"Finally," Eggman grumbles as the Egg Carrier's stairs descend before him and land on the noticeably grassy terrain.
To many, the luscious floating island he's now about to step foot on would be seen as a remarkable beauty. To the doctor, however, he can only smile as he thinks of the untapped potential of such a landmark. With just a few short months, this place can be a new base of operations or even a badnik factory.
After each of the emeralds are mine, I'll have to circle back here and see if this place holds any potentially valuable resources. Eggman thinks as he steps off the short stairs leading to the massive fortress.
Finding a place to land such a gigantic base proved unexpectedly tricky to Eggman, but with the loss of a few trees, this part of the island provided more than enough space.
Behind Eggman and his small batch of SWATbot protection units are Team Dark, who each had a different reaction to seeing such a crazy sight on their way over here. Rouge was the only one to have a surprised reaction at seeing such a giant mass of land floating thousands of feet in the sky. Shadow, as expected by now, regarded the island with only a subtle look of interest. And E-123 Omega didn't emote at all. If he did, there are unfortunately not many ways his fellow teammates could have noticed.
Even now as the group walks off the aircraft, Rouge finds it hard to believe such a place even exists, even more so that she's standing right on it.
"You still haven't told us what this place is, Doctor," she reminds her half-listening boss currently occupied with picturing sights of factories and machinery.
"This place is Angel Island," Eggman says, still wrapped up in his fantasy. "An ancient land once ruled by the long-extinct Echidna tribe. Legend has it that this place is where the very emeralds we seek were originally constructed, and that those gems are what gives it life."
"That can't be, since we already have one of them," Rouge says. "And aren't all seven in different locations?"
"Yes, but what if I were to tell you that this area is where one is currently located," Eggman says as he turns around with a wide grin. "From what I read, Angel Island is supposed to be so high, it borders the line between the sky and space. I don't know about you, but I don't see any stars."
"That would mean only one emerald is powering this place," Shadow says.
"Correct-a-mondo," Eggman replies. "And we're going to take it!"
That will undoubtedly lead to this island's destruction. Rouge thinks, slightly amused. Typical Eggman. Sees something as remarkable as this and destroys it without so much as a second thought. Oh well, as beautiful as it is, nothing can compare to my jewels.
Beside her, Shadow has his head tilted down, deep in thought. Curious, she asks him:
"What's up with you?"
To her surprise, she gets a response.
"I just can't help but wonder... if the emeralds are this ancient, then who created them? We used to read about mysterious, rumored species like the echidnas all the time, and at least from what I remember, I don't think they were significantly advanced enough to accomplish such a feat."
Rouge takes a little time to ponder this question herself before simply shrugging and responding with:
"Who knows, really? Mobius has existed for a very long time and has been home to many different civilizations and cultures. It's anyone's guess at this point. Also, what did you mean by 'we'?"
Shadow's eyes widen with surprise before he quickly regains his composure. Whatever Rouge said, it clearly shook him.
Did he accidentally let something slip? Rouge wonders.
Whatever the answer is, Shadow doesn't give it to her and instead stands at the foot of the Egg Carrier's stairs in silence.
While the two spoke, Eggman had already sent out a unit of SWATbots to go scope out the area. He turns to Team Dark.
"Alright, what are you guys waiting for?" Eggman asks. "Get to finding that emerald. I'll stay here and set a perimeter. Radio over to me if you run into something."
Rouge whips out her scanner. After a unanimous nod from the team, they speed off in the direction of the emerald.
"HALT!" A stranger's voice yells out, getting the attention of Eggman and his remaining SWATbots.
From the dense trees of the surrounding forest steps out a stranger. Someone that Eggman gasps at the sight of. This cannot be, and yet, here it is in front of him, so clearly. A living, breathing echidna. A nearly four-foot-tall, red echidna with knuckles the size and shape of spikes that almost protrude from his white gloves. His shoes are a mix of red and yellow and are covered with spikes. No doubt the common wardrobe of a species that prides itself in their conquests.
Eggman backs up nervously, annoyed that Team Dark JUST left. He could risk a radio transmission, but it'd be too risky.
"Who are you?!" The stranger barks. "And how did you know about my island?! It's been nearly two centuries since anyone has stepped foot up here!"
Despite it making sense in this case, Eggman is taken aback by not being recognized. Normally, it would agitate him. But here, it could very much work in his favor. As he opens his mouth to speak-
"You should've done yourself a favor and stayed out of sight," Zero says next to the entrance of the Egg Carrier as he aims a plasma rifle at the echidna.
"Let's not be hasty he-" Is all Eggman can get out before the echidna charges forward at a shocking speed.
Before he's able to squeeze the trigger, Zero's chin has already received the full impact of the angry native's devastating uppercut which sends him flying into the Egg Carrier, giving it a large, Jackal-sized dent.
The numerous SWATbots get into attack position, but with such speed and strength, Eggman knows that won't do any good.
"Wait, hear me out!!" He pleads.
"WHATEVER IT IS, MAKE IT FAST!" the echidna demands in a fiery rage. "BEFORE I KICK YOU AND YOUR STRANGE-LOOKING BUDDIES HERE TWENTY-THREE THOUSAND FEET OUT OF THE SKY!"
Quickly, Eggman gets his thoughts together, and in a stroke of genius, comes up with a lie. A lie so perfect, he's sure only a brilliant mind such as his could have conceived it so quickly.
"We've come to warn you!" Eggman yells.
The echidna slightly lowers his raised fists.
"Warn?" he repeats, concerned.
"Yes!" Eggman assures. "Forgive my woefully clumsy colleague, he simply mistook you as an ally of Sonic's!"
"Sonic? Who's that?"
Eggman gasps loudly.
"Mobius's war criminal! Sonic the conqueror! I, Ivo Robotnik, have been tasked by GUN, the Guardian Units of Nations, to track down and put a stop to his sinister schemes! He's destroyed villages and towns, created a barely containable virus that wiped out a population, and nearly took over the world!"
"And you're telling me he's here?!" the echidna asks, now fully concerned.
"Oh yes!" Eggman confirms, trying desperately to suppress a proud smile. "We intercepted a message of his. It mentioned something about taking the remaining life force of Angel Island- whatever that meant."
The echidna grabs the sides of his head in complete distress.
"He must mean the emerald!!" he realizes. "Look, you don't have to concern yourself with this war criminal any longer. Very well, I will relieve you Mobians of your conqueror! No matter what he may be capable of, he hasn't met me. He made a BIG mistake coming here..."
The echidna slams his fists together and cracks his knuckles loudly. His expression seems to be a mix of both worry, and slight excitement.
"Go ahead and make yourself scarce. And take that foolish Jackal of yours with you."
Eggman turns to Zero who looks to be out cold.
"Of course!" Eggman says. "However, I could assist you. You see, these SWATbots of mine are perfect for enemy detection. I don't know if Sonic has made it to the island grounds yet, but if he has, they can take you straight to him, echidna."
The echidna at first just looks at Eggman, which gets the Doctor a little nervous. Is he getting suspicious? Is he seeing straight through his ploy? None of these appear to be the case once the echidna grins and holds a clenched fist in the air.
"Alright, I'll accept your aid, stranger," he says. "And call me Knuckles."
...