All across the world, television screens, tablets, and all manner of video devices and streaming services had their signals, programs, and feeds interrupted.
In a quaint little village nestled in a relatively isolated forest region, noises of protest came from one of the scattered homes. They belonged to a young, pink hedgehog girl with emerald green eyes and peach skin on her arms, muzzle, and inner ears much like Sonic. She also had a few backward pointing quills, a single back spine, and a short tail. As for attire, she wore an orange pleated skirt, a green puffy-sleeved shirt with a white collar and cuff bands, white and lavender sneakers with orange shoelaces, white wrist-length gloves, and a red ribbon headband. The hoglet pouted and smacked at the side of the TV, which was displaying only the Battle Kukku Empire's insignia and letting out the telltale whine of a device without a signal.
"Come on, you piece of junk!" the girl complained, "I wanna watch my favorite show!"
A larger hand came and grabbed hers just before she could give the screen a good sock. "Amy, please, I'd rather not have my mother scold us again."
The second voice belonged to an older girl, a rabbit that was just barely in her teens. She had cream-colored fur with princeton orange markings around her cinnamon-brown eyes and on the ends of her long floppy ears that drooped all the way to her ankles. Additionally, she had a thick fringe of hair that was the same shade, a pair of cream-colored ponytails in the back, and a furry white muzzle with a small black nose. Her garb consisted of a short vermilion tank top with a white stripe around the collar and a gold star on the chest, a pair of matching athletic shorts with a white stripe on each leg, vermilion slip-on shoes with yellow accents and gray soles, and a pair of white gloves with golden cuff links.
"Cream, do something about the TV!" Amy demanded, about ready to slap it again as she yanked her glove away.
The rabbit raised her hands in a placating manner and giggled a little nervously. "Alright, Amy, just let me take a look."
The hedgehog puffed out her cheeks and stepped aside to let the older girl do her thing. Cream picked up the remote and experimented with each of the buttons she knew usually worked. When that failed to produce any result, she went over to the screen and fiddled around with the buttons on the bottom, coming up with much the same.
Just as she was about to go and call her mother for assistance, the image suddenly shifted to that of Dr. Fukurokov. The closeup of the old owl's face and spiral glasses made both of the young ladies cry out in momentary panic. The dry cackle that sounded over the airwaves didn't do much to help, either.
"Greetings and salutations, citizens of the world!" he proclaimed, "I am Dr. Fukurokov, chief engineer of the Battle Kukku Empire! Perhaps some of you noticed the new celestial object that now hangs in orbit?"
A good way south and to the west of where the action was, there was a small island with myriad geography, as well as two smaller islets to the northeast and northwest, the former of which was a rocky crag, while the latter was an untamed jungle. The main island had a small mountain range that covered the northern coast, a river that ran into a lake that took up much of the center and emptied into the sea, two prominent forests in the west, and a cozy seaside village in the southeast. Among these few dozens of buildings, there was a stadium-sized lot that served as the local junkyard. Items as small as metal filings to those as large as hollowed out vehicle frames dotted the joint, organized into loose categories to help keep a sense of order. A two-story red brick house was nestled in one corner of the clearing. It had several rectangular windows with cross frames, a white slanted roof, and a brown brick chimney on the west side.
Inside was the owner of the yard: a tall and athletic, emerald green wolf with yellow eyes, prominent upper canines, and a flesh-peach muzzle as well as inner ears. The fur on the back of his head was long like a mane, and branched out in numerous broad tufts, some hanging down, others fanning out. He wore a set of black welding goggles atop his head, brown hardy work gloves, and a pair of brown steel toe boots. He was joined by his mate: a fit lupine lady with royal blue fur and brown eyes, the tufts on her head shorter than those of her husband's, and her fangs not quite as obvious. For clothes, she wore a modest white top, black sweatpants with white vertical stripes down the legs, a pair of white fingerless gloves, and white tennis shoes with gray soles.
"It's them again," said the female as she stared at the feed of Dr. Fukurokov, pressing closer to her husband, "Gob, do you think Miles..."
Gobán wrapped an arm around her and nuzzled at one of her ears comfortingly. "Aye, Guen, our boyo is probably already on top of 'em."
"This is the Battle Moon space station," explained the doctor as the screen switched over to an outside visual of the immense craft, "the Empire's latest and greatest weapon! It comes equipped with a full arsenal suited for both defense and offense. In particular..."
The comb of the Empire's insignia on the front of the Battle Moon began to unfold from the bottom up. After several seconds, it locked into place, leaving a gaping hole in the skull, only to reveal that it wasn't so empty. A colossal gray cannon extended from the tunnel, growing progressively thinner after every several tens of meters. Eventually, it came to a stop, countless multicolored lights traveling up the barrel until it was fully, albeit dimly illuminated.
"The Grand Kukku Cannon contains enough destructive power, at this point in time," Dr. Fukurokov added hastily as the picture returned to him, "to destroy a large island, although we've not yet seen if it can truly accomplish this." He shook a talon knowingly and grinned. "But fret not, for we have found an adequate location to serve as its first test target: a humble little place in the south Pacific known as Cocoa Island!"
Guen let out a gasp while Gob's free hand tightened into a fist. He cast a glance over to the door to the yard and thought about ushering them to the shelter he'd built. Perhaps, with all the precautions he'd made and how deep it went, he could get the other villagers to safety.
"If you're confident in your ability to flee tens of kilometers within a few minutes, go ahead and try," taunted the owl, "if not, don't bother."
The wolf patriarch growled helplessly. He did possess the means to get him and his mate out of there in time, but no one else would be able to join them. Gob knew that even if it doomed him, he couldn't just abandon the others. He had spent too many wonderful years on the island to leave his friends and neighbors to die. But, he knew that as dire as things were, that hope was not entirely lost.
"To help distract you from your impending obliteration," the doctor announced with a haughty hoot, "and to give others watching a good show, feast your eyes as the 'hero' that's come to stop us faces off against His Majesty Himself!"
Miles kept his hands at the side, ready to act while staring down the Grand Kukku Mobile Suit. The latter extended one fist towards the fox much like the Mecha Golem had, forcing the teen to jump high to avoid it. He reached into his pack and threw a few bombs at the outstretched limb, though the powerful blasts did little more than scuff the armor plating. He did notice a grunt of discomfort from the speakers, however. The mech recalled its arm and lifted its other hand, several missiles firing from its fingertips and streaking towards the fox. Miles tossed a handful of dummy rings to meet them, then dipped down below to throw off the stray couple that didn't explode with the rest. He touched down and sprinted at the robot, Rolling out of the way of a stomp and sliding behind the massive thing. He hammered into the posterior with a Rolling Jump, causing the mobile suit to stagger forward a couple of steps before turning around to face him again.
"Agh, that actually hurt!" the GBK squawked, "why is this suit's neural systems equipped with pain receptors, Dmitri!?"
"Pain helps to give the body context, My Liege," the owl lectured him, "granted, it isn't to the same degree as if it were you yourself taking damage. That said, you should still fight with it as though it were your own body!"
The Emperor let out a huff as he recentered his attention on his foe, a grin spreading across his beak. That did get his blood pumping a little more.
Miles flew at the head of the mech, bringing out the Pikkon Hammer and rearing it back in one hand. The GBK attempted to intercept him with a swipe, but another burst of speed let the fox close the gap before he could get caught. The teen brought down his weapon on the bridge between the pince-nez windows, leaving a sizable dent in the metal. The Emperor growled as the robot whipped back from the hit, and Miles went to deliver another strike, noticing too late that one of the hands was heading for him. The fox shouted as he was slapped out of the air and into one of the several energy barriers around the battlefield, falling and managing to go into a Roll before he hit the ground. No sooner had he uncurled than he was once again set upon by the machine, part of its grin splitting open to spew fire in his direction.
Miles peeled out with a Spin Dash, dodging the gout of flame and once more maneuvering behind the GKMS. In response, it released a cluster of spiny projectiles from the cylinders of its jetpack, forcing the fox to back off before they could get stuck to him. It was a good call, too, for the spiked balls each blew up into several shards of shrapnel that sent their spines flying. Miles ducked behind one of the legs for cover before springing high once more, both hands reaching into Remi for a couple of choice items. He first brought out the Boomering, which he used to tether himself to the end of the mech's beak just as it started to turn around. The other hand retrieved the Pikkon Hammer, which he drove into one of the specs windows, creating a large crack in the reinforced glass.
The GBK growled, one hand clutching his eye as the other held his palm up. Miles' eyes widened as a cartoonish bomb roughly as big as he was popped into existence in the center of the mobile suit's free hand. With a grunt, the huge explosive hurtled the fox's way, the vulpine rising up to dodge out of the way, but it wasn't good enough. He was caught on the edge of the resulting blast, parts of his fur singed and his gloves and shoes scuffed up as he was sent flying once again. Fortunately, he regained his senses and righted himself just in time to dive away from another stream from the flamethrower.
'Great, he can use both built-in weapons as well as his bomb powers,' the fox considered, 'and this space is too confined to use my full speed. I'm not going to be able to beat him without a little extra help.'
He brought out the cyan Emerald and let its power course through his body, mending his wounds and feeling its cooling influence energize him. With his heightened senses, he pulled up just before one of the mech's hands could seize him, balling up into a Drop Attack and grinding down the length of the arm. The other limb came down, but he pounced away and ricocheted off the opposite shoulder directly into the jaw of the GKMS. A pained and annoyed grunt came from the speakers as the Emperor shook off the blow, flexing his fingers and summoning a pair of bombs this time. He threw one high, making Miles retreat to the ground, where he tossed the second one, though the fox easily weaved out of the way and continued on with a Rolling Attack.
The GBK, however, had anticipated such a move. Pain erupted through Miles' body as his spherical self was kicked like a soccer ball by one of the mech's meaty feet, knocking him near the bomb he'd just avoided. The explosion sent him up into the air, only to be flicked right back down by a smack from the robot, making him skid and bounce across the floor. As he smacked into the barrier once more, the Emperor let out a crow of laughter.
"My, doesn't this feel familiar, boy?" taunted the bird, "I recall you struggling like this during our first clash."
Miles snarled through more burning pain as he healed himself up again. "Yeah, I remember how that went. I got roughed up pretty badly, but I kicked your ass in the end, and I'm gonna do it again today!"
"Then you better hurry," his opponent jeered, "because in just a couple of minutes, you won't have a home to go back to!"
The fox gritted his teeth. He knew that the GBK wouldn't simply let him try and fly over the arena to the Chaos Generator, nor would he allow Remi the chance. His only choice was to somehow bring down the mobile suit, or at least cause enough damage to stun its pilot for an adequate enough duration. Only then would he or his creation have the opportunity to shut down the Grand Kukku Cannon and make a move for the other Emeralds.
For the moment, Miles brought out the white gem and placed it in the tip of one tail, the hairs grasping onto it tightly. He did the same with the cyan one, letting their collective power amp him up even further. The GKMS let out more flames, following the path its target made and then lobbing another bomb once an opening presented itself. Miles snatched the Boomering from his pack and used it to draw the immense thing into his hands, the weight momentarily pushing him back. With a grunt, he tilted back and then chucked the explosive where it came from, lighting up the robot's chest with an impressive fireball. His tails flipped the Emeralds back into his hands as he slid his other weapon around one of his arms, charging up a Spin Dash with the added Chaos Energy and Jumping into the mech's breastplate to knock it off balance.
It crashed onto its back, but only remained down for a few seconds as the thrusters in its jetpack and its powerful hydraulics in its legs pushed it back to its feet. Irritated, the GBK let loose another volley of missiles, then followed it up with a second round of spiked mines to cover both the air and the ground. With the increased reflexes afforded to him by the Emeralds, Miles bobbed and weaved through the storm of spines, subsequently causing many of the chasers to get pierced and detonate before they could reach him. He spun around to face the few that were still on him, narrowing his eyes as he concentrated and formed an arm cannon like he had last night. He fired off an electric blue ball that tore through the remaining missiles and went down the launch tube of a finger, causing it to blow apart into a shower of metal scraps.
The GBK roared and lunged forward, driving his undamaged fist towards the fox, but missing by a wide margin as the teen slipped through the robot's legs. Before Miles could get the chance to strike it from behind, the mech activated its jetpack and rocketed up to the high ceiling in the chamber. It allowed gravity to bring it back down, and while it was easy for the Animal to avoid, the shock from all that weight hitting the floor propelled him into the air. Even so, he wasn't entirely helpless, putting his twin limbs into action to return upright and move away from another swinging fist. He angled himself down and waved his tails in a wide arc to boost himself to the ground, then dashed forward towards the GKMS's left leg. He correctly predicted an attempt to crush him underfoot, narrowly evading the massive weight and slashing through the wheels with a Tail Attack.
The robot limped to the side as part of its suspension support gave out from the damage. It moved to retaliate with an additional mine cluster, but Miles cut him off by repeating the same with the other foot, causing the machine to hunch over. The Emperor snarled at the pain he felt by proxy, as though someone had taken a blade to his talons, but he wouldn't be deterred. He picked himself up and swept across the ground around him with his flamethrower, preventing the fox from getting close a third time. The GBK then had his ride kneel down and flap its arms as though trying to lift a heavy object. Contrary to the expectations of those watching, he did not produce a truly colossal bomb, but instead, created handfuls of comparatively tinier ones, all of which he lobbed into the air. Miles used his tails to reach into his pack and sling as much of his own payload as he could while he tried to get around the ones he missed.
Eventually, he had no choice but to retreat to higher ground. He landed atop the arena wall and glanced back, seeing that the Chaos Generator was right over there behind him! All he had to do was get down there and...
That moment was all his foe needed to extend his undamaged fist and smash into Miles. The fox collided and rebounded off of the back wall above the Generator, and while it didn't hurt as much as the last string of attacks, he lost his grip on the white Emerald and dropped it towards the rest. He barely had enough time to regain his bearings before he had to dive below a sweeping grasp. His now free hand shrugged the Boomering back down his arm so it was at the ready, keeping a close watch for the next opening. It came when the GBK brought down the damaged hand in a hammer blow, presenting him the opportunity to hurl his trusty item at the mech's beak. But to his horror, the other limb passed in front of its path and caught it between a couple of fingers. With a grunt, the GBK willed his ride to crush the object between its digits, dusting them off and letting the now dull golden fragments scatter to the floor.
Furious at having one of his, at least in his opinion, best inventions destroyed, Miles burst forward and ran headlong at the robot. It made to press him into a pancake with one foot, but the fox dove to the side and nabbed a few dummy rings from storage. He waited for a second go at flattening him, squeezing through the GKMS's legs and aiming at the exhaust ports of the jetpack. With tried and true accuracy, and a little faith in himself, Miles got the rings where he wanted, satisfied as they exploded a moment later.
With that, both those mines and its rocket jump should have been dealt with. If he could disable more of that thing's arsenal, its attacks would become more and more predictable, allowing him to better strike at its weak points. In the seconds he had before the bird recovered, he considered his options, then stopped as he recalled the scorching attachment it had. Yes, getting rid of that would be a boon, and he knew just how to get it done. He brazenly ran back out in front of the GKMS and stuck out his tongue as he made a couple of rather rude charades at its pilot.
Now raging himself, both from insult and injury, the GBK stomped and slapped at the fox, pushing him to take to the air, which is just what he wanted, moving to activate the barrel in the robot's maw. What he didn't realize was that Miles was one step ahead of him, already digging into his pack for a replacement weapon. The moment he saw those teeth part to bring out the flamethrower, the fox chucked a Triple Bomb down the nozzle, and he flew away to get clear. The GBK howled in pain and cradled his head as the explosion rocked the unit, leaving a smoking hole in the mobile suit's grin that showed off its now totaled weapon. Seeking to capitalize on this, the teen shot down to the ground and revved up another Spin Dash. He held his position for a few seconds, then allowed acceleration to carry him forward, bouncing up into a Jump at the last second and slamming straight into the GKMS's groin. The fox winced with sympathy as he heard his nemesis let out a most pained noise, the sheer force of his attack knocking the robot off its feet and onto its backside.
Thinking it the best time to try and deactivate the Chaos Generator, Miles made for the southern wall, removing Remi from his shoulders and digging through his contents with his free hand to try and find the kill switch. He didn't get a chance to find it before he felt cold, hard steel close around him and make him drop his companion and the cyan Emerald. Miles cried out as the pressure started to increase and squeezed his body tighter, tilting his head to see that he was trapped in the grip of a massive fist. The GBK seethed through the speakers as he brought the fox before his vision, watching as he futilely tried to pry open the thing's fingers.
"Killing you like this would be too quick, too easy, and not at all satisfying," the Emperor snarled as he gave another hard clench, smirking as his foe once more screamed, "besides, it wouldn't do to have you die before you taste despair. I'm going to make you watch as I wipe your pathetic, backwater island from the face of the planet! But first, let's have some more fun."
With a wicked sneer, he opened his other palm and tossed the fox into it as though he were a ball, letting his back slam hard into the metal. He flipped Miles up onto his side and flicked him in the torso with one digit, sending him sailing into a barrier wall. The mech rotated one arm as though rolling a bowling ball, manifesting a few smaller bombs to do just that. They met Miles shortly after he hit the ground, blowing him across the floor and leaving him prone.
The fox coughed up a bit of blood onto his white chest, grimacing at the sight of his battered and partly burned form. With great effort, he pivoted to the side and dodged a downward punch from the robot, shakily getting back to his feet. From what he understood of anatomy, nothing felt broken, but damn if he wasn't hurting something fierce.
'If it wasn't for the Emeralds, I'd've bitten the dust early on in the fight,' he thought, letting out a worried sigh, 'just like the last time I fought this guy. Except now, I don't have any on me, and there's no way he'll let me try and make a break for them and Remi.' He couldn't help but laugh a little at his predicament. 'I'll just have to hold out until you save me again, boy. It's my own fault for being careless.'
"Come on, Miles!" Gizmo fretted, her eyes moving from the screen over to Speedy, "isn't there anything we can do?"
The Kukku clenched his teeth and fists as he watched his rival struggle against his father on a different monitor. The group had relocated to the bridge to see if there was any way they could further help the fox. As things stood, however, all it had afforded them was a better view of what was going on, and it wasn't good.
"No, the kill switch was all I had to give," the prince informed her, "and even the Fortress' longest ranged weapons can't reach that altitude."
"I should've gone up there with him!" Charmy said with some regret, looking on with worry, "he wouldn't be getting hurt like this if he had more help!"
Espio clasped the bee's shoulder and bowed his head. "Do not blame yourself. None of us could have seen this coming; even the data Gadget managed to gather from the doctor's computer did not mention such a machine."
"Ya sure there's nothing you can do, rookie?" Vector asked the red wolf in question.
Gadget really didn't like how he was being put on the spot. He already had a good bit of pressure on him from earlier, so having to come up with a big solution wasn't doing much good for his nerves. His little brother was in danger, though, as was his home and his parents, as well as many Animals and Critters. They were counting on him to wrack his brain and think of something to salvage the situation.
And that was when Sonic, straightforward as ever, brought up something that his over-analytical brain hadn't considered.
"Miles was able to override Remi a couple of times," the hedgehog pointed out, "doesn't he have like, I dunno, a manual mode or something?"
Gizmo smacked one fist against the other palm and held her comm up high. "That's it! Gad, we could connect to Remi and control him remotely!"
It sounded like a good idea, at least in theory. The problem, however, was that he wasn't sure they'd be able to overcome the distance from them to the little robot. There was also the matter of the walls of the Fortress and the Moon, as they had no idea if any materials would interfere with the signal. And lastly, because Remi was more Miles' creation than theirs, he'd put an extra layer of security in place to keep them from hijacking the bot when they pleased. Of course, he'd also provided them with a system to work through it, in case of emergencies, but it wasn't foolproof.
Even if they could get past all that, what would be the best course of action to take first? Try and get one of the gems back to Miles, or perhaps find a way to deactivate the Chaos Generator? Dr. Fukurokov popped on screen once again to interrupt any plotting on their part, hooting with mirth.
"Just as a reminder, for those of you who haven't been keeping track," the owl announced, "the charge for the Grand Kukku Cannon is nearly complete. Only sixty seconds remain between now and the end of Cocoa Island, should all go accordingly! I hope that those of you that could not get away have made your peace, and as for the rest of the world watching...I hope this convinces you of the futility of defying our power! Surrender peacefully, and you can guarantee that you shall be treated fairly and reasonably under the new regime to come!"
Gadget knew that he wasn't the bravest sort. Even after all the training he'd gone through with his brother and sister, not to mention past events with the Kukkus, he was still a bit skittish. Like Miles, there were times he doubted himself, only he had less deeds to assure himself otherwise. With how everything was framed right now, it seemed like a hopeless endeavor. At the same time, he knew that this was no time to hesitate. His adoptive brother was up there fighting for all of them, and he needed their help, however it could be provided. A shot in the dark was infinitely preferable to doing nothing at all. Didn't the saying go that that was all good men needed to do for evil to triumph?
Well, he wouldn't let the guy who threatened all he knew and loved to win! The red wolf rushed over to the console nearest Speedy and drew out a cable from his utility belt. He affixed one end of it into a port above the keys, then tossed the other end to Gizmo. The teal twin caught it handily and tapped away on the screen, her brother simultaneously doing so with the keyboard in front of him. With the Battle Fortress acting as a signal booster, then there was a chance that they could at least communicate with their mechanical friend. If they could manage that, then perhaps they could relieve their sibling of at least one pressing burden. Once that was off of his mind, then surely, he would be able to go all out without any qualms, right?
"Please work," the lupine prayed, "please, by the gods, let this work." He turned to his sister and all but shouted. "Hit it!"
She nodded resolutely and pressed a finger firmly into the display. "Roger, activating Override Program 101692; attempt one of three to assume direct control!"
With that, they launched their final gambit. They both knew better than anyone it was a long shot, at best, given that they would be locked out from Remi's systems if their plan failed all three times. But, they refused to let things end like this!
"Thirty seconds until the Grand Kukku Cannon reaches full charge!" Dr. Fukurokov reminded all those listening, "I hope you've enjoyed the program so far! Be sure to stay tuned for the climax, and of course, the grand finale! Both are a sight you certainly would not want to miss!"
Speedy regarded the wolf twins and what they were doing to stop this madness, Vector looking on in fascination. If this last ditch effort of theirs managed to work, it would give the old fool a migraine like no other.
Miles panted as he stopped himself from eating another knuckle sandwich from the GKMS, skirting away with a quick shuffle of his feet. Normally, he would have still had a lot more to give, especially with what the Emeralds afforded him. But, absent of their influence, and having exerted quite a bit of energy up to this point, along with the damage he'd taken, it had all eaten into his stamina. And then there was the news he'd just heard about his home, which only added to the stress. He had to find a way to stop it before it was too late, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out.
Even with all the odds stacked against him, though, he refused to give up. He couldn't afford to, not when so many were relying on him.
'I've been in similar tight spots,' he reminded himself, psyching his waning confidence back up, 'like when Wendy Witchcart crystallized half of my body. Or when Zero almost disemboweled me with that nasty scimitar of his. The only difference is I don't have the luxury to take my time. But, I can do this! I will do this!'
"Twenty-five seconds remaining!" Dr. Fukurokov crowed tauntingly, "tick-tock, Prower!"
The fox pounced over the grasping reach of one of the mech's fists and went into a Spin Dash, surging up its arm and smacking into the cracked lens of its specs one more time. The GBK shrieked as the glass shattered and the feedback jolted through his own eye, making him clutch at it with one hand while the other angrily swung at the teen. The half-blind and erratic thrashing of the giant robot managed to clip Miles in the side and whack him toward the barrier, but he flipped about and caught the edge of it with his feet. The fox sprang off the solid energy up onto the rim of the arena and hurriedly sprinted to one corner as he looked for the Chaos Generator. In response, the GBK extended the undamaged hand to grab onto the stretch in front of Miles, cutting him off as the other launched yet another salvo of missiles from its four functioning fingers.
"Twenty seconds left until the fireworks, boy!" the Emperor cackled.
Miles gritted his teeth and, rather than leaping around the limb or diving off the side, he ran straight at it. The hand propped itself up onto its side and made to block him, but the fox stopped on a dime and then vaulted over it just as its digits started closing. More pained cries rang out from the speakers as the missiles careened straight into the mech's fingers, though the fox hadn't anticipated the reaction that came from it. The GKMS back slapped him hard with the same freshly hurt hand, returning him to the confines of the arena. He curled up into a Roll and bounced off the floor, passing over a swipe by just a hair. He unwound himself and countered with a Tail Slash across the rear side of those fingers, hearing the GBK elicit a hiss in response.
"Gah, you little freak!" he swore, "it's like getting a paper cut!"
"Bear through it just a few moments longer, Your Highness!" Dr. Fukurokov assured him, "only fifteen more seconds!"
Miles' ears perked in panic, his eyes darting around to try and spy the Chaos Generator through the force walls. The GBK wouldn't let up for even an instant, however, stamping his way over to the fox while flinging fistfuls of bombs, whooping with maniacal laughter all the while. A few clusters of them went low, but the rest were spread through the air, and without any of his own tools or explosives to disperse them, Miles knew he couldn't avoid them all. In that split second, where everything felt like it'd slowed to a crawl, he whipped his tails and headed for the largest opening in the storm that he could deduce. His spherical form helped to reduce his overall area and slip through, but he was unable to keep from being pelted by a number of them.
Each blast inflicted a new searing burn on him, and the force from them slowed his ascent. It reached a crescendo when the explosions spread to other un-detonated projectiles, resulting in a firestorm that flung him into the Battle Moon's viewing window, leaving much of his coat charred and tattered. His ears rang from the soreness and the lingering tinnitus due to being at such a close range to the bombs.
"Ten!" proclaimed the owl.
The GKMS fired its more intact hand forward and snatched Miles up. Upon returning his cable, he snapped the wrist and let go of the fox, allowing him to crash into the wall high above the Chaos Generator. He brought up his other hand and aimed the missile ports in the general vicinity of his foe.
"Nine!"
Miles barely started falling before he felt the air heat up behind him. A group of missiles torched the wall behind him, some of the flames licking at his back and tails. The blast pushed him down back towards the mech, which met him with a balled fist. The punch didn't have much force behind it, but it didn't need to for Miles to hear and feel the crack of his ribs, accompanied by agony that nearly brought him to tears.
"Eight!"
The GBK flipped his nemesis into the air and caught him with his other fist, leaving only his head exposed as he squeezed down. Miles howled in pain, his already agitated wounds being further exacerbated with every horribly slow instant.
"And now, we watch!" cheered the bird, turning the fox to face the Earth below.
"Seven!"
"You put up an admirable fight, fox," the GBK praised him, his genuine tone stunning the teen, "I admit part of me will miss this."
"Six!"
"It's a shame, too," the Emperor went on, "we could've used your keen mind."
"Five!"
"But we're past that point now, aren't we?" he asked Miles.
"Four!"
"You've set back my dream for the last time, Miles Prower!" he thundered.
"Three!"
"Now watch as one of your dreams dies before it's your turn!"
"Two!"
Miles didn't want to look. It didn't matter if he wouldn't be able to see their faces. He couldn't bear the thought that the couple that had taken him in were about to be vaporized along with everything else on and around his home. And yet, this was the reality, as the GBK's victorious crowing emphasized. His friends and siblings would likely be hunted down as enemies of the Empire after he was disposed of. That is, if they didn't keep him alive to make him witness it.
The despair that had been clawing at him melted away as the sound of systems shutting down met his ears. He whirled around along with the GKMS, noticing that the force fields shaping the arena had fallen away, and that many lights were also flickering out. The Chaos Generator was no longer emanating any light from the Emeralds, which were now exposed. There, at the base of the module, was Remi, one of its cables wrapped around the end of the kill switch device, which was inserted in a port near the base of the "nest".
The GKMS dropped Miles from utter repudiation, not noticing him slowly getting up after a tense moment. "No..."
"Where did you get that!? How did you get that!?" Dr. Fukurokov was screaming in both outrage and terror, "there should only be one Emergency Shutoff Device, and it's right here in my coat pocket! This. Isn't. Happening!"
Remi's speakers rang out with cheers and laughter, as well as a little bit of relieved crying. In spite of how much pain he was in, Miles found himself quietly joining in, wearing a broad and proud grin.
"Whew, barely made it!" came Sonic's voice, "eat that, feather brains!"
The fox counted his lucky stars this time. The GBK was wholly focused on his companion, which gave him the chance to slip away the arena corner opposite of the deactivated Generator. He leaned into the metal, one arm holding him steady while the other cradled his ribs. He wouldn't be able to go fast, but he knew he had to get over to those gems, and he hoped that the Kukku leader would stay distracted long enough for him to do so.
"Dmitri, what the hell is going on!?" shouted the boss bird, "this station does have backup power, doesn't it!? Fire the Cannon!"
The owl spluttered and stammered. "The Grand Kukku Cannon has already lost more than half of its stored power, My Liege! We won't be able to destroy Cocoa Island with only this much charge!"
Miles slowly lifted himself up with his two tails so that he was level with the first divider, his arms holding his torso to keep steady. All he had to do was proceed carefully and make certain to stay hidden.
"Well then," the GBK said in a vicious growl, "target the Battle Fortress."
The fox's blood froze at that command. It was apparent to him now that he'd pushed the Fifteenth so far, the bird had well and truly snapped. The chief engineer seemed similarly stunned, as it took more than a moment for him to find words.
"Your Excellency, your son and many other combatants are still aboard the vessel!" he tried to argue with his leader, "and the Fortress has been our Empire's home and stronghold for several generations! Please consider what it is you're ordering!"
"I have considered it!" the Emperor cried out in a shrill manner, "this station is to be our new headquarters, doctor! And if that boy of mine is worth anything of the family name, he will escape in time after hearing this. So long as you kill the brat's friends, that's all that matters!"
Miles decided to forgo the stealth and rush over to the Chaos Generator and Remi as quickly as his tails would allow. He made it about halfway before a stab of pain caused him to falter and dip back down to the ground. The mech took notice of this and turned its optics on him, lowering one fist and aiming at him as it stepped forward. But just before it could launch, a loud clang echoed throughout the chamber as the Pikkon Hammer fell straight onto the GKMS's head, throwing off its aim and getting a squawk out of its pilot. Miles saw his little creation hovering high up near the ceiling, letting out a tinny growl.
"Even if he's not built for battle himself," the fox said aloud, "he can still make use of his capacity. Heh, I guess all the time he's spent around me has taught him a little about fighting. I owe you again, little buddy."
The robotic likeness of the teen zoomed around in seemingly random patterns as it goaded the GBK to try and snatch it out of the air. Seeing as it was a much smaller target than its maker, however, Remi was able to keep out of reach. All the while, Miles pulled himself back to his feet and began to sprint towards the Generator. His steps were wobbly and the burning in his body, particularly his abdomen, made his head throb and his vision lose focus a few times. Even without being able to see them, though, he could feel the presence of the Chaos Emeralds, having been exposed to their energy for such a long time.
"Don't think I've forgotten about you!" the GBK yelled at him, rolling a bomb at the teen's legs.
The blast just missed him, but being in the vicinity was enough to cause him to trip up and tumble, only serving to bang him up further. One hand extended over and flicked him right into the Chaos Generator he'd been trying so hard to get to. Miles held his head with one hand, his body feeling like it weighed far more than it actually did after that blow. The Emerald that he'd kept close for effectively his entire life was right there, yet as he strained to get it, he realized it was beyond his grasp. His legs felt like lead, and it was a chore to get him to even stretch his limb that far.
"Dmitri, do as I command," the GBK told the engineer with deadly calm.
There was a bit of silence before Dem Fukurokov audibly gulped. "V-very well, Sire. It will take a minute or so to reposition and prime the reserve energy."
There was a grunt of affirmation, followed by the GKMS lifting one foot above the fox. He hovered it until its shadow was over the teen's legs, then let out a short and sinister cackle. He was going to cripple this pest, make him look on as his friends were annihilated, and then crush him like a grape!
That was when Remi dove in to save its master once again, ramming straight into the broken eye of the mech. The GBK snarled and grabbed at the robot, latching onto the little guy's back legs. But Remi just dug in deeper, pushing past the shards of broken glass and anchored itself with its front legs and its muzzle, hooking into the circuitry there. Miles looked up and tried as best he could to see what his buddy was doing. That was when he saw Remi shaking as it pushed an explosive that was much too large for its compartment out of that space.
His memory came back to him of a weapon that he hadn't used in a long time: the simplistic, but aptly named Big Bomb. It was so powerful that it put even those being produced now by the GKMS to shame. The last instance of it being brought out was to open the long-sealed passage in Padon Tunnel, all those years ago. While there hadn't been a need for it since, Miles had kept a couple around just in case.
The one Remi was laboring to bring out was already armed, and the fox knew that the few Big Bombs he made had short fuses. It was then, in that moment, that he knew what it was the robot aimed to do. If the GBK managed to yank Remi out, it would be crushed without a second thought, and then the fox would be at the bird's mercy. If it held fast, it'd deal critical damage to the giant mech, but there was no room for the small bot to escape the impending kaboom. In either case, this was the last hurrah of the friend that he'd made, doing everything it could to save him.
His heart sank and began to ache, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. Yes, he could rebuild Remi, but he hadn't gotten a chance to upload all this new information to his server back home. The next iteration would have no memory of any of the events they had gone through here, and it likely wouldn't have the same resolve as the friend he had now, at least not for some time. In that sense, he really was losing someone near and dear to him.
Remi released its jaws and swerved its head around to regard its master for the final time, its gray eyes shining electric blue with a brighter light than they ever had. It belted out a couple of barks that sounded encouraging, rather than like it was saying goodbye, before securing itself once more. Scintillating white flooded the GKMS's broken socket, which was replaced the next instant by blazing orange and red. A truly blaring BOOM cascaded throughout the room and much of the station, along with a rightly miserable cry as a significant chunk of the giant robot's face was reduced to scrap and bits. At the same time that it fell back and clutched its head with both hands, a charred and warped computer chip the size of one of the fox's fingers clattered at his feet. He recognized it as the central piece of his likeness' AI, and seeing it in this state, the water that had been threatening to spill finally rushed down his cheeks.
"Remi!" Miles wailed in anguish.
His form shook from both emotion and injury as he tried willing himself to get up, to reach out to those gems. Yet he just couldn't get to them, as though his body was well and truly out of energy. But, he knew that he didn't have to maintain physical contact to call upon them, so he had to wonder why they weren't responding to him. Why was nothing happening!? In his frustration, however, he didn't notice the faint radiance slowly forming in the cores of the stones.
"My eye! My eye!" the GBK screeched with abject ire, his mech flailing around as it nursed its face, "damnation, hurry up with that Cannon and fire it, Dmitri!"
"O-of course, Sire!" the owl replied hastily, "just a little longer until the Grand Kukku Cannon is live again. Rest assured that this time, there's nothing Prower or any of his friends can do to stop it!"
The view of Earth below was suddenly replaced by a zoomed satellite perspective of the Battle Fortress. Panic set in even more for Miles as he internally yelled at himself to get moving, managing to push himself on his side with his tails. With all the effort his battered body could muster, the tips of his fingers caught the edge of the cyan Emerald and tugged it ever so slightly closer to him.
"Go!" Speedy shouted to the others as he opened the back access to the command room. He then tossed his personal jetpack to the red wolf; it wasn't like he needed it anymore, anyway. "This will take you straight to ground level!"
"What about you?" Gizmo asked, almost feeling dirty for being concerned about him.
The prince smirked. "Don't worry about me, I've already got an exit."
The group briefly looked on as the bird gave them one last Kukku salute, then dashed towards the broken viewing window. He leapt out, spread his arms, and expeditiously ascended out of sight. With Speedy now left to his own devices, the only thing that remained was for them to evacuate.
"Come on, we've gotta get to the Tornado!" Sonic shouted as he ran ahead of the group.
He dove from the platforms that were provided along the sides of the passage, while the wolf twins vaulted down with their cables, and Charmy descended with both Espio and Vector hanging onto him.
"How're we all gonna fit on that thing?" Vector wondered, "can't we just swipe another ride to split up?"
"We don't have time!" Gadget interjected, recalling his grappling wire and breaking into a sprint the instant his boots hit the ground.
The six Animals broke through the bottom entry from the bridge and ran out onto the deck. Sonic gave himself a boost to get to the cockpit and start it up while the others made their way over to him, tractor screw spinning after a few seconds. Espio was the first to catch up, leaping into the space between the levels of the left wing and grabbing hold of the support poles. Charmy was right behind him, shrinking down to his flight mode and slinking into the cockpit next to the hedgehog. Gadget grappled up to the top of the left wing above the chameleon, while Gizmo took up position on the opposite, then used her own device to tug Vector up to the poles below her.
"Is everyone prepared?" the purple reptile asked.
The insect boy flashed a thumbs up from behind the windshield of the plane. "Ready!"
"We're good up here!" the teal wolf replied as she and her brother braced themselves with their wires.
Nervous though he was about the idea, the crocodile clung tightly to the support poles and shot a glare at the plane's owner. "I don't wanna end up blackened, so just go! I can swim if I fall!"
Whether or not everyone was really ready, Sonic ramped up the acceleration as high as it would go. The Tornado rocketed down the flight deck, nearly peeling out and swerving off the path, but the speedster got it under control. Within a few seconds, they cleared the runway and made a U-turn, pointing them in the direction of West Side Island. They peered back and saw that many other Kukku fighter jets and planes also began taking off, albeit in a disorganized manner.
Unfortunately for most of them, they had chosen to escape too late. The Tornado was no more than a hundred meters away from the Battle Fortress when the sky shifted from an early morning blue to an irradiated green. The space above and around the colossal craft became white hot as a massive beam of light lanced straight through the middle of the hull and into the ocean below. A sound like a jet engine that was right next to their ears pierced the air, blocking out even the immense surge of seawater that the ray kicked up. It was succeeded by a cataclysmic KRAKOOM with the Fortress breaking apart and exploding into an impressive fireball, but the carnage didn't stop there. A dome of energy the same color as the beam rapidly expanded outward, overtaking the crumbling aircraft and many of the fleeing Kukku troops.
The turbulence caused by the atmospheric disturbance and subsequent blast caused Sonic to lose control of the Tornado and send it into a tailspin. The wolves were both flung off the top of their wings, helplessly tugged along by their cables, while Vector lost his own grip on the support poles. He was saved by a timely ninja rope lasso courtesy of Espio, who struggled to hold on to his own anchor with his other hand. Charmy popped back into his normal size and straddled the front of the cockpit as he bent down and helped the hoglet fight the steering yoke. But, just as it seemed like they were about to get a handle on the thing again, everyone saw the light getting dangerously close.
"It's going to hit us!" Gizmo shrieked.
"Use that barrier thing!" Vector shouted over at the red wolf.
"I can't reach it!" Gadget hollered back as his free arm tried to fight against the wind.
"Everyone, hang on!" Sonic cried out over all of them, him and Charmy working to maneuver the plane so they could best brace for impact.
Miles stared at the blank white screen across from him, his breath caught in his throat, his form unmoving, and his fingers brushing over the cyan Emerald. How could he even begin to describe how he felt? He'd seen that small red dot that was the Tornado fleeing from the Battle Fortress, knowing that his friends had managed to jump ship. But then, the Cannon had hit its mark, and even with what was supposed to be minimal firepower, it had been devastating. Whoever was caught in the initial explosion was likely vaporized instantly, and he had no way of knowing himself if Speedy had managed to get out. He had seen hordes of Kukku vehicles swallowed up in the ensuing shockwave, and he was indeed sympathetic to the horrible loss of life.
But no loss was greater than his own, in that moment. He'd watched as the Tornado was rocked by the blast and spiraled down towards the sea. How it had regained control, but not fast enough to avoid the oncoming wall of energy and ultimately disappear into it. Perhaps it was best that he didn't see their faces as they were consumed, but it did little, if anything, to lessen the pain. Not the aches in his body, no. It was the throbbing in his chest, as though someone had reached in and put his heart in a vice.
The fox felt himself choking while the full weight of the situation settled in. Everyone that had helped him get this far was gone. His brother and sister, his best friend and his two buddies, the boy that he would've gladly had as his partner in his endeavors, and possibly even his greatest rival. While he could beat the GBK and bring down the Battle Moon, there was little he had to go back now. What would he tell Gob and Guen? Even if he won here, he'd failed, and it was his fault. Because he got careless, got cocky, and held back when he shouldn't have, it had cost him some of the most important people in his life.
But, he also knew that he wasn't the only one to blame. The one most responsible for his misery, past and present, had gotten back to his feet. The GBK was crowing over this personal victory, not caring that he'd destroyed his former home to do so, or that he'd been potentially blinded in one eye. Seeing that brutality, that ruthlessness, and that utter disregard for the lives of anyone else aside from his own on full display hit Miles hard. It stirred something in him, something different from all the other times he'd seen and experienced loss.
"You..." the fox murmured venomously.
For a moment, the faint emanation from within his lucky stone pulsed more powerfully. The grief he felt for his fallen friends and family was compounded by a simmering anger that grew greater with each passing second. And then there was that terrible feeling that he'd experienced on only rare occasions, making itself known again after so long.
Hatred. That whirlwind of negative passion that convinced even the nicest people to commit horrible acts, primarily fueled by the other emotions he was feeling then. The very thing that had driven the leaders of the Battle Kukku Empire to seek vengeance against him. And in that moment, it was telling him that nothing was off the table at this point. The monster in front of him and the one hiding somewhere in this place had taken just about everything from him. Doing unto them as they had to those he loved and cared for...for the first time, it didn't sound so unpalatable.
"You..." Miles rumbled with mounting fury, tears streaming down his face with renewed volume.
Suddenly, his body didn't feel heavy anymore, nor was his head spinning any longer. The fox slowly pushed himself to his feet, his fur puffed out and his fangs on full display to reflect his mood. His whole frame trembled and shook, air forcing itself through his tightened throat and clenched jaw as the enmity, the sorrow, and the rage within him kept growing. His habit of holding those feelings back for his sake, as well as the sake of others, didn't interfere this time. No, now, he wished for nothing more than to have the power to thoroughly and completely dismantle that mobile suit and knock this space station out of orbit. To make the Emperor of the Kukkus feel the same misery that he was, and beat him within an inch of his life, if not go far enough to take it away entirely. All at once, the seven Chaos Emeralds hovered into the air around the fox, the lights within them intensifying and beginning to resonate.
"W-what's happening?" Dr. Fukurokov demanded, "this didn't occur when he used six of the Emeralds in your last battle, milord!"
That was when the GBK finally stopped laughing and started paying attention to what was actually happening. However, he still wasn't concerned by the sight.
"You said this could defeat him even if he used all of them, Dmitri," he stressed to the owl, "so, let him have his little tantrum. It'll be all the better to break his spirit once he realizes that even then, it's no use!"
Miles gradually levitated up off the floor, not even using his tails to do so, with the Emeralds following and keeping aligned with his waist. He stopped about half a meter in the air, where the stones started circling around him. His hands clutched at his head as all the negativity within him increased exponentially due to the influence of the gems, reaching depths he'd never known. His bangs rose up as though a current was blowing from below, and he instinctively began to curl his body into more of a ball shape, but without going into any of the Rolling techniques.
"You'll pay!" Miles howled, his choking turning into unrestrained, livid sobbing.
The ring-shaped orbit of the Chaos Emeralds broke away as each color went off into its own trajectory, their light suddenly dulling and darkening their facets. Soon, they were revolving around Miles like electrons about an atomic nucleus, only in a far more tumultuous manner, and they were only getting faster with every lap. Arcs of deep green lightning heated the space around the fox, casting themselves off of both the Emeralds and him. The debris that had accumulated around the battlefield rattled and was blown away from the winds formed from this reaction, and the screens around the room glitched and flickered.
It all came to a climax when the Chaos Emeralds all slowed and shot outwards from the fox, then streaked towards his body like comets. After phasing into him without any resistance, Miles flung his limbs out, bent himself up and back, and tilted his head to the ceiling.
"WAAAGH!"
The GBK found himself unexpectedly bracing himself in his seat as the GKMS was pushed back by the howling gale that burst forth. A deep and unnatural darkness wrapped around the fox and encroached over much of the space near the deactivated Chaos Generator, obsidian bolts of power crackling and jumping in random directions. Panels and sections of the floor, walls, and ceiling were stripped away from the sheer might of the air currents, and the glass of the thick and immense window fractured. Dr. Fukurokov swiftly lowered the shielding so that his leader wouldn't get sucked out in the unlikely outcome of his robot being destroyed, though it did nothing to assuage his rising concerns. His confidence in his greatest combat mech was wavering, yet it paled in comparison to the fear that was creeping through him the longer he looked on at the shroud.
When the winds calmed and the black fog dispersed, the elderly bird felt as though his soul had left him. All of Miles' fur had grown back, and his wounds were healed, but it didn't appear that way at first glance. His amber coat was now disheveled and unkempt, and it had changed color to a midnight blue-indigo, while the tawny markings were pitch black. His ears had lengthened slightly and become like knives at the tips, as had his two tails, and his teeth had turned into ones like his Critter "cousins" possessed. His gloves and shoes were in tatters, showing off his ebony claws, which had become marginally longer, but also significantly sharper. His watery eyes were void of their irises and pupils, leaving only a pair of burning whites that were clearly fixated on the GKMS. And last, but not least, there was a black, wispy aura that rose off of his form like smoke, making his altered and already shaded fur seem even darker.
"So, the brilliant fox is a lowly beast deep down, just like all lesser Animals," the GBK sneered, holding up both palms and popping a whole mess of bombs into existence, "to your credit, you stayed tame until your pet sacrificed itself and your friends perished. Worry not though, boy, you'll be joining them momentarily!"
He tossed every last explosive he had at his enemy, then replaced them with even more, the mech's palms overflowing with bombs of all sizes. The GKMS hurtled cluster after cluster at the fox, interspersing every so often with missiles from its fingertips. Looking on, the doctor was thankful that they'd made the chamber as sturdy as it was, although the energy from Miles' transformation had done more to it than his boss's own attacks were at the moment. Even as the cloud of fire, smoke, and debris swelled and soon overtook much of the room, the owl couldn't help the pit in his stomach from deepening. There was a solid minute of bombardment, in which the robot eventually and finally ran its missile reserves dry, and the GBK was left panting from having exerted his powers so strenuously. As the dust settled, his laborious breathing gave way to full-bellied laughter, certain beyond all doubt that not a shred of fur or material would be remaining after that onslaught.
His gloating was stopped short and the grin was wiped off of his beak when the smoke cleared entirely. Miles was standing there, looking no worse for wear, not even a single strand of fur out of place. The fox narrowed his eyes, blinking away some of the tears as he let out a guttural growl and started walking towards the mech. Not on two legs like a civilized Animal, but on all fours, tails flicking side to side as his claws scratched against the steel, glaring down the GKMS like giant, but wounded prey. Its pilot had never been one to know fear, even during his days as a budding commander under his father's direction. But, right then, he was, at the very least, unsettled. The big mech took a step back, and that was all the provocation that his foe needed.
Miles cleared the distance in a blink, sinking his hand's claws into the other limb like the metal was made of soft putty, giving it a mighty pull. To the GBK's shock, his mobile suit was yanked right off its feet and fell onto its back, where the fox proceeded to drag him against the floor in a loose circle. The already damaged jetpack was further worn away from the friction, though it didn't last long as the enraged teen lifted the GKMS over his head and brought the front of it down into the floor like a hammer. The bird was barely given a moment to register the pain before he was swinging around again, this time being released just as he made a few rotations. He crashed through the arena they'd been fighting in, bringing down the supports and causing the corner columns to collapse, and slammed into the back wall.
"I'm not scared of you, runt!" spat the Emperor as he threw his arms wide, shrugging off the wreckage as he got back up, "take this!"
He extended one arm at maximum force, hurtling a punch directly at Miles. Without using his tails, the fox lifted off the ground and flew into the oncoming attack's path, drawing back one of his own arms. He let out a thundering roar as he brought his fist forward, bits of his aura coalescing around his hand as he did. The punch not only overcame the much larger object, but utterly dismantled it, bursting apart as explosions rocked up the arm all the way to the shoulder. The GBK screeched horrifically, but though he was seized by agonizing pain, he still made an effort to try and grab the super-powered fox with his remaining hand. Miles effortlessly dodged by flying over it, then speared his two tail tips into the wrist and, with a single twist of his body, tore that arm clean from its socket.
The Emperor clenched his teeth and both of his eyes shut as he rode out the throbbing from the feedback. It may have been true that the pain he felt was only a mitigated version of what the mech did, but his real arms felt just as useless as the ones the GKMS now lacked. Context be damned, Dmitri could have done without this; he'd done so with everything else he'd made! He would have crushed Prower before that point, if only–
His ruminations were interrupted by his neck nearly snapping from a surprise blow to the undamaged side of his head's likeness. While the GBK had been contemplating matters, Miles had zipped down, hauled up the dismembered mechanical arm, and used it to club him in the face. It left a massive dent that also cracked the remaining lens, while the limb exploded into a shower of shrapnel from the sheer strength of the strike. The Emperor fell onto his backside and was seeing stars after such a hit, so disoriented that he struggled to rise again. He couldn't recall the last time he felt this helpless, perhaps because he never had been. As that realization hit him, and his vision came back into focus, allowing him to see a downright murderous look on his nemesis's face, he was gripped with a most primal terror.
Miles repositioned himself far back near the opposite wall, and then proceeded to start up a Spin Dash in mid air. As the screeches of his form revving up power grew more shrill, the wispy darkness built up, and ebony lightning once more crackled around him. The GBK felt the ground and the very air itself tremble from the overwhelming energy, bits and pieces of the arena coming away as they had just moments ago. He wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go in his bulky mobile suit, and even if there was, his body refused to move. It was as though it knew trying to escape was futile.
"GRAAAH!"
With another howl, Miles unleashed his attack and blitzed across the battlefield faster than even the doctor's tech could track. He drilled through the center of the GKMS, causing all the rest of it to fall apart in shambles and pin the GBK beneath the rubble.
Dr. Fukurokov's head swiveled from screen to screen as the fox continued his rampage, the Super Spin Dash breaking through what he'd once considered impenetrable walls. Like a chaotic pinball, the blindingly fast midnight sphere pinged and ricocheted off of anything and everything in his path. CT machines were dusted, production facilities were destroyed, passageways between wards collapsed, and then, he reached the auxiliary generators. The entire station lurched as one after another, its precious power sources were smashed to bits, every alarm imaginable going off and automated messages ordering troops to evacuate. But there was no way out, not with the path of destruction that Prower had left, and even if there was, he couldn't abandon his leader...not like that boy did. He would find a way to survive this, though, just as he had when that troublesome teen wrecked his previous plans.
"You've not seen the last of us, Miles Prower," he swore, "we will be back, and we will find a power that surpasses that of the Chaos Emeralds, mark my words!"
After knocking out the last crucial components, Miles dove through the bottommost layer of the Battle Moon, the station above him listing and languidly falling into gravity's embrace. He felt the heat of atmospheric reentry wash over him, but like everything else thrown at him in this state, it didn't affect him at all. He wasn't thinking about much of anything, least of all where he was going, or at least not consciously. There was something, however, that drew him down to the island that he'd been exploring and adventuring in the past few days.
Though the station had been hundreds of kilometers above his destination, Miles plummeted down the vast majority of the distance within mere seconds. He found himself drifting to the western half of the island, down to a familiar shoreline next to a forest, one with a private hangar and runway. The fox collided with the sand some ways away from the small building, leaving a crater several meters wide and a few deep, which quickly began to fill with seawater that rolled in from the waves. He floated above the tide and hovered over to the front of the Tornado's former abode, letting one hand rest upon the shutters.
With a low whimper, Miles fell to his knees, his claws raking down the metal door as his legs thumped limply into the sand. Little mattered anymore, if he were to be truthful. His victory over the Empire had been a pyrrhic one; yes, he had brought down their ultimate weapon and prevented Cocoa Island's annihilation, but he had lost everyone that helped him get there. Even with the support of his adoptive parents, and a few other friends that he wasn't sure about where they lived, his confidence was shattered. How could he pick himself up to do something like this again, even if the Kukkus did come back? He wasn't sure if he'd be able to.
"The signal is coming from over here!"
The dark fox's ears perked up, the tiny bit of sanity left finding familiarity in that distant voice. He wasn't just hearing things, was he? Did he dare have faith? Or was it simply a curious local coming to see what was going on?
"It's gotta be in the same spot where that light came down!" exclaimed another seemingly recognizable tone.
Miles gave in to the hopeful feeling welling within his chest and turned his head to look to the source of the clamoring as he got up. He felt his heart leap into his throat at what he found. There, in the clearing that led to this quiet place, was Sonic. The hoglet was pretty roughed up, and his shoes and gloves had seen better days, but...he was alive. The fox soon saw that his young partner wasn't alone. His older brother and sister strode up behind him, looking just as beat up with their equipment and accessories, the red twin's glasses sporting several cracks while the teal one's goggles had snapped their strap and lost one of their lenses. His best friend zipped up next, along with his two partners, all of whom were scuffed up, but no worse for wear than the others were.
Miles rubbed at his eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks on him. And when the sight of his family and friends remained, a fresh set of tears started pouring as he turned to face them fully. Most of them looked hesitant to approach, no doubt put off by the monstrous state he was in. But not Sonic. The blue blur walked up to him, calmly and coolly, sporting that ever confident smile, just as he had when they first met. He stopped in front of the fox and held out his hands, mimicking holding something. Miles tentatively let one of his own hands move between them, letting out a soft grunt when those fingers came in and closed around it.
This was real.
"Nicky..." he managed to get out in a gravelly voice.
"It's okay now, big guy," Sonic said soothingly, giving that larger paw a soft squeeze, "you're here, I'm here, and all our pals are here, too. We won."
That did it. The wispy, shadowy aura around Miles dissipated as his proportions returned to normal and his colors reverted to their original hues. His fur was still disheveled, but he was otherwise okay, physically speaking. The Chaos Emeralds left his body and fell to the ground, far more dull than he'd ever seen them, as though their energy had been utterly drained. He felt it was still there, but whatever he'd done, it left the gems very weak.
Not as weak as his legs felt, though, once more falling to his knees, both arms moving out to pull his friend in for a tight and close hug. Miles let everything out, openly bawling and coughing as his grief was overpowered by elation. Sonic returned the embrace just as strongly, petting over the fox's back in slow circles while blinking away a couple droplets of his own. He felt another pair of arms hug around his neck from behind, along with the buzzing of insectoid wings. The bee gave Miles a squeeze before moving back, letting two more sets of arms wrap around him. He felt his siblings nuzzling at him, their affection ensuring him that everything would be alright.
And Miles knew that as long as he had them all, things would turn out okay in the end.
"Knuckles!" came a goofy, booming bass voice, "Knuckles, come quick!"
The recipient of the shout let out an annoyed groan. He was a tall and strong echidna with violet eyes, red fur that covered most of his body, a black nose on a peach-skinned muzzle, and a white crescent-shaped patch of fur on his chest. He wore red and yellow shoes, each with green cuffs, light gray soles, and a gray, sextuple-bolted plate on top. He also had large, white, mitten-like gloves with sock-like cuffs and two spiked knuckles on each hand. He was sitting on turquoise steps that led up into a massive chamber with six purple flower-like crystal platforms surrounding a seventh one. Above the central platform was an even bigger green beryl outcropping, one with numerous matching minerals, but the most notable of all was a huge, brilliant-cut emerald that sat between all of them. It had a powerful light within its core that alternatively brightened and dimmed with each passing second.
To Knuckles' right was a stitched mural that depicted an immense gold and purple bird of prey, one of its talons outstretched to take the same green diamond on the altar behind him. Across from it was what appeared to be a two-tailed fox that was surrounded by a powerful, vortex-shaped capris-blue aura. He didn't quite understand the meaning of the image, as there was no text to accompany it. His best guess was that the two figures were fighting over the gem that he was charged with watching over, and that it was an event predicted to occur at some point. If it never came to pass, then he could be satisfied with that, but if it did, then he would do everything within his power to keep either of them from taking his charge.
As for the source of his frustration, it belonged to a very large and burly cat Animal that had pale yellow sclera and black eyes. The majority of his body fur was purple with dark violet stripes, with a striped pattern running up his arms and long tail. His feet were covered in dark violet fur up to his ankles as well as the outer tips of his triangular ears, while his upper legs, back, and sides were covered in purple fur. He had white fur on his chest, torso, muzzle, and inner ears, with most of it protruding outwards. The cat wore tan gloves and sandals, as well as a matching belt with a gold buckle, and had a black and yellow fishing rod slung over his shoulder with a green, fish-shaped lure dangling from the end.
"What is it, Big?" the echidna asked in a dry tone, not really in the mood to deal with whatever the feline was on about.
He had no idea how Big kept getting into the palace, either. No matter how many times he was turned away or how many passages Knuckles closed off, he always found a way. The bulky fellow never did anything bad or even unpleasant, really, aside from disturbing his peace. It was just a hassle having to deal with it every time, since no one else was supposed to even know about this place except for the echidna. Then again, he'd been around just as long and knew the island pretty much as well as him, so he supposed he just wasn't doing a good enough job keeping him away.
"There's a giant egg falling towards the island!" Big hollered, waving his arms around, "it's just like that story you told me!"
Knuckles shot up from his seat. If this truly was the case...
"Are you absolutely certain, Big?" he inquired in perhaps the most serious voice the cat had ever heard him use.
The bigger Animal nodded his head in large bobs. "Yeah, Froggy and I saw it! It looks like it's gonna–"
The ground quaked and tilted sharply, causing both the cat and echidna to slide down the polished floor. Knuckles extended one of his hands to grab Big's belt, then slammed the other into the ground, the spiked knuckles piercing through the stone and anchoring them in place. There was a feeling of weightlessness that caused their stomachs to churn that lasted for a good few minutes. It came to an end with the ground shifting back into an upright position, although with a strange sensation of...buoyancy?
Wanting to investigate, Knuckles brought the two of them to a glass tripod that held a spherical red gem in its core. The pair jumped on top of it and were briefly surrounded by bright blue light. After a few seconds and an odd jerking motion that seemed to tug at their whole beings, the echidna and the cat found themselves on the rim of a massive volcano. From there, they could see the jungle on the western coast, the grassy highlands of the ruins, the sprawling mushroom forest, the desert further east that crossed into the base of the mountains, and of course, the magnificent lake near the center of–
Knuckles felt his blood run cold as he saw a titanic gray egg-shaped object in the center of the body of water. Not only that, but there was water surrounding the borders of the island itself, the ocean that he'd long looked down at. Above him, sure enough, there were more clouds than he was used to seeing, and the sky was a lighter blue as well.
'It's really happening,' he thought with dread, 'the Dragon's Egg has fallen from the heavens and returned Angel Island to the surface. Just as my ancestors had prophesied...'
After some time, Miles had composed himself enough that he came down from his emotional roller-coaster. The group had all gone back to Casino Night and decided to hold a little private party at the Chaotix joint to celebrate having saved the world. The fox fiddled with his drink as he peered around the bar at his friends.
"I thought," he hesitated, "I thought you all..."
Sonic chuckled a little uneasily. "Well, we almost did."
"But the Chaos Energy shockwave that came after the Grand Kukku Cannon's blast lost power as it expanded," Gadget explained, letting out a sigh, "though it was still strong enough to total the Tornado and knock us out of the sky."
Gizmo pointed out the jetpack slung over her brother's back, which Miles thought looked familiar. "Charmy got both Espio and Vector before they could fall, while Gad grabbed me and Sonic."
"And then we flew the rest of the way back to Emerald Hill," Charmy finished, settling down on his feet and wiping his forehead, "we almost didn't make the trip back, but we pulled through, buddy."
Miles' smile faltered at that. "Yeah, but Remi..."
The gang bowed their heads. They had all seen what the little robot had done, and so gave him the customary moment of silence to honor his sacrifice. But, not wanting to bring down the atmosphere too much, the fox flashed everyone a warm smile.
"I'll be okay," he said, turning to Sonic, "I've just got to keep looking and moving forward, right?"
The hedgehog smirked and gave him a thumbs-up. "You've got it, big guy."
"Ooh, speaking of that," Charmy remarked, "what're you gonna do next, Miles?"
It was a pretty good question. There was always the call for the next adventure, but the fox wasn't ready for that yet. He would prefer to have a chance to relax first before he went on any more crazy quests.
"Well, I think I'll hang around for a little while," Miles decided, "I can help Sonic repair the Tornado, and try to figure out what happened to the Chaos Emeralds." His eyes looked around at everyone else. "How about you guys?"
The twin wolves glanced at one another, then relaxed in their seats and took a swig of their own drinks.
"We'll stay for a bit, too," Gizmo said, grinning toothily at her adopted brother, "we never got to do that sightseeing and all with you, like we'd planned."
"And if you want us to lend you a hand with anything else, you know we'd gladly help," Gadget told him.
Espio hummed, his eyes cast down as he absentmindedly swirled his sake cup. "The police in Metropolis wanted to speak with us about that 'Dr. Robotnik' person. It seems they have run into complications with interrogation and need us present. They may ask for your cooperation as well."
"Means we might have to close this place for a while," the bee said, though he wasn't concerned about the possibility.
"But if it means more work and money, I can't complain!" Vector chirped optimistically.
They celebrated for a while longer before deciding to end the party. The Chaotix trio bid the other four a good night, with the latter group returning to a pair of rooms that the older canids had rented out. Gadget and Gizmo chose to turn in for the evening, giving their vulpine sibling and his little friend a big hug, then shutting themselves away. Miles, meanwhile, flopped back onto his bed and let out a sigh, glad that he could finally rest after everything.
"Tomorrow's a new day," he breathed out.
Sonic giggled boyishly. "Yep. What do you wanna do first?"
"Heck if I know," the fox replied with a soft laugh, "we can play it by ear. But, I think I'm going to try and get some sleep here."
"Alright. Good night, big guy."
Miles once again thought about his journey. How he'd raced this kid, helped finish his dream project, and inadvertently gotten him involved in this whole mess. There had been friction at first, but they'd grown to enjoy each other's company before long. He'd learned valuable things from his young partner, the most important of which he'd brought up earlier. Maybe it was time to look forward in other ways, too.
"Hey, Sonic?" he called.
"Yeah?" the hoglet answered, just settling into bed himself.
The fox let the silence linger for a few moments, then sat up on the covers.
"I know you wanted to think about another nickname to give me," he started, "but there's no need."
"Oh yeah?" Sonic asked, a knowing grin on his face, "so, what do I call ya, then?"
The teen held out a fist, smiling warmly when the other Animal bumped it back.
"Call me Tails."
