At the side of the cliff, Knuckles was climbing up, which was one of various functions of his gloves. Then, various drones surrounded him abnd he loosk at the droens as Robotnik leans over the edge.
"So, my massively metacarpled friend..." Robotnik starts. "you mentioned awo-awo-awooo-ultimate power back at the house?"
"The Emerald of power? It does not concern you." Knuckles responds. "I got you off that planet and you brought me to the hedgehog Faunus. We have no more use for each other."
"well, I hate to be a contrarian, but..." Robotnik starts, pushing buttons on his gloves. "...I think we might."
Then, more and more of the drones surround Knuckles.
"You think these machines are a match for me?! I will shatter them like the bones of a fallen-" Knuckles starts before seeing what the drones were moving around to be. "-oh, they are stairs."
When Knuckles got up to the cliff face, Robotnik had a couple things to bring up.
"You see...Vale is my turf, g." Robotnik comments. "If you don't know what its' like, you'll be lost without me."
"I understand NOTHING of what you just said." Knuckles stated
"I help you retrieve the emerald...and YOU use it to...DESTROY THE HEDGEHOG FAUNUS!" Robotnik shouts
After some thought, Knuckles looks at Robotnik.
You're suggesting an alliance?" Knuckles asks
"Around here, we simply...grip each other's hands, firmly." Robotnik says, holding his still regular hand out to Knuckles
Knuckles gripped, carcking Robotnik's bones a little.
"You...crackulant island pumpkin! You crushed my favorite hand!" Robotnik comments
"Apparently, my hand is uninjured." Knuckles responds. "But I am now convinced of yoru commitment."
"Oh goodie I exclaim while resetting my fingers." Robotnik comments, fixing his fingers. "I'm DELIGHTED to be on the same team."
Robotnik pushed a couple more buttons and from behind the masive egg ship came a smaller transport pod.\
"Road trip!" Robotnik said as the pod lands next to them. "I'll let you stick your nose out the window."
Sonic and Miles had gone to Nora's place.
"Uhh...where are we?" Miles comments
"My garage." Nora responds. "Most open place that can be utilized for, well, anything in terms of rooms in my whole house."
"Okay, okay, focus." Sonic comments. "We need to figure out why Knuckles thinks i'm the key to finding the Emerald of Power, and why did he mention Longclaw?"
Miles thought before saying, "There's gotta be a connection."
Sonic realized something.
"There is!" Sponic comments, pulling out his old ring map. "There's an emerald symbol on the map Longclaw gave me. I never knew what it meant before."
Suddenly, the map began glowing blue.
"Something's happening!" Miles exclaimed
Sonic ended up dropping the map on the garage floor and out from it rose a spectral projection of Longclaw.
"Longclaw?" Sonic comments
"Hello, Sonic. If you are watching this, or if Miles is watching this, then...something has happened to me and I prey you made it to Vale unharmed. Remnant was remaining as planet of choice cause it is the hidden location of the Emerald of Power. It has the power to turn thoughts into reality." The spectral projection of Longclaw explained
"Like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters." Norma muttered
"Shhhh!" Miles hushed Nora
"In the wrong hands, it could threaten all life in the universe. Protecting the emerald was my sacred duty from the God of Light and God of Darkness. And now I must pass that responsibility onto you." Longclaw said. "Follow the map, find the emerald, and keep it safe. You have a heart like no Faunus i've ever known, Sonic. I love you so much...goodbye."
The spectral projection then faded away, Sonic shedding a couple tears.
"I won't let you down, Longclaw." Sonic muttered
"So...was that...your mom?" Nora comments, looking at Miles
"What?" Miles questioned
Sonic picks up hsi map.
"According to this map, the first clue to the emerald's location is over in Atlas." Sonic comments
"And with Knuckles already here, it's a race." Miles stated
"Regardless, we're gonna get there first." Sonic commednts, opening a ring portal to somewhere in Atlas
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what's this 'we'?" Miles comments
"You're comin' with me." Sonic responds
"Oh nononono, I just came here to warn you." Miles said. "I'm not a field guy."
"Don't worry, I got your back. I won't let anything happen to you." Sonic comments, putting his fist out
Miles walked over with a raised eyebrow.
"It's a power bump, in the kingdoms, it mean san unbreakable promise." Sonic explained.
"Okay." Miles comments, giving Sonic a power bump. "I'm in."
Meanwhile, in the Mean Bean Coffee Co. coffee shop, Stone had finished another lattee, giving a little picture of himself and Robotnik to the top, checking his watch. Then, that's when Robotnik stepped in the door.
"Doctor. It's really you." Stone comments, noticing Robotnik's new look as Stone's wolf tail stuck up a little from excitement. "You look...different."
"Papa's got a brand new 'stache." Robotnik comments, doing a quick little spin. "Ha!"
"I knew it. I knew it!" Stone comments, grabbing the latte and walking over to Robotnik. "I knew you'd come back, sir! I never stopped steaming your Vacuoan goatsmilk."
Robotnik took the latte and took a little sip as Knuckles stepped in.
"Could use some mushroom." Robotnik comments
"You..brought someone." Stone comments, noticing Knuckles. "Some kind of...porcupine Faunus."
"Porcupine? I am an ECHIDNA Faunus. Trained since birth in all forms of lethal combat, trained since birth in all forms of lethal combat, destined to restore honor to my tribe and willing to destroy ANYTHING that gets in my way." Knuckles responds
Stone held out hsi hand as he said, "Well, then welcome to the team."
Knuckles gripped Stone's hand, crushing it a little as he yelped in pain.
"That means he trusts you, Stone." Robotnik comments as Stone nodded. "now let's RRENOVATE THIS DUMP!"
"Latte, with steamed Vacuoan goatmilk!" Stone shotus
Then, the entire interior of the coffee shop changed to something more akin to Robotnik's old Bullhead's truck mode.
