Freedom Fighters X

A/N: Response to the mysterious reviewer known only as "Guest." Sorry but I will not turn this into a SonAmySal fic for two reasons.

1: No offense to SonAmy fans as I was once one too and still like it a little, but, I just don't see the two being together. Not with the crazed fangirlish way SEGA Amy acts toward Sonic and this is SEGA Amy in this fic, not only that but Sonic has shown no interest in her beyond friend, sister at most.

2 and most importantly to me: I HATE harem fic no matter how small the harem is with a great and fiery passion! I have found many GREAT stories that are ruined for me because of this cheap mechanic! I just don't think there can be any real romance when a character is dating two or more women at once!

So sorry, no SonAmySal

Also thanks to fighterofflames for his review! And I love his Sonic X/SatAM crossover fic Sonic X Fighters! Which along with the now derelict flash series Sonic GX had inspired me to write this fic!

Also, I'm going to have a surprise for you guys when I get to season 2!

Now for character ages just so we're clear here are the ages...and yes I do know some of these are inaccurate to a five year time skip from the end of SatAM. I just decided to play with the ages a bit.

Sonic: 17

Sally: 17 (A few months older than Sonic)

Knuckles: 20

Tails: 13

Amy: 14

Cream: 7

Bunnie: 19

Rotor: 18

Antoine: 20

Rouge: 23

Big: 32 (and not borderline retarded)

Also, I think I might have mentioned this already, but Sonic and the others are about Chris' height or taller.

Chapter 2: Reconcile

The first thing Sonic did once Chris lead them inside his mansion and gave them their towels was strip down to his boxer shorts and vigorously shake like a dog, much to Sally's embarrassment and chagrin, both for the stripping and the water flying in her face. He then started to use the towel to finish the job.

Sally showed more restraint and only took off her jacket, shorts, gloves and boots before using the towel to dry off her face and hair before dabbing it on her body to help dry out her tank top and underwear.

"Well, that's enough water for the week." Sonic commented as he tried to pick the last of the water in his ears out.

Sally had gotten as most of the water of herself and nodded in agreement, her hair now slightly frizzy making Sonic chuckle.

"What?" She asked with a slightly peeved expression making Sonic chuckle harder.

"Nothing, you just look cute with your hair all frizzy."

A warm blush dusted her cheeks and Sally looked away with a small pout while crossing her arms defensively.

When she turned her back to him he noticed that there was a streak of fur matching her hair that ran down her neck to her tail. He grinned as he snuck up behind her and poked her in the back, making her jump. "What this here, Sal? New fashion statement?"

Sally looked at him confused until she noticed he was staring at her back and tail. "Oh, that. I don't know, not long after you left that started to grow in. I tried getting rid of it but nothing works...Bunnie thinks it's cute" She finished slightly defensive of her new chipmunk-ish feature.

"Well she's right." Sonic agreed, earning a smile from the princess.

It was then Chris came in with a bundle of blankets and pillows for the two. "I don't have any free beds right now, but you can crash on the couch until I figure that out." He said as he dumped the bed supplies on the big L shaped sofa.

Sally was about to thank Chris for the bedding but was cut off by Sonic. "Thanks but no thanks kid. We'll sleep on the roof."

"We will/You will?" Sally and Chris said in simultaneously, the former looking incredulous while the latter looked confused.

Sonic shrugged nonchalantly in response. "Sure, why not? I like to have the sky above me, and less chance of anyone stumbling on me and Sal while we're sleepin'."

Sally has to admit that the idea had some merit but she was still a little damp and she didn't feel like freezing in night wind even if it was kind of mild tonight. So she was going to insist that they stay inside but stopped when Sonic gave her a subtle, meaningful look that clearly said he wanted to talk in privet.

So she acquiesced, albeit reluctantly, to the hedgehog's wishes. "He's right; we'll just take a blanket up with us for the night." She said while picking up the larger of the two blankets from the couch.

Chris was confused by this but knew he couldn't, nor did he want to force them to stay inside so he let them be. "Alright, I guess I'll see you to in the morning then. Goodnight Sonic, Sally." He bid them farewell and returned to his room upstairs.

After leaving their clothes to dry on a balcony overlooking the pools Sonic picks up Sally and leaps to the roof. Once there, he took the blanket from Sally and the two bundled up sitting side by side.

"So..." Sally broke the somewhat awkward silence.

"Yeah..." Sonic responded.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, first off, how have you been the past five years?"

Sally paused for a moment to think about all that happened since Sonic left to chase after Robotnik, she grimaced slightly at that memory, after the ENDGAME Incident as it was now called in Knothole. "Alright I suppose." She said neutrally causing Sonic to quirk an eyebrow but he didn't comment. "About a month after you...you left Snively tried to take over after Robotnik."

A chuckle left her lips. "He didn't do very well. Almost all the important functions in Robotropolis were voice locked to Robotnik's vocal-pattern and only his. Snively had control over most of the basic functions and the SAWTbots that were under his command at the time but he wasn't able to gain enough control over Robotnik's resources to become a serious threat and he ran away before we could pin him down about a week or two before me and the others came to visit you and Tails. How is he by the way?" She couldn't help but wonder about her 'nephew'.

"Pretty good." Sonic said vaguely and at seeing the annoyed look she gave him he quickly elaborated. "Since we left Tails has become quit the gear-head and aviator. Always tinkering with something and finding more and more ways to improve both the plane he built and in his piloting skills." He gave Sally a proud smirk. "You'd be amazed with what he can come up with, would give Rotor a run for his money."

"That's good..." Sally said with a smile. "Well, not much happened after you left and even less when Snively escaped. Mostly we just tried to shut down the remaining SWATbots and gather up the Robians for De-Roboticization when Sir Charles finishes his research..." Sally paused, her head descending a little to allow her hair to hide her face and after a moment Sonic thought she fell asleep until. "Why did you leave...?" She murmured.

"Huh?"

"Why did you leave?" She repeated, this time louder and with a bit of hurt in her tone. "I know you said you needed to go after Robotnik, or Eggman, whatever he calls himself now, but we had won. The war was over, Robotnik was no longer a threat, we...we started something...and...and..." She choked on her words to prevent a sob, a lone tear falling from her blue eyes. "We were going to have a future together...I thought we were going to work together to rebuild Mobotropolis and rescue the Robians...and...and..." She paused to calm herself. Last thing she wanted to do was breakdown like a child.

"If you and I are going to be together again, if we are going to have a serious relationship, I need to know where I stand with you. I need to know if adventuring is more important to you than your girlfriend."

When she looked up to see how Sonic would react to her words she did not expect to expression she saw on his face. It was dark, dead serious.

And she was a little scared at that. She's never seen him this serious.

"Sally..." He began with a very clear edge of irritation though not at her specifically. "Don't ever say something that stupid me again." He said as he tried to keep calm.

"What?" Sally questioned with confusion and offence.

"Don't ever think that I love adventuring more than you." He clarified as to not give her the wrong impression. "I wanted nothing more than to stay by your side and help you rebuild the Acorn Kingdom. But you and I both know that Eggman is a very dangerous man but, like you, I thought he was finished along with his failed ENDGAME plan. I only followed him at first to see if he had anymore tricks up his sleeves and what he may have been planning."

Sonic looked Sally in the eye and there was a very evident expression of concern and hurt as the memories of those horrid days resurfaced. "I didn't want to risk loosing you again and you not come back this time."

He paused to remember everything that happened during his and Tails five year absence. "I planned on returning about a month after I left but right before me and Tails were about to head back Egghead made his move. He began capturing woodland creatures and used them as power sources and CPUs for his new "Badnik" line of robots. He was using them to find six legendary gems called Chaos Emeralds to fuel his next attempt at world domination. I was able to get them first and sent Eggman packing again."

A frustrated look came to Sonic's face. "But then just before I could even turn around, he was at it again! He left for West Side Island and he quickly took control of the industrial areas and he found a seventh emerald, he used it to power a cheap copy of me called Silver Sonic and the used his new resources and robots to build a gigantic space station he called the Death Egg. But I was able to collect the other six emeralds again and took the seventh from the copy and used them to destroy the Death Egg."

Sonic rubbed his temples as he continued to explain what happened during his five years away, the events of Little Planet and his battles with Hyper Metal Sonic, Angel Island and how Eggman tricked Knuckles in order to steal the Chaos Emerald and rebuild the Death Egg, Finding the Master Emerald and fighting Mecha Sonic, Flicky Island, the Spinball Dungeon, everything up until tonight, but most of all he told Sally about how much he and Tails missed her and how they tried to return every time they defeated Eggman but every time they finished packing the mad doctor had already began his next plan and they were forced to postpone their return again, and again, and again, for five years.

"There were times were I just wanted to say "screw it" and return to Knothole to see you but I knew that if I did Eggman would get the emeralds and take over Mobius quicker than ever." He said as he looked up at the stars.

"That was almost what happened tonight. He had all seven and if I was just a few moments to late he would have activated his machine and who knows what would have happened. Instead we got sent here because I was able to damage it."

(cue Hybrid Rainbow by The Pillows, FLCL Soundtrack)

He felt a weight on his shoulder and he looked down to see Sally nuzzling him and small tears dripping from down her reddening cheeks. "I had no idea..." She said with shame at herself. "I thought this whole time that you abandoned us because of some stupid adrenaline addiction. But you've been fighting for us the entire time. I'm so sorry for doubting you, I should have known better..."

"Hey...hey, come here" Sonic cooed as he adjusted his position so that Sally was sitting between his legs and he could hug her from behind. "It's okay, no harm done, and we're together again. We can finally continue where we left off."

Eyes half closed and while a smile on her face Sally turned her head and captured Sonic's lips with her own the tears turning from ones of anger and shame into ones of bliss and content. After a moment that felt like hours the two separated and gave each other gentle smiles.

Then Sally got a coquettish look on her face and before Sonic's could even say "Juice it" She had wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a fierce and passionate kiss. The blue blur was shocked at her forwardness at first but quickly recovered and returned the kiss with just as much emotion.

Taking the blanket he pulled his over their heads and the two collapsed unto to roof as they vigorously kissed and felt the other's hard muscles or soft curves respectively. It didn't escalate beyond a very heated make out session, not with Chris able to hear them just a dozen or so feet below them, but they got close to it, five long years of pent up longing and frustration finally bursting to the surface.

Finally after what felt like hours of tongue wrestling and playful groping the two broke their lip lock and panted heavily for much needed life giving oxygen.

"Damn...lungs..." Sonic commented between pants with a big cheesy grin on his face, one that was shared with his auburn haired lover who was also panting while lying on top of him.

Sally laughed lightly at the comment and nodded before she leaned down and giving him another, lighter kiss on the lips. "As…much as...I'd like... to see where this goes..." She panted out before finally catching her breath. "We have a young host literally sleeping under us and it would be rude to wake him up on our first night here." She gave Sonic a quick peck on the cheek. "And it has been a very long night." She yawned loudly and a sleepy look came to her face.

As much as Sonic hated to admit it he was burnt out too and Sally's yawn trigger one of his own. "You're right, Sal. We can continue this on a later date." He teased before he pulled her into his chest and the two cuddled as they fell asleep.

(End song)

-Freedom Fighters X-

"Oh darling, this picture has been a complete disaster!" a woman with a British accent complained to Chris over the phone that morning. "The shoot was delayed because we've been having torrential rain for days and I haven't been able to do anything besides sit and wait. Oh, I don't think I'll be back till late next week at the earliest."

Meanwhile Sonic and Sally, now dry and clothed, were relaxing on the roof as they listen to the conversation, both looking bored as they listened in.

"But uh..." Chris stuttered. "You know how you said I wasn't allowed to swim in the adult pool, or at night?"

"What!? Did you go swimming in the adult pool alone at night!?" the woman exclaimed comically.

"Uh, not exactly!"

Sonic snickered at the boy's misfortune. "Oh man, he's not only got an over protective mother, but an over dramatic one too!" He chuckled and Sally couldn't help a giggle of her own at the poor boy's expense.

"Well you see there were these cats that fell in the pool and I went to pull them out."

Sally saw Sonic's eyes pop open at the word "cats" and she could see his fur and quills bristle slight. "Cats!" Sonic shouted! "I'm not a ca-"

He was cut off by Sally placing her hand over his mouth to silence him before he disrupted the call.

"Well next time let Mr. Tanaka or one of the others handle it. Give mommy a kiss goodbye." The woman said before making a kissing noise over the phone which Chris returned with a blush of embarrassment.

It was at the moment Sonic was able to escape his girlfriend's grasp and leaped off the roof and planted his butt on the balcony guardrail before sticking a thumb at himself. "Hedgehog." He stated simply to Chris.

"Huh?"

"I'm a hedgehog, not a cat!" He groused irritably.

He was soon joined by Sally who did a front flip of the roof and as soon as she was standing over him on the rail she gave him a light thump on the head. "Don't be so rude!" She scolded like an angry mother to her child. "It's not like he can tell his mother he just rescued a giant anthropomorphic blue hedgehog and chipmunk."

"Anthro-what?"

"*sigh* Mobians Sonic. He can't tell her he found Mobians in his pool."

"Oh..."

It was then that all three of them heard a low, grumbling sound and the two males both looked at Sally suspiciously. She felt her face flush at their attention. "What? I haven't eaten since maybe an hour before we were transported here!" She said defensively.

Sonic just chuckled at her as the similar growl rumbled in his own gullet.

"Oh!" Chris exclaimed as if he just remembered something. "I almost forgot that you guys might be hungry, so I looked around the internet and got you this." He said before bringing out what looked like two dog bowls. One was filled with seeds, acorns, and walnuts while the other had something neither of them recognized.

Sonic picked a nugget out of second bowl and scrutinized it for a moment before popping it into his mouth. A second later his face turned green and he spat the offending "food" out. "Blech, what is that stuff!?" He exclaimed with disgust abundantly clear on his face.

"Um...cat food..." Chris replied sheepishly.

As Sonic leaned over the railing dry heaving Sally rubbed his back with a pitying look for her poor boyfriend. "Listen Chris, I don't know about hedgehogs and chipmunks here, but we Mobians don't eat animal food."

Again, Chris looked sheepish and he began to scratch his head as a slight blush dusted his cheeks. "Sorry, I guess I should have asked before picking something. What would you like?"

"A barf bag...urgh..." Sonic requested melodramatically before Sally gave him a hard swat on the back. "Aye!" He complained suddenly not looking so sick and rubbing his now slightly abused back. He turned to Chris before he gave his replied. "Normally I'd ask for a couple chili dogs but anything you'd normally eat would be fine." He said, putting emphasis on "you'd" for good measure.

"Same here." Sally said politely.

After breakfast the three had settled down unto the L-couch, Chris on the part that directly faced the TV while Sonic and Sally sat together the side that had its back to the hall leading to the living room from the kitchen.

Currently they were watching the news. Reporters and witnesses of Sonic and Sally's exploits last night disgusting what they saw and a zoologist, without any evidence to support his claims, said that the two were robots. Sonic got a good laugh out of that.

"Like anyone could build this." He boasted with an arrogant smirk as he gestured to himself.

Sally rolled her eyes at him before playfully poking his nose. "No one can build an ego as inflated as yours."

Sonic's face went from arrogant to a deadpan pout at that and he gave Sally a mock glare. "Why are you so cruel, Sal?"

"The Truth is a cruel thing Sonic."

It was then an older man, somewhere in his 60s came running in to room from the kitchen. He looked a lot like that guy from Back to the Future but with shorter hair.

He ran up to the couch and leaned over it with an excited, child-like look on his wrinkled face, completely missing the two Mobians looking at him from below.

"Chris, you'll never believe it!" He said animatedly. "A giant blue hedgehog and a red haired squirrel outran the S-Team last night! Investigators believe that they might be robots, or genetically engineered animals from enemy powers sent here to spy on or attack us!"

"I am a chipmunk not a squirrel." Sally said haughtily as she stood up and gave the old man an annoyed look, fists on her hips, and amusingly enough her cheeks were slightly puffed out almost as if to emphasize her point.

Chris looked like the world was going to end when his grandpa gave Sally a shocked and confused look. The older man then looked down at the couch to see Sonic looking up at him with a passive and bored expression. He then looked at the TV to see Sonic on it and then gave a powerful examining glare to the blue hedgehog, who was trying to pull his head into his torso at the man extreme proximity.

"Does the term, "personal space" ring any bells?" Sonic complained questioningly.

His answer came in the form of the old man suddenly grappling him at a speed one would not expect of a man his age.

"Hey let me go!"

"Grandpa Chuck what are you doing!?"

Sally was giggling at the absurd scene.

"I've got to see how this thing works!" Chuck said with a childish glee as he took a screwdriver out of his lab coat and began using it to look for a screw on Sonic's person, succeeding at nothing but tickling the poor hedgehog.

Sally's amusement turned from giggling to full blown laughter.

Finally Sonic was able to squirm out of the crazed scientist's grasp and leaped away, quickly hiding behind his girlfriend as a Mobian shield. "You are freaking, evil!" He grumbled to her which only elicited more giggling.

Chuck went to recapture his test subject when Chris cut him off. "Grandpa, they're not robots or mutants!"

Chuck looked at the three confusedly before a shocked look came his face and he dropped his screwdriver.

They continued to stare at each other in awkward silence for several seconds before something on the news caught their attention.

"Now let's go live to this late breaking story."

"Help! Help, please!"

They all turn to the TV to see Cream and Cheese holding each other on a billboard, the young rabbit on the brink of tears. "Ah, that's Cream!" Sonic exclaimed in shock.

"She's just a little girl! How did she get here?" Sally questioned worriedly, the maternal side of her developed from raising Tails for most of his life rising up.

"She was a prisoner in the tower when the machine malfunctioned. I have to go save her!"

Before anyone could react Sonic was already out the door. "Sonic wait! Do you even know where she is?!" Sally called as she quickly ran out the door after him.

A second later Sonic was standing in front of her and raised his hands up in ignorance, a sheepish grin on his face. Sally placed her face in her palm and sighed at her boyfriend's impulsiveness.

-Freedom Fighters X-

"Emhm...yes I thought they'd do something like that...thanks for the scoop...bye." Grandpa Chuck hung up the phone in the garage/lab with a neutral frown on his face before he turned to the trio behind him.

"Well it seems they've taken your friends to Area 99." He informed.

"What is that?" Sally asked while Sonic picked his ear disinterestedly.

"A top secret military base the government uses for research."

"Not a very good secret if everyone knows where it is." Sonic scoffed before he began to walk off.

"And just where are you going?" Sally questioned with her fists on her hips.

"To save Cream and Cheese, whatcha think?" He snapped back.

"Alone?"

"Yup."

"With no plan?"

"Yup."

"Do you even know where Area 99 is?"

Sonic paused for a moment before be turned around and hung his head in defeat. "Damn you and your logic." He grumbled. Sally simply stuck her nose up with a winning smirk. "Well someone has to make sure you don't do anything stupid. Might as well be me."

"Why am I your boyfriend again?"

His answer was a light smack on his chest, and a less light kiss on the lips. "Oh yeah. That's why."

"Is inner species coupling a common thing on Mobius?" Chuck asked curiously at their display.

A light blush dusted the duo's cheeks as they had forgotten for a moment they weren't the only ones there. "Well...we are all Mobians, we are all one species, but at the same time not. I guess you could say Chipmunks and Hedgehogs are two different ethnic groups of one species." Sally explained before adding. "But no, it's not rare, but it's not common either. Most Mobians couple within their own ethnic group but none mind when two from different races marry."

"Well!" Sonic exclaimed while loudly clapping his hands together. "As much as I am enjoying this analyzing of our mating rituals, we have a little girl to rescue!"

"Right!" Sally agreed while clenching a fist, the two humans nodding in response.

-FFX-

*snore*

"Our hero everybody..." Sally deadpanned to no one in particular with an exasperated sigh.

Since they had no way of knowing where Area 99 is Sonic and Sally had to take a ride in Chuck's car to get them close enough where they could just go their on their own.

Sonic, use to moving at speeds much greater than this car could ever achieve, got bored very quickly and fell asleep about an hour ago.

As the began to approach Area 99 Chuck gestured to Chris and the boy took out a case and opened it, revealing two headsets that looks suspiciously like the Scouters from DBZ.

"These are for you."

"What are they?" Sally asked as she woke Sonic and gave him his, then placed hers over her right ear and eye, Sonic doing the same.

"There Infrared goggles, the base is sure to be filled with a lot of sensors, these should let you see them and get through." Chuck explained looking back at them with a smile. "We're just about there so you two can go on ahead now, just head straight down the road. You can infiltrate the base through the ventilation ducts."

The scientist got two thumbs-up from the couple and Sonic picked up Sally before he jumped out of the car and speed off, literally leaving Chuck and Chris in the dust.

Chuck blinked dumbly at the quickly shrinking pair. "Speedy little critter isn't he?" He said before a wide excited grin stretched across his face and he hit the gas, Chris gripping on to the seat fearfully as the car suddenly sped through the desert.

-Freedom Fighters X-

Sonic with Sally in his arms quickly approached the Area 99 base. Cameras and sensors went wild at what they thought was a Hi-Velocity vehicle and an alarm began to blare over the complex.

Sonic ignored them and continued to warp toward the base too quickly for the cameras too spot. As he approached a ventilation duct he quickly but carefully tossed Sally in before vaulting in after her.

Sally squealed frightfully as she fell through the metal tunnel not expecting to be tossed in like that. But was able to recover and rolled into her landing when the duct leveled out. Unfortunately her landing was spoiled when Sonic landed and rolled into her, making them tumble into a mess of tangled bodies.

Sonic propped himself up and groaned painfully as be began to massage his abused posterior. "It feels like I have skid marks on my butt." He complained.

"Oh, you're such a charmer." Sally replied sarcastically underneath him. Too annoyed to be embarrassed by the compromising position they were in.

Sonic slowly got off of her and helped her up. Sally took out Nicole. "Nicole." She spoke to it and the handheld chirped in response. "Can you get me a lay out off the base and show me the way to the power room and where Cream is?" She asked as they began to traverse the vents.

[One moment Sally] The computer requested before a load icon appeared on her screen. It quickly loaded and Nicole's voice came back. [Here you go Sally.]

A small hologram of the complex appeared before the duo, showing them where they needed to go and how to get there. "Mkay, I'll go to the power room and bring the power offline while you head for the lab Cream and Cheese are being held in." Sally construed her plan as she gestured to the areas they need to go top. "Once the power is out get Cream and warp out, I'll meet you in this hall, their back up power will kick in shortly after and we'll have to get out quickly."

Sonic gave her his signature smirk. "Sal, Quick is my middle name." He boasted.

Sally raised an eyebrow and a smirk of her own creased her lips. "I thought it was "Maurice" Oliver?" She ribbed.

Sonic was about to respond to her jab but stopped when Nicole chimed, signaling that they had found the grate leading they needed. The hedgehog took hold of the grate and quietly lifted it from its fitting, allowing them to drop down into the hallway below.

Sonic went down first, then Sally who he caught in his outstretched arms before setting her on her feet. "I can land on my own two feet you know." She said, slightly miffed. She was a lot stronger than she was five years ago.

Sonic gave her his usual smirk and teasingly replied. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't lend my girl a helping hand every chance I got?"

Sal just rolled her eyes but gave him a grateful smile nonetheless. The two then pressed themselves against the wall and looked passed the corner leading to the crossway they need to split up at. Only problems were the dozen or so security cameras scanning the hall with maybe a second long window of space for them to move.

More than enough time for a certain supersonic, hyperactive blue hedgehog.

Not even giving the poor chipmunk a warning, Sonic scooped Sally up and shot of the a space between cameras, he pressed himself and Sally to the wall for a second and then blasted off to the next space before a camera could spot him, repeating this pattern until they got to the safety of the cross-way he successfully got them to it and sat the princess down, who gave him a light punch in the arm out of annoyance. "You dick, give a girl a warning next time!" she exclaimed quietly.

Sonic just shrugged before examining to the halls. "Okay, so I go this way and I'll meet you back here once the power is out and I get Cream and Cheese." He recounted the plan to make sure he didn't forget anything.

Sally nodded. "Yes, I should be able to knock out the power in about…ten minutes. You be here in eleven"

Sonic grinned before he held a fist to her. Sal looked at the offered fist and instantly a wave of nostalgia came over her and a similar grin came to her. First the bumped knuckles, then the tops and bottoms of their fists, then slapped palms before giving each other a thumbs up.

"Just like old times, eh Sal?" The azure hedgehog asked with a chuckle.

"I'm all nostalgic." The auburn haired chipmunk replied with a smirk.

The nodded and then went off in opposite directions.

Using the skills she has acquired from over decade of fighting a guerrilla war. Sally stealthily slinked her way through the halls. Oddly enough security was much lighter than it was for that one hall. Probably thought no one would be able to sneak passed them and so neglected to put more than maybe four or five in this one. She was able to avoid detection easily enough until she came to a door that read "Authorized Staff Only" in black and yellow caution stripes and a lightning bolt symbol under it. "Gee, I wander what room this is." She said dryly before she quietly opened the door, and slinked in. Being sure she was unseen by anyone that could be wandering the halls.

When she turned to face the room the first thing she noticed was that it was a maze of wires and junction boxes. She also noticed that unlike Robotnik's power plants it didn't have an obvious control station.

"Well..." She said to herself has she laced her fingers together and cracked them. "No one said this'd be easy." She then proceeded to her work.

-Freedom Fighters X-

Cream and cheese were hugging each other frightfully as the strange men examined them from outside their glass prison. Cream couldn't help but liken it to the glass ball Eggman kept her in at his tower and the fear she felt at the mad doctor's mercy came rushing back, tears welled up in her big brown eyes and a frightened sob left her mouth.

"P-P-Please...! Let-let-let us go-g-go..." She cried as she clutched her chao tighter, but the scientists either ignored her or couldn't hear her through the glass.

A large scanner whirred to life above them and began to descend above them.

Readouts of their physiology, body heat, and other details began to appear on the scientists' computers when suddenly.

The lights went out, and the computers died, and everything was draped in darkness. "What in the hell happen!?" One scientist shouted over the noise as the staff murmured amongst themselves worriedly.

Suddenly the sound of glass shattering filled the lab and all turned to see Cream and Cheese gone, the scanning chamber destroyed! "Where did they go!?"

Behind some servers Sonic his with the child and her pet, hiding from the scientists until the perfect chance to escape came.

"Mr. Son-" The young girl began but was cut off by Sonic's "shh" as he didn't want to draw attention to them. Cheese didn't catch on as the little Chao began to..."chao" excitedly and gave the hedgehog a hug and he couldn't help but chuckle at the little creature's affections.

Unfortunately this drew the attention of the science staff and they quickly found them behind the scanner. "There they are!" One exclaimed.

Acting quickly Sonic gave Cheese to Cream and picked her up allowing him to quickly vacate the room before any of them could react.

-FFX-

In the now darkened power room Sally was clinging to the ceiling via some cables, hidden by the darkness and wiring of the room.

Below her, several humans in maintenance uniforms were scattered around, examining what could have gone wrong.

"I don't get it..." The Maintenance officer grumbled more to himself than his staff. "Everything seems to be in working order, how could the power just cop-out?"

One of the techs was fiddling with the computer and was finally able to get it to power up. He read the diagnostics. "Sir, according to the computer someone was here recently and tampered with the programs. It'll take a while to get the computer running correctly and turn the power back on.

The MO gave the tech an annoyed look. "Well then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get the power on!"

At that moment Sally dropped down from the ceiling and landed a strong kick to the MO's head, knocking him out. The other techs turned to look at what happened but by the time they spotted her she had already knocked them out with well placed punches and kicks.

"That should by us a few extra minutes." Sally said to herself as she tightened her studded gloves. "I better hurry and meet Sonic at the intersection."

-FFX-

Sonic and Cream ran through the now dark halls of the base, Sonic leading her by the hand.

"Wow Mr. Sonic how did you get the power to go out?" Cream asked as she viewed the darkened walls.

Sonic turned to look down at her with a smile. "Wasn't me Cream. An old friend of mine did this."

"An old friend...Tails? He's here too?" Cream inquired curiously.

"No, not Tails, don't worry you'll meet her soon."

"Her?"

They were just about to turn a corner when they almost slammed into a familiar figure.

"Ah, there you are!" Sally stated with a relieved sigh.

"Who are you?" Cream asked, holding a finger to her chin in confusion.

Sally smiled and bent down with her hands on her knees to enter the child's eye level. "I'm Sally Acorn, Sonic's friend."

"The princess of the Acorn Kingdom?"

"Yup."

It was then that Sonic cut in. "We can chat later, right now we need to get out of hear before the power-"

It was at that moment the lights began to come back on and the sec-cams began to focus on them.

"...turns back on..." The blue blur finished lamely. Acting quick Sonic picked up Sal and then had her hold Cream. "Hold on guys, we'll be outta here in a Sonic second!"

As Sonic began to dash through the corridors the cameras sprouted lasers from the tops of their cases and started to fire at them. The lasers were quick but Sonic was able to dodge them with ease even with his passengers.

While this was happening giant steel doors began to close down on the halls but they moved much to slowly to stop the super sonic anthromorph.

"Which way do we need to go Sal?" Sonic shouted over the alarms and laser fire.

Sally was trying to get Nicole to bring the map back up but all she got was error messages and warnings. "Damnit! The alarm must have triggered a firewall, I can't get map back up and Nicole needs to shut down to get rid of a virus."

"Guess I'll just have ta wing it like always!" Sonic proclaimed before he did a power slide under a door that was particularly close to the floor.

It was then that something strange happened.

Ahead of them a large swarm of what looked like miniature paper airplanes came cruising down the halls and began to attack the cameras, either destroying them or cutting them of the walls.

"What are those?" Cream inquired worriedly, not sure what to think of the new development.

"I don't know..." Sonic replied as he stopped and watched.

Just then the cameras started to go crazy! The swarm of planes overloading their programming and causing them to go haywire! The began to shoot indiscriminately at everything without pause!

"We need to get out of here, now!" Sally shouted and like a shot Sonic ran down the hall.

It wasn't long until they reached a series of stairs that led up into what they can assume was a tower.

"We need to go up! Maybe we can find a way out at the top!" Sonic said as he set the two down though Sally continued to hold onto Cream.

The three quickly ascended the stairs with Sonic at the lead as the lasers shot pass them. Nearly hitting but never quit doing so. As they made it up the third flight the lasers began to cut through them, causing large sections of stair was to fall behind them.

They nearly made it to the top when a beam passed through the stairs between them causing the stairs to fallout from under Sally and Cream. Sally screamed as she began to fall alerting Sonic to her and the child's peril.

"Sal, Cream!" He shouted and as quickly as he could he reached out to them. Sally too reached out and they just barely caught each others' grasp my their fingers.

"Hold on..." He growled as he pulled them up, and after a moment they were safely on the catwalk stairs with him.

"Thanks..." Sally said gratefully, her voice a little shaky but other wise unmolested. Cream though was nearly in tears and was clutching at Sally's shirt frightfully, nearly squeezing the poor chao between them.

Unfortunately the trio and chao now found themselves trapped, the stairs having led to a dead-end! And while the laser could no longer reach them, it was only a matter of time before the humans found them cornered and captured them.

"What do we do now?" Cream asked worriedly, small tears clinging to the corners of her eyes as she hugged Cheese in an effort to calm herself.

Sally was almost frantically tinkering with Nicole after she sat Cream down, desperately trying to clear up the virus so she could get the map back up. Maybe there was a side passage, or something, nearby they could use?

Sonic though was calmer than the other two, faintly he thought he could hear a low buzzing sound. Curious, he took off his infra-scope and pressed his ear the wall. He could hear the buzzing more clearly now, the distinct sound of a propeller.

"Sounds like a plane..." He said to himself but he still caught the girls' attention. He pulled away from the wall and a wide grin spread across his muzzle. "The Tornado."

Quickly he grabbed the two females and with all his strength he busted through the wall! Within seconds a blue and yellow bi-plane was under them and within were two familiar faces.

"Sonic!/Sugah-Hog!" Tails and Bunnie shouted excitedly over the noise just before the three Mobians landed on the wing of the plane.

"Tails! Glad to see you made it!" Sonic called out as he helped Cream and Sally keep their grip on the plane.

Tails went to give a wave when he noticed Sally under Sonic and his smile grew wider. "Aunt Sally! Great to see you!" He greeted with excitement.

Sally looked up and a wide smile stretched across her face. "Tails! It good to see you too sweetie! You to Bunnie!"

The cybernetic rabbit simply tipped her hat with a smile in response.

At hearing the rabbot's name Cream looked up and an ecstatic smile instantly crossed her little face. "Cousin Bunnie!" She squealed happily.

A look of shock came to Bunnie's face but it was soon replaced with a happy smile the rivaled the little girl's. "Cream-Pie! What are you doing here?"

"Mr. Sonic and Miss. Sally saved me from the people in that base."

"But why 're you in this world, sugah? As far as Ah can tell only the people hit by that light got sent here!"

"Eggman had me imprisoned in his tower and Mr. Sonic came to rescue me!"

Soon they were flying over 's car and they waved to the two humans inside. Chris and Chuck waved back and were soon following them back to Station Square.

A couple hours later the Tornado is now parked in Chris' drive-way and the quartette of Mobians now stood inside the garage with the boy and his grandfather.

"So these "Chaos Emeralds." This are what sent you to our world?" Chuck inquired with his chin in his hand.

"That's right." Tails confirmed. "Each emerald is a different color, green, red, blue, cyan, white, purple, and yellow, and each one hold an endless amount of power. Legend says that if all seven are gathered they can grant a miracle, though the couple times me and Sonic gathered them we'd use them to fight Eggman and then they'd disperse."

"And all this time Ah thought they were just a fairy tale." Bunnie cut in with a typical southern accent.

"No, their real! I found the first six myself the first year I was gone, and Eggman found the seventh the second year to power Silver Sonic." Sonic said whilst leaning against the wall, Sally nearby fiddling with Nicole to make sure the virus was gone and that the humans couldn't track them through her. "I can promise you they are here in this world."

And Cream was playing with Cheese just a little ways away.

Suddenly Bunnie walked up to Sonic and gave him a big smooch on the cheek and a big bear hug.

"Whoa, what is this for?" Sonic wheezed out.

Bunnie put the hedgehog down and "lightly" punched him on the shoulder. "That was fer Savin' mah little cousin Sugah-Hog. Ah Don't know what Ah'd do if little Sugah-Cream-Pie got hurt, or worse! She an' Auntie Vanilla are the only family Ah got left." She explained with a relieved smile.

"Something just accrued to me." Sally said as she put Nicole away, she wasn't offended by Bunnie's kiss and hug to her boyfriend, the rabbit was her best friend and she knew Bunnie would never try to steal Sonic from her. "If the emeralds and us are here, more than likely the others are too."

A look of contemplation overtook the Freedom Fighters' faces before a slightly horrified one replaced it and they all looked at each other. "Eggman/Robotnik!" They all shouted at once, Sonic and Tails using the name they've gotten accustom to, Sally and Bunnie using theirs.

-Freedom Fighters X-

Meanwhile on a small secluded island, a familiar tower now juts out of the sand.

Inside Dr. Eggman was observing his computers, readouts and reports pouring in at a speed only his eyes can follow.
"So Chaos Control sent us to another dimension? Hmm..." He said to himself, a wicked grin stretching across his face. "Hnhnhn, No matter. I'll just build my empire here! Then return to Mobius and reclaim my right from a fortified position!"

His fingers glided across the keyboard and a frown formed on his face. "Bah! Such a primitive world! Taking over should be easy...assuming the pest, Sonic, didn't get sent here too..." His frown deepened. "Ah who am I kidding of course he's here...still..."

He again typed into his computers and a skyline of Station Square appeared on his window/screen. "What fun would it be without a challenge? HahaAHAHAHAHA!"

CHAPTER END