Third Person POV

Zac paced in his lab for several hours after the hedgehogs had escaped him. He had been planning on using the blue one to lure the black and red one out in order to capture it. He wouldn't mind having both alien hedgehogs, but the black and red creature appeared to be more villainous than the blue one, not to mention its color scheme was similar to his own.

What Zac hadn't expected was his plan backfiring and the striped hedgehog nearly attempting first degree murder before they escaped. He would definitely have to make something that would bend it to his control, but how? Everything he built was reduced to less than scrap metal once those two were done. Not even the Wild Rats caused that kind of damage! He needed stronger resources, but he wasn't sure how strong his machines needed to be. His best guess was that they would have to be invincible, or close to it, but he had no idea about which materials he should start with. Maybe it was time to call on some outside help? He quickly typed in a series of commands into his main computer and waited impatiently for it to complete its tasks. The damages from the two hedgehogs' last encounter had nearly ruined his built in Wi-Fi signal...and any kind of signal for that matter.

After several long minutes, three video slides appeared on the screen, and Zac was shocked by what he saw. Gourmand was holding an ice pack to his face, and he was covered with cuts and bruises. His attire also looked more than a little worse for wear. Zac had never seen the man so roughed up.

The other surprise was his long time ally in crime, Donita. She seemed to only vaguely be paying any attention but was rather focused sketching out what he could guess would be a new designer line of fashion. He also couldn't help but notice the large supply of finished outfits hanging on racks in the background. Had she managed to finally make her new designs without the Wild Kratts interfering? Zac quirked an eyebrow at her, but said nothing, and he turned to the third screen. The only person who looked normal was their newest member of the group, Pavesly Pacer, an extremely short business woman with a giant distaste of anything naturally built.

"Make this snappy, Zac, darling, I have to be in New York in an hour," Donita stated, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Fine," he hmphed, "I called you all today because I need your help. I've run into these two pesky little hedgehog, cat, things, and I'm asking for you to help me catch them. They're a bit...difficult to hold."

Donita and Gourmand gasped at the same time, and the fashionista set down her sketchbook, becoming serious for the first time since the conference had started.

"These hedgehogs...were they a little over three feet tall? One blue and the other black with red stripes?"

"Yeah?" he answered slowly and was surprised when she started shaking her head.

"Sorry, Zac, but I can't help you on this one. I made a lovely deal with one of them that I simply couldn't pass up!"

"I can't help either," Gourmand replied glumly. He actually looked scared, "I've run into those two, and I don't want to ever see them again, that striped one in particular. He almost killed me!"

"Shadow?" Donita asked before laughing, "You didn't try to cook him, did you?"

Gourmand looked away, "Not him, exactly. I tried to get the blue one, and I almost had him! But then Stripes came in and nearly killed me."

Zac scratched his chin as he thought about it, "You know, he almost got me too. The blue thingy was trying to escape my jet when the black one attacked me. The blue one actually had to stop him!"

"Boys," Donita sighed out of exasperation, "You two obviously have no idea how to communicate with them. You're either trying to catch them or cook them. No wonder you two are in such bad shape."

Pavesly finally decided to join the conversation, "I have no idea what you three are talking about, and I'm hanging up if this turns out to be a waste of time," she stated with a frown. Zac panicked.

"Wait! I don't know how, but you might be able to help," he bargained. The business woman crossed her arms.

"You don't even have a plan. I'm out," she replied sharply and soon her slide disappeared from the screen. The inventor sighed defeatedly and looked at the other two.

"Come on, we've worked with each other for a long time and--"

"--Sorry doll, but I already told you I can't, especially when one of them has such excellent fashion taste!" Donita cut him off before mumbling something a belt. She then smiled at her friend, "Trust me, Zac. If those two are as dangerous as I think they are, it's probably best to just leave them alone for now."

"I agree," Gourmand chimed in, "Those two are nothing but trouble."

Zac's shoulders slumped. This was the first time his associates had rejected to help him. Couldn't they see how powerful they would become if they had those alien things under control? They would unstoppable! But it was becoming obvious to him that they didn't have as big a vision as he did.

"Fine," he said, "thanks for nothing," he glared and ended the call before they could reply. Back to square one, he thought, rubbing a hand over his face as he did so. "Who needs them anyways? I can take them on just fine on my own!"

I'm so glad you think so. Geniuses like ourselves don't need asistance from people with such low expectations for their lives.

"Who?! What!? Who's there!? Show yourself!" Zac panicked and looked all around his room as an unfamiliar voice chuckled. He finally glanced down at a small speaker in his computer, and realized it was a transmission from somewhere.

No one of consequence, I assure you. But tell me, Zac Varmitech, have you had a recent problem with two hedgehogs?

Sonic and Shadow had finally managed to finish their impromptu game of chase in the Tortuga after half an hour. They had also cleaned up their mess when sharp glares were fired their way. Souris, who had clung to Shadow's quills throughout the ordeal, was panting wildly from the sudden rush.

Wow! You two are fast! he squeaked, and received a knowing smirk from the striped hedgehog.

"Tch, you haven't seen anything yet," he replied, and Sonic quirked an eyebrow.

"Who you talking to, Shads?"

"Souris," he answered simply and motioned at the small mouse now perched on his shoulder, "We found him as we were looking for the third heart."

"Oh, yeah, how did that go, by the way?"

Shadow unconsciously shivered and scratched the side of his face that had once been solid ice and mumbled something about the cold, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Fair enough," he shrugged. Sonic hadn't told him how he had been stuffed in a dog cage when he was held "hostage" either, so he guessed they were even on that part. He briefly gave his older brother a glance over, and noticed that there were no new markings on his rings. "Huh, you don't have anything new added to your jewelry, Shads. Are you sure you got it?"

Shadow instinctively glanced at the gold bands around his ankles and wrists, glaring slightly at Sonic's name for the rings, "I am certain that I retrieved the heart. Perhaps not all of them add on to my inhibitors' design, or there was just too little of it left to make a noticeable change."

"Meh, probably right," he remarked casually and adjusted his glove, "It is getting kind of late though, guys. We should probably find somewhere to bunk down for the night. Which continent are we heading to next?"

Martin began to idly list them off his fingers, "Let's see, we've already been to Asia, Africa, and Europe, so that still leaves North and South America, Australia, and Antarctica."

Shadow's quills bristled at the thought of the last one. An entire continent of ice and snow...he was going to hate it.

"I say the Americas. It will save us more time than turning around."

Everyone agreed and began to set up areas where everyone could sleep, while Jimmy set the turtle ship down for the night. They would set their next course in the morning. Rouge, Amy, and Cream would be sleeping in Koki and Aviva's room, while all of the male mobians would stay in the main control room in the hammocks or on cots. After a few hours, the entire ship was quiet with only the occasional snores from a certain red echidna...

"How do you know about the hedgehogs?" Zac questioned cautiously, but he was inwardly freaking out. Whoever could hack into his private computer had to be a technological genius. He became aware that the mystery man on the other side of their conversation was chuckling in knowing amusement.

Let's just say that I have had my fair share of battling those two pests, the blue rat Sonic, in particular. I would like to assist you in apprehending them.

"What's the catch?"

To destroy Sonic personally.

"What about the black one with the stripes?" Zac asked, wondering why the voice had such an obvious hatred for the blue alien.

That failure of an expirement? You are free to do what you wish with him.

The pale, thin human liked the sound of that. He would be able to keep one of the freaky aliens as his personal pet. But how to tame it? Mind control? Shock collar? Electrodes? Nanites? There were so many possibilities, but a much more pressing matter quickly took the forefront of his mind.

"How do you plan on helping me? I don't even know who you are, or where you are."

Petty details, the voice dismissed, Now tell me. How much do you know about the power of the chaos emeralds?