SORRY THIS CHAPTER TOOK AWHILE TO COME OUT, RAN INTO SOME DIFFICULTIES WHILE WRITING IT.
12:13 A.M. South Island, Green Hill Zone, Outside of One of Eggman's Manufacturing Plants.
Rookie stood alone on the top of a large hill that overlooked the even larger manufacturing plant in front of him. The reason why he was just standing there was because the plan was that Rookie would rush into the plant's western side, while a separate team of Resistance soldiers would rush in through the northern parts of the base. And all Rookie had to do for the time being was wait for the signal to run inside, right at that moment the much less garbled voice of Knuckles, thanks to Beta Base's G.U.N. grade communications network, came over his ear piece "Rookie, head inside. But be careful! We still have no clue what Eggman's plan is, we have no clue where he's making it at, and we only have one more day until its executed, so you better hustle!"
Rookie nodded as he began to run down the hill "Hustling now Knuckles!"
The only lights that illuminated the dark surroundings of the midnight Green Hill Zone was the manufacturing plant's large spotlights and the various other lights that were inside of the plant itself. Suddenly the ground rumbled and one of the Resistance soldiers that was rushing into the northern side of the plant came over the Network "Unidentified heat source detected! Requesting analysis!"
As Rookie raised his Wispon up and fired it at the Egg Pawns that were guarding the western door Amy's voice said "Hang on, it's a multi-legged battlemech! The energy readings are off the charts!"
Rookie then rushed into the plant and across a catwalk that looked over a massive room underneath it filled with enslaved prisoners, and robots, all being forced to create weapons for Eggman. At the same time Vector came over the Network "So Eggman had another weapon up his sleeve."
He then stepped off of the catwalk and into a hallway, as he did five doors ahead of him opened up and Egg Pawns stepped out from inside of the rooms. Rookie dropped own into a slide and kicked the robot's legs out from underneath them. Once he stood up again he effortlessly used his Wispon to take out the robots before turning back around and continuing forwards. He then exited the facility and entered some sort of fenced off mining area that was covered in sand and dust from both the large desert Eggman had created, and the inhumane mining labor Eggman was forcing his organic prisoners through. As Rookie ran to the other side of the mining area he heard a robot screech come from over head before a massive crab like mech landed behind the fence to his left. Its multiple red eyes stared down at him like spot lights before it then let out another screech and stomped away from the mining area.
Rookie then reentered the facility and ran into a massive room being used to create giant bombs similar to the ones him and Sonic took care of back at the Arsenal Pyramid, at the same time Knuckles said "Diversionary tactics are all about the decoy you use. Just go wild and get their attention!"
Amy then quickly added "Don't push your luck too far though."
Sonic then suddenly said "And hey, leave the Chemical Plant to me. Make as much noise as you can!"
Rookie nodded and said "Don't worry guys, I got this."
He then glanced over to his left and saw one of those giant bombs, and it gave him an idea. He quickly skid to a halt before running off towards one of the bombs, once he reached it he tore off the hatch that was covering the control panel before saying to himself "This should make a lot of noise, and if I'm careful I won't push my luck too far.. Right?"
He then finished setting the bomb's timer before quickly spinning back around and running down the path he was running down before. As he ran he past by a room that's door was partially open, and that let him hear the sounds of electronic beeping and whiring coming from inside of it. Sadly his curiosity got the better of him and he reluctantly walked over to the door and peeked into the room. What he saw made him gasp in shock, he saw the Roboticized bodies of Bunnie and Nicole standing next to each other in a line. And there were five different cables plugged into the side of Bunnie's head, Rookie quickly forced the door open and ran into the room where he then saw a large glass capsule sitting in the center of the room. That must've been the device Eggman uses for Roboticizing someone, but he didn't have time to think about that capsule, instead he had to figure out a way to help Bunnie and Nicole. He ran over to the computer that the cables that were plugged into Bunnie were coming from, and once he turned it back on he saw that the computer screen read "Deleting Conscious: In Progress."
Rookie's eyes widened in shock as he quickly attempted to stop the computer from doing that very thing. Sadly he just couldn't figure it out, so instead he ran over to Bunnie and used his adrenaline fueled muscles to tare the cables out of the side of her head. Once the cables came out of her head her robotic body turned on and her digital eyes looked around the room very confused "W- Where am ah?"
Rookie then quickly came into her view "You're inside of one of Eggman's manufacturing plants! A- And, well.. He's kinda. Roboticized you and Nicole."
Bunnie yelled out "What?!"
Before looking down at her hands and body. She then looked over to Nicole and she Bunnie said "A- Ah don't understand.. The last thing ah remembered was being hit by that fake Shadow's Chaos Blast and passing out."
Rookie hesitantly said "A- After that. Metal Sonic picked you and Nicole up, and flew off with the two of you."
Suddenly several cables all came out of the computer next to Nicole on their own and attempted to plug themselves into her head. Rookie quickly ran over to them and grabbed onto the cables all with one hand. Sadly a new cable came out of the computer and it stretched over to Rookie and shocked him with a sudden jolt of electricity. As Rookie let go of the cables in his hand he yelled out "Why are the cables moving on their own?!"
Bunnie attempted to move her legs and say "Ah think its for defensive purposes." at the same time.
The cables that Rookie had let go of then reconnected with the side of Nicole's now robotic head while the cable that had shocked him retreated back into the computer. Rookie quickly recovered and ran over to the computer that was attempting to delete Nicole's conscious, he then quickly began to try and stop the computer from doing that very thing. But he just didn't know how, so instead, he quickly searched around the computer and found a tab labeled "Emergency Backup." Rookie entered that tab and saw all sorts of various different commands, and he just randomly clicked on one that looked positive.
Suddenly the tab closed and suddenly a message popped up on the screen that read "Downloading Brain Functions: In Progress."
Rookie looked over to Bunnie, who had just managed to relearn how to walk, and said "This is a good thing.. Right?"
She shrugged and suddenly that popup message said "Download Complete"
Before the computer's screen turned off completely. Rookie and Bunnie both stared at the black screen for several silent minutes when suddenly the screen began to glitch out, green lines and bars appeared all over it, before it suddenly stopped again and a thin green line appeared in the center of the screen. Then suddenly the voice of Nicole came through the computer's speakers "H- H- Hello?"
That thin line of green shook as though it were measuring a sound wave as Nicole's voice spoke. Rookie stared at the screen in disbelief "Wh- Nicole?! What happened?!"
"I- I- I don't know! Wh- Where am I?!"
Bunnie walked over to Rookie and said "Ah think you've turned her into some kind of A.I. Rookie."
He looked over to her in confused shock while Nicole yelled out "WH- WH- WHAT!?"
Suddenly the roof of the manufacturing plant shook and Rookie could hear the sound of that multi-legged battlemech stomping across the roof. As he remembered why he was sent here he said "We can figure out what happened and how to reverse it latter! Right now you two need to get out of here!"
Rookie then began to search around the room for something to transport Nicole with. While he did that Bunnie said "Wait, why are you here?"
He ran over to a workbench and slid open one of its drawers while also answering Bunnie's question "I'm here to serve as a distraction for Sonic, who's trying to infiltrate the Chemical Plant, so that the Resistance can destroy the Death Egg."
Bunnie looked over to the computer screen expecting to see Nicole but remembering that she's now an A.I. right as she saw the almost blank screen. Bunnie then looked back over to Rookie and said "How much have we missed?"
Rookie then grabbed ahold of a black USB and quickly spun around before running towards the computer Nicole was on. At the same time he said "A lot, but we can talk all about it back at the Beta Base."
He then plugged the USB into the computer as Bunnie said "What?! What happened to the Gamma Base?!"
Rookie began to download A.I. Nicole onto the USB as he said "Again! We can talk about what you've missed later!"
Once he finished yelling at Bunnie Nicole finished downloading onto the USB. Rookie then unplugged the device and handed it to Bunnie "Get out of here and don't get caught."
Bunnie nodded and she was about to run forwards when suddenly jet thrusters that were hidden in her feet went off and she was lifted off of the ground slightly before she fell back onto the ground. Rookie and Bunnie both looked at each other a look of shock on their faces, well as shocked as Bunnie's mechanical face could look. Rookie then said "Use those to escape."
Bunnie nodded before she then ran out of the room and a second after she did Rookie also ran out of the room. The two of them then ran out of the facility and into another mining area, Bunnie's foot jets turned back on and she flew up into the air. At the same time that giant battlemech landed behind the left fence and then quickly leaped up into the air and landed somewhere over to Rookie's right. He quickly jumped up and climbed the fence that was in front of him, and once he landed on the ground outside of the facility he glanced over his shoulder and saw a massive explosion come out from the back of the facility. And once that explosion went off the facility's sirens went off and robots began to pour out of the facility and began to run after Rookie, who then said into his earpiece "Distraction successful!"
Knuckles' voice then said "Perfect. Time to head back."
Rookie then began to run towards the end of the Zone when suddenly the voice of Amy said "Hold on! Rookie there's a massive energy source approaching!"
Suddenly the massive battlemech landed behind Rookie and the mech began to run towards him. Rookie yelled out in fear before running forwards in complete fear, Rookie then ran underneath a stone archway and the battlemech crashed through it which caused Rookie to glance over his shoulder and accidentally trip over a rock in front of him. He fell onto the ground and quickly curled up into a fetal position hoping that when he was going to be crushed by one of the legs of the battlemech it wouldn't be hurt. But instead he heard the sound of the mech running over him, and past him, Rookie stood up and saw that the battlemech wasn't trying to crush him, it was trying to run off towards the Chemical Plant. Of course Rookie at first thought that the mech would have to somehow figure out a way to swim to the Northern Isle, but that assumption was suddenly destroyed when he saw the mech's legs extend long enough for it to reach the bottom of the ocean.
The voice of Knuckles then said "We can't let that thing get to the Chemical Plant. Rookie, keep it busy there as long as you can!"
Rookie nodded before running after the mech, but he couldn't catch up to it on foot so he quickly thrust his hand out and used his grappling hook to swing himself in front of the mech. He then returned to running away from the mech as he realized just how stupid of a plan he had come up with to keep that mech busy. The mech's legs then began to kick up massive chunks of and Rookie yelled out continuously as he jumped and rolled out of the way of those rock chunks. The battlemech slowly began to catch up with Rookie, chunks of rocks still being launched at Rookie as it did. Rookie saw the battlemech's shadow be cast over him as well as the light of its red eyes. Rookie quickly spun around and used his grappling hook pull himself up to the mech's head and once he hit the side of it he jumped off of it and used his grappling hook to swing himself underneath the bottom of the mech.
He continued to swing around the mech tangling its legs as he did before he then quickly tangled up the back legs of the mech and swung forwards and his grappling hook detached itself automatically causing him to land on the ground and to also tumble across it. The battlemech didn't understand the fact that its legs were tangled up so it began to trip over itself which caused it to fall onto the ground. Rookie quickly jumped out of the mech's way as it tumbled across the ground as well, its massive back legs came over the top of its head and they slammed against the ground as it finally skid to a halt. Rookie stared at the empty multiple red eyes before a voice that sounded very similar to Metal Sonic's came out of it "Warning! Warning! The multi-legged battlemech: Death Crab, has been compromised! Engaging self-destruct!"
Rookie's eyes widened in shock before he quickly spun around and ran from the battlemech, that's apparently named the Death Crab, right before it exploded sending scraps of metal into the air. Rookie dodged the falling metal debris before turning around to see the Death Crab's destroyed body lying motionless on the ground. Rookie then turned back around again and began to finally run out of the Zone heading towards the ship that he had used to get from West Side Island to South Island.
May 21st, 2013, 10:45 A.M. Mediter Sea, The Former Shamarian Prison Island Qamar, Now Called Jackal Burrow.
Infinite sat alone on top of the once feared prison walls. After he and his squad completely overthrew the guards, warden, and even repelled the Shamarian National Guard, the prison became their own independent micronation. And Infinite was its leader, but even still, he longed to return to the very thing that got him imprisoned in the first place. He wanted to return to his mercenary work, even though he wasn't any good at it. He looked over to his right hand which was gripping onto the hilt of a red sword with a curved blade, said blade once belonged to his father, but he had died three months before Infinite and his squad took over the prison. And one would think that he'd be sad that his own father had died, but they'd be wrong. A day after his father's death and his brother, Zawar, showed up at the prison and told Infinite that his own father said that he was a disappointment in his father's own eyes.
But that didn't matter to him now. Now he's the leader of a micronation that was once under the control of the most oppressive country in the world. He knew he wasn't a disappointment, it was his father who was a disappointment in Infinite's own eyes. Suddenly the voice of Infinite's best friend, Abdul-Ba'ith Qutb Amari, said "You sit'n on this wall again?"
Infinite looked over to his left and saw Abdul climb up the wall and sit next to him. Infinite nodded before saying "Yeah."
Abdul brought his legs up and crossed them "You thinking about deep stuff again?"
Infinite nodded again and Abdul said "Is it still about your family?"
Infinite nodded again but this time he said "Nothing else to think about."
Abdul shrugged "Nah.. You're in charge of a nation so you got that kind of stuff to do."
Infinite sighed "I know, I know... But.. I miss being the only thing I'm good at."
Abdul raised an eyebrow in slight confusion "And that might be?"
"A mercenary! Sure my own father pressured me into becoming one, but its the only thing I'm actually good at."
Abdul sighed "I don't blame you, being a member of this place's own national guard is boring."
Infinite looked over to Abdul "I don't like to hear that kind of talk come from the soldiers who are protecting my seat of power."
Abdul rolled his eyes before saying "If you really want to go back to being a mercenary then.. Go ahead, I'm sure Umniyah will be very happy that you're gone."
Infinite sighed as he slid his sword into its sheath, which was strapped to his back "She probably will be.."
After a silent moment Infinite stood up and stared at the sea in front of him. Saltiest in the world they say, but he's never taken a drink out of it so he wouldn't know. Infinite then suddenly said "I want all of you to come with me."
Abdul looked up to Infinite "Huh?"
The standing Jackal nodded "Yeah. I want you, Umniyah, Ragheb, Qasim, Shahlah, and Halimah to come with me."
Abdul continued to stare up at Infinite "Wh- Really? I mean sure our little squad was pretty good at overthrowing the warden and all of his guards but.. Aside from you, and Qasim, we've never done mercenary work. Besides, I think everyone other than Umniyah and Ragheb thinks that this little nation is gonna collapse in maybe a year."
Infinite sighed "If you and the others don't want to come with me, than they don't have to. But I'm going wither they like it or not."
Abdul went silent before staring looking over to the sea. He then sighed as he stood up next to Infinite "It's gonna be a lot of trouble convincing Umniyah to come with us."
Infinite looked over to his friend and raised an eye brow "What about the others?"
Abdul shrugged "Umniyah really wants to run this place man. She's gonna be harder than the others."
Infinite chuckled "Really? Shahlah's her sister, and you don't think you and Shahlah working together can convince Umniyah to come with us?"
Abdul sighed "We could.. If Shahlah's willing."
Infinite grew a big grin "Don't worry, she'll be willing. Because I am L-"
Suddenly the voice of Umniyah yelled up to Abdul and Infinite "Boss! Come quick!"
Infinite turned around and looked down at her "What is it?"
She was about to answer when suddenly the voice of Infinite's brother yelled out "L-"
"INFINITE!"
He grumbled to himself before crossing his arms over his chest, once he did the world around him turned into red cubes before slowly dissolving back into the real world.
2017 Present Day, 12:34 A.M. West Side Island, Metropolis Zone, Eggman's Base In the City, Infinite's Sleeping Quarters.
Infinite then turned around and walked over to the PA that sat next to his mechanical door, he pressed a button on the control panel before saying into the speaker "What?"
The voice of Eggman then yelled back "What?! WHAT?! How many times must I tell you! Do not use the Phantom Ruby to fulfill your false fantasies! It taxes the preexisting ones to heavily!"
Infinite took his thumb off of the button and said "And?"
"And?! Rrrrgggh! Chaos as broken free from its illusion! Get in here! AND FIX THIS BEFORE IT BRAKES SOMETHING OF USE!"
Infinite rolled his eyes before turning off the PA and walking out of his room. Once he finally reached the Stasis Room and once the doors slid open Infinite saw Eggman standing in front of him "Fix. This."
He then pointed to the tube where an agitated Chaos was trapped inside of. Infinite shoved past Eggman while saying "Yeah, yeah."
And once he got close enough to Chaos Infinite made the Phantom Ruby go off. The room quickly dissolved into a white void, Eggman disappeared, and Chaos's vision went fuzzy. It could feel itself fall onto the ground and it could feel some sort of strange warmth in front if it, once its vision cleared Chaos saw Tikal standing in front of him "Morning sleepy head."
She then sat down in front of Chaos and the water creature slowly readjusted itself so it was sitting too. Chaos could see that behind Tikal was a large grass pathway that led into a large bright glow that's light felt warm to Chaos's aquatic body. Tikal suddenly said "You feeling alright?"
Chaos shook its head and Tikal said "Oh, is its something Omi did?"
Omi was a Chao, the only Chao that wasn't afraid of messing with Chaos or Tikal. Chaos shook its head again before telepathically giving Tikal an explanation, after a silent moment Tikal finally said "I know that you don't like being confused.. But we both know that the only way to protect the Chaos now is to do what the Doctor and that Jackal say."
Chaos let out a soft hum that was its version of a sigh before giving Tikal a look that meant "alright" Tikal smiled brightly "Good. Now its time to wake up, play nice, and stay safe."
Chaos nodded before it closed its eyes and disappeared. Tikal waited for Chaos to disappear completely before standing up and letting her form fall apart, Infinite crossed his arms over his chest as the final pieces of Tikal's form left him. In all honesty, he hated using the Phantom Ruby to do this, but he also didn't want to have to deal with Perfect Chaos so things evened out in the end. The illusion Infinite created dissipated and once it did he turned around and said to Eggman "There, Chaos is pacified."
The Doctor grew a wicked grin "Good, good. Now out of the way."
As he walked towards Chaos's tube he shoved Infinite out of his way. The Jackal silently glared at Eggman behind his back before looking over to his left and at that wall covered in monitors. He fixated on the monitor that showed the burning manufacturing plant in Green Hill, which caused him to say "I'm surprised that you're contempt with letting that Wolf get away with destroying your Crab mech, and with damaging that plant so much."
Eggman began to type away at a computer that sat next to Chaos's tube while saying "While yes, I could've crushed that Wolf in the plat whenever I wanted. I let him live for a sole purpose."
He then pointed to a monitor on the left wall and Infinite looked over to it, said monitor displayed a map of South Island, and there was a singular cream colored dot slowly traveling across the digital version of the island. Infinite then said "You let him free that Rabbit Metal Sonic captured, so she can lead us to the Beta Base."
Eggman nodded "Precisely. But until that moment comes, you are staying here and. NOT! Using the Phantom Ruby to create false fantasies, and I am finishing my improvement of Chaos."
Infinite then nodded before turning around and beginning to walk out of the room. As he did he silently grumbled to himself "They wouldn't have been false fantasies. If you would've listened to me."
But Eggman of course didn't hear Infinite so he let the Jackal leave the room unharmed and free to return to his sleeping quarters.