Feet clanked against metal, a determined team striding down the yellow-accented hallway. As they approached a large metal door, one nervously grinning hedgehog cut through the chatter.

"So, you're sure there's no other way?" quivered Sonic.

"Well, there's always swimming," shrugged the two-tailed genius of the group. "I can go get the life vests…"

The hedgehog's limbs immediately felt like twigs. "Wow, I sure am ready to ride in Tails' submarine! How about you guys?"

"Hmph! That's what I thought," Miles smirked.

"It's been awhile since I've been out in the field," began the pink team leader, nervously scratching her chin and brandishing her hammer.

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Amy! Plus, this'll give you a chance to see you know who," Tangle grinned.

The pink hedgehog failed to conceal her blush. "Well… I do miss him, and Vanilla's watching Amelia for us, so I figured…"

"Hey, I get it. I'm not sure I'd be able to stand being apart from Whispy here for weeks at a time!" Tangle replied, scratching the head of her wolfy wife.

"Mmmm… me neither," the timid wolf admitted.

"Plus, I'm sure those nifty powers'a his will come in plenty handy!" Tangle smiled.

Amy stopped at the door with the rest of the group, shifting her weight onto her hammer. "Yeah, especially with all that training he's been doing lately…"

The panel beside the entrance beeped in acceptance following a scan of Miles' eye, prompting the door to hiss open. The team strode in, their footsteps echoing throughout the large, dark hangar.

An ensemble of overhead lights buzzed to life in-sequence, revealing more of the room bit-by-bit. The familiar form of the Hurricane III sat off to the side, a series of cables attached to its exterior. A new craft took its place at the center of the room, a group of spotlights shining off its smaller, but similarly-colored, hull.

"There she is, the Whirlpool Mach Two!" Miles introduced, proudly beckoning to his creation.

While most of the group basked at the sight, the shark-like fin at the top of the craft, along with the nautical propellers housed in the back, did little to help the nerves of one speedy monarch in-particular.

"Just remember what we're doing this for," came a comforting whisper from Sonic's beloved as she squeezed his lightly trembling hand.

"Right… for the kids, for the kids…" Sonic repeated to himself.

"This thing doesn't look much different from that other one!" stated Tangle, pointing over to the team's previous vehicle. "Why didn't we just take this one last time?"

Miles gestured for Team Freedom to follow as he made his way to the plane. "The Hurricane Three's way faster and more advanced than the Whirlpool series. The amphibious components, coupled with the smaller design, limit their speed and fuel capacity. In other words, they're a pretty niche kind of craft."

"Oh… makes sense," Tangle shrugged.

With the push of a button on his wristwatch, Miles opened the loading ramp to the Whirlpool II. As its passengers strode up and in, the cabin's changes, made to accommodate the differing purpose and smaller size of the craft, were made apparent.

Miles first beckoned to two rows of yellow seats, arranged in groups of six along the side walls. "Below your seats, you'll find emergency underwater equipment. I don't foresee any complications, but these are the Eggmen we're talking about, here," he explained before shifting his gesture to a metal tube at the center with two doors embedded. "That's the deployment hatch. It's the only way out of this thing once we're under…"

Following Miles' briefing, he retreated to the pilot's cabin, now its own doored-off room at the front. The group fanned out to their seats and reached for their straps. While the rest of Team Freedom conversed, Blaze watched in amusement as her husband worked to practically strangle himself. With a loving smirk, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Honey, you don't need them that tight."

"Hey, I'm just being safe!" grunted Sonic as a click signified the x-shaped straps locking in place around his constricted body.

"Cutting off your airway isn't what I'd call 'safe'. Here," the queen offered, reaching over and pulling on the straps. Finishing up, her hands retreated. "Better?"

The hedgehog's lungs graciously accepted their loosened restrains. "Ok, fine. It's a little better."

A hand rose to the feline's mouth, stifling a chuckle.

"Alright, everyone, we'll be leaving momentarily. Remember to keep those straps on unless you want to be pinned to the back during takeoff," reminded Miles over the speakers. Not more than a few seconds later, the hum of warming engines filled the cabin, followed by a subtle jolt.

The Whirlpool II started toward an opening set of hangar doors. Though unable to see out of the windowless cabin, Blaze knew what was coming.

Feeling his wife pin his hand to the armrest with her own, Sonic looked over, noticing Blaze's closed eyes and uneasy breaths. He rested his free hand on her's, diverting her attention.

"Thank you," Blaze whispered, returning her husband's warm, comforting smile.

"Remember. For the kids," reminded Sonic, removing his hand and preparing himself.

The doors finished their cycle, inviting the young pilot into a long tunnel, and with the press of a few buttons, an illuminant portal at the end flickered to life. Miles made final adjustments before leaning into his microphone.

"Alright guys, we're about to go from zero to one-sixty in a few seconds. Hold on tight!" With a grin, Miles pushed the throttle forward, revelling in the roaring reply of the engines and adrenaline-filled takeoff that was sure to follow.

The vulpine's back was immediately glued to his chair as his brainchild barreled down the runway at increasing speeds. Feeling the fur on the back of his neck stand up, he held firm on the controls.

"Woohoo! This never gets old!" The excited engineer cheered over the rush of the wind and music of the engines.

Unfortunately, a certain feline didn't share a love for the skies. Blaze placed Sonic's hand in a death grip, not daring to take a breath as her eyes shut in fear.

"Alright, guys. Get ready for the jump!" announced the voice of the pilot over the rolling of the wheels and roar of the engines.

The blood retreated from Sonic's hand as a momentarily dizzying sensation washed over himself and the group. In a quick flash of white, it had passed. Gone was the light shaking that came with wheels on the ground, and along with it, the echo of the plane's sounds along the confined, metal walls.

"See, Honey? It wasn't so bad!" Sonic grinned, placing a hand atop his wife's as the smooth ride continued.

The regal feline finally allowed herself to exhale. "At least there aren't any windows…" she muttered, wrapping herself in her free hand.

"Team Freedom, we've arrived in the Sol Dimension! Remember to keep your trays in the upright position and…"

The speedy monarch rolled his eyes as Miles continued his play-airline speech. Suddenly, his attention turned to a more pressing matter.

"Uhh… honey?"

"Yes, Sonic?" the still-stiff Blaze managed.

"Can I have my hand back now?"

The cat glanced and realized she was still strangling her husband's hand. With a gasp, her own palm flew away. "Sorry…"

"Hey, it's alright! We can totally hold hands! I'd just rather you not give mine a hydraulic press treatment, is all," smirked Sonic. With a blush, the feline's hand returned, more delicately this time.

Moment's later, the pilot's voice returned to the intercom. "Blaze, Sonic, could you two come to the front for me?"

Tangle looked over and smirked. "Ooh… someone's in trouble…"

"Hmph, you wish!" The speedy hedgehog unbuckled and leaped out of his seat, helping his wife out of hers as well. With a shared nod, the two started toward the door.

XXXX

"Well, it's about bloody time!" a feisty raccoon called to the figures on the other side of the main view screen, her voice ringing through the bridge of her ship.

"Sorry, Marine. We ran into some... complications with the previous plan," replied the calm voice of the captain's queen from the other side.

"Yeah, yeah. Milesy, here filled me in on your littl' problem. My only question is, why didn't'y'guys have me send backup with Espy? You might as well've sent the poor bloke on a suicide mission!" replied the officer, folding her arms.

Blaze returned to gesture. "It was a covert operation, and Espio insisted he go alone."

"Well, we damn sure saw how that littl' 'operation' turned out!"

"Things just didn't work out, that's all. It's not like Espio's plan was 'I'm gonna go get caught!'" mused Sonic.

"I know that, mate! I just…" trailed Marine, filling her pause with a deep exhale. "Look, I'm sorry. It's just, my crew and I'h've been stonkered well and good. We've lost some good mates already, and now, Espy's in the clutches of those drongos havin' chaos knows what done to'im! I just bloody hate the idea of sittin' around while my best mates risk their lives!"

"We know that, Marine, and we're just as concerned about him as you are," came Blaze's reply from the other side. "And I know how you feel. How do you think I felt, stranded a dimension away with the knowledge that my kids were in the hands of those psychopaths?"

The raccoon's face softened as she peered away from the screen. "Probably not that ace, mate…"

"I know you may not feel like you're helping out right now, but we need you and the fleet to be at the ready for when we require extraction. That's how you can help us, and I know… won't... us…"

The sound and sight of static began breaking up the cat's words. Her eyes widening, Marine began feverishly pounding away at her terminal, trying to get the signal back. "Oh, bloody hell! What's happenin' up there?" Moments later, the distinct voice of the team's foxy pilot pierced the white noise.

"Marine! We're… jamming field… just…"

The full takeover of static, accompanied by a red 'Signal Lost' prompt, indicated the end of communications.

Marine's fists came down on the keyboard. "Oh, damn it all!"

After taking a moment, the raccoon entered another string of commands before reaching up and yanking down a microphone. "Aight mates, listen up!" her voice boomed over every loudspeaker in the sizable, metal ship. "We've got new orders, and I want this tinnie juiced up'n ready to push off by eleven-hundred! Get to work!"

Marine deactivated the display and released the microphone, the new onset of silence being pierced only by the bustle of the crew below and the beeps and whirs of electronics. She removed her hat and placed it on her chest as she gazed out the window of the bridge toward the cloudless sky and oceanic horizon, praying it was merely the Eggmen's jamming signal taking effect that'd caused the loss of contact.

"Good luck, mates."

XXXX

To the passengers inside the windowless cabin, a journey under the sea felt no different than one above, save the speed difference. However, to the yellow fox piloting the Whirlpool II, the experiences were far from the same. As the craft glided through the ocean, Miles gazed at its inhabitants, vastly assorted in shape, size, and color. Beams of sunlight still managed to sneak through to their depth, and below, the seemingly endless expanse threatened to swallow them whole.

As much as Miles both loved and missed his underwater adventures, he had a job to do. A single gesture on the console had him leaning into his microphone once again. "Sorry for the bumpy entry, guys, but with a craft like this, it can't really be helped."

He returned his attention to the sea ahead, his eyes growing wide at what he saw.

"Woah…"

In the sea ahead, a massive, shadowy form began to materialize, becoming more detailed with every passing second. He pulled back on the throttle and reactivated the intercom. "Alright everyone, we're closing in. Remember your assignments and get ready!"

As the fox's voice rang through the cabin, a shiver crept up Sonic's back, ending at his quivering lips.

"It'll be fine, Sonic. We're almost there," consoled his wife, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, great. We get to go from a small underwater tin can to a big one made by two psychopaths," scoffed Sonic, placing a hand atop his wife's.

"Oh relax, Sonic. You'll be back on your precious ground shortly, kiddos in-hand," Tangle mused nonchalantly.

"That's right, and this time, those doctors are going away for good," chimed Vector.

Sonic felt his nerves melting away as his eyes met with his comforting wife's. "Just remember who we're fighting for," smiled the feline.

"I wouldn't dare forget. A little dip in the ocean isn't gonna stop me from keeping my family safe," the hedgehog nodded, returning the gesture.

Everything was going smoothly in the pilot's chamber. The foxy pilot kept his hands steady, his sonar showing him the readout of the metal monster ahead in the form of a huge red...

"Blips?"

As-if answering Miles' question, alarms began to flash, a red light descending from the ceiling and gleaming fervently. His eyes glued to the screen. Where there was previously one, large dot, there were now several.

"What are those things?!" Miles yelled, setting the craft to autopilot and feverishly typing on his console. A side display flashed to life, showing a roughly-shaded cylindrical object with a conical front and an ensemble of fins on the back. A series of numbers off to the side displayed the object's speed and size approximations.

The alarms continued to wail as Miles' panicked eyes grew wide at the sight. The red blips continued to creep ever-closer to the center of the sonar. He pressed another button and leaned into his mic before his hands flew back to the controls.

"Guys, we've got company! I'm gonna have to begin evasive maneuvers, so make sure you're strapped in tight!" The first bogey came into view; a black, yellow-accented torpedo with the unmistakable Eggman Nega logo on the side. Miles was in no hurry to find out how much of a punch they'd pack.

The torpedo's siblings soon followed behind. The agile craft swiveled to the right, its top rudders responding to the jerking of twin control columns. The engines hummed louder as the craft sped forward.

The Whirlpool II darted to the right, narrowly avoiding collision. Miles, now at a ninety-degree angle along with the rest of the ship, set his sights on the next two incoming threats.

The craft righted itself and pulled up to evade the torpedoes. Miles' eyes darted back to the sonar. Just as he'd feared, they wouldn't give up that easily. His fingers frantically entered another command, the side screen flipping to the rear camera. The torpedoes were turning back for another go.

Gritting his teeth, the fox leveled out his brainchild again. Sweat trailed down his face as his eyes trained on the now-much-closer metal behemoth. Some quick mental math made it obvious that the torpedoes would catch up to them far before they could reach the ship. He needed some way to bide time, to shake the hungry weapons. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

"That's it!" Miles pulled straight up on the controls. "Everyone hold on! We're about to resurface!"

The Whirlpool II pivoted upwards, now almost perpendicular to the rapidly-approaching surface. A series of mechanical whirs and clicks ensued as the sky engines prepared to reveal themselves.

The torpedoes closed in on their prey like a group of starved sharks. Freedom was only seconds away, and Miles' calculations told him the margin for error was almost zero. With one final push on the throttle, it was over.

The water gave way, the Whirlpool II jetting out of the sea. Right on queue, the soaked sky engines unsheathed, roaring to life and rocketing them away.

"Yes! We did it!" Miles cheered, his mic still transmitting. He leveled out the craft, cruising above the raging water. Even through the closed door, he could hear the cheers of his team that he'd kept safe. The alarms ceased, and with a relieved sigh, the fox fell back in his chair.

Moments later, the beeping of his warning system shook Miles from his tranquillity. He pressed the blinking red button and watched as the craft's display switched itself into radar mode. As the beam made its first pass, terror shot through the vulpine's body.

Adjusting the rear camera, Miles watched as, with a splash, the metal pursuers breached the surface of the water, charging forward with rocket engines of their own. The throttle was slammed forward, and the torpedoes-turned-missiles wasted no time surpassing the Whirlpool II's top speed.

The craft lurched downward, pulling up just in time to avoid plunging back into the sea. It's powerful engines left a torrential trail in its wake as its yellow form darted along the surface. The missiles followed suit, assuming a triangle formation and lowering their altitude to match, just as the pilot had hoped…

The Whirlpool II's wake struck the missile in the front, veering it off course and dampening its speed. It darted to the left, showing its broadside to its ally.

The missiles collided, the resulting column of flames accompanying a mighty shockwave that tore across the surface. The last remaining enemy, while undoubtedly slowed by the destruction of its allies, exited the flames and continued pursuit.

The wall of force shook the cabin, throwing an already-uneasy Blaze into panic. She grasped her husband for dear life as it passed.

"Two of the missiles are down, but there's still one left! I don't know how I can shake it!" rang Miles' frantic voice.

Across the room, Vector's eyes lit up. "Charmy, you still got your ring?" he demanded, turning to his associate.

"Yeah boss! How come?" replied the bee, retrieving his own circular device.

"Whisper, catch!"

Hearing the croc's words, Whisper shot her hand out, grasping the ring.

Tangle shared her wife's confused look. "What're you planning, Vec?"

"A way to take that thing out!" Vector replied before turning to Charmy and opening his palm. "I'm gonna need that!"

With the second ring firmly in his grasp, Vector turned to the closed door of the pilot's cabin.

"Listen up, Miles! When I give the word, you've gotta lower the ramp!"

"What, why? This thing isn't designed to fly with the ramp down! It could suffer irreparable damage!"

"More irreparable than a missile through the hull?" mused Vector. "Just trust me!"

After receiving a concessive acknowledgement from the pilot, Vector turned back to the lemur and wolf and pressed a button on his ring. A trail of sparkles extended out between it and the one in Whisper's hand.

"Put this around your ankle, Whisper. I'll be able to hold you in place while we lower the ramp and you take your shot with-"

"Hold up, what?!" exclaimed an outraged Tangle. "You're not gonna put a cute little trail of sparkles between my wife and her watery demise, buddy!"

Frustration washed across Vector's face. "She's the only one that can take that thing out, and I don't see you coming up with any better ideas!"

"How 'bout one that doesn't involve practically signing Whisper's death warrant?"

"Tangle."

The lemur immediately turned upon hearing the hushed voice of her companion. The wolf's firm hand grasped her shoulder.

"S'okay. I'll do it."

"What? Whisper, no!" protested Tangle, receiving nothing but a small, yet confident nod in return.

"Whatever you're planning, Vector, you'd better do it soon! That thing's gaining on us!" warned Miles.

"No time to argue," Whisper murmured, removing her hand and releasing her harness.

"You have my word, Tangle. Nothing will happen to her. If she goes, I'm going with her," assured Vector, gesturing to his own ring.

"I…" Tangle began in defeat, her tail shooting up and tightening around Whisper's midsection. Clenching her fists, the lemur looked up, a new resolve burning in her eyes. "Then so am I."

Whisper rose from her seat, the ring now fastened around her ankle. Her thankful grin morphed into an intense resolve as she started toward the middle of the plane.

Whisper lied down on the ground, her Wispon glowing pink. Held firmly in place by her wife's unrelenting tail and Vector's ring, she gave Vector a confident nod before peering into the scope that'd sprouted from the top.

Vector cupped his mouth with his free hand. "Alright Miles! Hold'er steady and lower the ramp. We're ready!"

A rush of wind stampeded into the room as the ramp began its descent. Blaze gripped her husband even tighter as the rest of the team held onto their armrests for dear life. The wolf at the opening took the brunt, the initial impact knocking her hair free of its tie and nearly disarming her.

Regaining control, the wolf peered back into her weapon. Just as she'd thought, the missile was directly behind them, closing in quickly. A trivial shot to hit if not for the circumstances.

"I don't know how much longer the Whirlpool can keep this up, it wasn't designed for this!" Miles' voice called. The entire craft lurched to the left before swiftly righting itself. "There's gonna be way more than that came from if I don't close that ramp soon!"

Tangle winced as the added force strained her tail. "Mmph! Whisper, take the shot!"

"Trying…"

The wolf's words were lost in the wind as she lined up the shot again. Before she could pull the trigger, her crosshair shook as the appendage wrapped around her midsection readjusted itself.

"Whisper… can't hold it much longer!" strained Tangle, her tail tightening itself once more.

The metal predator was almost upon them, and in one desperate move, Whisper quickly re-aimed and took the shot.

A pink bolt surged out of the barrel, perfectly striking its target and having an instant effect. Now a stone's throw away from the plane, the missile exploded in a column of flames and sent another shockwave barreling toward the team. It tore through the cabin, knocking Whisper back and buckling the entire craft.

"Ngh! Can't…" winced Tangle, futilely struggling to keep her tail from loosening any further.

Miles had witnessed the destruction of the final missile, and even with wind violently tearing through the plane, he could still hear Vector's exasperated voice calling out to him.

"Miles, close the ramp!"

More than happy to oblige, the fox slammed the appropriate button, only to be greeted with another warning signal. Frantically, his eyes darted to an informational diagram of the ship, seeing the ramp section flash red.

"No, no, no!" Miles fired, grabbing his head in frustration. Momentarily, his finger was back on the comm button. "Vector, that last shockwave must've damaged the hydraulics. It's jammed! I'm gonna have to take us down!"

Sonic's eyes grew wide, immediately peering out the open ramp and to the raging seas below. "Are you nuts?! What do you mean 'take us down'?"

"I mean we either submerge again now, or the ship tears itself apart in the air!" replied Miles' frantic voice.

"I think you're forgetting the part where we have to, y'know, breathe?!" Sonic yelled over the continuing whipping of the wind.

"That's what your masks are for!"

"Little -gah!- problem with that!" Tangle grunted, both her hands now constricted around her exhausted tail. Her eyes filled with fear as her wife, now pinned to the central lift by the current, held on for dear life.

"Whisper's still stuck out of her seat, and I don't think Tangle can reel her back in!" Vector finished.

Another red warning light flashed on Miles' equipment. The control columns rattled violently in his hands, the entire plane beginning to buckle.

"Guys, hold on! We're about to lose the left engine!"

The sounds of a struggling motor echoed throughout the plane, accompanied by a leftward dip. Fearful gasps and shrieks were immediately washed away by the winds.

The slowing of the craft, coupled with the increasingly sharp angle, released Whisper from her position pinned on the center shaft. Vector pressed a button on his ring, dissipating the trail of sparkles and allowing the wolf to fall toward her seat, with Tangle using the little strength her tail had left to guide her the rest of the way..

"Gah, it's alright, little guy. I won't overwork you again, I promise…" Tangle groaned, stroking her tail and turning to her wife. "And Whisper, thank goodness you're safe!"

The timid wolf hastily buckled herself in and re-tied her hair before throwing her arms around Tangle.

"Thank you…"

"Hurry everyone, masks on!" Amy ordered from the opposite corner of the ship before reaching under her seat and unhooking her own breathing apparatus.

"Ok, Sonic. It's for the kids, it's for the kids…" he continued to repeat to himself as he grasped his wife's arm. "Honey, you're gonna have to let go of me now."

The queen, still fearfully wrapped around her husband, gave a weak nod before prying herself away and looking down under her seat, making every effort to ignore the winds and avoid eye contact with the skies outside. She quickly located her own device and slipped it on.

Sonic continued to repeat his little slogan to himself as the croc, outfitted with a different sort of apparatus, gave a thumbs up. Blaze's hands locked around his arm as he closed his eyes and braced himself.

Almost as if on cue, the right engine, tasked with keeping the plane aloft by itself, began to strain under the increased pressure. "Come on, come on…" Miles groaned, pressing two more buttons on the control columns.

The half-functioning engines retreated back into the craft, with the propellers showing green. The rudders worked desperately to level them, but Miles knew it wouldn't happen in time. Either way, it wasn't going to be a smooth landing.

Fifty meters. Twenty five. Ten…

"Everyone, brace yourselves!" Miles hollered through the cabin.

Sonic followed his wife's lead, embracing her as the Whirlpool II, no longer amphibious, nor plane, impacted the ocean. Immediately, they jetted downward, with water rushing into the cabin. Sonic panickingly gulped as the first wave struck him and Blaze.

Miles pulled back on the control columns, trying to slow their submersion. Yellow stress warnings flashed all over the ship's diagram, the hull seeming to whine in protest. The red flash present on the ramp section cut out completely, leading to a raised eyebrow. With a flash of realization, the fox looked through the rear camera feed to see the metal object tumbling in the currents behind them.

"That's not good…"

The cabin filled completely, and Sonic looked first to his wife, then to his team. The craft, now exclusively a submarine, began to slow to a cruise. A sigh of relief would have followed, if not for another epiphany.

"Water, water!" the speedy monarch sputtered, beginning to hyperventilate and remaining latched onto his spouse.

The electronicized voice of Miles echoed through the hedgehog's mask. "Relax, Sonic. You're strapped in, and that mask synthesizes oxygen from the water, but it's not gonna be able to keep up if you keep breathing like that!"

"Tails?! How're you in here?" Sonic questioned.

"These masks are com-linked, but given that we're still well within the radius of the jamming signal, they'll probably only work at extremely short range," explained Miles.

"So we didn't veer too much off-course, then?" asked Blaze, having all but recovered from the less-than-pleasant landing.

The fox on the other end chuckled. "Ironically enough, this put us right on top of them!"

"So, what's the game plan?" Blaze followed up.

"Well, it'll be a miracle if the laser cutters are still operational after all this," replied the fox. "I can get us there in this state, but I don't know how we'll get inside…"

"Use me."

"What?"

"Use me," Blaze repeated. "The water will greatly hinder my pyrokinesis, yes. However, I may still be able to heat my hands enough to weaken the metal of the ship."

"That… could work," pondered Miles.

"Then it's settled," Blaze stated matter-of-factly. "Get me to the ship and I'll take care of our entrance."

XXXX

"Alright, Blaze. Fire away!"

Acknowledging Miles' go-ahead, Blaze, now positioned near the nose of the massive submarine, placed her hand on the cold, red metal hull. She glanced back up at the Whirlpool II, its stabilizer jets keeping it level as her hand warmed up.

Now outside the confines of the Whirlpool II, Blaze had begun to experience the intense pressure Miles had warned her about. The doctors' craft wasn't as deep as it was during Espio's attempt, but nevertheless, she still felt the strain on her lungs and body.

As she struggled to take in a full breath, the water surrounding her hand boiled, the metal underneath beginning to glow a dim orange. With a determined scowl, she focused all her energy into one point. The hull began to shriek in protest, trying desperately to use the water around it to remain cool.

"Great work Blaze! Keep it up and-"

"Did you shaggy simpletons really think infiltrating the Egg Megalodon would be that easy?"

Blaze's eyes widened as Miles' encouragement was cut short by an all-too-familiar voice. Quickly, her surprise turned to a scowl.

The feline growled, the metal beginning to heat and sizzle even more intensely.

"Eggman!"

"The one and only! Nega's off making some final preparations for our genius plan, and he asked me to keep an eye on things. Imagine my surprise when I saw a soon-to-be heirless queen and her furry friends trying to-"

"Can it, monster!" hissed Blaze, her hand beginning to sink into the softened metal. "You might want to choose your words more carefully. I'm a few metal walls away from taking my children back and throwing you in a cell to rot for the rest of your pathetic life!"

A scoff echoed through Blaze's mask at the threat. "Oh please, my fiery feline. You'll never 'throw me in a cell,' but either way, I'm afraid I can't let you in that easy. After all, Nega entrusted me to keep his precious... until he..."

Electronic static momentary filled the mask before being replaced, once again, by the voice of Miles.

"I managed to lock Eggman out. He shouldn't be able to penetrate our comms again."

"Good. The less we hear of that creep, the better…" groaned Amy, with several team members seconding.

Sonic's voice stuck out. "I agree, but umm… what'd he mean when he said he couldn't let us in-"

The creak of moving metal answered Sonic's inquiry, and Blaze looked over toward the source of the water-muffled sound. Mindful to keep up her work, she raised an eyebrow at two large, circular openings forming on the Megalodon's belly. It would be mere moments now. She could feel her hand sinking into the ship more easily by the moment, but unfortunately, it seemed its crazed captains had other plans.

"Blaze, look out!"

Miles' frantic warning preceded a mighty ripple tearing through the water. Blaze winced as her body was thrown back, the air forced from her lungs and her hand dislodged. With a frustrated growl, she quickly righted herself and looked back to see that the superheated hull was graciously accepting the ocean waters, hissing as it cooled and hardened. Before she could even consider the grueling task of reheating the metal, the sources of the shockwaves jetted out from the side of the Megalodon in the form of two large, shadowy masses.

Quickly, the light peeking in from the surface above worked to illuminate the two newcomers. Blaze's eyes widened as a pair of, to put it simply, mechanical sharks sliced through the water and altered their course.

"Blaze, get back to the ship, now!" a frantic Miles demanded.

Not needing any encouragement, Blaze spun around and began a b-line toward the ship.

"What? What's happening out there?!" Sonic demanded from his seat.

"Sonic, I'll be alright. We've just got some... visitors, is all," rang the voice of Blaze. She'd tried to sound calm, but Sonic knew his wife better than that.

"Blaze, no! Tell me what's out there!" The hedgehog's eyes widened as a symphony of exertive huffs filled his mask from Blaze's end. His mind raced faster than his legs could ever hope to carry him as he scrambled through a multitude of disaster scenarios. He could feel himself beginning to lose control of his breath as he came to the realization of what he'd have to do.

"Sonic, what's wrong?"

Upon hearing Miles' voice, Sonic began to slow his breaths, his eyes creaking shut as he lowered his head. Trying his damndest to mask his fears, he reached for the release on his harness.

"Tails, is it safe to exit?"

"What? Sonic, whatever you're planning..."

Sounds and images of his gasping wife continued to echo through his mind, wearing thin on the little patience he had left. His body shook, his fist clenching as his other hand grasped the release even tighter. "Damnit! Answer me, Miles!"

"Fine, yes!"

One more deep breath was all the time necessary for the water-scared hedgehog to bury his fears in the deepest chasms of his mind and force open his eyes. With an unbreaking resolve, he pressed the button.

"I'm coming, Blaze!"

Blaze glanced behind her, quickly regretting that decision as she saw the metal sharks quickly closing the gap. Their powerful tails pumped behind them as their beading red eyes zeroed in on their prey. Blaze refocused toward her destination, but she didn't have to be a math genius like Miles to reach a painful truth. She wouldn't get there in time, she'd have to fight. Her limbs carried her as fast as they could, but the pressure of half-a-kilometer of seawater weighed down on her, draining her stamina and straining her lungs.

A few seconds more, and she no longer needed to look behind her. She could feel the mechanical beasts looming over her. The Whirlpool II was closing in, but not quickly enough. She was still a fair distance from the opening, not that getting inside would guarantee safety anyway. In a panic, she twisted around to meet her foes. Both sharks were at least twice her length, with powerful sets of jaws large enough to swallow her whole. Now, they were mere meters away. She struggled to form any sort of defense with her pyrokinesis as her foes prepared to strike, but the futility soon became apparent. She'd never be able to burn hot enough to throw out any projectiles down here. Resigning that idea, she clenched her teeth as her fists raised, instinctually trying to defend her.

The strike she'd prepared for never came. Instead, she watched as a spinning blue ball tore through the water, smacking the right shark into its ally and knocking both off-course. Her eyes widened, with her mind recovering from both the shock of her attackers being repelled, and the identity of said repeller.

"I… Sonic?!" Blaze gasped as her husband uncurled and floated in front of her.

"The one and… only," replied the blue blur, his speech broken up by a nervous gulp.

"You're not afraid?" exclaimed Blaze, swimming over to her husband and grabbing his shoulders.

"What? Who ever said that?" Sonic stammered through quivering lips before peering down into the bottomless abyss below. "Nah, I'm damn near pissing myself out here, but y'know what scares me far more than a little dip in the ocean ever could?"

The feline felt two gloved hands caress her shoulders, her face warming as she lovingly locked eyes with her spouse through the distortions of their masks.

"The thought of ever losing you, or not being able to see our kids again."

A powerful rush of water snapped the couple back to reality as their eyes darted to the side. The sharks weren't ready to quit, sailing in again, mouths agape. The couple released each other and swiveled to face the metal assailants.

"Sonic, can you move alright?" a frantic Blaze asked.

"Well, I may not be able to swim, but this should do just fine!" mused Sonic, curling and shooting upwards before slamming down onto the skull of the left shark. Its mouth was forced shut as its eyes momentarily flickered, before returning to their glowing crimson.

As he left his rounded state, Sonic peered down at his wife as she gracefully dodged her assailant. It sped right past her, veering just in time to avoid striking the hull of its creator's ship.

"Sonic, Whispy and I are on your way out, and Vec's gonna try and finish what Blaze started."

"You got it, Tangle!" replied Sonic before rolling up and dodging another charge. He retaliated by hurling himself into the shark's side, denting it's armor. "Ow!"

"What's the matter, Sonic?" asked the hedgehog's concerned, but preoccupied spouse.

"That one hurt more than normal," he groaned, unfolding to rub his arm. "And I haven't been this winded by a little exercise since I first started running."

"It's the pressure, Sonic. It's having similar effects on me too. Just try and hold on until we can get inside."

Acknowledging his wife's command, the king turned back to his current threat. "Ok Sonic, just don't think about the water…" He repeated to himself as he prepared to launch another homing attack.

"Whispy, you help out Blaze, I've got Sonic!" commanded Tangle, breaking away from her wife and swimming upwards.

"Okay."

Whisper jetted forward, her Wispon glowing blue. As the shark charged its target, she slammed it atop the head, forcing its jaw shut and sending it veering downward before Blaze had a chance to dodge.

"Miles, are there any weak points on these things?" asked Blaze.

"Nothing critical, but the joints of robots like these are always weak points."

"Got it." replied Blaze, turning to face her wolfy ally. "Whisper, if I can distract this thing; get it to move in a predictable path. Could you land a shot?"

"Mhmm," the wolf hummed in reply, giving a confident nod.

"Good. Go for the tail joints if you can. I'll lead it away!" The pyrokinetic queen weaved through the water, quickly being pursued.

The Wispon transitioned to its pink sniper mode and sprouted its scope. Peering into it, Whisper immediately noticed she'd have to compensate for the distortion of the mask and water. Adjusting her aim, she quickly located her target, and its target. The scope zoomed in further, guided to its target, the joint connecting two sections of the shark's tail, by its skilled user. The wolf's steady hand prepared to pull the trigger back, but before she could take the shot…

"Whisper, you're gonna have to be quicker than that!" Blaze announced as the shark whipped to the right, disrupting Whisper's aim.

The shark had an almost set interval between passes, and Blaze had no choice but to dodge when it reached her. Whisper had a small window of opportunity. Furrowing her brow, she focused once more.

The tail was in her sights, pumping back and forth as it propelled its owner forward. All that was a perfectly timed pull.

Just as Blaze prepared to dodge once more, a flash from Whisper's direction caught her eye. A pink bolt tore through the water at barely-visible speeds, striking the rear of the shark. It wasn't the flashiest impact, but it did the trick.

"Excellent work, Whisper!" Blaze beamed as the shark instantly lost all its torque, powerless to prevent itself from slowing to a crawl with the loss of its only propulsion. Its momentum failed, mere meters in front of Blaze, its teeth gnashing in vain.

Another metallic ring echoed through the water. Blaze spun around and looked up to see Sonic recovering from another attack on his own enemy. "I'm going to go help Vector, you go take care of the second shark."

Whisper nodded, taking off toward the second shark and speaking into her mask.

"Distract it."

Much like before, Sonic easily dodged out of the way and bashed the metal shark. Before it could recover, a grey, striped tail wrapped around its midsection.

"One distraction, comin' right up!" cheered the lemur on the end of the appendage, tightening her grip on the shark. Its teeth gnashed, its body struggling against the lemur's grip. Tangle grunted as it began to slip free of her still-tired tail. "Do it now, Whispy!"

Not wasting a second, Whisper peered back into her pink Wispon's scope and locked onto the shark's tail joints. It thrashed in vain as another pink bolt surged toward it, severing its only means of propulsion. Doomed to the same fate as its twin, the shark was freed from Tangle's grasp, only to begin helplessly plummeting into the ocean below.

"Woohoo! Nice shot, babe!"

The wolf smiled timidly. "Thanks."

Soon, Miles and the others left the Whirlpool II behind. Swimming up to join Blaze and Vector at the Megalodon's hull.

"How's it coming?" asked Miles.

"Progress has been slow, but it should be just about…" Blaze began, her hand continuing to melt through the hull before it quickly thrusted forward. "Done!" Her palm punched into the Megalodon, immediately recognizing the sensation of air and decreased pressure. With a grunt, she withdrew and beckoned to Vector and Sonic. Immediately a vortex of water poured into the opening. "Now it's up to these two to widen the gap."

"Oh, it'd be my pleasure," Sonic grinned, punching his palm before rolling up and sailing toward the gap.

The hull of the megalodon proved no match for a series of spindashes and punches from the team's heavy hitters, and Soon, the group was inside. As Blaze boiled the water away from her exterior and used her now-unrestrained powers to seal their entrance, the speedy monarch yanked off his mask and madly dashed around the cylindrical corridor.

"Oh solid ground, how I missed you!" he cooed, his body pressed up against one of the red walls.

The feline finished her work, turning to face her king with an entertained sigh. "Yes, honey. You're safe now."

"You're darn right I am, thanks to you!" Sonic cheered, leaving the wall and zooming up to meet his wife. Without warning, he placed an excited peck on her lips.

Before a surprised Blaze's blush could fade, the team leader summoned her hammer. "Remember, everyone. We may have gotten in, but that's only half the battle. We've still got to carry out the rest of our mission."

Sonic quelled his excitement with a deep breath. "Right."

"Half the battle?!" Team Freedom frantically looked around for the source of Eggman's electronicized voice, eventually focusing on a loudspeaker mounted on the ceiling. "Half doesn't even begin to describe what's in store for you!"

"Eggman!" Blaze snarled, her hands heating up.

"The one and only. Why don't you and your furry friends come try and stop us? I'm sure you'll find our welcome mat to be-"

A powerful fireball collided with the ceiling, promptly incinerating the speaker. Blaze lowered her hand, dousing her palms as she simmered down.

"I've had enough of those obese fools' blabbering to last a lifetime," she seethed.

"I second that," Vector jeered, igniting his wrist guards.

Sonic sped to the side of Blaze and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, confidently grinning around to his group of friends. "Well then, how about we go shut 'em up for good?"