of the matter is that it was my uncle that created it." he said.

"Sonic don't worry about it. Yes your uncle created it but he saw what it did and tried to destroy it. Robotnik was just too quick. It can't be helped." said T2.

"Heh. I guess so." replied Sonic looking up.

"Come on, let's go eat." said Sally smiling at him.

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Amy slowly took her sandals off and sat down. She swung her legs round and dangled them into the lake. She moved her bare feet around a bit feeling the cool water brush against her toes. Never Lake. She looked up at the sky. The sky shouldn't have been there. It should have been blotted out by something bigger. Something dear to her, Little Planet. She sighed.

"Why did it have to happen? Why?" she said softly.

She looked down at her hands. She couldn't feel anything. Her powers were gone. What had happened? Was she even an Acolyte any more? A tear leaked from her eye. Her entire life had almost crumbled into dust. All that was left was Tails and Lavender. If it wasn't for them she would have seen no point in living. She sighed again and wiped the tear from her eye.

"Amy?" called a soft voice.

Amy smiled slightly.

"Tails." she said.

"Hi Amy. You ok?" asked Tails as he came into view.

Amy nodded slowly and turned to look at him.

"Yes I'm fine but I just feel so empty." she said.

"I can't begin to understand what you're going through and I won't pretend to either. All I know is that you have to move on. This is a sad loss to us all but especially to you…but we have to move on." replied Tails kneeling down next to her.

"I know but…"

Amy shook her head and looked back at her feet still in the water. Just then something touched both of her shoulders. She jumped slightly before she realized what it was.

"That any better?" asked Tails as he rubbed her shoulders.

Amy sighed and nodded. She relaxed her shoulders and let her head sink to her chest. Tails continued his shoulder rub for a few minutes before he stopped. He got up and pulled Amy to her feet. He looked her directly in the eyes with a firm expression.

"Now Amy. Come on back to the tent and have a rest. You need it." he said.

Amy didn't resist as Tails picked up her sandals and led her over a small rise to where there tent was pitched.

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Bunnie walked across the centre of Knotlake quickly. She held a few blankets in one arm and a sandwich in the other. Her attention was divided between the sandwich and her goal, the medical hut. She quickly finished her sandwich and entered the hut. There was only one filled bed in the hut. It had been filled since the events of a few weeks ago. Bunnie walked over to the bed and sat down next to it. In the bed lay Knuckles.

Bunnie still couldn't understand what had happened inside the Chaos Zone. She remembered merging with Knuckles and then…..she didn't know. However, since that day Knuckles hadn't woken up. It was almost as if he was in a deep coma. Bunnie sighed.

"Oh Knuckles. Why won't you wake up?" she said.

"It'll be ok Bunnie." said a small voice.

Bunnie looked to the side to see Lavender standing next to her. The little kitsune had her hands on the side of the bed and was standing on her tip toes looking at Knuckles.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." said Lavender looking at Bunnie.

"Yes….I just wish he was fine now, that's all." replied Bunnie.

"I miss him too."

"You hardly knew him though."

"Yes but I still miss him."

"I thought you had a lesson now."

"Well I wasn't doing too well at maths and our next lesson is geography." said Lavender rolling her eyes, "And as I'm so good at that Links decided to skip it and give me some time off."

"He's such a sugah isn't he." smiled Bunnie.

"Yep."