Review Responses:
To Void Reader: The details of the Black Arms Incident are only known to the Overlanders. The general consensus is that there was an alien invasion that was stopped by GUN and one of its best and most noble agents. But Shadow mostly remains out of the public eye, as he is generally a reserved individual. As for Shadow being shipped with Rouge, its a possibility, but Shadow would rather seek love outside of a romantic light due to the fact that he'll outlive everybody that he cares for.
To Victor: Buddy, an alternate version of Chakra-X's Nazo Unleashed has happened in this continuity. The difference was that Sonic and Shadow unified earlier and killed Nazo before he could evolve. Also, Shadic will look different than he does in Chakra-X's original animation.
Castle Acorn, New Mobotropolis, Acornia
Two days have passed since Team Sonic and the Freedom Fighters' trip to Lobonia. Upon their return, King Max found himself slightly disheartened at their loss of the second Chaos Emerald. Fortunately, he became more relieved when Knuckles brought along the third Master Emerald shard and grew content hearing that they had access to a Chaos Emerald that one of Sonic's associates possessed.
Once Freedom HQ cleared out to where just Sally and her father remained, she informed the king about new information regarding Sonic, his golden form, and the Chaos Emeralds themselves. Satisfied with her findings, the royal Mobian squirrel had his daughter archive such details, which NICOLE did so by storing it in the Knothole Freedom Fighter database.
Within two days, Maximillian Acorn invited the councilmen to Parliament to discuss the possible placement for Sophia "Sonar the Fennec" Grayson in terms of her sentence. Given the circumstances surrounding her involvement with the infamous Desert Raiders, it was decided that she would be monitored in a restricted area under the watchful eyes of a trusted high-ranking nobleman. King Max asked around. And while most were weary to take on the endeavor, two notable members of the council raised their hands, volunteering to take up the task.
Thus, a guard had visited the Mobian fennec as he knocked on her jail.
Sonar's head and ears perked up as she turned to the front of the cell where her prison guard stood on the other side of the cell.
"W-What's going on, officer? Did something h-happened?" Sonar questioned, legitimately confused as to what was happening.
Opening the slate, the guard handed Sonar's clothing, washed and neatly folded for her to wear. On top of Sonar's clothing as an ankle monitor device.
"Get changed. You're being released today." The guard stated indifferently.
Sonar gasped at this out of shock.
"What? Are you serious!?" Sonar inquired, taking the clothes and the tracking device.
"Very. Now get changed, and don't keep your guardian waiting." The Mobian hound grunted before stepping away to allow the girl to change.
While she stripped out of her prison jumpsuit and began to put on her clothes after a month of her sentencing, Sonar thought to herself, '...Wait. Guardian? What does he mean by that?'
A few minutes after changing, the cuffed Sonar was escorted out of her special holding cell. While following the guard, Sonar made it out of the castle, only to find a white limousine awaiting her arrival. The guard saw this and had both himself and Sonar approach the vehicle.
The fennec whispered, "A-A limo?"
The butler got out of the driver's seat and opened the rear door for the person that stepped off the vehicle.
And that person ended up being none other than Councilman Amadeus Prower, himself.
As the nobleman approached the guard, Amadeus greeted the Mobian hound, saying, "Good evening, officer."
"Good evening to you as well, Councilman Prower." The guard greeted back, tipping his hat to the older fox.
Sonar gazed at Amadeus' appearance and hearing the Mobian fox's surname, then started to put two and two together.
'Councilman…Prower!? This wouldn't happen to be related to Tails, is he? If so, what's he doing here with me?'
Nodding to this, the guard grabbed a key from his belt and removed the handcuffs that were on Sonar.
"There. As of today, His Majesty has placed you on House Arrest." The Mobian hound explained. "While you are no longer in prison, you've been assigned legal guardians to take care of you until you reach the age of eighteen. One of them being Councilman Amadeus Prower, here."
"Is t-this true?" The former Desert Raider inquired as she looked at the nobleman.
"Indeed it is, young lady," Amadeus confirmed. "You'll be taking residence in my home from now on."
"Yes. You're free to go, Ms. Grayson." The guard announced before turning to Amadeus. "You may take it from here, Mr. Prower."
Giving the prison guard a nod, Amadeus escorted Sonar into the back seat on the right while the driver walked Amadeus into the back seat on the right side. Once the butler did this, he went back into the driver's seat and drove off.
As the vehicle drove along the streets of New Mobotropolis, Sonar gazed through the window, taking in the sights of the buildings and landmarks that were familiar to the girl.
'...I'm finally free. It's only been a month, but it feels like ages since I've been outside.' Sonar thought to herself, gently curling her lips into a small smile.
"I do hope that the guards treated you fairly while in custody, dear," Amadeus said, getting Sonar's attention.
Snapping back into reality, Sonar scrambled to respond to the nobleman.
"O-Oh, yes! I was treated decently, sir!" The fennec blurted out before calming down. "...It was a bit of a surprise, in all honesty."
Looking down at her hands that sat on her lap, the former Freedom Fighter said, "...I-l'm sorry that you have to go t-through the trouble to deal with me."
"Nonsense. It was no trouble at all." Amadeus said as friendly as one can be. "My wife and I agreed to watch over you as your guardians."
"I-I don't understand. W-Why help a stranger l-like me?" The twelve-year-old Mobian fennec inquired.
Amadeus chuckled at the girl, saying, "Well, my wife and I may have only read general information about who you are, you and your story have surely left a profound and positive impression on our son."
"Your son? As in Miles Prower?"
"Mhm. That is his name. You may also know him as Tails." Amadeus elaborated. "I tell you, ever since he came home from that mission, that boy wouldn't stop talking about you. Your plight resonated with Miles so much, he practically appealed to us to help you. And well, at that point, Rosemary and I had to look into your case for ourselves."
Sonar felt her muzzle burn bright red for a split second until she snapped out of it.
"That's v-very thoughtful of him. He didn't have to…"
"As we said, it's no trouble. It seems to me that regardless of how long you've known each other, Miles considers you a friend. And any friend of our boy is a-okay with us!" The councilman cheerily declared.
The fennec found herself smiling ever so brightly as the two foxes were driven back to Prower's Residence.
'...Tails, thank you.'
Uncle Chuck's Apartment, New Mobotropolis, Acornia
Since Sonic's arrival in New Mobotropolis, the world-famous hedgehog had stayed with his long-lost uncle in the apartment. The meta-physicist had his nephew claim the guest room during the quickster's long-term mission.
The next morning arrived, and Sir Charles had gotten up, showered, got dressed, grabbed the latest newspaper from outside of the front door, and then walked into the kitchen to start his day. Sir Charles turned on the radio, started brewing his black coffee, then walked over to the dining table to read the latest in current news in The Acorn Press newspaper.
By the time Sir Charles came back to get his coffee, Sonic entered the kitchen, cleaned and dressed in his iconic white gloves, white socks, red and white Power Sneakers, and his deactivated Warp Ring necklace.
While approaching the refrigerator, Sonic greeted his uncle, saying, "Mornin' Uncle Chuck,"
The knight shifted his head toward the teenager's direction.
"Good morning, Sonny-boy! How did you sleep last night?"
Sonic quickly took out a bag of a loaf of bread from the fridge, a jar of strawberry jam, and a carton of orange juice from the fridge. Using his speed, he grabbed a plate and a glass from the cupboard, a butter knife from one of the drawers, and opened up the bag with the bread loaf to place two slices in the toaster. Then he poured himself a glass of orange juice and put the bag of bread and the juice carton back into the refrigerator.
"I slept well. I run in my dreams, ya know." Sonic mentioned with his usual toothy grin.
"Do you, now?" Uncle Chuck chuckled, finding his nephew's response amusing.
Sonic wagged his finger as he waited for his bread to be toasted, "You bet! Every day, my life is a speedy runaway."
Sir Charles saw the gesture for a brief, then sighed in nostalgia.
'Heh, he waves his finger just around like his mother and he doesn't even realize it.'
Once Sonic's breakfast was finished cooking, he brought it to the table and began to eat.
"Got any plans for today, Sonny?" The knighted scientist asked with curiosity before taking a sip of his coffee.
"Yeah. I'm meetin' up with Sal in a little bit." Sonic explained as he finished one of his jam spread toasts.
"Sally, hm?" The older hedgehog coyly echoed, raising an eyebrow.
Sonic saw how his uncle glanced at him, then quickly backpedaled on his words, blushing as he clarified, "Hold on! I-It's not like that, Unc."
"Of course not," The scientist said with a knowing grin, sipping on his coffee again.
"Honest!" Sonic reaffirmed defensively, holding up his hands with an awkward smile. "Since Sonar's been released last night, Tails' folks have invited us over for brunch to celebrate. I figured we'd chat along the way as we head over there together."
"Okay… As long as the two of you are getting along with each other." Sir Charles relented for the moment. "Speaking of which, a little bird told me about a skill you've acquired using a Chaos Emerald. Would you mind filling this old man in on that?"
Sonic snapped his fingers as he chugged the glass of orange juice. Putting the cup down, Sonic said, "You're talkin' about Chaos Control. What's gotten you all interested in it?"
"As you know, I'm something of a scientist myself. When I was your age, your grandparents would often tell stories to your father and me about how the world came to be, and the three elements that shape creation. Sol, the Source, and Chaos. These fundamental forces had an impact on civilization. For decades, I've spent my time studying fields of science that align with my interest in the study of the Chaos Force and its correlation with ancient and or lost civilizations. Perhaps your findings could be of great service to my research on what Chaos Energy is and how it functions."
"Boy, I didn't know how much this means to you, Unc. Alright, I'll bite. Chaos Control is like an umbrella term. It's a trick that allows you to do many crazy things. For example, the basic stuff you can do using Chaos Control is stoppin' time around a person for a few moments and warpin' somethin' or someone from one place to another."
"I see," Uncle Chuck said while listening closely. "Space-time distortion and manipulation. I suspected this. And how did you access this power yourself?"
Sonic elaborated, saying "When I was a kid, I always thought it was like magic. I just did it and hoped for the best. That changed when I came to Station Square for the first time. From what I learned in that adventure, Chaos Energy is somethin' that you can tap into through strong thoughts and emotions."
"An entropic force." Sir Charles added.
"Yeah, I guess you can call it that. If you have that spark or connection, your emotions or thoughts can become power. Sometimes, some skills need to be invoked verbally for them to work. It kinda varies. But that's the gist of it." Sonic finished, now eating the rest of his breakfast. "Did that answer your question?"
"Splendidly! Thank you for your contribution, Sonny-boy! You know, with all of your discoveries through your adventurous travels, you'd make for a great archeologist." The knighted scientist complimented.
Sonic made his way to the sink and ran the water to clean his plate with soap and a dish sponge.
"Are you kiddin'? I may be in the mainstream when it comes to heroics, but I see myself as an adventurer first. And I aim to be the best in my generation!" Sonic boasted as he washed his plate.
Sir Charles chuckled at this, saying, "That's quite a goal, Sonny boy. But I suppose that is to be expected, given that we come from that sort of people. You know, the moniker of Azuron's first king was Arthur, the Venturous Lord."
After Sonic finished drying and placing the plate back to the cupboard, Sonic headed out to the door.
"I'm off, Uncle Chuck! I'll catch ya later!" Sonic cried out as he opened the door to leave.
"Enjoy yourself, Sonic!" Uncle Chuck said as the door closed.
Sighing, the old man said, "Jules, your boy's grown up to be a great young man. But I can't help but worry about him."
Julayla Memorial Park, New Mobotropolis
The princess of Acornia sat under the tree on the cliff where Sonic and she had hung out on the day Sonic returned to his birth country.
Since it was a day off, given that it was the weekend and the king wanted the militia to rest for a little while, Sally decided to dress more casually.
Sally wore a black crop top that shows off her midriff, black shorts with white trims, and white a pair of boots with blue trim that had a gold buckle around the cuffs of each piece of footwear.
While sitting down, Sally had her handheld open, having a conversation with her.
"NICOLE, would you fancy answering a burning question of mine?" Sally asked.
"Of course, princess. Ask away." The AI offered through her metallic medium.
"Do you think Sonic remembers me?" Sally asked softly. "Like, really, remember me?"
The AI responded by saying, "...I'm not sure that I can understand what you are asking of me, Sally. I suggest that you rephrase your inquiry."
"I'm sorry. What I mean is that do you think Oliver recognizes anything? You know, from his past before the coup?" Sally clarified to her digital friend.
"...Princess, I cannot determine a definitive answer for you. I was designed to be your digital assistant to guide you throughout your life, even after your ascension to the throne. Dr. Ellidy nor did the late Professor Morgan outfit me with the data regarding psychology or sociology. Therefore, your question, from my perspective, is rendered illogical. Unfortunately, I cannot advise you in a field I have no experience or knowledge about." NICOLE answered bluntly.
The chipmunk sighed as her ears drooped slightly.
"That's fair, I suppose…" Sally relented.
"It was not my intention to dampen your mood, Sally."
"No, no. It's fine, NICOLE. I'm just worried about him. It's been a month since this mission started, and he hasn't uttered a word about where he's come from, or about our history with him. Heck, Sir Charles said that he's never raised any questions about his parents. He just smiles and brushes all of that off like it never happened. It makes me wonder how much damage the coup has done to him."
"...Would you like to hear a plausible theory?" NICOLE offered.
"...Sure."
"Based on my current data, Oliver Cobalt has shown to value the immediacy of life. The present. Whether or not he is interested in your shared past is up for further analysis. However, what I can confirm with one hundred percent accuracy is that he is most definitely interested in learning about you. That should matter to you the most."
Sally began to feel relieved at that moment, only to narrow her eyes suspiciously at her handheld hardware.
"...Wait a second. Since when did you start saying one hundred percent accuracy? You know that there's no such thing." The princess asked, raising an eyebrow.
"...Call it a woman's intuition." The AI quipped in a monotone yet snappy manner.
Sally giggled at her digital aid's attempt at humor.
"You're too much sometimes!" Sally laughed before shaking her head as she calmed down. "You've got to lay off Rosie's romantic comedies. …But I appreciate your advice nonetheless."
"...It is my duty to serve you, Princess Sally." The AI said before she places the computer into the holder on her right leg.
Two seconds later, Sonic ran up the hill that led to the cliff before coming to a complete stop.
The rush of the wind caused both Sonic's quills, the necklace that he wore around his neck, and Sally's dark auburn hair to blow along with the wind.
"Hey," Sonic greeted softly with a small smile.
As she got up to stand and face Sonic, Sally fondly responded, "Hey, yourself."
Sonic held a bag in his head, then showed the white paper back to the princess.
"Hungry? I got an extra Banana Nut Muffin in here, if ya want it." Sonic offered.
Sally took the bag, saying, "Why thank you, Sonic. You know, this happens to be one of my favorite sweets."
"I figured as much," Sonic shrugged slightly as he watched her eat the muffin. "So, how's it shakin', Red? Is the mornin' treatin' you well?"
Swallowing the first bite of the muffin, Sally raised an eyebrow at the new nickname that Sonic gave her.
"Red? Where could you have got that from?" Sally inquired playfully, placing her free hand on her hip.
"I know, I know, it ain't original. But that's the first thing that came to mind when I first saw ya hair. Of course, I couldn't exactly call you that at the time, given that we had a giant talkin' egg to deal with. Sue me." Sonic reasoned.
"Fair enough. My morning has been lovely so far. And for a future reference, my hair is more of a dark auburn than a red. I appreciate you asking about me, though," Sally corrected with a bit of sass in her tone.
Sonic rubbed his neck, chuckling awkwardly at his little mistake.
"I guess you got me there." Sonic admitted.
"What about you? How has your morning been, Blue?" Sally responded.
"It's been very chill," Sonic admitted, putting his arms around the back of his head. "Given how crazy our missions get, I guess we could use a little bit of downtime. Even if it's for a couple of days."
Sally nodded, understanding where Sonic was coming from as she was halfway finished with her breakfast.
"Daddy thought that we could use time to rest and relax." Sally explained as she walked down the hill towards the sidewalk of the park. "It's a shame that Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor won't be attending Brunch with us. Rosemary is a great cook."
"So I've heard," Sonic nodded. "Guess the others want some time to themselves. I don't blame them for that."
Turning her head to Sonic, she asked him, "Mind walking with me, Sonic?"
"Sure thing," Sonic grinned before joining the princess as they made their way down the sidewalk.
As they went along the park, they ended up going through several streets in the bustling city of New Mobotropolis, taking the longer routes to the Prower's home.
During this time, Sally and Sonic engaged in several topics of conversation after she ate her muffin.
One of these topics happened to be about the power Sally had displayed.
"You know, I've been wonderin' somethin' for a minute. What was that power you used?" Sonic pondered aloud.
"Power?" Sally echoed in confusion. "I'm not following."
"Back in Sandblast. You got us out of that Ixis trap that was drainin' my power like a battery usin' some kind of weird hidden energy. What was that?" Sonic asked with his question clarified.
"Ah, that's what you mean." Sally said, recognizing the question. "Remember when I mentioned finding a pair of artifacts called the Deep Power Stones?"
"Uh…vaguely. I think I've heard you talkin' about it for a sec before your ex sprung that magic trap and went all traitor on us." Sonic responded, scratching his temple.
Rolling her eyes at the mention of Spike, Sally elaborated, "Anyway, that power came from those stones. In an earlier mission with the Freedom Fighters, we journeyed to a lost city in the Great Mountains called Maga. According to the information that my father recorded and downloaded into NICOLE, the ancient people inscribed text that held great wisdom and power in various scrolls. It was believed that the inhabitants of Maga have written the locations of the Seven Wonders of Mobius in them."
"Seven wonders, huh? That sounds like a place to check out! It must have been excitin'." Sonic grinned.
"It was for all of us," Sally nodded in agreement. "While we could only manage to retrieve three before Naugus destroyed the lost city, and those secret scrolls led us to finding Drood Henge. With the help of NICOLE, I found the stones and put the stones together on its smooth ends. That's when I was energized by the stone's energy."
"Alright, so you got juiced by the Deep Power Stones. Any idea what kind of power it is or how it works?" Sonic inquired, raising a hand.
"I'm still not entirely sure about that myself. From what NICOLE could translate from the text of the Secret Scrolls of Maga, they are two halves of an artifact imbued with near great mystical power. Daddy believes that it's somehow connected to the Source of All. Though, we aren't certain of it." Sally explained.
Sonic crossed his arms, mildly irritated about the possibility of magic taking over the entire journey.
"Tch! All of this flip-flop magic junk is startin' get on my nerves." The hedgehog grumbled. "And don't tell me. It just happens to come and goes whenever it pleases, right?"
Sally answered, "Basically. My father and Sir Charles have been keeping records on my use of the stone's power in search of a way for me to control it. So far, I only did that on the Day of Reckoning when I forced Naugus to flee the kingdom."
Sonic nodded, satisfied with answer he received as they moved on to a different topic.
This led to Sonic asking Sally a burning question that was on his mind.
"Say, I have another question. I heard from Rotor that you have a nasty history with that Fiona chick. What gives?"
Sally groaned at this, mentally reminding herself to give the walrus an earful the next time she saw him.
"...Yes, that," Sally muttered, averting her eyes in shame.
Sonic couldn't help but notice the shift in her demeanor.
"...Hey, are you alright there? Was it somethin' I said, Sal?" The blue hedgehog inquired.
The chipmunk shook her head initially, stating, "You're fine, Sonic. It's not you…It's just as you said. My past with Fiona was not a pretty one."
"You don't have to get into details if you don't want to." Sonic offered. "It sounds personal."
"No, I'm okay with it. I know I can trust you." Sally reaffirmed before sighing. "As you know, I am the field leader of the Knothole Freedom Fighters. And as such, I am tasked with managing the other members' positions and acting as its tactician. While the few adults helped train us in the art of warfare, we were still children. Children who still have much to learn. I still have a lot to learn."
Sonic nodded in agreement.
"I wasn't always as competent as I am now in the past. If it wasn't the rookie mistakes that I made which cost me, there were times where my needs as an adolescent would interfere with the mission at hand and the responsibilities that I have as a Freedom Fighter. Fiona was but one of my regrets under my leadership."
"What happened?" Asked Sonic.
"A couple of years back, there were several reports of missing people across the Mobian Alliance. Fiona happened to be one of them. However, that case wasn't ever brought up until we received a report that the then-crowned prince of Chun-nan's Dragon Kingdom was reported missing sometime later. It took a collaboration with the Chu-nan Freedom Fighters to find where they were being held captive." The Acornian princess elaborates.
Sonic then questioned, "Why were there prisoners anyway?"
Sally sighed, "There were all unwilling test subjects for a horrible experiment. Did Sir Charles ever tell you what happened to Bunnie on the day of the coup?"
Sonic flinched out of guilt for a moment before nodding again.
"...Yeah. I haven't forgotten." Sonic said in a low and semi-somber tone.
"There was a Mobian who was allegedly suspected to be an understudy of Naugus the Dark. His specialty, unlike Naugus, is the ability to use Technomancy. He used this magic to forcefully turn innocent people into advanced cyborgs. Nonconsensual Cybernization."
Sonic narrowed his eyes as he clenched his gloved hands, asking, "Did you guys get any info about this jerk?"
"No. The identity of this technomage is still shrouded in mystery. Witnesses say that if he disappeared into a Warp Ring portal before he could be captured. All that we know is that he is an adult male who wears golden armor, a black bodysuit, and a faceplate. We do have an alias that he uses."
"Oh yeah? What is it?"
"Vichama," Sally revealed. "Rumors say that he resides somewhere in Aurora."
Sonic thought, 'Vichama, huh? This side of Mobius keeps gettin' more interestin'. I should tell Knuckles about this later.'
"Alright, then. Enough about Vi-chump, or what's-his-name. Why does Fiona hate you? Didn't you and the Freedom Fighters bust in and save the day?" Sonic assumed.
"...No," Sally whispered in regret. "Not everyone."
Sonic then recalled Fiona's ability to take the shape of others' appearance as she duped Tails into giving her the yellow Chaos Emerald.
Sonic deflated a bit, causing his eyes to droop.
"...Oh."
"Yeah," Sally nodded. "I am not proud of my negligence. I was caught up with…other things that I left a fellow Acornian citizen at the mercy of Vichama. Because of that, I let a girl no older than me fend for herself and eventually turn to thievery to brave a harsh world. Out of spite, she stole my mother's necklace when it was on display for a time. The Destructix was formed later down the line and we've been at odds ever since. And now, she's out to make my life miserable due to my mistake."
Looking at the direction of her father's castle, she emphasized, saying, "Perhaps this is how my father feels whenever his past decisions return to haunt him."
Suddenly, a hand gently clasped Sally's shoulder. Her eyes landed on Sonic, who was the owner of that hand.
"Sal, we all got things that we ain't proud of doin'. Trust me, I'm certainly no exception." Sonic pointed out. "Point is, Fiona is hurt because of the past. She's got a right to feel how she did about that day, but that past has become her excuse for everythin' goin' wrong in her life. At the end of the day, Fiona is responsible for her happiness."
"But–"
Sonic cut the princess off by wagging her finger with his iconic grin.
"–Uh, uh! I ain't hearin' none of that. Listen, you gotta let that past guilt go. That was yesterday, old news. If you let the weight of regret hold you back, you'll never be able to enjoy the freedom of finding out what life has to offer. You gotta live life. Let it go, Sal."
The sudden maturity in Sonic's words caused Sally's heart to skip a few beats.
'...That's oddly mature of him to say. Oliver's surely grown more than I expected.'
Before she got lost in his emerald green eyes, Sally focused back on what the hedgehog was telling her and nodded.
"...O-Okay. You're right. You're absolutely right." Sally nodded, letting her friend's words sink in. "Thank you, Sonic."
Sonic shrugged, saying, "Eh, don't mention it."
While continuing their walk, Sally decided to ask her burning question.
"You've had your turn, now it's my turn to ask a question," Sally said, leaning close to Sonic with her arms behind her back. "Tell me, Sonic the Hedgehog, why do you run?"
"Why do I run?" Sonic echoed.
"Mhm." Sally nodded. "What makes you want to go outside and take off at the speed of sound?"
Initially Sonic chuckled at this, but was honestly caught off guard at question.
"Heh! What is this, an interview?" The hedgehog quipped as he rubbed his neck, trying to figure out a simple answer. "How can I put this…"
"Go on," Sally said, curious to hear his answer.
"...Well, I run for a lot of reasons. For one, it's fun. It gets me throughout the day. It's good for your cardio. Gotta keep in shape, ya know?"
"Sonic," Sally warned, not amused by his pointless rambling.
"Speakin' of which, I build up power the longer I keep on movin'. That's how I got stronger over the years. That's probably where the bio lightnin' and Boost ability came from–"
Sonic stopped mid sentence as he witnessed Sally Acorn giving him a piercing stare while crossing her arms, causing him to shudder while cracking a nervous toothy grin.
"W-What a sec! I know that stare!" Sonic realized. "That's The Look! You're givin' me The Look! You copied that from the queen!"
"Oh, so you recall this look?" Sally retorted with her piercing gaze never leaving her face. "Then you best take this seriously and give me a real answer."
Sonic quickly shook his head up and down.
"Okay, serious." Sonic echoed as he took a deep breath. "I want to be like the wind."
Sally's expression shifted in confusion.
"What? You want to be like…the wind?" Sally repeated, now completely lost.
Sonic nodded slowly, saying, "Yeah, that's right. I know sounds kinda dumb–"
"No, it's alright! You're expressing yourself. Please, continue." Sally implored with a comforting smile.
For a split second, Sonic's muzzle blushed red while he sputtered.
"I, uh, y-yeah! Right!" Sonic stuttered, trying to regain his casual composure.
'Get a grip, hedgehog! You can't be caught sweatin' in front of a girl! Stay cool!' The blue adventurer shouted mentally, allowing the blush to subside.
"Old Man Owl, or Harvey Who, once told me that he used to sail where the wind took him. It often led him to places he had never seen before. He and his wife would tell incredible stories about all the places that they visited. It made me wonder what's really out there." Sonic explained. "I guess that's why they gave me a biplane. To get out there and see the world for its beautiful sights."
"That sounds like an adventure." The princess commented.
"Exactly," Said Sonic. "Whenever I go fast, I feel though all of the worries and negativity in life slip away. Everythin' comes loose, ya know? I get caught up in the moment with each step that I take. This may sound backwards given the rush of adrenaline, but when I run, I get relaxed. It makes me feel comfortable."
"How come?"
"'Cause, Sally. With my speed, I get to go wherever I want just like the wind. And I do it by my terms," Sonic revealed as he looked up in the sky. "There is a whole world out there, Sal. Any normal person would find it to be impossible to travel the entire planet in their lifetime. But for me, it's all within my reach. For me, runnin' around is my freedom. Through that freedom, I'm truly alive."
Sally stayed quiet, allowing the information to sink in.
Smiling sadly, Sally mentally chimed, 'I see. So this is how you've been coping. You've been running like everything is fine. But after what I saw, after that change from two missions ago, I know better. What are you hiding from me, Oliver?'
Sonic turned to Sally, asking, "There. Did that answer your question, Sal?"
Sally's ears perked up, coming back to reality.
"...Y-Yes," Sally responded, clearing her throat with a liggt blush of her own. "Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it."
Sonic nodded, before looking forward to seeing the Prower Residence.
"Oh my Chaos…" Sonic froze.
Sally turned to Sonic, concerned about his sudden halt.
"What's the matter, Sonic?"
"TAILS' FOLKS IS LOADED!"
-Moments Later, Prower Residence-
Brunch was nearing completion. Rosemary Prower had been cooking up a storm in the kitchen with Vanessa Rabbot (Vanilla the Rabbit), Cassidy Rabbot (Cream the Rabbit), and Amelia Rose (Amy) assisting the matriarch in setting up the table and baking.
"Ooo~! This is so exciting! This brunch is going to be absolutely scrumptious!" Amy expressed with excitement as she was preparing lemonade in a pitcher.
"I know," Cream agreed, setting up the table with plates and eating utensils. "I think everybody is going to enjoy this brunch. Especially Miss Sonar."
"It's not everyday where I get to prepare a large meal with another person. Honestly, I'm quite excited." Vanilla said, possessing a similar, albeit tamed sense of thrill as Amy.
While stacking waffles and strips of bacon, Rosemary said, "I can't thank you three enough. For years, I haven't had any real reason to cook a family sized meal. But now that my family is complete and has a new addition, it rekindled that fire in me. I just needed a hand to make sure that the food is perfect."
"No need to worry, Mrs. Prower! We'll make sure that this brunch is extra special and filled with lots of love!" Amy reassured Rosemary.
The older vixen smiled brightly at the other three, saying, "You're too kind. Thank you so much."
Knuckles was kept busy watching Cheese as the Chao slept on his lap on the couch in the living room.
Moving away from the kitchen and the living room, we go down the hallway. Two doors down from the end of the living room, Miles "Tails" Prower sat at a desk in an office with Sophia "Sonar" Grayson sitting next to him.
The male fox had been scribbling various designs for what seem to be highly advanced footwear based on Sonic's Power Sneakers. The design and possible features that may borrow elements from Gerald Robotnik's technology.
Sonar watched in awe as the boy scribbled down notes, taking in every detail while Tails was at work.
'Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh! He's doing it! He's brainstorming another invention right in front of me! How exciting!' Sonar squealed mentally before settling down as she glanced at Tails' face. 'Okay, calm down. It's no big deal. Your cru–, I mean, your hero is sketching a potential invention. A very complex…shoe? Or is it a boot?'
"...Amazing," The girl whispered before asking Tails, "What is this supposed to be, Tails?"
"Oh! I'm glad you asked, Sonar." Tails said, presenting his sketch for a concept. "This is a new upgraded version of Sonic's Power Sneakers."
"Ah! You mean the frictionless shoes that he usually has on." Sonar assumed, pressing a fist into her palm. "I always wondered where he got such a pair that never wears down."
"That's because the elderly owls that raised Sonic and I may have crafted them from Power Rings. I'm not completely certain on the details, though. I never saw the process. But from what I'm working with, I thought of simply modifying his old 2G Hi-Speed Shoes. That's–"
"–the iconic pair of shoes Sonic was seen wearing during the Space Colony ARK incident! That footwear was virtually indestructible! Not to mention that Sonic was first shown grinding on rails while wearing those bad boys! And–" The fennec geeked out, only Tails to grab her hand out of instinct.
"Sonar? You're rambling again."
Sonar snapped out of it, then immediately blushed out of embarrassment.
"Sorry about that…"
Tails chuckled at her as he waved the rambling off, saying, "It's alright. I can tell that you're pretty excited about this."
The girl nodded as Tails continued onward.
"Well, I thought about taking the basis of Sonic's Power Sneakers along with his 2G Hi-Speed Shoes and creating a pair of shoes custom to him. Something that can withstand his ever growing speed and alleviate his weaknesses, you know?" Tails explained.
"Mhm," Sonar nodded in agreement. "What features do you have in mind?"
"Plenty of them. Extra jumping power, limited gliding, antigravity, moderate magnetism. Though, I'm mainly thinking…a hovering feature. Something that he could really benefit from since Sonic cannot swim."
Sonar then questioned, "Oh? Then you're going for Hover Shoes?"
"Yeah!" Tails realized, with his ears perked up. "That's it! Sonar, you're a genius!"
The confused Sonar blushed, with her heart skipping a beat at the compliment.
'H-He complimented me!' The girl cheered, mentally dancing her tail off.
"W-What did I do, exactly?"
"You just gave me something to work with." Tails said, thinking about what kind of design Sonic's new shoes will be based on.
"Miles! Sophia! Brunch Time!" Amadeus called out from the living room.
The two stared at each other, nodded, then made their way to the bathroom to wash their hands one at a time, then headed towards the dinner table for brunch.
While everybody in the house was heading there, the doorbell rang, prompting the patriarch to open the front door after seeing who was outside through the small hole.
"Good morning, Councilman Prower/Mornin', Mister P!" Both Sally and Sonic greeted the nobleman respectively.
"Sonic, Princess Sally! Welcome! Everybody's inside and we were just about to attend Brunch. Please, come on in." The fox said, allowing for the two teens to head inside.
The adult guided them to the dinner table. Sonic and Sally were met with a table filled with familiar faces. Amy, Tails, Sonar, Cream (with Cheese on her lap), Vanilla, and Knuckles. Standing nearby them happened to be Rosemary Prower, pouring beverages for her guests.
"Honey, the last of the invited guests have arrived!" The councilman announced, causing them to look towards the hallway's direction.
"Sonic/Mister Sonic!" The hedgehog's friends said.
Rosemary placed the pitcher down on the counter to greet the two guests. Amadeus walked up to his wife, gave her a peck of the cheek, then walked over to the restroom nearby to wash his hands.
"Welcome back, Princess," The vixen said with a respectful nod.
"It's a pleasure to be here, Mrs. Prower. It's nice to see you again." Sally expressed.
Tails' mother set her sights on Sonic, who waved at her casually.
"Hiya, Mrs. P! I'm Sonic…but I guess you already knew that, heh heh." Sonic said in a chuckle with his South Islander dialect. "Sorry that I didn't get to visit sooner. I had to–ACK!"
Sonic was cut off by Rosemary, who was crushing the daylights out of the teenager with a hug.
"Thank you so much for taking care of my little boy! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The older vixen blubbered, much to the embarrassment.
"...Uh, it's n-no problem!" Sonic said while awkwardly patting the woman's back, feeling the nervous tic of a grin form. "R-Really, it isn't."
"Mom!" Tails whined, blushing red.
Amy, Sonar and Cream cooed, saying, "Aw~!"
Vanilla placed a hand on her cheek while she said, "How sweet,"
Sally and Knuckles remained silent but found themselves smiling at the moment.
"Alright, Mary. You can let the boy go, now. You're going to crush his bones. And we wouldn't want to turn him any bluer than he normally would be." Amadeus said as he returned from the restroom.
"Oh!" Rosemary gasped, letting the wheezing Sonic go. "Do forgive me, I got carried away."
Coughing a bit, Sonic said, "I-I'll be alright in a bit."
As he approached his wife, the patriarch turned to the hedgehog and said, "Like I said before, we're eternally grateful for you looking out for our son. And your family has been good to us in the past, so that also practically makes you family. Whenever you are around, you're always welcome in our household."
Sonic nodded with a grateful smile.
"You guys rock, big time."
Soon enough, everybody was seated at the dinner table. What laid before the group were well prepared waffles, oatmeal, french toast, bacon, sausages, fried eggs, and hashbrowns. Served with that were beverages which they could choose from orange juice, apple juice, coffee, and lemonade. Cut apples, pears, watermelon, and freshly picked grapes were sat in a few bowls.
After a performing prayer to the Chaos Gods, everybody began eating.
Sonar decided to start a conversation during this time by commenting on the food.
"This tastes great," Sonar said, pointing towards the oatmeal with her spoon. "You're cooking is amazing, Mrs. Prower!"
"Why thank you, Sophie. And please, call me Mary. You're not a stranger." The matriarch of the household said. "I didn't do all of the cooking, though. Vanilla, Amy, and Cream were a major help with preparing the meal."
"Yeah, it certainly shows," Amadeus complimented after swallowing his chewing waffles.
"Oh, it wasn't any trouble. A joyous occasion like this one deserves special care in meal prep." Vanilla beamed.
"I'm glad that I got to help out, too. After all, this is a gathering to celebrate Miss Sonar's homecoming. Right, Cheese?" Cream reminded everybody as she picked up an apple slice for her pet Chao.
"Chao!" The small winged blue munchkin chirped before happily nibbling at his fruit.
"Well said, Cream," Amy nodded as she turned to Sonar. "How does it feel to be back?"
"I-I'm grateful," Sonar stuttered, smiling genuinely. "While I was treated fairly, I had a b-better time sleeping and w-waking up to see an a-actual door here than I did while being behind p-prison bars."
While the others nodded, Sonic chimed in, saying, "Ugh. Tell me about it. Jail cells are the worst!"
Sally lightly teased, "Speaking from personal experience, are we?"
Sonic shrugged, casually replied, "Yeah, pretty much."
Vanilla and Cream gasped at this in complete shock.
"You w-went to jail, Mister Sonic?" The little girl inquired.
Sonic glanced across the dinner table with a brow raised in confusion.
"Ya'll didn't know that?" The hedgehog asked. "I swore I told you guys before."
While picking up a few grapes, Knuckles spoke up, saying, "We encountered Cream and Vanilla after the Space Colony Incident. So, they may not be aware."
"Perhaps an explanation would help clear things up, Oliver." Amadeus suggested before sipping on his coffee.
Sonic laughed sheepishly as he said, "Heh, heh. Right, my bad."
"Oliver?" Cream echoed, with Cheese mimicking her head tilting, just as confused.
"That's Mister Sonic's real name, dear." Her mother whispered.
"Oh, what a lovely name."
"Anyway, long story short," The blue adventure started, "Back when Shadow was dead set on killing us all, the military somehow mistook him for me. So, all of Shadow's crimes were pinned on me as a result. GUN dropped by my location at the time and cuffed me on the spot without tellin' me a thing. Before I knew it, I was miles off the ground, bein' transported in one of their helicopters. I broke out and made a break for it, runnin' through a city. But I was eventually caught again and sent to Prison Island."
"That's awful, " Vanilla frowned in disapproval.
"Yeah, it sucked. Did I mention that the whole fiasco happened on my twelfth birthday?" Sonic dryly smirked.
Sally nearly dropped her fork, recalling the dates of the files she had of that incident. The Prower couple's jaw nearly hit the table.
"No way!" Sophia gasped in bewilderment.
"I'm tellin' ya, it's true. They don't care if you are a kid. GUN ain't the ones you should be messin' with."
"What kind of nonsense is that? Don't those Overlanders have any decency? You should have the right to stand trial, regardless! What they've done was completely unconstitutional and a violation of your rights!" Amadeus growled heatly.
Rosemary patted her husband's hand, saying, "Calm down, dear. That's in the past. Times have changed."
Shortly, the fox did so as he apologized for his outburst.
"It's fine, Mr. P. Your son and Amy came in clutch to get me out of prison." Sonic said with a toothy grin.
"Thank goodness for that," Amy sighed nostalgically and with relief. "Too bad it took us to save the world for the United Federation to stop labeling you as a wanted fugitive of their nation."
"A w-wanted…fugitive?" Sonar stammered.
"...Of an entire nation," Sally completed in a groan, pinching the bridge of her nose hard.
Turning to Sonar, Knuckles said with a deadpan expression, "Yeah, things could have gone worse for you."
Tails then added, "Thankfully, you're free and safe. And that's what counts."
"Good to have ya back with us, buddy." Sonic said with sincerity in his tone.
Sonar smiled at everybody as she felt beads of tears falling from her eyes.
"All of you are too kind. Thank you so much!"
-Timeskip, An Hour and a Half Later-
Outside of the Prower Household. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Sally, Amy, Cream, and Sonar stood as they spoke amongst themselves while the adults were inside.
"Boy, I'm stuffed," Tails said, patting his stomach.
"You can say that again. I think I won't be needin' lunch anytime soon." Sonic agreed as he turned to Knuckles. "Did ya like Brunch, Knux?"
Knuckles evenly replied, saying, "...I did not eat much, for I had not needed to. But I enjoyed their grapes. They were well ripe."
Meanwhile, Cream was getting to know Sally with Amy tagging along in their conversation.
"So, your little Cassidy that Bunnie was telling me about. It's nice to finally meet you." The Acornia princess politely said.
Cream replied, doing a curtsy, "It's an honor to meet you too, Your Highness. My friends call me Cream. I've heard nothing but great things about you."
Sally giggled, saying, "I hope so. Bunnie tends to be a bit of a tease at times."
"You know, I don't know what's more incredible. The fact that Cream has a cousin who happens to be a part of your team, or the fact that we now know another princess." Amy thought aloud.
The latter caught Sally's attention.
"You guys met another princess?" Sally questioned, now interested at the information that was given to her.
"Uh huh," Amy nodded with her arms behind her. "Her name is Blaze the Cat, and she comes from another dimension."
"You're serious!?" Sally gaped.
'There's other Zones besides the Void of Silence?' The Mobian chipmunk in awe.
"She's telling the truth, Princess! I've met her, myself." Cream "Blaze lives in a world where instead of Chaos Emeralds, there are a set of gemstones called Sol Emeralds, and one of her duties as a princess is to protect them from bad people like Eggman."
A smirk appeared upon the chipmunk's face.
"Is that right? From what I'm hearing of Princess Blaze, I'm beginning to like her."
Sonar kept quiet of this, trying and failing to keep up with their conversation.
'Blaze...Sol Emeralds…other Zones? What in the world are they going on about? It's like they are all on the same wavelength. And I'm trying to follow it all.' The former Desert Raider member thought to herself.
"Miss Amy," Cream spoke to the older pink hedgehog. "Don't forget about the festival."
Amy inhaled in realization, then said, "That's right!"
Turning to the boys, Amy walked over towards them, preferably setting her sights on Sonic as she batted her eyelashes.
"Sooo~," Amy cooed cutely. "You three of you wouldn't happen to be busy with anything, are you?"
Sonic and Tails looked at her, then turned their heads to face each other awkwardly.
"Uh…" The hedgehog and the kit intelligently utter, switching between looking at Amy, then at each other.
Knuckles answered for the entire trio, "Since no Emeralds nor any shards have been detected, we are left with nothing to do."
Amy clasps her hands joyously.
"That's perfect! You guys can come to the Music Festival with us!"
"Music Festival?" Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles repeated in confusion.
"Oh, wow. It is that time of the year again. It must have slipped my mind again." Sally said, placing a hand on her cheek.
"You know about this, Sal?" Sonic questioned.
"Of course I do, Sonic. You may not remember, but our families went to one in celebration of my fifth birthday." Sally said, fondly recalling parts of the event as a child.
Tails then asked, "What happens in this Music Festival function?"
"Um, the Mobian M-Music Festival is an a-annual event that is h-held by the community a-all across the M-Mobian Alliance," Sonar explained, pressing her index fingers together shyly. "Outside of the a-amusement park rides, the main attraction is the a-appearances of famous Mobian music artists t-that come from all over to p-perform and interact with their fans and celebrate music."
Sally continued, "That's right, Sonar. And this year, it's being held at a nearby city in the kingdom."
"Momma has bought Miss Amy and me a pair of tickets for us to go together later this afternoon," Cream said, pulling her ticket out of her pocket.
"Mr. and Mrs. Prower bought extras in case we had friends who wanted to come along with us," Amy said as she turned to Sonar. "And given how close Furville is to New Mobotropolis, you're able to tag along as well."
Sonar gasped with stars in her eyes, "Really? That's fantastic! Oh! Wait here! I need to get changed!"
In a fit of excitement, the teal fennec eagerly ran back into the Prower Household to change her clothes for the occasion.
Rubbing the back of his head, Tails smiled, saying, "I guess it wouldn't be so bad to check the place out. I could use some time out of the workshop."
Amy then skipped her way to Sonic with a sweet smile.
"Sooonic~!" The fourteen-year-old Little Planet native sang, which proved to fill Sonic, Tails, and even Knuckles with dread.
"You'll be tagging along with us, too. So that means no running off, mister." Amy ordered, wagging her finger like a mother would to her child. "Besides, this is a perfect opportunity to take me out on that date you promised."
Looking at Sally, then Cream, Tails, and Knuckles, Sonic asked, "...I don't have any say in this, do I?"
Amy happily replied while spawning her magical Piko Piko Hammer, "Nope! Either you co-operate or you'll be talking to the hammer. Take your pick."
"Woah, woah, woah! Hold on, Ames!" Sonic said, holding his hands out in a relenting gesture. "I'm not datin' you. That's not changin' anytime soon. But I'll play nice and tag along. Just…put the hammer away. Please."
While Amy huffed at Sonic's rejection again, the female Mobian hedgehog was content enough to send the item back to hammerspace, much to the relief of Sonic and the others.
"Fine, but I better not catch you running off." Amy glared.
"How are we getting over there, anyway? I'm not sure if the X-Tornado would be allowed to be parked near the area." Knuckles asked.
"That is true," Tails agreed as he began to brainstorm.
"Oh, boys~,"
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles turned to see coy-looking Sally, who raised her left hand, holding a small Warp Ring that was yet to be activated.
"Who needs transportation when you have this?"
Eggman's Base, Great Forest Mountain Range, Acornia
Dr. J Ivo Robotnik sat in the main center of command as he monitored the computer that he was using. On the screen was a map of the remaining Chaos Emeralds that were neither in the possession of him or Sonic and his friends.
Next to him was the Ixis Warlock, Naugus the Dark. The pale skinned troll spoke to the doctor while he was debating on which Emerald should he decide to pursue himself.
"Which Chaos Emerald have you decided to target, sir?" SNIVELY the AI questioned through the intercom.
"Do not rush me, SNIVELY! I will tell you when I am ready to!" Robotnik barked. "In the meantime, go and give me a status report on Project OVA."
The AI created a split screen while displaying a visual of a giant red and grey mech which bore a striking resemblence to himself.
"The construction of Project OVA is ninety percent complete."
Robotnik grinned maliciously.
"Excellent. Remain on standby, SNIVELY."
"Yes sir,"
When the AI went quiet, Naugus said, "For years the Quickster has bested you despite yoir high intellect and experience in war. Why do you think that it so, fair doctor?" Naugus inquired.
"That blasted hedgehog is annoying and persistent, that's why! No matter what I throw at him, Sonic has somehow managed to adapt and overcome my expectations!" Eggman ranted, slamming his fists on the sides of the keyboard.
Naugus gave Dr. Robotnik a side glance as he continued, saying, "I see… And what does he call you again? Ah, yes. Dr. Eggman."
Something in the robust scientist snapped as he screamed in madness and rage
"FOR THE LAST FUCKING, ITS ROBOTNIK! DR. J. IVO ROBOTNIK! I REFUSE FOR MY NAME AND THE LEGACY IT HOLDS TO BE TARNISHED BY THE PERCEIVED WITT OF AN OVERCOMPENSATING ROWDY ADOLESCENT!" The doctor roared before panting in exhaustion.
Sighing deeply, Naugus said, "That is your problem, Robotnik. Right there. I can see how somebody like the Quickster could easily run circles around you for years on end."
"What was that, sorcerer!?" Eggman demanded, turning his head to the troll with an insulted expression as he stood up.
"You should have seen how you've just lashed out. Arabid dog, you sounded like. It is to be expected by a delicate mortal like you. Staring through the windows to your mind; your eyes. I can tell that all of your failures and constant defeats are starting to get to you." Naugus lectured, walking around Robotnik's chair as he circled around him. "It's affecting your objectives, the way that you maneuver during your missions. From where it stands, a couple more losses would probably cause you to mentally shatter."
"Your arrogant troll! You dare slander my brilliance!? I am NOT mentally unsta–" Robotnik started again before catching himself as Naugus peered into his eyes with a knowing grin.
"...Oh, do go on and validate my statement further. I'm not stopping you." Naugus jeered casually. "Your blood pressure may suggest otherwise. You're not the pinnacle of youth as you were twenty years ago."
Sweat poured onto Eggman's head. He slumped back into his seat, distraught.
"Oh Chaos, I am going off the deep end. what's happened to me?" The forty-eight-year-old doctor worried before turning to Naugus. "What do I do?"
A malicious grin formed on the troll's face.
"That is a good question. And it's very simple. First, you need to learn how to compose yourself when face to face with your foe, again." Nagaus advised, tapping his index finger on his temple. "The key to victory is wearing the adversary down mentally. Once you successfully tear down the fortitude of the mind, you'll have an opening to strike."
"That sounds ingenious, Naugus, except for the fact that I don't know any of his insecurities outside of his inability to swim! The only information that I know about that hedgehog is all analysis of his physical abilities and trivial facts.
Naugus cackled at the doctor for a moment before looking at the screen and politely asked, "SNIVELY. Can you do an old troll a favor and locate the nearest Chaos Emerald that hasn't been collected yet?"
"Why yes, sir. I can." SNIVELY said, appreciating the kindness in the warlock's tone. "Locating… nearest Chaos Emerald found."
"W-What!?" Eggman gasped as he leaned forward toward the computer.
"It appears that the dark blue Chaos Emerald came into possession of a Mobian last month in Empire City. Now, my coordinates have picked up the movement of the Emerald, and it's headed ninety miles northeast of New Mobotropolis." SNIVELY revealed.
"T-That's so close!" Robotnik commented in shock. "Who could have possibly gotten their hands on it?"
Never losing his sinister smirk, Naugus then told the AI, "SNIVELY, do you have a possible visual for the identity of the Emerald's holder?"
"I have pictures, sir. Would you like to give them a look?"
"Yes, indeed."
Suddenly, a dozen photos appeared all over Dr. Robotnik's computer screen. All of them either came from popular magazines or photoshoots. While they seem to have been shot in different locations, what they share in common was the person being focused on.
The person in question was a female Mobian hedgehog. She seemed to be around Sonic's age, perhaps a year or two older. Her quills doubled as long luscious wavy hair that reached down to her back where they covered her two spines. Her fur color that covered most of her clothed body happened to be a teal color while the inner ear and her muzzle were peach colored. Her eyes were an amethyst color, contrasting with her fur color. On her pierced ears were golden round earrings. But what caught Robotnik's attention was what was around her neck. In every magazine cover and photo, this young hedgehog sported a necklace with what seemed to be a dark blue Chaos Emerald.
"...You've got to be kidding me," Robotnik groaned as he facepalmed himself hard. "Out of all of the random animals out there, the person who has my Chaos Emerald happens to be the most famous hedgehog besides Sonic! And she's parading it around her neck like it's some prized pearl necklace! …I'm too old to deal with this kind of crap."
"Robotnik, focus! This is exactly the kind of opportunity that we're in need of!" Naugus the Dark stated in glee. "The girl could be of great use for you to delve into the heart of the Quickster. That's where you attack him from."
"But I can do that with literally any of his comrades, what makes you think that-" Robotnik paused before realizing what was going on. "...You know something, don't you?"
"I know countless things, doctor. You'll have to be specific with your inquiries."
"Don't play dumb with me, sorcerer! Why would Sonic care about this specific girl?"
Cackling again, Naugus unveiled the truth with a question, "Because, who wouldn't care about their old flame?"
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Hi everybody! Your boy is back! And I got a lot of lore to explain.
Firstly, it's been a month since Sonic returned to Acornia and joined the Freedom Fighters. Alongside that, Sonar has been finally released and is now placed under house arrest, with the Prowers now being her legal guardians and joint POs. I will tell you what specific events happened in Sally and the Freedom Fighters' timeline whenever the situation arises.
Sir Charles now knows how Chaos Energy works based on Sonic's experience. His will be further explored once he has a conversation with Knuckles and Sally. I plan on having Sonic inherit Sir Charles' research in the future as his successor of sorts. We'll just have to see how things turn out.
The Deep Power Stones' lore is shrouded in mystery, as I and my friend who is helping write this haven't found to define its power and differentiate it from any of the other three forces within this Alternate Universe. Perhaps, you guys can give your assistance with that. I'm always open to suggestions. The best way that I can describe how it works is that it's similar to the Invincibility power-up from the Sonic Series. It just comes and goes.
I have revealed how deep the regret Sally has as a leader of a militia. This is based on the mistakes Sally made during the Archie Comics run. But to be perfectly clear, Sally's journey is more in line with the DIC entertainment continuity than in the Archie Comics. However, some characters and elements are borrowed from there and other parts of the IP to make a new continuity here. As far as I am concerned, some of the Archie stuff happened differently after Sally forced Naugus to retreat to a different nation.
At some point in time, Tails and Rotor will help develop new shoes for Sonic. These shoes will be the Hover Shoes from Sonic X. Unlike the anime, they will be Sonic's primary shoes for this story.
I'd like to give a shout-out to UltimateDemonBeast65 for not only helping me out with this story but for helping me with a project that is related to this continuity. Yes, the two of us are working on a treat for you guys. If you love RESURGENCE, then you may enjoy this little one-shot.
And by the way, the one-shot is canon to the RESURGENCE continuity.
Oh, and take a guess who will be making her first appearance next chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts about that and what's to come next chapter.
If you guys have any ideas, questions, comments, concerns, and predictions, please let me know by reviewing the chapter. Please, let me know your thoughts about this story as it comes along. And finally, thanks for following this project for this long. I appreciate you guys.
See you guys later!
-DarkShadowsGames451
