Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, after finding out what it is Ivo Robotnik was up to, Sonic and his friends began to plan out what their next move should be. With the idea of snagging the last Chaos Emerald and stowing away on the Wing Fortress to personally take out the Death Egg. But what treacheries await them from the devious Egg Duo, Omelette and Snively?

In Jenni's lab, the owner of said lab was whistling away as she was working on a project of her's. As she works, Nicole materializes to give her report to her guardian.

Nicole: "Sonic and his friends are en route to the Hidden Palace under the Mystic Cave mines."

Jenni: "Very nice. With them on the move, Sonic should be able to get to that Emerald in no time flat."

Nicole: "Yes… Well… I do have a question… The Aquatic Ruins and the Hidden Palace… What are they exactly?"

Jenni looks up from her project as she turns to Nicole.

Jenni: "Not sure. Never gave it much thought. I just thought they were fancy ruins is all."

Nicole: "But surely you've noticed the hieroglyphs, yes?"

Jenni: "Didn't think much of them beyond 'oh nice, things to keep tourists distracted'."

Nicole gave her a very nasty 'are you serious' glare as the lynx just crossed her arms.

Jenni: "Wh-What? I'm kidding! …a bit. Ahem. Anyway, I imagine those hieroglyphs are from an ancient race from eons ago. And from what I can tell, they worship the Chaos Emeralds a lot."

Nicole: "Worship…?"

Jenni: "Think about it like this, Nicole. Those Emeralds have been around far longer than any of us put together. With maybe one or two old farts out there remembering something from three hundred years ago, but even then that's not far back enough to accurately tell us what exactly is the history of the Emeralds. They are a mystery, something that has existed since before the naming of Mobius, perhaps even before Mobius was created as a planet. Who knows really?"

Nicole: "I suppose no one would…"

Jenni: "Exactly. There have been countless wars, tribes, races, and advancements since the beginning. It would not surprise me if these freaky gems were once used during rituals or worshiped as Gods themselves."

Nicole: "What about the eighth Emerald then? The huge one?"

Jenni: "That's the million dollar question. There are no records of an Emerald that size. Nothing in the G.U.N. data banks, nothing in the online Acorn archives, nothing even in the outdated old texts from thousands of years ago. Scholars are aware of those hieroglyphs, but only theories have spawned. Some ridiculous claims state that by assembling the seven Chaos Emeralds, they would fuse into one giant Super Emerald."

Nicole: "...Can they?"

Jenni: "Do tomatoes grow on trees?"

Nicole shook her head. After that, Jenni turned back to her project, working on it.

Jenni: "That'll be a mystery that solves itself, Nicole. No point in me worrying over a mystery that has no real clues to it. I'd rather work on this project of mine."

Nicole: "...What are you working on anyway?"

Jenni: "It's a secret, Nicole. Not even you'll be able to figure it out if its not in the West Island Jen Data Banks."

Jenni smiles as Nicole gets red in the face over how unfair it was that the doctor was keeping secrets from her. Jenni then recalls something…

Jenni: "By the way, Nicole… What happened to those hooligans that Spike and Tails got in a scrap with back in Casino Night?"

Nicole: "Ah… Them… Well… I figured it would be appropriate if they went through five months of community service."

Jenni: "At ta, girl~"

Nicole smiles before looking back at the image of the Death Egg, hoping that Sonic can succeed on his part.

Within the Mystic Caves, Sonic sped around the caves, avoiding falling stalactites as he rushed through his trademark smile. Sally was with Tails as he flew over several gaps as they avoided the falling debris.

Sally: "Sonic! Cut it out! The cave's unstable as is without you running around like a maniac!"

Sonic: "What? I'm not waiting around and letting Eggman get ahead of us. Like I said, the sooner we beat him, the better."

Tails lets go of Sally as he lands to take a breather.

Sally: "Yes, but that doesn't mean speeding ahead without back up. Charging in head first isn't going to work all the time, Sonic."

Sonic: "Yeah, okay. Fine. I'll slow it down. Anyway, if the miner robots gave us the right directions, the Hidden Palace should be…"

Sonic peers over a cliff and sees a pit going down, being the entrance to the Hidden Palace. He smiles before offering a lady's first motion. Sally rolls her eyes before pushing Sonic over the edge, him screaming as he falls into the pit. Sally jumps after him, with Tails following close behind. As they reach the bottom, they are greeted by a strange sight. Hieroglyphics, much like the ones Sonic and Tails saw at the Aquatic Ruins. Though these tell a much bigger tale.

Tails: "Sonic… These hieroglyphs… They…"

Sonic: "Yep. They extend on the story that we saw at the Aquatic Ruins a bit."

Sally: "Wait, you two saw some hieroglyphs like these before?"

Sonic: "Yep. We didn't say anything about it because it didn't seem important at the time, but…"

Sally looks at the hieroglyphs, recognizing some of the lettering from what her mother once taught her years ago.

Sally: "'We left our old home… The power was but a curse. He who would protect us thirsted for more power. Bloodshed came forth as war escalated. Our time grew short. Mother Aurora have mercy on us'..."

Sonic: "What does that mean?"

Sally: "I'm not sure… 'Aurora' is a completely new name though… Some kind of deity? Or another name for Gaia?"

Tails: "Guys! Incoming!"

Sally and Sonic turn in the direction Tails was calling from before ducking as a laser barrage from a squad of Egg Robos came at them. Sonic rolled up into a ball and dashed at them, scattering them as Sally pulled out her sword and sliced at them.

Sonic: "Got so caught up in the history lesson, we got caught sleeping!"

Sally: "Sorry! Totally my bad!"

Tails: "Should we retreat!?"

Sonic: "No way, Jose! Not after coming this far!"

Sonic jumped up, Tails flying after him as he caught the hedgehog and swung him around. Letting go, Sonic smashed into the ground, the shockwave breaking a few robots as Sally stabbed through one she got the jump on. The trio then ran into the area, seeing more robotic resistance from Eggman's forces.

Sally: "I guess we can officially confirm Eggman's down here!"

Sonic: "After we kick his butt, we should probably tell Jenni about the hole in her defenses!"

Sally: "First things first! Tails! Help me out!"

Tails nods before grabbing Sally and flying over the robots as Sonic keeps their attention on him. Once they were high enough, Tails readies Sally for a throw before sending her flying toward the enemies. Sally starts spinning before landing hard on the ground, with her sword stabbing deep into the ground, a shockwave erupting from her force of impact which shatters the robots.

Sonic: "Dang, Sal! You're made of sturdier stuff than these tin cans!"

Sally: "Yeah… But I gotta remind myself that I just got out of recovery… Owch…"

Sally rubs her back before several more robots come down, this time a swarm of Buzzbombers, followed by several Bombs.

Sally: "Oh you've got to be kidding me… Was Eggman planning an invasion on top of a theft!?"

Tails: "There's so many!"

Sonic: "Something tells me we need to clear them out quickly."

Sally: "But how? There's way too many for you to handle!"

Sonic smirks before pulling out the Chaos Emerald he still had.

Sonic: "Remember what you told me? That you got a boost from this thing? If you can remember what you felt before, we may have a shot!"

Sally looks at Sonic with an expression of concern, but she trusted his judgment. He tosses the Emerald over to her, which she grabs. She lets out a sigh, trying to remember what she was feeling at that moment. Determination… The determination to protect others. Once she had a firm grasp of that exact determination, her body glowed with a blue aura before she grabbed her sword and pulled it out of the ground. She and Sonic exchange a smirk as they fist bumped. Tails watched on as the two blasted off toward the robots, cutting the robots down with their combined speed and might, a hurricane of robot parts and blue energy forming as Tails in awe at their duo's power. Once the dust settled, both Sonic and Sally stood over a pile of robot bits with Mobinis cheering for them.

Tails: "That was… INCREDIBLE! So freaking awesome! You and Sally were like… ZOOM! ZIP! SLASH! And the robots were like 'Do not destroy us!' It was so amazing!"

Sonic: "Alright, alright, buddy. I get it. We were awesome."

Sally: "Well one of us was."

Sally teased Sonic before handing back the Chaos Emerald.

With their path cleared, the duo ran the rest of the way undisturbed, up until they reached the vault. No Omelette or Snively around.

Sonic: "...My hedgehog senses are tingling and I don't like it."

Sally: "I see some disturbance on the ground here… It looks like they were here…"

Tails: "But… The vault door is still closed… And there's a barrier in front of it."

Tails pushes against an invisible wall lightly, though it would not budge. Sally feels it too, pushing harder on it before kicking it… only to injure her foot.

Sally: "Ow! …Okay, yeah, that wall ain't moving. Sonic?"

Sonic: "Hmm… Yeah, I remember my mom bringing up a barrier… Let's see… I think…"

Sonic approached the barrier and placed a hand on it. He then punched it, breaking the barrier entirely. Sally and Tails were in shock by this, looking at Sonic as questioning where that strength came from.

Sonic: "I remember Mom telling me that only those of her royal bloodline could break this kind of barrier. I admit, kind of cliche and a bit anticlimactic, but hey…"

Sally: "But… If you knew, don't you think keeping the barrier up would've been… smarter?"

Sonic pauses at that before the trio hear the sound of an engine. Right on cue, Snively arrives, piloting his new Egg Drillster.

Snively: "At last! That accursed barrier is down! The Emerald will soon be mine now!"

Sonic and his friends glared at the short guy before getting ready for a fight.

To be continued…