_Chapter 4: Dinner at Vanilla's_
Location: Planetary Defense Center, Planet Kerwan
"Then it's settled," Sonic stated. "Now we know who will find each Rogue. Does everyone agree?" Everyone else, with the exception of Ratchet, nodded.
"Now come on, Ratchet. Don't tell me you're gonna have a grudge on me just because I defeated your nemesis in less than twenty seconds flat?" Ratchet growled lowly in response. "Hey, don't take it too personally. I do that kind of stuff all the time."
"I highly doubt that," Ratchet said. "Highly doubt that."
"He's right; I should know," Eggman said.
Just then, in the middle of their conversation, Quark said, "I'm hungry!" Sonic face-palmed, mumbling about Quark getting on his last nerve.
"We can all have dinner at my mom's place," Cream, an orange, six-year-old rabbit spoke up.
"Thanks, Cream," Sonic said, standing. "But I don't think Vanilla has teleported here just yet." Just then, another rabbit entered the room. "And I, literally, stand corrected."
Location: Vanilla's House, Planet Kerwan
"Vanilla, you have done it again," Sonic said over the sound of Quark eating everything he could and could not reach. Sonic slapped his forehead and mumbled, "Glutton."
"What can he say," Ratchet asked. "He's an idiot."
Quark immediately stopped eating and said defensively, "I am not an idiot; I am actually quite intellectual."
"What's two plus two, then?" Sonic asked.
"Well, twenty two of course," Quark said.
Sonic stood up and said, "Well, that answers my question. Vanilla?" he said wearily. "Will you introduce our guests to everyone else?"
"Of course, Sonic," Vanilla answered.
Sonic meandered over to Cream and said, "Thanks for inviting us over, Cream." Then he kissed her on her head.
"Oh, no problem," Cream said. She turned around, and spoke, "Shall we, Tails?" Then both she and Tails left the room. Sonic followed them outside shortly.
Ratchet followed the hedgehog with his eyes until he had disappeared from sight. Then he asked, "Vanilla, where is he going?"
"Oh, he's going up on the roof like he usually does," Vanilla replied with a smile.
How strange that he should do that, too… "Can I follow him?" Ratchet asked.
"I wouldn't, but it's fine with me." Ratchet immediately stood and followed Sonic out the door.
Once outside, Ratchet looked up to see Sonic sitting on the roof, deep in thought. "Hey," he called up. "You do that, too? What are you thinking about?"
Sonic didn't look at the Lombax as he spoke. "Didn't Vanilla tell you I didn't like to be disturbed?" He sighed. "It's just…our worlds are merging at an alarming rate. I can see Mobius, my home world, from here."
"Where?" Ratchet asked, looking up at the dark night sky.
Sonic stood up and pointed. "See your moon?"
"Yes…"
"The green light behind it?" Ratchet nodded. "That's Mobius."
"Talk about dangerous," Ratchet mused. "How long do you think until the planets collide?"
Tails and Cream flew up just then. "I've been teaching Cream about space…" Tails began.
"…And if both of our calculations are correct…" Cream continued. "Mobius and Kerwan will collide within…"
"Three days," the two in unison.
"What?" Ratchet said, taken completely by surprise at this announcement.
"This is just as I feared," Sonic said.
"Sonic!" A shout came from the back yard.
"What is it, Knuckles?" Sonic asked, sitting up.
A red echidna popped his head up and stated urgently, "You're gonna want to see this, Sonic."
"What's the trouble?" Ratchet asked, concerned.
"It's in the backyard!" Knuckles said, slightly panicked.
Sonic and Ratchet immediately jumped off the roof and ran to the backyard. As they stepped through the gate, Sonic nearly fell flat on his back. "It can't be!" Sonic sounded genuinely astonished.
"What is that thing?" Ratchet asked when he saw what it was. He stared in amazement at the large green emerald that seemed to glow with a life-light all its own.
"It's-It's-It's the Master Emerald," Sonic stammered. "Oh, dang."
"I take it that this is bad," Ratchet said warily. "How is this bad? I demand an explanation."
"If the Master Emerald is here, then that means…" Sonic looked up, seeing seven different colored lights moving through the sky. "Oh, damn it!"
"What the hell were those?" Ratchet asked urgently.
"As I was saying before," Sonic said. "If the Master Emerald is here, then that means the other chaos emeralds are not far behind."
"Warning!" Metal Sonic shouted.
"Ah, hell! What now?" Ratchet said annoyed by all the chaos.
"Trajectory of emeralds is calculated," Metal Sonic continued. "Each one is heading for a Rogue."
"Wha-?" Suddenly, Ratchet fainted.
Sonic, Tails, Cream, and Knuckles all stood over the unconscious Lombax. "Uh, Ratchet?" Sonic asked, trying to wake the Lombax. "Ratchet?" Then he turned to his two-tailed friend. "Tails, go get Chaos."