As Sonic and Lilac race towards the Village, Tails arrives at his workshop, and parks his plane inside. Leaping out and humming a little ditty, he heads towards the workbench to fetch a few tools, returning to the plane to perform some basic maintenance. Soon, he's so lost in his work, he barely notices the sound of a purple portal opening behind him. The sound of someone screaming as they fly through it, and the crash as they land less than a second later, does attract his attention. However, he turns a little late to see the portal, as it has already collapsed.

"Sonic?" Tails asks. "Is that you?"

There is no reply.

Leaving his tools in the cockpit, Tails drops to the floor, and heads over to where the crash came from. Among the remains of a shelving unit, he is surprised to see a two‑tone green wildcat stiffly extracting herself from the wreckage.

"Lilac?" Carol calls. "Are you there?"

"Are you OK?" Tails asks. "Do you need assistance?"

Carol turns to the voice. At the sight of the twin‑tailed fox, she leaps to her feet, claws out, ready to fight. "Who are you, buddy?" she demands. "Where am I? Tell me now!"

"Tails," Tails replies, extending a hand that Carol doesn't take. "And you're in my workshop."

"Where's Lilac?"

"Who?"

"Don't play games with me, buddy! I know you took her!"

"But I've never met her!"

"And you sent that robot after us!"

"Robot?"

"One wheel, red casing‑"

"Oh! That's not mine, it's one of Eggman's!"

Carol drops her guard slightly. "It's not yours then?"

"No."

"And Lilac's not here?"

"Like I said, I've never met her."

"Then I'm gonna go find her," Carol declares, retracting her claws and making her way to the door.

"I've got a friend who can help!" Tails offers.

Carol pauses, suspicious. "Who?"

Tails activates his wrist communicator. "Blue Leader, this is Yellow Sky. Come in, Blue Leader."

"What's up Tails?" Sonic replies, his voice a little distorted by the radio.

"This guy just appeared in my workshop, looking for someone called Lilac."

"Lilac? Oh, she ran into me while I was chasing Eggbelly."

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, and so's she. By the way, we're racing to Mehburger! Well, I say we're racing: I'm already here."

"We'll meet you there then! Yellow Sky out!" Tails turns off his communicator. "I'll take you over‑" he begins, pausing when he sees Carol's look of disappointment. "What did I say?"

"I'm a girl," Carol sighs. "Carol the Wildcat."

"Sorry, I didn't… I mean… We should probably get to Mehburger."

Carol doesn't respond: she simply waits for Tails to lead the way.

Sonic turns off his communicator and sits back, waiting for his opponent to arrive. He doesn't have to wait long: five minutes later, she slides to a halt at the table.

"How long have you been here?" Lilac asks, taking a seat.

"About ten minutes," Sonic boasts. "My buddy just called: seems some guy appeared in his workshop, looking for you."

"A guy?"

"That's what Tails said."

Lilac takes a seat, confused. "Don't know any guys that would be looking for me. Unless you actually mean‑"

"Lilac!" The distant call catches Lilac's attention immediately: she turns to see Carol sprinting to her across the village square at top speed.

"Carol!" Lilac cries. Knocking her chair over as she stands, she dashes to greet her friend with a warm sisterly hug. "Where's Milla?" she asks as the hug breaks.

"No idea," Carol answers.

"We should go look for‑" Lilac begins.

Before she can finish, a pink hedgehog in a short red dress and purple thigh‑length socks sprints past them and skids to a halt at the table where Sonic and Tails are waiting.

"Sticks is going crazy again," Amy Rose sighs, exasperated.

"Going?" Tails quips.

"Point taken," Amy replies. "Who are these two?" she asks, turning to Lilac and Carol.

"Lilac and Carol," Sonic answers, pointing to each in turn. "Lilac ran into me in the chasm, and Carol appeared in Tails' workshop."

Amy extends a hand. "Pleasure to meet you: I'm Amy Rose."

Lilac shakes Amy's offered hand, but Carol goes for a fist‑bump. This puzzles Amy slightly, but she returns the fist‑bump anyway.

"So, what's today's breed of crazy?" Tails asks.

Amy gives the fox a mildly disapproving look. "She's claiming to have captured an alien," she explains. "I kept trying to explain the poor thing's just a puppy who probably just got herself lost."

Lilac and Carol exchange concerned looks.

"Milla?" Carol suspects.

"Milla," Lilac agrees

"We'd better get over there," Sonic sighs.

"We'll come too," Lilac adds.