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Sonic and Sash: Tides of Chaos 3
Phantom Forces
Intermission 4

Chapter 28: Final Preparations


The bustle of the base was in full drive as everyone prepared for the upcoming final storming of Eggman's base was coming into full fruition, Resistance members getting ready for a full attack from all sides. Contact with the Avalician Resistance base has been in full effect, and with the jammers installed, their transmissions are protected from the doctor learning of the upcoming assault.

Meanwhile, the pink hedgehog would already be working away at tracking down the last Zeti and the last Chaos Emerald as well; even when their locations would be found, there wouldn't be enough time to detour to where they were being held and then start the assault on the empire's base: it'd be physically impossible for him not to expect the Resistance on the alerts both other locations would give out, and grabbing the red Chaos Emerald before getting to the fortress base would potentially throw the empire on extreme high alert mode.

And then came the worrying fact that Milla had relayed to them about the fact that Project ICARUS was apparently still in function, despite the detonation of the Death Egg. Even with the power of the Phantom Ruby, it'd be inconceivable for them to summon another Death Egg in a single day; they'd know the Resistance would just destroy it again.

So what is it?

Amy sighed, rubbing her temples in exhaustion. "There's gotta be something we're missing. There's got to..."

"Amy...?" A voice said from behind the hedgehog. "Is everything alright?"

Amy would turn to see none other than Cream, looking at her concerned. The hedgehog would merely let out a sigh, looking back at the computer console. "Honestly Cream... this is going to be a close one to call. I'm hoping that with the Zeti coming in and grabbing the last Emerald while the rest of us take Eggman's forces head-on we can end this, but..."

"But?" Cream asked, a slight bit of worry in her voice.

"This... realistically could be the fight for our lives." Amy said. "I hate to sound so gloomy when we've already gotten both Sonic and Sash back, but the reality is that none of us are really invincible against that hound as long as he has that Ruby. Our only shot are those theoretical 'Super Emeralds' Shade spoke of before we found the other Hidden Palace on Westside."

"But..." Cream started. "Didn't you already order to have the rest of the Chaos Emeralds taken there? So that way they could be summoned when the time comes for it?"

"Well, yeah..." Amy sighed, resting her head in her hands. "Just my nerves are killing me on this. One wrong move like back in Capital City, and all our work is going to come undone and everything we've fought for to protect is going to die."

"...are we going to make it, Amy?" Cream asked, tightly hugging the side of her hedgehog friend.

The pink hedgehog sighed, lightly petting the head of the rabbit. "I like being optimistic, but I know when to face the facts of reality." She sighed, looking up at the screen. "For everything to go off perfectly... we'll need a miracle."

"..." Cream fell silent, before looking up to the hedgehog. "Amy..."

"Hm?"

"...you've told me once that even when things seem like they're not going to turn out well, fate has a way of making things right." Cream said, smiling sadly. "I feel it's the same case here. Even with us backed against the wall... we're still fighters. We'll come out on top of this."

Amy would merely hug the rabbit.

"Thanks."


"I'm really glad to have you back Sash..." Carol said. "Honestly feels like it's back to the good times again with you back at my back."

"Heh, and yet usually you say you're my tail." Sash smiled. "Honestly though, that time spent in Null Space with Sonic kinda... made me realize how important you guys are in my life."

"What, finally decided to listen to me for once?" Carol joked, lightly punching Sash on the shoulder.

Sash laughed a bit. "I mean aside from that." She spoke, looking up at the ceiling. "In a way... you guys are the only family I have left, and I wouldn't want to trade that for anything."

"Same." Sonic said, soon walking up. "I wouldn't trade you guys for anything in the world."

Carol smiled. "Same here big blue, same here." She'd then notice the two were still in their old torn outfits. "We really should get you two into new clothes, you've been wearing those for the past six months."

"Good point..." Sash said. "I could go for a wardrobe change."

"Ditto." Sonic said, looking at his shoes. "Could use a new pair of kicks."

"Already ahead of you." Tails said, handing two separate packages to each of the two. "Apparently one of our followers was so excited that you guys were finally back safe and sound she went out and completely designed new outfits for the both of you!"

"Huh, did she now?" Sonic asked, taking the box. "Well, I'll be interested to see what was made for us."

"Same." Sash said. "Let's get somewhere private to change."

Sonic nodded as she and Sonic went off into another room, just as Milla came into the room.

"They get those new outfits?" Milla asked.

"Yep, heading into another room to try them on right now." Carol said, leaning back. "Ancestors, it feels good to finally have the team back together fully."

"I know, right?" Tails said. "AvaMerc is finally back to it's old roots, and now coming back stronger than ever!"

Carol smirked, before she remembered something. "That reminds me Tailsy, how's that plan coming for storming Eggman's base?"

"We're nearing the point of finalizing out plans." Tails said. "Both Sven and Zik have been surprisingly helpful with laying out this strategy and compiling all the possible strategies."

"I mean, no surprise, Sven's a tech-head like you, and Zik, well, he's a mentor to the other Zeti so..." Carol said.

"Really, our only concern in this entire thing is the Ruby itself." Milla spoke. "And even then, I've shown I can control the prototypes. We might just be able to fight back with it."

"That doesn't mean we can afford to be reckless though." Tails said. "Even with the Emeralds and our own Ruby, there's still not telling what Infinite can do with that thing."

"Very true." Milla spoke. "I've studied about Tiangou a bit before this whole war, and something I've found out is that if he's backed into a corner, he outright lets his powers run wild like a sort of untrained animal."

"That... can't be g- wait..." Carol said, looking at Milla. "Tiangou?"

Milla merely nods. "That's who Infinite truly is. A reincarnated Tiangou through the power of the Phantom Ruby."

"..." Both Tails and Carol would seem to fall silent at this information.

The basset would look to Carol. "Both your and Sash's ancestors were responsible for his initial death over a thousand years ago from what I've researched in the archives. However, after his untimely death, the Ruby; his life force; had been lost to time and history, presumably warping itself away in an act of self-preservation until the time was right for his reincarnation."

"...and that time was six months ago." Carol said. "Because he thought we, the descendants, would be easier targets and more pushovers than our ancestors."

"Correction; your ancestors." Milla spoke. "The archives only brought mention of Kim and Bail being the ones to take Tiangou down fully, meaning only you and Sash are the descendants of the two."

"What about you though?" Carol said.

"..."

"...no. Milla, don't tell me." Carol breathed. "That... that monster..."

"...unfortunately, yes." The basset merely responded. "He's my ancestor."

Silence washed over the three in a thick wave, Carol and Tails both silenced by their own shock. This couldn't be right... Milla, that sweet innocent girl Carol and Sash met all those years ago... blood-related to one of Avalice's most infamous invading warlords?

"Milla..." Carol said. "I-"

"There's no need for apologies." Milla spoke. "I've already rejected him as part of my family; even if we are related by blood, he's nothing more than a monster. Besides..." She sadly smiled at Tails and Carol. "AvaMerc is my family. You're the ones who took me in when I had nowhere to go. You're the ones who changed my life for the better." At that point Milla would pull the two into a hug. "And I wouldn't have it any other way..."

Carol would just smile and grip Milla tightly in the hug...


"So you thought you saw them go down this way?" Cyclone whispered to the hedgehog. Classic nodded in approval. "Alright then." She said, the two travelling further down the corridor before Cyclone picked up on a sound.

Soon enough the two skidded to a stop as they heard the talking coming from around the corner. Cyclone remembered hearing of this location; this was Milla's usual meditation spot in the base, from how isolated it was compared to the rest of the underground. She heard... laughing?

"Huh..." She said, peeking around the corner, Classic doing so as well.

They didn't expect to be seeing Sonic and Sash undressing from their old tattered clothes.

Cyclone would whip back around the corner, out of sight from the two changing, a noticeable scarlet blush on her face. Classic was no better, same blush and covering his eyes.

"Well... that's not something I expected to see..." Cyclone said, before she started to overhear the discussion.

"...and now we're finally back here." Sash said, slipping on the new black sports bra of her outfit, stretching a bit to get a new feel for it before grabbing her new vest. "Gotta admit, it's good to be back in the fight for once. No more sitting on the sidelines this time!"

"Got that right." Sonic said, slipping on his new slacks. "Damn, these feel comfy!"

"Tell me about it." Sash said, hooking her new belt in. "Nice and form-fitting for me."

"Really accents your curves." Sonic added, slipping on his new goggles before standing up. "Well, how do I look?"

Sash would take the time to look at her newly outfitted hedgehog partner; the old shoes abandoned for a new pair of golden kicks with grey trim, accented by a new set of grey-brown slacks with extra pockets, and a red zipped jacket with white accents at the wrist areas and the front. On his wrists at the end of the sleeves were crystal red bands, the hands themselves having forgone the finger-less gloves and instead having gone with sports tape wrapped around the palms of his hands and wrists under the jacket. Adorned across his head was a shiny new set of red goggles.

"Like a fresh new 'hog." Sash said. "Lemme finish up dressing and I'll have you take a look at me."

"Aight." Sonic said, sitting back while Classic and Cyclone continued their easedropping.

"I'm... surprised how well they're getting along..." Cyclone whispered, glancing to Classic. "I'd think they'd be at eachother's throats more considering how well we 'get along'..."

Classic rolled his eyes.

"What, you think I've gotten soft when I get older?" Cyclone growled at the small hedgehog. "Bullshit, I-"

"Ohhh Nicky~" Sash's voice came from around the corner. "How do I look?"

Sonic would get the full view of his girlfriend's new outfit; The old clunky boots were made streamlined, gold and white being the accents for the new designs for them, still retaining those small golden wings at the heels. Adorning her body were a pair of tight-fitting blue shorts, accented by a white belt with a blue jewel buckle with small gold wings. Her bosom was covered up by a form-fitting black sports bra, accented by the open blue vest with gold trim, a white diamond wing pattern on its backside. A new sleek set of chargers was attached to the sides of her head, the blue crystals glowing dimly and that same red scarf was wrapped around her neck, just like before.

Sonic smiled, and gave her a thumbs up. "For a water dragon, you definitely make that outfit look hot." He said.

Classic fake-gagged, seemingly mocking the semi-cheesy line his older double said.

Sash giggled a bit. "Oh come here you~!"

"Wait, what are they-" was all Cyclone said before both she and Classic blushed a deep red from seeing their future selves partake in a deep kiss with eachother. The two young ones ducked behind the corner, both shooting eachother awkward glances at the situation they just witnessed.

"So that-"

Classic nodded.

"...oh my." was all that Cyclone had to say in response to that before their older counterparts came around the corner.

Sonic was the first to notice. "Huh, well, first time we're getting to see our younger doubles!" He said, kneeling down to his classic self. "How ya doin' mini-me?"

Classic awkwardly flashed his older self a thumbs-up.

"Are... you guys okay?" Sash asked. "You two look like you've seen a ghost or something."

"Uhhhh..." Cyclone said, looking embarrassed.

"I thought you said you were a hard-ass back in your days in the Scarves Sash." Sonic said to his draconian girlfriend. "Mini-you seems kinda soft..."

"H-hey!" Cyclone growled. "I'll have you know I'm a top fighter in the Scarves, and I'll have you on your spiky blue ass in a fraction of a second!"

"Well at least there's the fireball attitude..." Sash spoke, crossing her arms, before thinking something. "Wait... were you two peeping on us?"

Now it was Cyclone's turn to blush red. "N-nononono! It's not what you think it is! I-"

Sonic raised an eyebrow, chuckling a bit. "Alright then, we'll leave you two to yourselves then." He said, before looking to Sash. "I think Knux needed us for something?"

Sash nodded. "Best we don't keep him waiting." Sash said, before the two took off back towards the main section of the base.

"A-ah..." Cyclone said, clearly flustered.

If Classic were any redder he'd be confused for Knuckles.


*knock* *knock* *knock*

The falcon would turn over in her medbay bed, clearly annoyed by the disturbance of whoever was knocking onto her room. With any luck they'd lose intre-

*knock* *knock* *knock*

"Ghhh..." She growled, sitting up. "Who the hell is it?"

The door would crack open as the familiar green form of Zeena slipped into the room. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Well, I was trying to get some rest here..." Yuki muttered in response. "What do you even want anyways?"

"I... really never got a proper chance to thank you for what you've done to help us." Zeena answered, sitting down on the side of the bed. "If it wasn't for you... well... I don't think we'd have ever gotten Master Zik or even Zor back."

"...you're welcome, I guess." Yuki coughed. "Still, why bother coming to see me anyways?"

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean. I don't add much of anything. All I do is take. That's all I'm good for. The only thing I'm good at is killing, and nothing more." Yuki spoke.

"Yuki, you know that isn't the- ...Can I call you Yuki?" Zeena asked.

"...Fine." Yuki answered.

"Right. Well, you know that isn't the case. You are a great help to us regardless of how you feel your contributions are." Zeena spoke. "Besides, I never exactly got to know you personally."

"What, because we were too busy getting Elder Blueberry and Hot Topic Junior's asses saved?" Yuki asked.

"...Well, if you want to put it that way, yes." Zeena chuckled. "So. I know about that incident with the politician, but... What about before then?"

"Thirteen years from birth living in a frozen hellscape, three years afterwards being hunted down by the largest ninja clan in Avalice, and every waking moment afterwards regretting being taken advantage of by that fancy bastard." Yuki summarized.

"Excuse me? Who are you talking about?" Zeena asked.

Yuki sighed. "Yuuto Fujioka. Black cat. Has the ability to see ten seconds into the future, but has the emotional maturity of a damn child. He's the guy that got me into that mission I spoke of back then." She spoke. "He never did care for me. If he did, then he wouldn't have left me to fight The King on my own."

"Well, maybe he has gotten better?" Zeena asked.

"Yeah. If he isn't already dead." Yuki shrugged. "Whatever. Water under the bridge by this point. I'm trying to move on."

"Yet you're having trouble with that." Zeena observes. Yuki remained silent. "...And I'll take your silence as a 'Yes'."

"So what if I am?" Yuki asked. "What, you going to ask more questions?"

"Actually... I was thinking I'd actually try helping you." Zeena spoke, grabbing Yuki's wing. "So... Just help me help you. We can work through it together."

Yuki was silent for a few seconds... Then she closes her eyes. "...Thank you." She simply responded.


"Alright..." Tails said, leaning over the baseboard of their scale model map of the surrounding islands from South Island. Adorned around the table as well were Master Zik, Head Scarf Natalya, Sven, and Finn in order to take ahead on the planning for how they're going to storm towards the doctor's final fortress. "We've finally got the location of his base trianglulated out to this one last island located right about here..." He'd say, indicating a point on the map far out from the other islands. "From what I've gathered, that island's been uninhabited for several years at this point, meaning Eggman would have had the perfect opportunity to build a complete base there."

"And of Zavok?" Zik spoke.

"I believe we've finally got a home-in on where the signal is being transponded from, and it appears it's back on Westside Island." Sven spoke, indicating to what appeared to be a small fortress located on the north side of the island. "From there, it would appear Zavok has the last Chaos Emerald holed up there as well."

"So, our plan of attack?" Natalya asked the kitsune.

"Well, let's go over the options." Tails said. "Option one, the Deadly Six and the falcon head for Westside Island and go after Zavok and the Emerald to get him out of there with the Emerald and regroup with us on the way to Eggman's primary base. Option two, have Knuckles and Shade break Zavok out of there since they're already located on Westside Island, then have Zavok come to us at Eggman's base with the Emerald."

"I would be more for Option one." Zik spoke. "I do not get the feeling Zavok would be... too hospitable to the echidna freeing him."

"Second that." Sven said. "That and it'd potentially leave the Master Emerald open for stealing."

"Good point..." Tails said. "Alright. Now, for our assault plan." He added, pulling up the blueprints of Eggman's entire base of operations. "Now, it appears it's central spire has a weak point for it's security near the lower canyon walls in order to disable the security system for the main turrets, at which point the Zeti can go to town and completely level them. The-"

"If I can interrupt for a second," Sven spoke.

"Go on." Tails said.

"Wouldn't it actually be a good idea for some of the Zeti to use their electromagnetic field manipulation in order to turn the turrets against Eggman's own airships and fortress?"

Zik smiled. "You're rather perceptive for a hound aren't you?" He said. "Yes, the Zeti and I do have the powers to control electromagnetic waves and turn robots against their creators. However..." He'd start pacing. "Whatever this new set of creations he's outputting... it appears they're immune to our powers. The most likely explanation is that these new robots are merely constructs of that ruby."

"So more warped reality illusions..." Sven said, putting a hand to his chin. "That would make sense how he's able to output so many of these new bots at such a terrifyingly fast rate..."

"And if we go by that logic..." Tails said. "That would make his airships immune as well... Shoot."

"We can get enough airships from the re-hijacked Shuigang and Shang Mu." Natalya spoke. "We'll just need to provide cover."

"The Jackals and I can cover that." Finn spoke. "The amount of bases we've raided before the war has us with knowledge of nearly any sort of hidden passages, blind spots, and exploits we can use against his base's defenses."

"Alright." Tails said, zooming back into the map. "So as I was saying earlier, Carol, her sisters and me are going to be headed down for that mainframe to shut down the turrets. Once they're down, all the Zeti go to town and take out those turrets physically before anything else can damage our forces more."

"How much of a cavalry are they thinking of sicking on us on the ground?" Finn spoke.

Tails sighed. "That's the tricky part, there's no telling with the ruby that Infinite has." He said. "It could be a couple hundred of them, it could be a couple hundred-thousand of them."

"Ah, yes, that's... less than favorable." Zik spoke again.

Tails slammed his head on the desk. "UUUURRRGHGHGHHGH, there's no good options..." The kitsune groaned. "Nearly anything we could think of could very well be thrown back into our face in a moments notice because of that damn stone..."

"That is very troubling..." Natalya spoke. "And we almost have the mad doctor cornered in his own base. The chances of him lashing out with something completely unpredictable is almost certain..."

Silence...

"There's gotta be a good option to get under..." Sven spoke, looking over the map.

And then a spark came to him.

"Under..." Sven mothed. "That's it!"

"Huh?" Tails asked.

"Elaborate, if you would." Zik spoke.

"Okay, so," Sven said, pulling up some other schematics. "We already know that thanks to Eggman crashing the Lost Hex down onto the planet, Desert Ruins Zone's giant sandworms are already running amok underground. But we can use that to our advantage!"

"How so?" Natalya asked.

"I already had a partial plan set up to take down Arsenal Pyramid by undermining it with those sandworms." Sven said, pulling up more schematics. "If we can get high-caliber explosives deep enough into the canyon areas of where Eggman's base is, we can set off a chain-reaction explosion and draw those sandworms out!"

"And because they aren't metal, any copy Zetis Infinite tries to throw at us won't be able to turn them against us!" Tails said. "That's perfect!"

"And in the ensuing chaos from the worms, it'll throw the doctor's forces into a scramble." Zik said. "Resulting in hasty maneuvers, and an eventual fall of their side."

A grin grew on Tails' face.

"I think we might just have our plan."


The hustle and bustle around the base was enough to keep everyone on their toes as the final preparations were being made for the assault onto the doctor's final fortress. Time was ticking down to the final launch hour of their assault on the imperial fortress was growing near, and nearly everyone was keeping themselves busy with plans for the assault... well, aside from...

"Knux, do we really have to do this now?" The blue hedgehog asked, both he and Sash being pushed from behind over to what appeared to be a podium.

"Look, we only got one shot to broadcast out over the two planets of this final rise, and we need to get every resistance member that we possibly can!" Knuckles said, still pushing the two. "I'm already taking up enough time as is to help get this thing set up while leaving Shade to watch over the Emerald, so get going on it."

"With all due respect Knuckles..." Sash started. "Doesn't this seem a bit overkill?"

"Naaaaah, you'll be fine." Knuckles said, pushing the two up to the podium. "Now look lively, you're gonna be on camera!"

"Wait WHAT-" Sonic started to yell before the lights came on, several spotlights from the upper rafters of the base shining down onto the two as the rest of the base's members had their attention drawn to their location. Amidst the crowd both Sonic and Sash would be seeing several cameras aimed at them...


"Uhhhhh, sir?" Orbot said from one of the control panels.

Robotnik grumbled. "What is it now, Orbot..." He said, lumbering over to the robot.

"It appears we're having some... communication interference." Orbot said. "All of the empire's communication signals are being hijacked by an unknown signal..."

"What?!" The doctor growled. "Where is it coming from?!"

"We can't trace the signal sir..." Orbot spoke. "It's ping-ponging between multiple locations..."


All across Mobius and Avalice the tv feeds of nearly every major screen streaming Empire propaganda would static and fizzle out, switching to a live feed of the inside of the resistance base, with the cameras aimed on Sonic and Sash...


"Heh, well... hey everybody!" Sonic said awkwardly. "Ehm... surprise! Sash and I aren't dead!"

'This is going to trainwreck so hard...' Sonic thought to himself as Sash picked up.

"As you all know, this war with the doctor's forces has been going on for the past few months." Sash spoke. "Both Sonic and I have been... unavailable, is the best way to put it. However, what has happened in the past is not the concern of now."

Her posture rightened as her fists clenched. "We are nearing the cusp of this war's end, and we will be pulling out every single stop for this to even work. To anyone and everyone hearing this message we are broadcasting... don't lose hope."

Sonic stepped up. "Hope is what has kept this resistance alive for as long as it has been, and it's what's going to win us this war!" Sonic said. "It's not about hard we can hit, it's about how hard we can get hit, and still fight back against this empire's oppression! This is our world! The people of Mobius and Avalice are the ones now to decide our future! Not some rat-haired megalomaniac who thinks he can just construct his way out of any situation he gets himself into!"

"The doctor's time has come for retribution! He will pay for destroying our worlds, and be it by hell or high water, we won't rest until justice is served!" Sash added. "This is our home, and like hell are we going to let him take everything we've ever worked for and throw it away! We fight for our homes! We fight for those we love!"

"WE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM!" Both Sonic and Sash yelled. "FOR HOPE! FOR OUR FUTURES!"

"Like hell are we going to let that fat bastard get away with everything he's done!" Sonic yelled. "We'll show him what happens when you mess with Mobius and Avalice!"

"We refuse to back down from the threat of losing our worlds!" Sash yelled, the anger tears prevalent in her eyes. "Now who's with us?!"

Like a spreading wildfire, cheers and roars of an uprising started to spread across Avalice and Mobius. Their message was working, it was spreading, and very clear.

We win this war, or we die trying.


Even after the transmission had finally been rehijacked by the doctor's signal, the damage had already been done. He angrily kicked the computer console, enraged that the hedgehog and dragon had finally been putting their plan into action.

...no matter.

There were less than three hours before Project IKARUS was put into motion.

It didn't matter of their resolve.

It didn't matter of their hope.

In the end, it would all befall to an ashen waste.


NEXT TIME:

Phantom Forces

Act 5

Chapter 29: The Pack Reunited