Sonic and Tails were walking along the sidewalk in Station Square. Since the battle at ARK, things had been quiet. Eggman hadn't made any more trouble in a while, and there was no sign of Rouge. Basically, they were getting bored.
They passed by a television shop, and a TV news report was playing. Sonic stopped and looked up as images of them flash onto the screen.
Tails sighed exasperated, "They're still playing stuff about us?!"
Sonic replied, "yeah, I guess so." He listened to the reporter for a moment.
The reporter, who was sitting at a desk holding some papers, starts his report, "... The space station ARK, saved by Sonic and his friends, is now being taken over by GUN. They will be converting the space station into a habitable place for peaceful people. They expect to have the weapons dismantled and the station completely secure in a year..."
Tails didn't really pay attention to the report, and he sighed, "they're always doin' that... it's been two months...you think they'd lay off it."
The reporter is handed an update, and he continues, "... In other news, the fishing vessel, SpiritBlue, that was headed to Japan, has made an emergency turn and is now headed back to Station Square..."
Finally Tails' interest was caught, and he raised his eyebrow and twitched his ear. "Hmm."
Sonic just shrugged and continued walking, "oh well. I guess Station Square will have some more sushi soon. Lets go, huh buddy? We've got to meet Amy in a while. She wants to go shopping again," he sighed.
Tails glanced at the reporter once again, who had turned to much less interesting news, then turned and followed Sonic, replying with about the same amount of enthusiasm, "okay."
~ ~ ~
Rouge was standing next to a jewelry case, admiring the gems. Even though she said she'd give up hunting, she still had a deep routed love of jewels. She kept glancing at a large deep blue sapphire, and the more she tried to ignore it, the more she found herself standing in front of that particular case. It's too bad I gave up jewel hunting... that stone would make a fine addition to my collection, she thought. She sighed and looked away, fluttering her wings a bit.
Meanwhile, Eggman was flying nearby, mulling things over in his mind. Mostly about what had happened two months ago. He looked down and saw Rouge's car, and raised his eyebrow. He came in for a landing, and parked right next to her car. He got out and went into the jewelry store, pretty sure he knew what Rouge was doing there.
Sure enough, Rouge was there, and she was standing in front of the most expensive case. He walked over, "hello, Rouge," and he saw the large sapphire she must have been eyeing.
She looked up and saw him, "oh, hello again, doctor."
He noticed no one was at the counter, "I bet you want that jewel."
She smiled a bit and folded her arms across her chest. "Not too long ago, I would have done anything for that jewel. But... I'm not so sure now." She thought it was odd that he was talking to her, "no hard feelings about what happened on ARK?"
He doesn't reply, but pulls out a small appliance that looked suspiciously like a ray gun. He started to fiddle with a dial and he finally replied, "I guess they are trying to take over it."
He'd missed the real meaning behind her question, and she noticed the gun in his hands. Her ears twitched as she looked at it, "you're not about to do what I think you are, are you?" She smirked a bit.
He replied absently as he finished the settings, "I'm not going to shoot you."
She raised her eyebrows, then glanced to the jewel, figuring out what the plan was.
He glanced once more to see if no one was looking, then he pointed the gun at the sapphire and pushed a button. A small yellow beam shot out at the jewel. When the beam touched it, it disappeared and reappeared directly in front of the gun. No marks were seen on the case, and nothing else had been disturbed. He reached out and took the gem before it fell, and then held it out to Rouge.
She blinked at what had just happened, and held out her hands for the gem. "Now, that would have made my job a lot easier, " she smiled as she took it, and looked around to see if anyone had noticed.
He waved it off, "one of my newest inventions, but," he heard footsteps not too far away, and turns to leave, "I think we should get out of here."
She nodded and turned to follow him, "I think you may be right." She slipped the sapphire into her purse, and they quickly exited the building. She laughed as they made a clean getaway, "my, that was almost too easy. You could become an amazing hunter if you tried."
As they walk towards his Eggmobile, he says, "so, are you going to start collecting those jewels again?"
She tilted her head to the side, smirking, "I just may. Besides, I haven't seen the others in a while." She remembered Shadow the most. She had wanted to get to know him better for some reason.
He replied, stroking his mustache, "yes, I haven't seen the blue one in a while." He was also mostly thinking about Shadow.
She sighed, "or that echidna."
He nodded and replied, "yeah." He paused for a moment, and decided to change the subject. "Have you heard of my Egg Carrier before?"
"No, what is it?"
"It's sort of like ARK, only my version, a flying fortress," he explained. "It flies around, sort of a transportation for me. I'm thinking about recovering it. Sonic destroyed one, Perfect Chaos destroyed the other..."
She raised her eyebrow curiously.
"I was thinking if Shadow-" He stopped short, blinking, and then turned quickly, and got into his Eggmobile.
She followed him over, and leaned over the side, "what is it?"
He paused as he turned on the vehicle, "...nothing," but then he sighed and continued, "I was thinking if Shadow were alive we could all put the Egg Carrier back together."
She nodded sadly, "yes... it's too bad about Shadow."
He grumbles, "stupid hedgehog, he didn't even try to save him. But one thing I'm curious about... he didn't burn up when he fell to Earth..."
She frowned a bit, "I don't know about Sonic. I thought he would have saved Shadow, he seemed to fit the hero type well enough. But, you're right. I saw the news reports... and he didn't seem to burn up... he kind of flashed."
He had an idea, "would you like to come with me to the ruins? Of the Egg Carrier, that is."
She shrugged and looked up to him, "why not? I have nothing better to do right now."
"Okay, then," the Eggmobile floats up into the air, "follow me." He starts to fly slowly away towards the mystic ruins. Rouge jumps up and flies after him.
~ ~ ~
Knuckles was walking around, doing nothing, and absolutely bored. He vaguely wondered where everyone was. He hadn't seen Sonic or Tails since ARK... or Rouge for that matter. He looked up and saw something in the sky... two somethings as a matter of fact. He raised an eyebrow as they came steadily into view...
Eggman and Rouge turn and go to the Mystic Ruins, flying steadily and slowly, and heading right over Knuckles.
It donned on him who it was. "Hey, wait a minute! That's Eggman! And what's that behind him?" He squinted his eyes, he was wearing sunglasses of course, echidna's not being too fond of the sun. "Oh-My-Gosh! It's Rouge! No way! I can't believe they're working together again! And they're headed for the Mystic Ruins! This isn't good." He watched for a moment longer, and then noticed something bulging in her purse. "And what's that in her purse... ?! Another jewel! She's at it again!" He Jumped up and into the air, gliding after them.
