While Sonic was musing, Eggman was scheming. In fact, he was looking the fruits of his latest project, E-151c, straight in the multi-faceted eye. "He did what?" he asked flatly.
The Ant-centaur creature looked away, and said, "He used poisoned air. Our sisters stood not a chance against it. But that is not the worst of it… the Emeralds were not there."
Eggman sat back in his chair, and sighed. "So, you're telling me that this man, who is apparently called Bane, and whom I have never heard of, beat your sisters, made Sonic, E-150c, and everyone else disappear, not to mention the Chaos Emeralds?"
The ant-thing nodded nervously. "That is precisely the case, Father."
Again, Eggman sighed. This was frustrating… not to mention contrived. A mystery figure, saving Sonic at the last moment, just when he was about to be overwhelmed? This was worse than the recent egg-spider incident. At least he knew what had happened with the egg-spider, in pretty fair detail. E-150c had managed to tap the power of the Chaos Emeralds, but for some reason, gave it up to Sonic, who, in fairly short order, destroyed the robot. But this Bane character… he seemed to be an unknown factor. There was no telling whose side he was on.
And then, he smiled. He didn't know what Bane was playing at, but he'd just made an instant foe of Dr. Ivo Robotnik, that much was certain. He would pay for meddling in his affairs…
In the fragmented time of the Chaos Spirits, they were vaguely aware that something was wrong. It wasn't that their physical forms were being moved from one place to another; that happened all the time, really. It was that something extra seemed to be developing a presence in their realm. They watched it with some curiosity. Something new was very odd… and this thing would have been considered odd, regardless of where it was. It was half spirit, half physical. And it was growing. The sexless, ageless, emotionless voice of the Chaos Spirit Cyan came, directed at the other 6. "What is it?"
Chaos Red gave the impression of a shrug, even though it wasn't even really there, nor did it meet the physical requirements to do so. Like shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe Master knows."
Chaos Yellow spoke, "Master is busy."
The other Chaos Spirits emitted a sense of turning to Chaos Yellow. "Busy?" Cyan asked. "What could Master possibly be busy with? Master's only Duty is to give us Focus and Discipline!"
If Chaos Yellow had been a human, it would have shifted its feet awkwardly and looked at the ground. Since it wasn't even physical, this did not occur. "I don't know," Chaos Yellow admitted. "Master just told me that Master was going to be busy for a while."
The thing that was growing shifted, and the Chaos Spirits began to watch it once more. This could prove interesting… or very, VERY dangerous…
