Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, Rosie and Nicole are invited to Agatha's humble cafe in Metropolis. There, they are told of how Agatha ended up on West Island and that she wasn't the only one from her home that was supposedly abducted. Soon after, an unwanted guest - Breezie the Hedgehog - walks in in hopes of coaxing Agatha to sell her cafe for one of the former's establishments. Of course, Agatha declines and forces her to leave. Now with the knowledge of two missing kids, Rosie and Nicole rest up for the next day… Though for Agatha, a tragic nightmare befell her that afternoon…

Nighttime at the West Island Correctional Facility, Snively is seen laying on his bed, going through his own thoughts as he stares at the stars just outside his window.

Snively: "Ugh… Look at me, behind bars… Like common trash… I am the true heir to the Robotnik throne, yet my stupid uncle is the one calling the shots… Does he not realize who I am? Tch…"

Snively slams a fist onto the wall as he glares.

Snively: "I am the son of Colin Robotnik Senior, a warlord who raised an army of rebels in order to bring bloodshed to the Kingdom of Acorn. He took the lives of two nobles from what I heard. Sure, he was barbaric in his approach, but he was given the name 'Colin the Barbarian' for the terror he brought. These miserable furballs… Through my genius intellect, I will rule the world next. I will become powerful… Unstoppable. But not for my father's sake. No… I could care less… For my sake alone."

Voice: "For a gremlin, you sure do talk a lot."

Snively jumped before quickly turning towards the jail cell across from him. Inside the cell was a black furred jackal with a white tip on his tail with the inside of his ears being white as well. He wore the same orange jumpsuit as Snively and other prisoners, but a scar over the jackal's right eye was clearly visible.

Snively: "Ugh… I forgot for a moment that there were others in this place… And who are you calling a gremlin?"

Jackal: "Relax, long nose. I'm just saying… You should save your breath about becoming 'unstoppable' and other such crap. It only makes you look worse when you can't back up those claims."

Snively: "Hmph. And who are you to talk to me like that?"

Jackal: "Me? I am part of a larger group who came to this pitiful little island to hunt for its treasure. Unfortunately, we underestimated just how well guarded the island was and I was captured. I've been here for at least five months now, steadily biding my time."

Snively: "Five months? Then surely you know the facility by now…"

Jackal: "I might… If you're as smart as you say you are…"

Snively smirks evilly as he looks at the jackal, standing up from his bed.

Snively: "I am Colin Robotnik Jr., though people have taken to calling me Snively… Ugh… What about you… 'Friend'?"

Jackal: "I threw away my old name a long time ago. You can call me… Zero."

The two smiled as they began to cook up… a plan.

The next morning, Rosie was in Metropolis with Nicole in her mini computer. After resting on it, Nicole had decided on something.

Nicole: "After a bit of rest and some thinking, I think I want to interrogate Agatha some more on her unusually secretive behavior."

Rosie: "Nicole, while I'm sure you have your reasons, we did promise to help find Agatha's kids before we did anymore."

Nicole: "Y-Yes, I was going to suggest we do that before we interrogated her. I wasn't…"

Rosie laughs, waving off Nicole's embarrassment.

Rosie: "I'm just joking, Nicole~ I know you didn't forget. But we should invite Agatha to help us. She knows Ebony and Ivory more than we do."

Nicole: "Agreed. Hopefully she is willing to leave her cafe today."

The two approach the cafe, Rosie opening the door and walking in.

Rosie: "Agatha! We're here about those kids you mentioned!"

Rosie looks around, but then got that sudden feeling she was about to get attacked. She looked around more before looking up above the entrance. The moment she did, Agatha came down and slammed her to the floor, causing her to drop Nicole.

Nicole: "Rosie!"

Agatha: "Where are my kids!?"

Rosie: "Whoa! Hey! Easy! What are you talking about!?"

Agatha: "A letter came to my cafe just yesterday afternoon! It told me you had my kids!"

Rosie: "Wh-Wait! What do you mean!? How can you tell it was us!?"

Agatha: "You are the only ones I told about in regards to my kids! You are the only ones who know about them! Where are they!?"

Nicole: "Agatha. Let Rosie go, or I will be forced to contact Coconuts and have her arrest you for this behavior."

Rosie: "Nicole, stop! She's just worried about her kids, okay!?"

Rosie gritted her teeth as Agatha's claws were digging into her wrists. She had to defuse the situation quickly before Nicole intervenes.

Rosie: "Agatha! Please calm down! Just listen! I love kids. I read to them all the time back home, play with them, and sometimes babysit from time to time. That probably won't sway you, but believe me. I would never - never - do anything to your kids. If I did have them, I would have brought them here right away, not send some note. If you don't believe my words, then trust my eyes…"

Agatha paused, taking a moment to stare at Rosie as she continued to hold the woodchuck down. Agatha tried to find any hint of deception, but the more she looked, the less she found. Calming down, the cat eventually let go, getting off Rosie. She stands up, feeling her wrists - they were in pain, but the claws didn't dig deep enough to draw blood. Agatha though felt ashamed, letting her emotions go wild like that.

Agatha: "I'm… sorry, Rosie… I…"

Rosie: "It's fine… No harm, no foul. Right, Nicole?"

Nicole: "Personally, no. This is a felony. Feelings or not, you shouldn't have assaulted Rosie…"

Rosie: "Nicole, that's for me to decide. I choose not to press charges too since Agatha wasn't in her right frame of mind."

Nicole goes quiet, but her glares towards Agatha was certainly noticeable to even the cat, who just stood there quietly with a guilty look.

Rosie: "So um… About this letter…"

A little time and a quick cup of tea later, Agatha shows the sketchy letter she received yesterday afternoon, which had various bold title letters from multiple magazines and newspaper clippings glued together to make the message.

Rosie: "A classic ransom note. Though only with the threatening message. No return address or what they want."

Nicole: "Perhaps they wanted to keep those details secret. Or perhaps to scare Agatha into attacking us. …Or she made this herself as a way of keeping us off her tracks."

Rosie: "Nicole, don't even joke about that."

Agatha: "...You'd think I'd lie about those kids?"

Nicole: "You were already suspicious before, but after attacking Rosie, I have no reason to believe you to be innocent right now. And another-"

Rosie presses the mute button on the mini computer, effectively shutting Nicole up.

Rosie: "Let's… give her a moment to cool off. If it means anything, I think you've been telling the truth. You're just someone who cares about the lives of others. That is no crime to me."

Agatha: "I… don't know what to say…"

Rosie just smiles before looking back at the letter. She then thinks about it before getting an idea.

Rosie: "Hey, Agatha. Is there any chance that we can find some clues where the kids may have been last?"

Agatha: "Maybe… I didn't think about it, but maybe someone saw them where most of the Death Egg escapees were brought in."

Rosie: "Then that's where we'll go! Assuming Nicole is willing to help?"

Rosie looks down and sees Nicole having typed a message. "Fine. I will let go of the topic for now. Plz unmute." Rosie giggles before unmuting the mini computer, allowing Nicole to talk.

Nicole: "...Please do not do that… I may be a computer program, but that doesn't mean I enjoy being one."

Rosie: "Sorry, but the accusations need to stop. Innocent until proven guilty. Now will you help us, Nicole?"

Nicole: "...Alright. The escape pods containing the Death Egg escapees were transported from the ocean to the Oil Ocean Docks A and B. We can take a transit there and ask around."

Rosie: "Nice! Let's go, Agatha! The sooner we hit that transit, the sooner we'll find Ebony and Ivory!"

Agatha: "Are you certain you want me to come with you?"

Rosie: "Of course I'm sure. We're friends, aren't we?"

Rosie smiled, causing Agatha to be taken aback. She wanted to be friends with her, a cat that just mauled her to the ground? Either Rosie was too trusting, or she has a better sense of character than anyone else. Agatha was hesitant, but she eventually accepted the invitation, leaving with Rosie.

The trio arrive to the Oil Ocean Docks, which was next to a large processing plant. Rosie and Agatha looked at the plant with a look of curiosity before turning to Nicole.

Nicole: "I suppose you would be curious. The Oil Ocean Plant is where we process oil by converting the salt we extract from the ocean. The cleaned water is pumped into one set of pipes for housing while the salt extracts goes through a separate pipe where it collectively is converted into oil which is then used for various properties - cooking and energy conversion mostly."

Rosie: "What about those that live in the ocean?"

Nicole: "The pipes are small enough to prevent anything bigger than a hand from getting sucked in. But in the event something that shouldn't belong gets caught in the pipes, the plant undergoes a 'clog fix' protocol where it will attempt to remove the object out of the pipes through various means. It's not without its messes, but Jen assures that as long as we get clean water and energy, problems should be minimal."

Agatha: "Jenni sounds like… an interesting lady…"

Rosie and Agatha look around the docks, finding a couple of robots hanging out at the edge. One of them was shaped like a chicken while the other was a weird drill tank on treads. Nicole was quick to address them.

Nicole: "Greetings, Scratch and Grounder. What are you doing here?"

The duo of robots immediately stand at attention before saluting.

Scratch: "Nicole, ma'am! We were just on a light break! We're cleaning up the docks while making sure nothing suspicious happens!"

Nicole: "...And of your regular duties…?"

Grounder: "Duh… Dose ruins always look clean, buss! I don' like cleanin' what I don' gotta clean!"

Scratch: "Yeah! And after what happened at the Casino Night with that trio, I'm not servin' drinks until that place cools off! So instead, we offered to clean the docks while the robots normally here help out with the shmucks that arrived!"

Rosie: "Yes… About those… 'shmucks'... We have a question for you two. Were you here when the Death Egg escapees arrived?"

Scratch: "For the most part I was. Why?"

Nicole: "We are looking for two teens who were among the escapees. One looks like a black cat like our companion here. The other is a white cat. Twins. Have you seen them?"

Scratch: "Err… My memory's a bit fuzzy… But I think I remember seein' them…"

Grounder: "Oh yeah! I seens dem. Dey were last seen over by dem big boxes over dere."

The trio look to where Grounder points with his drill hand, showing some shipping containers in the distance. Agatha only sighs.

Agatha: "Yeah, they would go to the shiny metal boxes… Couple of explorers they be…"

Rosie: "Thank you, misters Scratch and Grounder. We shall be on our way then."

Scratch: "Take it easy, ya'll."

The trio leave for the container yard. But once they were out of earshot, Scratch looked down at Grounder and nods. Grounder opens his chest compartment to pull out a phone, handing it to Scratch.

Scratch: "They took the bait."

Rosie, Nicole, and Agatha arrive to the shipyard, finding a maze of containers with which to navigate. Seeing multiple ways to go, Rosie could only sigh.

Rosie: "Oh boy… This is a mess…"

Nicole: "This may take all day."

Rosie: "Yeah… Which is why we're splitting up, gang!"

Agatha: "Huh?"

Rosie: "Yep. Me and Nicole will go one way while you go the other. If you find anything, holler and I'll find my way to you!"

Agatha: "Are you sure? I worry about this location…"

Rosie: "It'll be fine! I survived the invasion at the Kingdom of Acorn, and you have naturally good hearing. Right?"

Agatha: "...Yes, when I focus on it…"

Rosie: "Then we'll be fine!"

Agatha and Nicole expressed apprehension, but sighed. Agatha then went one way while Rosie went another. As Rosie walked around, she decided to strike up a conversation with Nicole.

Rosie: "Nicole, why are you acting so cold towards Agatha?"

Nicole: "She attacked you. You expect me to pretend it never happened?"

Rosie: "Well, yes. I'm choosing to forgive and forget because of the reason behind it. Agatha's just scared for her kids. I know if I had kids, I'd be the same way."

Nicole: "...I… suppose…"

Rosie: "Look, I get that Agatha might be hiding some things, but she's not malicious. That much I can reasonably say for certain."

Nicole: "...How can you be so certain?"

Rosie looks away before turning in the direction where she and Agatha left. Before she could answer, a figure drops from a tall stack of containers, attacking the woodchuck just as she turns around. The figure then grabs and carries Rosie away, leaving to a path to the right. Not long after, Agatha runs in from the right path, seeing Nicole on the ground.

Agatha: "Nicole! Where is Rosie!?"

Nicole: "..."

Agatha: "Nicole?"

Agatha picks up Nicole's mini computer, but as she does, a sudden series of sirens startle her as police robots arrive, surrounding the shipping container maze with a few entering to arrest… Agatha. Coconuts soon enters the scene, hands on her hips.

Coconuts: "Well well. A little birdy told us that you attacked a civilian. And, just as I said before, you likely started that riot the other day just to boost your business."

Agatha: "What!? What do you mean!? I did not-"

Nicole: "You attacked me and Rosie. I was able to get the last few frames of the attack and…"

Nicole put on screen a silhouette of a figure in a purple gown like what Agatha wears, complete with her hate. Agatha was wide eyed while Coconuts was smiling.

Nicole: "'Innocent until proven guilty'. I believe this proves guilty. You had no kids. You played us for saps. And now Rosie is missing. Tell us where you put her and maybe I will lessen your sentencing."

Agatha: "I… But I…"

Nicole glared hard at Agatha before shaking her head. She then gives the order to arrest Agatha to Coconuts as a police bot picks up the mini computer.

Coconuts: "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used in the court of law."

Agatha wanted to plead with Nicole, but the lynx simply looked away from her monitor, letting the police do their work. Though, Nicole did have her own look of guilt. Not for arresting Agatha, but for having to prove Rosie wrong, wherever she was. She then turns back to the rest of the police bot squad.

Nicole: "Find a woodchuck girl named Rosie. Search around the shipyard and do not stop until she is found."

Police Bot: "Yes, ma'am!"

Nicole then gets an alert. But in her stressed out state, she just ignores it and lets that section's chief handle it. She then orders her carrier to take her back to the mansion.

However, unaware to Nicole and Agatha, the real perpetrator had moved to a warehouse at Oil Ocean. There the figure that attacked Rosie stood over the unconscious woodchuck before pulling off a mask that concealed their appearance, revealing… Breezie the Hedgehog.

Breezie: "Oh my~ I do love when things go my way~"

To be continued…