Chapter 16

"There it is! You guys ready?" Sonic yelled to the group. Everyone voiced their readiness. "TAILS, GO!"

Tails flew off a ramp with his gear and used the boost to bring him close to the Time Eater, grabbing a Time Stone and tossing it to Silver before heading back into formation. "That's one down! Knuckles, this one's on you, buddy!"

Knuckles grunted in acknowledgement, using his fists to throw debris at the Time Eater in order to distract it before jumping and gliding close enough to grab two Time Stones before heading back, landing on his board, and throwing them to Silver. "Three down! Four to go! Lucy, it's your turn!"

Lucy sped her way to the front, making her way through tight corridors, rapidly enclosing spaces, and various feats of footwork and split-second coordination before catching a ramp and nabbing a Time Stone. "Where did you learn how to do all that?" Jet asked her as she gave Silver her stone and rejoined the group. "I ice-skated for a few years to support a local rink. My heart wasn't really in it in the end, but I learned a lot of neat tricks. It's part of why I chose Air Shoes when I got into Extreme Gear." Lucy replied. "Huh..." Jet said, somewhat lost in thought.

"That thing is probably gonna catch on to what we're doing soon. Wave! You need to get at least two on your run!" Sonic said. "Don't need to tell me twice!" Wave replied, starting her trek through the various obstacles that got between her and the nearest ramp. Once she was in the air, she launched herself towards the Time Eater, grabbed one Time Stone, reached for the other...Before a tentacle knocked her right off of her board, and sent her hurtling towards the ground at an alarming speed. Tails just barely managed to swerve in and catch her before she hit the ground. "My hero." She said to Tails, before giving her stone to Silver. "Sonic, that thing still has two Time Stones, and it knows what we're doing. What are we gonna do?" Knuckles asked.

"I can do it." Jet said. "Are you sure? Cause this is a one-way trip. You might not make it out." Sonic asked him, very concerned. Jet nodded, before taking out his bashōsen and grinning at Lucy. "Time to show you some of my REAL tricks!"

Jet boosted his way towards the Time Eater, bobbing and weaving as tentacles stabbed the ground around him. Once he was close enough, he turned his board sideways and slid up one of the tentacles, gaining some height before jumping off, grabbing the first Time Stone, and, carefully aiming, slammed the edge of his board against the other, launching it towards Silver before tossing the first one in the same direction. Jet winked in the direction of the others before the Time Eater opened its jaws towards him, instantly consuming the green hawk.

"JET!" Wave screamed. "Sonic, if we're gonna fix this, it has to be now!" Silver shouted. Sonic nodded as Silver handed the Time Stones to him and closed his eyes to concentrate. When he had prevented the Bad Future from being permanent all those years ago, the planet had gone out of its way to thank him before resuming its normal orbit. If he was right, these stones represented the will of the planet itself, and if he could just get them to remember who he was...

Sonic smiled as he felt the power of the Time Stones surge through him. Yeah, they remembered him. "Silver! Toss me towards the Time Eater!"

"What!?" Silver asked in surprise. "Just do it!" Sonic reassured him. Silver shrugged and did as he asked, launching Sonic right into the Time Eater. "TERIAAAAA!"