After that, the next two days went by fairly quickly. There was preparations made everywhere for the party. Tails was trying to calm a particularly irritable Amy, Sonic and co were trying to figure out what to wear, much to Sonic's behest, and Eggman, well he was just ready.

Sonic and his friends boarded the plane to go back to the Emerald Isles. Their teacher, however, had opted to stay behind. But the excitement for most of them was there. Silver, however, was nervous for what would happen when they found out about his brother and likewise for Blaze.

Sonic took a moment to admire all of their outfits. Blaze was in a simple teal dress with flowy scalloped sleeves and skirt that flowed out and barely touched the floor. Rouge was wearing a strapless black dress that feel to the floor but had a slit on the right side. She wore a heart necklace that was just barely long enough to not wrap around her neck tightly that James had gotten a individual in the society that could create illusions to create an illusion that her wings weren't there as long as she wore it and they stood still. Knuckles wore a wine red suit and black dress shirt with a traditional echidna golden band around his neck and dreadlocks. Silver was wearing a dark navy suit with a purple tie that had a yellow swirly pattern on it, for which Sonic had relentlessly teased that the color was a lot like Blaze. Sonic himself wore a black suit, white dress shirt, and a tie that was suspiciously the same color as his boyfriend's hair stripes. And Sonic couldn't get over how his boyfriend looked. He was wearing a black suit with a royal blue dress shirt. Sonic noticed that Shadow left the top two buttons undone. Every time he looked at his boyfriend Sonic thought 'damn, is that my hot boyfriend?'

Silver was currently thinking to his conversation with Blaze earlier.

"Silver, you can't put your hair like that." She told him. "Why not?" He was about to spike it up. "This is a formal party, and we have to looker nicer than usual."

"I don't get why that means I can't spike my hair?" Blaze reached and started fluffing his hair and parting, so it looked just right. "You're so naive." She chuckled. "But that's I guess that's one of the things I love about you."

There were so many reasons she could have said that. Some sent a sinking feeling in his stomach while others brought a whirlwind of butterflies. It could have been a slip of the tongue, she could have meant like a friend loves a friend, or it could have meant more, or it could have meant nothing (you donut hole, she likes you), and he didn't much like that thought.

When the got to the palace, they opened the doors to find the party already started. Tails immediately ran to Sonic, in a black suit with a white shirt and a back bow tie. "Sonic!" They wrapped each other in a hug. The group started walking around but stuck together. "Rouge!" A girl shouted, and it sounded angry. "Your majesty please." Another girl said. "Don't 'your majesty' me. I deserve an explanation."

"Bee." The second girl said. "Nope." Came the reply as the duo walked up to Rouge and the one stood in front of her arms crossed, glare on her face. She had tan skin and purple hair done up in a large bun and was about the same height as Sonic. She was wearing a blue dress with silver accents. It was a sweetheart neckline, bell sleeves, and a large hoop skirt. Sonic looked at the glare on her face and did a double take. "And Aubrey, write a note for me, no one should have to wear fancy dresses to parties that doesn't want to." The girl next to her smiled a knowing smile and nodded while also rolling her eyes. She was a little paler, about the same height as Shadow, and also had brown hair that was died pink at its ends and was curled to just above her shoulders. She wore glasses as well. She was wearing a red dress that has an off the shoulder neckline and fell just above her knees. And she carried a sword in its scabbard. "Well Rouge. You get sent to summer school and don't answer calls on text for weeks. What happened?" She asked, now sounding a little more concerned than angry. "We got our phones taken away." She explained. The girl looked unconvinced. "We did. On the first day our teachers took our phones." Shadow told her. Sonic looked at her glare. He felt his signature smirk come one his face. "You must be Shadow's sister." Sonic said, even though he knew it was a lie. "Why? We don't look alike!" The girl shouted. The girl next to her spoke up "But you do."

"Screw you." The girl with purple hair accusingly points her finger at the girl next to her. The girl whispered something in her ear that warranted a slap in the back of the head, leaving the second girl laughing. "You must be Bee." Knuckles said extending his hand. Bee took his hand and shook it. "And you are?" She asked. "Knuckles." He replied simply. "Oh, Tikal's brother." She said snapping as she figured it out. He nodded. "And he's also my date today." Rouge said and linked arms with him. Bee sharpened her gaze. "There are a few things you should know about dating my sister." Rouge rolled her eyes. "You should know that no one hurts my family and gets away with it."

"You'd still owe me for my bike." Shadow said. "You can't prove it was me." She said, turning her attention back to Knuckles. "The thing is, I know at least 5 ways to kill you and get away with it, and I have diplomatic immunity in 46 countries, including this one." Knuckles was unfazed, he just nodded. "Now my knight," she turned to the girl next to her, "I need food before I do a lot more social interaction. Come with me." The girl rolled her eyes. "I'd rather not deal with a hangry Bee." The girl said. "No, we wouldn't want that." Rouge replied. "You can both suck it." She told them. "And don't you dare." She turned to the girl as she grabbed her arm and dragged her to the buffet table. "Who was that girl with your sister?" Silver asked. "Sir Aubrey. My sisters knight, protector, and best friend." Everyone looked at her. "They still have those?" Sonic asked. "Every monarch has at least one in our kingdom. It's a lifetime post and a very honorable one. I personally don't want one. They have to be with you almost all the time. It sounds exhausting." She explained.

"You know, food sounds pretty good right about now." Silver said and tried to push everyone towards the buffet table, a person, one Sonic didn't like walked up to their group. "Silvester!" Jet exclaimed and hit Silver on the back. "That's not even close to my real name." Silver said. "Come off it baby bro. I'm just happy to see you." Jet didn't like he had put in any effort to dress up nicer. "Jet…" Shadow started, "is your brother?" Sonic finished the question. Silver grunted as Jet used his head for an arm support. "Shadow, Sonic, you're not still mad about that race at school, are you?" He smirked at the frowns and glares the two boys gave him. "But how?" Rouge asked. "You are you. And he's…"

"Absolutely awesome." Jet finished. "An ass." Sonic said. "I feel like I'm missing something." Knuckles was so confused. "You missed an awesome race my friend." Jet says. "I am not your friend."

"You don't look related?" Shadow pointed out. "Who said families have look similar." Jet goaded, trying to get a rise out of Shadow. "Spray tan and hair dye." Silver outed his brother, who gave an offended gasp that sounded almost like squawk. Sonic started laughing. "Laugh it up, but I still beat you for the title of fastest thing alive."

"You cheated." Sonic says. "Seriously, can someone tell me what happened?" Knuckles pleaded. "Sonic was bragging about how fast he is, and I just decided to put him in his place."

"By challenging me and Shadow to a race. And we ran."

"That was never part of the rules." Jet smirks. "He used his hover board." Knuckles looks at Jet, aghast. "Dishonorable." Jet didn't seem to care. "Still won."

"Maybe you should just go find Wave." Blaze said. Jet gave them one last smirk and wink before walking off. "I don't like him." Silver said. Blaze patted his shoulder. "Or any of the Rogues." He added. "The who?" Tails asked. "It's what my brother, Wave, and Storm call themselves. The Babylonian Rogues." Silver scoffed. "Dumb name if you ask me." Rouge said. The group nodded in agreement.

A giggling Bee ran up to Rouge. "Rouge, save me, my knight has turned against me." Aubrey came chasing her. Bee noticed something though and stopped her giggling. "Wait, Rouge, they're holding hands." She said and pointed to Shadow and Sonic's hands. "Awwww." Aubrey says. "Oooooh." Bee says at the same time. The two boys blush hard. "I got to go get Maria!" Bee says. She walks off and comes back with the blonde girl linked arms. Her condition had gotten better over the years, and she could now enjoy parties like these for a good amount of time, though she did occasionally have to leave early. But that did mean she had grown a lot. She was a few inches taller than Sonic, and her hair color had darkened ever so slightly and was currently braided and lead to a bun on the back of her head. She's wearing a sky-blue v-neckline, ball gown with puffed sleeves. Maria smiles brightly when she sees her brother and the two of them hug. "There's someone I want you to meet." Shadow says. Sonic waves. "Hello." Maria says. "This is my boyfriend, Sonic." Maria walks up to him, he doesn't expect a hug, but that is what he gets. "It's nice to meet you Sonic." He says. "Nice to meet you too." He says and hugs back. "Why can't you do that?" Rouge asks her sister. "I'm not a hugger, you know this." She says. Maria let's go of Sonic. "So, tell me everything you two. What changed? How'd you get together? How long has it been?" She asked. Sonic and Shadow give an abbreviated version of the story, their friends chiming in if they missed a detail. They did however, all leave out a few details, the ones about them being super powered and the secret society. "I'm so happy for you two." Maria tells them.

Bee turns to her sister. "See, now there is a large noticeable difference between me and Shadow. I'm forever single."

"Not true." Aubrey tells her. "Oh, Bee, don't say that you'll find someone." Maria says and gives her a side hug.

"Blaze." A girl shouts. It's Wave, and she made no effort to dress nicer than usual. Bee immediately tenses and Aubrey grabs her sword, but not pulling it out of its scabbard. "Jet told me you were here, thought I'd come say hi, it is a big day after all." The smile on her face and the way she enunciated that last part of the sentence, almost made it sound like she knew something the rest of them didn't. "This outfit is not becoming of a future queen." Blaze told her, gesturing to all of Wave. The older girl just laughed it off. "You know I never wanted that. Besides, it's better to look cool than look fancy." She said as she took something from a plate as a waiter walked by and stuffed whole into her mouth. Wave gave the whole group a wink, gaze lingering a little too long on everyone for anyone's comfort before walking away.

Just when the group was about to talk about the encounter with Wave, Tikal came and tackled her brother from behind, but it didn't knock him over. Tikal was sporting her usual crown, necklace, and shirt, but she had a much longer version of her usual skirt that opened in middle just below where her knees would be. "Knuckles!" She said. "Hey Tikal." He said. "How have you been?" She asked. "It's been good." He smiled at his sister. "I'm glad. I know you were worried when you got sent to summer school in person, but I'm glad you're good." She told him. There was idle chit chat from the now larger group. Sonic talked to Maria about Shadow, because she wanted to know that her brother was in good hands. Bee made sure to tell Knuckles again that he would not live if he broke her sister's heart. Knuckles wanted to laugh, mostly because he was certain he could take the much shorter and clearly less strong girl, but he figured that wouldn't earn him many brownie points. Rouge and Tikal were introduced and got along immediately. Tikal was especially eager when she heard about Rouge's fascination with gems. Tails caught up with Silver and Blaze. Conversations with Jet and Wave soon forgotten.

"Sparrow to Hawk."

"Hawk listening, what's up Sparrow." He responded and tried to be sneaky about it, simultaneously pick pocketing a few of the guests. He admired a bracelet he just got. "They were totally tense when I talked to them."

"That doesn't matter." The doctor came up. "As long as they are distracted long enough for Winter and Albatross."

"Cool your jet's doc." Jet said and grabbed a diamond necklace from a woman. "Everything is under control. They don't suspect a damn thing."

"Would you watch your language." The doctor said. Even though he knew the doctor couldn't see it, he rolled his eyes. "Whatever" he grumbled. "Hawk! Stop pickpocketing and start participating in the plan!" The doctor said over the communicator as Jet grabbed a pearl necklace off of someone. "Would you relax." He grumbled into the earpiece. "Just taking a few souvenirs." He grinned as he took a wad of cash from a woman's purse. "Besides Doc, it's not likes it a very complicated plan." Jet heard Sparrow, aka Wave, on the other end. "Just because I didn't tell you all of the complicated parts doesn't mean it's not a complicated, complex, and layered plan!" The doctor defended. Jet just rolled his eyes again. He grabbed the device and planted it on breaker box in the hall, quickly sneaking back into the party. "Finally, someone listens." The doctor complained, and something that sounded like a mechanical 'ow' could be heard on the other end of the line. "Albatross to Hawk."

"You report to me!" The doctor started shouting again. "Albatross to doctor." The new and deep voice sounded. "I got her."

James was humming a made-up tune and programming the next simulation for his students to try when they got back. As he did, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. "Hello?" He asked. "JAMES!" He heard Roxanne shout. "Just keep running!" Tuma shouted. James stood up. "What's wrong?" He urgently asked. "January escaped of this big guy wearing all black, but we can see his grey hair. They set up some kind of device that took down Sam. She's unconscious and Tuma is carrying her. They set more and they could go off at any moment. But they both said something about a party! You have to warn them."

"I'm on it." James said.

Sonic felt his phone vibrate and reached to grab it but was interrupted when all of the guests were asked to look to the front of the room where his sister stood. She was wearing a cream colored dress with a ridiculously large hoop skirt. Soon, Sonic was too focused on the scene in front of him to notice it. No one was able to notice the vibrating in their pocket either, and James, a few hours away by plane, was becoming exceedingly desperate.

January scoffed as her 'rescuer' took off his mask and black suit. "This is the best the doctor could do?" She rhetorically asked. "I got you out didn't I." He said and tossed her something which she quickly caught without even batting an eye. It was a communication device. She put it in her ear. "Albatross to Doctor again." The boy in front of her said. She heard in both the device and in person. "She's online." He finished. "Excellent." She heard the doctor say. "Welcome Winter." He said. "Winter is the best you could come up with?" She asked him annoyed. "Don't question my genius!" The doctor shouted. "Do you really have to yell, we can hear you just fine." She heard another boy on the other end of the line. "Quickly, use the teleportation device and get back here so we can execute the plan." The doctor said and 'Albatross' got a device out of his pocket. He pressed a button and they were just outside the ballroom.