Robots were attacking the city.

Again.

It was literally the fourth time this week! Ever since Eggman disappeared from the page, his robots kept returning and causing havoc through the city streets, terrorizing its citizens and forcing them to flee to higher ground. It was chaos, and too overwhelming for a certain human girl. However, she subdued those feelings and focused on helping other people escape. She noticed three mobians trying to escape the clutches of a robot, and she hurried over, grabbing a hammer. "Run! Get to the storm bunker!"

The three nodded, and took off, leaving Penny to fend for herself. She gulped up at the robot and raised her weapon, however, the robot managed to knock her down with a powerful punch. She groaned, glancing up at the bot with wide eyes.

"Hey, are you hurt?"

Penny opened her eyes and glanced around. The robots were destroyed, wrecked to pieces. And smiling down at her was a face she didn't think she'd see for a while. She grinned widely and grasped the blue hedgehog in a huge hug. "SONIC!"

"Whoa!" Sonic laughed, stumbling a little as she squeezed him. "Take it easy!"

"Where have you been?!" Penny grinned at him. "It's been a while!"

A shriek was heard from up ahead, and Sonic jumped at the sound. "Hold that thought, Pen."

He zoomed off, and Penny grumbled, beginning to understand how Amy felt about him moving around like that. Well, that was Sonic for you, always speeding off without question or relaxation. This was just who he was...you couldn't change him no matter what.

Unless you bribed him with a chili dog, then he'd possibly do stuff he'd never considered.

She made up her mind and darted after Sonic. She hurried over a corner just in time to see him give instructions to fellow Resistance fighters. "Bots coming in from the north! You've got a guy holding his own out there!"

"O-okay!"

The trio took off.

"'Gu holding his own out there?" Penny repeated, walking up to Sonic with a curious look. The hedgehog nodded. "Yeah, I helped a guy earlier by saving him and rescuing his friends."

"You truly are something." Penny smiled.

Another shriek reached their ears, and the two jerked up and noticed three motorbots zooming towards two Mobians trying desperately to open the storm cellar.

"Hurry up!" The female cried, glancing over her shoulder with wild fear. "They're closing in!"

"I'm trying!" The male grunted, tugging on the handles the best he could.

Sonic and Penny both zoomed in in the nick of time, destroying the robots with everything they got. Penny stood up with a huge smile, the fear leaving her, and the familiar desire for adventure slowly returning. This is what she needed. She squeaked in surprise as Sonic scooped her up in his arms and darted off, leaving the two behind.

The female sighed dreamily. "All this terror might be worth it if I get to say Sonic winked at me!"

Her friend chuckled. "I hope we survive long enough to get his autograph!"

"Oh, hey, another hammer guy," Sonic grumbled. "I liked the other one better."

"Let's not encourage him..." Penny squeaked, staring at the robot with wide eyes.

"Hang on!" Sonic gripped her tighter and darted into the air. He smirked down at the robot below. "Where ya goin'?" He and Penny both smashed against the robot's weapon and landed on a manhole cover. Sonic smirked up at him. "C'mon, big guy! Swing Batta Batta...swing..."

He and Penny glanced up.

"I hate robots," Penny grumbled. "I hate robots, I hate robots, I hate robots! Did I mention how much I hate robots?!"

"Yeah." Sonic sighed. "This one's on me." He grabbed Penny quickly in his arms and darted under the manhole cover just before the robot's hammers smashed them. Sonic popped up along with Penny and whistled to the robots. "Hedgehog." Noun. A burrowing animal."

Penny giggled.

The robots charged, and Sonic and Penny cringed, quickly taking off again. "Whoa! You guys can really move when you want to!" Sonic glanced up and quickly grabbed Penny in his arms just as a robot nearly swung his hammer at them, but Tails quickly sped in, saving them in the nick of time. Penny and Sonic grinned up at him. "Tails!"

"Could you two not risk your lives for five minutes?" Tails asked teasingly with an eye roll.

Sonic smirked. "Sure, but where's the fun in that?"

"Sonic!" Penny scolded. The blue hedgehog chuckled as Tails pulled them both up to a rooftop. Even though for a little fox, he was surprisingly pretty strong to carry two at a time. And quick, not to mention really smart and good with mechanics. No wonder he's Sonic's sidekick and best friend.

After placing the two to their feet, Tails glanced at the city below. "What's the status of the town?"

"A bunch of robots attacked this morning," Penny replied, dusting herself off. "And once again, Eggman remains scarce. Sonic and I took out most of them, and it seems that the town's military defense system can handle the rest."

"Those super badniks are another story," Sonic grumbled, shaking his head at the sight of giant robots stomping towards them. Tails smirked up at Sonic and Penny. "Those are better left to the professionals!"

"Be my guest, you two," Penny smirked, nodding her head at the bots. "They're all yours!"

"Hey, thanks!" Sonic shot the girl a grin and grabbed onto Tails' hands. "Let's show 'em how it's done!"

The two quickly joined forces and sped down the rooftop at incredible speed. Penny watched as they both used their ball forms to smash the first robot, then Tails tossed Sonic at the second one. Tails managed to take the third one down by punching it directly in its weak spot...hard.

Tails huffed. "This would be going a lot faster if we had Knuckles with us."

"Naaaah!" Sonic smirked, dusting his hands. "We're doing fine!"

"Guys!" Penny called, pointing ahead. "Stop fooling around and pay attention! The rest of the robots are making a run for it!"

"Thanks, Pen!" Sonic called, saluting her with a determined look. "We can't risk them attacking another town." He glanced up at Penny. "Penny, get down here and help Tails cut them off! I'll handle the super badnik!"

"Okay, on it!" Tails nodded. He flew up and grabbed Penny, and the two headed towards the gate while Sonic smashed more robots. Sonic glanced up at the sight of Tails and Penny landing by the gate. "They're almost out! C'mon, guys! Hurry up!"

Tails rolled his eyes as he gripped the gate's lever. "Oh, ye of little faith..."

"That sure describes Sonic." Penny sighed. "Always rushing things." The two quickly pulled the gate lever, and the robots who noticed tried to skid to a stop but ended up crashing against the hard gate door. Tails and Penny smirked at each other, and Penny grabbed his hands and the two headed towards Sonic, who was proudly kicking away some leftover robot parts.

"Well?" Tails asked as they landed.

Sonic nodded approvingly. "Expertly done. Bonus points for dramatic timing."

Tails and Penny giggled. "Thank you."

"Another day saved thanks to Sonic, Penny, and Tails!" Sonic grinned as he stretched his arms. "These rogue robots are more like pests than anything."

"Normally, I'd agree..." Tails frowned.

"What's wrong?" Penny asked, glancing down at the kitsune. He glanced up at her. "Well, think about it, Pen. If you'd been paying attention, you'd realize that this was a much more coordinated attack." He nodded his head at the robot pieces. "At least compared to anything we've seen lately."

"Really?" Sonic asked. "I haven't noticed."

Tails glared at him. "You too?"

"Fine..." Sonic sighed. "The egg hammers were new to the mix."

"That's NOT what I meant." Tails said exasperatedly. He sighed. "After we have beaten Dr. Eggman and his forces, we broke the Eggman Empire's control over our world. The badnik army remained, but not as a unified threat. The attack seemed more like accidents than aggression.

But today...unified troop movements? Super badniks being developed? Setting up ambushes? SOMETHING is making Eggman's army more cohesive."

"Wow." Penny took Tails' description under heavy consideration and glanced at him with wide eyes. "You're right! This one was seriously more upgraded than the last few. I have actually begun to notice the difference in the attacks, but haven't given them much thought until now."

"Do you think Eggman is back?" Sonic asked suddenly.

"Without so much as an angry vlog?" Tails shook his head, pacing thoughtfully. "No way. After that last defeat, he'd make sure we'd KNEW he was back. The lack of fanfare is spooky."

"That is unlike Eggman..." Penny mumbled.

"In that case," Sonic wrapped an arm around the human girl. "Penny and I'll both just keep doing what we've been doing. Those badniks are a threat to everyone, organized or not. I'll take Penny and we'll travel around, smashing every one we see."

"That sounds fun!" Penny grinned. "I'd like some more excitement."

"But if they are getting orders from someone..." Tails protested.

"Then it'll make it more fun!"

"J-just be careful, okay?" Tails cringed at Sonic's statement. "If you get caught off guard again...get hurt..."

Penny winced. She well remembered how crushed she and Tails both were after Sonic was captured by a jackal named Infinite and placed under lockdown for six months. She knew exactly what Tails felt.

Noticing the looks on his best friend's faces, Sonic took Penny's hand in his and wrapped an arm around Tails. "Hey, sure, we had some close calls. But we've come off it fine in the end, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I'll be careful. I promise."

"Okay. Thanks, Sonic."

"I'll be careful, too." Penny grabbed Tails in a hug. "And I'll have Sonic with me, you don't have to worry."

"Yeah," Sonic nodded. "And if you're worried, you can always come with us."

Tails grinned. "Yeah! Just like the old times and..." Hearing sniffling, the kitsune turned around to see two Mobians grieving in each other's arms.

"Tails?" Penny asked, glancing down at the fox nervously.

"I'm fine." Tails took a deep breath and turned to the two with a smile. "There's too many badnik gangs out there. You and Penny'll go faster on your own. I'll stay here and help the locals rebuild their town."

"You're a class act, buddy!" Sonic shot Tails a thumbs up. "We'll all bash some bots some other time."

Tails grinned in return. "Deal!"

With a wave goodbye, Sonic scooped Penny in his arms, and off they went.