With the repairs to the Tornado complete, Tails heads to assist Rotor with repairs to Sky Patrol, and Sonic goes for a run around the ship. As he passes the zen garden, he screeches to a halt and backpedals. "Hey Sal, how's things?"
"So much for half an hour to myself," Sally sighs in amusement, sitting up on the sand.
"Sorry, Sal. I'll‑"
"I'm kidding," Sally assures. "Actually, I wouldn't mind having a chat with you about a couple of things."
"Sure thing," Sonic agrees, entering the zen garden and sitting next to Sally. "What's up?"
"I want to talk about what happened in the meeting room earlier," Sally replies.
"If you hadn't stepped in, I would have," Sonic assures. "You did exactly what a leader should do: you took control and made sure nothing bad happened."
"Nicole thinks so too."
"And you know we're both right."
"I know. It's just good to hear it from someone else."
"So, what's the plan?"
"I don't know," Sally sighs. "This whole situation's weird. Eggman's gone to another dimension, but we know he'll be back. And given he's gone to Avalice, he'll likely return with an army. We have Freedom Fighter groups all over the world, but even with them and GUN, there's no guarantee we'll be able to combat an Eggman army from another world. And then there's the Avalicians trapped here. Maria may act sweet and innocent, but she's hiding the truth of who she is, I just know it. As for Lilac and Carol… How two close friends can cause so much chaos, I don't‑ Of course!"
"'Of course' what?" Sonic asks, confused.
"The Chaos Emeralds!" Sally explains. "I know we initially set out for all seven, but Eggman managed to open the biggest Genesis Portal we've ever seen with just three. And we have four! If we get it right, we'll be able to follow him!"
"But Sal, we don't have the sort of machinery he does," Sonic reminds.
"No, but we have something better," Sally replies, looking directly at Sonic. "Think you're up to the challenge?"
"Didn't you say you wanted a machine because you weren't sure I'd get it right?"
"Desperate times."
"Then I'll do my best."
"You always do."
Half an hour later, Sonic and Sally are alone in the hangar, all the planes and other vehicles moved as far to the sides as possible.
"Is there anything you need?" Sally asks as Sonic arranges the four Emeralds in a diamond around him.
"Three more Emeralds would be nice," Sonic smirks.
"I'm serious," Sally states firmly.
"I know" Sonic assures. "And no, I have all I need. Now stand back: this may get… interesting."
As Sally backs away, Sonic closes his eyes and focusses on the task at hand. The Chaos Emeralds begin glowing a little brighter as they lift off the deck and begin to orbit Sonic, surrounding him in a ring of multi‑coloured iridescence. As the energy levels build, Sonic's quills start to lift, flashes of yellow tracing along their edges.
"Come on!" Sonic grunts, the stress of his exertions beginning to show. "Just… a… bit… more… Gah!"
The Emeralds clatter to the floor, inert. Sonic drops to one knee, panting heavily.
"What happened?" Sally asks, concerned.
"Four isn't enough," Sonic answers, recovering his breath quickly. "I need all seven."
"There must be another way." Sally thinks for a few moments. "We're trying to get to Avalice, and we have on board three Avalice natives, one of which who has shown the ability to utilise at least one Chaos Emerald. I wonder…"
"I don't follow."
"They have an attachment to Avalice that we'll never have," Sally explains. "Maybe the Emeralds will be able to detect that. If they can, we might just stand a chance."
"Two of them are in the brig," Sonic reminds.
"For the protection of themselves and the team, I know." Sally sighs. "But we don't have any other options."
In the brig, Lilac and Carol wait patiently for their release: however, for one of them, their patience is about to expire.
"I'm breaking us out of here," Carol decides, heading over to the door lock, a claw extended ready to pick it.
"Please don't," Lilac requests. "We've already broken Sally's trust enough: I don't want to make it worse."
"How much longer do we have to wait?" Carol asks, frustrated.
"Until now," Antoine answers as he enters the brig, his wife beside him. "Ze princess has requested you to be in ze hangar."
"An' before you think about tryin' any funny business, you'll be wearing these," Bunnie adds, holding up two pairs of sturdy handcuffs.
"I'm not wearing those!" Carol states defiantly.
"If Sally wants us cuffed, then we go cuffed," Lilac decides, turning around and holding her hands behind her. "Otherwise we won't be going anywhere."
"Fine," Carol concedes, turning around in the same manner as Lilac. "But you owe me."
"More than I can ever repay," Lilac replies quietly.
Antoine and Bunnie open the cell doors, fit the handcuffs, then escort Lilac and Carol to the hangar, arriving to find Maria waiting for them with Sonic and Sally.
"You two, over here," Sally commands Lilac and Carol, who dutifully obey. "You will do exactly as I say, when I say it. You will not object, you will not complain, you will not speak except to acknowledge my orders. Do you understand?"
"We understand," Lilac and Carol chorus in deference.
"Get in position," Sally commands.
Silently, Lilac and Carol take up positions opposite each other in a square with Sonic, who is outwardly relaxed as usual, and Maria, who looks nervously between the two Avalician heroes.
"It's OK, kid," Sonic assures Maria. "Everything's under control."
"I turned eighteen three weeks ago," Maria comments idly.
"Maria has already been briefed on the plan, so I'll be quick," Sally addresses to Lilac and Carol. "Four people, four Emeralds. Each of you will hold two Emeralds, one each with the person either side of you. You will then think of Avalice, of your home, your friends, your families, anything and anyone you want to return to. With luck, the four of you together will open a Genesis Portal large enough to get Sky Patrol to Avalice. Do you think you're able to do that?"
"Yes ma'am," Lilac and Carol chorus.
"Antoine, Bunnie, remove the handcuffs," Sally commands. "When you're ready, Sonic."
Sonic takes a deep breath. "Let's do it to it."
Together, Sonic, Maria, Lilac, and Carol pick up the four Chaos Emeralds, holding them as per Sally's orders.
Sonic takes a deep breath. "Chaos Control!"
Once again, the Emeralds begin to glow as Sonic taps into their power. With the aid of the three Avalicians thinking of their homeworld, the power level rises rapidly. Within moments, Sonic's quills lift, yellow flashes running down their length. Lilac's hair whips also rise, jagged rings of azure running the length from scalp to tip. Silver arcs play over Carol's fur, while Maria's olive pelt is striated by rivers of vivid lime.
Suddenly, just outside the ship and in view of the hangar, a tiny Genesis Portal appears. Slowly, it grows until it's half the size of Sky Patrol.
"It's working! Keep it up!" Sonic encourages.
The Portal continues to grow, but soon, Maria falters. "It's too hard!" she cries, her legs shaking from the effort.
"Stay focussed!" Sonic instructs. "You can do it!"
"But it hurts!" Maria wails.
"I know," Sonic admits. "It'll be worth it when you're home."
"I can't… I can't do it," Maria sobs, the vivid lime fading as her focus slips.
Lilac can remain silent no longer. "Think of Hanna Skarlett!" she commands.
"How will that help?" Maria snaps.
"Because I know how much you care for her!" Lilac explains.
"How?" Maria asks in disbelief.
"In Zao's office, you called her 'my Hanna'," Carol explains.
"But… how?" Maria asks, still not understanding.
"Because that's how much we care for each other!" Lilac and Carol chorus.
Their admission, along with Maria's renewed confidence as she turns her thoughts to the vixen that rescued her from a living hell six years ago, causes the Chaos Emeralds to glow dazzlingly brightly. The light washes out everyone's vision, blinding them.
Sky Patrol shudders as it begins to move towards the rapidly expanding Genesis Portal.
"Come on!" Sonic grimaces. "Just a bit more!"
"We're giving it everything we have!" the three Avalicians chorus.
Suddenly, Chaos Control ends, the four Emeralds clattering to the floor as their four users collapse in a daze.
Lilac is the first to stir. "Did… Did we do it?"
"Not sure," Carol replies.
"We did something," Sonic informs, looking out of the hangar. "We're not where we were."
Lilac and Carol slowly pull themselves to their feet, then look outside to see the viridian foliage of Dragon Valley stretching out before them.
"It's…" Carol begins.
"…home," Lilac finishes.
Overcome with joy, the two best friends embrace each other in a loving hug, both freely crying tears of happiness.
"We did it, Carol," Lilac whispers. "We really did it."
"We did it together," Carol whispers back.
"And we can save Avalice together," Lilac promises.
"I don't know anyone called Trevor," Maria murmurs, still dazed. "Wait… where are we?" she asks as her senses return to her.
"I think, based on Lilac and Carol's reactions, you're home," Sonic explains.
"But that's Dragon Valley, and I live in Jade Creek, which means I'm‑" Maria begins. "Which means I'm back on Avalice!" she realises, leaping to her feet and jumping for joy. "I'm back on Avalice! I'm home! I've never been such a happy kitty!"
"All three of you performed admirably," Sally compliments. "I must admit, I had my doubts, but you've achieved what seemed impossible."
Maria turns to celebrate with Lilac and Carol, hesitating when she sees them hugging and crying. "Are you OK?" she asks the two best friends.
"I think they're more than OK," Sonic answers.
A moment later, Lilac and Carol end their hug and turn to Sally. "Sorry for going against your orders," Lilac apologies.
"We promise not to do it again," Carol adds.
"Apology accepted," Sally nods.
"We're ready to return to the brig," Lilac informs.
"That won't be necessary," Sally decides. "Instead, I want you to follow these two new orders."
"Of course," Carol replies.
"First: save Avalice," Sally orders. "And second: no matter how bad things get in the future, remember this moment. Remember what you did together today, powered by nothing but the love you have for each other. Hold onto that love, and you will always prevail."
Lilac and Carol put their arms around each other's shoulders. "We won't let you down," they chorus.