Chapter 1
Somewhere in the desert region, an only metal building underneath the hot sand was visual. there's an underground laboratory below it that the hot desert sun can't reach to overheat the technology. An egg-shaped man walks through the laboratory look up at a monitor opened to some kind of diagram with coded data and an image of some kind of mobian. Between the monitors on both side are experiment tubes with the same red color ruby in each of them. Except for one which has a mobian jackal wearing a mask, that makes one of the eyes visible. While the man glances at the jackal in the experiment tube with an evil grin across his face.
"Oooh sonic how I hate you!...you ruin every one of my plans in the past! But is time this plan wouldn't fault me! Soon my plan for world domination will finally success once of for all! Oooh hahaha!"
7-month earlier
The sand dunes are baking under the sun rays, with rocks creating shade for the desert residents. While the cactus is storing water in case the rainy season might be scarce than normal. The daily life of the dry environment wasn't bothered, even with a magenta color icosahedron ruby with black ripple patterns along its surface as buried underneath the warm sand. That life of the desert soon faded by Eggman's silhouette causing the creatures to run off in fear.
The doctor spotted the gem by the corner of his eyes, and gently use his hand to brush the sand off the ruby. Not knowing if he'll damage the unknown gem, carefully he pick it up. Seeing his image of Eggman land and the Eggman Empire in front of him a golden statue of himself, colorful stream lights full the sky, along with his enemies robotizes as his slaves. Obeying his every command even one of them was reading a newspaper with a bold headline read "Sonic The Hedgehog Have Finally Fallen."
Eggman was shocked in awe that he accidentally drops the gem from his grip back on the desert sand, causing him to snap out of it. The doctor was still awe and look around of his surroundings. Everything seems to be the same before he picks up the gem. Look back that the gem Eggman called Cubot and Orbot by his earpiece communicator that he invested to communicate with his hiermen
"Orbot! Cutbot! Get out here this instant and take the gem on the sand to the lab to be examined! I have big plans for it, to defeat Sonic once and for all!" His voice full of determination.
Both robots answer the call looking that each other in confusion but nodded ending the conversation. packed up their gear then head outside to the doc's location to receive the gem. Once the two robots reach outside they were greeted by the sun rays, reflecting off of their metalheads. Heading towards the doc location charting toward each other on their way there.
"Should we continue keeping score on how many time Sonic had defeated the boss's plans?" Ask and cubic shape robot looks at his circled-shape partner with a nervous tone in his robotic voice.
"Hmm...hard to tell Cubot. since he seems happy with himself this time around but, keep track just in case now let's grab the gem and return it to the lab." Reply the circular-shape robot with a bit of a surprising tone then stop in between the doctor and the gem. Then pick up the mysterious gem and put it inside a container, while Cubot gives Eggman water bottle. All three of them return back to the lab.
A few hours later Eggman was in the laboratory examining and running tests on the ruby, meanwhile in front of him have a computer display the test results. Cubot looks at the gem place inside an experiments tube while cleaning the glass tube. With Orbot translating the results for the doctor, everyone seems to be a focus on their job. Orbot finishes translating the result giving them to the doctor, Eggman looks up that him and take the results deep in thoughts.
"These readings are off the chart! It even surpasses the chaos emeralds power! How this is even possible?!" the doctor's tone was a bit surprising and in shock.
"Should the gem be call chaos ruby since it's a bit triangular than the emeralds..?" cubot suggest in a sheepish robotic tone and lost interest in washing the glass.
"That makes no sense there's seven emeralds and one ruby that's not even normal it surpass the chaos emeralds' powers like the boss said." Orbot response with the same surprise tone as the doctor.
"I'll call it the phantom ruby since it gives the victims' dream into reality," Eggman said more to himself than to his two robots, ignoring the two conversations.
"Oh! Like these two foxes who master illusions in Pocket Mons-" Cubot explain but was interrupted by an explosion on the above the laboratory. Causing the doctor to look up from the computer monitor.
The explosion causes the glass tube to crack and scatter into glass shad. spreading everywhere by the impact. Orbot catches the ruby before it hit the ground and hand it over to the doctor. On the upper level of the base, Eggman's badniks were being ambushed and destroyed by a group of jackal thieves and mercenaries.
"Jackal Squad! Move out! destroy, and loot everything in Eggman's base!" shouted the leader of the squad while destroying the defense robots attacking him and his squad with a red various bladed.
"How dare they! I should have been spending more time building and upgrading my robots instead of studying this useless rock!" Eggman hell in outrage which active the phantom ruby's power creating an army of egg pawns causing the doctor to calm down a bit. "What the-?! How did they? Doesn't matter, badniks! Attack those pesky rodents!"
The army of egg pawns march started to fire attacks that the mercenary group tries to dodge the incoming attacks. The leader of the group launches himself toward Eggman about to strike him down and yell at his squad members over his shoulders. "Take care of the bots! I'm going straight for the egg-man!"
Eggman shields himself with his arms covering his face. Zero's bladed hit the ruby in one of Eggman's hand bring his true desire to live. The jackal and the doctor look at the illusion around them. Buildings in ruins and destroyed surrounded by flames of destruction, showing both an destroyed world.
Zero was caught off guard "What the-?" Eggman pushes the confuse jackal with his face expression hidden with an evil smirk spread across his face. With his hand reaching out to Zero.
"Ooooh! oh! You have a gut kid and I give you credit, join me and we'll take over the world together!"
Zero turn his head back to see the members of his squad were a catcher by Eggman's egg pawns with their hands tied around their back looking up at him unsure. Until one of them shouted the one with the green bandana tied around his head.
"Boss! Don't listen to him! We'll be fine and get out of here alive!" the jackal with the green bandana showed in outrage with a hint of fear in his voice. To the jackal shock, he seems his boss expression darken and stand up on his own. With one of his hand covering his right eye.
"Hahaha... that's an increasing offer I thought i was following some motion but I grow tired of this world. Let's do it doctor my squad and I will help you change this world!" smirking.
"!" the squad members were speechless and shock that their boss would agree on the mad scientist deal. They just have to hope that Zero wasn't putting his pride first then their life.