It had been a while and Sonic was getting impatient. "Are we still heading in the right direction?"
"Yes. If this is right then we should be on top of it soon." Miles said.
"I can't wait. I am going to scout ahead." He instantly went full throttle and disappeared.
Miles was still not used to his speed but they really were close so he didn't worry about it. He just went at his own pace while waiting for Sonic to maybe find it and return to show him. Just then a thought made Miles stop walking. He would return, right? Now that he thought about it, would Sonic really return after finding the emerald? Would he still be friends with him once his mission was over? He wasn't sure and he shuttered at the thought of being left behind and being alone again. He then remembered how nice and caring Sonic was so he decided to keep the hope that Sonic would not change his mind after all this.
While in thought Miles heard a crack from behind him. He turned around happily, "Sonic! Did you find…" but the moment he saw who was behind him he instantly got terrified.
Meanwhile, Sonic stopped running and was stumped. After a few seconds of running, he almost ran into a lake.
"Wow. close one," he said, taking a moment to look at his surroundings. The lake was completely surrounded by trees and blushes so it was no wonder Sonic couldn't see it. "I better look around this," he told himself before running all around searching for the emerald but there was no sign of it. "It is further in?" he zipped further into the forest but after failing to see any sign of it he went back to the lake. "I better check back with Miles." Sonic then went in the direction he left Miles but to his surprise, he was not there. "Miles," Sonic called. There was no answer so he yelled louder, "Miles!?" but there was still nothing. "Where did he go?" Suddenly he heard muffled cries a few feet away. He didn't wait and ran straight in the direction it came from even if it only lasted a second.
Soon Sonic saw Miles and he was being beaten up by a couple of bullies. Miles dropped to his knees in pain and Sonic went into overdrive. He rushed to his side and before the bully could kick Miles, Sonic moved him out of the way.
"Hey! What was that?" Bully one said.
"What do you think you're doing?" Sonic said, acting as a shield between the bullies and Miles, who was still hunched over in pain.
"Thanks, Sonic," Miles said weakly.
"Anytime." Sonic quickly said.
"Oh, it's you?" The other one said. "What are you still doing here and with that freak?"
Sonic got annoyed by this comment. "He is not a freak. He is cool."
"You can't be serious." the first one said while laughing.
"That thing is a nobody who shouldn't have been born. There is no way he is cool." The second one said,
Miles instantly got upset. So much so he was about to cry. Sonic did not like that. "He is a lot cooler than a bunch of losers who only know how to bully others."
The two stopped laughing and got frustrated. "What did you say, you blue-headed rat."
"I will say it as many times as you want. Miles here…" he put his hand on Miles' shoulder. "is ten times…no…a hundred times cooler than you."
The bullies were furious. "That's it. We were just going to leave you alone like everyone else but I changed my mind. You will regret coming to this island." The first one said as he began walking up to them.
Sonic was not fazed and got ready to fight them. "Miles go hide."
Miles did what he was told and ran off. Sonic readied himself but before any of them could make contact a loud sound could be heard heading right for them.
"What now?" the first bully said in annoyance.
Within a second a giant robot with claws for hands appeared from the trees destroying them in the process.
Sonic had a strong feeling he knew exactly who it was. "OH no," he said, really unamused.
They all then heard a loud evil laugh and in the air Sonic and the bullies saw Eggman in his egg mobile.
Eggman looked down at the destruction and the moment he saw Sonic he said, "Not you again."
"I could say the same egghead," Sonic replied.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I will stop you this time." Eggman pushed a remote and the robot took a swing at sonic. Sonic dodged and landed on the claw. Sonic noticed the bullies running away and felt somewhat relieved. They may be horrible but even they didn't deserve to be taken out by Eggman.
"Is that all you got?" Sonic taunted.
"Not quite," Eggman said. The robot out of nowhere grabbed onto Sonic's leg. Sonic was taken by surprise and tried to move but it was no use. The robot then lifted him up and began to shake him vigorously. Within a few seconds, the emerald Sonic had fell out of his quills. The robot picked it up and extended its arm to give it to Eggman.
"Now I finally have a chaos emerald and you are done." Eggman then pushed his remote again and the robot threw him into the direction of the lake.
Miles, who was watching, was horrified and ran after Sonic. He didn't know what he could do but he knew he at the very least had to make sure Sonic was alright after he landed.
After a bit more evil laughing Eggman finally calmed down. "Now according to these readings…" he looked at a screen on his egg mobile. "...there should be another emerald…" he saw the direction it was in and got annoyed. "...In the same direction, that hedgehog is heading." After a few seconds of realizing his minor blunder, he took a sigh and went off in the direction Sonic was thrown.