"You will not even have the chance. Now face your demise, weak pests!" Infinite says as his chest gem begins to glow.
The room distorts and Dale loses sight of Athea. The ground moves beneath him and he falls. His eyes close and...everything changes.
Dale wakes from what seems like a deep and thorough eight hour slumber. Remnants of a forgotten dream run through his mind as he rubs his eyes, trying to wake up to reality. His eyes, red and drowsy, work hard to process his surroundings. The thoroughly dilapidated ceiling of his old apartment blur into his field of vision, as does the slow and steady sunrise penetrating the windows, overpowering the glow from his LED lamps. The comfort of his blankets and bedsheets greet him in a warm fashion, tempting him with the most mesmerizing of sensations, Please, just a little bit longer. He might've given way to these temptations had it not been for the aroma of maple and wheat that digs a trail into his senses and arouses a morning appetite fitting a man of his size and caliber.
He arose from his bed, taking in the comfortable surroundings that he knew all too well, a simple yet artistically and curiously decorated one-bedroom apartment that is as unconventional as it is quirky. It's not that strange, but some would say the decoration and design is more befitting of a madman whose creativity has no direction or focus. Perhaps that was exactly how he preferred it to look. Dale approaches his record player and skims through the random assortment of music in his vinyl collection until he settles on his favorite album for the morning atmosphere. It's titled, 'Never mind' by a famous band in the mid-nineties known as Nirvanna. Excited and giddy, he puts his record slowly onto the player and drops the needle, but as the music starts playing, Dale feels a strange sensation blow through his head and a haunting chuckle invades his thoughts, making him dizzy and light-headed.
"He...he...he..." The music continues to play, but for some odd reason, he can't make out the lyrics. It's almost as if the song is playing backwards. He pauses the music, checks the settings on the record layer, and drops the needle once more, but to no avail. The tune continues to play backwards, distorted at intervals, giving the song an otherworldly feel. He steps back from the record player in mild discomfort, but as he focuses in on the lyrics, he can almost make out a sentence, repeating over and over again.
"You...will watch all of your loved ones...die." The volume grows louder and the bass grows deeper until the bookshelf shudders aggressively from the sound. Dale backs further from the player until his back is against the wall, trying to spare his ears from the ceaseless pounding of the noise.
"Hey Dale!" Dani walks into the room. "I see you're jamming out in here."
"What do you mean jamming out? Do you hear that?" Dale looks over at the record player, surprised to find that it's playing music normally. The book shelf, the distortion, the backwards lyrics, it's all stopped.
"Yeah I hear it, I'm no stranger to Nirvanna." Dani gives him an odd look.
Dale goes into the living room and looks around.
"How about I make breakfast?" Dani suggests.
"Sure, that sounds good." Dale keeps looking around, his head pounding. Are the clocks moving backwards? I need to get some fresh air. He runs downstairs and tries to leave the floor, but hits an invisible force field. "What's going on?!" He punches the force field, trying to get out, but it doesn't give. A spark from the force field catches the stairs on fire, and they blaze all the way up to his apartment.
"Dani!" Dale runs up the stairs. She's still upstairs! I have to save her! He runs through the blaze and enters the flame-filled apartment.
"Dale! Dale, help me!" He hears Dani screaming from the kitchen.
"Hold on! I'm coming!" He shouts back, his throat already hoarse from the smoke. He runs towards the door, only to be stopped by flames and debris. Unmindful of the blistering heat, Dale pulls the debris off the door. He kicks the door in and reels back at the wave of fire. He takes another step back and then runs forward, leaping over them. He sees Dani in a corner of the kitchen, still screaming for him to help her. He runs forward, pulling her into his arms, and she starts to melt. She's still screaming as she melts away into a puddle of flesh and bones. "DANI!" He stares at the puddle in horror... until the screaming resumes. How can that be...Dani?! How?!
He runs through the kitchen, the living room, and into the hallway. As he runs through the hallway, it starts to distort around him, turning bigger, longer, the ground moves under his feet as he shrinks down. Just as he finally reaches the bedroom door, a pile of flaming debris collapses on top of him and Dale falls to the ground, completely helpless, and still hearing Dani's screams.
What am I going to do? What can I do? I'm helpless! Dani is going to die and I can't do anything!
A familiar woman suddenly emerges from the flames. "Pathetic. I can't believe you're my son."
"Shut up!" Dale snarls. "You don't know anything about me!"
She continues on as if she can't hear him. "You really can't do anything, can you? It's how you always were, it's how you'll always be. This is why you deserve to burn." His mom starts to laugh as the flames begin to eat her alive. She doesn't notice the flames at all as she kneels down, "You lazy piece of shit, all you care about is yourself. Just admit it, you didn't want to save her anyways." Her flesh dribbles off her face, revealing her skull as she continues to laugh, and laugh, and laugh.
He hears Dani, still screaming in the bedroom. Dale's eyes glow with anger. Electricity crackles through his body, and with an explosive boom, he pushes the debris off of him.
He speeds through the room, grabs Dani off his bed, and jumps out of the window. As he falls through the air, he braces for impact, but instead of falling onto his front lawn, he falls through the lawn.
Eyes closed to pitch darkness, Dale opens his eyes only to close them again due to a flash of brightness. Reopening them, he wakes back to reality in Infinite's fortress.
"What-" Infinite turns around. "How amusing that you could break from my power so quickly." He sneers.
"You messed with Dani...You brought my crazy ass mom into the illusion, and you fucked with my RECORD!" Dale yells angerly. "Now I'm gonna fuck you up, cause I'm not Dani. Dani won't fight cause she likes Mobius and all the characters on this planet. I, however, am not afraid to fuck you up." Dale says sinisterly.
"How heroic of you to think defeating me will get you back your friend." Infinite smirks under his masks. "Say your last words before I enjoy watching you scream as I tear your feeble body apart."
"Do I get a safe word?" Dale says cockily, raising his fist.
Athea steps up behind him. "Are you okay?" She asks Dale, focusing on Infinite as he charges his power.
"I'm fine." Dale says. "Are you?"
"Fan-Fucking-tastic" Athea sarcastically replies.
Dale charges at Infinite full speed while Athea summons a flame, backing away from Infinite. Infinite releases his power whip, lashing Dale before he can hit him.
Reality shifts and turns upside down before Dale can hit the ground. The room changes to a never ending hallway within Infinites fortress. Infinite runs, Dale and Athea chase after him.
"I'll make you beg for mercy before you perish." Infinite chuckles evilly.
"Oh, it's a running battle...How nice." Athea sarcastically says as the two catch up to Infinite. Ramps of Infinites red power swoop from the ground. Athea jumps but Dale runs through them and the world glitches around them, turning red. Robots appear out of thin air and take aim at them.
"Whoa! What's this?!" Dale summons electricity, blasting through them until the illusion clears. "Damn, gotta avoid those."
Athea seeing that Dale is okay, runs up to Infinite. She strikes him with her fire and he skids to the floor.
He rises. "You will regret the choice of coming here, weak pests!" Infinite charges forward. Dale grabs Athea and dodges before they both get hit. He lets go of her and with a nod of thanks from Athea, they continue to catch up.
The floor ahead of them drops out, but they can see floating platforms around the gap. As they leap onto the first one, Infinite clones himself, leaving his real self at the back of the pack. Separating, Dale and Athea simultaneously use their abilities of flame and lightning until the last Infinite is left. Dale smirks as he hits the jackal, causing Infinite to fall once more. "Ha! How's that for a weak pest?!" He cheers.
Infinite holds his mask. "Your luck will end. There is no hope." He speeds faster away. Athea notices the never-ending hallways start to shrink.
"Dale, I have an idea to beat him faster. We should combine our abilities, like how Forces did with the rookie and Sonic." Athea says.
"But they have super speed, these boots are the only thing helping us even catch up to this dweeb." Dale retorts.
"We can use our fire and lightning as a combined beam to hit him before he gets too far. The walls are shrinking, we gotta do something." Athea huffs, stifling the urge to roll her eyes.
Dale notices her exhaustion. "Okay, if you say so." They hold their hands out, charging up their power. Once it's ready...
"Double Blast!" They yell as they release the charge. With the speed of lightning and the rage of fire, the beam hits Infinite, who falls. The never ending hallway glitches and disappears like it was never there.
Athea and Dale walk cautiously to Infinite's fallen body.
"Damn it! Did we kill him?" Dale asks insincerely.
Suddenly, Infinite rises again. Athea and Dale back up as their instincts turn from fight to flight.
"Oh he's pissed." Dale whistles.
"Enough of these childish games!" Infinite shouts. He waves his hand and a rocket appears, blasting the ground right by Dale and Athea, sending them in opposite directions. Infinite rushes towards Dale, stunned from the force.
"No!" Athea flings a hand out and a shield appears in front of Dale, stopping Infinite just in time. The jackal turns to look at her.
"You…" He growls, his eyes glaring with a violent light. His gem begins to glow and he rushes towards her.
Athea lays on the ground, frozen with horror. Move! Get up! Use your fire! MOVE!
"Athea!" Dale shouts, he stumbles to his feet, but he's too late.
Infinite grabs Athea's neck, his red gem pulsing with power, purple light coming off him in waves.
He is going to kill me! Athea realizes and closes her eyes. "I can get you a rematch!" She shouts. She can feel Infinite's other hand just barely teasing the hair on her hand. She's shaking, shaking right down to her shoes. She opens her eyes.
"Explain." Infinite brings her up to his mask and Athea gasps, trying desperately to hold back her fear.
She hadn't appreciated how much of a villain Infinite was when she played Sonic Forces, after his introduction scene he hadn't seemed like all that much of a big deal. I was wrong, he is WAY more terrifying in real life! "That's why you're living here of all places, right?" She chokes out. "You're living here, where Sonic once died, because you want a rematch with him. Another- another chance to defeat him."
"And how would you provide me with that?" Infinite asks.
"Sonic's a friend of mine, if I tell him where I am and that you're here, he'll come."
"Then what need do I have of you?" Infinite asks, tightening his grip on her neck. "I could easily tell Sonic after I have killed you. He would come for revenge, or to put me to justice if nothing else."
"You could." She admits, "But that wouldn't work for you. If it was as simple as picking a fight with Sonic, you would already be doing that. You want to fight him here." I'm so sorry Sonic! If he doesn't kill me, I'll make it up to you somehow!
"You have a lot of nerve for someone I can kill in a single breath." Infinite chuckles. "Presuming to tell me what I want… what is your proposal then?" He relaxes his grip, but only slightly.
"Dale and I need to go to Null Space, that's why we came here."
"Null Space? How reckless of you, there is very little chance I would open the gate to let you leave." Infinite muses.
"That's our problem." Athea gulps. "We just need to get there." Hopefully the three of us will be able to come up with something once we're there... "If you open the gate, I'll send Sonic a message. He'll come, and you can have your rematch."
Infinite's grip tightens again. "Do you think me a fool? Nothing can leave Null Space, not even radio waves. Your message will never make it to him."
Over his shoulder, Athea can see Dale getting up, electricity flickering in his fur as he charges up. She motions for him to stand down. "I can set up an automated message." She chokes out. "Leave it with you and the message will be sent. We both get what we want." Messages. There's no way I'm gonna lure Sonic here for you without telling him what we've done. I'm done luring my friends into traps because I kept things to myself. Dale's just gonna have to get over himself if he gets mad. Infinite drops her and Athea gasps as she falls straight onto her butt.
"Very well. We have a deal."
"Great." Athea rasps, giving the jackal a thumbs up. She flicks through her watch and winces as she sees the steady stream of texts from Sonic, Tails, Silver, even Shadow had sent her one. She quickly types in a private message for Sonic, telling him what she and Dale had done, sending it, before typing in the message Infinite wanted her to send. "Done. Now open the gate and I'll hand it over to you." She stands up and moves to stand beside Dale.
"Fools, the both of you." Infinite waves his hand dismissively and a portal appears in the air. It pulls Dale and Athea off their feet, but before they disappear inside, Athea tosses her communicator at Infinite, who catches it.
"Ahhhh!" Athea lets out a little scream as she falls onto the floor of null space. "Oh my goodness, that was TOO close!" She nearly shouts.
"Close, but we're alive." Dale laughs in relief. "That was some quick thinking 'Thea. Now let's go find Dani!"
"Hopefully she's not too far away..."