Back in the GUN base, there was Chaos. The Prototype has escaped! The PROTOTYPE of thier greatest weapon. And Robert J. Hopkins knew he was going to get the heat for it. The Prototype was under his observation. The dark haired scientist leaned over his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was normally a Robotics scientist, but he was brought in to study Project ADA for the energy outputs she gave and how that energy could be efficiently in other ways.

And... the Project... Escaped...

He took a slow breath. "Okay... lets see about this.."

He stood and started walking, letting a little robot he made into his pocket. The little guy was an adaptation of the little rolling robots Robotnic had made, and he named him after the type of file he found the blueprints in. Zip.

he strode through the bunker with purpose to the directors office. He wasn't a big fan of the Director, the old man having a strange obsession with Olive Garden. He was sure if he could, he'd have the GUN HQ at an Olive Garden. He nodded to the two soldiers posted outside his office and entered.

"Commander Tower." Robert greeted with a duck of his head.

"Ah! Hopkins." Tower answered, not looking up from a report sheet. "I'm glad you could take a moment to speak with me."

"Of course." Robert answered, a small smile on his face as he approached. It wasn't a friendly smile, but one that one puts on when you have to be polite. "I suspect this is about the escape of Project ADA?"

"It is." Tower answered as he set the papers down and sat, inviting Robert to do the same. "The reports are saying that she had a Chaos Emerald before she vanished. Mind explaining how she had that?"

"Honestly we're not sure." Robert answered. "From previous reports, specifically from the Robo-Nic insodent, it was seen that when Sonic had released the emeralds, they scattered... So my theory is that the Emeralds Project ADA had was there by pure chance. Makes me wonder how good the Project would hold up in Vegas.."

Tower gave an unamused huff, if only to acknowledge the joke. "Well, how are our chances in tracking her down?"

Robert leaned back, making a small face. "The energy she produces is limited, so she couldn't have gone far..." He mused, his thumb rubbing his goatee against the base of his forefinger in thought. "Though... I wonder if its possible that she's teleported to the closest thing that holds similar energy. I've noticed that there's been higher levels of Chaos Energy in Green Hills. More or less Ground Zero for the stuff."

Tower hummed, slowly nodding. "We'll send a small team out to find and collect her. I'd rather not have another ARC insodent."

"Agreed Sir." Robert answered.

"Who do you think?" Tower asked.

"I have a young man who's been studying Chaos Energy and been working on manipulating it." Robert answered. "He may be able to keep the project from running. I'll also send a few soldiers to join us."

Tower gave a nod. "You'll head out by this afternoon." He answered. "Get everything you need and meet in the hanger."

Robert gave a nod and turned away, stepping out of the Directors office and heading back to his he found his second. A young man named Nick Bridger. His blond hair was messy and with the round glasses and freckles he looked like someone Robert would have taken lunch money from in highschool. He was studying the manipulation of Chaos energy in what one would say an accult like fashion. He even went as far as getting a robe and used clear quartz crystals to store what energy he wasn't using.

"Bridger." Robert commented as he entered, Zip crawling out of his pocket and up to his shoulder. "We have the green light to bright the project back."

Nick looked up from his notebooks and nodded. "I may even have a way to track her." He said. "I just need a moment to set up."

"We're leaving this afternoon." Robert told him. "So best be quick about it."

"Yes sir." Nick answered.

Robert took a slow breath and looked at the Cryo chamber that once held Project ADA, Shadow still asleep beside it. To think, one lucky chance, and the Project got away darn near scot free.

His eyes hardened. Not for long...


"Are you sure that I can wear this?" I asked as I looked at myself in a full length mirror.

"Of course." Maddie answered on the other side of the door. "If you're going to be staying with us, you're going to need more than those scrubs to wear. And if you want to hide from GUN, I'd think those scrubs would make you stand out a little."

I nodded, and refocused on my reflection. I hadn't seen it in a long time; I forgot how bright my red hair was, how the freckles on my face looked like someone splattered small flecks of brown ink on my face, and how green my eyes were. I had changed out of the scrubs, and was now wearing what Maddie called caprees, a t-shirt with a lady doing a pose of some sort, and one of Tom's flannel shirts.

I looked, half way normal. The sleeves of the flannel even hid the majority of the scars on my arms.

Taking a breath, I opened the door and Maddie smiled as she looked over me. "Yeah, that already looks more comfortable." She said. "Now to tame that hair." Before I knew it, Maddie was taking a brush and running it through my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. "There we go." Maddie said after she was done."What do you think?"

I looked at the new style and managed a small smile. "I like it.." I answered. "This is much easier to work with."

"Agreed." Maddie said. "Now, ready to head out?"

I nodded and followed her out to the truck, where Knuckles, Tails and Sonic were waiting with Tom. Sonic waved from the back of the truck. "Hey Em! Back here!" He said. "I heard we're going for Ice cream after getting you some new clothes."

"Whats ice cream?" I asked as I climbed into the back with them.

"It's a cold delicacy." Knuckles explained. "While it does not have grapes, you get sprinkles on top."

This made me curious. "Sprinkles?"

"Oh, we're getting you sprinkles." Sonic laughed, hanging on as the Truck started and began to Roll.

I jumped at first, but Knuckles gave a reassuring nod. "Fret not. This chariot is quite safe."

Taking a slow breath to calm myself again, I nodded. "Um, Tails? Did you find anything from my hair?"

"I'm running a couple tests right now." Tails answered. "It'll be a while before I get any results, So we'll likely have the results when we get back from town."

"Oh you're going to love Green Hills." Sonic told me. "There's all sorts of things to do and see around here! And the people are super nice. Crazy Carl may be a bit to get used to, but I think you'll even like him in the end."

Sonic continued to prattle on about Green Hills, and I listened contently as the truck rolls on and we started shopping. It was a difference experience for me that was for sure. I found some clothes that I liked, mostly T-shirts and other flanel over shorts that fit better, along with jeans and even new shoes. Eventually we paused in out shopping to get this treat called Ice cream.

It was amazing! Sonic said that the flavor I picked was called mint, and I mostly picked it because I liked the color. It gave a cool, refreshing flavor, and the sprinkles I was told about gave it little sweet bursts when I bit into them. Sonic continued to chat about Green Hills and his recent adventures as we ate, and I smiled as I let my senses spread out as he did. The Sunshine felt so comforting and warm, Sonic's presence almost being like a reflection of it. Tails' presence was bright too, but felt more like a blanket that was warmed in the dryer first. Knuckles... she paused before letting her senses approach Knuckles, holding back.

He looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "You're very good at stretching out your senses." He commented.

I opened my eyes and rubbed the back of my neck. "It's... something I've been trained to do since The Doctor found out I have the ability. He said it would be helpful to be able to sense others so I could help them when I could."

"Hold up, sense?" Sonic asked. "Like, a sixth sense?"

I nodded.

"Cool!" Sonic said. "You're just like that kid in The Sixth Sense! Bet you'd be a hoot around Halloween. Do you see dead people?"

"Uh, no." I answered. "I can just sense others and thier emotions and intentions." I looked around before nodding at a couple. "Those two? There's a connection between them, they're very comfortable in each others presence, though there's a distance growing between them." I nodded to someone else. "That one there lost someone dear, he's here because the ice cream helped the heartache."

"That's Ty and Rebecca." Sonic answered. "Ty's a good kid, newish to the area, and he and Rebecca have been dating for a couple months. But yeah, I don't think that will last much longer. And that guy had an old cat. Maddie said that he had to be put down last week. Ice cream is soothing to the soul."

Knuckles gave a small nod of approval, that was impressive. There were a few in his clan that had this ability, they could sense when storms were coming, or when one of the young was Chaos Touched, like he was.

"Oh, you mentioned The Doctor." Tails said. "I thought you didn't like scientists, but you sound like you like this doctor guy."

I nodded. "The Doctor is who made Shadow and Me. He was the original overseer of our creation. It's the scientists after GUN took over that I don't like... I'm sure The Doctor would not approve of the treatment thats been shown to Shadow and me."

"Heh, maybe we can find this Doctor for you." Sonic offered. "Shouldn't be too hard. Whats his name?"

I brighten a little. To see The Doctor again? Now that would be a dream come true. Maybe if he knew what was going on, he could help put a stop to GUN and help me save Shadow! Then we could all be home again.

"Robotnik." I answered hopefully. "His name was Dr. Robotnic."