"No!" A wince shot through the jackal and he stumbled to the side, nearly tripping down the stairs. "I'm not… Don't you use that name!" That aloof confidence had completely shattered into crippling insecurity, like he was a completely different person.
Silver cautiously climbed the first step, innocently revealing his palms as if comforting an injured animal - an animal who was a global war criminal. "What happened to you?" He trod as lightly as possible, so as to not startle the guy. He knew the Phantom Ruby well; Silver couldn't ruin this opportunity.
The jackal's red eyes darted around the room erratically. He was totally wigging out, nearly foaming at the mouth. "Don't come any closer. I don't want to talk to you!" He limped towards a hallway escape, keeping one bloodshot eye on Silver.
Jeez. Silver didn't feel any pity for the villain, but it was undeniably concerning seeing a former foe so unhinged. Someone he once feared so much, now cowering and hissing. He took another step, but a dark red wall of cubes suddenly filled the staircase, blocking access.
The jackal sneered through a small gap. "Get out!" The barrier began to descend.
"Whoa, easy!" Silver tried to keep his cool, but found himself scampering away from the encroaching cubes. They chased him down the steps, sticking to his back and pushing him before vanishing; the momentum left Silver soaring across the foyer, smashing into a dusty cabinet.
"Silver!" Blaze leapt to his aid.
Zeena tutted, but it wasn't mocking. "Nice effort."
He brushed off Blaze's attempt to lift him, determined. "That's Infinite." Righting himself in the shattered cabinet, Silver quickly began to explain Infinite's past partnership with Dr. Eggman: the Doctor was the one who installed the Phantom Ruby into Infinite's body. Nothing had been heard of him since the fall of their empire.
Mecha grew eager to deal with their uncooperative new friend, mounting his missile launcher, but Blaze talked him down. This situation was incredibly sensitive, but they had no other choice but to persist - hopefully peacefully. The Ruby was too powerful to simply ignore.
Silver continued to watch Mecha. He could tell the robot was deeply intrigued by Infinite and his backstory. As he mulled it over, it made sense - both were "created" by Eggman, their existences shaped by his actions. It was a long shot, but maybe…
"Mecha," Silver ordered. "Go talk to Infinite."
"Affirmative." He was more than ready.
Instantly, his companions shot worried looks his way, but no one said anything. Silver gave them a reassuring nod as the imposing blue automaton marched up the stairs.
"Mecha!" Zeena called.
He turned, silent.
"Put the gun away."
The jackal sat at the edge of his rickety bed, rocking back and forth while cradling his chest. His breath was labored. His head throbbed. It all hurt so much.
That white hedgehog… he was one of Sonic's friends in the Resistance. It was he who took the first step towards his total defeat. It was Silver who knocked that Ruby prototype loose, yes, in the forest. The jackal knew he shouldn't have held onto that prototype, he knew that he shouldn't have let the Resistance squirm for so long. He knew that he shouldn't have agreed to work for the Doctor in the first place… Those regrets still haunted him, and now they were knocking on his door.
Suddenly he heard solid, metal footsteps. Then a literal knock at the door.
He growled. "Go away!"
The door began to cautiously open. With a grunt, Infinite summoned a cube to slam it shut.
However, the door was smashed off its squeaky brass hinges by an iron fist. The blue robot from earlier stomped into the room, and the jackal rose to his feet. That spiky head, the red shoes - it was one of the Doctor's replicas of Sonic. Silver may have been a lynchpin in his downfall, but that blasted blue hedgehog, Sonic, had truly cost him everything. His blood boiled at the sight. "How dare you?" he hissed.
The mech stopped, barely a meter away. His eye remained emotionless, surveying the musty bedroom as he spoke (no doubt searching for the Ruby). "We require your help, Infinite."
"Don't call me that!" he spat. This was the same conversation he'd just had with Silver. Like everything in his life - repeating, repeating. Maybe he ought to break the cycle for a second. "If you must, call me… Zero."
"Zero," Mecha parroted. "Are you injured?"
The jackal - Zero - hung his head in shame, looking at Mecha from the corner of his eye. How dare this plagiaristic hunk of metal show him mercy? Especially after he'd gone so far as to introduce himself. "No… I'm fine." He mustn't show weakness, not in front of him.
Suddenly, there was a fist in his face. Zero caught it with both hands, nullifying the punch but feeling a flash of pain cross his body. He slid backwards, letting out a guttural grunt as heat rushed into his head, urging him to fight back. But he found himself coughing instead, his own body betraying him.
"You are in no condition for battle. You warped Redd away because you could not fight him," Mecha declared, his fist still pushing into Zero's weak grip. "You are hurt."
Zero's eyes flashed a sick red. "I don't need… to fight anyone. I have nothing left to defend." He let out a simple pulse of energy, repelling Mecha's arm.
The robot seemed amused, and shook away the magenta pixels surrounding his hand. "Tell me what happened." He reached out another arm - this time not an attack, but a gesture of empathy. His hand remained open, revealing the dull metal interior of a palm. It seemed uncharacteristic for such a fearsome machine.
Zero sneered at the hand. In it, he could only see him - the one who ruined everything. That insufferable kindness, that unbearable optimism...
"The things that can't be defeated are heart, soul, and the bonds of friendship. Three things you and your counterfeit cronies lack!"
He thought he saw a heroic grin on the facsimile's face, a white glove around its iron gauntlet, soft quills along its metal surface. Why should he tell him anything? Zero once had everything: glory, influence, power. And that hedgehog ruined it.
"I can see your pain." Mecha's voice snapped Zero awake. It wasn't Sonic, just a copy. "Don't let your instincts control you. They don't know better."
What would a robot know about instincts? Zero dropped to his bed, impacting harder than intended, and again cried out. He hated doing so in front of this replica... but that's all it was. This was no living thing, merely another of Eggman's creations, like a crude illusion of the Ruby. The thought of it being a robot was actually soothing, to some extent. Zero lifted a gloved hand to his parka's zipper, slowly drawing it down his torso and exposing the yellow bandages wrapped around his chest. Flinching at the sting, he tugged the wraps, revealing the edge of a wound.
His chest was like a cavity in an ancient geode, cracked open. Crimson and magenta crystals lined its perimeter, like fragments of the Phantom Ruby lingered as part of his body. Zero acknowledged that it was beautiful in some twisted way, but it ached. It was an eternal reminder of his weakness, and of his original sin of trusting that vile Eggman. Reluctantly, he let it all spill for this robotic guest: years of emotions, boiling within.
Zero recalled feeling betrayed when Eggman forced him into the Ruby. He never held much loyalty to the Doctor, but it hurt to be deemed a lost cause and stuffed into the gem. Thus Infinite remained within the Phantom Ruby's Null Space while Eggman failed to beat Sonic too. Afterwards, he was stuck in stasis while the Ruby aimlessly hopped dimensions.
Upon finally escaping, Zero forced Eggman to free him from the sick influence.
"Are you sure? I can't guarantee you'll survive."
"Just do it. I never want to see you again."
It was no simple task, as Infinite's very body was already incorporated in the Ruby. Their union was nothing he had experienced before, not even in his old Jackal Squad. At times it felt safe - at others, suffocating.
Eggman's procedure was a moderate success, freeing Infinite's body, but when a single thing is everything, losing it leaves one with nothing. Without the Ruby, the Jackal Squad, or even the Eggman Empire, he was utterly alone. All he had left was that gaping scar. It still burgeoned with the energy of the Ruby, giving him residual abilities almost resembling its full power. Zero didn't want to care about it anymore, he didn't want to long for the days when he ruled the world. He just wanted to be normal.
But how could he be? He was still on the most-wanted list, having ruined more lives than he could count. Atoning for such sins was impossible. Not to mention his mind remained a slave to the Ruby; whether he liked it or not, he was addicted. Tapping into its power was like taking a step back in time, a high that brought him back to the glory days, always followed by excruciating lows.
And so Zero locked himself up in this abandoned mansion. Just a temporary solution - once he overcame his addiction and was ready to reintegrate into society, then he would return. Maybe he ought to do jail time, but fixing this on his own seemed preferable. Because of his plan, Zero instantly rejected anything to do with using the Phantom Ruby. He refused Mecha, content to wait it out in his mansion.
After finishing his long spiel, Zero was a bit let down when Mecha seemed unmoved. It was hard to tell with that emotionless face.
Then he spoke. "I see your logic."
Zero blinked. Was that supposed to be comforting?
"But you are a fool." Mecha pointed an accusatory finger, causing him to flinch. "The world is in imminent danger. If you really want to be free of your crimes, you should help those you once harmed."
"Didn't I tell you?" His tone grew hostile again. "I don't care what happens out there, I have to overcome the enemy within first."
"We must protect the Phantom Ruby from Redd. Do you want him to take it?"
"That doesn't sound so bad to me." Having this drug of a gemstone out of his reach was a dream. "If need be, I'll just warp him away again."
Zero bickered with Mecha more, insisting on his apathy and inability to help. Mecha remained persistent, like a machine.
"You cannot hide the Ruby from Redd forever."
"I can't let it win either, I can't give in."
"What happens when you give in to this hunger and use it?"
"I regress into a crippled addict."
"You already are one."
Zero hissed air between his teeth. "What, you're saying I've hit rock bottom and might as well keep going?"
"No, you're jumping to conclusions. I am saying that sitting here feeling sorry for yourself is not going to fix anything." Mecha paused. "Look at yourself, Infinite."
He panted, failing to correct his name to the robot. All of today's shouting was getting to him.
"You are Infinite, and you are Zero. You are a war criminal, and you are a sick victim. But you are still alive, you can still act."
"What do you know, machine? My body is already failing." He gulped. "What can I do?"
"Accept your turmoil, and help. Only then can you be free."
What did a robot know about weakness? All they do is receive repairs and upgrades to alleviate their failures. They don't know the struggle of self-improvement, the frailty of an organic body. Zero shook his head. "I refuse..."
"Is that your final answer, childish as it may be?"
Zero spat on Mecha's red shoe. "I am not weak. Get out of my sight."
Instantly, the robot turned, marching back out the doorway. Its feet crunched through the ruined pine gate. Finally alone, Zero took a deep sigh. A careful hand reached for his scar, caressing the crystals and wincing.
While Mecha spoke with Infinite, the remaining three lounged uncomfortably in the main hall. They could still see their icy breath as they talked. Silver sat on the bottom stair, his knees pulled to his chest. Blaze stood nearby, leaning on the end of the banister. Zeena lay across a ruined sofa, examining her nails.
The trio had discussed their experiences in the manor. Zeena told of her confrontation with Zavok, the emptiness she had felt at their reunion and her annoyance with his reckless ambition. Blaze recounted the endless oubliette she and Mecha found themselves in, and the mysterious voices that called out to them from the shadows. Silver explained his vision of Redd being sucked into a void, revealing that the specter was seeking a way to find those who could save his life; he conveniently left out his own vision of home.
Silver was restless. It had been too long since they sent Mecha in - was he okay? Was this a huge mistake? He noticed he was tapping his foot. Time was passing them by, Redd was getting closer. Maybe they could get by without the Phantom Ruby, maybe there were other options. Next they should visit Tikal and discuss alternatives. Whatever came after that, it would have to be a direct action towards Redd's downfall; all this sitting around in a freezing foyer was doing nothing.
He looked at Blaze. She'd been acting so weird lately... more protective of him, more emotional in their interactions. It concerned him to some extent, but it also... irritated him? That wasn't the right word. It was different, it took getting used to.
Then Mecha reappeared on the stairs. "Zero has no interest in helping us."
Silver swiveled, anxious. "Who's Zero?"
"He told me to call him that."
"Well." Silver stood, unsure of how to proceed but relieved that this weakened Infinite was no pushover. "If he can just warp Redd away, then I guess the Ruby is safe here." His impatience was peaking.
"But we need its power to stop him." Blaze faced Silver, her eyes dark with disappointment. He could already feel tension, and it made him sick. She bit at him: "Unless you think the Master Emerald is enough."
"You have the Sol Emeralds too, don't you?" He gestured to the pocket where she stored one of the artifacts.
She placed a protective paw over her coat. "Unlike your Chaos Emeralds, mine are not batteries to be tossed around."
What was with her? "He won't take them, Blaze. We'll guard them with our lives." Silver tried to reassure her, though with little sympathy.
"That's already my job. I'm not bringing them right to him."
Silver felt his temper rise, and did nothing to hinder it. "Then what do you suggest? No Ruby, no Emeralds, then what?"
Blaze sighed, her own anger showing. "I don't know yet, Silver."
"Come on, don't you want to save this world?" He clapped his hands impatiently. "Work with me here, Blaze!"
She gritted her teeth. "Did you really just say that…?" Fire formed around her wrists, and in her pupils. "What do you think I've been doing? This isn't truly about saving the world to you, is it?"
He acknowledged her rage, but felt no need to temper it. He wasn't going to sit back and let her grill into him. "Yes it is! I want to save the world, I need this place intact! Unlike you, I can't just run off to my castle by the beach if things turn south."
"You...!" Blaze's voice trembled. Water suddenly appeared in her fiery eyes, and she whipped around to hide her face.
"Guys, guys, please!" Zeena couldn't watch any longer, jumping in between the two.
Silver growled. "Stay out of this, Zeena."
A black and pink claw shot out, grabbing Silver by the cheeks; there was a fury to her manner which Silver had never seen before. Her acrylics bore into his head. "No, you calm down! We can't break up now!" She released him, gesturing at Blaze. "Look at her, Silver."
He did as commanded; he watched Blaze's hunched shoulders shake, and listened to her whimpers. The fire on her wrists had disappeared, now wet with tears as she wiped her face. At the sight, an awful vacuum appeared in Silver's heart - his adrenaline dissipated, leaving him hollow. He spoke gently, stepping past Zeena to approach her. "Blaze…"
"Listen, you naive hedgehog…" she snapped. She didn't look at him yet. Her voice was trying to sound assertive, but was still muddied by sorrow. "I have laid everything on the line to help this world that isn't mine. It is scary, difficult. But please…" Her head turned, not quite revealing her face yet. "All I want is for this to go well. The least you could do is show some decency to someone making a sacrifice for you."
Blaze's words rang true - they didn't make Silver feel any better. "I know…"
Blaze interrupted him again. "After seeing its power, I know the Phantom Ruby must not fall into Redd's hands. We cannot accept no as an answer."
Silver stuttered. "I-Infinite's not going to help. He's a selfish monster."
"Sounds familiar." Blaze cleared her throat, finally meeting his eyes. Her face was still red, soaked with tears. "But I am not giving up until these people's world is safe."
Silver's mouth failed to form words. He couldn't process it all. "Just… how do you care so much?"
Blaze stood with dignity. Her shoulders stayed back, her shoes pointed, her knees straight. In spite of her red eyes and curbed eyebrows, she shone with that same brilliance as always. She was like an idol. She was more than he could ever be. Her lips parted. "I can't help it, Silver. It's the right thing to do-"
An explosion rocked the mansion, shrapnel bursting out of the wall. Caught off-guard, Silver activated his psychokinesis barely in time to catch the boulders and splintering wood. Through the dusty hole blasted in the stone, he identified a considerably large mechanoid.
"Is this a bad time?" Dr. Eggman sat in the robot's cockpit, sneering at the quartet with depraved glee. His top-heavy robot's cannon remained lit, already preparing another shot. It fired a bright yellow net, latching onto Silver and pinning him to the other wall. Electricity coursed through his body, eliciting a yell. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Blaze was hit with the same projectile, stuck to the floor in front of him. Her body flared erratically, failing to summon flames.
They were helpless to watch as Mecha descended, desperately reaching towards Eggman.
"Dr. Eggman! You're alive!"
"Of course I am. That freak needs me if he's ever going to achieve his goal." Then he paused, adjusting his glasses to take a closer look. "Is that one of my old Sonic bots?"
"Yes Doctor." Mecha could barely contain his excitement. His creator was here! "I have been travelling with this party to rescue you. Why immobilize them?"
"They'll be fine." Eggman did not care to answer, nor did he seem impressed - Mecha was disappointed by the subdued reaction. "I'm here to catch up with a former employee. If you want to help, why not start by bringing Infinite out here?"
Mecha almost started off, but hesitated. "I've already spoken with him, he refuses to cooperate. He is staying here."
"That so? Are you telling me he's stuck in this manor? Or that you just didn't try hard enough?"
"Leave him alone!" Suddenly, Zeena's green aura surrounded Eggman's robot, paralyzing it. Mecha was shocked, unsure of what to do. Why was Zeena attacking the Doctor? It didn't compute.
Dr. Eggman was unfazed. "Ah yes, the Zeti." He tapped a button on his glasses, calling out. "Zavok!" The green energy faded from the mech, replaced by red and cyan; Zavok was shutting her out again. Another net escaped the mech's cannon, capturing Zeena and causing her to squeal. Then a hand shot forth, clasping her writhing body.
Mecha shook, confused. "Wait, Doctor! She is an ally!"
Opening a capsule mounted on the back, Eggman's mech dropped Zeena inside before closing the lid. "Don't worry, my colleague is an old friend of hers and wants to talk. Come now…" He hummed. "Erm, what's your designation again?"
Mecha stood still. "... Mecha Sonic Mark III."
"Good, good." Eggman's robot gestured with a gigantic, friendly hand towards Mecha. The Sonic robot regarded it with some hesitation - mostly because it was too big for him to give a handshake, but also out of uncertainty. In mere seconds, his master had just torn down everything he'd built with this group. Was that okay?
The hand was intercepted out of nowhere as red cubes flew into the foyer, smashing it into bent steel. Eggman cried out. "Ugh, Infinite!" Mecha followed his eyes to Zero, hiding in the hallway up the stairs. He had regained his air of composure, disgust across his face.
The mechanoid retracted its damaged hand. "You little…" Though furious, Eggman kept his cool. "Not as weakened as I thought. Looks like I'll need to complete that countermeasure after all." He turned back to Mecha. "Let's go. Your brother is waiting."
Mecha hesitated to regard Silver and Blaze, both still trapped and barely conscious. They had helped him get this far, but there was no logical reason to remain with them. He held some respect for Blaze, but Silver was headstrong and annoying; Zero, who stood above him, was clearly no ally either. Zeena was the one he really cared about, and now she was in Eggman's care. Abandoning these three didn't seem like a mistake, not at all. And yet, he felt something inside him stir as he took off into the sky after his master.
What the hell were they doing?
The jackal limped down the hallway, ready to kick out the rest of the stragglers. They'd caused quite a ruckus, especially leading Eggman here. He was glad to see the Sonic robot gone, at least. His fingers lingered around his bandaged chest, wishing he could warp the fools away.
As he trod into the foyer, he was met with an unexpected scene: Silver the hedgehog and some cat, both lying unconscious on the floor. He huffed, examining the damage in the wall and gazing out into the dark mountain range. That's going to take another relapse to fix. But not today, not now. He needed to recover. He started back towards his bedroom.
But he stopped. He peered over the banister, high above the unmoving invaders. That accursed Silver was so vulnerable… With a flash, the jackal summoned his sword. Gripping the hilt, he began inching down the staircase with labored steps, his eyes trained on his prey.
Silver the hedgehog… you and your Resistance brought me to this…
His shoes scuffed the floor next to the cat's head, passing her to reach Silver. His leather gloves groaned around the curved sword. Now he stood above the hedgehog. Zero - no, Infinite - admired the dull sword. With a clean swipe, one of his most haunting phantoms would vanish forever. Sweet revenge! It had been a moment since he last took a life, but Infinite felt the bloodlust returning. This was what he lived for.
And yet, he faltered.
The Sonic bot's voice resonated: "Accept your turmoil."
What the hell did he mean by that? What would a robot know about the battle between instinct and humanity? Zero had already fought and lost that fight hundreds of times - it's why he first became Infinite, and why he still clung onto that old power. A programmed machine could not feel empathy, develop pride, grow connections. It was made one way, static and perfect, content. That robot knew nothing. Sonic knew nothing!
Infinite's hands were trembling. He could no longer hold the blade, letting it clatter to the floor next to Silver's head. Pain wracked his chest, and he fell to his knees on the cold tile. A guttural growl escaped his muzzle - this was worse than usual. Would he ever escape this agony? Would he ever have a normal life again? Maybe not, but he had to try. He needed to be free! He would kill whoever he needed to!
"Help. Only then can you be free."
That robot…! Infinite snapped out of it, realizing his body was already howling in rage. Silver began to stir next to him. Damn, he'd blown his opportunity! But the hedgehog's yellow eye looked up, past him, with a weak kindness and confusion. "B… Blaze?"
His blood went cold. Infinite glanced over his shoulder, finally noticing the cat behind him. Her hands were wreathed in flames, poised to strike - who knows for how long. She warned him, quiet yet firm. "Don't touch him."
Infinite carefully slid away from Silver with his hands up, surrendering. He tumbled to his side on the floor; Blaze's burning claws followed, still pointed at his neck. "Where did Eggman go? Where is the Phantom Ruby?"
"I don't know." Infinite coughed. "What was Eggman doing here?"
She gestured towards the hole in the wall. "He came for you, but ended up taking our companions."
So much for that talk of self-determination and saving the world. Infinite snorted.
Blaze hissed. "What's so funny?"
He kicked his legs, pushing away from her. "N-nothing. It's interesting how quickly things can fall apart."
The cat glared into his soul, not entertained. "Do you still have the Ruby? We're borrowing it."
"Yes." Infinite was not excited to have this discussion again. This time he would break the cycle. "But I store it within Null Space. I will hold onto it until we face Redd."
Blaze failed to respond for a second, her eyes wide. The flames in her hands waned. "We?"
The jackal bore a fang. "I'm going to help you kill Redd. Is that a problem?"
She didn't seem entirely convinced, fully aware that he had just held a sword above her companion's head. "As long as you're hunting the correct person, Infinite." Blaze caught herself. "Right, you go by Zero now."
Infinite rolled his eyes; this whole name situation was already too confusing. He would be better off going by what they knew. Sure it hurt, reminding him of who he once was, but he needed a little of that pain - comfort was a luxury he could no longer afford. "No. Just Infinite. I…" It was difficult to finally say. "I need to help you."
Blaze was warming up to it, but still raised an eyebrow. "You really shouldn't if your body can't take it. We can't lose any more allies."
Was she implying he was weak? His blood approached a boil, but he breathed; this was concern, not disdain. Still, he didn't know how to respond. "I don't trust anyone else with the Phantom Ruby. Plus, I've stayed here long enough, navel-gazing is no longer an option."
"We'll be fine, really. Taking care of your body isn't navel-gazing."
Who was this cat? Was she not present when he conquered the world? Did she realize what a monster he had been, how many lives he'd taken? It didn't matter if he crumbled to pieces, Infinite had to be free of this prison. This was no longer about him, not that anyone would miss him if he perished. "I'm not letting you have the Ruby, this is the closest you'll get. Understood?"
Silver groaned, lifting himself off the floor. "I sure didn't expect this…"
Blaze swiftly moved to his side, helping him up by the arm. "You okay?" Her voice was tender.
Infinite couldn't see nor hear what was happening, but the two's conversation was hushed and intimate. Silver's whispers were soaked with remorse, and Blaze's hands lovingly caressed his shoulders. He spotted the hole burnt into the side of Silver's jacket, and the way she carefully brushed against its encrusted edges. Infinite sensed the connection between them - it was far from a perfect relationship, but it was hell of a lot better than anything he had. He knew he didn't deserve it, but it was alluring. A different hunger awoke in him. Not one for power, but rather for…
They turned, and Blaze spoke. "We'll give you a chance, Infinite. Come on."
Acceptance.