Light Gaia had been turned into a dog. A dog who, thankfully, seemed more confused than angry. Sonic breathed a sigh of relief. If it didn't remember being a giant bird monster set on killing them all, that would make things much easier.
"Of course he'd be cute," Pretzel, cat-sized once more, muttered sulkily, and that was all anyone got to say about it before Rouge strode into the clearing.
"Good, you've taken care of things." She raised a finger when Blaze started to comment. "Believe it or not, princess, I was helping. GUN are on their way, with Eggman in custody—good work, Shadow—to perform clean-up. Unless you want to fill out a hundred forms and have these two get placed in government custody—" she gestured at the depowered Gaias, apparently unperturbed by the fact Light Gaia was now a confused chihuahua. "—I would suggest you do some clean up yourselves."
"What are we going to do with you two?" Sonic put his hand on his chin, studying the two creatures thoughtfully. "Maybe we could pass you off as Chao?" His tail swept over the sand, and he grimaced internally. He'd hoped the two Gaia energies would cancel each other out, but they both remained active within him, balanced precariously in some sort of stalemate. And now he got another new form to add to the pile. Wonderful.
Sonic's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar drone, and his gaze snapped up to the welcome sight of a red and yellow biplane. He broke out into a wide grin and started waving his arms energetically. "Yo! Down here!"
The plane circled around once before landing bumpily on the beach. Amy jumped out of the passenger seat before it stopped moving, and Tails followed close behind. Sonic's heart jumped with relief. He'd been reasonably sure Shadow hadn't actually tossed their corpses at his feet (and he definitely needed to have a talk with Pretzel about manipulating people's emotions, even if it was for the greater good), but it was still a relief to see them alive and whole.
"Did you defeat Light Gaia?" Tails demanded, concerned, over Amy's squealing and attempts to strangle him.
"Yeah, he's right over there," Sonic jerked a thumb at the dog, thankfully redirecting a bit of Amy's attention (and strength) from her bone-crushing hug. "How'd you guys get here so fast?"
"We came as soon as we could!" Amy finally released him, bouncing up and down enthusiastically. "But first we had to clear the airstrip!"
"I think you must have distracted Light Gaia enough that he didn't take control of us again right away." Tails' bright eyes darkened a little at the mention of the creature, and he glanced warily at the dog. "And by the time it did take control again, we were already en route. I guess it decided we could play back-up."
Sonic winced at the thought of Light Gaia taking over Tails mid flight and all the ways that could have gone horribly wrong, but he swept the thought from his mind and focused on how things had gone right.
"I think this is a new record," Tails walked in a circle around Sonic, studying his new form. "Two new transformations in one week."
"Three, actually. Maybe four." Sonic raised a pale yellow-ish hand, looking at it curiously, then glanced down at the rest of himself. Navy blue fur, orange tufts, cat tail, and even green wings. And he felt considerably fluffier than normal, which was not appreciated, Pretzel.
Tails looked up at him, brows drawing together worriedly. "How long is this one going to last?"
Before Sonic could come up with an answer, a loud hum drew the attention of everyone on the beach.
"That would be the clean-up committee," Rouge nodded towards the sky. "Better get a move on."
Sonic looked at himself, then at the Gaias, then at Blaze and Shadow. This… would be a lot of explaining. "Okay, okay, let's see." He took the Emerald from his hammerspace and tossed it to Shadow, who caught it one handed, the show off. "Do you think you could…" He gestured at their group.
Shadow laid a hand on the Tornado and motioned for them all to gather near it. Tails and Amy climbed back in their seats, and Blaze hopped on the wing. Light Gaia watched the commotion with a bewildered expression.
"Rouge, would you mind covering for us?" Sonic asked, scooping the confused Gaia up—ignoring the way the light energy surged and crackled—and putting him on his shoulder. The dog flapped his wings once before finding his balance. Pretzel immediately leapt onto Sonic's other shoulder, hissing at her counterpart when he got too close.
"When don't I?" Rouge rolled her eyes, then gestured at the smoking island. "What do you want me to say? Light Gaia destroyed the entire island and then just disappeared?"
"Just tell the truth," Sonic shrugged. "You saw a problem, gathered intel, went above and beyond your orders, gathered what was needed to defeat Light Gaia including stealing a Chaos Emerald from right under Eggman's nose, and the day was saved. Easy. You could throw Shadow in there, too, if you like."
"I'm good," Shadow said from where he was standing by the plane.
"That's hardly the whole truth," Rouge pointed out, grinning.
"It's most of the truth." Sonic jumped up on the wing opposite Blaze, the Gaias' wings fluttering in his ears and Pretzel's tail nearly taking his eye out.
"The best lies are 'most of the truth'," Rouge laughed, then glanced up at the fast approaching airships. "I'll take care of it. The rest of you, scoot."
"Thanks!" Sonic called as Shadow raised the Emerald.
"CHAOS CONTROL!"
The last thing he saw as the world warped away was Rouge's smile.
That afternoon, it began to rain.
Sonic stood on the shore, watching the drops patter on the ocean waves. Pretzel was still sitting on his shoulder, surprisingly, enjoying the rain as much as he was, if not more. Not-quite-Light Gaia, on the other hand, was pressed against his legs, trying to pretend he didn't hate the wet. Opposites in every way. At least they weren't fighting.
"We still don't have a plan," Shadow said from where he was sitting in the sand. Sonic was pretty sure he was trying to make a sand castle. Failing, but trying. Beside him, Amy and Tails attempted to show him how it was done, but couldn't agree on the proper method, and the building process had devolved into a heated argument about exactly how wet the sand should be.
"I, for one, need to find the rest of the Sol Emeralds and return to my own dimension." Blaze tossed the violet Sol Emerald from hand to hand. "Having one should make it easier."
"Make that two." Blaze and Sonic jumped, whirling around to see Rouge standing behind them with a grin. Shadow didn't look up from his lump of sand. Sonic could've sworn he was smirking.
"What do you—" Rouge cut Blaze off by tossing a familiar grey jewel to her. Blaze caught it and stared in wonder. "Where did you find this?"
Rouge shrugged. "GUN picked it up somewhere. It was part of my payment for saving the world. Only fair that I share with the rest of you." She hesitated, then sighed. "I… should apologize for giving you a false lead, princess." She glanced at Sonic. "I suppose we're all lucky you weren't so easily fooled."
Blaze smiled. "Thank you. It… I suppose it helped me realize my priorities. I am the guardian of the Sol Emeralds, and I have a duty to them. But I also have a duty to my friends. Your world is not worth more or less than mine." The two Sol Emeralds winked in the sunlight. "And I can tell they agree." She looked Rouge in the eyes. "Again… thank you."
"Happy to help." Rouge turned to Sonic. "Oh, and I got you something sparkly, too." She lobbed the grey Chaos Emerald at him without warning, and he yelped, fumbling to catch it only for it to fall in the sand.
"Do I get a present?" Pretzel asked dryly.
"GUN doesn't know you exist."
"Wow. You shouldn't have."
"I know." Rouge turned to Shadow. "Nothing for you, either, except you're not getting fired." She hesitated. "Unless you want to be fired."
Shadow considered, then shook his head. "I will continue working for GUN. They need someone to keep them in check." He put a piece of seaweed on top of his sand castle, and it promptly fell apart. He sighed and started gathering the sand again.
Rouge's mouth twitched. "Well, I earned a paid vacation, so if you need me, you won't find me."
"Please don't get arrested." Shadow started digging a moat.
"When do I ever?" Rouge looked at the Gaias. "You have a plan for them yet?"
Sonic looked at Pretzel. "I dunno. Any ideas?"
"I would like to live in a cave."
"I am more concerned about Light Gaia." Blaze nodded at the little dog creature. "If anyone were to find out his identity… his crimes are far more fresh than any of Dark Gaia's."
Pretzel cast a considering glance over the dog and, after a long moment's hesitation, sighed. "I'll… I'll look after him. I guess."
"Really!?" Everyone jumped a good foot or so as the dog suddenly sprang into the air with a high-pitched squeal. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou—"
"He won't want to live in a cave," Sonic pointed out over the dog's yapping.
Pretzel sighed again, shoulders slumping. "Yeah…" Sonic resisted the urge to laugh at her despairing expression as Light Gaia attempted to hug her.
"Actually!" Amy jumped in, earning a glare from Tails as she destroyed their sand castle. "You two could stay with me!" She beamed at the dog. "Not a lot of people know where my apartment is—"
"You have an apartment?" Sonic interjected in surprise.
"Is that legal?" Shadow asked. "I thought you were minors."
"I am fifteen, thank you very much." Sonic crossed his arms, scowling.
"That makes you a minor."
"Not in dog years!"
"You are not a dog."
"I'm part dog, now!"
"Part wolf," Pretzel corrected irritably. "Dogs are his thing."
"I like dogs!" The dog agreed.
"So, would you two like to stay with me?" Amy dragged the conversation back on topic by sheer willpower alone.
"Yes!" yipped the dog.
"Is it hot there?" Pretzel asked.
"Sometimes, but I have air conditioning!" Seeing Pretzel's look, she added. "And in winter, it snows!"
"…okay." Pretzel sighed.
"Yay!" The dog squealed, once again trying to hug her. Amy, thankfully, intercepted him. Sonic did not want to know what would happen if the two Gaias got in a fight.
"All's well that ends well, I guess," Tails muttered. He looked at Sonic. "But… what about your new form, Sonic? Is it going to wear off?"
Sonic sighed. He considered trying to change the subject like he had been for the past hour or so, but Tails wasn't one to give up. Might as well get the conversation over with while everyone was there to chip in.
"I don't know," he confessed, swishing his tail. It hadn't changed much from when he was the "hedgecat", but the fur felt heavier in the rain. Thicker, more… wolf-like? All of his fur was longer, especially around his neck, on his wrists, and on his ankles. He just hoped he didn't smell like wet dog.
"I think it'll last as long as you have our energies," Pretzel said, tapping one of his wings. He winced, and she drew back. "We're lucky they didn't transform you more, with all that you took on."
"Do you want us to take them back?" The little dog asked, eager to help, though he didn't have any idea what was going on.
"What would that do to you guys?" Sonic looked at Pretzel.
She frowned. "I… don't know. It is… a lot of energy. I think it would definitely change us. Not quite to our full states, but… closer."
"Then I'll keep it, for now," Sonic said with more certainty than he felt. "No offense, but I don't think you guys are ready to… change, again."
Pretzel looked relieved. The dog, now trying to help with the sandcastle, glanced up with a concerned expression. "Does it hurt?"
Sonic glanced back at his wings. They were different now; they had an arm, for one, like Pretzel's wings, and thin veins like a butterfly's. And they were tattered.
"No," he assured the dog with a smile. "As long as I don't have to keep transforming back and forth, it doesn't hurt."
"That's good!" The dog went back to digging in the sand, tail waving happily.
Sonic didn't miss Tails' relieved sigh. "It's still strange, though. Why did he—" Tails nodded at Light Gaia. "—transform you into some sort of…" He glanced at Pretzel. "…hedgecat?"
"Oh, I think I can explain that." Pretzel shook the rain off her wings, getting a yelp from the dog, and glanced up irritably at the sunlight breaking through the clouds. "We each have our preferences. Light's fond of dogs. I'm fond of cats."
"Then why—" Sonic started to say, but she raised a claw to cut him off.
"Fondness isn't all. We also have natural connections to certain species. Him to day creatures—humans, dogs, squirrels, hawks—and me to night creatures—big cats, owls, bats, moths, that kind of thing. Cats aren't really day or night, so it was able to make you a cat."
"But he doesn't like cats."
"I think he was trying to get on my nerves, or maybe it was the closest he could get to a lion. Maybe he was hoping it would lure me in so you'd kill me."
Sonic made a face. "In that… other reality… it looked like Dark Gaia turned me into a wolf."
"Probably to get on his nerves. Very close to a dog, but still a night creature."
"You two are really petty."
Pretzel's only response was a fanged grin.
Sonic glanced at the dog creature playing in the sand. He had wings like Sonic had as the hedgecat, but a brighter, more vibrant green. And his were cracked and broken on the edges, like a shattered crystal. Sonic glanced back at his own, now tattered wings. "I guess the rest of it is just resemblance to you two."
Pretzel batted at one of his ears and laughed at his irritated look. "Yup."
"So." Rouge coughed, drawing everyone's attention. "To sum up. Shadow and I are going back to GUN, the living incarnations of light and darkness are going with the little girl, and the princess is getting her Emeralds and going back to her dimension. That about right?"
"I'm practically a teenager!" Amy protested.
"And you own an apartment…" Shadow muttered. He coughed and straightened. "I can use Chaos Control to take us off the island, as I'm assuming you can't all fit in the biplane?"
Tails looked at the Tornado. "Yeah… maybe Amy and the Gaias, but I don't think we could fit anyone else."
"I will go with Shadow and Rouge, then." Blaze glanced at Rouge. "Assuming that is alright with them."
"Happy to have you, highness." Rouge turned to Sonic. "I know I just gave it to you, but…"
"Oh, yeah," Sonic brushed off the grey Emerald and hesitated a moment, looking at it. He pulled out the other, purple Emerald and considered them both. Purple pushed insistently at him, and with a laugh he handed it to Rouge. "Go ahead. And if you find any others, wouldja drop me a line? You don't need to give them to me, just let me check in with them."
"I'm sure they'll come to you on their own." Rouge tossed the purple Emerald to Shadow. "But sure, I'll let you know."
Sonic glanced at Blaze, and she put up a hand to stop him from saying anything. "I will be sure to visit you before I leave, Sonic. And I may need your help retrieving the Sol Emeralds."
Sonic smiled. "Looking forward to it." He stepped back to stand with Tails and Amy, watching as Shadow shouted the command and the world, for just a moment, condensed. Then it sprang apart again, and Shadow, Blaze, and Rouge were gone.
"Well," Sonic turned to Tails and Amy with a grin. "Guess it's time to go."
"Go where?" The dog asked eagerly as they began to climb in the biplane.
"Home!" Amy cheered, buckling her seatbelt.
"Your home," Tails corrected with a smile.
Sonic laughed, gripping the wing as the plane coasted down the beach. "Does it matter, really?"
"A little bit," Pretzel muttered. Sonic laughed again, and they took to the imperfect blue sky.