That morning, Sonic and his friends woke up, and began making breakfast.

"Hmmm." Sonic said as he smelled his pancakes.

"Hey Sonic," Tails called to Sonic. "How are we even going to find Robotnik in the first place?"

"Uh… I don't know?" Sonic said as he stared into space.

"Wait that means yesterday we were flying around doing nothing!?" Knuckles yelled.

Sonic scratched the back of his head, "Yeah…" Then Knuckles picked up a tree and began to chase Sonic around the campsite leaving everyone either staring or laughing.

"Well if you two could sit still," Blaze spoke softly, "I have an idea."

Sonic and Knuckles instantly stopped and turned to Blaze, "Really? Do tell." Sonic asked as he sat down next to her.

"Well we first found Tikal here in this oasis because Robotnik dropped her here. Then we find Shadow in this same area following Rouge's last coordinates as she was tracking Robotnik. I think that if we search the area, we might be able to find some clues as too his whereabouts."

After Blaze spoke her idea she received a few cheers from the group.

"Yeah, nice! I love this woman!" Sonic grinned as he kissed Blaze causing her to smile.

"Ok," Knuckles said as he stood up, "Now that we have a plan, we might as well spilt into groups so we can cover the area faster."

"Heh, if you want it done fast, I should handle it by myself." Sonic grinned.

"Don't make me laugh," Shadow grinned, "You're too stupid to notice anything while you run, you're pretty much useless."

"Heh, this comin' from a hog who got beat by yours truly, right." Sonic grinned as he rolled his eyes causing Shadow to get up and glare at Sonic in which caused the same effect on Sonic.

"Please, can we stop arguing?" Tikal wined as she pulled on Sonic's arm.

"Sure. Well if were gonna split up, who's gonna be with who?"

"Hmm…" Tails said as he rubbed his chin, "Well there are an old number of us so if we split into twos, on team is going to have three instead."

"So?" Sonic grinned.

"Not necessarily." Blaze said quietly.

"Whadda mean?" Sonic asked.

"Rudolph left so there are six of us instead of seven." After she said this, everyone began to look around for the brown echidna.

"Wow he sure is quite." Tails said.

"I say let him go." Sonic said causing everyone to stare at him. "Whoa, whoa wait a minute! Not like that! Didn't you guys notice that every time he goes out on his own he finds someone?" Sonic asked as he began counting on his fingers. "The first time he found Tikal and healed her, right? And the second time he ran in Shadow, maybe this time he'll run into Rouge and Robotnik and kill two birds with one stone."

"But what if he doesn't come back?" Tikal asked.

Sonic turned to her with a grin, "Something tells me that as long as you're with us, he'll be back." Leaving Tikal very confused by what he meant.

"Speaking of Tikal," Blaze said as she walked over to Sonic. "We need to make sure that she's safe at all times."

"Sure. "Sonic grinned.

"So I think you should stay with her."

Sonic grinned over to Tikal, "Ya mind Tikal?"

Tikal couldn't help but smile. "Of course not."

"Ok! So who else?"

"I'll go with Tails." Knuckles grinned as looked over to Tails.

"Yeah why not." Tails smiled back.

"Ok then," Knuckles said as he turned to Blaze. "I guess that leaves you and Shadow huh?"

"I can deal with it." Shadow said as he began to walk away.

Blaze just stared at Shadow until she felt Sonic's hand on her waist. "Hey Blaze, don't let Shadow's attitude get to you." Sonic grinned. Blaze just smiled, and then walked off to catch up with Shadow. "Ok! So everyone else ready?" Everyone nodded, "Then let's move out!" Sonic shouted with everyone running in their separate directions.

"Sonic?" Tikal called.

"Yeah?"

"We've been searching for clues for hours and we haven't found a thing." Tikal said in a frail voice.

"Hey cheer up!" Sonic smiled. "If anything, the good news is that we now know that

Robotnik isn't here looking for you meaning you're safe."

"Yes, that is good news." Tikal said with a smile.

"And besides, we don't know if the others have anything or not." Then suddenly Sonic's phone began to ring, "Yo?"

"Hey Sonic," Tails called from the other end. "Did you find anything?"

"Naw not a single thing." Sonic sighed. "You?"

"Nothing either. But we're back at the campsite making dinner so you can come back when you want."

"Sure, we'll be back in a flash." Sonic grinned.

"Oh and could you find Shadow and Blaze? We've tried calling them but their cell phones were off right now and-"

"Don't sweat it buddy! We'll find them. See ya later." Then Sonic hung up his phone.

"So Tikal, you ready to head back?"

"Yes." She said quietly as she nodded.

"Cool, then all we have to do is find Blaze and Shadow and we can get out of here."

"Can we ask Rudolph to come with us?"

"Sure, if we knew where he was. He's been gone all day." Sonic sighed.

"I know where he is."

"Really?" Sonic asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Tikal nodded, then began walking leaving Sonic to follow. "He's close, I sense his Chaos energy."

"Why is it that echidnas can feel energy?"

"We are closely tied to the power of Chaos, Sonic. All echidnas of royal birth can use the Chaos Force at will."

"If only echidnas have the ability to use Chaos energy, then why can Tails, Shadow, me can use it too?" Sonic asked.

"Well, Tails is the Chosen One. He alone outside the echidna race is powerful enough to use the Chaos Force anytime he wants once he unlocks his potential. Now I'm not sure about Shadow but I know you've gained your ability due to your constant transformations into your Super Sonic form."

"Heh, that explains a lot." Sonic grinned but then he saw Tikal stop causing him to stop as well. "Hey what's up?"

Tikal turned around with a smile, "He's right over there." Then she moved a few branches and Sonic saw Rudolph standing a few meters away on a cliffside staring at sunset.

Tikal followed by Sonic walked over to him, "Hello Rudolph." Tikal smiled.

Rudolph turned to see Tikal and let a small smile appear on his face before it left as he turned away. "Hello Tikal." He spoke quietly.

"Hey buddy!" Sonic called. "What are you doing way out here? I thought you would've left by now."

"Believe me, I would have… but I need to ensure Tikal's safety. But my Chaoskey… it's that way… I know it."

"Well then that means that Egghead's that way." Sonic grinned, "First thing tomorrow, we'll drop off Tikal and then we'll track down Robotnik. Sounds good to you Rudy?"
Rudolph turned to Sonic and Tikal with a grin, "That's a plan that I can agree with."

"Ha now that's what I'm talking about!" Sonic grinned. "Come on, its time to head back."

"Go ahead with out me." Rudolph said as he turned back to the sunset.

"Are you sure?" Sonic asked as he stared at Rudolph.

"Yeah, I like being alone."

"Ok then." Then Sonic picked up Tikal and sped towards the campsite leaving Rudolph to stare into the scenery.

"Hey Sonic!" Tails called to the blue blur as he and Tikal sped to a stop at the campsite.

"Hey bro, what smells so good?" Sonic asked as he placed Tikal down.

"Chilidogs!!!"

"Alright!" Sonic shouted as he sat next to Tails with his mouth drooling.

"Ah… Sonic… where's Blaze and Shadow." Tails asked as he looked around.

"Uh oh… damn it. I knew I forgot something."

"Well until you get them, you don't eat." Tails said as he pushed Sonic aside.

"Aww come on buddy!" Sonic pleaded.

"Nope. Not a chance." Tails grinned.

"Fine." Sonic pouted. "But if I can't find them in like 5 minutes, I'm eating even if I gotta beat you to a pulp."

"Sonic!" Tikal pleaded. "No fighting, ok?"

"Hey Tikal you know I was only joking. See ya!" Sonic grinned as he took off.

'Damnit!' Sonic thought as he ran though the oasis. 'I need to find those two before my food gets cold.' And as Sonic ran through the oasis, he heard giggling from a distant, 'Huh? That sounds like Blaze.' Sonic thought as he turned to run to the direction of the sound. After a second, Sonic finally found Blaze and Shadow standing in a small clearing talking to one another. Sonic stopped a few meters away and began to tip-toe to keep from Blaze's hearing range. 'What are those two doing?' Sonic asked himself. But then, he heard Blaze begin to laugh and lean on Shadow's shoulder, 'What the hell!!?' Sonic thought to himself as he jumped out of the bushes causing the two to turn around.

"Hello Sonic." Blaze called to the blue hedgehog.

"Blaze… Tails says its time to eat." Then Sonic glared at Shadow, "You can come if you want faker."

"What was that?" Shadow asked as he returned the glare.

"You heard me." Sonic said as he pulled Blaze close to him.

"Whatever." Shadow grunted as he turned to walk back to the campsite.

Blaze removed Sonic's hand as she glared at him, "Sonic, what's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?" Sonic asked dumbfounded.

"Why did you insult Shadow?"

"Insult Shadow?"

"Never mind." Blaze sighed as she turned to follow Shadow leaving Sonic to follow the two.

"Hey!" Tails called. "It's about time you guys got back!"

Shadow walked past the campfire and leaned himself against a tree while Sonic and Blaze sat down across from one another. "Hey bud." Sonic said sounding a little down.

"Are you ok?" Tails asked sensing his mood.

"Yeah I'm fine." Sonic said without turning to him. "So… can I eat now?"

"Uh yeah… sure." Tails said as he handed Sonic a chilidog. But before Sonic could take a bite, he felt the ground shaking a bit. "What the…?" The ground began to shake again, and then again in a rapid session.

"Ah!" Tikal screamed. "What's going on!?"

"I think it's an earthquake!" Tails screamed. Then suddenly, the group heard a roar come from the deep part of the oasis. "Uh oh."

"That doesn't sound like an earthquake!" Sonic said as the group turned to the direction of the noise. Then suddenly, a giant purple, mechanical ape jumped into the campsite causing everyone to jump up in terror. "Whoa!!! Holy hell!!!"

"What the fuck is that!?" Knuckles shouted as everyone took a few steps back.

"Who sent this thing?" Shadow grunted.

"Isn't obvious?" Sonic asked as he pointed that the Robotnik insignia on the ape's chest.

"So what are we going to do?" Tails asked.

"What we do best, kick some ass!" Sonic shouted as he jumped for the ape. But the robot quickly swatted Sonic away like a fly sending Sonic through a row of trees.

"Sonic!" Tikal shouted.

"I'm fine." Sonic asked as he pushed a log off of himself.

Shadow turned to Sonic, "Are you done making a fool of yourself?"

"Kiss my ass." Sonic replied as he ran at top speed toward the mechanical ape. Once he was close enough, Sonic curled up into a spindash and tripped the robot leaving him wide open for Knuckles to uppercut the ape knocking it on its back. But then the chest plate on the ape opened shooting many missiles in the air, then the missiles began to fall from the sky.
"Everyone!" Tails called. "Under the X-Tornado!" Then the jet began to project a force field around itself with everyone under it.

"Whew!" Sonic sighed. "That was a close one."

"Wait a second…" Knuckles began, "Tikal!!!" Everyone turned out to the clearing to see Tikal still standing in her spot, frozen in fear. "Tikal! You have to move!" Knuckles cried but Tikal still stood there in fright with the missiles closing in on her.

"TIKAL!!!" everyone cried out as the missiles shot down and blew up all around her.

"No… damnit!" Sonic shouted as he slammed his fist into the ground.

"Wait." Knuckles said causing everyone to look at him, "I can still sense Tikal. She's still alive."

"What?" Then everyone turned to the smoke and slowly watched the smoke clear reliving Tikal perfectly unharmed but covered in a green force field.

"She's alive!" Tails shouted. But then the robot suddenly jumped back onto its feet and lunged itself at Tikal. Tikal screamed as she closed her eyes but then, Rudolph jumped out of the oasis and into the path of the robotic ape resulting in the ape grabbing him instead. The ape brought Rudolph to its face, then tossed him through an array of trees and then turned back to Tikal. This time, Tikal attempted to run but the robot quickly jumped in front of her.

"Alright!" Shadow shouted, "Let's go before she gets hurt!"

"I'm on it!" Sonic yelled as he dashed for Tikal but before he could get close, the ape near instantly turned around and smacked Sonic sending him tumbling as the ape attempted to take Tikal hostage again. But before the metallic ape could grab her, Rudolph again jumped in the way of the attack. The ape then began crushing Rudolph causing him to shout in pain before he was slammed a few feet into the ground.

"Ok that does it!" Sonic shouted as he ran towards the robotic ape, "Knuckles!"

"Got it!" Knuckles yelled as he and Shadow ran behind Sonic. Sonic then jumped into the air and rammed the robot causing him to let go of Rudolph, then Shadow ran behind the ape and kicked him skyward and then Knuckles grabbed Sonic and threw him towards the midair mechanical ape and Sonic spindashed right through the machine and before it could fall, Sonic charged and launched his Light Attack completely obliterating the robot. As Sonic landed, the group crowded around Tikal.

"Tikal! Are you alright!" Knuckles asked as he helped her to her feet.

"Yes I'm fine but what about Rudolph?" She asked as she looked towards his creator. When everyone looked to Rudolph, they saw him slowly pulling himself out of the creator and when he turned to the group, he hardly looked damaged in the least.

"Whoa dude!" Sonic cooed, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, but is Tikal alright?" Rudolph asked as he walked over to the group as brushed the dirt off of his coat.

"She's perfectly fine, thanks to you." Knuckles grinned.

"Now that Robotnik knows where we are, we can't stay here much longer." Blaze said as she looked around.

"Yeah but the X-Tornado will need some time to recharge after using its shield." Tails said as he looked at his jet.

"So we'll have to spend the night here?" Sonic asked.

"It's seems so." Blaze replied.

"But what if Robotnik attacks us while we're trying to sleep?" Tails asked.

"Don't worry." Rudolph said cutting in. "I can watch over everyone tonight to unsure your safety."

"Really?" Sonic asked.

"Yes, but we leave first thing tomorrow morning, understand?" Rudolph asked with everyone nodding.