Metal: Grr… POC! Urrgh! Where is he? Why am I staring at a white page?

Silver: Because…the store was all out of pretty colored paper?

Metal: IDIOT! I'm asking why there's no-Tsk forget it! I think we've made our lack of an official license to Sonic known by now! Though I would like to petition a death threat to Pen for his EXCESSIVE tardiness on this, and all, his stories! Until appropriate corrections are made, my complaints will not cease!

Silver: *Shrugs* Does the term 'beat a dead horse' mean anything to you?

Metal: ? Well…no, but in the past I've smashed a plumber, spiked a blue robot, charcoaled a bandicoot, inked a mouse, barreled a monkey, killed a dead knight, diced an earthworm, defeated my rival, oh and once I kicked a cat.

Silver: Okay stop, I'm pretty sure you're both lying and misunderstanding my question-Hold on. You…kicked a cat? *Body glows blue*

Metal: Ha! Yup! I'm also the one that suggested having kitty-soccer as an upcoming Olympic eve-*Chokes*

-l-

Upheld by Faith

-l-

Taking in the details requires proper explanation and understanding to aid in the 'digestion' process, so to speak. Yes comprehension at it's fullest would remove the thrilling 'adventure' part of any embarked upon quest, and this had always been the issue in the past: His Eggman was the very epitome of the word predictable, thus oft negating any mystery or suspense surrounding his plans of world domination. Here it was just the opposite. Where his old problems were laid back and his enemies motives' transparent, this world, true to it's confusing self, contained stressors of mammoth proportions and foes of completely enigmatic nature.

How many times had he compared the two alternate worlds? The better question was: What good had it done him or anybody else? Despair stood symbolic for waste, no matter how realistic the doubts arisen from it may be. His pity and sorrow worked to provide no new method of undoing the atrocities he'd recently witnessed. No agonizing would ease his guilty soul, or return to him the friend he had so carelessly doomed to a present state of slavery.

Jangled emotions started to rupture the hedgehog from the inside out when he even gave a glancing thought to his lost brother. How could he have let Tails take the fall for him? It didn't matter in his mind whether the fox was ten or twenty, nothing could justify his loss. The hedgehog had not felt failure on this level since Rouge was ruthlessly kidnapped; a memory that seemed rather ancient by now. Never could this world be fair, never could it be decent. Its 'real' denizens could attest to how cold-hearted their home had been even before the 'hero' had dropped in uninvited.

"Sonic?" a small set of chords tugged at the blur's diminished spirits. His response to the beckoning presented itself as a sideways stare. If he had learned nothing else from this distressing alternate plane of existence, he now knew that nothing eases a man's personal injuries better than the gentle words of a woman. Perhaps his former lack of any long-lasting doubts was to blame for his ignorance to this fact.

Soon their only female companion spoke again "I…never got a chance to thank you." Rouge's tone shone with affectionate appreciation for his actions, allowing for greater alleviation from his darkened thoughts. Nice to know he had done something right in his terrible trip thus far. He hadn't forgotten how much he treasured every single person's life, no matter how close or distant a relationship he had with them.

She had soon increased her step enough to match walking paces with the blue mobian, which would almost demand light jogging had he not noticed her and politely slowed down "Um…Sonic, I just wanted to say…I ah…um…" was her the most her stunted sentence amounted to. Whatever she had to say it must've been important, considering she hadn't said a word since they left their campsite.

Sonic did try his utmost to appear ready to hear out anything she had on her mind, but somehow the bat restricted herself to half-spoken words and frustrated grunts, leaving the spiny teen no choice but to use a classic ice-breaker. Zooming ahead several feet, Sonic turned on his heel, sporting a teasing grin as he said "I'm waaaiting." while tapping his foot in a show of mock-impatience.

Rouge instantly cocked an eyebrow at him, joined now by the questioning stares of Espio and the mildly amused face of a trailing Shadow. Seeing how he had attracted more attention than he had bargained for, Sonic scratched his spines nervously in embarrassment. Shadow took the hint first as he passed the two by, prompting Espio to follow suit, albeit with lesser margin of understanding.

Rouge rolled her eyes and chuckled at how that simple, light-hearted blunder could dissipate tension so painlessly. Never one to borrow trouble, the bat returned to her normal stride while saying "I was going to say that I…I knew you'd come for me. I somehow knew, even though you still don't look or act like the Sonic I remember."

The hero's briefly light-hearted nature sank like a rock at that constant reminder. He wished his world's Shadow could see him now, for truly he was finally deserving of his old title 'faker'. Drawing deep of his dismay, the hedgehog honestly replied back "That's because I'm NOT the same Sonic. I ended up fooling all of you without even meaning to, and probably messed up everything in the process."

These words scarcely escaped his mouth as a firm grip clamped down on his upper arm. At first he thought he'd rubbed Rouge the wrong way somehow, but in his attempt to look towards her his gaze was intercepted by a distinctly magenta colored reptile, whose eyes were swirling with ferocity. As the ex-ninja opened his mouth to speak, Sonic could feel surges of small emotion behind the chameleon's razor-edged voice "You blame yourself for everything, don't you? I warned you before what I would do if you let anything happen to Miles, didn't I? Why then, if you are indeed such a detriment, do you think I've taken no action against you?"

Sonic resisted the urge to not sag his prickly head in shame. He hadn't, until now, recalled making an unofficial promise to both Espio and, more importantly, Amethyst regarding Tails' safety. Nails in his coffin as they may've been, the hero braced valiantly against whatever fresh supply of threats, be they verbal or physical, Espio had in store for him.

Blood flow returned to the hedgehog's arm a split second after Espio chose to explain himself "For one thing, hurting you for Miles' captivity would be the same as scorning the sacrifice he willingly made. I have no intention of sullying his name for something as trite as vengeance." His speech forcibly donned a practical air, betraying all but the tiniest traces of an underlying meaning. Only his concluding statements allowed more transient insight into the lizard's real feelings "That and I also support Rouge's way of thinking: You wouldn't give up on her, so I know you will never surrender Miles to his fate. However, blaming yourself is not conducive to his salvation. If you really feel responsible, then I ask that you lend us your proven strength. Show me that Miles did not wrongly put his faith in you."

Sonic hadn't prepared a proper answer. It felt like years since anyone expressed any sort of dependency on him. Up until now he had always played a partnership role in every team. Did he still have it in him to be a hero? What right did he have to lead anyone, considering how much damage his arrival had caused?

These sinking thoughts never managed to take root, as one more ally had something else to contribute "I understand your sorrow Sonic, for I too have much to atone for." The blue blur let the gravelly voice of Shadow seep into him "Wrongs may only be righted by those who take decisive action, a trait I know firsthand that you possess. Whether you claim to be real or fake, heroic or cowardly, it doesn't matter. You must let your actions speak for themselves."

Getting his head around the fact that SHADOW had just tried to encourage him was trying enough, though admittedly not the same person, but taking in all their collective support was good almost to the point of discomforting. More positive energy filled him up when he heard a final dose of kindness manifest itself on a breath of wind.

"You've done nothing wrong; you're simply on your way to fulfilling your purpose for being here. I too will place my trust in you, Sonic the Hedgehog, as I always have."

His depression had at last crumbled away, leaving him straining to keep back a tearful expression of thankfulness. It would be no easy task telling Amethyst about Tails, let alone saving the said vulpine from that shady man's grip. Still, if he had support like this along the way, Sonic was sure he could surmount this and anything else, just as his encounters with Tails and Tactichaos had taught him.

"Thank you…everyone." He said with complete forthrightness. Rejuvenated for what he hoped would be the final time, Sonic stepped ahead of the group and proclaimed "We first need to get in contact with Vector's group and tell them what's going on. We'll then meet up with his group, taking the emeralds, and the fight, right to that freaky specter's home turf. We're stopping whatever he's got planned right here and right now! You all with me?" even the quiet Espio gave a fairly loud shout of approval, as all were prepared to follow his shared sentiment to the end, wherever it led.

Ready to leave the rotting ruins behind for good, the four charged off into the moonlit night, each blazing with a new sense of resolve. As Sonic and his team ran onward, he couldn't help but notice how warped the clouds had become in his somewhat delayed visit to the ruins. Guarded by his recent infusion of positive energy, Sonic scoffed at the twisted sky above "This world can reject me all it wants. Nothing will stop me from rescuing Tails, not as long as I'm still breathing. After that I don't care, but I refuse to vanish until he's back with Ame where he belongs."

L

*At Robotnik's base*

L

Standing in the 'doorway' of what was expected to be a pristine lab fit to accommodate a renowned scientist, the trio understandably expressed deep shock at the horrifying state the place was in. Vector, though a messy person by nature, couldn't stop gaping at the carnage of smashed-in monitors and countless files strewn about. Charmy too was stunned to see destruction that eclipsed anything he was capable of.

"Looks like a professional job." The big croc commented, noting how not a single bit of data survived the apparent ransacking. Most astounding was how widespread the disaster was. It would've taken at least three dedicated participants to cause such wreckage. Oddly enough, the doctor's personal station showed no sign of a struggle, as there was no blood or broken objects that weren't data related. Presumably, the doctor had been away when the attack took place, or, as Vector better guessed, was taken before the raid began.

While he busied himself with his personal investigation, Amethyst's nagging fears immediately drove her to search high and low for any sign of Maria. Robotnik could take care of himself, but no girl like that deserved to be subjected to any torture Maasawd, or whoever else, could bring. Her worry escalated when she found the only normal looking room to be in disarray as well. The vixen felt her throat tighten up when she caught sight of a familiar gold wrist ring lying unattended on the nearby bed. Curling her fingers around the interior, Amethyst let a few stray tears fall down it's rounded metallic surface. Maria had kept this ring as a memento ever since Shadow had been presumed dead, and was known to never let it leave her sight.

"Yo Amethyst! You find anyth-Oh…" Vector closed his big mouth with he saw her face. He hated it when women cried, mostly because he sucked at finding anything helpful to say; he had grown up steeled against things like this, so naturally emotions weren't his cup of tea. The vixen proved she wasn't the type that needed any sympathy anyway, as she swiftly wiped her eyes clean of any tears, choosing to instead to calmly point out her concerns for Maria's well-being.

"Hm… Yeah it sure looks like something bad happened here, but…" Here Vector pointed out a number of missing clothes from the drawers, none of which could be found thrown about randomly. In addition, the croc showed how several cabinets and places remained untouched and completely intact. To him, this appeared more to be the work of someone frantically trying to make an escape, rather than a prowler's handiwork.

"I haven't seen any signs of violence anywhere in the whole place. I mean we haven't searched everywhere yet, but I'm not really convinced that round-gut and blondie are in danger. They might've just made a run for it, or maybe weren't even here when this crap went down." Amethyst nodded in understanding, seeing that his logic had some merit. Maria would never let someone just take her away without at least a small fight. And certainly Robotnik would've found a way to put up some kind of resistance.

"So if they're not here, then wouldn't their ships be missing as well?" The vixen suggested wisely. Vector snapped his fingers in agreement, and the two followed a few helpful signs out to the base's garage/hanger. Refreshingly, in the pale grayish-black ship bay, they found that not one but both ships had been taken. Though Vector could not rule out the possibility of theft, at least there was some hope that neither the humans nor the emeralds had fallen into the wrong hands.

"We should tell Sonic and the others about this. With any luck they might've come across one of the Robotniks." Amethyst made a reasonable point, even though she secretly liked using this plan as an excuse to call Tails, Nevertheless, Vector agreed while he went off to search for more clues. The vixen wasted no time in pulling out her phone, but did so in such haste that she accidently dropped it on the cement grey floor below.

Cursing her stupidity, she leaned over to collect it with a groan "Geez Amethyst, get a grip on yourself girl." She told her overactive nerves "You're acting like such a spaz. What would Tails say if he could see you now?"

Flipping the mobile device open, she had just about speed-dialed her 'T2' contact, when suddenly the phone shook with an incoming call. This startle sadly caused the cell to once again slip from her grasp, falling to the ground at a more damaging angle and height. Frantically, the panicked vixen scrambled to check the phone, but all was in vain as the fragile device was now shorting out and slightly dangerous to touch.

"DARN IT! How could I have? Why did I-aaargh!" She growled angrily at a newly-fashioned blunder she would never live down. Now she had no choice but to return to using her customized ear-piece that she had, of course, left aboard Vector's ship. Though it was a fixable error, it didn't have to come at such a sensitive moment.

"That was Sonic's ear-phone calling me." She remembered, having recognized the contact number just before impact "I wonder what he had to say?"

-l-

End of Chapter Thirty-two

-l-

It's been more than a week, hasn't it? Hope I didn't lose all of you in that gruesome absence. This in not as extreme of a cliffhanger as I'm used to, but I figured a week out deserves a smaller build up. In case anyone's curious, Knuckles is NOT out of the story. He just plays a minor role right now, much like Amy and Maria. I'll let you tell me whether Robotnik's absence is an accident or not (come on, you all know my style by now XD).

DanceDream: Amy's youth, that's where. Otherwise she'd be stuck in a more 'adult' state of despair (a la Sonic). He's a true nasty to be sure, but Tails will give him plenty of trouble *evil smile*. I rather rushed with the descriptions this chap, mostly due to time constraints. Hopefully nothing major got lost in the process. Shadow is more…mature I'd say than his 'prime self'. He doesn't angst and he doesn't complain, he just 'gets things done' (which is ironically Sonic's claim to fame). He's supposed to be a more compassionate take on the real Shadow. Charmy's silly, as always XD. Don't cringe, Amethyst's trust is what'll get her through this rough some (check that MOST) of my other emotional scenes. Thank you Dance. You've been a great encouragement though some pretty tough stuff and I'm not just talking 'bout the story. At any rate, hope you like the chapter XD.

Ghostkid33: Well it's obviously been more than four days since, so I suppose it's safe for me to ask: How did it go? Leave it to my OC to get nervous and prolong the inevitable (I'm evil like that XD). Though don't worry, I made her a tough girl for things like this. Maria and Amy will come and go, but yeah I'm trying to draw them back in. *Sigh* So many POV's so little time…

Serenity: Whenever time allows. I'll be praying for ya!

Kindra Mckleen: Preferably amused XD, she is just an energetic little kid after all. I know I'd want to rip a guy's lung out if he took MY brother hostage. Ya she will be, but I like to draaaaag things out, as always. Don't expect her reaction to be very typical though (my OC's are as crazy as I am XD).

knight of the windZ10Z: Thanks, I really like working with Maria's character (I actually thought I'd hate it at first). Shadow and Espio will get their moments, but he really only hates the dark hedgehog right now cuz he worries about Tails. I tried to bring out his more 'honorable' side in this chapter, almost back to his old self in some ways. Ame is a tough gal, I made sure of that. She secretly has more faith in Tails than anyone else (even beyond Espio and Sonic, which says a lot). I've brought Sonic out of ruts before, but I hope this presented something new. It's more like a 'deal with it' type thing this time, but I figure Sonic is getting the hang of things.

Sierra Zanimalini14: Action is not this story's strong suit at all, but that's why it's a story and not a flash fan-game XD. I wanted to get Sonic out of his rut and give his new group each a chance to cheer him up before I have more one-on-one Shadow Sonic time. The reviews are owed entirely to the people that support my efforts (that means you and everyone else). Seriously, I couldn't have come this far without you guys (oh shite, that sounding like part of my story! WHAT IS REALITY ANYMORE? XDD).

Super Shadix 520: Good! I always aim for a clean, error-free fic. Let me know your input on this chap! Feel free to ask about character stuff, if that's your style. You don't have to be a great editor to leave a comment :D

Sparkling-nexis137: I have a plan for Tails' interactions with the bad guy. I have no intention of him being the 'damsel in distress' so to speak. Sonic is getting more and more immune to this world's BS as you can see, but he's getting something else in the process (second climax material).

prowerboy: I don't know if you got to this chap or not, but I hope you liked both this one and the one before!

draco'sfairmaiden: It's not fair to our blue hedge-man, so I gave him his last ego-boost for the story! He'll need it with all the other crap that pile on him soon enough.

Jakeroo123: Hopefully clarity will present itself in due time.

Killingkathy: Nah I'm not so big on Mephiles, but I did bring the pasty-hog back. So you liked the length I presume? Well, I'm glad then XD. I've already established Espio as Tails' friend/rival and Shadow is partially the cause of the fox's current predicament so…yeah XD. Maasawd is the incarnation of a possessed Shadow, coincidentally one that acts a bit more like the 'real' Shadow (or that COULD be just lazy writing on my part XDD). Anyway, hope you liked this chap.

No Line on the Horizon: I hope this chapter meets your expectations as the other have. Yes I still have those last to chapters to read in your story (which I am looking forward to :) ). Gives you an idea as to how behind I am :\.

Until next time!