Jet sighed to himself, watching the scene below.

Some humans had cornered someone that looked a lot like him, except they were orange, and clearly not in any condition to hold them off.

He'd been watching, waiting to see what this other hawk would do, but it seemed like nothing except run.

Finally, he gave in, dropped down on his Gear, swinging it upside down and catching the surprised hawk, righting himself again and landing them atop a nearby building.

The other hawk took a step away from him once on the ground, simultaneously afraid, awed, and grateful. He didn't seem to know what to do.

Jet just watched. He wasn't sure if he should get involved or not.

Finally, the hawk seemed to get a hold of himself. "You saved me. Thanks," he stammered out.

"It was nothing. What were you doing there?"

"Trying not to get in trouble."

"Why not just fly?"

"I... haven't got the hang of it yet."

"Seriously? How old're you?"

"I'm twenty."

"God, and you never learned? Guess I'm gonna have to."

"No!" he burst out quickly, then covered his beak with both hands. "I-I didn't mean... I just..."

"Out with it, I'm not gonna do anything about it."

"I'm not... not exactly what I look like."

"You look like a terrified hawk."

"Yeah, but I'm not."

"What are you then?"

"Human. Or I was."

"Seriously? This has got to be some kinda bad joke."

"I'm not joking. I was human." He shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Just hear me out?"

"Go on, tell me."

"I was like those humans you rescued me from. I found a wolf girl, all alone."

"You picked on her like they were you."

"Yeah. That was a mistake. I didn't know what she'd do. She pinned me against a wall, then... I became this. She told me it'd teach me a lesson. That I'd learn something from it. Since then I've been running mostly, trying not to get stuck in the same situation."

"You know how crazy you sound right now?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but it happened. I don't know what I am, but I can't do anything you think I can."

"You're probably just what you look like – a hawk. Which means since you gotta learn about your new look, I'm the one to teach you. What's your name?"

"Josh."

"That's not exactly a very hawklike name."

"I did say I was human."

"Flash."

"Pardon?"

"That's your new name. If you plan to look like that, you've got to have a name to match."

"Flash," he said to himself, trying it out. "I like it. What's first?"

"Learning to fly. Basic need of any young hawk."


Vector was still concentrating on driving without trouble. Given that the road wasn't exactly smooth, and the van was old, it didn't work out too well.

"It's gaining on us," Espio told him.

"I'm trying to do something about that now."

"Do it quicker?"

"This is about as quick as it gets."

"We're in trouble."

"Sure about that?" Silver said, floating alongside Vector.

"What happened to you?"

"Oh, nothing much. I got a little wet. How about I give a helping hand?"

"Oh, no. Not again. You know I hate it."

"Only because it makes you queasy. But is that really so bad for getting out the way of that flood sooner?"

"Get on with it before I change my mind," the chameleon muttered, already looking slightly ill.

Vector felt the van lift off the ground, and eased off the engine, letting Silver handle it.

He handled it easily, pulling it along with almost no trouble at all, and far faster than they had been going.

As they neared the city limits, he set them down again, and turned to blocking off the water flow.

There was a lot of water. He'd have to take a fair amount of pressure from it all.


"You're certain it's gone through."

"I am the mayor, remember."

"Yeah, I'm remembering those guys out there who aren't gonna accept it so easily."

"Trust me, Sonic. I know you have no reason to, but it has been dealt with. Tails?"

"She's almost here," he called back, tapping controls on the remote and leaning out of a window he'd smashed earlier. A few moments later, he squinted, then leaned back in again. "Done. I'll meet you on the roof." He flew up and out.

"We should go," Bane told the rest of them. "We don't want to keep him waiting."

Sonic left before the rest of them. He wanted to talk to Tails anyway.

Up on the roof was what had once been a small van, and was now modified to be some kind of flying contraption. Whatever it was now, it had plenty of space, and being a Tails creation, more than a few hidden extras.

Tails was working away inside, checking things, making adjustments and other similar things.

"That was quick," he greeted Sonic.

"Well, world's fastest hedgehog and all that. Gotta have a talk with you."

"It's about that night, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I was pretty annoyed at you then for it."

"I was irritated."

"Don't worry about it. It helped get us out, didn't it?"

"Doesn't excuse me for it."

"It got done, we know what it does now. Leave it?"

"If you're sure."

"Of course I am. I can't stay angry at you for long, you know that."

"Thanks."

"By the way, what d'ya think of Shadow's new look?"

"Suits him."

"I reckon he might not wanna change back."

"He does seem to be enjoying himself more with it."

"It's the grinning," Shadow told them, taking a seat. "It unnerves people."

"And you're a cat," Aqua added.

"That too. I should've been like this from the start. Much more fun."

Sonic arched an eyebrow at him. "Fun? You Shadow? Isn't that impossible?"

"You should try it yourself."

"Nah, I like myself the way I am, thanks. Where's Morph?"

"She's having a word with Knuckles."

"Or she could be coming in right now." Morph hadn't changed yet. She headed straight to Tails, and murmured something to him.

"Leave it," he told her. "It's fine the way it is."

"But you could have it like it used to be."

"I know. I'm used to this now."

"If you're sure."

"Trust me."

Morph nodded, then like the rest of them took a seat.

Bane looked out of place with the rest of them, something he was acutely aware of.

Tails piloted the vehicle up and away, his hands flying over the controls easily.

"Alright, it's safe to get up for now," he told them. "Just keep near something to grab, in case something comes up."

Amy joined Sonic. He had no objection to sharing his seat with her. They'd missed each other. They didn't need to say anything, already knowing what each would say. Just being back together again was enough.

Knuckles got up and started doing exercises, working out the aches in the joints from his being hung on a cell wall had given him. Morph watched him, an appreciative smile on her face.

Shadow and Aqua just curled up and took a catnap, but not before Shadow treated Bane to another of his favourite grins.

Bane tried to ignore it, still coming to terms with what he was.


"I think you got the hang of it now," Jet told him.

"Thanks. It's not as hard as it looks, is it?"

"Nope."

"Hey, what's that?"

"The sky?"

"Look up."

Jet watched a large... craft fly overhead. There was no mistaking a Tails creation. Despite there being no marks indicating it to be one, it was still clearly one of his works.

"Hey, how'd you like to take another trip on the Gear with me?"

"Where're we going?"

"Tails' workshop."

"Tails? Isn't he marked a criminal though?"

"Yeah, for being different – just like you and me. Your point?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot."

"C'mon, lets go see what he's up to."


The phone rang. Espio answered with his usual charm.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"It's me, Espio – Morph."

"Do you know there's a flood heading this way, and Silver's the only thing holding it back?"

"Only new bit is Silver. Got a little news for you. Our names are in the clear. We're heading to Tails' workshop now it's safe again. Tails suggested you take Cream there."

"We'll be along."

"Hey, Espio?"

"No. I know what you're going to ask. It wouldn't work out between us."

"I'm almost relieved you said that. See you around"

"Vector?" The crocodile didn't notice. He was watching Silver, and being reminded of an old legend. Something about someone named Moses.

"Vector!"

"Huh? What?"

"That was Morph. We're in the clear. She suggested taking Cream to Tails' workshop."

"Can I make a suggestion too?" Rouge's voice came from behind the Master Emerald.

"Go ahead," Vector replied.

"We do still have these little gems to get back to Angel Island, you know."

"Tell you what. Espio, you and Cream go – you can keep her safe. I doubt all the humans have heard the news about us yet. Rouge and I will get these back safely."

"Thanks Vector," Rouge called.

"No trouble. Espio? Cream?"

"On our way already."

Cream said very little along the way, her face still worried.

"You didn't have to come along," she told him.

"Vector was right."

"I can fly over them if there's any trouble."

"Tails thought that once. It lost him one arm. Did he not tell you?"

"He said he'd explain it later. I was a little annoyed at him."

"For what he'd done?"

"For getting out of control like that just over me."

"He was worried about you."

"I know, but he hurt people to get to me."

"That bothers you?"

"Doesn't it you?"

"I do whatever is necessary, Cream. I'm not the best person to ask."

"He shouldn't have done it."

"What's done is done. Let it be."

"But what if he gets like that again?"

"Why would he? You're safe now. Our names are cleared. Things are starting to get back to normal."

"Are they? People still don't like us because we're different."

"There'll always be someone who thinks like that."

Cream said nothing more.

"By the way. What happened to that Chao of yours?"

"Cheese? Safe."

"Let me guess; you found someone who gave you his word."

"How did you know?"

"Vector did the same for Charmy."

"I know, I was there at the same time."

"Vector wouldn't tell me anything more than that."

"It's safer for them this way."

"He said that too."

"Trust him."


"Do you mind? That hurt."

"It wasn't intentional. I have no idea how your circuits are wired, let alone how you can feel pain."

"You're telling me? I thought I was human."

"You were putting on a good impression."

"That's probably because I didn't know otherwise."

"Just a little longer."

"What are going to do with all this information you get from me?"

"Try and figure out things like where Eggman is, what he's up to, how he's doing it and so on."

"It sounds just like what I read about."

"Read?"

"About your past exploits. Did you not know someone had turned them into book form?"

"No, I didn't actually."

"There should be a copy in my office. Next time I'm there, I'll have it sent to you."

"You don't have to, you know."

"Oh, I think you might find it interesting to read about yourselves from a human perspective. Well, one before all the... unfortunate circumstances, that is."

"Got it."

"Finally. I thought I was going to have to put up with that all day."

"Hardly. Now I've got to check through all this."

"I'll leave you to it."

"Thanks."

Bane left the fox to it, heading back to rejoin the others. Now he'd gotten to know them a little, he'd discovered they weren't so bad after all.

Leo met him. He'd discovered that 'Leo' was actually Shadow, but that he insisted that until he let Morph change him back, he was still Leo.

"You're done for now?" he asked Bane.

"I hope so. I felt like my brains were being drained."

"Brains? You're a machine."

"One that feels like he's human."

"Point. Actually, Morph and I were talking about that."

"Being human?"

"She thinks she might be able to morph you to one."

"Like she did you to a panther?"

"I like it here. I should've been made this way from the start."

"Are you ever planning to change back?"

"I don't know yet, actually. It'll have to wait a bit longer."

"I see. I think I'd like to stay the way I am for now."

"Sure?"

"It's a nice idea, but I'm fine like this."

"You know, that's the same thing Tails said to her when she offered to restore his arm the same way."

"Just what we're used to."

"I'm used to being Shadow. That doesn't mean I can't try something new."