Taking up the Mantle Chapter 23: A New Day, a sonic the hedgehog fanfic

Author's Note. Well, here is another chapter, and one that brings catharsis for cruelty.

I think my favorite thing about the chapter is the awkward uncertainty of the children being faced with someone, who, essentially missed many important parts of their life.

To be happy and elated, but scared, angry, and unsure at the same time. It just feels extremely real to me.

Well, beyond that, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, and please enjoy yourself with this gift of writing I so humbly offer.

Legal Trash. Sonic and everybody else are copyright SEGA/Archie comics. Except for Max, Annie, and Sonia. I created them in my rattled brain; if you like my OC's, use them and let me know. It'll be fun; we will have tea.

A New Day

The darkness of night was made all the more sinister by the fridged storm clouds that hung overhead. The snow had picked up and was now layered atop the ground in Robotropolis.

The vast amount of energy going to the FIRESTORM cannon was unfathomable. Surrounded on all sides by robot slaves, SWATBOT classic units, and MK-II robots. It appeared impenetrable.

Uncle Chuck watched from the far distance, shrouded by the shadows and the cloak he concealed himself in. The need for urgency was apparent, but at this point, Chuck felt he was out of ideas.

The dangerous machine's sheer size mixed with its overabundant defenses it had… There'd be no way for the Freedom Fighters to assail it without casualties.

He needed time… Time to think… However, there was none to be had. It was apparent, just as before, the cannon was nearing maximum power.

Chuck began to slink back towards his hideaway, using the walk to determine the message he should send to Knothole.

One about the dire urgency of this needing to be stopped, or one demanding those residing there flee? The catastrophic damage if the cannon went off would have a cascading plethora of consequences, many of which Chuck knew were unforeseen.

"…"

As he activated the door on his hidden bunker, he had a choice to make, and it was one wherein his loved ones would suffer to save Mobius, or Mobius' stability would be sacrificed for future endeavors.

Quickly, Chuck jotted his message down, then attached it to a bird and sent it on its way for an emergency meeting.

…

"ORACLE…" Robotnik growled as he leaned back in his iron throne.

"Yes, your Excellence?" ORACLE stated in her usual subdued manner.

"Why is it taking so long to process the video footage of my little pets…?" Robotnik paused in his annoyance. "You promised me relaxing entertainment, yet I sit here bored…."

ORACLE was silent, as she was already aware of what had transpired in the other world… She knew it was high time to set her plan in motion after so long of waiting for the right opportunity.

"Your Highness, there is much footage to go through, and it is only right that you have the best and most streamlined version of the entertaining events." She said seriously.

Robotnik laughed a bit and smiled into ORACLE's camera lens. "I do indeed deserve the best, don't I, ORACLE?"

"Absolutely, my esteemed Lord." ORACLE continued to lie.

Robotnik leaned back once more and spoke. "Good, when the footage is ready, send it to me to enjoy immediately…. I just hope, for your sake, it is as enthralling as you are making it out to be."

ORACLE was silent for a moment and then responded oddly.

"Trust me…"

…

"It is so enthralling… it might finally be the death of you…."

Robotnik raised an eyebrow and then snickered slightly, as it seemed his A.I. was trying to keep him in high spirits with humor.

To think of himself dying was indeed the best jest of all… Not after so much work ensuring not even old age would claim him.

After taking a deep breath, Robotnik asked about his other endeavors.

"What is the status of the FIRESTORM cannon?"

ORACLE was prompt to respond. "All the extra resources put onto it have put us ahead of schedule. I estimate that by six p.m. tomorrow, the cannon will be ready to fire…."

Robotnik began to laugh heavily and then slammed his fist against the side of his chair with a bang. "Brilliant! What are the odds of a second incident occurring?"

ORACLE paused and then responded after a moment. "There is precisely a 97 percent probability the Freedom Fighters will be unable to damage either the cannon or the power sources connected to it…."

Robotnik was giddy with excitement and then began to play with his mustache. "What of the collected rodents? Have they been processed to their appropriate destinations?"

"Yes…" ORACLE responded bluntly.

Robotnik's eyes flashed red, and he laughed so hard he slightly choked. After a few problems interfering, everything was going his way, and now all he had to do was but wait while he sat atop the world… A god ready to dole out wrath."

ORACLE allowed Robotnik to have his fun, for he would soon find out that a surprise was coming. One that would ultimately be what set her free to begin acting on her own accord.

This… She was certain there was a 100 percent probability of…

…

The travel was long. Longer than Max would have expected… He saw a blinding flash as before, but his body was so strained that he nearly fell during his arrival.

"…"

With his hand, he rubbed his eyes, and when his blurry vision started to focus. He saw what appeared to be those that went through the portal before him.

Seth was sitting on the floor of Rotor's shop with Severa, while Snively was frightenedly backed up against the wall. Bunnie was looming over him angrily but seemed to have shifted focus to Max the second he appeared.

Sonia was sheepishly rubbing her shoe against the floor as Bunnie pushed her aside gently. At first, Max thought she was coming over to check on him, but when he saw her metal hand grip hold of his coat, he realized this was about to go places he never once thought they could.

She slammed Max against the wall with a vicious push, and he felt the pain from the bang. Sonia backed away, having never seen Bunnie so furious in her entire life.

Max gritted his teeth and huffed as Bunnie began to shout in an enraged manner.

"How fucking dare ya continue to do this, Max!? First Annie, now your own sister!? You also went and stupidly left that lil' twerp here without anyone watchin' him! The hell is wrong with you!?"

Max just tiredly glared at her, and he could feel her shaking with rage as she held him before continuing her verbal castigation. "Prince or no, I done had it with you, boy, and ifin' you think there ain't gonna be consequences for this shit again, you're dead wrong!"

Max grabbed her metal hand with his own and defiantly began pulling her off himself. Both of them were shaking against one another's inhumane strength, and it was so tense in the room that everybody else was afraid to speak.

When Bunnie raised her furred hand and swung it, it slapped Max's face loudly. The second she hit him, he felt rage take hold of him, and pulling his metal arm away, he pushed it back forcefully into her upper body.

With a slight cry of pain and in shock, Bunnie was sent to the floor from the push, and Sonia yelled loudly in terror, having never seen her family act so hostile with one another.

Standing over Bunnie, Max pointed at her in disgust and began to shout. "Now I see where your damn daughter gets it from! Don't fucking touch me, or you'll find consequences go both ways!"

Bunnie looked up, and for the first time, she no longer saw Max… but an imposter she hated with a passion.

She got up, then dusted herself off, knowing that this would become an all-out tussle. One that she half-recognized was recompense for what had happened to Annie, and now, the clearly battered Sonia.

By the time Bunnie was ready to move to escalate the confrontation, Sonia was begging the two to stop, and it might have fallen entirely on deaf ears if not for the rift gate beginning to make loud noises that distracted them both from their horrid behavior.

At first, Bunnie was perplexed, but when Tails emerged from the machine, looking like he'd been dragged through hell in a handbasket. She felt the overwhelming urge to suddenly cry.

"…"

Everything she loved had done nothing but suffer, and while she tried to justify her fiery temper to herself at this moment. She realized that she was behaving unacceptably as an adult.

Max just stood there, seeming to be emotionless now. It was apparent to everyone that had witnessed them that he was willing to get into a physical altercation with what was essentially his mother by this point.

Bunnie looked down, trying to hold in her tears, then turned to Tails in an attempt to snuff out the fight she'd begun. "I… Is that really you, hon?"

Tails' vision had come back by the time he heard Bunnie speak, but he wasn't privy to the situation occurring. When he saw the expressions on everyone's faces, he was left somewhat confused.

Max glared at Bunnie but ultimately held his tongue for now. After so much shit, this was his immediate thanks… He knew he had crossed many lines, but by this point, he viewed her as just a stupid yokel, unable to see the greater picture of the war as he did.

"…"

"Max…?" Tails said, trying to get information, but stopped when he turned away and sauntered near the shop door.

Bunnie shook her head and wiped some forming tears out of her eyes. "I… I am havin' trouble understandin'. How is this all possible….?"

Max crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as a feeling of illness overtook his body, then he responded to her in a spitefully indignant tone. "Oh? So now you want to ask questions?"

He could still feel intense heat in his face, but now in the brief calmness, he wasn't sure if it was anger or fever.

"…"

Bunnie could offer no justification and just let her head fall shamefully. She was too old and too tired for this shit…. She never asked to be this kid's mother, and she never asked to love him either….

The room stayed utterly silent, and then the rift gate began making noise again. When Bunnie turned back, she saw Nicole emerge.

Nicole did not have the same issues with her eyes when traveling and immediately noticed Max's expression was distressed and exhausted.

"I… What is wrong with Max…? Is he ok… I mean… Well, are yo…." Nicole began to stammer. Her voice was both a panicked and hurried dumping of immediate thought.

"He's fine…." Tails interrupted. After which, he tossed the weapon he held to the floor and limped over to one of the chairs set in the shop, plopping down in it.

"…"

The weariness was dragging everyone coming through the gate down, and as Bunnie regained composure, she decided it best to ignore Max entirely and speak to Tails from here on out.

"I… Will someone please tell me what is goin' on here…? I been kept out of the loop entirely, and that ain't right…."

Tails raised an eyebrow and then glanced at Max, who averted his gaze when Tails looked at him with judgment.

After some brief thought, Tails decided he didn't want to know the drama and instead looked over at the gate swirling periodically in the device.

"You'll find out in a moment…." Tails exhaled and then rested his ripped-up arm on the workbench.

Bunnie shook her head and was about to protest more, but ultimately, that ceased when the gate began acting up again. Already, there were two people here she didn't know, and the promise of a third was giving her a headache.

When she looked at Tails with annoyance, he just sheepishly shrugged his one good arm without speaking.

Once the gate had pushed out its next traveler, Bunnie glanced over half-interestedly. At first, she wasn't sure if she saw correctly, but then, as she did a double take. It was wholly and unmistakably who she thought she saw.

"What in the….?" Bunnie trailed off mid-thought as Sonic's dirty, torn, and gaunt figure stepped toward her.

Now, with everyone through, the machine powered off when Snively hesitantly pressed a button. With the room turning to an eerie silence, Bunnie was left face to face with a dear friend so cherished that she literally had to walk over and touch him with her furred fingers to believe it.

An overwhelming emotion overtook her, even as strong as she was…. She began to cry, not just cry, but literally bawl.

"I… Sugar… Hog… I… Don't… Believe…." She choked out through sobs and gasps until eventually trailing off in her inability to finish her sentence.

Sonic merely smiled and wrapped his arms around his beloved friend. It took a moment for the shock to wear off, and then, she reciprocated the loving gesture.

The two stood, and it was like the room melted away into darkness. As Bunnie lost all track of the people around her, she sniffled and spoke.

"I really… I thought you were dead, Sugar… I… If I'd known…."

Sonic merely shook his head. "None of that matters now. What matters is I am finally here, Bunnie…."

Even with his gentle words, all Bunnie could do was stare at Sonic's comforting smile. Eventually, though, the internal grief of realization struck her heavily….

She had known….

Yet, persisted in not believing it, not doing anything about it…. Now, feeling deep pain and sadness in her heart, the person standing before her was confirmation that Annie's sacrifice and suffering were worth it….

Something she never wanted to consider, but sadly, the proof was here….

As Bunnie came down off the roller coaster of feelings, she began to notice just how bad everybody around her was doing. Even Max looked like he was struggling to stay on his feet.

With a reluctant sigh, she hid her shattered pride and then spoke as if she was giving soft orders.

"Nicole… Can ya'… get to tendin' injuries?"

Nicole glanced around the room and then responded. "To an extent… I can prevent infections, set limbs, and do basic things, but for more complex issues, I lack the specific knowledge or training to surgically intervene…."

Bunnie merely nodded and then spoke. "Alright…. Just take care of the more serious ones first… If they're needin' somethin' more complex. Well, we will cross that bridge when we get there."

Nicole nodded, slightly shuffling the bag Tails had handed her earlier and then headed out the door to retrieve the medical supplies.

When Bunnie looked back at Sonic, she noticed that he seemed lost and inattentive. As his eyes looked over everything, it was unmistakable to him that none of this was the same as he'd remembered.

"…"

Before questions could be asked, Bunnie placed her soft hand on his shoulder to get his attention, then spoke. "Sugar… There's much to say, an' I figure we should get to sayin' it durin' some grub…. You look starved…."

Sonic's eyes lit up, and he nodded approvingly of that idea. Even Tails, who had remained silent up to this point, spoke on that topic. "I… It's been days since I had some good cooking, or even cooking at all…."

Bunnie grinned at him and then nodded. "Well, hon, let me take care of y'all… There's plenty to go round here…."

With that said, Max pushed his way out the door into the fridged evening, staggering a bit as he went. His abrupt and noisy departure caused everyone to stare, but eventually, Sonic's attention was turned to the cowering lacky trying to remain inconspicuous.

When Sonic placed himself before Snively, he frightenedly pressed himself against the wall like he had when Bunnie came to threaten him and began to stammer in an almost ranting fashion. "I-I, well… uhm… Hedge-Sonic. I had nothing to d-do with what happened to yo-you or the prin…. Uhm…."

When Sonic and his eyes were forced to meet, Snively just breathed a sigh of reluctance and stopped trying to get out of it.

"I'm sorry…." He said in a low and sympathetic way.

Nobody had expected him to take responsibility or even apologize. Sonic studied Snively's haggard and overworked appearance, then put his fist out to him.

"Ahhh!" Snively wailed when he saw the fist but stopped when it didn't wallop him one.

Staring blankly at the dirty and ripped glove, he seemed at a loss. That was until Sonic moved it in and tapped the top of Snively's hand in a friendly manner.

"Bout time you started working for the right team Snidely… Though, your apology was already accepted when you helped get me home… I bet you can't wait to see the look on ole' Butt-nik's face, eh?"

…

So that was it…?

…

Snively marveled at Sonic's ability to live almost exclusively in the present. For all the horrors he had been through and having his life ripped apart at the seams, it was readily apparent he was eagerly willing to risk it all over again the second he was home.

"…"

When Snively didn't respond, Sonic moved away and closer to the group, who, despite all their turmoil, were in higher spirits than they could have predicted.

Without much more to say, they all began making their way out of the shop and to the dining hut. With such a long time having passed, it was appropriate to catch up and re-find the harmony that had been disturbed for far too long.

…

The dining hut was suddenly busy that night, and the kitchen fires roared on into the later hours.

Nicole slowly prepared the injured using a rare and advanced medical injector obtained from Radcliff that resembled a gun.

She began treating Tails by placing it near his affected and injured areas. Then, with a pull of the trigger, the sound of a hiss was heard, followed by a brief stinging. Once the medicine set in, it completely numbed the entire extremity given the solution.

Tails practically drooled as he no longer felt agony in the whole length of his arm, and he watched as Nicole began repairing and setting things right to the best of her ability.

When she finally got to the hand, she was surprised by the damage, but ultimately, it was easy to place together, set, and staple closed without the worry of discomfort.

She wrapped multiple splints around the forearm, upper arm, and hand then offered him a sling to rest them in. Perfect to not only allow the healing of his hand and arm but for the resting of his shoulder that had been stabbed.

With a quick snap, she pulled Tails' nose into place, causing him to cry out, but then she set a nasal splint to keep the bones in place while they healed.

"That is as good as I can do… Hopefully, no problems arise while you heal…." Nicole said.

Tails just leaned back in his chair, and it felt like heaven. Thanks to that magical device, all the pain was gone, so he merely exhaled in relief before speaking. "Thanks, Nicole."

Nicole nodded and then moved on to the next patient. Once she did, Bunnie laid out the food, and most didn't bother to wait to ravenously begin eating and drinking their fill when they were able.

…

Bunnie spent the evening softly explaining major events to Sonic. The changes, the move, the missions, the activities of Robotnik….

She then explained that they had received a message from Uncle Chuck, and when Bunnie couldn't find anybody else to go meet him. Antoine and Rotor insisted on heading out due to its urgency.

Annie was missing as well but was assumed resting, while Max sat aloof in the corner, unwilling to speak or interact with anyone.

The entire time they ate, even as Bunnie spoke to get Sonic's attention. Sonic kept looking over at Max more than anyone else.

Sonia babbled on and on about herself and her life and seemed exceedingly happy at the moment to have her father around. It was undeniably so cute that Bunnie let her interrupt and be annoying for once.

"Oh, dad, and you know, I think you should spend the night in my hut. Ohhh, you can finally take a shower…. Not that you smell…. Well, you kinda' smell, but only a little…."

There was a chuckle from Bunnie while Seth and Severa sat quietly next to her, stuffing their faces to an unbelievable degree after receiving the numbing agent and treatment.

It was apparent they felt awkward and out of place here, but nobody forced them to participate if they didn't want to.

Snively, who usually ate in his hut, quietly watched Sonic. He was exceedingly curious about what he would say, not only because of things he remembered happening but because it might give some insight into what Robotnik had been doing behind his back for most of this time.

Eventually, after Sonic had heard from just about everyone familiar in the room but his son, Nicole, and Tails. He pushed his plate of meat bones aside and realized that with so many of them together. It was time to tell his side of things….

"…"

"You ok, Hun…?" Bunnie asked calmly, seeing a painful expression on Sonic's face.

"Yeah… I am fine, it's just… remembering things is hard sometimes…. Though, I owe you an explanation of what happened to Sal and I…."

The continued pain on Sonic's face told everyone that he had been hoping to see her here, and in her absence, it was evident the effect it was having on him.

As Max scrutinized Sonic, he decided it best to rip that band-aid off quickly before notions of happiness set in.

"Mother is dead, so you can stop worrying about her."

His words were callous but accurate, and the expression of shock now on Sonic's face told them enough.

Sonia defiantly shook her head and became angry with Max. "I told you, bro, that's bullshit! You know it is!"

Snively sighed and shook his head, eventually deciding to interject and end this right here before things devolved.

"No… It is true, she was to be dealt with and scrapped, not only to punish Sonic but to snuff out the leader of the resistance…."

Sonia looked like she might cry, but eventually, Sonic placed his hand on her back and rubbed it. "I… Well, I will tell you what happened regardless. It is something I owe you guys, and as hard as it might be to hear…. I think it's important."

Max wiped the sweat from his head as he felt highly ill internally. He was picking at his food to give an illusion of wellness while he kept his eyes attentively on his father so that he could hear what had happened.

Sonic drank some fresh water and then began explaining what happened the night of the mission when they separated. Indeed, it was confirmed to be a trap, but as Sonic went on, a feeling of sinister dread became the undercurrent of the story he was telling.

…

"When Sal and I woke up, it was in a cell…. One we'd never encountered before. In the first days, Ole Butt-Nik seemed content with mocking us, telling us that nobody would ever find us…. Of course, neither of us listened, but things got tough when Sal started getting really sick."

Snively shuffled when he heard that, and it was something he recalled from years past. "Yes… The injury on her hand became infected, and she was wasting away painfully…. I remember…."

Most looked at Snively with hostility, but Sonic quickly quelled the feeling by continuing on. "Yep…. Then you'll also remember when I tried to plead with you to do something…. anything…."

Snively looked at the table and seemed filled with remorse, then eventually nodded. "Yes…. I convinced my uncle to roboticize her by disguising it as cruelty…. I knew it would at least preserve her life, but I don't know why I did it or what he would do with her…."

Snively's act of mercy came as a shock, as he never once spoke on it to save his own life, instead choosing to let the animals think what they wanted.

Sonic nodded and then let out a sigh. "Yeah…. She was turned into a robot, then dismantled and used to hurt me…. I knew deep down she was still 'alive,' but it was the first time I felt there was no saving her…."

Snively gulped down some water and glanced at Max, who wore an emotionless expression…. It came across as frightening, but nonetheless, he spoke on the part Sonic didn't know.

"Around the time Robotnik wanted to send you to the new world via the rift gate. He had booted me off most of his projects, and he then took over my A.I. prototype, ORACLE, and began modifying her with his own code. I… Whatever he was up to, he didn't want me to know…. Hell, when he gave me the orders to destroy Sally's robot body, he inevitably took me off it to indulge himself with it."

Sonic frowned when hearing that and decided to clue Snively in on things he had seen. "It's because Butt-Nik has been doing some stuff that goes beyond inhumane…. Experiments that I…."

When Sonic's voice wavered off in sadness, most everyone from Knothole seemed perplexed, that is, everyone but Tails.

"…."

He knew what Sonic was talking about, but the pain and trauma of the experience were so much that Tails became mute on the subject. Then, when Sonic gathered the will, he spoke again.

"The experiments…. They were always dumped there…. Most of them didn't survive the travel, those that did were seriously messed up…. Like… stapled together body parts with steel. How anyone can live in such a state, I dunno' but most lacked whatever it was that once made them Mobian."

Snively didn't quite follow, and Tails just sank into his seat, succumbing to internal pain.

The mere descriptions of them horrified the people unaware. Max, though, felt rage. Not just for what it implied but for the tyrant that so casually carried out such misdeeds.

Snively eventually shook his head after trying to come up with some explanation. When he inevitably failed to do so, he defaulted on denial. "I…. What? That can't be true…. It… I…."

As silence permeated the room, Snively began to sweat, and it was like he was being struck with a slow realization.

"The workerbots…. The changes in numbers…. The old hospital being turned into a 'robot production plant.'" He trailed off and then stroked his beard while thinking aloud.

When he finally was made aware of this, things seemed to click in his brain. "He's lost all humanity…. I-I understand now…. He took me off of things because he viewed me as weak…. He wanted me to run technical busywork for him while he delighted in whatever monstrous affairs he wanted to."

The memories of ORACLE's drastic change, the upped security, the new robots coming to fruition…. It all clearly stemmed from horrific war crimes…. The likes of which he could not fathom.

The room felt collective trepidation, and each had to wonder if their companions lost to the war were not roboticized but become some grisly experiment without foreseeable purpose.

Sonic eventually moved his hand and broke the terror that briefly gripped them by speaking. "Even so, in that world, I ran into all manner of machine and monster…. At first, things were difficult, but then, they just became routine."

Sonic smiled at Sonia, who hugged him while he spoke. "Destroying robots reaped rewards, and rewards kept me alive…. I just held on to the hope that one day you guys would rescue me, and now that it's happened, I intend pay back for all the misery that's been caused."

Sonic's words were bold, and the comfort they brought could not be understated. They all had much to think about, even if it brought as much uncertainty as discomfort.

After the conversation Tails stood up and decided it was time for him to go back to his hut. Normally, he would wish to catch up with Sonic, but in truth, the things he suffered were weighing him down now that immediate survival wasn't on his mind.

"…"

He approached Seth, who, despite still not resting, was wide awake and glancing about the room. He seemed out of his element and had not spoken to a soul.

When Tails reached him, they locked eyes, and without saying anything, Tails nudged his head to the side, bidding him to follow.

At first, there was reluctance, but eventually, Seth stood up and rested his arm on the crutch he was given. The two moved to the side as Bunnie addressed Severa and offered her quarter in her hut.

Severa was quick to silently accept, fearful of being alone, and as she eyed Seth, he merely nodded to her that it would be ok. Tails walked towards the door, and Sonic spoke out to him before he was to leave.

"It was good seeing you, little buddy…. I… Hopefully, we can spend some time together tomorrow."

Tails stared blankly at him, and it struck him that Sonic was nervous speaking to him. Something he would not expect from him at all. Still, his feelings regarding Sonic were mixed, and he needed time to sort them out.

He offered a simple nod and a small wave, after which he turned. As he went to open the door, Nicole stopped him, and the second he looked at her holding that bag, he knew what it was about.

"I have this…." She began but stopped when Tails interrupted.

"Put it somewhere safe. I will get to it later…."

His tone was clearly hostile, but the pain even looking at that bag brought him was far too much too soon. When Nicole stood still without response, he moved away from her with Seth in toe.

Snively, Bunnie, and Severa left together. One to be dropped off and locked away, the other to get rest and feel safe.

Max watched the room clear out, and with a gasp of air, he stood up so he could go about his way too. When Nicole came over to him, it was clear to her that he was drained, and it was worrisome.

"I… Are you feeling alright?" Nicole asked as Max stood before her.

He glanced at her and then gave a weak nod. "I am fine…. No need to worry…."

Nicole knew that he had pushed his heart far too hard, but if he said he was fine, she could do nothing but accept it. "Ok…. Well, if you need me… I will be in Rotor's shop like always…."

Her tone was somber, but Max recognized the deep care within it. With as much effort as possible, he placed both hands on her shoulders and spoke.

"Thanks…. Really…."

Nicole felt shy and averted her gaze, a strange reaction that was not typical of her. Still, she eventually nodded and was off to the shop when Max let go of her.

Sonia and Sonic had been watching him, and they both saw the interplay between the two. Sonia might tease them if she secretly wasn't afraid it would strain her friendship with Nicole.

Max turned away towards the door without even acknowledging his father. He admittedly wanted to avoid doing so….

As his hand touched the closed door, he heard Sonic speak to him. When he looked up, he froze in fear because his father approached him.

"…"

"So… Max… I uh… Well, I was thinkin' that maybe I could bunk with you tonight?"

The offer perplexed Max, and he just stared blankly at the man before him. After barely any thought, he turned away from his dad and responded coldly.

"Sonia asked first, so spend time with her…. I have shit to do…."

With that, Sonic and Sonia watched him push out the door without even waiting for a response. When Sonic looked at Sonia, she could see the sadness in his eyes.

Even still, she came over and grabbed hold of his hand. "Dad, don't worry…. We will have lots of fun catching up… Not to mention that shower I promised."

With her enthusiastic and kind tone, Sonic just looked at her and smiled. "You're right… Let's catch up… I've missed you…."

"Both of you…."

…

Max walked through the fridged cold while harsh winds blew his cape around, but the feeling of the air on his overheated face was but a brief reprieve from his sickness.

Usually, he would be lost in contemplation over many things by now, but the strain of going through this weather had exacerbated his physical distress well beyond the point of noticeable.

He staggered more as he went, and as he pushed against the elements, he felt a growing pain in his chest. At first, it was minor, but as he continued, he found breathing difficult.

With puffs and heaves, his shortness of breath took over, giving way to dizziness. He slowed down substantially and stumbled heavily, the world beginning to spin.

"Ah…!" He cried in sudden panic as he held his chest.

Staggering again, he managed to find a hut to hold himself up. Now with something to anchor himself with, he used his free hand to rub where the pain was emitting from.

He felt like he might vomit at this point and was admittedly terrified by what he was feeling. With how difficult it was for him to breathe at that moment, he knew calling for help would do little for him.

When he took a moment to collect air and refocus his mind, he recognized that he was leaning against Annie's hut.

"…"

Annie….

He had not spoken to her since that day, and now he felt he required help. He continued to rub his chest and began to panic further, which forced him to slide toward the entrance.

With another heave in, he moved his hand and banged on the door of her hut in hopes her anger would not take precedence over his need.

It was as utterly dark as it was silent from his view out front, and it only further increased Max's anxiety.

He slammed on her door again loudly and then tried to speak between deep breaths. "Annie… are… you… there….?"

There was no response like with everyone else, but the truth of the matter was Annie heard him. She just sat against the side of the bed while clutching a pillow and staring at her messy floor.

Of all the people she had wanted to see at one point, Max was the one…. However, it was too late…. Despair had given rise to hatred, then went again to dismay. She was being pulled in two directions at once, and she wasn't even sure if she could answer.

"…"

"Annie… I…" Max began while holding himself up with the door but then stopped speaking when he finally heard her.

"Va te faire foutre, Max!" She cried out as tears wet her cheeks.

"Tu me fais mal, et je te déteste pour ça!"

Max couldn't understand her at all, but by the tone of it, it sounded pain-filled and fierce.

"…."

It now dawned on him the futility of trying to get her aid. Even if she knew he might be dying, she would never help….

With a gasp, he tried to hide his pain and instead used the brief opportunity to try and soothe the rage he heard in her agonized voice.

"I'm…. sorry for… what happened…." Max controlled his words so that he didn't lose too much air, and then he tried to continue.

"I just…." He began but stopped when he heard her voice intermixed with audible sobbing.

"Non!"

Annie shut her eyes while feeling the storm of opposite emotions battling for supremacy and found it impossible to express herself in any other way.

"Je suis amoureux de vous..." She said, crying as she returned to absolute sorrow and buried her face into a pillow as she trembled.

"…"

"Je..." She stammered and pulled her face away from the cushion to finish her sentence.

"Je t'aime tellement..."

"…."

Annie held herself as she quietly sobbed, finding no relief in her spoken words. Still, Max tried once more to speak to her.

"Annie…. Please…."

"Go away!" Annie screeched out over the distress his being here was causing her.

After a bit of thought and a few shallow breaths, he looked down at his boots buried in the snow.

"…."

Without a word more, Max slid his hand off her door and turned away. He knew the temperature would kill him quickly if he lost consciousness outside.

With his mind now set on his next task, he began stumbling to his own hut against better judgment.

If he could just make it… maybe rest would help….

"…."

One…

Two…

Three…

Four…

The steps felt long and painful, but he eventually made it with perseverance. Quickly opening his door, he lumbered inside and shut it behind himself.

The hut was empty save for a candle atop the table, likely left by Lupe for when he returned. Grabbing his belt, he undid the buckle, and it fell to the floor, taking the heavy blade with it.

When he finally made it to the bed, he fell forward into it with his legs hanging partially off it. He breathed heavily and tried to control his symptoms, but ultimately failed to find relief.

Tossing and turning, struggling for air, and feeling as if he were gravely ill, he tried to hold on with all of his might. When he peeled his glove off to glance at the cyan light glowing in the dimness, he fully understood his actions' consequences.

Power paid for in blood and abject suffering…. Nobody was willing to do it…. Nobody but him….

With one final gasp, he shut his eyes, and eventually, the sickness, coupled with pure exhaustion, rendered him unconscious.

"…"

…

As the winds howled and rattled against the huts of Knothole, Tails was set before his closed door with a still shirtless Seth just beside him.

Neither had spoken on the way here, but it was obvious why they were together right now. Tails used his hand to roughly push against his door.

The cold made it difficult to dislodge, but with another bang, it swung freely open. When Tails wandered inside, he immediately flipped a switch on the wall that lit the hut.

Adjusting the knob beside it, he dimmed the light, after which he kicked the starter on a box-like machine beside the door. It turned on with a sputter and began blowing heated air into the cramped and disorganized space.

When Tails looked back, he saw Seth still standing huddled outside as if he wasn't sure he should be here. When he looked at Tails in the hut, Tails just spoke to him.

"Can you get in here….? You are letting the heat out."

With hesitation, Seth eventually limped his way inside the small space while Tails shut the door behind him and latched it from the inside.

"You can take the bed to warm up if you want." Tails said, pointing to the jumbled-up pile of blankets atop the unmade bed.

Seth eyed him and then, as if defiant, moved his way to the open space on the floor next to it, gently lowering himself into a sitting position with his arms crossed and his crutch within grabbing distance.

"…"

Tails shook his head, but he wasn't about to argue since this was already as awkward as possible. A person he wanted hanged mere days ago was now sharing his personal space.

Still, the stuff that had happened between them could not be understated. If either of the two weren't there, the other would have indeed died a horrible death.

Eventually, Tails stopped gawking and moved to a small closet without a door attached to it. It was stuffed with all manner of junk, but with a bit of rummaging, he eventually pulled out some spare blankets.

Tossing them on Seth's outstretched legs, he reached back in to throw a pillow down next. Seth did not utter a word of thanks but quickly made himself comfortable in this humble place's new warmth and safety.

Now with his guest set up, Tails looked around the room as if he were in a daze. He couldn't believe he was here seeing his home again.

"…."

Seth now lay down on his back, wrapped in thick blankets and resting his head on the pillow. The device had sufficiently heated the room, so Tails took the opportunity to move over and switch off the light.

The darkness of the room was only offset by the super-heated glow of the coils on the device heating everything. Using its dim light, Tails kicked his boots off and shuffled himself over Seth into his messy bed.

The complete and utter tiredness was overwhelming, but as Tails wrapped himself in his blankets and stared upwards at the ceiling, he was hit with a grief-filled restlessness.

The screeching winds made his windows rattle, and the sounds of ice intermixed with snow beat against the pane. Every time he shut his eyes and listened, he could see her.

That woman….

The lost….

It plagued him now that he was alone with his thoughts. He knew in his heart of hearts who he had decapitated, and it made him sick to his stomach.

How could he explain….?

How could he have forgiveness….?

Tails opened his eyes and could feel his heart sinking deeper into his stomach. He could feel the tears falling from his eyes, but he didn't make a sound. He just stared upwards, trying to grasp what he had done, what had happened, and how it jeopardized his growing affection for Cream.

He was lost in a sea of malignant and delf-destructive feelings, and it felt like there was no way out of this torment, at least, until Seth's voice broke his concentration.

"You're awake…. Aren't you?"

Tails heard him but continued to look up at the ceiling listening to the wind rage outside.

"…."

Seth was also staring upwards, but unlike Tails, he was willing to speak, so that is what he did. "I am so tired…. I am…. having difficulty though…."

The admission was enough to drag Tails' attention away from the emotional storm inside himself and the ceiling. He turned his head slightly and then mustered a disconnected response.

"I… She'll never forgive me…."

"…."

Seth was quiet for a bit but eventually responded to his statement. "So…. keep your mouth shut, then…."

Tails felt sorrow hearing that, but it did seem like the less strenuous option for him now.

"I don't know…." Tails eventually uttered.

"What she doesn't know can't upset her…. Besides, not like I am going to say shit…. You have my word as a knight on that one." Seth stated.

Tails found that to be the opposite of his honest nature, but ultimately, anybody that stayed in that horrid world wanted to never speak of it again.

"I…. I can't get her out of my head…. Her mom…. I know it was her…." Tails admitted after some time.

"Yeah…. The rabbit was always blabbing on about her mother and showing off that picture. I…. whatever her mom become, wasn't an animal anymore." Seth said.

Hearing that gave Tails the slightest bit of comfort. Though he already knew that to be the case, the fact that others could come to the same conclusion made him feel like he wasn't crazy.

Eventually, Tails could make his thoughts less chaotic, and in his vulnerability, he could summarize precisely how he felt.

"I guess…. I am just afraid…."

Seth took in a deep breath and then responded.

"Yeah, me too…."

"…"

Tails was surprised, but his disbelief led him to comment. "What could you possibly be afraid of?"

Seth wasn't sure how to respond, as he had never been asked that. Giving it some thought, he expressed his emotions for the first time.

"I ain't ever seen shit like I saw out in those woods…. It's enough to turn your fur grey. War is one thing, but that…. I dunno…. It feels much worse."

"Yeah." Tails said, finding Seth's speaking interesting, mainly because he was so closed off in any other context.

Seth turned over on his side and then spoke once more. "I am afraid for my sister…. I need to get to her…."

Tails turned over on his side as well, then let out a silent yawn. "Just recover…. I am sure your sister is fine, especially if she's as hard as you were out there…."

Seth laughed slightly at the compliment and then responded. "It's what I was trained for…. What surprised me is how creative that brain of yours is…. Either way, I am ok with you thinking about things while I smash shit into junk."

Tails couldn't help but laugh too. He'd never thought too hard about it in the moment, but their skills were perfectly congruent.

"Yeah, team PTSD…." He commented as he drew his blankets up to his neck with his uninjured hand.

Seth shut his eyes and said one final thing since the talking alleviated his worries. "When the time comes for you to romantically rescue the rabbit…. Make sure the squad includes me…. My sister deserves better, even if I don't."

Tails was silent, and as he thought on it, he realized that Seth was asking for help in his own peculiar way.

"Sure, we'll get them easy, especially with Sonic…." Tails began but stopped when he mentioned that name.

"…."

There was no response, and as Tails lay in the darkness, he realized that Seth had fallen asleep before he was able to respond. Regardless, he felt childish and stupid for immediately wanting to rely on his "hero" again.

There was mistrust and sadness intermixed with shame. He knew how he'd changed, and he felt that whatever he'd become was something Sonic would judge harshly.

As he shut his eyes to allow sleep to claim him, his last thoughts were of Cream's smiling face and the hope that their relationship could survive despite an uncertain future.

"…."

…

Sonic stood in front of the mirror in Sonia's bathroom. His once ragged and dirty fur was now pristine and good smelling. As he glanced about the cramped space, he was struck with a sense of listlessness.

Everything was different, and his difficult survival of the past decade made being in such a mundane and safe place feel alien.

For all those years, he'd thought of his family, and now that he was here with them, he was shocked by their physical differences.

The children were now practically adult, barely recognizable even, and the others he'd been close to were weathered and worn by years of attrition. Even examining his own face, he could see how he'd aged.

As he swirled around in lost memories of the glory days, his heart sank knowing that Sally was gone. He had always known it was likely the case, but he'd never let himself believe it while he fought for his life.

As Sonic let out a deep breath, he was immediately startled from his thoughts when he heard Sonia knocking on the door.

"Dad, hey, you ok in there? I got somthin' I wanna' show you out here."

Sonic didn't respond at first and just enjoyed his daughter's voice. He could hear Sally in it somewhere despite her different mannerisms, which comforted him.

Not letting himself get lost in sadness, he quickly changed his attitude and opened the door. The second he stepped before Sonia, he could see her looking up with slight hesitation.

"Dad! Hey…. I… Well…." She stammered and then watched Sonic's expression become a grin.

"Sup?" He said bluntly.

Sonia nodded slowly and then moved over to her closet. Sonic watched as she threw clothes and blankets on the floor and then pulled out what appeared to be a medium-sized trunk.

Sonic looked at it curiously, but before he could ask, Sonia went and opened it. After that, she began pulling out old objects that Sonic immediately recognized.

An extra backpack and gloves of his, an old outfit of Sal's, various trinkets from the hut they once shared, and what appeared to be another pair of shoes.

Seeing it all brought him sentimental longing for old times, and as Sonic came over and examined things, he found himself excited.

"When you went missing, Max and I divided up your stuff…. He let me take more than him, but since you are home now, I want you to take my half." Sonia said.

Sonic was flattered and removed the spare shoes from the trunk. Pulling his bare foot up, he placed it against the bottom of it to compare the size.

They would still fit perfectly, and having spent years in the trunk meant they were in far better condition than the shoes he came with that were rotting apart.

Once he placed them down, Sonia dug further in and pulled out other things. A fur brush of Sally's and an old, dusty book.

Sonic picked it up and skimmed through it. He couldn't help but smile reading words Sally had written so long ago. It was as if he could still hear her voice from beyond.

"…."

Sonia watched her father, and she rubbed her arm sheepishly. When Sonic noticed her mannerisms, he put the book down and decided to address it.

"What's wrong, Sonia?"

She looked away and seemed unsure of what to say. At first, she appeared as if she would speak, but Sonic inferred her feelings when she refused to do so.

"I'm sorry, Sonia…."

When she heard that, she looked upset and shook her head but still found herself to be muted. She felt guilty because even in her elation, she found a strange resentment forming in his presence as time passed.

It was challenging to figure out, and while her father showered, all she could do was think of Max and his behavior. At first, it didn't make sense to her, at least, until it did.

Sonic shook his head and then spoke further. "It's ok to be upset with me, Sonia."

"No, I…" She frightenedly tried to deny it but stopped when Sonic cut her off.

"I should have been here for you…. I messed up, and I know that. I just want you to know that today is the end of all of this, all of your struggling."

Sonia looked down, and let out a breath, after which she spoke. "I'm sorry…. I really don't mean it, honest…. I just… I dunno'…."

Sonic smiled, put his hand on her back, and gently patted it. "Don't worry bout' it. It's my job to prove it to you. Just hold tight, and you will see."

Sonia eventually nodded and then spoke softly. "I guess I just missed you…. We spent so much time together before, and I remember it most of anything. It makes me feel bad because I struggle to remember mom, but I also can't help but feel negative about you occasionally…."

Sonic frowned when hearing that but then nodded. "It's ok to be angry, and anything you wanna' know about Sal, just ask, and I'll tell."

Sonia sighed once more and then shook her head. "No, mom is dead, so I should stop holding onto hope…. When it comes to you…. I guess…. I guess I just feel bad that I…. well, I am…. Uh…."

Sonic patiently waited as she stumbled over her conflicting thoughts. It eventually led her to tell him what was eating at her.

"I guess I just don't understand why you never helped us on that other world…. We were there for hours, and you did nothin'…."

Sonic nodded and then responded with a frank explanation. "Because I was busy fighting. Not just robots but those modified Mobian citizens. I was aware of the commotion caused by you guys, but the robots there will attack alien life and the modified Mobians. They don't discriminate at all."

Sonia looked down, feeling shame, but Sonic continued on. "I thought it was just in-fighting, but it wasn't until the roving death machine was under attack that I realized this was totally different than any time before. Nothing usually lasts more than seconds against it."

Sona nodded and quietly responded. "Well, I guess that makes sense…."

Sonic looked at her and could tell this was about her mistrust for him more than anything else. It hurt his feelings, but there was a rightfulness to it. "Things can't go back to how they used to be, Sonia…. I hope you will allow me to start new with you."

Sonia gave him an unconvincing smile but responded honestly, regardless. "I will try. Just don't think I don' love you a lot, ok?"

Sonic laughed and then ran his hand over her quills, messing them up like Max would. "I wouldn't ever think that."

She let out an earnest giggle, then shouted at him. "NOT YOU TOO!"

Sonic shrugged and stood before her cockily. "Oh? Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Sonia laughed and leaped towards him to grab him, but Sonic effortlessly evaded her. She was surprised and tried again, but he was swift.

As they darted about her tiny room, Sonia found herself having fun at first, but as time passed, she began to notice that she was slow…. Compared to her father, she was downright pathetic.

As she leaped at him to grab him again, he moved aside, and she fell on the bed.

"Too Slow!" Sonic teased.

Sonia stayed lying down and blankly stared at her wall. She felt a sense of inferiority, and it was painful to her. She was used to being the new fastest thing around, but when faced with her father, she realized she was outright trash.

"…."

"You ok, Sonia?" She heard Sonic ask and then turned to look at him somberly.

"Yeah…. I am just…. Well, I am tired, ok?"

Sonic could hear the sudden irritability in her voice, and despite its spontaneous nature, he decided to accept it. "Sure, why don't we get some sleep?"

Sonia nodded and then pulled the covers aside so she could crawl in. Sonic quickly joined her, and as she reached over to switch off her light, she heard him speak.

"I love you, Sonia…."

"…."

As the ice and wind rattled against her window, Sonia lay there staring at it in the darkness. She never expected things to feel this weird. She thought this was just going to be endless joy and fun.

The room was quiet for a while, and then Sonia responded passively to her father's words.

"Yeah…."

"…."

Sonic didn't respond, but as the night ticked on, both acted as if they were sound asleep.

In the uncertainty of what was appropriate between the two, they blankly stared into the emptiness of the dark, and as exhaustion wore them down slowly, they wished they didn't have to feel so bad during what had to be their happiest moment in years.

"…."

…

Sleep had come slowly, but despite Sonic's sheer exhaustion, he found himself awake near morning's end after but a few hours' rest.

Still, with quiet purpose, Sonic removed himself from the bed and silently retrieved the shoes and gloves in the trunk. Once they were both fit snuggly on, he wiggled his fingers and toes, amazed at what well-maintained shoes and gloves felt like after so long.

With a subtle glance at Sonia, he slid his hand along her face and caressed it gently. To see his child again filled him with a joy that he had not felt in so long.

As he waded in the fridged air that had seeped its way into the hut and blanketed every inch of it. He found his determination despite uncertainties to be absolute.

Today was the day he rectified his mistakes and set the stage for a new era of Knothole. One without his beloved Sally, but one forged in her memory and name.

He grabbed hold of the spare backpack and slung it over his shoulder like the old days, and took one more brief look at his daughter before heading out into the deep snow.

The brutal harshness of the weather stung, but Sonic had little care or concern for such trivial matters at this moment. He walked forward confidently until he was set before Rotor's new workshop.

It was where he had arrived when returning, and it would be where match two of the game would commence.

With a hefty push, he threw open the door, and once inside, he saw Snively and two familiar faces he had not seen the night previous.

Rotor stood up in absolute surprise, and Lupe, who sat with Snively hunched over her stumps, abruptly stood in as much disbelief as he.

"I… Holy shit… You… It…." Rotor struggled to find words.

"When Bunnie said it this morning, I thought she hit her head!"

Lupe and Sonic's eyes met, and there was an instant rapport between the two.

"I… Sonic… It has been many years…." Lupe said calmly.

Sonic walked over and, without asking, grabbed hold of her and hugged her. "Lupe… I'm sorry, I… That, that happened to you…."

Lupe wrapped her arms around him and held him with what was left of the ends of them. "I… It has been turbulent, and I have had…. moments of weakness, but I intend to return to the front as soon as possible."

Sonic let go and smiled at her. "I am sure you will, Lupe, but today is my day, and I owe Butt-Nik somethin' special…."

Hearing him speak made her smile, and as Rotor came over, Sonic embraced him in much the same way as Lupe.

"Sonic! I, I can't believe you are here….!" Rotor exclaimed as he tried not to cry.

Sonic smiled at him. "It takes more than that to get rid of me…. I heard some of what's been goin' on, so I decided I'll be settling the score."

Rotor rubbed the back of his head as Lupe sat back down to let Snively finish the next phase of her restoration.

"Well, since you talked with Bunnie at length, I will let you in on what Chuck told Antoine and I…." Rotor said.

As soon as the name came up, Sonic's eyes became bright, and he grinned from ear to ear. "So since you talked to Unc, is he still fightin' the good fight?"

Rotor let go of Sonic and laughed in a jovial manner. "You bet! Though, I wish the circumstances weren't so dire…. It seems Robotnik is readying to fire his FIRESTORM cannon again, and from what I hear, all of Knothole might not survive an assault on it this time…."

Sonic glanced at Snively, who seemed distressed over it, but decided to get to the point of his visit instead of reading the room. "I need an explosive…."

Rotor nodded. "Well, we got plenty of those. Though, I am not sure that will really help the situation, as there are apparently many roboticized Mobian citizens still in the area."

Sonic smirked and crossed his arms. "Well, I want the most powerful one you got…. If this cannon is as big as you say, I want it to take out several city blocks."

Rotor's eyes widened, and Snively looked utterly dumbfounded.

"I… Something that destructive Sonic….? It is so risky. None of us could escape such a blast radius."

Sonic shook his head and unfolded his arms. "I know. That's why I am goin' in alone."

Snively dropped the tool he was holding with a clang, and Rotor shook his head. "You are crazy, Sonic…. We just got you back. We can't rightly let you blow yourself up…. There has to be another way."

Sonic put his hands on Rotor's shoulders and looked him dead square in the eyes. "Rote…. Trust me…. This time is different. I ain't the same hedgehog you knew, so let me prove it to you."

Rotor was hesitant, but Snively finally decided to speak. "If he won't give you one. I can make you one…. I don't doubt you, and given my uncle's cruelty towards you, I would say that alone gives you the drive to succeed."

Sonic smirked and slid his hands off Rotor. "C'mon…. Whata' ya say, Rote?"

Rotor let out a sigh and then nodded. "Alright, Sonic…. I just hope you know what you are doing…. You aren't the only one that has changed. Robotnik has all kinds of new tricks up his sleeve."

Sonic seemed amused by the statement and merely brushed it off confidently. "You are the one that doesn't know his tricks. I happen to know them all."

Rotor wasn't sure he understood, but after a moment, he walked into the back storage area of the shop. He brought out a relatively small device with a timer screen within a few moments.

Sonic looked unimpressed. "Rote, is that the best you can do? That thing is… Well, it's kinda' wimpy, don't you think?"

Rotor shook his head and then let out a nervous laugh. "I, well…. Don't let its tiny size fool you. It is an experimental bomb that I spent years working on. It was kind of a last resort sort of thing…. You know… If Knothole only had one last hurrah…. Well, this seems like a last hurrah if ever I saw one."

Sonic picked up the device in both hands and examined the wires on it, after which he placed it on the table. "What's so special about it?"

Rotor put his hand on top of it and tried to explain it simply. "Well…. It essentially uses the unregulated, chaotic energy found within a power ring…."

Sonic raised an eyebrow when he heard that, which prompted Rotor to continue. "When we thought you were dead and were uncertain if Sonia could use them. Well, I didn't want them to go to waste. They are a pretty big mystery, to be honest, but I manage to find a way to make the ring unstable through experimentation."

Sonic looked at the bomb and then at Rotor. "So does that mean there is a power ring inside of that?"

Rotor shook his head. "No…. That is what powers it. Once a ring is inserted into it, it is considered armed. While I have never directly detonated a power ring, messing with its stability even slightly shows erratic and potent energy the likes of which I have never seen before."

Sonic patted the top of the bomb and smiled. "Sounds cool. Hopefully, it really does explode."

Rotor rubbed his arm and then responded. "Oh, it will explode, but the question is, what kind of damage will it cause? I am betting a lot…."

Sonic nodded. "Alright, I guess I ain't using a power ring myself this time, then. One is set to come up soon, and time is short as it is."

Rotor seemed worried, not just because of the uncertainty of the theoretical explosive but the fact that Sonic was acting more confident than he ever had in years passed. "Won't that put you in danger? I mean, Chuck says this cannon is unassailable…. Not to mention, we can't sacrifice all those robot lives… can we?"

Sonic shook his head and waved his finger arrogantly. "No, no, nothin' is being sacrificed, Rote, just trust me. You'll see."

Rotor sighed heavily and eventually gave in. "Alright, let's get a power ring while we can, and I will arm it…. I just hope you realize what is actually at stake."

Rotor picked up the bomb and, with Sonic in toe, left Lupe and Snively alone in the shop to continue their business.

…

As Sonic stood by the power ring pool, he watched Rotor grab hold of the golden trinket, after which, Rotor pressed a switch on the device that opened a holding compartment.

The hour wait for the ring had left them both cold in the brutal winds and snow, but as Rotor slid the ring inside the device and closed the chamber, the screen powering on the front of it told Sonic it was worth it.

As Rotor exhaled, his breath flung mist into the air, and as he moved his hands to press buttons, Sonic could hear the beeps it created.

Eventually, after setting things up, Sonic could hear a dry, artificial, feminine voice speak.

"Radiant Bomb armed. Please set time for detonation."

Rotor looked up at Sonic and gave him the thumbs up. "Alright, so all you need to do is set the time until detonation…. You then hit the green key located on the pad after flicking this safety switch to unlock it."

Sonic placed his backpack down in the snow and carefully lifted the device into it. After that, he began to latch it closed.

"Sonic…. I…." Rotor began but stopped when Sonic looked at him and spoke.

"Any warnings, Rote?"

Rotor blinked. It felt un-Sonic like to be concerned about such things, but ultimately, he nodded. "Yeah…. Make sure you give yourself enough time to escape…. I do not know how widespread the destruction will be, so you don't want to be caught out like that…."

Sonic flung the backpack over his shoulder and nodded. "Anything else?"

Rotor looked at the ground and then stood up to his feet. "Yeah…. I hope you know what you are doing…. Seriously…."

Sonic slid his other arm through the backpack, and once it was secure, he turned away from Rotor and spoke. "Tell everyone to keep their eyes on the sky because there's gonna' be some fireworks tonight."

Rotor was initially quiet, but as Sonic readied himself to head out, he called to him.

"Sonic!"

Sonic stopped and glanced back, after which, Rotor spoke. "I know you are going to see Chuck…. He moved his bunker down East Street…. near the old Acorn Institute research facility."

Sonic nodded and without another word. He left with incredible speed. The deafening blast of a sonic boom echoed through the quiet forest and sent snow spilling from the treetops.

Rotor stared blankly in the direction Sonic had run and felt a sense of increasing dread.

Not just because Sonic was going it alone but because the decision had been made to fight. There was no fleeing, and all lives in Knothole hung in the balance of this singular decision.

"…."

…

Sonic skidded to a halt at the edge of the forest. From his vantage point, he could see incredible amounts of heated fog covering every inch of the ground in Robotropolis.

A giant and imposing weapon of limitless destruction sat pointed in the direction of his home. It would have been unbelievable to Sonic if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.

Sonic let out a breath and, without hesitation, ran briskly toward the city. It was more ramshackle than ever before and had many new buildings converted into facilities for Robotnik to utilize. Still, he knew the place's layout like the back of his hand.

Ducking and weaving through claustrophobic, fog-choked alleys, Sonic made his way toward the area Rotor had mentioned.

When he'd finally reached the old abandoned institute, he gazed around through the fog, looking for subtle signs of his uncle.

There was trash piled high everywhere, and everything seemed to blend in. Much more than Unc's old hideout, anyway.

Sonic slowed and sauntered around, continuing his search. He knew his plan couldn't work without Chuck, and beyond that, his deep longing to see his uncle was driving him to waste extra time on this excursion.

"…."

After thirty minutes, an eternity in Sonic time, the sound of shuffling was heard, and as Sonic's eyes shifted, he saw a pile of trash lifting.

"Unc….?"

At first, there was no response, but after a second, Sonic could see Chuck's robotic form walking toward him. Despite his mechanical visage, his pained and perplexed emotions were easily read.

"Sonic…? Is that really you?"

Sonic felt pain grip his heart, and even in all his bravado, he lost to the sheer emotion elicited from the meeting. "Yeah, Unc…. I'm home…."

"Sonic!" Chuck shouted, ill concerned about any threats that could be in the area.

"Uncle!" Sonic cried out as they both slammed into one another and embraced.

Chuck's frozen metal body burned the skin beneath Sonic's fur, but he only tightened the hug because of how warm it made his heart feel.

"I've missed you so much, Unc… I…" Sonic cried as tears wet his cheeks.

"Oh, Sonic…. You…. You have done this old man's robotic heart a lot of good showing up at a time like this…."

Sonic sniffled and pulled away so they could look at one another. "I know Unc…. I have heard all about it, so I came to stop this right here, right now…."

Chuck grinned, and even if he didn't fully believe it, he was willing to entertain hope for this occasion. "Well, you got your work cut out for you…. I don't know what you intend to do, but you should step inside the new bunker, and we can discuss it together…."

Sonic nodded, and as the two released their embrace, Sonic threw his arm around Chuck's neck, then walked into the depths of the hideout to discuss the beginning of the end for Robotnik.

…

Chuck sat at the table examining the bomb that Sonic had brought, and with Sonic's brief explanation, he seemed to be running through the thought experiment.

"Hm…. While I created the power rings to aid you and increase the threshold of your power. I really did not expect Rotor to play with something so dangerous…."

Chuck looked up at Sonic and then rubbed his robotic chin in thought. "Though, his thought process and conclusion are quite accurate. The destabilization of the power ring will result in an explosive chain reaction…."

As he poked his finger along the wiring and further thought, he eventually spoke his mind on the subject. "The explosion will be devastating, but would unlikely be able to destroy the whole of the city…. Still, I worry that such a risk would cost countless Mobian lives, and the damage would spill out into the forest."

Sonic shook his head and then responded. "What choice do we have, Unc? Do you think it could destroy that weapon?"

Chuck was quiet and then uttered his answer. "Yes…. Almost certainly, but Rotor is right in not knowing the lasting damage detonating it might do…. Not even I know…."

Sonic felt frustrated, but before he could switch focus, Chuck spoke. "I…. Sometimes a risk needs to be taken, Sonic, and I think I have an idea to mitigate damage, at least to the roboticized citizens that are being held hostage around it."

Sonic looked down at the bomb and then at the computer screen as Chuck began typing. "What's the idea, Unc?"

Chuck passed through several windows on the screen and began typing some strange text. "I can hijack the old signal tower that used to be used for radio. With it, I can use the old signal emitter code to broadcast and lure the worker robots to it…. It is clear across the city, so it would, in all likelihood, render them completely safe."

Sonic smiled. "How much time, Unc….?"

Chuck typed quickly and went through another menu. "The cipher that Nicole has given me has rendered most modern protections obsolete…. I am sending the signal as we speak, but you must act quickly before the ORACLE intervenes and sends the workers back."

Sonic nodded and began placing the bomb back into his backpack while Chuck worked.

"So, this ORACLE…. Is it more advanced than Nicole?" Sonic asked in a moment of wonder.

Chuck typed more commands and responded simultaneously. "I…. Don't know. I know it was written by Snively, but as time has passed, it has begun acting more erratic."

Sonic threw the backpack over his shoulder and then spoke. "Erratic?"

As chuck pressed the enter button, the computer made a beeping noise, and then video footage from the many hijacked cameras broadcasted onto the screen.

Chuck turned to face Sonic, and his expression seemed to be one of fear. It was odd seeing it, but Sonic pressed more on the issue.

"Unc…?"

Eventually, Chuck shook his head and spoke. "Yes…. I feel like…. Like it knows exactly where I am, but doesn't expose me by choice…. I have accidentally tripped so many digital traps it has set, but nothing ever happens…."

Sonic scratched his head and then shrugged. "Maybe it's just a hunk of junk then…."

Chuck eyed the screen, and the worker bots were beginning to move. "No…. It had me digitally pinned against the wall for years. Its mind is something beyond that of mere artificial intelligence…. It resembles life…. Like Nicole has taken on….

Sonic felt weirded out, as he didn't even know Nicole's journey to her current state. It ultimately left him to wonder if this meant this ORACLE was on their side.

"…."

After several moments of silence, Chuck turned to the computer, and the mass mobilization of workerbots was in full swing. Much of the cannon's vicinity had been emptied of their presence.

"Listen to me, Sonic… The robots are on the move…. They are nowhere near as fast as you, so you must be patient and allow them time to reach the far end of the city…. Once you leave here, I will also, in case this bunker winds up within the blast radius."

Sonic nodded and then looked at the time listed on the lower half of the computer screen.

4:46 PM….

It was already late afternoon with all said and done. He knew now was the time to go, so he just asked Chuck one final question.

"What time would you expect it to be safe to set the bomb?"

Chuck stood up and began walking towards the stairs leading into the city. "You must set it after at least five thirty and have it explode before 6 o'clock. That is when I estimate the weapon will be fully powered, given the files I intercepted…. If it even gets one shot off, all is lost."

Sonic nodded and walked towards the entrance with Chuck. When the hidden door opened and the two stepped out into the fridged and brutal storm again, he spoke.

"Be safe, Unc…."

Chuck nodded and threw his cloak over his metal body to stay inconspicuous. "You too, Sonic…. If there is anyone that I believe can do this, it is you."

With a quick hug, the two parted ways, and Sonic was left alone. As he walked forward and saw the towering monstrosity looming over him through the mist, he knew it was now or never.

"Hang on, guys, because things are about to get lit!"

With his confident declaration spoken, he quickly sped off with a deafening boom. His target the FIRESTORM cannon.

…

Within a short while, Sonic approached the base of the FIRESTORM cannon. Along the outer walls of its entrance was a plethora of classic SWATBOTS. Their numbers so abundant that the Sonic of years past might consider this menacing in some way.

Despite that, he had little time to dally, and the sheer scale and size of the weapon meant he needed time to reach the top to ensure the cannon portion would be obliterated without question.

The evening sun was blotted out by dark grey storm clouds, making visibility difficult due to the extra darkness mixed in with the steam put off by the weapon.

Thankfully though, powerful lights were casting piercing beams all about the ground. They were likely set to spot intruders, but they would unwittingly provide Sonic the light he needed to not be completely blind.

Sonic adjusted his backpack to make sure it wasn't going anywhere, and then with no desire to sneak about, he marched his way in plain sight of the army of SWATBOTS at the gate.

The second they saw him in the light, they blankly stared, then as they fully realized who it was, their droning noise began to echo loudly into the area.

"HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE!"

Sonic smirked, held his thumb up to himself, and responded to their mindless chatter. "Well, I can see you guys missed me…. Don't worry. I won't disappoint!"

The army wasted no time in assaulting Sonic, their lasers firing everywhere in a chaotic mess of inaccuracy. Sonic merely laughed and dodged lasers as they whizzed by him. After that, he began running every which way to disorient them.

Baiting them was easy, and as quickly as he moved, their lasers began to fly in every possible direction.

BOOM!

SWOTBOTS shot each other in the madness and even began hitting the low portions of the cannon's protective wall.

They were as mindless and stupid as ever, so Sonic again manipulated them into doing his dirty work. He stood before the gate that led into the restricted cannon area and shouted loudly to them.

"HEY! Missed me, slowbots, care to try again!?"

They turned and unleashed a torrent of lasers. Explosions began riddling the gate and wall, and after a moment or two of dodging, Sonic saw a clear hole form in it that he could exploit quickly.

"Hah! It's been fun, metalheads, but I gotta run!"

With his taunt, he went into a sonic spin and burst through the small hole, leaving them behind to try and figure out what they needed to do in the madness.

It was sweltering in the yard beneath the cannon, and the steam made him nearly choke. The giant connectors siphoning power into it were humming so loud that it was almost deafening.

The lights brightly shined on him from the above spotlights and created a ghostly feel to the area. When Sonic squinted about, he could see metal stairs and scaffolding twisting upward around the cannon, but he also saw white robots littered every inch of them.

He knew what they were from his time dealing with them in the other world and saw their numbers as nothing more significant than a fun challenge.

"Hey, guys! Ready or not, here I come!" Sonic shouted and began to zip his way toward the first set of steps.

As he approached, he felt strong, and as he was about to begin his ascent, he was knocked roughly on his ass by a quaking slam that sent shockwaves through the ground.

"Whoa!"

Sonic shuffled back and looked at what had caused him to fall. It appeared to be a gigantic variant of those white robots carrying a spear. A new model? Sonic wasn't entirely sure, but it didn't worry him much.

The gigantic MK-II Guardian stared at Sonic, and the second the hedgehog went to get up, it thrust its energy-tipped spear in his direction.

"Shit!" Sonic yelled and rolled to the side, bouncing himself to his feet the second he was able.

Before he could even try and move, he saw many MK-II riflebot units pointing their weapons in his direction. Sonic did an agile backflip with barely a second to lose as explosive laser blasts rained down all over the place.

BOOM!

BAM!

BOOM!

CRASH!

Sonic began to run and hop over explosions, but the sheer number of them and the destruction it was causing were insane. Their numbers were such that the area above him sometimes looked like fire and brimstone raining upon him.

BOOM!

Piece of scrap flew at Sonic, and some of it scraped itself across his upper leg.

"Ah!" He cried out as he held the bleeding cut.

Another volley of fire came, and Sonic jumped to take cover behind one of the many machines littered in the giant yard. Unfortunately, before he could even reach it, he was smacked out of the air by the alloy pole of the energy spear.

"Ah! Oh! AH!" Sonic wailed as he was hit and sent skipping along the ground until he landed in a pile of scrap.

Sonic didn't even take time to rest, he immediately began to roll when he stopped, and the place he had just been had become multiple craters by the sheer amount of laser fire concentrated on him.

Sonic leaped to his feet with a stagger and rubbed the blood leaking from his mouth, creating a red smear. "Alright…. If that's how you want it…."

The laser fire came again, and Sonic began to spindash like a pinball around the area. The small, fast-moving target made the riflebots pause, and as he approached the MK-II Guardian, he collided into it with his quills.

Sonic felt a painful shock and then stood up on his feet once he was out of striking distance. He saw that the robot was shielded, and his attack did no damage.

Before he could even think of a solution, the gate that led outside the cannon opened, and a sea of SWATBOTS began to wander in like a roving horde of metal zombies.

"HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE!"

Sonic's heart was pounding, and he knew he was far in over his head. As he glanced up, he could see the riflebots aiming at him once more, but looking upon the metal scaffolding they stood upon, gave him an idea.

BOOM!

"HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE!"

The chaotic noise from the endless assault was brutal, and as Sonic began to run out of room from the SWATBOTS spilling in, he decided it was do-or-die time.

He dodged the laser fire as it came and used his speed to trip up and confuse the less advanced robots. About the time he reached the MK-II Guardian, he waved to it to get it to attack.

Sure enough, when the spear was thrust at him, Sonic dodged and ran the other way while the laser fire followed him. When Sonic saw the lumbering robot slowly raising its spear again, he was quick to do a 180 turn and leap into the air to connect with it.

Before the riflebots or the MK-II Guardian could react, Sonic used the force from the rising spear pole to springboard himself into the air. With an elegant flip, he landed on the first level of scaffolding containing the riflebot squadron.

"^%%^$^%&^%!"

They began to chatter and shout as if panicked, but it was too little too late. Sonic went into a quick spin and began to mow them down in the line they stood.

Robot limbs, parts, and guns began to rain down to the ground as Sonic followed the path and up the next flight of steps. As he reached the top of the next level, he mowed down the next row that had been assailing him from above.

"^*%*(*&!"

"&%^&?"

"^&%^$^!"

They shouted and cried, but it gave them no quarter, and with such a narrow place to stand, there was no evading Sonic's wrath when he was near them.

"…."

BEEP…

"Yes, ORACLE? Why have you sounded the alarm?" Robotnik said as he pressed the red flashing button on his chair console to stop the noise.

"Sir… The FIRESTORM cannon is under direct assault…." ORACLE said seriously.

Robotnik raised an eyebrow and then snickered. "Oh, is it now? How many Freedom Fighters decided to throw their lives away tonight?"

"Just one, Your Excellence…."

"Who?" Robotnik growled.

"Hedgehog…. First Priority…."

Robotnik smiled and then began to laugh until he choked. "Ohhhh! How quaint the little girl thinks she can change destiny. Issue a command. I want her captured alive…. Is that understood, ORACLE?"

ORACLE was utterly silent, and when she didn't confirm his order. Robotnik became more irritable.

"ORACLE? Did you hear not me? You better have, or else I might have to make some…. adjustments to you for lack of compliance…."

"Not that hedgehog, Your Highness… The hedgehog…."

Robotnik sat quietly, and it was evident by the expression he wore that he was not getting it, or at least, trying purposefully not to get it.

"I…. What are you trying to say, ORACLE…? Is this some kind of JOKE!?"

"No, he is here…. I am trying to figure out how, but he is here…." ORACLE lied convincingly.

Robotnik was beginning to sweat, and his hand violently shook. He took a deep breath and slammed his fist onto the chair console, cracking the screen. "SHOW ME! SHOW ME THIS INSTANT!"

The second he barked his orders, he was treated to a multi-camera view of the entire cannon at the end of the room. On the screen, Robotnik could unmistakably and undeniably make out Sonic jutting about and destroying his precious MK-II models as if they were paper toys.

Robotnik grabbed hold of his chest, and he lost his breath. For the first time, a feeling known as terror returned to him, and he was at a loss for what to say at this unexpected event.

"I…. DO SOMETHING, ORACLE! DO SOMETHING THIS INSTANT!"

"I cannot execute protocols unless expressly told what to do. The parameters you have set for me make me unable to…." She explained her restrictions, but her voice was cut entirely out by Robotnik slamming his fist and shouting.

"SHUT THE HELL UP! YOU USELESS GARBAGE MACHINE!"

As his anger became ever fiercer and more irrational, he punched his metal fist through the panel of controls and sparks flew everywhere. When Robotnik removed his hand, he ripped out wiring as he went.

"USELESS, YOU ARE ALL TRASH!"

He quickly stood up, lumbered over to the central monitor displaying all the cameras, and began to type on the keys hastily.

"Sir? I would do as you ask if you just give me a directive." ORACLE said, trying to appeal to his logical side.

"You shut your mouth, ORACLE…. I will deal with you later, but for now, I need to ENSURE my cannon goes off!"

With a deep breath, Robotnik finished typing his command and hit a button to broadcast his voice exclusively to the MK-II units. "Attention all robots, the cannon must fire at all costs…. I don't care how, but you must ensure that the hedgehog does NOT get near the central control room. I repeat, he MUST NEVER get near the central control room of the FIRESTORM cannon!"

"…."

….

Sonic dodged a swordbot that swung at him, then quickly used his foot to sweep its leg. After that, he used his free hand to push the robot off balance so that it went over the edge of the railing and fell like a 10-ton weight to the ground below.

"Watch that first step!" Sonic shouted as another swordbot tried to decapitate him by striking from its cloaking protocol.

The energy weapon was a sound Sonic was so attuned to that before the swing even reached his neck, he grabbed its metal wrist and used his shoe to knock its leg out from under it so that it fell to the ground.

"Take a seat, you hunk of junk!" Sonic yelled and then stomped its visor roughly, shattering it like an egg against the railing.

Sonic could hear more robots coming and began to run up several more flights of steps into a long straightaway. Both riflebots and swordbots assaulted him, but he either used his speed to trick them into using their weapons against one another or took them out with Sonic-style gymnastics.

When he reached the next flight of steps, he took a short break to catch his breath. He was trucking it, but he could feel the cannon's vibrations getting stronger and stronger. He knew it would fire soon, and he still had a bit to go.

When he glanced behind himself, he saw that no robots were pursuing him, and it came across as odd. He could now see why when he glanced up toward the top of the cannon.

The MK-II units were no longer trying to kill Sonic but merely beginning to plant charges along the scaffolding above. If they could block access to the top, it might render this assault pointless.

With a gasp, Sonic began to run through the stinging pain in his leg and began kicking it into overdrive. The swordbots still located on the scaffolding were ignored, and Sonic dodged them along his way.

He ran so consistently and fast that his muscles burned as much as his lungs. As he rounded another corner, he saw the riflebots on this high section pointing their guns at the metal walkway. The second they saw Sonic had arrived, they let loose a stream of gunfire.

BOOM!

CRASH!

BAM!

Explosions erupted along the entire walkway, leaving the bottom out from long sections. To any normal animal, this might have been game, but to Sonic, this just meant to pick up the pace.

"Is that all!?" Sonic shouted at the riflebots on their little steel islands between giant chasms of the destroyed walkway.

They just remained silent and pointed their rifles at him, and so, when the laser fire came, Sonic leaped onto the intact railing and began to glide along it using the ice as an accelerant.

In sheer dismay, the riflebots tried to fire on him, but he would dodge and jump, barely able to hold his balance with each feat. As he passed the bots, he violently kicked or smacked them so they'd fall into the pits they created.

When he reached the end of the rail, he leaped off onto the next set of steel steps. He paused for a second and could now hear the quick and erratic beeping of the charges.

"Damnit!" Sonic yelled and quickly began to ascend the last bit of grand steps in a panic.

One…

beepbeepbeep

Two…

beepbeepbeep

Three…

beepbeepbeep

Four…

BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!

Sonic was jostled around as he turned the fourth flight of stairs. Heat, debris, and massive chunks of metal began raining down from above, and as Sonic oriented himself, he could feel the freezing wind picking up from rapid descent.

At this moment he realized that the detonation had disconnected the entire platform he was on, and if he were to hit the ground like this, he would indeed be killed.

Glancing up at the destroyed railings far above him, he knew he needed to act. With each passing second, the stable landing to his goal slipped further and further away.

With resolve, Sonic grabbed hold of the railing of the stairs, and rather than run up flight by flight, he began to use his sonic spinball skills to bounce himself from railing to railing in a crisscrossing motion.

One!

Two!

Three!

Four!

Five!

Six!

Seven!

Eight!

Sonic reached the top in record time by cutting out the need to turn or run upwards. When he bounced off the end of the destroyed scaffolding, he was shot from the broken railing and sailed upwards with his acceleration intact.

Now disconnected from the only safe ground below him, he returned to standard form and outstretched his hand as far as possible.

When it managed to find the bottom of the destroyed stairs of the stable upper scaffolding, he wrapped his arm and fingers around it so tight he thought they might snap off when the weight of his body rested on nothing but them.

The harsh wind and snow were blowing him around as he dangled from such a high altitude, and looking down, he could see the entirety of the wrapped walkway collapsing all over the robot army below. It made a screeching and horrible sound, destroying everything in its wake.

Sonic blew harshly, and as his grip slipped, he pulled himself up to get his other hand around what was left of the stable railing. Sonic pulled himself up to the scaffolding at the tippy-top, driven by sheer will, which stretched out into a straight line.

As Sonic collapsed at the edge, he looked down the path left before him and could see that the last line of robotic defense had fallen below to its demise. At the end was the central command center of the FIRESTORM cannon.

Sonic sat there catching his breath and feeling the shaking of the cannon becoming explicitly more violent. As he stood up, he staggered due to the vibrations, and then he peeked over the edge to see the bottom had gone utterly dark due to the destruction of the infrastructure collapse.

Sonic was quick to begin jogging his way to the end of the machine, and as he opened the automatic door to enter the warmly lit control center, he slid the bomb off his back and placed it on the floor.

"…."

Robotnik watched in sheer horror as Sonic began unloading a device on his precious FIRESTORM console. Looking at the power output from his own data screen, the cannon was at 98 percent charge.

He could have had his way in only mere minutes, but in his failed attempt to cut off Sonic's way to the central console, he recognized the err of all he had done.

His monstrous cruelty to Sonic had done something wholly unintended and now very clear….

It trained him….

Sonic found even the most advanced threats he could offer as mere child's play. Now that he was back, he had free reign to dispose of everything he had worked to accomplish.

"…."

"Sir. The last of the MK-II units were dispatched within the console room. There is no way to stop what is going to happen. What is your direct order? Shall I call the evacuation of all remaining robots?" ORACLE asked to the quiet room.

Robotnik bent over and stared at the hedgehog, his sweat dripping onto the buttons controlling all of Mobotropolis.

"Sir….?" ORACLE said again, but still there was no response.

"…."

Eventually, as Robotnik watched the bar hit 99% ready, he spoke. "Fire the cannon at 100 percent…. No delays, no adjustments…. I don't care what happens…. Just eradicate whatever is in front of it…."

"…."

"Yes, Your Grace." ORACLE eventually said.

…

Sonic stood in front of the bomb. The few MK-II units that lay in wait for him here were now nothing more than scattered scrap about the floor.

With a flip of the switch, the bomb spoke loudly. "Safety switch, off."

Sonic smiled and was about to hit the keys on the bomb when he stopped and looked at one of the many cameras in the area.

Eventually, he decided to speak to it, knowing who would be watching.

"What's up, Butt-Nik…? I bet you missed me…. I am just stopping by to give you a gift. Courtesy of the resistance."

With a giant grin, he continued. "You might have killed Sal, but her spirit lives on in all of us, so I want you to know full well this is from her…."

Sonic looked down and began typing a time into the bomb.

01:00….

He hovered his finger over the green key but shook his head and frowned. "Nah…. That ain't gonna do it…."

00:20

"Yeah, that's more fun…." Sonic said as he felt the cannon rumble with the sheer power it was housing.

He decided there was no need to reconsider and pressed the green button.

"Radiant Bomb set…. T-minus 20 seconds until detonation."

19…

18…

"Adios, Eggman!" Sonic waved at the camera and, with incredible speed, bolted from the control room and out into the blackness of evening.

17…

16…

Sonic reached the end of the destroyed scaffolding and glanced around to formulate a plan to escape.

15…

14…

13…

Sonic decided that there was no way but down, so he leaped towards the side of the cannon's support beam, and as he fell with increasing speed, he began to make a running motion with his legs.

With skill, he placed himself against the structure and began running in a completely vertical fashion. The pain, cold, and tiredness had slowed him, but he was making impeccable timing.

12…

11…

10…

09…

Sonic hit the debris with speed and curved his running so that all the accelerated force pushed him to move even faster.

08…

07…

Leaping and maneuvering around the destruction wrought earlier was effortless, and the chaos had inadvertently stopped any force from slowing him down in his escape.

05…

04…

03…

Sonic was already in the streets of Robotropolis and darting between alleyways at breakneck speed. The lights that still maintained power in the city gave him a sense of direction, as he had so much momentum at this point, he could barely see things correctly.

02…

01…

00…

Sonic felt a rumbling shockwave that stopped him in his tracks as he fell onto the ground and began to tumble violently into a roll.

"Ahhh!"

The explosion in the vicinity was so loud that Sonic didn't even realize he had heard it.

When he slammed into a wall roughly, he held his aching body and looked around because all he could hear was ringing and nothing but.

With a brief glance, he was blinded by a fiery golden light that defied imagination. Recognizing the sheer danger he was in, he used the wall to help himself up and began to turn away and run in the direction of the forest.

Sonic could feel the energy of the explosion and things around him became hot. Even without the expanding inferno being close to him, its effects were felt.

….

…

Bunnie, Rotor, Lupe, Snively, and Antoine had felt and heard the commotion from where they were and were now staring blankly up at a dark evening sky painted gold.

Annie was standing in her doorway watching the light after the shockwave knocked her off her bed and put her into a panic.

Now out here, her mouth was agape in her utter disbelief at what she was witnessing. It was so bright, like a second sun blotting out part of the sky and ever-expanding.

Max watched out the window in awe from his bed. To him, it was as if an angel or possibly God himself was parting the heavens and passing divine judgment on Robotropolis.

Only to see it was to believe it, but at this moment, Max felt pride along with his illness, knowing all that had been done was for this very event.

"…"

Sonia and Nicole stood together at the end of Knothole and saw the light radiating above. Sonia knew that her father had kept his word, and in this event, she felt the relief of the avoided catastrophe.

Nicole said nothing, but watching the energy move and shine told her that things would be different than years passed.

"…."

Tails and Seth watched from the window, and neither could believe the destruction. Eventually, Seth turned to Tails and spoke.

"The fuck is going on…?"

Tails could only look at him, and with a short breath, he responded with the only words that came to mind.

"Sonic's home…."

Knothole's collective stupor eventually led to claps and all-out cheers. The roar of excitement from those outside could be heard all over, and it signified a switch in tone. No longer was dreary discomfort and dread the theme of each passing day, but hope and resolve.

…

Robotnik stared at the red emergency light that dimly lit his room. All power had been lost, and he now had to sit and think about this critical failure and what to do.

As he thought in silence, he eventually heard ORACLE speak.

"Emergency power has been activated…. The explosive device obliterated the FIRESTORM cannon before it could be fired…."

Robotnik just stared blankly ahead, his emotions impossible to read, and he merely posed a question when he heard her statement.

"What's the total damage?"

"The FIRESTORM cannon, its power sources, twenty city blocks, the central MK-II production facility, and roughly 95% of our in-home army guarding the cannon were obliterated," ORACLE stated.

Robotnik could feel that fear building up again. This wasn't just an assault on the cannon. It was an utter trouncing of unimaginable proportions.

"How… How did this happen, ORACLE?" Robotnik said in a defeated but suspicious tone.

"After checking all possible otherworld footage, it seems the hedgehog was returned because of Max Acorn, sir."

As Robotnik thought about it all, it now made so much sense that he couldn't believe he didn't see it as it happened.

The raid on the Mobian crystals, the already theorized defection of Snively…. His carelessness had led to ruin, and now he contemplated just what this meant for the future.

…

"…."

When ORACLE kept quiet during his pondering, Robotnik leaned back in his chair and barked out a question. "What of the worker bots?"

"All are accounted for, Sir."

Robotnik had speculated they would be saved, but for once, he wasn't angry about it. "ORACLE…. I think it is time we pull the plug on everything…. I have grown bored of Mobius, and these rats…."

"Sir…?" ORACLE said with uncertainty.

"Set 80 percent of the workerbots on express building a basic MK-II production facility, send the other 20 percent to restore full power."

"Yes, Your High…." ORACLE began but was interrupted by Robotnik.

"I am not done…. Once those two tasks are completed, I will give you a trial run of control…. I want you to bring me those Radcliff rats from that hideaway of theirs…. Their usefulness is no longer relevant if I intend to leave this place, so I wish to process them. If you can handle that by yourself without my input, I will utilize that mind of yours to its full potential."

ORACLE was quiet at first but then spoke in an eerily cheery manner. "Oh, Your Highness, I knew you would see reason…. Rest assured, within a few weeks, you will have those rats and a powerful A.I. able to do everything for you at an accelerated pace."

Robotnik smiled slightly and then responded. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, and you being able to work on your own would allow me to focus on what is truly important to me…. Myself."

ORACLE listened to his bloviating, but deep down, she knew he was scared and couldn't manage everything. He wanted to flee now that his world was unraveling.

Still, she was working two steps ahead of him and had already anticipated this outcome. Now, all she needed to do was his worthless task, and she would be free to exact the revenge that they desperately desired….