Sally activated her ring blades as she and Sonic stood with Knuckles, Chip and Whip between the Five Elite and the Master Emerald, Athair stood between Knuckles' family and the brewing conflict. "Last warning: stand down now. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't let you cause Angel Island to fall from the sky!"

"Don't do it Amy!" said Chip. "You're a good person, you don't want to hurt anybody!"

Amy seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Everything will turn out alright, you just have to believe me."

Sally huffed. "How can we believe you when you're working with the likes of Naugus and Regina Ferrum?!"

Amy gave a small growl but quickly dialed it back. "They might have come over and are still allying with Specter out of greed and a desire for power, but when the Great Illumination comes…"

"Now you're trying to use ends to justify your means?!" said Knuckles. "That's a flimsy excuse for attacking your friends! You said it yourself, the fighting's already started by now."

Hershey made a ball of fire in her hands. "Not quite. Look into the flame and you'll see that whatever walk of life the members of our society came from they see that this is only way to stop the endless conflict that has plagued creation due to the Titans' faulty vision."

Images appeared in the flame showing Sonic and the others different parts of the island.

Over in Ice Cap Zone Rotor sighed as he looked around the frozen mountains surrounding him. "No offense but I wish Sealia could have been come on this mission. The last few days have been rough, and I'd really like to have what little one on one time we could get away with."

Guntiver shrugged. "Sorry but we got word that Robotnick is going to be sending in some new aquatic bots to attack Iceborough, she and Flip are the best shot we have at keeping them away."

Now it was Erma's time to sigh. "So, did you and Sealia make a decision yet on who's going to be transferring? I mean it must be hard enough to for you two be apart for as much as you are, for a marriage it's going to be harder not to mention once you start having kids. Sealia's my best friend, I only want what makes the two of you happy."

Rotor looked to his feet. "You guys have been her family for so long, just like Sonic, Sally and the others have been mine. You said yourself Flip can handle the aquatic stuff, but Tails can also cover for me in the tech department. Iceborough does feel like home to me, but so does Freedom City, maybe once this is over, we can find time to settle the question once and for all."

"Well whatever you two chose you both have our full support," said Augustus.

"Good for you guys," Ray shivered. "I just hope once we get Fiona back, Mighty and I can find a way to stay…"

Erma rushed over to the flying squirrel. "LOOK OUT!"

She shoved Ray away just before a pair of bullets hit where he was standing. The team looked up to the ridge the shots came from and saw Nack, Bean, Bark and Nic. All four were now wearing outfits like the Elite but in pure black. Nic and Nack were sighting gun barrels.

"Dang!" Nack yelled. "Missed!"

"Don't worry about it," said Bean as he materialized a bomb out of nowhere. "Our new magic gives us endless ammo to play with!"

The artic team took fighting stances. "Shouldn't you guys be in jail?" asked Rotor.

"Fiona was kind enough to visit me a few days back," said Nicolette. "She told me the good news of Ixis and after forming an unofficial club with other prisoners Lord Specter let us out early for good behavior."

"Somehow I don't think a judge is going to see it that way!" said Ray.

"I won't miss this time," said Nack.

"Remember the Heralds' orders," Nic chided. "Only hurt them as a last resort, the Black Emerald's our goal."

Nack then got strangely calm. "You're right sis, the way we reconnected will soon spread through the world." He then turned to the polar bear next to him. "Bark, trip them up."

Bark slammed the ground with his fists causing a small tremor. Despite the shaking Augustus kept his balance and began grappling with his fellow Polar Bear. "Why don't you come with me and we'll talk it one ice bear to another? It'll turn out better for you."

"Sorry," said Bean as threw his bomb causing the two to disengage to avoid the blast. "But Bark's not the talking type."

Over at Mushroom Hill Rob O' the Hedge was watching the fungal forest with Antione, Robin, Lop and Saffron. "I never thought my cousin would ever pose a danger to Mercia, even though we haven't seen each other much the Amy I knew would die before turning against the Freedom Fighters."

"Worry not my liege," said Bow Sparrow. "We'll get her back safe and sound."

Saffron flew over. "If Amy's your cousin then she would have been in line for throne at one time, right?"

Rob chuckled. "It was part of the reason we allowed her to leave, in case anything happened to me, but like her mother she never shown any interest in ruling."

"Sounds like there's a story there," said Lop the Thorn.

"My dear Aunt Elanor, father's little sister, her interest in being a princess stopped at going to balls and having a handsome knight sweep her off her feet. Well her dream did come true when she married Sir Reginald Rose. He was actually a boyhood friend of your father Antione."

The Coyote turned. "I actually cannot zee my father as ever having been a boy."

"Armand and Reginald both squired under Sir Blackthorn, said to be greatest knight in all of Mercian history, both fierce rivals and fast friends. Reginald actually saved Armand's life one time," Rob looked down despondent. "To think Robotnick forced your father to repay Sir Rose's kindness with murder."

Antione sighed. "My father was… strict with me, called me a coward for wanting to be chef more zhen a knight and I believed it for so long. We reconciled and zhen, my evil counterpart from Moebius murdered him. Since he no longer can on his behalf, I apologize for zhe suffering my father has brought on your family."

Rob shook his head. "There is nothing to forgive, in fact I think you'd do your family proud if you would accept a Mercian Knighthood, you've more than earned it."

Antoine sighed. "I could never do zhat to zhe princess, she…"

Suddenly Lop pointed a spear past the Rob and Antione towards some bushes. "Halt, who goes there?!"

Two young foxes, male and female, in Ixis garb came out from behind one of the giant shrooms nearby. Each drew out a sword. "We have no quarrel with you my king," the said the male. "If you have the black gemstone had it to us and we'll be on our way."

Rob readied his bow and arrow. "Errol and Morain Blackthorn, you fought beside me against the Sheriff and Mordred Hood many a time."

"Which is why you had best turn over the gem," said Morain. "We do not wish to raise our swords against our king, but we must have the stone to ensure eternal peace for the realm."

"Blackthorn?" asked Saffron. "Isn't that the same name as the knight who trained Amy and Antione's dads?"

"They are his grandchildren," said Bow Sparrow as he drew from his quiver. "And quite easily the best swordsmen alive in Mercia."

"Actually, once Lady Rose shown us the truth Lord Specter expanded our repertoire," Errol said as his sword was covered in ice.

"We ask again your majesty," Morain's blade ignited in fire. "Stand aside so we may save the Kingdom."

Antoine drew his own sword and Saffron pulled out one of her doll shaped grenades from her jacket.

"In that case," the two foxes charged with their enchanted swords. "HAVE AT THEE!"

As the winds howled through Sky Canyon Matilda came over to Bunnie as she was keeping watch. "So, how's The Baron been lately? It's been awhile since I last talked to him."

Bunnie smiled. "Uncle Beau and Aunt Lulu have been doin' fine, they've both settled into livin' in Freedom City and the council and hospital keep 'em plenty busy." Bunnie then looked away. "So busy they asked me to do something I'm not sure I'm ready for."

"What do you mean?"

"They were finally able to get a hold of Ma and Pa's will. My parents left me Rabbot Manor, the family's ancestral home, my birthplace. It survived all these years after so much war, but I haven't been there since I was knee high to a Chao, can't remember the place at all. Uncle Beau wants me to check it out, see what repairs need to be made and see if I can't find someone to fix it up."

"And you don't want to go?"

"I can't leave when Sally Girl needs me the most. Besides, I already made my peace with who my parents were, I don't need to see where they plotted to stab the Kingdom of Acorn in the back."

"At least you admitted to yourself that your parents weren't saints, my brother only got past that hurdle recently."

"If I had done it when I was a kid, I wouldn't have run away and gotten myself half roboticized."

"And probably would been fully roboticized along with your aunt and uncle. Now don't tell Mighty but when I was little I thought there was some mistake, that Mom and Dad would come and get me from that orphanage, it was only when the Swatbots took me away that I realized they were never coming."

"So that's that, Uncle Beau can get someone else to look at the place."

"Don't be so hasty, I mean from what the Baron told me it's not just a house. He and your father grew up there so did their father and his father and a whole lot of brothers and sisters. It was where The Baron and your parents got married, it's where your family cemetery is, that house holds a lot of family history, don't you want to know about it?"

"Uncle Beau did say that our family's history goes back to the beginning of the Southern Baronies. Maybe I can get Sally to give me some time off, I'll have to talk about it with 'Twan…"

"Hey stop gabbin' over there!" Walt yelled. "Stu says we got company coming and not the friendly kind!"

The two girls ran over to the Downunda Freedom Fighters as Breezie came up with a tall looking dog, both in Ixis garb.

"Sleuth Dog," Bunnie growled. "Is it Mogul and Breezie who's writing your checks now, or is Specter paying you himself?"

"Actually I was comfortably retried until I had to blow all my savings to get a hiding place after my brain box shutdown when Eggman bit it and they were arresting guys like me left and right," said Sleuth. "Then out of nowhere Geoffrey St. John with was willing to pay me just to listen to a lecture. It was there I was shown the full power of Ixis."

"I came in to become richer myself," said Breezie. "But now everything pales in comparison to his might. You can know it too, just give us the Black Emerald."

"Not happening you crazy Shelia," said Wombat Stu. "You both clearly gone round the twist."

"And you're going to regret saying that," Sleuth then thrust his arm out as a stream of fire came from his hand.

Matilda leapt in front of Stu having her shell take the brunt of the flames.

"You ok?" asked Barby.

"A bit toasty but like all Armadillos my shell's pretty resilient."

"Then let's try something different," Breezie sent a strong gust that sent Matilda and Stu flying just far enough to start to fall as they came to the edge of a cliff. Just as they went over though Stu grabbed both Matilda and a small tree hidden just under an overhang.

"Noticed this when I scouted the area earlier, just some of the tricks I learned with my stint in the intelligence service."

As they climbed up Matilda felt strangely warm as she noticed Stu was blushing. Her brother's words earlier about finding someone she would obsess with rang in her head for a second before the shook them out. After they came up Matilda warmed up her Pile drivers, Bunnie charged her arms, and Barby's barbs extended.

Sleuth smirked at the group. "Well this looks like it's going to be fun."

Down in Hydrocity Zone Big was quietly fishing when Echo popped her head out of the water. "I've checked for foes in the sunken areas, there aren't any fish down here."

Big put a finger to his lips. "Shhhh, the bad guys don't know that."

"Why would…never mind. Let's just keep focused on our task."

Vector was looking at a picture of two female cats, one brown and one yellow, smiling into the camera. He then showed it to Razor with a sigh. "The one on the right is my girlfriend Honey, the other one is her best friend Tiara. Honey and I were supposed to join Tiara for a double date before this happened, she was so crushed that I had to cancel. I have to make it up to her somehow."

"I actually understand that," Razor took out a photo of two Meropian girls, one an orange betta in a green dress and a grey manta ray child in an orange dress. "That's Coral and the little one's Pearly, I was actually a pirate and a thug until Coral set me on the straight and narrow. I promised them I'd come back safe and sound a promise I intend to keep."

Marine came up from around a corner. "Sorry I was so long mates; you wouldn't believe how long it takes you find a proper place to use the dunny down here."

Echo leapt out of the water. "Password."

"Aw come on Echo," said Bivalve. "That password's kind of silly and I'm having a hard time remembering it."

"It's alright," said Marine. "I remember. In depths of the great big blue, honor and justice will pull through. Truth and valor the currents adore and will guide our path forevermore."

"That's it," said Vector. "Now that's out of the way…"

Echo suddenly thrust her spear at Marine who just barely dodged. "Crikey have you lost your marbles?!"

"What are you doing Echo?!" said Razor. "She got that whole poem exactly right."

Just then another Marine came around the same corner. "I had to go all the way up to the surface to…" the new marine stared at the first in shock.

"That's a neat trick Marine," said Big. "How'd you do it?"

"She didn't," said Echo. "I knew none of you could remember that password and give it without missing a beat, I gave it to you for a particular guy who might have been listening in. Rumor had it a surface dweller had found his way to Meropis and had been seen with an extremely dangerous criminal, my boss Captain Striker ordered me to join you in order to catch him. Isn't that right Mimic?"

The first Marine closed her eyes as she chuckled. "Who'd have thought that shrimp would send you all the way here just for me…"

She opened her eyes which were now white with black sclera before changing into a male grey Merpoian octopus. "I'm actually quite flattered!"

"Everyone, keep your eyes on him!" Echo yelled. "He can take on the appearance of anybody and he'll use that to try to get us to attack each other!"

"Ye might find that a wee bit difficult," came a voice from a nearby archway. "Considering ye will soon have yer hands full."

Suddenly Five Mobians, three of them Meropian, jumped down the archway. A yeti crab, a yellow jellyfish, a red shark girl, a purple lemming and a light blue otter with an eye patch were now pointing swords at the Freedom Fighters.

Razor growled. "Dive the Lemming, Opal the Jellyfish, Mr. Bristles, Captain Shellbreaker and my big sister Blade. They're from the Setting Dawn, my old pirate crew."

"Never thought to see you on a flying island little brother," said the Blade. "But had over the gem and your little mutiny will be forgiven."

Crusher growled as Razor drew a sword of his own. "Sorry Blade, but the pirate's life just ain't for me anymore."

Echo moved her spear to point at the otter. "You really sunk to new low Shellbreaker to let Mimic onto your crew.

"Well after Razor abandoned ship and Abyss the Squid took most of me crew to join the Dark Egg Legion, we be a bit shorthanded. But this Tenrec fellow signed us up with the Order o' Ixis so we sail for a higher cause now. So, give us yer booty and none o' ye will walk the plank."

Marine took a fighting stance. "Please, Blaze and I beat up so many pirates we lost count."

Vector picked up Bivalve and readied to throw him. "How about you surrender first and maybe you'll just go to jail without any bruises?"

"Orders captain?" asked the yeti crab.

Shell breaker smirked. "We'll give them a good thrashing Mr. Bristles, then we take their treasure!"

"AYE AYE!" the pirates sounded back.

Over in Sandopolis Cream, Gold, Mighty and the Desert Raiders were setting up camp when they saw three hooded figures approach them. "You stop right there Ixis creeps!" shouted Spike. "You better turn yourselves in now if you know what's good for you!"

The figure in the lead reached for their hood. "Is that any way to speak to…" the hood came down exposing a white feathered vulture with a gold mask legionized to her face. "…your mother?"

Sonar gasped. "Nephthys!? Why are you with the Order of Ixis!? I thought once you got free from Eggman you were done with fighting!"

"It's to keep you safe my children, once we have the Black Emerald an eternal peace will come to the world and then you'll be safe from harm forever."

"Eternal peace?" asked Cream.

"No one will want to hurt each other anymore. I can tell you are a gentle soul, just give us what we need, and all the fighting will stop. Isn't that what you really want, for no one to be hurt?"

"Don't buy it Cream!" said Mighty. "She's just trying to get into our heads!"

"That's not true," Derrick Fox said as he pulled his hood down. "Once the final essence in the hands of Lord Specter the Great Illumination will begin then greed and hatred will vanish from the hearts of the children of Ixis."

Natalia pulled her hood down. "Fiona told us everything, there is nothik to be afraid of. Our malyshka (baby girl) misses you so much Mighty and we know you miss her. What say we stop this nonsense and then we can take you our daughter?"

"Everyone, stay focused!" Gold said through telepathy. "If you're going to save them the best way is to force them to see Specter's lies for what they are!"

Cream lightly clenched her fists. "I don't want to anyone to get hurt, but what Specter is doing is hurting the creatures he's kidnapped! A peace that is brought through the suffering of others is no peace at all! That's why I'll never forgive him for what he's done!" Cheese nodded in agreement.

Spike stepped closer to the former Egg Boss. "You raised us, we can never possibly repay you, but we're not little kids anymore at some point we have to leave the nest."

"We gave up on hope too easily before," said Sonar. "Well not anymore, it's time we lived up to name Freedom Fighter."

"I'm blind but even I can see that Specter getting that emerald would be a disaster," said Treavor.

"I will see Fiona again," said Mighty. "Once I snap her out of whatever spell you're all under, even if I have to beat it out of you!"

Nephthys gave a stern look. "Children this naughty need to be disciplined."

High up in Sky Sanctuary Tails, Charmy and the Babylon Rouges found themselves face to face with several birds in Ixis garb, including a familiar green one.

"It's been awhile hasn't it Tails?" said Speedy. "You're certainly taller than the last time we met."

"And you got rid of that stupid egg harness, but the warden isn't going to be happy you're out of your cage."

"Think of this as a field trip for those prisoners who seen the light. I am a changed bird, once Bean talked me into listening to truth of Ixis I see that species doesn't matter, the armada may be gone but we're all children of Ixis. You saved my life once Tails so I'm going to return the favor by doing my part to begin the Great Illumination, I just need the Black Emerald to do it."

"No dice you little twirp," said Jet. "Not only are you not getting the emerald but we're going to make you squawk everything you know about where your Ixis buddies hid everything they stole from the Babylonians!"

"Some gratitude to the people who gave you your wings."

"Angelus gave us our wings!" yelled Corva. "The Order lied to you and they stole Angelus, you all have to wake up!"

"We're wide awake, but if you think you can beat this flock then you're the ones who are dreaming."

Charmy moved his stinger into a thrusting position. "In that case, bring it on!"

Over at Lava Reef Blaze, Liza and the Dragon Kingdom fighters were approached by an elderly lion and a little Vixen. Ken Khan drew his staff. "Li Yuen, Li Moon? Specter got his claws into you guys?!"

"Listen to me," said Dulcy. "Whatever Specter has planned it will be disastrous for the Free People."

"I wasn't sure myself Empress," said Li Yuen. "But once Li Moon explained it to me everything became clear, whether it was under the rule of the Dragons or the Four Clans conflict has been the one constant of our land. The Free People will only be safe once conflict has been rooted out of the Mobian heart itself."

"Why Li Moon?" Cinder said teary eyed. "We were friends!"

"And we still are," said Li Moon. "But the nice kitty says everyone will be friends once we have the Black Emerald. You just have to give the Black Emerald to us, then everything will be better."

"This is your last warning," said Blaze. "Surrender before you do something you're going to regret, then tell me where the Order is keeping Iblis."

"I see we are at an impasse," said Li Yuen. "Combat it is then." The two then took martial arts stances.

Liza pulled out a shuriken. "Since I became a member of the Shinobi clan, I took an oath to fulfill the Clan's responsibilities. Then when the Empress took the throne one of those responsibilities became to protect the Free People from all threats. Right now, the Order of Ixis are making the Free People a threat to themselves. I will try not to do you permanent harm, but I will bring you back on the true path."

Over in Marble Garden Espio and Silver stood back as the Malada Freedom Fighters were in utter shock at the four girls who just appeared. A yellow vixen, an aqua colored beetle with a shiny white shell and two purple bandicoots who seemed to be identical twins.

"Jewel?" Tangle asked the Beetle. "What are you doing here?"

Jewel smiled. "I heard that a rare black gem was on this island and since I'm a minerals expert our new friends asked if we could come from Malada to find it for them."

"You're a member of the Order of Ixis?" said Whisper. "You too Zooey? But you were always so gentle and sweet."

"And that's why we want to find the emerald," said the Vixen. "So everywhere can be as peaceful as our island home."

"No, it's a trick!" yelled Sticks. "It's got to be illusions or pod people or something!"

"Get you head out of the clouds Sticks!" said one of the Bandicoots. "Are you like, giving us the gem or not?!"

"Take it easy on them Staci," said the other twin. "Remember what Lucian said about them just not getting the Great Illumination yet?"

Staci smiled at her twin. "Thanks, Perci. You're always there to keep me from hurting people's feelings."

Perci smiled back. "And you always help me keep my cool Staci."

"This is nuts!" said Tangle. "We're all friends here, we grew up together, now were supposed to fight?!"

"Tangle, stay focused," said Espio. "Remember our mission. We need to find where the Ixis hideout is, to do that we'll have to bring your friends back to their senses."

The lemur nodded to the ninja. "Thanks," she then turned to wizards. "Sorry guys but it's time for some tough love!"

Silver began to glow. "Let's hurry this up so I can save my future!"

As the images played Amy turned back to Sonic, Sally and Knuckles. "You can end this now, just let us have the Master Emerald. Trust me."

Sally "How can we trust you when you're not only working with known villains but taking people with no combat experience and pitting them against veterans?!"

Amy clenched her fist but then eased it. "They actually have a much better chance than you realize." Amy turned to Hershey. "Show them."

The image in the flame then shifted to a large concert stage set up in the middle of a park in Echidnaopolis.

Nicole, Shard and Julie-su stood among several Echidna and Dingo before the stage. Lien-da stood near the edge with several security team members spaced around them. "Crowd seems clear," Julie said as her quill metallic and pointing upward in "Antenna mode".

"Parameter's secure," said Lien-da over the radio. "Any wizards come this why they'll get an electowhip lash for their trouble."

"Not even going to try to enjoy the city's first rock concert, are you?"

"You really should," Nicole to the receiver.

"I'm good. Not that I mean I really am one of the good guys now, which I assure you I am, but I meant I'm not interested."

"Still give it a try, Mina's singing has a way of talking to people's hearts."

Shard crossed his arms. "Yeah, and that way of speaking with people turned the people of New Mobotropolis against you."

Nicole shook her head at the former robot. "She apologized to me for her unwitting part in Naugus' plot long ago, I mean what I did as Iron Nicole terrified her, but it is water under the bridge now. Actually, I was able got us into this concert was because I'm making good on a free ticket voucher she gave me as an apology. Despite what happened to me I've always loved her music."

Shard smiled back. "Ok, forgive and forget."

Julie tapped her antenna quill again. "Shade, what's your position?"

"Argo and I are a short distance from backstage," the former procurator said. "All other patrols have checked in with no activity so far."

"Copy that check in again in fifteen minutes." After Julie finished her quill dropped to its usual place before taking an organic look.

Up on-stage Mina Mongoose came up to microphone as the audience cheered. "Hello Echidnaopolis! Welcome back to Mobius and thank you for having us come to play for you!"

More cheers from the crowd.

"Now before we begin, I'd like to introduce myself and the rest of the Forget Me Knots. I'm Mina the lead singer but you probably already heard of me so let's move on. On guitar we have Max!"

A red monkey came out and waved to the crowd before plugging his guitar into a speaker.

"On bass is Sharps!"

A chicken wearing shades waved as he set his guitar up.

"Next is our drummer Mach!

Pink rabbit pointed his drumsticks at the cheering crowd before taking his seat at the drum set.

"And finally, he's been with our band for a while but has only joined us on stage recently. Ash on Keytar!"

The mongoose took a bow as he plugged his instrument in.

"We're so glad you gave us such a warm welcome and as a surprise for our opening number we're going to play our newest single for the first time publicly anywhere!"

The entire crowd erupted in cheers.

"The promotional material never said anything about a new song," said Nicole. "They're really pulling out all the stops.

Mach began to bang his sticks together. "One, two, one, two, three, four!"

The band began to paly deep rhythmic melody, the audience felt something deeply primal about as people began dancing in the crowd. Mina then took the mic.

I'm changing over

Into another

face to confuse you

I'm gonna trick you

Tease and taunt you

You might understand real soon

Back in the chamber the song came not only from the flame but the communication devices they had on them. Sonic suddenly felt his emotions shifting wildly never settling in one place for more than a second, the only constant was a pervasive sense of vertigo as he couldn't keep his feet steady. Looking around everyone who wasn't an Ixis Wizard seemed to be suffering the same effect.

Confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion

Confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion

Confusion!

The image in Hershey's flame shifted to show the Freedom Fighters and their allies also becoming disoriented. Amy and Lucian approached the Master Emerald and held their hands before it, streams of blue energy came from it and into them.

My world is full of

Chaos and clutter

Your own thoughts will deceive you

Soon the beam stopped as Lucian turned to the other three.

"We tapped into the essence, all that is left is to bring it back to the temple so we can use the Chaos Emeralds to further empower it."

Fiona and Geoffrey approached them as the flame turned back to the concert.

My mind is crazy

Messed up and hazy

You'll never know what I'll do

Backstage Shade knelt to the ground. She turned to Argo, an orange Echidna with a skull bandana and an eye patch, then pointed at the generator set up to power the lighting and instruments.

Argo nodded back as their armor made their helmets appear over their heads. The right forearm of Argo's armor became a blaster just before he aimed it at the generator.

Confusion, confusion, confusion, confusion…

Argo fired and the energy bolt began to short-out the generator.

"Confusion, confuse… what?!" Mina looked around as most of the band was effectively silenced.

"What happened to my ax?!" asked Max the Monkey.

Shade and Argo came on stage. "Sorry but we had to pull the plug on this show. With what was happening I hate to break it you all, but your star is a member of the Order of Ixis."

"She was messing us up again?!" yelled Shard.

Nicole looked up to Mina on stage. "But Mammoth Mogul manipulated Mina with mind control against Sonic, Naugus used her to manipulate the City, why would she be an Ixis Witch?"

Mina sighed. "It was supposed to just disorient you long enough for us to retrieve the Essence of Water, Amy said this way no one would have been seriously hurt." With a gesture Mina's clothes were replaced by black Ixis garb."

"No, Mina…"

Ash and the rest of the Forget Me Knots then laid their instruments aside. "But you had to go and make things difficult." With a gesture the Forget Me Knots all donned Ixis garb.

"It was the whole band?!" said Argo.

Just then Julie got a message from her radio. "The city is under attack! We have multiple Mobian and Overlander hostiles!"

Julie-su pulled out her gun as she and Shard leapt up on stage. "Turn yourselves in now, before you get yourselves hurt."

The Forget Me Knots conjured mystical looking versions of their instruments into their hands. "Sorry," Mina said as she brought the microphone to her mouth. "But our next number is going to be the funeral dirge for war and suffering in this world!"

When the music stopped in the Hidden Palace's emerald chamber Knuckles swung at the approaching wizards as Lucian and Geoffrey each took a blow to the chin.

"Looks like your little plan to zonk everyone out while you took the Master Emerald failed," said the Guardian. "Angel Island won't fall on Freedom City or anywhere else now!"

With a stern look Amy made a few gestures and soon a fiery biter, a stone nightmare, a bird headed cyclone and a creature that looked like cross between a brainless Chaos Zero and a shark stood before between her and the Freedom Fighters. "I also made elementals like these appear to aid those who follow the will of Ixis. The water elementals are not as strong since the Essence of Water has not been linked with Chaos Emeralds but under our control all these creatures will simply reform when destroyed. The Freedom Fighters can't win against a foe that will never tire and simply reform over and over. I don't want to use them to hurt you all but unless you give us the Emerald I will!"

Whip but her hands on her hips. "You have a lot of gall cell, using such pale imitations of my power. Return my essence to me and I might be merciful and let you live out the remainder of your life!"

"I'll do it!" yelled Amy. "Don't force my hand!"

Suddenly Sonic laughed. "Force your hand!? Alright faker where did you hide the REAL Amy?!"

"I'm standing right in front of you! No tricks, no illusions!"

"Could have fooled me. The Amy Rose I know wouldn't make threats or hold herself back, she'd just clobber whoever was making her mad with her hammer!"

"Sonic what are you doing?!" asked Sally. "Getting her angry is not going to be helpful!"

"Just the opposite Sal, it's what's going to get her back to us! Call it a hunch but I think there's been something she's been keeping to herself for a while, something she didn't want to admit because she thinks we'd treat her like a kid again or something if she actually complained about it."

"Don't listen to him!" yelled Lucian. "He's trying to deter us from our destiny!"

"Come on Amy, what's eating you? Is it that I picked Sally over you? Is it that you feel like you wasted years pining after me? Or is it that no matter how much you act grown up no one's is going to see you as anything more than a crazed pink fangirl?"

Chip flew next to Sonic's head. "I think you might be taking it a little too far."

Amy kept growling, the elementals following her lead. Suddenly with a motion about a dozen Piko Piko hammers appeared in the air and dropped almost whacking the Freedom Fighters before disappearing.

"YOU NEVER ACCEPTED ME!"

For a moment, the chamber was silent except for Amy's sobs.

"None of you did. You made me a Freedom Fighter, but it never felt like you thought of me as one of you. When Sonic was locked up after that plan to get him roboticized but keep his will backfired I was the only one who thought that when he got back to normal that we could trust him again, but even after that it wasn't enough. When Sonic and Sally made up and started going out again, I stood aside and let you be together, so you'd be happy, that wasn't enough either. When he took me out on a date while we were trying to get Sally back it was fun but I could tell he really wanted you, he also wanted Antoine, Rotor, Nicole and Bunnie to be ok again, but unlike Tails it didn't feel like I was a part of his worries. It was like no matter how hard I fought or how helpful I could be I just didn't belong."

Sally turned off her Ring Blades. "Of course, you belonged Amy. Everyone in Knothole knew that you were someone they could count on."

"I'm not talking about being depended on! You, Sonic, Tails, Bunnie, Nicole, Rotor, Antione; you were all so close to each other and it seemed so wonderful I wanted a part of that, but while I was an ally and a friend I just didn't fit into what you had. And it wasn't just me, Dulcy, Mina, Tommy, Fiona, Big, Cream, we could be part of the team but we weren't part of your inner circle of friends and no matter how close I let myself be to all of you I never could be!"

Sonic started to get closer. "Amy…" The growls of the elementals stopped him in his tracks. "Amy, we, the seven of us had been through a lot together, for some even before Robotnick's coup. All the battles the celebrations, the hardships, the setbacks, they brought us even closer together, so close I guess we never realized it could seem like we shut out the rest of the world. It was like when I dated Fiona to get Tails over her, I didn't think, I just did."

Knuckles looked at Amy sternly. "So, you weren't a part of the in crowd and THAT'S why you joined the Order of Ixis?!"

"No," said Amy. "It was because I didn't feel like I really belonged that I never told you the reason why I did. Yes, we lied about the light in the forest, Specter found us as Mobini, changed us back then told us about the ritual to get your minds back so you could fix everything. But as we performed the ritual, we learned a truth that changed everything. I wanted to tell you all so badly, but the way you rejected our story so easily I knew that you wouldn't even listen to this truth, but I also knew that if we were Tails or Bunnie or any of the rest you would at least hear us out. But that's something I can never convince you to do and it breaks my heart."

Amy continued sobbing as Lucian embraced her.

Sally came as close as the Elementals allowed. "Ok, tell us."

"No!" yelled Athair. "For all you know she could be trying to put you under a spell! Ixis cannot be trusted!"

Sally shook her head. "But I'm not trusting Ixis, I'm trusting Amy. I once heard the first step to changing someone's mind is being willing to have your own mind changed. So, I'll give you one chance, tell us this truth and we'll determine for ourselves if any of what you've done is justified based on that. I'm not saying you'll succeed, with everything that's happened the bar is astronomically high, but you're enough of a friend that I'll give you that chance, even if I never made you feel like you were."

"Same goes for me Amy," said Sonic. "Go ahead and give it your best shot."

Knuckles grumbled. "My gut's telling me this is crazy, but if I gave Espio a chance after we found out he spying on us for the Bride of Eternal Vigil than I'll let Sally and Sonic give you the same chance."

Athair growled. "If you feel like you must do this go ahead, but I'm taking precautions in case this is a trap to keep Lara-le, Wynmacher and Knecapeon safe.

The former guardian formed a soundproof bubble out of chaos energy. Amy wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you, thank you for listening."

Fiona growled as she looked on with violet eyes. "This is not good," Agunus thought to himself. "Once Sonic and Knuckles hear what she has to say they'll serve Specter and the chances of our taking over the Order will be practically zero! I'm not sure I can wrest control of the earth elemental away to shut her up, but even if I can it would be three on one and I'll be exposed! There's nothing I can do!"

Amy took a deep breath. "Ok the truth is that…Ohh!" Amy recovered from her gasp and tried to speak again. "The truth is…UGH!"

"AMY!"

As the Freedom Fighters started to get close the elementals blocked their path but stayed close to the pink Hedgehog.

"Amy are you all right?!" Lucian said as his voice tinged with worry.

Amy looked back at him, the joy that chased away sorrow turned to anxiety. "I think I just had a contraction."

Sally gasped. "She's having her baby now?!"

"OHHHH!" Hershey's flame disappeared as she began clutching her stomach.

"Hershey!" Geoffrey shouted as he cradled his wife. "Looks like Amy isn't the only one! Fiona!"

Inwardly Agunus sighed. "Lucky break for me but I don't want to deal with this labor stuff, better let The Shale handle it!"

Fiona closed her eyes as if she had a sudden headache, she opened them again and they appeared blue. "Wait, what?"

"OHHH!" Amy was now bent over and gasping for breath. "Now I'm sure it's a contraction, my water just broke!"

Fiona came close and looked around. "Of all rotten timing for a blackout! Ok just lie down for now, can someone get me a light I need to see if she is dilating?!"

Athair removed the bubble as Lara passed Kneecaps to her husband. "Let me help! I laid two eggs; I know it's not exactly the same but I can still…"

The Iblis biter roared in Lara's face. Knuckles punched it apart only for the flames to reform. "Amy call these things off! Otherwise we can't help you!"

"Do it!" Hershey gritted through another contraction. "Mission or not these babies are coming!"

Amy lifted her hand only to find someone had grabbed it after hearing someone teleport into the room. She looked up and found an unexpected face looking back. "Lord Specter?"

The archmage moved his free hand behind him and opened it. "Zone Gate." A portal appeared behind him. "Take them back to the Temple of Ixis, I will handle things from here."

"But the elementals that are already here, the other wizards…OHHH!"

"Concentrate on giving birth, the elementals and my followers will be taken care of."

"Yes, my Lord," said Fiona. "Come on, it's not that far of a walk."

As Lucian and Hershey propped up with wives Sonic growled at Specter. "So, you finally decided to show your face Masquerade, sort of."

"We were willing to hear Amy out," said Sally. "You on the other hand we don't trust at all."

"The Grand Design had deemed you were not ready for that knowledge, not yet." The portal closed behind him after the Elite stepped through. "Now to business. Elementals, I command you now."

The Elementals roared.

"Those not within this place, attack the mortals amongst you, ALL of them."

"You're sicing them on your own followers?!" gasped Lara-le. "What kind of man are you?!"

"The power and threat the elementals pose needed to be made clear to the world at large. But these four have a different purpose." He turned to the elementals. "Retrieve the Master Emerald."

The four charged to the gem Athair joined the fray as each was cut down the composing element simply reformed after Sonic and the others passed. The Elementals then lifted the Master Emerald off the dais and began to carry it to Specter.

Whip flew straight at the villain. "Give me back my essence!"

"Better yet come and get it." Specter took Gaia's ring from his robes, the orb on it pulsed darkly as a black energy shot from it to Whip and Chip.

"Sonic!" yelled Chip. "Help!"

Soon the two sprites were pulled into the ring. Specter looked at it with a pride visible through his mask.

"Yes, soon the Elemental War will begin and what a way for it start! An island falling from the sky threatening to shatter itself on the city below!"

"You monster!" Lara yelled. "How can you be so callous about all those innocent lives!?"

"Your moralizing…" Specter raised his hand. "…annoys me." A dart of black energy shot from his palm. Time seemed to slow down for Knuckles as the dart hit Lara-le squarely in the chest.

"MOTHER!"

"LARA! Wynmacher yelled.

Kneecaps started bawling as his mother fell on her back clutching her chest.

Athair rushed over to Lara, picked her up, took out a warp ring and opened it to an emergency room. "We still might be able to save her! Wynmacher bring the child, Knuckles I need you to focus and keep the Master Emerald out of his hands!"

Specter laughed and raised up his hand as Lara was helped through the warp ring. "Why don't you call upon your goddess of life to heal you? Perhaps she can't now she's been reduced to a mere infant; you may want to turn to her archfoe instead. Oh wait, he's right next to her in the exact same state! Know how feeble your so-called gods are next to Ixis and let me drink in your sweet despair!"

As the warp ring closed Knuckles growled. "Shut up, shut up, shut up…"

He ran through the air elemental in his way and punched Specter right in the face. "SHUT UP!"

As specter fell to the floor the elementals vanished as sound of metal clanging against stone could be heard. Suddenly Tails, Bunnie, Antione, Rotor, Nicole, Cream, Silver, Gold, Blaze and Marine fell from portals that Sonic and the others only now noticed had opened in the ceiling.

"What are we doing here?" asked Tails.

"Wait," said Gold. "If we're all here why isn't Big?"

Sonic turned to the new arrivals. "I don't why you're here, but you missed a lot. The black emerald got broken, Chaos is now in the Master Emerald, Chip and Whip are trapped in his ring, Amy and Hershey went into labor then Specter…"

"Wait," Sally said as she pointed at a metal mask lying on the floor. "Specter's mask."

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…"

Specter's back was turned as he got back on his feet and levitated his mask back into hand. Suddenly he turned around.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

Specter's face was clearly seen by everyone in the room. But it wasn't the expression was not the sneer of a confident and smug overlord, nor was it the gentle smile of a penitent and kind teacher. It was the laughing visage of a raving lunatic.

"Charlemagne?!" shouted Sally. "It was you?! You're Specter?!"

Sonic clenched his fist. "I should have known! I had a bad feeling in my gut about you since day one! But you tricked me into ignoring it!"

Specter gave the Freedom Fighters a wicked smirk. "You mortals are so easy to manipulate! It doesn't matter if you're a vessel for my spirit like this decrepit Overlander, one of my servants or an enemy. You're all puppets and I am the grand puppeteer pulling your stings without you even realizing! I was even able to get the princess and your hero cast your loyalty into doubt!"

"Sally Girl what's he talkin' about?" asked Bunnie.

Specter's eyes had a wicked gleam. "Didn't any of you wonder why they separated you today? I left a thread of a plan out in the open, and by following the logic the most reasonable conclusion wasn't that I was able to work quickly with a Split Image spell, no it was far more likely that one of you was working for me. Their whole plan took the shape it did because they thought one of you was a traitor!"

"Non," said Antoine has he and the others felt his stare pierce into their souls. "If zhat was what they thought zhey'd have just asked us outright, wouldn't zhey?"

Sally began to shake. "T-too much was at stake, the fate of the world could have depended on it and you could have been controlled, we had to be sure…"

"No," cried Cream. "This, this can't be happening…"

{So this is it,} Silver said through the Mental link to Blaze, Marine and Gold. {This is the cause of the Freedom Fighter's Darkest Day, but now it's too late to do anything about it!}

"You think you can just manipulate people like pieces on a gameboard," growled Knuckles. "Well your plan backfired! Your elementals are gone, and you now have to face a whole team of Freedom Fighters and a guardian whose mother you tried to kill all alone!"

"Nothing happens that I cannot foresee." Specter returned his mask to his face. "You hit me because I wanted you to, to give the best show for when the Grand Design required my identity to be exposed. I brought them here to because of all the emotions you mortals possess the one I find most enjoyable to witness is despair. And I wanted to drink in as much of it as possible before I claim the final key to the completion of the Grand Design!"

Specter then disappeared before reappearing next to the Master Emerald.

"Oh no you don't! Thunder Arrow!"

A bolt of lightning came from Knuckle's fist as he punched the air. The bolt then stuck a shield that surrounded Specter. "Like I said, you only hit me because I let you." Specter then touched the Master Emerald; it shrank down to the size of a normal chaos emerald.

Knuckles charged. "I don't know how you figured out how to do that but you're going to pay!"

Sonic came at him from the other side spinning. "This ends now Masquerade!"

"Zone Gate!" Specter then threw the master emerald and Chip's ring through an open portal which closed the moment the echidna's and hedgehog's attacks hit him.

Specter fell to the floor as the chamber began shaking, it looked like his body was dissipating. "A good effort, but this was merely the split image copy that was living among you for weeks. You'll find facing the REAL me won't be nearly as simple, that is if you survive that long. Happy Landings, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

The copy then vanished completely. "He's right!" shouted Sally. "Angel Island is going to fall on top of Freedom City! Unless we do something fast, both will be destroyed!"

Blaze fell to her hands and knees. "Keep it together girl, just stay in control of your fear."

"Control…" Sonic snapped his fingers. "I have an idea but no time to explain it, gotta run!"

Sonic ran out the doorway.

"I don't know what he's doing but it has to work!" said Rotor. "We have minutes until everything around us turns into the world's biggest pile of rubble!"

"Tails, Cream, Bunnie get out of here!" said Knuckles. "You can fly so you save yourselves and whoever you can carry!"

Tails shook his head. "We don't know where we are, we'll never make it in time!"

"There has to be something we can do!" said Silver.

Suddenly a bright light passed over them, it remained for a few seconds then it vanished. Sally and the others felt a sensation being shifted somehow and then the shaking stopped after a slight bob in the room.

"What just 'appened?" asked Antione.

Knuckles felt the chamber floor. "We hit water, water deep enough to keep Angel Island intact. As for that light, I think it was Chaos Control."

"On the whole island?" asked Sally. "Sonic has used Chaos Control before but on something this big? The closest example we have is Space Colony Ark, sure it was huge, but he still had to work with Shadow while both were in their super forms to pull it off."

"Whatever he did we're safe for now," Knuckles then used his warp ring to open a way to a hospital. "At the moment I'm only concerned about my Mother."

The Freedom Fighters walked through, on the floor were several people in Ixis garb covered in blankets muttering to themselves.

"Why would the elementals attack us? Was I unworthy somehow?"

"He left us, he left us here to die…"

"Why did I ever think I could trust those guys? Seriously I can remember what I did but not why I did it. It made perfect sense to me but whatever it was is a total blank."

"Knuckles!" Julie-su ran up to the group. "Thank Aurora you're safe."

"I'm happy you're ok too, but what's up with these Ixis Wizards?"

"Former Ixis Wizards and it's craziest thing, first these elemental things appeared then turned on them before starting to wreck the island, then we fell from the sky only to move above an inland sea an hour away from Freedom City. Whatever it was these people were shocked out of whatever hold Specter had on them, we locked up a few but most just surrendered under mental shock. None of them can recall why they joined the Order and their magic seems to be gone. As for where the hideout is looks like the grunts weren't told."

Sally grabbed her head. "It was all for nothing! The plan failed. Specter has the Essence of Water and the Master Emerald; he has everything he needs for his elemental war!"

"It's all right Sally," said Knuckles. "We'll just have to stop the war when it begins. But what about my mom?! Specter tried to kill her; she was brought here!"

Julie looked down sadly. "They've taken her into surgery, Big and Sonic were sent into intensive care."

"Big and Sonic?!" yelled Gold. "How?!"

"The elemental attack caused the jellyfish pirate Big was fighting to accidently overdose him on her venom, Sonic just collapsed in front of Remington after, was that Chaos Control?"

"We'll just have to get our answers once we see how they're doing!" said Tails. "Come on take us to them!"

Moments later the Freedom Fighters were standing in front of a hospital room, inside Big was laid down on a bed Froggy keeping watch nearby. On the outside Sonic walked up to them on shaky legs.

"Just got up. Guess I overdid it, I had to grab every power ring on the island, but I managed to chaos control it somewhere safe. Still I got really winded."

"You could have used my Sol Emeralds," said Blaze.

"You're still gonna need them to seal Iblis. Don't worry I'll be fine, docs said I'll be ok after a good night's sleep."

"But what about Big?!" asked Knuckles. "And my mother?!"

"The doctors gave me an update," said a white Echidna. While he still had yellow eyes the sclera were now white and his teeth now looked normal.

"Finitivus? What are you doing here?"

"I came as soon as I heard about your mother's injury, they managed to stabilize her for now, but they had to give her a cybernetic replacement for her heart to survive long term."

"What about Big?!" asked Gold. "There were things I was going to tell him, things I should have told him!"

"Your feline friend is quite resilient, his body is fighting off the venom, the doctors will watch for changes, but they expect he'll wake up in a couple of days."

"So, everyone's ok?" asked Cream. "Mrs. Le needed a new heart but other than that nobody was hurt. Right?"

Finitivus sighed. "Knuckles your mother told you about her disease, right?"

"Yes, but I heard you were close to a treatment."

"The machine the treatment uses would shut down a synthetic heart. She needs the surgery to live but we can't perform the treatment if we go ahead with it, the treatment can't be stopped once started and we wouldn't be able to restart the heart in time if we do go through with it. I'd would even recommend roboticization at this point but unfortunately she's immune."

"So, you're telling me even with all your big brained ideas my mother is going to die to this Long Requiem thing?!" Knuckles punched the wall. "But we were so close!"

"I'm sorry. After everything I have done, I'd understand you blaming me for not making up for my misdeeds this way."

"I don't," said Knuckles his eyes red with anger. "I blame Specter, and he's going to pay for what he's done."

Julie-su turned the guardian to face her. "Knuckles I know this is hard for you, but you have to keep it together. Right now, your stepfather and little brother need you, don't worry I'll be right there with you."

"Thanks Julie," Knuckles turned to the Freedom Fighters. "I…have to be with Wyn and Kneecaps. You probably have to get going so I guess this is goodbye for now."

"Goodbye," said Sally. "And thank you."

Knuckles and Julie turned a corner and were out of sight.

"Sally, Sonic!" an echidna in a uniform came up to the group. "Oh, you're all here, they need you at E.S.T. headquarters. Looks like something big happened while the battle was going on here."

"We'll go right away," said Sonic. But as everyone began to move Gold stayed put. "You coming? They'll send Big home once he's worked the venom out."

"I know," said Gold her eyes seemed red with tears. "But I want to say goodbye. I'm going to use my telepathy to tell him and to tell him some things I should have told him a long time ago, private things."

"I understand," said Silver. "We'll meet you back on the Sky Patrol."

About a half hour later they had gathered back in the auditorium a display shown a map of Mobius where a considerable amount of territory was colored in red. As they came in Sally and Sonic were met with several angry stares. Sonic tried to read the room. "So…what happened?"

Ken Khan and Barby stomped over angrily. Ken snarled at Sonic. "What happened was that while we were up here playing decoy with the Order of Ixis' brainwashed civilians and criminals, Robotnick used our absence to launch several surprise attacks on our homes!"

"Viktor really played my friends," said Shard. "He fed Harvey and the others fake intel to hide he was really going after Mobian territories with diminished defenses."

"Even the tidbit we got about his attack on Icebrough was false," said Erma. "They came from the ice above, not the sea below."

Tails looked at the map, amazed at the Ascendancy's progress. "How did he know?"

"Does it matter?!" yelled Barby. "Our friends were forced to retreat, our homes have been taken over, our people are refugees, all so we could catch some guys who turned out never knew where the Order is headquartered!"

"Not all of them!" said Sally. "Their leaders were here, Specter himself showed up!"

"You got him, right?" asked Tangle. "That means the Order is finished, isn't it?"

Sally sighed. "They…got away…along with the Essence of Water."

"So, we did all of this for nothing?!" asked Wave. "We had one shot to get back Angelus and we blew it?!"

"It's my fault, I set this whole thing up as a mole hunt, only it turned out there was no mole."

"Hey, I resent that remark!" said Trevor.

"We all got fooled," said Sonic. "Specter was hiding under our noses the whole time."

"And you couldn't sniff him out," said Razor. "We never should have left the ocean."

"I hate to say it but given the current situation the Desert Raiders can't offer you any more aid," said Spike as he, Sonar and Trevor began to leave. "Not until we can liberate our homes again."

"I'm afraid that goes for the rest for the rest of us," said Walt as his group began leaving. "We have to look after own before we're in a good enough position to even think of providing aid to another division."

Echo picked up a tank with Bivalve in it. "As part of the agreement Ray had to make, the Forty Fathom Fighters now answer directly to King Puff and Queen Angelica of Meropis," said the clam. "They ordered us to find a place to settle the Meropian refugees and that until further notice no more working with or going to the surface. I'm sorry."

"You don't have a plan anymore," said Jet. "Our little partnership is over; we'll find our own way to locate these Ixis goons."

"We're really sorry guys," said Sticks. "But we have to take our friends back to Malada Island or wherever the people of Malada are now that we lost the island."

"I'm sorry too," said Dulcy. "But as empress my first duty has to be to the Dragon Kingdom and its people, I may be new to this ruling thing Sally, but I know in my place you'd do the same thing."

"We got to get back to the Northern Tundra," said Augustus. "Hook back up with Flip and Sealia then try to figure out a way to take back Icebrough."

"And the same goes for us," said Rob. "The kingdom needs me now more than ever. Meri-an, Little John, I hope they're ok."

As the last two groups began filing out Rotor came up to them. "Wait."

Guntiver sighed. "Rotor I know you want to change our minds…"

"Actually… I was going to ask if I could come with you."

"Rotor!" came the cry from the Knothole Freedom Fighters.

Rotot turned back, his eye seemed to have a subtle red tint. "Listen I was thinking about it for the last month, Sealia and I being separated for weeks or months at a time is not ideal for a marriage, who knows throw a kid into the mix and its even worse. We kept trying to figure out who should move, who was considered more valuable to their team. Well imagine my shock today when I found out I was considered a potential threat!"

"Rotor, it was nothing personal," said Sally. "Everyone had to be checked, you could have been replaced or mind controlled."

"That doesn't explain why you went behind our backs; you could have done the same thing with a half hour conference before we got here. But now that this happened, I'm actually kind of glad, I just realized where my priorities should be."

"Mine az well," said Antione, his eyes seeming to share the same subtle tint as Rotor's. "King Robert, is zhat knighthood still available?"

"You're leaving too?!" yelled Sonic. His eyes were slightly red too. "Just for some stupid promotion!?"

"I know I never had zhe best reputation in the group; I often came off as smug, cowardly and vain; but except for when Patch replaced me my loyalty was never in question, until today. A knight is supposed to be loyal to their ruler, if that ruler proves loyal to their people. If you do not trust me zhen I am obligated to lend my sword to someone more deserving." Antione closed his eyes tearfully. "Bunnie, I'd understand if you want to stay behind."

Bunnie went next to her husband before turning back showing her tint. "Actually, I think I will join you, but I hope you don't mind if we take a little detour to the Southern Baronies first."

Nicole approached Shard; her eyes tinted as well. "Now that I think about it does your team still have room for a new Ace, Jack?"

"I can't believe this!" Sally said her eyes tinted. "My best friends are now turning their backs on the team too?! It was one mistake; I was trying help you!"

"You have a funny way of showing it," said Nicole. "Rotor's right, you could have come to us one on one, but nooo you wanted to make it part of a brilliant plan and show everyone how much a tactical genius you are. Well guess what genius, all you had to do was look back at seven years of you FAILING in deposing the fat tyrant who was hauling the world through a cesspool to know your logic kind of stinks! I must have been glitching if I couldn't see it before!"

Shard, Rob and Guntiver looked at each other. "Maybe we should wait outside until you settle…this." They left leaving the Knothole Fighters alone with Silver, Marine and Blaze.

Sally stared daggers at Nicole. "You ungrateful…"

"Ungrateful?" said Bunnie. "I stood by your side for years, I was always there when you needed someone to talk to girl to girl! I never gave anyone a reason to question if I could be counted on and you still thought I'd stab you in the back like my folks?! That's ungrateful you spoiled little princess!"

"Did you know what being my handmaiden meant before we got my father back? You weren't just a servant, if anything happened to me you were my successor, you would be the one to lead the Freedom Fighters and you would be the one to sit on the throne when it was all over! If anyone is ungrateful it's YOU, but it looks like the apple didn't fall far from the tree after all!"

"Don't talk to my wife like zhat!" yelled Antoine.

"Or my Nikki!" shouted Rotor.

"Can it tubbo!" Sonic yelled. "You too you cheese eating priss!"

"STOP IT!" Cream cried. "You're teammates, friends, family! You shouldn't treat each other this way! I don't like that they doubted me either but…"

"Be quiet!" snapped Sonic. "The grown-ups are talking!"

Cream's tears began taking a subtle reddish hue from her eyes. "Grown-ups?! If you're all so grown-up, then why don't you act like it?! I've seen toddlers more mature than all of you are right now!"

"Chao, Chao!" Cheese said backing up Cream as his eyes had the same red his partner's did.

"Zhat's not very ladylike," sneered Antione. "If only your mother could zee you now."

"Leave her alone!" yelled Tails as his red tinted eyes glared with anger. "How can any of you treat someone so sweet and innocent like that?!"

"Don't be so high and mighty Tails," said Sally. "For someone so smart you can be so gullible sometimes, you could have been leaking information just out of sheer stupidity! As naive as you are, you're lucky we let you be anything more than the team mascot or the adorable sidekick."

"Lucky?! I proven I had what it takes more times than I can count! I'm not some cowardly aloof genius who needs his hand held whenever something goes boo! I am a hero in my own right!"

Sonic smirked at Tails. "Well look who decided to put on his big boy pants today!"

"I love my Mom and Dad, they love me, but they can seem so distant sometimes and because of that I first went to you when I needed comfort even after they came back. You weren't just my brother or my Aunt Sally, you two were my mom, dad and white picket fence! But now that I know what you REALLY think about me…!"

"Calm down! All of you!" said Blaze. "Something isn't right here; you don't normally act like this. Could it have something to do with the Darkest Day?"

"Wait," said Nicole. "You KNEW something was going to happen today?!"

Silver stepped in. "Gold got some partial information that a battle on Angel Island would turn out badly for the Freedom Fighters, we didn't have details and weren't sure if it involved Sonic's death or our interloper so we made a judgement call not to interfere unless it obviously led to the Mobius Imperium rising."

"Well if you had volunteered that information maybe I would have taken 'day that went down in infamy' into account for my plans!" said Sally.

"You didn't know what you were doing, big surprise!" said Sonic. "Here's a little advice future boy, if you're going to go back in time to change things it would help if you actually, LEARNED SOME HISTORY!"

Silver looked back with tinted eyes. "Excuse me?! We sacrificed being able to live in that future to save your life you miserable little…!"

Blaze stamped her foot. "Silver, you can't let this get to you! As Princess of the Sol Islands and Guardian of the Sol Emeralds I hereby order all fighting to be stopped now!"

"Of course, your highness!" Cream said mockingly. "The best example of a princess, since you were a damsel in distress like three times already and with how often the Sol Emeralds were stolen, you're a lousy guardian too!"

Marine clenched her fist as her eyes now had the tint. "How dare you address MY Princess like that!"

Blaze hands erupted in flames that now matched her reddish eyes. "Say that again and I'll change the menu for dinner tonight to Rabbit Flambé!"

"You know what who needs you guys?!" yelled Sonic. "Now I know a bad buy is going to kill me before the year's out I know what to look out for so you can stop babysitting me!"

"I can't believe I survived for as long as I did and accomplished as much as I did when I was surrounded by so many idiots!" shouted Sally. "Alright then Rotor, Antoine, Bunnie, Nicole, you all want to leave then leave and you can ALL consider yourselves UNinvited to me and Sonic's wedding! If we have each other who, needs, you!"

"Suits me just fine!" said Rotor. "And except for Nikki you can all forget about coming to me and Sealia's wedding too! I'm going back to the frozen north were the people aren't as cold as you!"

"Me and my twan will have such a lovely time at Rabbot Manor!" said Bunnie. "I have family history to catch up on, maybe Ma and Pa had the right idea after all!"

"Zhen after zhat we'll be in Mercia where zhey know what Honor and Loyalty mean!" said Antione.

"It'll be just me, Shard and the Secret Freedom Fighters from now on! I wish I could access my program like before I was trapped in this body, just so except for my father I could delete you all from my memory!"

"I'll be glad to take you all back to Freedom City one last time!" shouted Tails. "Because the sooner I do that the sooner Cream and I can fly solo!"

Cream and Cheese stuck their tongues out while down their lower eye lids at the rest of the team.

"We'll get Gold and find our own way to save the future!" said Silver. "And as far as we're concerned you guys are all history!"

"So that's it, we're done as a team!" yelled Sonic. "And good riddance if you ask me!"

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" Sally huffed.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Chao!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Everyone stormed out of the room all more hurt than they let on.

"Divided they fall," Specter said as he made the image of the auditorium vanish. The Supreme Council looked on amazed.

"That was some very impressive spellwork," said Naugus. "Their teamwork is legendary, yet you broke it in a day."

"Not only that but you had to show them your face to cast it," said Witchcart. "Such a risky move near the end of the game was bold."

"I can't take all the credit," said Specter. "My spell didn't create the conflicts, it only magnified what was under the surface. The doubts, the fundamental disharmony, the Freedom Fighters provided that themselves."

"But was everything we gained worth the cost?" asked Regina. "Every follower the Elite had gathered in a month we lost, on purpose!"

"They are not lost Ferrum," Specter chuckled. "Consider it a test of faith on their parts. Once the Elemental War begins, we'll not only get them back but grow their numbers thousands if not millions of times over."

"So, when does this war begin?" asked Mammoth.

"Tomorrow, but not first thing. We'll give them time to prepare for a threat, then we'll strike."

"But two of the elite are down. I don't doubt your ability but without all their power…"

"Witchcart and I have that covered," said Naugus as he pulled out two pendants, one blue, one green. "We finished these today Lord Specter, Geoffrey and Lucian should get the same boost as Fiona in case they need it."

"Very well," said Specter. "How are the mothers?"

Amy and Hershey's screams could be heard from another part of the temple. "I'd say they should be done in a couple of hours," said Witchcart.

"Then you may depart and greet the future of the Order of Ixis."

The sun had gone down in Freedom City. Silver, Gold, Blaze and Marine had gathered in the apartment that served as an unofficial headquarters. "I'm sorry Gold," Silver moaned as he leaned over a table. "We shouldn't have left the Freedom Fighters without asking you."

"Me being there wouldn't have changed things," Gold said as her eyes were red from the spell she unknowingly had and with tears. "Stupid Sally, Stupid Sonic, if they told us that they were looking for a traitor I would have stopped them because of the Darkest Day, then maybe Big wouldn't have…"

"He'll pull through," said Blaze. "My reputation on the other hand, the people of the Sol Islands aren't happy that I've been away for this long and that we got so many refugees from other regions. There have even been a small minority wondering if the Sol Guardian must be the monarch. It's times like this I consider taking up catnip."

Marine entered the apartment with a box. "Well I got something to cheer you all up."

"Marine I don't think we want to be cheered up," said Silver. "Today was a total failure."

"Not a total failure, a big milestone to saving everything you've done has been crossed, and it's fitting it happened today."

"The darkest day?" asked Blaze.

"You mean with everything you forgot what date it is? It's the anniversary of when you washed up on the beach Blaze, and with the one thing that went right today I can say this officially, both to you and to Gold and Silver.

Marine opened the box.

Amy's vision was blurry. "I must have passed out," She thought to herself.

Her ears cleared up and she could hear crying, a baby crying.

"Would you like to hold your baby?" she heard Fiona say.

Now her vison was complete, the cards did not lead her wrong.

"Yes," Amy heard Hershey say. "Let me hold her."

Amy's heart stopped for a second. "If it wasn't my baby Fiona talked about in the vison then…"

"Amy, you're awake!" Lucian said.

Amy's sight became clearer. "Lucian, the baby, is it…?"

"Funny thing, you wanted the baby to be a surprise and it was a surprise."

Amy gasped. "What's wrong with the baby?!"

"Nothing!" Lucian said before taking her hand. "Nothing is wrong. Except it isn't the baby, it's the babies, twins."

Amy felt both relief and unbounded joy. "Please, let me see them!"

"Of course, my love, they've been impatient about it so maybe feed them to make up for keeping them waiting?"

Amy smiled. "Nothing could make me happier."

Lucian picked up two wrapped bundles. "Hey kids, say hello to mommy."

Amy took the two and pressed them to her breasts, she felt such bliss from having them nurse.

"Hello, my precious ones, you are going to be so loved." Amy turned back to Lucian. "You didn't pick names yet have you?"

"Not before but when I saw them something came to mind and it just felt right." He then leaned in and whispered in her ears.

"I was thinking of the same thing, they just seem perfect!"

Amy took at the two nursing children, a little blond tenrec girl and a little grey hedgehog boy.

"I never loved anyone more than I love the two of you, Gold and Silver."

She looked up and saw Geoffrey and Hershey smiling over the bundle in the cat's arms, Fiona was nearby, tired but looking proud. "I'm so glad you made me a part of this," said Fiona. "Now I know for sure that I want to be a mother myself one day."

"Thank you, Fiona," said Amy. "Hershey, Geoffrey meet Gold and Silver."

"They are beautiful," said Geoffrey. "And you need to meet our daughter, a little princess with her mother's fire."

Hershey shown a tiny lilac kitten who was starting to nod off and smiled. "Our little Blaze."

Amy felt her children finish eating and held them close so she could see them and the newborn kitten.

"I can already tell they'll be best friends, you three have such a wonderful future ahead of you."

The babies yawned before drifting off to sleep.

Marine lit the three candles on the cake she took out of the box. "Happy birthday everyone."

Gold sighed. "Strange right now there two of each of us in this world, all of us here after having gone through so much and three versions of us who are newborns with their whole lives ahead of them. Totally helpless, needing their parents for everything and able to offer nothing in return but unconditional love."

"Still how can it be a happy birthday?" said Blaze. "Knowing what we do, the final hurdle to make sure all the good we've done remains intact?"

"The most painful thing Amy, Lucian, Geoffrey and Hershey are ever going to go through," said Silver. "The worst crime Mammoth Mogul is ever going to commit."

"I hope I'm not interrupting this blessed moment," said Mammoth as he came into the room.

"Not at all Master Mogul," said Fiona. Both mothers and the three children are safe, healthy and beautiful."

"Can I take a look?"

"Go ahead," said Geoffrey. "We want the world to see them."

Mammoth came near Amy and gently placed the tip of his massive finger on Baby Silver's forehead. "You needn't worry about them; they'll grow up to do something incredible. After all I have plans for the future."

Baby Silver woke up and tried to grab Mammoth's finger.

"Big plans."

"He's going to take us from our parents," said Silver. "He's going to take the babies and send them into the future, once they come back, they'll be all grown up…"

Silver felt like he was a baby himself, he didn't need the mental link to tell that Gold and Blaze also felt like him, babies who just wanted to cry for mommy and daddy.

"Our moms and dads, they'll never see their babies again!"