Reuploading on a new account because I don't care for my old one. Also got the opportunity to fix some errors so that's dank.

Act I: Museum Mayhem

What was it about Chaos Emeralds that drew Sonic? There he was, investigating the theft of one which had been plucked from a new exhibit on ancient Echidna tribes. Well, plucked used lightly, the roof of the exhibit had been eviscerated in the night. Luckily he was recognized in Station Square, and the police allowed him into the crime scene to poke around.

"Usually this kinda thing happens, we put out an APB on Eggman!" A human officer explained, following Sonic in. "Nowadays, well, after he vanished a few years ago, we uh… honestly we haven't had any crimes like this since then!"

"I know. Not many people outside of our circle know the real power of Chaos Emeralds. Even if they did, no one knows how to use 'em." Sonic said dismissively. He wandered through the rubble, pushing over a shattered slab of Angel Island temple. Sure, the tragic loss of such priceless history was horrible, but at the same time, the empty pedestal, carrying a Chaos Emerald just hours earlier was all he could focus on.

"So what do we know? Any security information here?" Sonic asked, turning back to the cop.

"All security footage is busted. Staticy and shit. It dies for a few minutes, comes back, place looks like this."

"Interesting."

"What do you think it is, Sonic?" the officer asked, climbing onto the Angel Island pillar to better examine the room with Sonic.

"Honestly?" Sonic asked, hesitating. This was gonna sound crazy, but "I think it's a badnik job."

"Badniks?" A familiar, deep voice called from across the room. "Come on, don't tell me you haven't moved on!" Sonic spun around with a frown as Team Dark entered the room. Shadow had that typical smug little smirk on his face as he led Rouge and Omega into the room. "We'll take it from here, has-been," Shadow added, crossing his arms.

Sonic never thought he would miss the term 'faker.' "Sorry, Shad, you were too slow. I've already looked around, and the place is spent. No traces to be found."

"PERHAPS FOR YOU." Omega replied, slowly rising with his built in jets. He began scanning the room, rotating his head slowly to fully sweep the crime scene for any information.

"Come on, Sonic, badniks?" Shadow asked, approaching Sonic. He gazed up at his rival, who remained on top of the shattered, sacred pillar. "Eggman's dead. Or have you forgotten?"

"You know I didn't forget. Seems you forgot something too though, Shad."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Our entire life pre-five years ago. Ya know how many times I've looked into stolen Chaos Emeralds? I've been fighting Eggman a lot longer than you, pal."

"But you haven't fought him since I have either. None of us have. Because he's gone."

"So someone else shut down the security, blew up the roof, stole a Chaos Emerald, and just vanished?"

"Yes! I'm glad you agree. There are other criminals in the world besides the Doctor, Sonic, really. Criminals that the three of us bring to justice on a near daily rate. When was the last time you saved the world, five years ago?"

"SCANNING COMPLETE. SORTING DATA." Omega announced.

Rouge, who had been touching up her seafoam lipgloss stopped, rolled her eyes, and stepped in between the two feuding hedgehogs. "Okay boys, come on, let's stop arguing. Sorry, Sonic, but this really is a G.U.N. crime scene. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

"You heard the girl, civilian." Shadow finished with a triumphant smirk as he snuck the last word in.

"This is bullshit," Sonic growled, hopping off the pillar and stomping past Shadow.

"I'll be ensuring you aren't let onto any crime scenes from this point forward."

"Go to hell!"

"It's been five years, Sonic! Quit looking for ghosts to fight and just retire with the fox kid."

Sonic couldn't reply to that. It had been five years since any of them had adventured. The madness with Metal Sonic went down, then some alien invasion that was still a little hazy to Sonic, then... their last interaction with Eggman.

o o o

Sonic hated going to restaurants, but he knew this was the only way to get her out of "hiding." His foot tapped impatiently under the table as he waited for her, despite it still being ten minutes before their arranged time to meet up. He couldn't believe he was seriously doing this, in such a fancy, uptight place… He saw his old friend from across the room, entering the restaurant door and spotting him immediately.

Amy Rose grinned widely at her old crush and waved as she approached the table. Well, "old" crush. She'd dressed up, but whether or not that was for him or the restaurant was unknown to the blue ex-hero. "Hey, Ames! Er, how ya been?" he asked, standing up to give her a hug. It was softer than the death clamps she used to give him, a refreshing change of pace to say the least.

"Wonderful. Just, just wonderful," she replied, although the exhaustion in her voice slightly suggested otherwise. "How about you? You're living with Tails, right?"

"Same, I'm doing really well. And yeah! That's why you got the call from his place earlier today!" Sonic replied with a laugh.

"Okay… Landline? Really?"

"What about it?" Sonic asked, shifting now that he was in the hot seat.

"I figured the 'fasting thing alive' would be the fastest one to pick up on new tech trends!" Amy replied with a laugh.

"Oh, please, I'm still playing my old Sega!"

"You still have that stupid thing? Ugh, I remember I couldn't drag you and Knux away from that thing back then. You two were addicted!"

"And you didn't have your habits?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," she said quickly, trying to avoid her obsession as the topic of conversation.

Sonic detected this aversion, and decided to push on with it, teasing her back. "Oh yeah! 'Sonic, come back, we'll be late for our date at the marriage license desk!'"

"I never said that!" Amy burst out laughing.

"Eh, it was something like that."

"Asshole!" she said with a wide grin. The waiter came, interrupting their conversation. When they returned to each other, Amy asked, "So how's Tails doing? It's been… What, three years now?"

"Four. And good, he's good. I don't really see him much, to be honest."

"Oh? But you guys live together?"

"Yeah, I know. It's just, he's been contracted by the city to work on a new, clean power source for them. Chaos energy."

"Get out. That's huge!"

"Oh yeah. So he's always going in and out of meetings, and working on things at the plant, but it's pretty impressive what he's got going. Of course, I only hear about it, highly guarded thing that Emerald. Unlike some..." He tried to naturally push the conversation towards his investigation today, but his old stalker failed to pick up on the cue.

"Still, that's crazy! What about Knux? You guys still hang out?"

Sonic waited before he answered, realized she wasn't going to take the bait, then replied, "Uh, no, not really. After Eggman, uh, died, he went back to Angel Island and we haven't heard from him since. Master Emerald and all, ya know?"

"Really? Biggest threat to it is gone, you'd think he'd try and catch some well needed R&R."

Sonic went to bring up the Emerald from today again, but decided to change course. Maybe he could do this more casually? "How about you? Still working at the newspaper?"

"No! Oh Chaos, no. I left a year or two after you guys stopped adventuring."

"Really? Not… There's no causation there, right?"

"Well… Kinda. I only took that job because it was a good excuse to chase after you guys. Team Rose was going nowhere fast- Cream is well by the way, she and Vanilla say hi- and I needed to prove I could manage myself. But then you guys kinda retired, and I decided it was time to as well. Fun was fun but… I had to grow up."

"Where are you now then?" Sonic asked, trying to ignore the guilt of taking up so much of this girl's youth. It was her fault, absolutely, but he couldn't help but feel sympathetic for her.

"Office drone now! I work in Casinopolis of all places. Working for… The devil, basically."

"Y- you're joking, right?"

"Yes and no." He could see just a hint of water forming in Amy's eyes. "Gambling is an addiction, and I just make money from it."

"Amy, I'm so-" he reached out for her hand, but she pulled it away before he could take it.

"No no! I'm okay, really. Um, but yeah that's where I am." Their drinks finally arrived. Sonic stuck with water, but Amy took a fruity alcoholic drink Sonic didn't catch the name of. She'd grown up a lot over the years. Maybe even more than him.

"So, I'm guessing you don't see much of your old news crew anymore."

"Uh, no, not really," Amy replied.

"Don't have any of your old contacts either, I'm guessing?"

Amy paused. "I haven't talked to anyone in that world for three years."

"Gotcha, gotcha," Sonic replied, disappointed.

"Sonic?" Amy asked, a slight flirtatious tone in her voice.

"Yeah, Ames?"

"Did you seriously call me, for the first time, in four years, for a fucking favor?"

"What?"

"Tell me, Sonic, what would have happened if I still had all of my news contacts?" Amy asked, her voice raising.

"Well, I- I would have, uh…"

"Unbelievable. Sonic the Hedgehog, you are un-fucking-believable." Amy thrust her cup at him, dumping her beverage on his lap.

"Hey!" he cried, jumping out of his chair.

"Sonic, you are one of the most selfish, pigheaded assholes I've ever met, and let me tell you, working, and living in that Casinopolis hellhole, I've met a lot of selfish, pigheaded assholes!" She slammed her glass on the table and marched towards the door.

"Amy, wait!" Sonic called, chasing after her. She exited the restaurant, stomping towards her car parked slightly down the street. "Amy, please!"

"Why!?" Amy shouted, spinning around.

"Why should I wait for you? I did for the better half of my life at this point!"

"Amy, look-"

"No, you look here, Sonic! You ignore me when we're friends, and you ignore me when we're not. After almost five years of never asking to hang out, never making a call, never sending a text, you have the audacity to ask me out to the most romantic spot in Station Square, all to butter me up and ask me to do your dirty work doing… whatever you need done!"

"Amy, I'm sorry-"

"No. That isn't going to cut it this time, Sonic. I cannot believe-"

"Amy, I'm sorry, but a Chaos Emerald was stolen, and I think it was Eggman!" Sonic shouted, interrupting her.

She stopped, gulping and recoiling when he said that man's name. She hesitated, and her fury faltered. "He… Eggman is dead, Sonic."

"I know. That's what Shadow said too, but I don't care. Eggman, or badniks working… postmortem of their master. I don't know why, I don't know how, but who else would target an exhibit on Echidna artifacts just to steal a Chaos Emerald? Who else would know how to use one?"

"Shadow's right, Sonic," Amy replied, with a hollow, lack of emotion in her voice. Patient understanding came out of her as she continued, "However… A stolen Chaos Emerald is bad news for everyone. I remember what that… I remember how they can be used. I'll pull some strings. I'll help you find out who's behind this and that's it. Don't come to me with any more favors, alright?"

Sonic smiled in relief. "Thank you, Amy."

God I wish I could indent on this site.