"Gob! Guen!" Miles yelled out, running through the square of Puru Puru Village, "Sonic! Gad! Giselle! Please, someone, anyone, answer me!"
All the teen got back, however, was the forlorn echo of his voice ringing throughout the town. And no matter where he went, it was all the same. Crumbling and derelict buildings, blackened and dead soil, and no sign of any other living beings. Puru Puru Lake was almost completely dried up, and what little water was left was entirely frozen solid and murky with the tainted sediment. The scrapyard where his adopted family resided was in a heavily disorganized state, with most of the components and parts now rusted over or warped from the cold.
He dashed over to his parents' cabin, where it was in much the same state as the other structures on Cocoa Island, and the submarine lab beneath it had collapsed into complete and utter disrepair. Both Poroi and Karon forest were nothing but vast swathes of frozen and rotting trees bereft of greenery and the Critters that made them their home. He briefly delved into Padon Tunnel, where the magma had cooled and solidified, and because of the bleak, cloudy skies, most of the passage was in utter darkness. Mt. Pori Pori was less than half of its original height, and from there, he could see that Guririn Island was just as barren as the other wooded areas. Brocco Island, meanwhile, was now but a stubby rock sticking up out of an ocean of hoarfrost.
"No," Miles moaned morosely, falling to his hands and knees in despair, "it's all gone." He slammed his fists into the ground, pressing his forehead into the rock, tears dripping down his face and freezing before they could fall. "I was too late..."
He slowly got to his feet and turned to the southeast, where "Kukku Island" had once been. Never had he felt so small than he did looking upon what was now in its place. Upon first glance, it appeared to be a mountain that was a few kilometers tall and several wide, made entirely of ice. Some was dark and some was light, and there were grand icicles that swept down its slopes and hung down like the mane of a horse, some of them touching the frozen sea. But then, he saw its four legs, which were like mountains unto themselves. On what amounted to a broad and flat head, there were the barest makings of an indistinct bestial face, with white eyes that reminded him of the full moon. It was a bizarre and strangely beautiful thing, but the sheer scale and alien nature also made it horribly unsettling.
The teen saw its head gradually turn his way, and those eyes lit up to near blinding intensity. A roiling sheet of white emanated from the colossal creature, closing in on Cocoa Island and leaving no room for Miles to get away. In seconds, it washed over him and the rest of his destroyed home, leaving him unable to see anything but the dark silhouette of the being that had done this. And just as quickly, his body grew cold, and his limited vision faded, until all was white and he no longer felt anything...
Miles let out a gasp and bolted upright as his eyes snapped open, one hand gripping at his chest fur. He peered around and sighed out gently as he realized he was in a warm place, leaning back against the pillows the hotel had provided.
'Thank goodness, it wasn't real,' he thought with relief.
"Seems you had a nightmare," he heard Khal say off to one side.
Looking over, the fox saw that the hyena was sitting on top of his own bed's sheets, legs crossed and arms folded with one eye on him. It appeared that he'd woken up a fair bit before he had and was waiting on him, so he figured that he may as well get up himself.
"Yeah," Miles replied, reaching over to slip on his gloves, shoes, and shades, "let's just say I saw what my home will probably look like if the future we saw comes to pass."
Khal hummed and took a moment to stretch out before pushing himself off the mattress to stand up. "I don't mean this to sound unkind, but hopefully, that serves as a bit of extra motivation to resolve the current mess sooner than later." He gave the younger guy a pointed glance. "Not to mention other problems."
The fox quietly nodded and followed after him once he grabbed all his possessions and accessories. As they went to meet up with the girls, Miles looked out the windows and saw the gentle orange rays of sunrise touching down on the town and the landscape around it. After what he'd seen recently, especially in last night's dream, that natural sight brought him some simple, but much needed comfort. He knew that if he and everyone else in the world wanted to continue enjoying such things, the hyena was right about not wasting time.
When it came to "other problems", however, Miles wasn't so sure.
'I think that you're making a foolish mistake letting that one go,' Khal's words rang in his head.
Was it so wrong that he didn't want more blood on his hands after what happened with the Kukku leadership? Granted, their deaths were indirect and not entirely his doing, but he still felt guilty. And some of that guilt festered over his decision to leave Focke-Wulf where he was, more so in light of what the fiend had gleefully admitted to. Maybe he should have restrained him, and even if it would've been a pain, he could've brought him here for authorities to handle. At least then, the other members of the wolf's group would've been down a comrade, and less people's lives would be in danger.
'Next time we see them,' he decided, 'we'll do something to make sure they can't continue their carnage. I still don't want to resort to killing if I can help it, though. I just hope the big guy understands that.'
He chose not to dwell on it for the time being, instead focusing on the present. He smiled and waved as he met up with Cream, Cheese, and Amy at the dining hall. Or at least he did until he caught sight of the young hedgehog's clothing, after which, his expression swiftly changed to a stern frown. If he wasn't distracted from his ruminations before, he certainly was now.
"Wait, Miles," Cream said to him, causing his glance to shift to her, "I misspoke last night."
The fox perked a brow. "How so?"
"Amy didn't use the money herself," the rabbit confessed, rubbing one arm nervously, "she pleaded with me to pay for her items. I could have said no, and I did several times, but I gave in after she made me feel guilty about leaving her unprepared for the weather."
Miles sighed and crossed his arms. "I figured as much." He went back to fixing his gaze on the younger girl, who shrank a little bit. "Sounds like something 'Rosy the Rascal' would do, doesn't it?"
"I'm sorry, Miles," Amy apologized meekly, "I just didn't want to be cold, and since Cream bought herself some, I thought it would be okay."
"Well, generally speaking, it's not okay to spend other people's money without asking!"
While the three of them were discussing the matter, Khal had taken the liberty of helping himself to a heaping plate of food and took a seat. Cheese had followed him, where the hyena had learned that the hotel sold specialty fruit specifically for Chao to consume. The little creature joined him with a small platter, babbling up at him happily.
"You're welcome," he replied amicably, showing off an amused and toothy smile, "you sure you can eat all that, though?" Cheese nodded its head and chirped with determination, making him chuckle softly. "Go ahead and dig in, then."
Even with the fox verbally dressing the hedgehog down in the background, with the rabbit feeling some embarrassment due to others deciding to watch, it was a nice breakfast.
"And there!" Carrotia chirped, "your board's all better, Bear-Bear."
Bearenger growled and took his repaired Extreme Gear back rather forcefully. "Yeah, yeah. You're lucky you're good with this kinda stuff, or I'd sock you for calling me that stupid name."
"Would you even be able to beat her?" Focke-Wulf jeered, his chuckles growing heartier with the grizzly's evidently rising anger, "I mean, you already got knocked down by one bunny girl, and unlike 'Tia, you said she didn't even like to fight!" He slapped the nose of his board and wiped away a few tears of laughter. "Ha-ha-ha, a brawler losing to a pacifist! Now that's funny!"
The bear's teeth clicked as his fists trembled. "At least I didn't get my ass knocked out, unlike you, Focker!"
"Wulfy, Bear-Bear, please," the rabbit said, giggling a little bit, "we shouldn't be fighting each other. Didn't you say something about...what was it?" She tapped her chin, which only added to the big guy's annoyance. "Hmm, oh yeah, the foxy's group is moving again."
Bearenger grunted and nodded to her. He'd been gathering the pieces of his board earlier that morning when he happened to catch sight of Miles and his posse making for the northeast. He had no idea why they were going in that direction, but he'd made sure to tell the other after meeting back up with them. And now that both his and Focke-Wulf's rides were back in order, the three of them could tail the quintet to wherever it was they were headed.
He activated his Gear and hopped aboard, testing it out for a few seconds to make sure everything was good to go. After that, he motioned for the other two to join him as he pointed them in the direction of their targets. Carrotia took up position in the center of their formation, as per usual, while he kept to her left and Focke-Wulf stayed on her right. With the speed they were pushing, it didn't take long before the snow capping the trees below started to thin out, and the land became a lot more flat and level.
"Ooh, I can see the ocean," the rabbit murmured aloud, one hand shielding her eyes from the sun, "I wonder why the foxy's running all over the place?"
The wolf snickered and shook his head. "It might sound crazy, but I know what he's after." Both of his partners looked over at him curiously, one with her dopey smile and the other with his snarling frown. "Hee-hee, when I followed Pinky and Spots back at that old castle, I got to see it when it was young and new!"
Focke-Wulf, in his typical eccentric and maniacal manner, related his brief trip to Sylvania's past. He told them about how the hedgehog girl had blabbed about how Miles was her friend, and while Khal hadn't said it himself, he probably was too. Naturally, he didn't skimp out on any of the details of his "fun" with the locals, taking a moment here and there to laugh and savor the carnage he'd wrought. It made the other two Animals a little envious they hadn't been there to partake, but that wasn't what they were interested in.
"So then I catch up to them," he went on, grinning widely, "and there's this whole mess of treasure in the room they're in! But, you know what's weird? They only took one thing, which was this green gem sitting right in the middle of the place."
Bearenger scoffed. "Yeah, so? What's the big deal about some stupid rock?"
"I wouldn't be here without it!" the lupine exclaimed, "and I know how much the both of you would miss me." He snickered when Carrotia gave him doe eyes, while the grizzly grumbled and crossed his arms impatiently. "Anyway, Spots used it to bring us back, and then the fox boy showed up. I was ready to rip into him, but he decided to spoil my fun!" His smile thinned, almost becoming a neutral expression. "He's a lot tougher than the last time we tangoed, that's for sure."
The rabbit hummed and tilted her head. "What about the pretty stone, Wulfy?"
"Time Stone, my dear," Focke-Wulf corrected her, coasting closer to her side to give her a pat on the head, "just like the name says, it lets you travel through time! And from what the 'yeen said, there's seven of them, so we've got a chance to nab one of 'em for ourselves!"
The bear's toothy scowl briefly curled into a smirk. "I gotcha now, Wulf. With those rocks, we could go back and crush anyone before they're even a threat to us!"
"Or keep mean ol' Wendy from ever messing with our heads," Carrotia suggested, a rather sinister smile on her face.
The blue wolf nodded eagerly. "We can do both of those things and more! Think of all the famous wars and conflicts we could be a part of, and all the goodies we can grab!" He clenched his fists so tightly, his claws pricked his palms and drew blood, though he seemed too thrilled at the prospects they were discussing to care. "We'll have free reign to go ham on this world wherever and whenever we want, and no one will be able to stop us or boss us around ever again!"
He let out a howling cackle, soon joined by the demented giggles and diabolical chortling of his partners as they shot off into the distance. Since they didn't have a way of finding any Time Stones for themselves, the best course of action was to track down Miles and his group so that they could pilfer one from them. And with the output that their Extreme Gear was capable of, they figured they'd catch up before long.
Miles found himself feeling a tad nostalgic once he and the gang had arrived at what was known as Splash Hill. The rolling green landscape, the coastal view, and the pleasantly warm weather reminded him of when he'd first met Sonic. There were a few significant differences, such as a greater number of trees, tall rocky formations sticking up from the nearby sea, and a strange checkerboard pattern in the soil. Otherwise, it was reminiscent of Emerald Hill, as well as a few other places the fox had been to during his travels.
More importantly, they had finally managed to catch up to Little Planet, which was steadily drifting towards the ocean. They weren't yet close enough to actually board it, but Miles was confident that they could overtake the planetoid before it was out of reach. And in the event that they couldn't, there were a few ways to go about continuing the pursuit.
First things first, however, was the matter of the Time Stone in this region. Having headed this way thanks to Khal's sense for the gem, Miles pulled out his multitool and checked the Temporal Radar. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing things right, but sure enough, there were the two Stones in their possession as well as one close to where the area ended. There were also four additional readings that were constantly and gradually moving away from them.
"Alright, just one more Time Stone here on the surface," he announced, "then we can go after the rest of them, which are on Little Planet according to the Miles Electric."
Khal shifted to his bipedal state and closed his eyes as he searched out the energy for himself. After a few moments, he peered ahead of them.
"It's not far from here," he informed them, "and for this one, we won't have to jump through the Time Warp."
Miles was especially thankful that they wouldn't have to take a glimpse of what this region's future would be like. A part of him was curious to see its past, but he knew that they couldn't afford to dally. Besides, there were plenty of other things that piqued his interest, much of which could be discussed on the way to their destination.
"Hey, Khal?" he inquired of the hyena, who turned to him, "are you willing to answer some more questions?"
"Of course," he responded as he began to run ahead once more.
The first subject that Miles decided to tackle was the origin of the hyena, since that hadn't been told in its entirety. Given that the girl's hadn't heard any of their conversation from last night, the warrior did them the service of recapping what he'd told the fox so far. The group passed by a small hill and went over the bridge of a short waterfall as Khal started them off with the same things he'd told the teen. He paused briefly as the three fliers among them carried him and Amy up to a rocky ledge, the path beyond seeming better suited for saving time. From there, all of them except Cheese went into a Rolling Attack and used the steep hill just beyond it to gain some air with the raised terrain at the end of it.
From there, Khal continued his tale as they jumped across gaps between cliffs, running through or clambering atop those loop structures that seemed to be everywhere in their world. A few times, they had to curl up to proceed through some narrow passages in the rock, but other than that, it was pretty smooth sailing. While this brought them closer to the sea, it also led them deeper into the lush landscape that surrounded all the hills and plateaus. Soon, the group started seeing vines that grew long and strong enough for them to use to swing, if they so desired, and the appearance of corkscrew bridges brought back yet more memories for Miles.
"And so, like I told the kid," the hyena went on as they entered into a cave that went through one of the short mountains along the way, "I ensured a good future for my clan, but unfortunately, I couldn't be a part of it."
Cream gave him a sympathetic look at that bit of news. "Why not, Mr. Khal? You went through so much for their sake."
"Because as much as I wanted to go back and live a peaceful life with my people," he answered her with something of a bittersweet tone, "after what I'd seen and learned, I knew I couldn't manage that anymore. That, and I'd been told by the godly butterfly that a higher purpose awaited me."
Miles met all of them on the other side of a narrow tunnel, then decided to weigh in at that point. "So, does that mean you're the guardian of Little Planet, or the Time Stones?"
"It's more than that." The hyena scaled a steep rock wall while the others followed with their various forms of flight and assistance in climbing. "By helping to protect the Time Stones from those that're unworthy, I'm responsible for making sure history stays as it should, for the most part. Seeing as it's where they're kept, and presumably where they originally came from, Little Planet is obviously quite important as well."
It sounded similar enough to what Knuckles did, albeit arguably much more imperative. But was Khal bound to the same supposed restrictions as the echidna, such as not leaving his post unless it was dire? That and many more inquiries were teeming in the teen's head, though another member of their group beat him to the punch when it came to voicing any.
"How'd it end up the way it is now?" Amy had to ask.
Khal had gone quiet at that. Out of all of them, the hoglet was the only one that hadn't yet seen the horror of the frozen future and what it held. He was hesitant to expose someone as young as that to them, but he also knew that if she's to tag along for the whole journey, it would be better for her to learn sooner than later. That also brought up another concern: the fact that she was now unarmed after that bear had destroyed the weapon he procured for her.
"Before we get to that," he said, turning his gaze to Miles. He tilted his head at the fox's utility belt. "Anything you've got there that she could use to defend herself?"
Miles pondered for a moment, then reached down to pull out the Pikkon Hammer. It might have been a little big for her in terms of overall size, but the vulpine knew that it was rather light in spite of that. Even when he was younger and closer to the hedgehog's size, he'd been able to wield it easily and comfortably with just one hand. He figured that Amy would have no trouble doing the same.
"Hold onto this for now," he told her as he handed the hammer over, "it might look like a toy, but it packs quite a wallop."
The pink spiny girl gave it a few swings and twirls, satisfied with how it felt. From there, as they moved on, Khal went ahead and filled the others in on what exactly they were up against, with Miles providing some input here and there, since he'd heard it all before. While they discussed the origins of Sierus and Glacia, the scenery of Splash Hill changed yet again as they drew closer to where the land met the sea. The greenery thinned out and the gaps between cliffs widened with the ocean's erosion having crafted channels between them. It was also apparent that other people had passed through on a frequent enough basis, as there were zip lines set up between the aforementioned expanses.
After working their way through a second, albeit less impressive cave, the boys were just starting to touch on where the fiery half of Lunaren fit into the picture when Miles heard a ping from his device. Fetching it from its place on his belt, he saw that the Radar was informing him that the next Time Stone was close by. Cream and Cheese followed him as they backtracked to the exit and hovered down into the passage, moving down a gradual slope until they came to a drop. A few meters down, there was an opening in the opposite wall they stood on, one that the Animals couldn't fit through.
However, the fox figured the diminutive Chao could easily slip inside.
"I think we could use Cheese's help here," he suggested to Cream as he pulled out the orange Time Stone.
The rabbit smiled and nodded, then turned to her friend. "Can you please do that for us, Cheese? Head into that little space and try to find a gem that looks like the one Miles is holding."
The Chao thumped its chest in a salute and went to do just that, fluttering through the opening without issue. Sure enough, about half a minute later, Cheese returned to them with the yellow Stone, a very proud expression on its face. Miles held out a hand to take it, but he was met with a shake of the head and an adamant face. He chuckled and shrugged, deciding to let it do what it wanted, then led the three of them back out to meet with the other two.
Just as they emerged back into the light of day, something darted in with a split-second whoosh that was so sudden, even those with remarkable hearing barely had any time to react. A distressed cry rang out in the air, with everyone's heads whipping at once to see the source. Cheese was still holding fast to the Time Stone, but in the same moment, was struggling against the grip of a rabbit that the fox among them was more than passingly familiar with.
"Long time no see, foxy," Carrotia said to Miles, letting out a little giggle as she looked him over, "you really did get all big and handsome, huh?"
Though he knew better than to be taken in by her flirtatious approach, the fox couldn't help but blush a little beneath his cheeks. Nutty and air-headed as she was, the other bunny was physically attractive. Although, when he thought about it, she bore something of a resemblance to Cream, which put him off a little, but also made him wonder. Maybe a few more years and the rabbit he liked would turn out similarly? No, curse his hormones, now wasn't the time for such thoughts!
"Not long enough, Carrotia," he growled, pointing at the captive Chao, "I don't have time for your games, so I'll make it easy for you to understand: let Cheese go or you're going to get hurt!"
"Hmm, Cheese?" she asked in a bit of a ditsy manner. Her eyes lit up in understanding as the creature in her hold renewed its attempts to escape. "Oh, you mean this guy." Her airy smile suddenly changed to a more devious one. "I just want the pretty stone he's got. If he hands it over, then his tiny head won't have to go squish."
Cream and Amy gasped at the threat, while Miles was quick to spring into action. He prepared to do the same to the other bunny's board as he'd done to Focke-Wulf's, reaching into his belt to grab an emitter as his tails gave him a boost. But even with his incredible speed, he found himself slapping air instead of Carrotia's Extreme Gear. He wheeled around to see that she was above and behind the others, jostling the Chao in her grip.
"Bad foxy," she chided him, giving Cheese's head a squeeze and forcing out a painful squeak, "don't you care about your little friend?" She then glared down at her captive. "And don't you want to live?"
The teen clenched his fists in frustration. Carrotia must have been tipped off by Focke-Wulf about what he did to the lupine's board. Not only that, but her Gear could move faster than he could, at least when he was putting some effort in. He would try to go at full tilt, but there was the matter of Cheese being at her mercy, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to close the now wider gap before she made him regret trying.
The Chao looked between the yellow Time Stone and Cream, the poor thing quite upset at having to give up what it had gotten for them. The younger rabbit silently pleaded with it to just let it go, that it wasn't worth getting hurt over. Reluctantly, it released the Stone, which Carrotia caught with her other hand and brought up so she could get a better glimpse.
"Not my favorite color, but it's still lovely," she remarked, humming happily as she pocketed it and then released her grip on the Chao, "okay, here you go."
Cheese darted back over to its friend and tried to keep a brave face, but it couldn't hide its tears. While Cream held it close, Amy looked like she was about ready to open a can of hurt on the older rabbit for what she did. With the Chao no longer being held hostage, Miles made his move to intercept Carrotia, taking to the air and bearing down on her at an angle. She hastily veered away and took off with a boom as she broke through the sound barrier, nearly sending them all flying. The fox righted himself, then hurried after her at his own blistering pace, keen to not let her escape.
The others were prepared to follow, only to be cut off by two more familiar faces. Focke-Wulf and Bearenger barred their path, fists and claws at the ready, making it clear they were spoiling for a fight.
"I've got some beef with the girls, Wulf," the grizzly said as he cracked his knuckles, "you tenderize the other guy for me in the meantime."
Khal snorted derisively at the proclamation. "As if that would help you against me."
"What was that!?" the ursine snarled, snapping his way, "you taking me lightly, punk!?"
"Nah, I know I could trounce you," the hyena boasted, smirking as the other's scowl deepened, "I mean, if the three next to me could do it, how hard can it be?"
Focke-Wulf banged his board with a fist and barked with uproarious laughter, much to the bear's chagrin. "The truth sure hurts, Beary Boy!"
"If I wasn't ready to grind them into powder, I'd snap your neck for that remark, Focker!"
"Oh, have a sense of humor," the wolf groused, giggling as he shifted his attention to the girls, "tell you what: since Spots is eager to throw hands, why don't you oblige while I take care of the small fry?"
Bearenger popped his neck from side to side, then pointed his Gear in Khal's direction. "Fine, but don't finish them off before I get a hit in."
Meanwhile, Miles chased Carrotia across a long stretch of green that hugged the cliffs overlooking the sea. The rabbit was trying to get the Time Stone to do what she wanted, but she couldn't figure out how. She veered through the center of a corkscrew loop, while the fox blitzed along the inner curve and still managed to keep up. He cleared a natural jump in the terrain and lunged down with a diving kick, his tails aiding in his rapid descent. While his foot struck true and knocked part of the Gear's backside loose, it wasn't enough to put it out of action.
While a small part of Carrotia was afraid, she was also thrilled that her old nemesis was turning out to be this formidable. Sure, she didn't like how he'd hurt Focke-Wulf and that his friends had embarrassed Bearenger, but she appreciated the challenge. It gave her something to focus on, keep her from getting distracted like she usually did, though not enough to pay attention to what was in front of her. She was nearly knocked off her board when she smacked into some strange sign, and as if that wasn't weird enough, she noticed white stars beginning to trail behind her ride. Things were soon just like how her partner had described, with reality around her fading into a prismatic tunnel of light.
Right before she entered the Time Warp proper, Carrotia felt the back of her Gear get weighed down. She turned to see that Miles had grabbed onto the two remaining back stabilizers, using her board as a taxi through the jump in time. Once they made it out the other side, the teen found himself having to let go and block a blow with one arm while the other held tight. The rabbit redirected her follow-up to that hand and stomped on his fingers, forcing him to release his grip. Miles curled up into a Rolling Attack to soften his landing and maintain a little bit of his momentum.
When he brought himself upright, he continued his pursuit of his old enemy, but he couldn't help taking in the sights of where they had ended up. The time period was a mystery, but it was distant enough in the past that Splash Hill had some notable differences. The forest around the coast was more of a jungle, with several trees, shrubs, and other flora he hadn't seen in the present. While sheer cliffs still existed, the chasms between them were not nearly as numerous, and there were natural crossings at almost every point. It was also far enough back in time that Miles didn't see any signs of trails, tools, or technology from any peoples that would've inhabited the area. And yet, those loops were still around, meaning they must have just been some odd quirk in their world's natural geography.
"What could you guys possibly want with the Time Stones?" Miles demanded of Carrotia as he shot through a loop and down a slope after her.
She veered 180 degrees to face him, both of them flying off of a ramp in the grass. "I want to go back and make things better for us." She clenched a fist vindictively. "Make it so that we were never under that old hag's control, and so that we never lost to you."
"I don't blame you for being angry with Witchcart," the fox conceded, slyly reaching into his belt as they landed atop a short plateau, "but I couldn't care less about your vendetta against me. I've got way bigger problems to worry about, and I'm going to need all the Stones to help fix them!"
Carrotia balanced herself so that she could easily glance between the front and back, pressing one of her heels into the board with a click. A handful of carrot-shaped missiles launched from the nose of her ride and screamed back towards Miles, who went to duck and dodge, only to see the projectiles correcting their course. The fox went into a dive beneath one cliff and Rolled down a steep decline through an opening just large enough for his spherical form, dropping a mini bomb behind him to collapse it and cause the missiles to crash. She repeated this a couple more times to try and blast him, but Miles had too much of a terrain advantage, so the rabbit eventually decided to save her ammo.
Miles wound his way past a modest waterfall and ascended straight up a wall back out into the open, slamming dead center into the underside of the Carrotia's Gear. She nearly lost control and almost collided with the edge of an incoming cliff, but pulled up just in the nick of time. Carrotia tried to lose Miles by heading down through a loop while he flew over the top, retreating into a cavern just beyond the end of the structure. When she emerged from the other end of the passage, however, the fox pounced from a higher position that had also gone through the hill and landed on the back of her board. He lunged for her pocket with the Time Stone, but she was quick to shuffle back and counter with a kick, which he smacked away with one tail. Seeing that getting at her would be difficult so long as she had her hands free, Miles proceeded to go for restraining her arms, though she countered by hooking her fingers into his before he could.
The two rode along the curves as a couple more loops as they grappled with one another, Miles attempting to overpower his enemy and snatch the Stone while Carrotia tried to throw him off. They went soaring off a sharp jump, which the bunny tried to use as extra leverage to toss the fox overboard, but to no avail. As they drew close to a high cliff, the fox wrapped one of his tails around the rabbit's ankles and gave them a swift tug, making her lose her balance. The teen then drew an emitter from a pouch and stuck it onto the ride before flipping off of the board. He landed next to the rocky wall, wincing as he watched his foe lose control and smack into the cliff, both Carrotia and her Gear falling to the ground with the yellow Time Stone spilling out of her pocket. Eager to seize this chance, Miles grabbed and pocketed the gem, then regarded the now unconscious rabbit.
It was times like this that he wished he had a grappling device like his siblings, if only to help keep her bound. Peering around, though, he saw that the vines growing from many of the trees in the jungle appeared quite sturdy. Perhaps they could serve as a good substitute for rope. But then, there was also the matter of getting back to the present, and he didn't know how to use the Time Stones to do that. There were those Time Posts that Khal had mentioned in passing on the way to White Park, which he had seen Carrotia run into earlier, hence how they ended up here. Perhaps if they went back the way they came, they would find one in the same space-time position.
Cream had been doing her best to keep out of the line of fire, while Cheese and Amy had been trying to get a hit on Focke-Wulf. Unlike Bearenger, though, not only was he a smaller and skinnier target, but he was much more wieldy with his Gear. Crazy as he was, he'd proven that he had good reflexes, having spent much of the fight rolling and flipping out of the way of their comparatively sluggish attacks. He was also cunning, if underhandedly so, for he kept setting his sights on the non-combative young lady. This would force the Chao and the hoglet to defend her and counter his assault, which he'd simply dodge and chuckle all the while. Unless his target put up a fight as well, it would remain predictable, and the two would-be protectors would get worn out before long.
While Focke-Wulf had been handling his opponents with relative ease, Bearenger was only getting more agitated. Khal kept bending beneath his drive-by punches, and skipped away from body drops and overhead slams before the bear could flatten him. The grizzly stomped on the back of his board to make the shark head offload a bomb, only for it to be snatched by the blunt inner curve of the hyena's weapon and flung the away so nobody got hurt. He charged full tilt just as the spotted guy turned back to face him, then flipped back over his ride into a Rolling Attack. Khal was agile enough to avoid the incoming object, but couldn't move away from the brown sphere headed his way.
He brought his khopesh up flatly against the bigger Animal's attack, but only held fast for a few seconds when he was repelled back a few meters. Bearenger uncurled and spun on his heel to deliver a roundhouse punch to the off-balance hyena, who managed to bring his other arm up to take the hit. He grimaced as hot pain spread throughout his limb, which was followed by a bit of a tingling numbness. The blow also forced him back even further, his boots grinding through the dirt even as he dug the heels into the soil. He tilted his head to let a jab just graze the fur on his cheek, and retorted with an elbow to the bear's chest. Bearenger growled and flinched from the strike, but he didn't seem that phased otherwise.
"Having second thoughts about being able to beat me, you little gnat!?" he snarled at the hyena, "you've barely done more than buzz and flit around!"
Khal smacked his injured arm with the flat of his blade, grinning through the stinging ache. "Seems like you can both dish it out and take it, I'll give you that. But I've fought better."
As expected, Bearenger reacted poorly to the claim and went for a grab, intent on wringing the other fellow's neck. Khal slipped beneath the outstretched limb and did a backside sweep on the bulky bear's legs, knocking him off his feet. He let out a grunt as he thudded onto his back, but was given no time to recover before he felt a pair of hands seize his ankles and begin to swing him around. Within a few rotations, Bearenger left the ground and was tossed like that week's rubbish into the wall of the nearby short cliff, smashing through it like it was plaster and tumbling over the edge.
Luckily for him, his Gear homed in on his location and caught him before he took a rather high dive into the sea. No sooner had he risen back up over the side, though, when a flash of steel ran straight through the center of his board. The grizzly felt his legs start to spread and split with his ride drifting apart, and he had no choice but to abandon it before long. He just barely avoided taking a second spill as the Gear fell uselessly to the ground in two clean halves, which made him all the more angry.
"I just got that fixed, asshole!" he raged, his steps causing the ground to quake as he rushed at the hyena, how about I break you in half!?"
The girls were distracted by the boom of overwhelming power being driven into the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dirt and green. That gave Focke-Wulf a chance to swoop in and grab Cheese by its head, chucking it in Amy's direction. The hedgehog was about to bat the Chao away with her borrowed hammer when she realized it was her little friend. Her hesitation made her take the hit full on, bowling the both of them over and leaving Cream vulnerable. Left with no choice but to defend herself, the rabbit leapt up and went for a kangaroo kick, but the wolf swerved up into a shuttle loop with a snicker.
He was surprised in turn when the girl flapped her ears like wings to intercept him on the downward rush, and found his feet leaving his board as the bunny's caught him in the gut. The maniac went rolling like a rag doll for a moment, but was quick to get back to his feet with his claws poised and fangs proudly displayed. He ran at Cream with a surprising amount of speed, closing the gap between them in just a couple of seconds and bringing down one arm in an arc. Those claws caught the rabbit by her collar, hooking his fingers tightly into the fabric and yanking her his way. The other two were sent sprawling once more as the wolf chucked the rabbit into the both of them, leaving the three in a heap.
"Much as I hate foxxo's guts," he chuckled darkly as he re-mounted his Gear, "he taught me a lesson with that beating he gave me yesterday." He hovered over to the trio, curling his claws against his palms and pricking the skin. "Sometimes you just have to get the job done quick! I got so caught up in wanting to play that he smacked me down good!" He giddily rubbed his hands together, spreading a bit of the blood he'd drawn. "I know Bearenger told me to leave some for him, but he looks like he's got his hands pretty full with Spots. So, I'm just gonna gut you lot and then give him some help!"
Seeing as she was the biggest target, Focke-Wulf went for Cream first, aiming for her neck as he put his ride to work. His claws clashed against the head of the Pikkon Hammer when Amy jumped in the way to defend her friend, but the hedgehog couldn't hold him for more than an instant before she was shoved aside. Cheese let out a cry and darted for one of his legs to try and knock him off the board, only to get booted like a soccer ball into a nearby tree. With those two out of the way, he grinned from ear to ear and clicked his claws together, then wound up for another go. He wasn't sure where that bravado Bearenger had mentioned before was, but the bunny was clearly too frightened to fight back now. Oh well, she wouldn't be fearful for too long once her head was separated from her shoulders!
His aspirations for a decapitated victim were cut short by an amber ball careening into the back of his head. Focke-Wulf found himself flat on his back with a red and white shoe planted firmly on his chest, and a very livid looking Miles glaring down at him. Looking over, the wolf could see the unconscious form of Carrotia bound up with some thick vines, and her damaged Gear was grounded next to her.
"Ugh, I thought 'Tia would've kept you busy for a bit longer," he grumbled in a disoriented tone.
He was answered with a one hand grabbing his neck to pull him up for a couple of hard punches to the face, further putting him out of sorts. His head was then thrown back, and a swift, well-aimed kick in the chin knocked him out cold. Bearenger whirled around at the commotion, and he could swear that he felt a blood vessel pop somewhere in his head from seeing both his partners down for the count.
"You've gotta be freaking kidding me!" he griped, "can't trust the ditz to do anything, and the giggling git's built like glass! Gotta do it all by myself!"
He was ready to go over and give the fox a piece of his mind, but this diversion turned out to be perfect for Khal. The hyena came down hard on the guy's head with a Rolling Jump and parkoured off of it. He uncurled and turned around to drive a punch into the grizzly's liver, making that permanently scowling face seize up in abject agony. The big guy doubled over and clutched at his gut, putting him right in the path of an uppercut that hit him square in the Adam's apple. That was enough to knock what was left of the wind out of him, and with a hefty thud, he fell flat to the earth.
For a brief moment, Khal considered finishing the job, but decided against it considering what happened last time. He stowed his weapon away and dragged the unconscious Bearenger over to where Miles had finished tying up Focke-Wulf and set him next to Carrotia. That solution might work for the smaller two Animals, but he had his doubts about it going so well when applied to the bear. Much as he didn't want to waste any more time, the hyena preferred that they at least deal with the trash first. And as he felt over the green Stone in his pocket, it gave him an idea.
"How's everyone holding up?" the fox asked them, taking a moment to check the others for wounds.
"I'm a little banged up," Cream told him, casting a worried glance to her young friends, "but I think Amy and Cheese need the attention more."
Regardless of who required it the most, Miles applied a bit of his Chaos healing touch to each of them, mending their scrapes and bruises in short order. While he did that, Khal brought his Stone out and strolled over to the troublemakers intently, light building up in the core of the gem. He aimed at the space next to them and produced a portal to the Time Warp, then stepped through it, much to the others' curiosity. A few moments later, he returned through the gate with a stern expression directed at the fox.
"Now that they're all here, it's time to deal with them for good, for everyone's sake," he proclaimed.
Miles stepped forward, not liking where this was going. "I told you before, I'm not going to let you kill them."
"Oh, I'm not going to kill them," the hyena promised, grabbing Focke-Wulf by his head fur, "I'm just making sure they don't get in our way again."
Without waiting for any of the others, Khal chucked the lupine through the swirling vortex, prompting a gasp from Amy and Cream, and a squeak of surprise from Cheese. He threw Carrotia into the portal as well, and just finished with Bearenger when he saw the teen coming right at him with a Spin Dash. It was too little too late for Miles, though, as one last flash from the green Time Stone made the door to the Time Warp collapse. He collided with Khal's chest and sent him sprawling, then rapidly glanced back and forth between him and where the portal had just been.
"What did you do!?" he pressed the hyena, electrical sparks showing in his eyes as his natural stores of Chaos Energy flared up with his emotions.
Khal stood up and brushed himself off, popping his neck from side to side. "I stranded them in the future. And to make sure they can't come back, I used my Stone to lock the Time Posts there."
Miles wasn't sure what he was more upset by: the fact that their newest companion didn't respect his methods, or what he had actually done. The former Witchcarters weren't dead, but given where they'd ended up, they would be sooner or later from either the environment or the beasts that inhabited it. As nasty as they were, the fox didn't want their lives on his conscience as well.
"Bring them back," he ordered the hyena in a cold and serious voice.
Khal spat to the side and jabbed a finger into the fox's chest fluff. "You're not the boss of me, especially not after what your decisions have brought. You don't like me making tough choices for you? Then help me find the rest of the Time Stones so all of this mess can be undone and your guilty conscience can be assuaged. The more we dawdle, the closer Sierus gets to whatever it is it wants."
With that, he started walking away in the direction of Little Planet. It was obvious that he was done listening to Miles as a leader and had lost respect for him, and that attitude got under the teen's skin. He was tempted to really give the warrior a piece of his mind and coerce him into using the Time Stone, even if that was a bad idea. The only things that stopped him were Cream hugging around his shoulders and the looks of concern Amy and Cheese were giving him. His anger subsided somewhat, but he was still more than a bit peeved with the hyena.
"There were better ways to handle it," Miles mumbled, hanging his head.
"I know, Miles," the rabbit agreed softly, gently letting him go, "but I don't think we'll be able to change Mr. Khal's mind about it. We might still be able to save them if we get all the Time Stones, though."
That was true. If the guardian had been able to use them for his people, then he could make the Stones work for him, too. The idea of continuing to adventure with him wasn't as appealing now, but he knew that it was more convenient, if not necessary, for them to stop the bigger threat.
With that in mind, he went over to grab Focke-Wulf's Extreme Gear, the only one that was still in good condition. A cursory examination told him all he needed to know about how to make it do what he wanted. Of course, there was a lot of underlying complexity, but controlling it was surprisingly simple, from what he could tell. All he had to do was hop on like he was riding most other kinds of boards, and sure enough, it began to hover once it detected his weight. By shifting it forward, back, and side to side, he got a handle on the steering and acceleration, and figured he could discover other maneuvers with some experimentation.
He gave a quick rundown and demonstration for Cream and Amy to go by, and after a few tries, both of them appeared to grasp the controls enough to get the Gear to perform adequately. Since the hedgehog was both the youngest and slowest among them, she was given priority, and once they were all ready, they set off after Khal and Little Planet.