Act I: AWARE

Chapter XXV: One Little Victory

Sonic the Hedgehog's Point-of-View:

The city is in chaos.

Martial law is in effect.

The national guard is on its way.

The streets are now flooded in ocean water.

The power has been out for two days.

Homes, buildings, parks – all destroyed.

Sonic stood alongside Knuckles and the entirety of the police force, as Shade, arm wrapped in a sling, was giving a speech.

"We must not lose hope. This city is strong. While we are angry, we must not give up, we must never stop fighting."

Sonic nodded, a faint smile on his muzzle. Shade was right. She was going to inspire a change in this city's ways – he just knew it.

Even though the city was in turmoil, he knew the criminal element would never rest.

Elsewhere, Starline stood with Infinite, his ruby finally fixed and operating.

Starline gazed out of the large window of the chemical club, his hand situated on his cane.

"You think we can do it without Ivo, Starline?" Zero asked, his gaze fixed on the window.

Starline chortled, a sigh escaping his beak. "I think we will do that, and more, Zero."

Nack and Bean entered with Honey, who had managed to somehow dodge the police and Mephiles.

"Boss, Shadow and them helped at the stadium. I think they might be disbanded. It's just us left…" Nack stated.

Starline chuckled, fixing his glasses.

"Fine then. We do not have much operation to rebuild. With Ivo and Nazo both in prison – we will rebuild swimmingly without them. This will go without a hitch – I can promise you that," Starline remarked, a smirk growing on his face.

"Charical's headquarters is done for after the flood," Honey stated, crossing her arms. "There's gonna be a holdup on shipments."

Bean clicked his tounge, eyes moving to Starline. "Well – if Shadow and them really are done, perhaps their bags are for us to take?" Bean asked pointedly.

Starline sighed, before nodding at the woodpecker. "We can plan for that. For now, let's allow this city to rebuild. They will not know what hit them when we have returned."

They were right. Shadow had disbanded the mob. What he was going to do next…was sort of a mystery at the moment.

Atop the stadium, helicopters descended, as Shadow and his group helped Silver and Blaze with recovery efforts.

Shadow led a young panda towards the national guard, her face and body covered with ash as her frame was seized – clearly, she had entered a state of shock, and that shock had not subsided.

Shadow lowered her onto the mat hooked up to wires. Silver and Blaze bent down, smiling.

"It's gonna be okay ma'am, you're going to get all the help you need," Silver said.

Blaze leaned over resting a small flower on her chest. "It will pass. It will all pass."

Shadow stood stoically, Rouge and Bark standing by him as Jet and the Rogues led more citizens over to other helicopters.

The young panda nodded fervently, grabbing onto Shadow's hand.

Shadow cocked an eyebrow, as the panda whispered a faint thank you to him.

His mouth fell slightly, before he nodded.

The two military guards began strapping her in, hoisting her up as the helicopter lifted her in.

Vector arrived with the SWAT, Whisper and Tangle beginning more recovery efforts as Espio and Mighty walked towards the group.

"How are things coming?" Espio asked.

"They're going well. A lot of them are still in shock, and they're definitely banged up. But we're moving quickly, there's a good amount of room on the helicopters, and more are coming," Silver responded.

Mighty crossed his arms with a sigh, looking off into the distance.

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Sally were all airlifted to the top of the stadium. They were doing what they could.

It was surprisingly well organized up here – as opposed to the streets.

Sonic walked over to Shadow, arms crossed as he sighed.

"I can't thank you enough for helping us, Shad."

Shadow nodded, eyes locked to the ground they were standing on as he shook his head slightly.

"I realized I couldn't continue this mission of revenge. Maria would not have wanted that – she would have wanted me to do more. She wanted the people of this city to be safe – to be happy. I knew that vengeance would not solve their deaths. It would not solve my anger."

Sonic looked off into the distance. The sun was low in the sky – the horizon a glowing orange.

"You thinking about rejoining the force?" Sonic said, elbowing him slightly with a smug grin.

Shadow chuckled, meeting his gaze. "I am not sure. I think I need to talk it over with them - see what they think about it."

Tails had joined in, grinning. "If you did, we'd be really happy to have you back!"

Shadow nodded. "I think it would be nice. I do not want to rule anything out. I'll have to let you both know."

Sonic nodded, holding his hand out for a shake. "Don't keep us waitin', old friend."

Shadow stared at him for a moment, before grabbing onto his hand and shaking it.

"I will do my best not to."

Rouge had slithered up to Knuckles's side, fluttering her lashes at him. "So Comish – what do ya say? After this whole mess is over and the bars aren't flooded, how's a drink sound?"

Knuckles scoffed, a faint smile on his muzzle. "I'll have to let you know, bat."

Rouge clicked her tounge, walking infront of him as her hand trailed across his arm. "Don't keep a woman waitin', big guy."

Knuckles grumbled, muzzle flashing red as he rolled his eyes.

Amy chuckled. "Well Knucklehead, looks like you got a post-apocalypse date!"

Knuckles grumbled. "Don't push it, Ames."

Sonic stood with Tails, watching as Sally and Cosmo passed another person off to Bunnie and Antoine, passing them off to Whisper and Tangle, to Espio, Charmy and Mighty, to Silver, Blaze and Shadow.

They had created quite the system here.

"It's so amazing to see this come together…" Sonic began.

Tails looked at him, smiling.

"Shade was right, this city can come together."

Sonic nodded, before a phone call began ringing.

He fumbled for his phone – seeing a Facetime from Scourge.

Accepting it, he waited as Scourge's face appeared on screen.

"Scourge! What's up!" Sonic yelled, trying to speak over the noise.

"Hey man! I know this might be like…the WORST time ever, but…I filled out my application for the force!"

Sonic was beaming, eyebrows raised as a wide smile crossed his muzzle. "Scourge, that's amazing!"

Scourge chuckled, rubbing his neck. "My girl Fiona…she filled one out too. I handed it to some pink Echidna that was taking them."

Sonic's brow furrowed. Pink echidna?

Wait –

"Wait – was her name Julie-su?!"

"Yeah, I think so. Why?"

Tails cocked his head. "Julie-su is back?! Wow – guess this really is bringing everyone out of the woodworks."

Sonic scoffed. "Guess so."

"Well, hey man – I'll let you get back to your business. If I can help at all, lemme know!"

Sonic nodded, smirking at the green hedgehog. "You got it, Scourge. Thank you."

"No – thank you." Scourge stated, before he hung up.

Sonic chuckled, running his hands through his quills. "Wow – this. This is really gonna be okay, isn't it?"

Tails nodded, returning the smile. "I think it is."

With a sigh, Sonic looked out at the sun again, a smirk plastered on his face.

They were going to be okay.

This would all be fixed, and his hope was restored for this city.

He knows they can do this.

Angel Island Asylum, Sunday 6:03 PM

Mephiles pounded the glass of his asylum door as tears streaked his muzzle.

Through the glass, he watched as the news rolled in – they were fixing his work.

Fixing it. He had already fixed it.

He had saved this city, and all of his hard work was going to waste.

He cursed under his breath, biting his lip hard in a frenzy as tears fell onto the ground.

He heard a faint snicker from the cell over, cocking his eyebrow.

"So depressing, isn't it? So not fair to you!"

Mephiles furrowed his brow, turning over his shoulder. He continued to wail, slumping to the ground.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't be sad! You did great. You were amazing…"

Mephiles coughed, his throat thick with tears.

In the other cell, a grey-and-red Darkling stared through the window of his door, black sclera's and glowing orange eyes.

He was horribly disfigured.

"You know…this city loves a comeback story. This doesn't have to be the end, yanno?"

Mephiles tilted his head, rushing to the door as he put his face up to the grate.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, me? I'm like you. A nobody – who is going to be a somebody. We are alike in that way!"

Mephiles frowned, his gaze flickering back-and-forth. "We…are alike?"

"Of course we are! You and me…we ain't alone anymore!"

"I'm not…alone?"

"Never, Meph. You're never gonna be alone again."

The darkling started to snicker, before his snickers became uncontrollable fits of laughter.

Mephiles joined in, wheezing through his chuckles as the pair laughed and laughed.

A new friend.

He wasn't alone anymore.

Outskirts of Central City, Sunday 8:05 PM

Shadow stood at the graveyard, eyes staring down at the two tombstones in front of him.

Maria and Gerald.

He huffed a sigh, bending down as he placed a bouquet of flowers between them.

"I hope I have made you proud."

He allowed one tear to fall, hitting the dirt.

Rouge and Bark approached behind him, the three birds stayed by the SUV, watching for any visitors.

Rouge crossed her arms, as Bark stared at the hedgehog before him.

"Whaddya want to do next, Shad?"

Shadow sniffled, wiping his muzzle for any stray tears as he stood up, turning to face them.

"Well – that depends. What do you want to do next?"

Bark grunted, arms crossed as Rouge walked next to Shadow, looking at the two tombstones in front of her.

"I don't think the mob world suits us anymore. We were on top for a long time though, weren't we?"

Shadow nodded, fiddling with the rose in his hand. "I don't know if the police-world suits us either."

"Then maybe we stay somewhere in the middle." Bark spoke up, causing the pair to turn to him.

"How do you think we should go about that?" Shadow asked pensively, before Bark walked to his side.

"Perhaps we play to our strengths. You asked me if I wanted more than this."

Shadow nodded, cocking an eyebrow.

"When I was lifting that rubble, I felt something I had not felt in a very long time. I felt peace."

Shadow bit his lip, looking at the tombstones as the bear sighed.

"I want to be in the business of helping people. Whatever business that may be."

Shadow nodded, turning to look at Rouge. "How's that sound?"

Rouge chuckled, crossing her arms as she clicked her tongue. "Think I like the sound of that."

Shadow nodded, bending over to place the fake rose on Maria's grave, before sighing and making his way back to the van.

"Then let's get to work."

Sonic the Hedgehog's Point-of-View:

This city is angry, and this city is scarred.

It may never be the same as it was, but Sonic accepted that.

He had brought justice for Tikal, and even if he couldn't fully bring justice for Mephiles?

He would not give up yet.

The aftermath will be long, the journey uphill would be tough. But so what?

He wasn't in the business for fast results. He was in the business of keeping the city and its people safe.

And he was not even close to being finished with that.

Sonic stood with Tails, Silver and Blaze on the outskirts of the city, Sonic enjoying his first cigarette in a while.

"Blaze, didn't you used to smoke?" Sonic asked slyly.

The cat rolled her eyes, locking her arm in Silver's. "You shouldn't spoke in a pregnancy. I had to quit."

"Besides, don't you think YOU should quit, Sonic?" Silver asked, chuckling.

Sonic shrugged, taking another drag. "It does funny stuff to my brain. So what?"

Their heads turned as the sound of a motorcycle approached, the engine rattling as it stopped in front of them.

Cosmo took off her helmet, kicking the stand out as she rested the bike on the dirt road.

"Cosmo!" Tails exclaimed, offering a smile.

"Heya guys," she stated, ruffling her short green hair.

"Where you off to?" Silver asked.

Cosmo shrugged, huffing a sigh as she put her hands on the handlebars.

"I need to do some thinking. I'll be back though. Knuckles is letting me take this time off – so that's what I'm gonna do."

Sonic nodded, flicking his cigarette onto the ground. "We'll miss ya, Lieutenant!"

She chuckled, standing up and placing a kiss on Tails's cheek.

He held the spot for a moment, eyes widening as his muzzle pinked – earning a light giggle from Silver and Blaze.

"I thank y'all for everything you've done for me. I can't say it enough."

Sonic shrugged, stealing a glance at the superhero couple. "Hey – that's what we do."

"Best wishes in your travels, Cosmo," Blaze remarked, huddling close to Silver's side.

"Thank you. Till next time!" Cosmo exclaimed, hopping on the motorcycle and hoisting her helmet on. Kicking the bike into high-gear, she roared down the dirt road, dust kicking into their eyes.

Sonic coughed, waving the dust away as Silver laughed. "And THAT – is what smoking does."

"Alright, genius!" Sonic exclaimed, laughing as he coughed the dust out of his lungs.

Silver looked at Blaze, planting a kiss on her forehead. "Ready to get back to work?"

Blaze nodded, grinning. "You bet."

The pair turned to the detectives, offering a smile. "See you when we see you!" The white hedgehog exclaimed.

Tails waved back, Sonic giving a nod. "'Till our next recovery get-together, heroes!" The blue hedgehog responded.

With a nod from the pair, Silver grabbed her hand – their gauntlets activating as they blazed into the sky, leaving a beautiful cyan trail behind them.

"Still can't believe superheroes are real," Sonic said with a chuckle, hoisting his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, right!" Tails responded.

The sun had begun to set, watching it disappear behind the city.

This city was injured, and it was broken. It felt it's legs coming out from under it, capsizing under the weight of the darkness that had raged over it for so long.

"What do you think is next, Sonic?"

Sonic considered his question for a moment.

Next was getting justice for the rest of the Tikal's that would follow.

Next was getting this city back on its feet.

It was finding the Mephiles's before they acted, making sure no one else was caught in the crossfire.

It was loving your friends, bringing justice along with them – no matter the obstacles in their way.

It was never giving up – no matter how bleak it all seemed.

It was never giving up on this city.

Never.

Sonic turned to Tails, shrugging.

"Who knows, buddy. All I know is? Whatever it is, we can handle it."

The pair nodded at each other, looking back towards the sunset.

This city would not fall.

This city would not rest.

This city…would be saved again.

Hope was never gone – and it never would be.

For hope…was all they had.

END OF ACT 1.