Hello all! I am back with my next Sonic fanfiction! A few notes before we begin:

I loved the game, but was disappointed by the plotline. It should have been a bit more serious and deeper than what it was, and while I love Sonic's resolve that friendship can solve all, in this case, it wasn't helping to build that tense plot I was looking forward to seeing.

Second, I will be including my Avatar- a dark grey male wolf with light blue eyes, and a red, black and silver jacket- who will still be named 'Rookie', due to being unable to give him a proper name... rather annoying, that.

Third-I will be including Infinite's backstory and any other information from the Sonic Forces game and comics, but I'll be changing a few things to make the story flow better, since there were quite a few plot holes, and just things I wasn't pleased with overall. For the most part, however, this story should be mostly canon to the game and digital comics.

Fourth, this will update kinda randomly, as I am still working on other projects that I need to complete. I just wanted to get my version of a rewritten Sonic Forces game out there, since I assume there are so many out there now trying to solve similar issues with the game I had.

Finally, any constructive advice or criticism, thoughts, questions and concerns are always welcomed, but no flamers.

With that, please enjoy, and sorry that had to be so long! I own nothing but the rewritten plotline.

Peace and War

Chapter 1: The Beginning Of the End

Dr. Eggman paced to and fro his office, angrily knowing at his tenth pen in the last hour. How?! How had that blasted idiot Sonic defeated him yet AGAIN?! It was becoming so bad most of his troops were making a running gag of his constant defeats! Of course, he destroyed them, but still... HOW?!

"Argh... Sonic the Hedgehog..." he hissed as he stared at his monitor. It contained all of the blue hedgehog's statics, videos of his running speed, his Super Sonic form, locations of Chaos Emeralds, and numbers. He slammed his fist on the monitor, pissed.

"Every single time... for YEARS... you have bested me. But not this time. For now..." The round doctor swiped his hand over a panel, and the screens shifted. He grinned almost manically as he stared at his newly complied research. It was labeled 'PROJECT RUBY'.

One of Eggman's robotic minions, Orbot, hovered over his shoulder to take a closer look. "Oooooh! What's that, boss?"

Eggman angrily swiped him off before facing his computer screen once again. The project was far from completed; in fact, the main computer doing the anaylsis was in the Mystic Jungle as he spoke. It needed time to truly process the power the strange stone may contain.

Eggman grinned almost madly as he stared at his work. The gem had potential- after he picked it up and saw what his desire was- Eggmanland, where people would bow down and finally, FINALLY, that damn hedgehog was finally DESTROYED- he knew he had to keep it, and find out what else it could do.

As fast as he could physically manage, he built a new lab in Mystic Jungle, where the gem was currently staying, and he monitored his work elsewhere. He smiled even wider as he stared at the memorizing colors and swirls that lay within what he believe was a 'ruby'. To the scientist, it reminded him of a... a reaper? A ghost? A spirit? No, that couldn't be right! Maybe it was a reaper? No!

He paced to and fro. The name was eluding him. What was he thinking of? It wasn't a reaper, but more like a...

"A phantom..." He let the word roll of his tongue. Phantom... Ruby? "Phantom Ruby... Phantom... yes... YES! That's it!" Quickly, Eggman typed something on the keyboard. When he finished, he looked up at the bold lettering and nodded, crossing his arms and looking at the hard work he was putting into the ultimate plan- the plan he KNEW would kill Sonic once and for all!

'PROJECT PHANTOM RUBY'

Just as Eggman was enjoying his newfound name for his ultimate plan, the alarm sounded. His face twisted into one of anger- someone dared to trespass on his property?! He quickly pulled up a monitor that showed the lax security of Mystic Jungle, and his eyes almost bungled out of his head.

"No... NO! They're heading right for my secret lab! If they get that ruby, my plans are ruined!" Turning around in such rapid fashion that Cubot, who'd been wiping a glass dome for transport when the research was completed, was almost sent flying, Eggman demanded, "GET MY DAMN EGG MOBILE! NOW!"

Eggman was unaware that, in his rage, the Phantom Ruby, as it was now called, had 'sensed' his anger and frustration, and in a way, answered for his master; the gem created several Egg Pawns that were abnormally stronger than the normal ones. They guarded the lab and were ready for battle.

"Attack! Take everything you can find! There's bound to be something worth selling in this junk heap!" The bold, yet calm voice of the leader of this group, known as Defense Squad Jackal, ordered. His signature red sword showed no mercy as he rushed the lab, looking with anything of value. With his heterochromatic eyes, dark ebony fur, and bright, stiff white 'locks', the leader appeared to be an embodiment of fear to others... but not to a pissed off scientist.

As Eggman headed top speed towards the Mystic Jungle, he realized the leader looked strangely familiar... but why? It didn't stay in his head for very long- he had other issues to worry about. Thanks to a handy secret door, and a handy secret code, Eggman was quickly able to make his way into his lab and retrieve his precious possession before the intruders could get inside and steal it. He exited just as quickly as he was able to get in- and was confronted by what he assumed to be the leader.

"Oi. Fatman... what is that thing? It looked pretty valuable." The leader advanced on Eggman, who suddenly had his own line of defense in the form of more materialized Egg Pawns, once again thanks to the glowing gem in his hands. The jackal's eyes widened slightly at the shock of what he'd seen, before he faced Eggman with a grin on his face.

"Ah... it's valuable AND powerful. Then I guess you won't mind me taking it!" he roared as he charged the Pawns, his sword ready to strike.

He didn't calculate how strong the Egg Pawns would be, however. As his team of five came to assist their leader, he ordered them to instead engage the Pawns. the leader had an evil glint in his eye as he ran past the battle, going to Eggman, who was watching the battle with a mix of amusement and wonder.

So unaware was he, he failed to notice the leader about to take his life- until the last possible second. Looking up, Eggman saw a shadow looming over him. He quickly dodged, and he and the leader stood staring at each other.

"I'll ask one more time, fatman. Give me that gem! It may be worth quite a pretty penny in the bounty world." The leader said, approaching Eggman with his sword aimed for his throat. Eggman laughed and pressed a button inside his Egg Mobile.

The boxing gloves didn't work for the speedy jackal, who dodged them with ease before coming in for the kill with a battle cry. Eggman barely managed to pull up his dome before he heard the sword colliding rather hard with the dome. Shaking around, the scientist tried to get himself out of there, in order to protect his project. The jackal, however, had other plans. He hopped off the dome of Eggman's Egg Mobile, and struck again, hoping to break it.

"Damn! I gotta get out of here or that thing's gonna kill me!" He checked behind him- the Egg Pawns seemed to have the rest of the jackal's team tamed, more or less. Eggman pulled forward, causing the leader jackal to miss his next strike, and once again, employed the boxing gloves to stun him.

Shockingly, it worked. The jackal staggered back, and Eggman felt safe enough to lower his dome and fight back to get his precious project out of that hell hole. Panting, the jackal let out another, deeper battle cry and charged at Eggman again. Eggman moved back so fast, the jackal hit the Phantom Ruby- and almost took off his arm, though he did leave quite an injury.

That, however, was nothing compared to what Eggman, the jackal and two members of his team witnessed next. The scenery around them changed. It became desolate, empty, cold... destroyed. The jackal's eyes widened as he witnessed something he'd only thought about come to fruition right in front of him, and Eggman... well, he was just amused. There was something about this creature, something useful and almost... demonic. He was cold and calculating, something he clearly hadn't been expecting.

'This thing could be useful to me... and to this project...'

As the jackal sat back on his hunches in surprise, Eggman approached him, placing the Phantom Ruby in his breast pocket. The jackal looked at him, completely mesmerized. "W-wha... what the hell was that?" he asked.

"I guess... it was what you wanted. A desolate world... fascinating." Eggman continued to approach the shocked jackal carefully, not wanting to make a move that could end his life.

"Tell me, creature. Do you like being alone?"

The jackal shook his head. Did he want that vision...? Wait, no! He didn't want some silly vision! But it was a thought- HIS thoughts.

He mulled the question over, still trying to come down from the sudden shock. He'd never actually put much thought into what he wanted. Up until now, he was just a leader of a mercenary team that made their money by stealing. What would he get by destroying the world? Power, perhaps? Nah, he was a leader- people feared them. He could kill anyone and get rich. His teammates... well, they were all he knew.

Growing up, his parents feared him because of his uniqueness- or rather, his father hated him. His mother... she looked just like him, right down to the heterochromia eyes. But it was hard for her to love him after an attack on their home- an attack from the government because of his unique genetic makeup, and because humans were just evil, sadistic creatures- scarred him for life.

His father was willing to give him up, just to get rid of him. It angered him every time he was forced to think about it.

His father hated him for something he could not control, his mother... she was forced to suffer in sick ways because she chose to protect him, and even though he tried to save her, his father ultimately cast him out. Threw him away, and lied to his mental destroyed mother...

The jackal felt anger rise in him. Because of humans, his mother believed he didn't love her, that he would just leave her like that, and she never forgave him. He was forced to grow up fast, and he struggled. No one was with him. He'd always been alone, and no one had cared about him.

The jackal stood. Perhaps that thought was a sign? Perhaps he could right the wrongs that humans forced onto his family, that forced him to a hardened creature that he was today.

"I grew up alone." the jackal finally answered the scientist's question. "I was forced to because of you filthy, damn humans. So tell me something, doctor..."

A fire red sword was now aimed at Eggman's throat, seething anger very well felt now. "Why shouldn't I just kill you and take everything here?"

Eggman chuckled nervously, but was surprised- this creature had promise, if he could play his cards right...

"I want a world in which all bow down to me. I want a world where there is no more Sonic the Hedgehog! No hope for the world without the one reason people wake each morning, why people walk the streets without fear... "

The jackal lowered his sword, his interests once again piqued. "You... want to destroy this world and the humans on it... just to take over it? What exactly would you gain out of that?"

"Why, power, of course!" Eggman exclaimed, his hands in the air. "All will fear the might Dr. Eggman!"

The remaining team joined him, all looking at Eggman with suspicion- and then looking at the jackal at shock he hadn't taken the scientist's head off yet. One of the members, a green- eyed jackal, approached his leader.

"Boss, come on, don't listen to him. Something's off about him. You don't need whatever he's offering you."

But the jackal heard one thing- power. More power... humans would actually FEAR him. Maybe... it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all...

Eggman could see he was making progress and extended his hand out to him. "Do we have a deal?"

The leader stuck his sword in the ground. He didn't know this doctor, and something still felt off- after all, he was a human and they were known to lie. But he'd steal the tech after gaining the man's 'trust'. He'd never know what hit him.

A hand took the doctors, and the jackal smiled. "Fine. Dr. Eggman, you said? We have a deal."

Eggman wanted to jump around, but just smiled professionally and agreed. "And who do I have the pleasure of doing business with?"

"Call me... Infinite."

2 Months Later...

Eggman was pleased. The analysis of the Phantom Ruby was nearly complete. In just a few mere minutes, he'd have the secrets of the ruby unlocked. Now if he could find a worthy test subject...

The alarm sounded. Eggman checked the monitor- he swear it was deja vu from before- and this time, he quite literally fell out of his seat when he saw who was infiltrating his lab.

"SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG?! But how?! That place is heavily guarded! How did he get so deep into the facility?!"

Eggman quickly checked his monitor and noticed the five members of Defense Squad Jackal- the very team who tried to steal from him a couple of months prior, and who he ended up employing after striking a deal with their leader, Infinite- dead. Three of them had their own weapons sticking out of their chest, while another two lay across the area, a gun laying near the body of them. Eggman growled in anger- he needed that damn hedgehog dead already!

"The computer analysis was already done, so... no! Even with the ruby research done, I still need this lab!" Pushing a button, he pulled up a screen, which showed the leader, Infinite, heading to his team's last known location.

"You! Infinite! Your team was useless! Stop Shadow and clean up this mess!"

Infinite was secretly hoping he could rip Eggman's head off for disrespecting his team like that. One of his teammates had radioed him earlier as he was on his own rounds, and it sounded horrid. He barely got the coordinates before the connection cut off. Infinite hurried, hopping stealthily from one rock to another, wondering what had happened to his team that they were not responding to his orders.

They were among the best of the best mercenaries alive! There is no way they should have been defeated!

As Infinite approached the coordinates given, he froze, his eyes unable to believe what he was seeing.

Blood was everywhere. The bodies of his comrades, scattered like spilled trash, some with their own swords out of their chests. Hopping close, Infinite spotted one teammate who's ragged breathing was painful to hear, since he suffered several gunshot wounds to his chest, legs and arm.

Infinite's hands shook as he cradled his teammate, the blood still warm and sticky on his hands. "Who did this to you? What happened?!"

The green-eyed jackal could barely focus on his leader. He coughed, blood sputtering onto Infinite's chest. Infinite realized that this was the first time in a very long time in his twenty something years of life that he felt real fear. His friend was dying... the very one he'd grew with since he was a teen, and the first member of the squad he'd employed.

"Hey! Who did this!? Answer me!" Infinite cried out, shaking his friend to keep him awake. His head lolling, the dying jackal barely breathed a single word before he succumbed to his injuries.

"...shadow..."

Infinite watched as his friend's eyes closed, the last breath leaving his bullet riddled body. He gently laid him on the ground, and looked around at the other bodies of his fallen teammates. Anger once again surged in his veins. Shadow...? What was that? WHO was that?

As if on cue, an ebony and red hedgehog appeared. He stood with his arms crossed, staring up at the large metal door that led to the lab where Eggman kept the Phantom ruby. Infinite remembered Eggman demanding he stop a 'Shadow'; was that hedgehog him?

"You..." It had to be!

The hedgehog turned around. All Infinite would remember were those piercing red eyes that stared at him as if he were lesser than he.

"What? Got a problem?" Shadow said, not impressed with the angry jackal staring him down. He turned back around and focused at the task at hand. "If you don't have anything to say, then get lost."

Infinite was PISSED! First this thing dares to kills his team, and now he talks down to him as if he were not a feared mercenary?! His claws balled into fists, and he summoned his sword. This guy was going to pay!

"You killed my squad. And now you dare to talk to me as if you're some hot shot, you bastard..." Infinite jumped down to face Shadow, his fangs baring. He was going to pay, alright... him and Eggman.

"Now you'll see why they call me the ultimate mercury! GRAHHHHH!" Infinite charged head on towards Shadow, sword pulled back.

"TAKE THIS, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

Shadow looked at him and scoffed before he dodged the raging jackal's crazed attacks with ease. "Listen. You cannot hope to defeat me. Stop this nonsense." Shadow said flatly, not at all impressed with whom he was fighting.

That alone enraged Infinite more. He yelled and swung, making what most would consider to be 'rookie mistakes'.

"DIE! DIE, YOU BASTARD! DIE!"

Shadow moved fluidly to and fro, dodging the swings with his arms crossed and his permanent scowl on his face. He really wasn't impressed, and decided enough was enough. He had a recon mission to complete.

With a swift kick, Shadow connected his skated foot with Infinite's jaw, sending the jackal flying into some nearby rubble, and into the body of another one of his squad. Infinite stood up, wiping the blood from his jaw, and charged at Shadow again, fists flying. He ignored his sword, getting so angry it was beginning to cloud his judgement.

"Just die already! You have to pay, Shadow the Hedgehog!" Infinite swore, madly swinging his sword.

Shadow was beginning to realize rationalizing and talking to this guy wasn't going to work. Not to mention he was getting in the way of his mission. He snapped his fingers, and summoned six bright red spears.

"Time to end this." With a flick of his wrist, Shadow sent the six Chaos Spears towards a defenseless Infinite. Unable to block them, Infinite let out a howl of pain as four of the spears pinned him to the wall. Blood began to drip down his arms and legs as he sat there, panting as his adrenaline finally came down. He was beginning to register the pain he was in and his head hit the wall- hard.

Shadow was now in front of him, his hand pushing Infinite's skull so hard into the stone, the jackal felt he could hear blood rushing to his brain. He struggled to break free, and managed to pull his arms free from two of the Chaos Spears, but it wasn't enough. Shadow was stronger than he... it infuriated Infinite!

"W-why... why did I..."

Shadow stood and snapped his fingers again. The Chaos Spears disappeared. "Huh... worthless lifeform." He commented, before making his point across by a swift series of punches and kicks. Infinite could only dodge a few of them before he simply had no energy left.

"Don't ever show your pathetic face around me again." Shadow said before he stepped away from the defeated Squad Jackal leader and continued through the metal gate. Infinite was struggling to get air in his bruised lungs, and he pulled himself up before his body gave up and slouched against the rubble.

His pride and ego were beyond bruised. Infinite could not understand it! Eggman thought of him and his squad as nothing more than pawns to be led to slaughter, and it was HIS fault for agreeing to working with him! For what?! For a damn gem he knew nothing about?! He should've killed them when he had the chance... he would still have them now...

Infinite glanced down, and it was then he noticed... his hand were covered in blood and they were shaking. Badly. What was happening? Was he... scared? His heart was pounding in his chest. It felt like it would burst.

"Me... he's calling me... worthless? He find me weak...?!" Infinite mumbled to himself. "Afraid... I'm afraid? Of what? No... no, no I... I'm not worthless..."

Once again, Infinite's insecurity, his mega bruised pride and ego, and the pain of losing his team came to a head. He was falling into a deep, dark abyss... and it caused him to make a choice that would change his life forever.

"I'm not weak... I'm not... I'm not weak! I AM NOT WEAK! URRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHH!"

It was his mantra... one that would stand in his mind as the only thing that mattered. The only thing giving him purpose.

"I'm not weak..."

Eggman grinned wickedly as he picked up the finished, final Phantom Ruby prototype. It was his best work and he turned to its test subject, holding it out to him.

"Infinite... are you sure you want to do this?"

The jackal, now donning a cracked mask that exposed only his gold eye, as well as scars from the battle with Shadow, looked at the doctor and simply extended his hand out. Eggman gave him the gem and stepped back, eager to see the results of his greatest plan to date.

Infinite pressed his hand with the gem to his chest, slightly over his heart. He felt the prototype's power flowing in him, slow at first, but becoming stronger, more intense. He curled into a ball as the power hovered him in the air, the pain coursing through his body. It hurt like nothing he'd ever experienced before, and for a moment, he wondered if he made a smart choice.

'I am not weak... I am not... WEAK!'

His mantra rang in his head, and he forced his organic body to absorb the full power of the Ruby, which allowed it to fuse permanently to his chest. Once he came to, he knew this was it.

No one would ever insult him again. No one could drag him down. No one would see him as lesser than they.

He was perfect... he was ultimate!

'That day, I gave up my own unsightly face. And I let go of the 'old' me, the me that was weak, so that I could become stronger.

And at last... I finally gained the power... the power to make all yield to my will.

I... was... REBORN!'

And complete! The end of the first chapter of my version of Sonic Forces.

This is definitely gonna be a project, but I've drafted out the next eight chapters already. I just want to know what you all think of this first one. Let me know in the reviews if there is any questions, comments, contrastive criticism, etc.

Until next chapter!