The Tornado landed in a green field near a large white farmhouse. The group got out of Tornado, Sonic, Knuckles and Shadow all looked confused wondering where the hell they were. They walked towards the house "What is this place?" Razor asked Whisper, "A safe place". Whisper takes out a key and unlocks the door and they enter a rustic home. They go through into the living room "Tangle? I'm home". A pregnant light grey lemur wearing a yellow sleeveless top entered. She froze when she saw the others. Whisper nodded "Hey. Company. Sorry, I didn't call ahead". Tangle composed herself and walked forward and kissed Whisper. The others stared at them "She's an agent" Sonic said pointing at Tangle. The only one who wasn't surprised was Rouge. Whisper turned to them "Guys, this is Tangle". Tangle excitedly waved "I-I know all your names".
They heard footsteps "Incoming" Whisper joked. A young echidna boy wearing a green hoodie, Raynor and an even younger pink wolf wearing a blue shirt, Ava ran in "Mum!". Whisper picked up Ava "Hi, sweetheart!". She used her free arm to hug Raynor "How're you doing?" she kissed his head. Sonic tilted his head and pointed at the children "These are… smaller agents". "Did you bring Auntie Rouge?" Ava asked. Whisper put her down and "Why don't you hug her and find out?" Rouge said stepping out. She ran to Rouge who lifted her up and hugged her. Shadow stepped forward "Sorry for barging in by the way". Sonic nodded "Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed". Whisper chuckled "Yeah, well, Tower helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off G.U.N's files. I'd like to keep it that way. I figured it's a good place to lay low". Razor realized he had stepped on a Lego house, and he backed away. Rouge went over to Tangle and touched her belly "How's little Rouge the Bat, huh?". Tangle cringed "Actually, there weren't any bat donors. It's Rouge the Hawk". Rouge's frowned and looked down at Tangle's stomach "Traitor". Ava and Raynor stepped over to Razor with the latter cautiously touching the sword. Razor stared down at them both. Shadow was watching everyone, and a smirk formed on his face when "We can go home" he frowned. When everyone wasn't looking he left the house and went for a walk.
Whisper was now in her room showing Tangle the healed wound on her hip "See? You worried for nothing. Can't feel the difference, can you?". Tangle nodded "If they're sleeping here, some are gonna have to double up". Whisper chuckled "Yeah, that's not gonna sell" "What about Rouge and Knuckles? How long has that been going on?". Whisper stared at her confused "Has what been going on?". Tangle chuckled "I'll explain when your older" "Well, okay". Tangle's face slowly dropped "It's bad, right. Rouge seems really shaken". Whisper sighed "Metal has these allies. These, uh, kids. They're punks, really. But they carry a big, damn stick. And Rouge took a serious hit. Someone's gonna have to make them pay for that" "That someone being you. You know I totally support your Chaotix thing. Couldn't be prouder". Whisper sat down and Tangle put her hands on her shoulders "But I see those guys…". They looked out the window and saw Raynor watching Shadow and Sonic in amazement even though they were just talking to each other "Those gods…" "You don't think they need me" "I think they do, which is a lot scarier. They're a mess". Whisper sighed "Yeah. I guess they're my mess" "You need to be sure that this team is really a team, and that they have your back".
Whisper stood and faced her as Tangle touched held her own stomach "Things are changing for us. In a few months' time you and I are gonna be outnumbered. I need… Just be sure" "You got it". She kissed her and then left the room. She walked downstairs and heard "So, my father wouldn't allow me to bring my sword. He said a true warrior does not need to rely such things. So, I had to face the beast alone with nothing but a knife". Whisper recognised it was Razor "I managed to get the beast on its back, I plunged the dagger into it's stomach and pulled it down opening…". Whisper realised who he was telling it to, and she quickly ran in "Razor!". He was telling it to Ava who was staring at Razor with wide opened eyes in shock. Razor turned to Whisper not realising what was wrong. Whisper instead of being angry was trying to hold back a laugh at the situation "Maybe don't tell her those stories. I think she's a bit young". Razor looked back at Ava "Oh, my apologies. On Lost Hex children came from everywhere to hear tails of a warriors first kill". Whisper nodded "I'm sure they do, but us Mobians need to be a bit more mature" "So you do not share your stories with them?". Ava was finally broken out of her shock "She did once. She shot a guy through the chest with the laser". Whispers smile immediately disappeared, she pointed at Razor trying to think of an excuse before sighing "Don't tell Tangle". Razor nodded "Of course", Whisper nodded thankfully and left the room. Razor turned back to Ava and held out his hand "I shall need that back". Ava revealed she was holding a knife and gave it back to Razor. Razor walked out of the room but suddenly stopped as his head ached, flashes of those Gems and eyes reappeared again. He stopped for a moment but then looked determined and left the house. Shadow saw him "Razor?" "I saw something in that dream. I need answers. I won't find them here". Without saying anything else Razor held out his sword and he flew away.
At a Genetics Research Lab in Aleah, Relic was speaking to two of her staff before entering a dark room alone "Scream, and your entire staff dies". Relic jumps in fright and sees Metal's red eyes glowing in the dark. Relic calms herself and stares him down. Metal stepped out of the darkness "I could have killed you, Relic, the night I was born. I didn't" "Do you expect me to thank you?" "I expect you to know why". Relic noticed what was next to Metal "The Cradle". Metal put his hand on it and played a recording "This is the next thing, Sonic" "This is the next of my kind. A blaze that will be unleashed upon the world" "The Cradle prints tissue. It can't build a living body". Metal took a step closer to her "It can. You can. You lack the materials". A Mecha Whisper steps forward holding a glass cylinder with Chaos Emeralds inside "You're a brilliant woman, Relic. But we all have room to improve". A Mecha Sonic comes up behind her and puts the Beryl to her chest and her eyes turn black.
Rouge was sitting on a bed wearing a bathrobe. Memories flashed of her on the stretcher and a surgeon taking a tool. The door opened to the bathroom and Knuckles walked out drying himself with a towel "I, uh, didn't realise you were waiting" "I would've joined you, but it didn't seem like the right time". Knuckles awkwardly pointed back to the shower "They used up all the hot water" "I should've joined you". Knuckles gave a slight laugh "Missed our window" "Did we?". Knuckles sighed and walked over to a window and put his towel on the radiator "The world just saw me. You know I have to leave" "You assume that I have to say. I, uh, had this thing put into my head, this dream. The kind that seems normal at the time. It seems right". Knuckles stepped forward "What did you dream?" "That I was part of the Chaotix. That I was more than what they made me. That…" she lowered her head. Knuckles stared sympathetically "I think you're being hard on yourself". Rouge smiled and got close to him "Here I was hoping that was your job".
Knuckles sighed "What're you doing?" "I'm running with it. With you". She put her hand on his cheek "If running is the plan. As far as you want". Knuckles took her hand but then looked away and stepped back. Rouge stared at him "I want you to understand that, um, what we're talking about, I never-" "Rouge, where can I go? Half the world wants me dead cause I'm a threat. The other half wants me for a weapon" "Not me". Knuckles sighed "Even if I didn't just… There's no future with me. I can't ever. I can't have this". He gestures around the room "A home. Kids. I physically can't". Rouge trembled slightly "Neither can I". Knuckles narrowed his eyes in confusion. Rouge took a breath before speaking "In the Warp Topaz where I was trained, where I was raised, um…". She gulped "They have a graduation ceremony. They sterilize you". Her eyes start to water "It's efficient. One less thing to worry about. The one thing that matters more than a mission. Makes everything easier. Even killing"/ She struggles to keep eye contact "You still think you're the only monster on the team?". Knuckles stared at her sympathetically "So, we disappear?". Rouge looks up hopeful and smiles slightly.
Shadow and Sonic were both cutting logs in half with axes, Shadow's pile was bigger. Sonic put a new log on his side "Razor didn't say where he was going for answers?" "Sometimes my teammates don't tell me things". He looked up and saw Whisper with her kids measuring part of the porch "I was kind of hoping Razor would be the exception" "Yeah, give him time. We don't know what the kid showed him". Shadow walked over to get another log "Mobius' mightiest heroes. Pulled apart like cotton candy" "Seems like you walked away alright". Shadow stopped and turned to them "Is that a problem?" "I don't trust a guy with a dark side. Call me old fashioned" "Well, let's just say you haven't seen it yet".
Sonic glared at him "You know Metal is trying to tear us apart, right?" "Well, I guess you'd know. Whether you'd tell us is a bit of a question". Shadow broke another log, but Sonic stopped and stepped closer to him defensively "Knuckles and I were doing research" "That would affect the team" "That would end the team! Isn't that the mission? Is that why we fight?". Shadow ignored him and picked up another log, "So we can end the fight. So, we get to go home!". Shadow tore the log in half and turned to Sonic "Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time". Tangle walked over to them "I'm sorry. Mr Sonic… Whisper said you wouldn't mind, but our tractor doesn't seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might-" "Yeah, I'll give her a kick". He nodded to Shadow "Don't take from my pile".
Sonic enters the barn and walks over to the broken barn "Hello, Deere. Tell me everything. What ails you?". He kneels down to get a look at the engine when "Do me a favour". An unsurprised Sonic turned to see Tower wearing a grey jacket "Try not to bring it to life" "Why, Ms Tangle, you little minx. I get it. Topaz called you, right? Was she ever not working for you?". Tower walked towards him "Artificial intelligence. You never even hesitated" "Look, it' been a really long day, so how's about we skip to the part where you're useful" "Look me in the eyes and tell me you're going to shut him down". Sonic smirked "You're not the director of me" "I'm not the director of anybody. I'm just an old man who cares very much about you". Tower sits on a hay bail. Sonic glanced away "And I'm the man who killed the Chaotix. I saw it. I didn't tell the team. How could I? I saw them all dead, Abe. I felt it. The whole world, too. Because of me. I wasn't ready. I didn't do all I could". Tower could relate to this more than anyone "The psycho hedgehog is working you, Sonic. Playing on your paranoia. Believe me, I know what that's like" "I wasn't tricked, I was shown. Wasn't a nightmare, it was my legacy. The end of the path I started us on". Tower stood back up "You come up with some pretty impressive inventions, Sonic. War isn't one of them". Sonic went back over to the tractor with a spanner "I watched my friends die. You'd think that be as bad as it gets, right? Nope. It wasn't the worst part" "The wort part is that you didn't". Sonic looked back at him but didn't say anything.
Razor stood outside of a university wearing a hoodie when he saw Dr Ellidy walk out. Ellidy saw him "I like the look. If you're going for inconspicuous, though, near miss" "I need your help" "It's nice to be needed". They walked to his car "It's dangerous" "I'd be disappointed if it wasn't".
The group were in the kitchen listening to Tower "Metal took you folks out of play to buy himself time. My contacts all say he's building something". Ava came in and went next to Rouge showing her a drawing. Rouge smiled and took the picture as Tower continued "The amount of Chaos Emeralds he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing" "What about Metal himself?" Shadow asked. Tower shrugged "Oh, he's easy to track. He's everywhere. The guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. It still doesn't help you get an angle on any of his plans, though" "Is he still going after launch codes". Tower nodded "Yes. He broke through the encryption drives but he's not making any headway". Sonic was throwing darts at a board "I cracked Techno Base's firewall in high school on a dare" "Well, I contacted our friends at Nexus. Metal is fixing on missiles. But the codes are constantly being changed". Sonic was taking the darts out "By whom" a dart went right past his face and hit the bullseye. Sonic turned and saw Whisper smiling. Tower ignored him "Parties unknown" "We have an ally?" Rouge asked. Tower shook his head "Metal's got an enemy. That's not the same thing. Still, I'd pay a lot of rings to know who it is" "I might need to visit Nexus. Find our unknown" Sonic said. Rouge sighed "Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that" "I do. I have you. Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere. Ears, everywhere else. You kids had all the tech you could dream up. Here we all are, back on Mobius, with nothing but our will to save it. Metal says the Chaotix are the only thing between him and his mission. And whether or not he admits it, his mission is global destruction. All this, laid in a grave. So, stand. Outwit the mechanical bastard". Rouge raised her eyebrows "Shadow doesn't like that kind of talk, sir" "You know what, Bat?" Shadow said jokingly. Tower sat down "So, what does he want?" "To become better. Better than us. He keeps building bodies". Sonic pondered "Bodies for him. What if he wants to create more of him? A species he would evolve from Mobians". Knuckles nodded "Has anyone been in contact with Relic?".
In the lab the cradle was open building a lilac-coloured body. Relic was staring at a screen "It's beautiful. The Chaos energy is binding the tissue cells with the metal" "The most versatile energy on the planet, and they gave it to a poster boy. Typical. Scratching the surface and never think to look within". He looked to the Beryl which was underneath a laser. It started to crack before finally opening revealing a red oval gem which floated in mid-air. Metal takes it and inserts it onto the partially formed head of his creation.
The group were getting ready "I'll take Rouge and Whisper" "Alright. Strictly recon. I'll hit the Nexus. I'll join you as soon as I can" "If Metal is really making more". Sonic stopped him "He'll be more powerful than any of us. Maybe all of us". Shadow rolled his eyes "You know, I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me". Tower came in "I'll drop Knuckles off at the Tower. Mind if I borrow Ms Topaz" "She's all yours. Apparently. What're you gonna do?". Tower smirked "I don't know. Something dramatic, I hope". In the other room Whisper held her wispon over her shoulder in front of Tangle "I'm gonna finish reflooring the sunroom as soon as I get back" "Yeah, then you'll find another part of the house to tear apart". Whisper shook her head "No. It's the last project. I promise" the two kissed.
Razor and Ellidy walked deep into a cave where they found a murky pool "So, this is it. The Water of Sight" "In every realm, there's a reflection. If the water's spirits accept me, I can return to my dream and find what I missed". Ellidy looked concerned "Men who enter that water, the legends don't end well".
Sonic was now at Nexus in front of three computer with three workers behind him "A hacker who's faster than Metal? He could be anywhere and as this is the centre of everything, I'm just a guy looking for a needle in the world's biggest haystack" "How do you find it?" a skunk asked. Sonic started tying "It's pretty simple. You bring a magnet". He started humming "Oh, I'm decrypting nuclear codes and you don't want me to" he sang to himself.
Razor slowly enters the pool and lowers his head below the surface. Ellidy waits when Razor burst back out screaming as electricity sparks from his body. Flashes of Metal and the Beryl flash in his head. The Beryl was in space, and it broke open revealing the gem "Razor!" Ellidy yelled. He saw the world destroyed and then the Chaos Orb opening revealing the yellow Gem inside. Then the Lost crystal and the Cube which broke open revealing a green star gem. The four gems then changed colour to magenta and combined into what looked to be a Ruby.