Sonic slumped back into the couch, his finger flipping through the channels on the TV absentmindedly. "Ugh... I'm bored."

A week had passed since the freak explosion in Soleanna, and although Sonic wasn't sure it had anything to do with the Amethysts' mission, Wind seemed to think so. It was hard to investigate without having proper clearance however, something the blue hedgehog lacked, even if he was a world-renowned hero.

There hadn't been any Obsidian attacks or sightings either, but Sonic had a feeling that it meant one was only days or perhaps hours away. Come to think of it, Eggman had been rather quiet too...

"Let's hope we don't get double-hammered..." Tails mumbled as he fiddled through his notes, "Can you even imagine if they started working together?"

"Don't even entertain the idea of it, Mr. Prower." Wind argued, "The last thing we need is our enemies ganging up on us more than they already are."

"Hmm..." Tails looked at the random pieces of paper sprawled across the floor, "I think I've managed to work out how the energy fluctuations work... I'd have to build a prototype to be sure."

Sonic sighed, "You still working on that Amethyst scanner?"

"Yeah. If I can get it to work, we'd be able to detect a new Amethyst manifestation anywhere in the world within just a few minutes."

The hedgehog turned off the TV, flipping over to where his feet hung over the back of the couch. "I guess it wouldn't be so bad to have more of a heads-up..."

"I just need to calibrate the-"

"Calibrate the what?" Sonic inquired as Tails suddenly paused, but when his brother didn't answer, he turned and found Tails seemingly frozen, his hand hovering over one of the papers and eyes staring intently at it. "...Tails?"

He climbed off the couch and then settled across the table from Tails, waving his hand in the fox's face; he didn't even twitch. "...Weird."

Then all at once, the fox was moving again. "-Proper frequency for the scanners so they only look for Amethyst energy, so that..." The fox paused again, but this time he stayed moving, looking to the couch, and then to Sonic. "...When did you get over there?"

"...A few seconds ago?"

Tails stared at him in confusion, "...That's weird. You must be getting faster."

"Yeah... Maybe..."

Sonic plopped down cross-legged on the floor, looking over the papers. What just happened...?

I have a slight suspicion...But I'd better not jump to conclusions yet. Wind informed, I did that far too much before...I'd need to talk to Thaw and see what he thinks...

Right... Shadow mentioned that they're talking now, but he still hasn't talked to you.

I think I know why... But once again, just speculation. The amethyst gave a sigh, I just hope he comes to his senses soon... I miss him.

Sonic smirked as he patted his own shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll figure it out..."

It was then that his ears picked up a faint sound, and he stood up. "Sounds like trouble."

Tails sighed, "It was going to happen eventually... Off you go."

Sonic smirked, and then took off out the door. "Ready to meet Dr. Eggman, Wind?"

Prepared, yes. Was I looking forward to it? Not exactly.

Sonic chuckled, rushing around a corner as he saw his nemesis' airship hovering over downtown. "I think I can take the reins this time."

Correct.

Sonic scanned the surroundings as he entered downtown, checking to see if any of Eggman's bots were on the ground yet. He saw a platoon heading down the street, and he rushed to move civilians out of the way of their shots. As he dashed about he noticed just how few shots were actually hitting anything, and when he finally stopped, he saw they were actually moving rather slowly. Even a normal person could easily dodge or step out of the way, if not for the fact that the civilians were all moving just as slowly.

"Okay, what is going on?" He muttered, continuing to move people out of the way. "Why is everybody but me suddenly like they've decided to try the mannequin challenge?"

Maybe ... But I don't want to jump to conclusions...But what else besides a giant Chaos Control would-

"Wind, stop rambling. I'm trying to focus!"

Sorry.

Sonic sighed, making sure everyone was out of danger before stopping and looking at the robots. "...Eh." He shrugged, and then blew straight through them. Even the explosions and flying pieces were moving in slow motion, to the point that he was able to richochet off of them and get more altitude to drop back down and hit more.

Right as he finished dismantling the last robot, everything suddenly snapped back to full-speed like a rubber band. The shots blew down the street and fizzled out, robot parts finished their ascent and then dropped down to the ground, and all of the civilians looked around, trying to figure out how they suddenly got onto the sidewalks.

"Welp, that takes care of the robots." He then looked up at the airship, "Now for Baldy-McNosehair...!"

He dug his shoe into the asphalt and then took off in a gust of air, a blue bolt that shot across and then up the side of a building before leaping off the top.

Not gonna make it not gonna make it! Wind hollered, and then a sudden sharp gust threw Sonic forward, slamming him onto the top of the airship.

He skidded across the top, finally being stopped by running into the side of a turret.

"Oof!...Oww..." He mumbled as he sat up, rubbing his head. "Thanks for the save."

I told you we'd make it.

The hedgehog smirked, getting back up his feet as more turrets came up to fire. "Aww... You saved all of this for me? I'm touched."

You won't be so happy after I blow you out of the sky, Hedgehog!

Sonic ducked under the lasers, spindashing through turrets and making them fire at each other. "So this is what he does." He murmured slowly, "He shows up with his robots, I blow them up, he runs off and is back a few weeks later to bother us again. Sometimes he's gone for longer and then comes back with some monster he's unleashed, but that's not very often."

So... You kind of think of it as a game? You're not really taking the threat seriously?

"I take it seriously! I just...We've been doing this back and forth for so long...It feels kinda tedious now. You know?"

Believe me... I know.

Sonic noted the sadness in his tone; he didn't blame him, he must be exhausted from fighting Obsidians and just wanted to rest for real, knowing his mission was finished.

The blue hedgehog dodged more and more turrets, and then looked back at the smoking rooftop of the airship. "Well, I think our work's done...Huh?"

He turned just in time for a blue projectile to slam into him, knocking him off the blimp entirely. He only fell for a moment, before being slammed into the concrete wall of a nearby rooftop. He tasted blood in his mouth as he grimaced, looking up at his latest challenge and its bright red eyes seeming to glare back despite having no emotion.

"Metal...!"

He struggled to move, but the air being knocked from his lungs and Metal's tight grip on his arms kept him on his back, and Metal's knee pressed into his stomach. He was pinned.

Mind if I step in? Wind asked.

"...Go for it." Sonic rasped.

To the mechanical copy, all it saw following this odd response was Sonic's eyes flashing to bright orange, before its head was crushed in. It shuddered for a second, and then went still before falling over to the side.

Sonic gasped for air as he was finally able to get deep breaths in, coughing and wiping blood from his lower lip. "Huh...How did you do that...?"

I increased the air pressure around it. Like being caught in a giant pair of clapping hands.

"Air Pressure... Huh... Gotta remember that."

The hedgehog winced as he pulled himself up to his feet. He saw Eggman was leaving once more, and he gave a sigh. "...Let's go home. I'm not looking for action anymore..."

Meanwhile, aboard Eggman's ship, he and his two robot assistants stared in shock at what had just transpired.

"OH MY GOSH!" Cubot piped up, "Did Sonic just smoosh Metal Sonic's head with his mind? He's tele-pathetic!"

"I believe the word you're searching for is 'Telepathic,' my square-headed companion..." Orbot corrected, "But it was rather impressive..."

"Shut up!" Eggman barked, "I don't know what the blue pincushion just did...But I need to find out...And then exploit it myself..."