Tails was at his Workshop working in his workshop when his laptop came online and showed an approaching target.
"An incoming Eggman attack! Better get the gang together." he said and pressed his communicator in a yellow background.
The rest of the gang eventually appeared in their respective colors.
"United Village Defenders of the Village: Unite!" he said.
"On my way!" Amy said.
"Let's move!" Sticks said.
"I'm on it!" Sonic said.
"Eh, it's really not a good time for me. I kinda have plans." Knuckles said
"Wait, what?" Tails said.
"Seriously, Knuckles?" Sonic said.
Soon Sonic ran to Meh Burger where Knuckles was sitting at a table with Mike.
"What do you mean you have other plans?" Sonic asked.
"I was gonna catch a movie with Mike." Knuckles said.
"Hi, I'm Mike." Mike said.
"Uh, yeah. Hi. Seriously though, we gotta get moving. Eggman's attacking." Sonic said.
"Aw, but today's the last day of Jungle Fighter 3: Revenge of the Jungle Fighter!" Knuckles said.
"Jungle Fighter can wait. It is important to battle Eggman." Mike said.
"Great! See? Let's go!" Sonic said.
"So, where we going?"
"Oh, uh... I meant me and Knuckles."
"Well, why can't he come?" Knuckles asked.
"Yeah, why can't I come?" Mike asked.
"We can't bring you to a battle. I mean, you're... just a guy." Sonic said and the townspeople at Meh Burger gasped.
"Just a guy?!" Old Monkey said.
"No! I-I didn't... w-well, what I meant to say was... he's not... you know..." she said and crickets chirped
"I think you've said enough already." Knuckles said disapprovingly.
"Ugh, we don't have time for this!" she said, grabbed him and ran off with him.
At the desert Team Sonic was fighting Badniks while Eggman, Orbot and Cubot flew around in the Eggmobile. Amy smashed one with her hammer, Sticks boomeranged a Bee Bot as Sonic and Knuckles rushed to the fight. Sonic spin attacked a Badnik and Knuckles joins in the fight.
"I can't believe you said that to Mike!" Knuckles said.
"What did she say?" Tails asked.
"Uh, battle's over here, guys?" Eggman said.
"She called my friend Mike, "just a guy"." Knuckles said and Amy and Sticks gasped
"Sonic! How could you?!" Amy said.
"I didn't mean that-" Sonic said.
"Yeah, Sonic! That's a really crummy thing to say to a dude." Eggman said.
"Ugh..." she said, quickly spin attacked and smashed all the remaining Badniks.
"Well, gotta go." he said and flew off with Orbot and Cubot. "You know I'm right!"
"Don't worry, Sonic. This'll all blow over. Tomorrow, nobody will even remember what you said." Tails said.
The next day Soar the Eagle was at Village Center giving out a news report.
"It's been twenty-four hours since Sonic the Hedgehog's infamous "just a guy" comment shook the very foundation of our fair village. I'm here now with an angry mob." Soar said and the camera turned to the Old Monkey, Wild Cat, Stratford, Mrs. Vandersnout, the Walrus Male and Lady Walrus all screaming in protest.
"Sonic barged in and called Mike "just a guy", as if to say he was so much better than the rest of us. And we begged him to stop, but he just kept berating the poor fella!" Old Monkey said angrily on Soar's microphone.
"That Sonic! Living it up on the beach! He's lost touch with the common man!" a male walrus said and Eggman snatched the microphone off Soar.
"Can you believe that girl? I mean, the nerve of some people." Eggman said.
Meanwhile Sonic was at Meh Burger.
"Yeah, can I get a chili dog?" Sonic asked and Dave scratched his head.
"Oh, geez. That sure sounds complicated. Can you really trust me with that order, after all I'm "just a guy"..." Dave said and she groaned.
Later at Sonic's Shack Sonic was walking around in circles with the rest of Team Sonic sat around a table watching her with miserable looks.
"All I did was call him a guy! Is that guy not a guy?" Sonic asked.
"It's not what you said, Sonic. It's how you said it. But, I think the town will forgive you if they see" Amy said frowning. "you making an effort to change your condescending, high-handed, appallingly insensitive attitude. Lucky for you, I happen to teach a sensitivity training seminar, every weekday morning 8AM to 3PM." she said quickly while Sonic folded her arms. "And, there's enough open spots in the class for all of you!" she said and Tails, Knuckles and Sticks turned to her and groaned.
"Not cool, Sonic." Knuckles said frowning.
Sonic glared at him and fought the want to punch him and use something she hadn't used in years.
Later at Amy's House, Team Sonic, Fastidious and Comedy Chimp were making hats out of paper.
"I still don't get why we have to do all this stupid training just because of Sonic's big dumb mouth." Knuckles said angrily and a whistle blew and they sat up.
"Uh-uh-uhh." Amy said and put her hands on her hips. "Insensitive remark. This training's not stupid. Now, how are everyone's sensitivity hats coming along?" she said and Sticks displayed her hat while everyone else looked at theirs and Sonic groaned as she showed her hat to Amy.
Later.
"When you find yourself frustrated, instead of lashing out at someone else, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and go to your happy place." Amy said gently. "Let's practice that right now." she said normally and everyone closed their eyes.
At Seaside Island calming music played and Sonic was relaxing in her hammock.
In the sky dramatic music played and Tails was flying through open air doing some stunts.
In the Jungle Sticks was camouflaged painted and fighting a Bee Bot, followed by a Crab Bot and another Bee Bot.
Back at Amy's House.
"That'll teach ya to team up with alien overlords, you robo trash!" Sticks said and Comedy Chimp scooted away from her.
"Now, I realize that even though on the outside, I was hitting my sidekick with a mallet, on the inside, I was hitting myself... with a mallet of my own insecurities." Comedy Chimp said miserably and cried loudly.
"It's okay, bro." Knuckles said upset and held m Comedy Chimp's arms. "I like to hit things too." he said and Tails and Sticks showed sad looks while Amy sniffed and shed a tear.
"Sonic, what do you care to share with the group?" Amy asked.
"I don't know. I guess, I could be more mindful of people's feelings and stuff?" Sonic said and Comedy Chimp and Knuckles looked at her with their mouths open.
"And... maybe I'll go talk to Mike? Tell him I'm sorry?" she said and everyone awed. "Alright, bring it in." she said and they gather round and hug her.
Later at Meh Burger.
"Listen, Mike. I was wrong to say you're just a guy." Sonic said.
"And?" Mike said.
"And... I'll never do it again?"
"And?"
"And... If you want, you're welcome to come with us to the next battle with Eggman."
"Apology accepted. Can we go now?"
"Well, no. We have to wait until Eggman launches an attack." she said and he sipped from his drink.
"How about now?"
"No."
"So... now? Let's go now."
"Just go to your happy place, just go to your happy place." she whispered to herself and shut her eyes.
At her beach calming music played and she was relaxing in her hammock when Mike walked in.
"Uh, what's this? Your happy place or something? And when are we going to the battle? Now?" Mike asked and she groaned and took a deep breath.
In a white void Sonic was standing, breathing a sigh of relief when Mike walked in again. She got a fright and turned to him.
"What's this? Your happier place? Cool. So can we go to the battle now?" Mike asked and she growled in frustration when her watch alarm was heard.
"Wha?" she said.
At the beach.
"What?" Sonic said.
At Meh Burger Sonic opened her eyes.
In the real world a man in a Sonic costume was putting a bag of trash in a trashcan.
"Oops. One too many." the man said.
Back at Meh Burger Sonic pressed a button on her communicator.
"Incoming attack from Eggman!" Tails said on his communicator.
"Okay, now!" Sonic said.
"Hold on a minute." Mike said and she grunted, lost her patience and dragged him over to the battle.
In the desert Sonic and Mike turned up with the rest of the gang when Eggman appeared in his Eggmobile with Orbot and Cubot occupying the side seats. Mike laid a blanket out in the sand and sat down while Team Sonic turned to face him.
"Behold, my latest invention!" Eggman said and Cubot was ejected out of the seat and landed on Mike's right foot, breaking it and Mike struggled.
"Oh, boy. That's not good." Sonic said.
'That idiot.' she thought.
Later at Unnamed Village Mike was on a wheelchair with bandages around his right foot. Sonic walked the wheelchair through the village while the villagers watched her.
"How could you take that fellow to a battle? He's not like you, Sonic. He's just a guy!" Old Monkey said angrily.
"Wait, seriously? I only took him to the battle because you people-" Sonic said and Wolfie, Child Monkey, Old Monkey and Mrs. Vandersnout gasped.
"You people?!" they said.
'Jesus Christ.' she thought.
Later Sonic, Tails and Sticks were at Amy's sitting on the couch with their hats on and Sonic groaned.
"Alright. Perhaps, our enthusiasm yesterday was a bit premature. As it turns out, some people still have a long way to go in their training." Amy said and Sticks and Tails turned to Sonic who showed an annoyed look. "But I'm sure that we'll all learn to be compassionate after tomorrow's" she said and pumped fist. "sensitivity training camping trip!" she said and everyone celebrated except for Sonic.
"You know what I think is compassionate? Saving the village from Robotnik, like every week. But, do I get any props for that? No! Everyone just goes around gasping at me when I call a guy "a guy", or people "people"!" Sonic said angry and everyone gasped. "I quit hero-ing, and I QUIT THIS STUPID GROUP!" she shrieked, threw her hat on the floor and stormed off with everyone looking at her speechlessly.
Tense music played as the Chameleon watched from a distance, turned around and laughed evilly.
At Lightning Bolt Society hideout.
"Sonic the Hedgehog? Retired?" Willy Walrus said shocked.
"Yeah. And the rest of his do-gooder friends are going on some lovey-dovey camping trip!" Tree Spy said.
"The town is ours for the taking!" Weasel Bandit said.
"Wait, didn't we try this once before already?" Dave asked.
"No. That was when Eggman retired. This time, Sonic's retiring. Totally different thing!" Willy said.
As the Lightning Bolts celebrate, a Spy Bot was recording the scene.
At Eggman's Lair Eggman, Orbot and Cubot were watching the footage.
'So, she's finally letting some anger out hmm?' Eggman thought.
"Sounds like an opportunity to launch an offensive." Orbot said.
"Yeah. And you should attack too!" Cubot said.
"No. If I do that, Sonic will come out of retirement and fight me! I'll need to bide my time. Wait for just the right moment." Eggman said.
"Ah. Do nothing at all. It's that kind of evil scheme that keeps you feared around the globe." Orbot said.
At Seaside Island tense music played. The Chameleon saw Sonic in her hammock through her binoculars. He turned and looked at the rest of the sensitivity group walking slowly up a hill while wearing their paper hats. Then he signaled to the Weasel Bandits and one of them kicked a trash can into the skip then gave a high five. The skip lid closed. Meanwhile Dave took the toilet roll out of the holder and turned it the other way, putting it back on the holder, chuckling to himself.
At Meh Burger the Chameleon squeezed a carton of juice into Lady Walrus' glass.
"But, it's already a juice container! Why dirty a glass?" Lady Walrus said grieving.
At Village Center Willy Walrus guided Mrs. Vandersnout through the village. A few seconds, later he let go of her and ran away laughing evilly with his hands in the air. Feeling neglected, she looked up at the sky with a shrug and carried on walking.
At Meh Burger.
"And tomatoes on the side, please." Lady Goat said and Dave put tomatoes on the Meh Burger before putting the bun on top and chuckled as he held the tray.
Later at the beach four of the villagers looked at Sonic, relaxing in her hammock.
"Sonic! You have to do something about the Lightning Bolt Society." Lady Walrus said upset.
"Oh, whatever. I've eaten burritos more dangerous than the Lightning Bolts." Sonic said annoyed. "Sorry, guys. I'm retired." she said and put on her sunglasses.
At a farm sheep were bleating behind a fence when the Lightning Bolt Society arrived.
"Well, well. Look what we have here. A fence. Trying to dictate where we can, and cannot go." Weasel Bandit said and Willy Walrus picked up a pair of fencing pliers and cut open the wired fence.
"Oh, yeah. Anarchy, baby! Woo-hoo!" Dave said slowly ascending and the group celebrate and hurry inside the farm.
Then Dave smacked a sheep, forcing him to run. All the other sheep were alerted and ran through the gap in the fence.
At Village Center the Sheep flock ran towards Old Monkey and Lady Goat, who both screamed and ran away.
Back at the beach Sonic was having a drink when she heard screaming in the distance.
"Damnit!" she said. "So much for early retirement." she said and dashed off, leaving the drink spinning in the air.
Back at Village Center the flock of sheep knock a palm tree over. With Chumley sitting on the bench, the tree fell onto the side of the bench, catapulting the baby up in the air.
"My baby! Again... Somebody, save my Baby! Again..." Lady Walrus said.
As the baby fell, Sonic appeared and caught him before he hit the ground and handed Chumley back to Lady Walrus, who hugged him with glee.
At Eggman's Lair.
"Now this feels like the right moment. She'll never see me coming." Eggman said.
At Unnamed Village Mrs. Vandersnout was being chased by the sheep until Sonic took her away to safety then rescued the Child Monkey hanging from a tree and Stratford while playing with his sandcastles, eventually with the flock running over them all. Sonic put Stratford in front of the villagers and ran back, dashing around the flock of sheep in a circle, stalling them in the process.
Meanwhile, Eggman arrived in his Eggmobile with Orbot and Cubot and pressed a button on the Eggmobile that unleashed a giant hand. The hand lowered towards Sonic and the flock.
Then Sonic noticed the hand lowering down on her and turned back, entering the flock of sheep. Then she ducked down and hid.
"Oh!" Eggman said, turned the hand upside-down and tried to scoop her up in the air.
Instead, it picked up some sheep and tossed them onto his Eggmobile, blinding him, Orbot and Cubot. Sonic gave another sheep a ride on her back and ran with the other sheep following. The hand pulled the Eggmobile across the village.
At a farm the Lightning Bolt Society were lounging inside the fence.
"What the heck is that?!" Weasel Bandit asked.
Sonic and the Eggmobile were speeding towards the farm. The hand tried to grab Sonic again but failed, instead scooping more sheep up onto the Eggmobile.
"Can't see anything! What's going on?!" Eggman said and Sonic took the sheep on her back into behind the fence.
She spin attacked the Eggmobile, sending it and the sheep flying. Then she spin attacked the opening in the fence, fixing it and trapping the Lightning Bolt Society inside. The sheep fell on all the members, one at a time and the villagers celebrate next to Sonic.
"We were wrong about you, Sonic. You are better than us." Old Monkey said.
"Thank you for saving the village! And my baby! Again..." Lady Walrus said and the rest of Team Sonic, Fastidious and Comedy Chimp arrived.
"I knew if we left you alone long enough, you'd step up and save the day." Amy said and Sonic said nothing.
Knuckles knew something wasn't right but stayed quiet.
"Oh, man. We thought we were the baddest in town, but then Eggman showed up with his claw doodad." Dave said.
"Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you're just not good at it." Wild Cat said.
"Yeah, you're not good at it." Villagers mumbled and Willy groaned.
"And I suppose you people could do better!" he said and the villagers gasped.
Later at Amy's House.
"Let's see those sensitivity hats, boys." Amy said and the Lightning Bolt Society, Tails and Sticks display their hats.
Meanwhile Sonic was at home packing, took out her medallion and looked at it.
"I've had it. I've been fighting him long enough and am sick of it. I'm going home." she said, put it on and took out a Chaos Emerald. "Chaos Control!" she said and was gone.
A week later Knuckles was at Sonic's.
"Sonic?" Knuckles said and she wasn't there. "Where'd she go?" he said, walked over to a certain box and opened it to find it empty. "She left. She went back home." he whispered and it hit him.
'Ah shit.' he thought and ran.
What do you think? Keep going on end it here?
