[Four months after the Shattered World Crisis]

On a purpose‑built island south‑east of Midesta, a tall portly bald‑headed human wearing a red military‑style jacket over a black bodyglove with integrated boots, accompanied by white gloves and sporting a luxuriate dark orange moustache and round blue pince‑nez spectacles, sits in his command chair on the bridge of his orbital battleship, which is currently being extensively redesigned and rebuilt in preparation for its eventual redeployment. As he monitors the feedback from the many service robots following his orders, he carefully analyses and refines the plans for the battleship while his two robot assistants supply him with a steady supply of coffee and nourishment.

The human works through the day, pausing only to attend to unavoidable biological needs, until he's interrupted mid‑afternoon by the well‑spoken spherical red‑domed robot assistant. "Sir, Egg Boss Wendy Naugus wishes to see you."

"About time," the human growls, turning away from his monitors. "Does she have it?"

"She does," the robot confirms.

"Excellent," the human smiles malevolently. "Bring her to me immediately."


A few minutes later, the red‑domed robot and his cubic yellow‑capped companion escort a long‑tailed pale‑skinned troll with spiky off‑white hair, a steel blue dress under a red‑lined black cape and matching tall pointed hat, red boots, white gloves with blue bangles, and a three‑pronged claw where her right hand would be onto the bridge of the battleship, a plain brown wooden box in her hands.

"Why did it take so long to find it?" the human greets, making no secret of his displeasure at the amount of time the troll had taken to find the item he's looking for.

"I assure you Eggy, I worked as fast as I could," Wendy Naugus assures.

"I wish you would stop calling me that," Dr Eggman growls, taking the wooden box from Wendy and opening it. "Though I cannot deny you get results," he adds in a more pleasant tone as he takes out the purple conch shell within. "Orbot, Cubot, ensure this is stored securely," he orders as he returns the shell to the box and closes it.

"As you wish, sir," Orbot obeys, the red‑domed robot supporting the box at one end while his yellow‑capped companion holds the other end.

Eggman watches his robot lackeys leave the bridge before turning back to Wendy. "I have a new mission for you."

"What's the mission?" Wendy asks.

"As you know, this world is accompanied by a far smaller world known as Little Planet," Eggman begins. "However, we both know that it's not the only companion world."

Wendy knows exactly what Eggman's talking about. "No‑one's seen the Lost Hex since the fall of Pancardina," she reminds.

"That's only because no‑one's looked for it," Eggman replies. "And something tells me you know exactly where to look."

"Look Eggy, just because I'm a troll and a master of crystalline magic, doesn't mean I know where to find the Lost Hex," Wendy informs. "Besides, why would I want to find it? The whole reason it's lost is because that was the only way to save ourselves from those who wanted nothing more than to destroy us!"

"And that's why I obtained the Cacophonic Conch," Eggman explains. "I intend to use it to enslave those wretched beasts and use their power to conquer Mobius, a plan I would have enacted much sooner if it hadn't somehow gone missing when the planet was shattered. Unfortunately, because it took you so long, those pesky Freedom Fighters are back at full strength, a fact I learned the hard way during my brief foray into the Elemental Dimension."

"I've already told you; I searched as fast as I could," Wendy restates.

"I'm not interested in excuses," Eggman dismisses. "Find the Lost Hex. You have one week."

Wendy knows she's not going to win this argument. "I don't need a week… I know how to find it already."

"Then where is it?" Eggman asks.

"Exactly where it's been for thousands of years: right above the Acorn Archipelago," Wendy answers. "No‑one's found it because it's hidden."

"And you know how to reveal it."

"I do."

"Then you will do so."

"Eggy, I‑"

"Will open the way to the Lost Hex," Eggman asserts.

"…I'll meet you on South Island once it's done," Wendy relents.

"Excellent," Eggman grins. "And while I wait, I think I'll entertain myself with a fresh take on one of my oldest plans."