WARNING: This chapter contains sadness and a rushed dramatic effect.
Viewer's discretion is advised.
Metal Sonic rammed Snipe into the wall then pulled out the steel hand. The hawk dropped to the ground leaving a bloody smear on the steel wall. Metal looked at its now crimson hand. It then turned and saw the mixture of fear and sadness in the eyes of the three heroes who still lay on the ground. Silver was standing to the side shocked and unsure what to do. Metal Sonic blasted upward and out through the roof. Blaze stood up and ran to Snipe. She kneeled down next to the dying hawk.
"Come on Snipe! We'll get out of here! Come on!" she cried out shaking his arm. He put his hand on hers.
"Y-you know that I'm not getting away. I might b-be strong but when death comes, he comes." he told her. She shook her head.
"No! You can't die Snipe! We've been through too much!" she was starting to cry. The three hedgehogs stood around her. Silver put his hand on the cat's shoulder.
"Blaze." he said calmly. "I don't think he will be able to leave." Blaze dropped her head. Snipe gave her a bloody smile.
"Hey, the Matches I knew would never cry! Where is that cat?" Snipe coughed out. Shadow turned away.
"Come on. Let's get out of here." he stated. Snipe looked at him and nodded.
"I'll destroy this building with the last of my power." he said. Snipe took the sad cat's hand and placed something inside. It was a little heart made of ice. "I'll be right in there whenever you need Me." he told her. "Now go."
She slowly stood up. Shadow and Silver ran for a nearby door. Blaze turned and followed them. She stopped by the exit and looked back. The cat said something quietly and ran out. Sonic was about to go too when Snipe called him. Sonic turned around to see Snipe raising his fist in the air and making a one eyed smile.
"Take care of Matches for me." he called out. Sonic smiled and gave him thumbs up.
"You can count on me!" he replied before shooting out the door. The group ran down hallways and through rooms. They soon reached a large door labelled Exit. Shadow blasted down the doors revealing a lush green prairie. The bunch headed out the door. Sonic looked back and saw a large ice spike floating above the building. They kept running till reaching a safe distance. A loud crack echoed across the sky as the spike spiraled down. The crash caused an explosion so strong it nearly knocked the group down. They watched the flames shoot upwards and pieces of the building fly away. They stayed and watched the smoke rise into the air.
"What now? Where are they? What are they going to tell Breeze?" These were the things they thought about. They stayed there till nothing was left but ashes and unanswered questions. Blaze clenched her fiery fists.
"I'm going to kill both of the Eggmen and that robot for this!" she vowed. Sonic put his hand on her shoulder.
"And I would love to help you but first we got to finish our job. We must find the spring and stop the Eggmen. Snipe's death will not be in vain!" Sonic told her. Shadow nodded.
"Let's start with finding out were we are." he suggested. Blaze looked around.
"All I see is wide open field and I don't remember which way Snipe and I came from." she told them. Sonic turned to Silver.
"How about you fly up high and see were the camp is. I can't be that far away." He suggested. Silver nodded and flew up high. He looked around but only saw grass. The hedgehog flew higher and higher. His friends looked like little ants when he saw the forest again. Silver zipped down and pointed north.
"I can see part of the forest down that way but it would take hours of walking to get there." he told them. Sonic grinned.
"Hours for you are seconds for us." he told the white hedgehog.
"Well I can't go as fast as you three." Silver told him. Sonic shrugged.
"I'm sure Shadow can carry you." he said.
"Ha! I wouldn't carry him for all the money in the world." Shadow told him. Sonic made an evil grin.
"I could always tell everyone about your little garden." he suggested.
"You wouldn't dare…" Shadow growled.
"Try me!" The blue hedgehog responded. Silver started to smirk.
"Shadow has a garden? Wow, there goes about 1000 bad-ass points for him." Silver stated before bursting out into laughter. Shadow lunged back at the hedgehog and lifted him by his throat.
"Let's see you laugh without teeth." He threatened. Silver managed to break loose of his grip.
"I can still beat the crap out of you yet Shadow!" Silver yelled while forming a ball of green energy in his hand. Sonic popped up between them and stopped the fight.
"Look guys, we aren't going to solve anything by fighting. I'll run with Blaze and you will run with Shadow. Ok?" the blue one told them.
"No." they both said. Sonic crossed his arms and walked over to Blaze.
"Well to bad. Ready to go Blaze?" he asked. Blaze put her head down.
"I-I suppose…" she muttered quietly. Sonic turned around.
"Ok. Hope on!" he stated happily. Blaze became startled by his remark.
"You want me to ride on your back?"
"Well sure. You might be fast but there's no chance of you keeping up with me and Shadow at top speeds."
"But… Oh fine…" she mumbled before climbing onto the hedgehog's back. He grabbed her legs and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Blaze then rested her head on his shoulder. Silver did the same to Shadow. He growled when the white hedgehog's head landed on his shoulder. The two braced themselves.
"You ready?" Sonic asked.
"Think you can keep up?" Shadow asked in response. Sonic grinned at him.
"Can you? Let's GO!" he shouted before the group shot forward. Blaze grasped tightly onto Sonic at she moved at speeds she could never have reached. Silver flapped in the wind barley holding onto Shadow.
"SLOW DOWN SHAAAADOW!" he yelled in terror.