"And here is the palace," Roarian spoke as he landed near the gate of the palace, where Crusher was waiting smugly, leaning against the nearby tree.
"What took you all so long?"
"Ha ha, very funny," Stripes rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry, you will all discover your abilities in your Mobian Forms," Crusher assured them. "Like how Blaze is half-fox and half-dog, so he has a great sniffer, but since he also represents flames, he can cast them,"
"I can?" Blaze snapped his fingers and yelled when fire started to erupt. "Woah! I can!"
"Sparkles! Sparkles everywhere!" Sparkle cheered as she released sparkles into the air.
"Cool! What can I do?!" Darington cried out with a beam.
"Later, we first need to confront the king," Roarian told them. "He wields the purple Chaos Emerald,"
"How can we convince him to hand over the Chaos Emerald?" Watts asked.
"Follow my lead and do not-"
"Oh, my word, what is THAT?!"
The group turned to see a yellow mink, all dressed fancily as his hair was half-blonde and half-white, most likely because of old age. He stared at them in surprise, in disgust more when glancing at Roarian as he narrowed his eyes.
"What… are YOU?!" he questioned.
"I am Roarian, Guardian of the Sunstone from the Great Forest," Roarian introduced himself. "And you are?"
"That's Sir Bartleby Montclair, a very… interesting aristocrat here in Mobotropolis with how much he craves for his status as an aristocrat," Crusher spoke with a grin, folding his arms.
"You… You CANNOT be alive!" Sir Bartleby looked horrified as he stared at the hedgehog. "Towers… he… he stated that he KILLED YOU! He announced it across all of Mobius!"
"I know, and I am proud to be alive," Crusher chuckled. "Hello, Sir Bartleby. How are you doing?"
"Well, could be better, with my status blinking again and again," Bartleby sighed, shaking his head dramatically. "I was almost ripped out of my mansion! Again! Can you believe that?!"
"Call me surprise, but yes, I can," Crusher rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we need to see the King,"
"I am not sure if it is King Tristan in charge today or his son Prince Socrates, but alright, I suppose I can get you all inside… oh dear, nostalgia…" Bartleby shuddered with a groan.
"You CAN NOT help us, you know," Crusher rolled his eyes again but with a smirk this time. "but then, when we save the other world, you won't have any credit-"
"Credit, you say?!" Bartleby's eyes lit up as he grinned. "Leave it to me! I will get you all inside!"
Crusher face-palmed as the mink ran off to get something. He sighed.
"He never changed, had he?"
"What do you mean?" Gabby asked.
"He's always wanted to have… credit when it comes to good stuff," Crusher shrugged.
"Come, come, Shadic, strangers," the mink returned with a smaller mink, golden brown in hair but still wearing a fancy outfit. "This is my son Benedict. He will also help get you all inside without any trouble with the guards,"
"An honor to meet you, Prince Shadic," Benedict Montclair bowed and held the hedgehog's glove, kissing the knuckles gently and with a smirk.
"Eh… likewise…" Crusher winced as Blaze and Pickle glared daggers at the smaller mink.
"The assistance is very much appreciated, thank you, Sir Bartleby," Roarian smiled.
"Yes, yes, now come on, follow me," Bartleby turned and led them forward.
Benedict wrapped an arm around Crusher as they walked. The hedgehog rolled his eyes at the grin on the mink's face. Behind them, Darington, Stripes, Zeg and Watts were holding Blaze and Pickle back from strangling the mink.
"Cool it, you two. Especially you, Blaze," AJ told them. "I've never seen you jealous before,"
"Not my fault that mink is too close…" Blaze murmured.
"VERY CLOSE." Pickle glared as Benedict's hand moved a little lower.
Crusher seemed to feel it and slapped the hand immediately, causing the mink to jerk back. The moment he did, he dashed over to the palace, heading just behind Bartleby but away from the younger mink.
They soon made it to the gate, where the guards were standing still and doing their job as guards. Bartleby stepped forward.
"My comrades and I are seeking the audience of King Tristan,"
"State your business." the guard snapped.
"We simply need to-"
"There must be a business involved if you want to seek the king's audience,"
"But-"
"Wow, this 'help' backfired quickly," Crusher murmured before stepping forward.
He took out his Chaos Emerald and shone it brightly towards the guards. The guards looked alarmed before kneeling down.
"P-Prince Shadic Hedgehog-Robotnik!"
"Guards," Crusher smirked. "I need to see my cousin, please,"
"Right away, your highness!"
The guards moved aside with a bow, with one of them opening the gate and leading them inside. Bartleby sighed and moved to walk when Crusher stopped him.
"I… think it's best if you and your son stay here,"
"But-"
"I said no," Crusher glared at them before heading forward.
Benedict's eyes widened before grinning and moving forward. He grabbed the hedgehog by the wrist with a tight grip.
"Now, now, your highness," he pulled on him, an arm heading around his waist with a smirk. "We just want to help. Please give us another chance,"
Pickle looked like he was ready to snap his neck as he hissed. Blaze felt the flames burn around him as he growled.
Crusher gave the smaller mink a glare before smirking back. His other hand grabbed the other's wrist, gripping it as tightly as he could, much to the mink's shock.
"Thanks, but NO thanks."
With that, he pushed the smaller mink towards his father then he snapped his fingers. A Chaos Bubble wrapped around the two minks, causing them to gasp.
"Hey! Let us out!"
"No," Crusher shook his head. "No doubt that you two are working with Towers, as Bartleby was a couple of years ago, and we're not taking the chances,"
He spun around in a circle, over and over again, creating a tornado of dust to send the two minks away. With a huff, he turned to follow the guard inside.
The group followed after them, into the palace. They gasped in amazement as they went through white, lavender, gold and carnation pink halls. It had paintings and trinkets all over the place, most of the paintings about the royal family or their ancestors while most of the trinkets and furniture were gold.
"This place is amazing!" Daringto beamed.
"So many gold!" Zeg cried.
"And these paintings are fantastic!" Stripes complimented, turning to one of the paintings beside him, which was a painting of an indigo hedgehog with yellow bangs and bright blue eyes. "Who's this?"
"Nana Bernie, my other grandmother, Grammy's wife, and the Great Grand Queen of Mobius," Crusher explained, glancing at the painting with a smile before sighing. "I… I haven't seen her in a long time… neither had Grammy…"
"She is doing fine, your highness," the guard assured him. "She is still in the vacation cottage that she and the rest of the first Hedgehog Council had gone in years ago,"
"Thats good to know…" Crusher sighed in relief.
"Woah!" Blaze turned to a large painting of the royal family. "Crusher, was this you before?"
"Hmm?" Crusher turned and stiffened.
It was a painting of when he was 7 years old, turning 8. It was during his birthday party, and their family had a royal portrait to celebrate the occasion.
He had remembered it all so well. It was the day everyone was happy. Everyone was excited.
Even his Uncle Maurice was happy and excited, and him smiling was always a rare sight to see.
It had happened just a few months before-
Crusher turned away from painting with a hiss. He trotted forward to follow after the guard, who waited for them to catch up.
"Let's… Let's just get going,"
The group glanced at each other quizzically before following after the guard and their friend. They soon made it to the throne room, where the guard knocked on the door and opened it.
"Your majesty, Male Queen Twinning!" he spoke with a bow. "There are some citizens who seek King Tristan's presence,"
"Well, whoever it may be, I would like to see as well," Male Queen Twinning Bee-Fox Prower, an orange fox Mobian with twin fox tails and a pair of bee wings and a pair of antennae on his head, spoke with a smile as he sat on one of the thrones.
"As you wish, your majesty!"
The guard motioned the group inside, and Crusher took a deep breath before heading into the throne room. The moment his golden eyes fell on him, however, he froze up as his jaw dropped.
"Sh-Shadic…?"
He hovered out of his throne with his wings, still in shock before landing in front of the group. Crusher took a deep breath as the other held his gloved hands.
"Hey, cousin,"
Twinning began to tear up before he took his cousin into his arms, his fox ears pinning to his head as he began to cry.
"Shadic! You're alive!"
Crusher smiled and returned the hug as the hybrid's twin tails began to spin happily behind him. From the back door of the throne room, there was a creek of a door before footsteps came.
"Twinning? Who's at the--"
The group glanced over to see a magenta echidna-hedgehog appearing from the back, wearing regal clothes and a cape on his back as he wore a golden crown on his head. He glanced at them with sapphire blue eyes and gasped.
"COUSIN!"
"Hey, Tristan," Crusher greeted with a smile as the other ran towards him and gave him a hug. "Ack! I missed you too,"
"You were gone for… years!" Tristan hissed.
"Yeah, I know, and I'd like to tell you what happened, I really do, but…" Crusher winced. "We're kinda in a hurry,"
"Why? What's going on, cousin?" Twinning asked.
"GUN is attacking the world I had been living in for 17 years now," Crusher told them. "And we need the Chaos Emeralds to help defeat them, especially Commander Towers,"
"Ah, is that all?" Tristan chuckled and handed the purple Chaos Emerald. "Here, cousin. Take it,"
"Thanks, Trist, you're the best," Crusher smiled and gave him a hug.
"Anything for my baby cousin," Tristan ruffled his head with a laugh.