Merry Christmas guys! Here's your present!
The Forces of Hope
Amy ran towards the tank, but was grabbed by Zavoc. He started crushing her with his bare hands. Espio appeared seemingly out of nowhere on Zavoc's shoulder and drove a shuriken into his eye. The illusion disappeared.
Younger Sonic rushed into the room. "Hey, other Egghead!"
Eggman's mouth hung open. Metal Sonic charged.
"Didn't I already kick your head off the other day?" Younger Sonic and Metal raced around the room in blurs of blue.
"Two Sonics. Error! Error!" Metal replied before slashing his claws at him.
Rodger shot flames at Chaos, but the creature just swatted the flame thrower away.
"Go for the brain!" Knuckles called as he ran past.
Rodger reached into Chaos's head and squeezed the brain in his metallic fist. Chaos battered Rodger with watery fists until it disappeared.
Infinite knocked Shadow against the wall. "You are foolish to challenge my power a second time."
"You mean the power to hide behind illusions like a coward?" Shadow spat back.
"Shut your mouth, you-"
He was interrupted by a Chaos spear to the face.
Eggman finally put his mind back together. "Why is there a second Sonic?" He yelled to no one in particular.
"Oh, you know, space-time stuff." Younger Sonic answered while spindashing Metal Sonic.
While all this was going on, Knuckles made a beeline for the dunk tank. Sonic was struggling weakly inside it. Knuckles roared as he slammed a fist into the glass, shattering it. The water swept Sonic into Knuckles, knocking him down.
Eggman was in a rage. "Somebody stop him!"
Knuckles picked himself and Sonic up and started running back the way he came. "I got Sonic! Let's go!"
The resistance followed Knuckles. Rodger looked back and saw Shadow still fighting Infinite. Shadow was losing.
Rodger called to the others. "Shadow needs help!"
Knuckle's voice came back. "There's no time! We have to get Sonic out, now!"
Rodger looked back and saw Infinite dragging a limp Shadow onto the stage. Eggman pulled out a laser gun and walked up to him.
"Well, at least I can execute one annoying hedgehog today!"
Shadow looked up at Eggman. "I spit in your coffee."
Eggman growled and leveled the laser. Before he could fire, the room was plunged into darkness.
"What happened to the lights?" Eggman demanded.
Then, there was a light. It was the light of Rodger's flamethrower setting the stage on fire.
Eggman panicked and jumped off the stage. Infinite saw that Shadow was gone. He looked towards the exit and saw Shadow and Rodger running away.
"Okay, let's get out of here!" Knuckles said, running into the ship.
"Wait, where's the rookie?" Espio asked.
"Oh no, what's he doing this time?" Knuckles asked.
"We don't have time to wait! We have to get Sonic some help, now!" Amy shouted.
"Tails, punch it!" Knuckles ordered.
Tails punched it. The ship rocketed towards Angel Island.
Shadow and Rodger ran into the landing bay and saw the ship already well on its way.
"Okay, there has to be another way off this station." Rodger said.
They turned around, and saw Infinite.
"Looks like your friends left without you."
Rodger looked at Shadow. "Now what do we do?"
Shadow removed his rings. "Get back."
Infinite scoffed. "You took off your fashion accessories. I'm so scared."
"You should be."
Shadow moved too fast for Rodger too see. He heard several cries of pain from Infinite, then it was over. Shadow collapsed, unconscious.
Infinite crawled out of a jackal shaped depression in the floor. Rodger knew reinforcements were coming, and he grabbed Shadow and ran for the other ship in the landing bay. This ship was much larger and fancier than the one he came in on, and had "Egg Typhoon" printed on it.
Rodger got in the pilot's seat and realized that he had no idea how to fly it.
"Which one of these is the start button?"
He started hitting random switches, and soon the engines roared to life. Rodger grabbed the steering mechanism and attempted to maneuver the ship. There was a screech of metal as he scraped it against the side of the landing bay. A bunch of robots ran into the hanger and started firing at the ship. Rodger found a button labeled "Autopilot" and hit it. The ship exited the hanger.
"Please select a destination." Eggman's voice asked.
"Angel Island!"
"Plotting course: Angel Island."
Shadow started to wake up. "Ohhhh…"
"Are you okay, Shadow?"
"Didn't I tell you to stop doing stupid things?"
"A 'Thanks for saving my life' would have been nice."
"You almost died because of it!" Shadow snapped.
"You would have done the same for me!" Rodger shot back.
"Whatever." Shadow tried to stand up, but his legs wouldn't support him.
"Here, let me help you. I'm sure there's a bed or something on this ship somewhere."
Rodger half carried Shadow until they found a large bed that was undoubtedly meant for Eggman. Shadow crawled onto it and was immediately asleep.
"Get some rest. You've earned it."
