Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, as the group of heroes were relaxing in an arcade as they waited for someone from the castle to escort them there. Once there, the group learn that a ship was sighted on the surface of the ocean, with the potential of pirates being the culprit. The heroes set off to find these pirates, with Queen Angelica sending Captain Striker to finish what Sonic starts. Though no one was aware of the true danger lurking behind the scenes…

As Rotor prepared some kind of machine to help with the brine and trenches, Titania and Undina moved further north to a much colder environment, until they reached a series of ice flows and icebergs. Undina was shivering a bit but Titania was perfectly fine.

Undina: "Your usual training area. Th-The temperature here is…"

Titania: "You didn't need to join me, Undina. I could've swam here by myself and been perfectly fine."

Titania walked over to an ice wall and punched it, smashing it apart before revealing a wardrobe, pulling out some warmer clothes for the princess. Undina nods in appreciation for the warmer clothes.

Undina: "I know. I just… wanted to be with you. After all, you're so free and… unrestricted to anything beyond your imagination…"

Titania: "Ah. That's hardly true. My responsibilities as a captain keep me tied to my crew. Without them, I'm nothing but some bum on the sea."

Undina: "Hardly. But I'm just saying… While my mother and father are right in that I should take my responsibilities as a ruler more seriously, I just want more freedom. I want to a Queen who can travel the world. To see the many lands and eat all the junk food I want. To feel tired from a long walk, to sometimes trip and laugh in the dirt without some soldiers to stop me… Mom thinks all of this is unbecoming of a princess… But I want freedom!"

Titania looked at Undina before approaching her, holding the fish hybrid close to her.

Titania: "...My mom was like you. She despised how Angelica was so dedicated to the old ways. That royals must look and act a certain way, instead of evolving to something better. You'd make a fantastic Queen as is. So long as you thought of your people first. Do you?"

Undina looked up at the taller girl shark, directly at her eyes. She then leaned her head into Titania's chest, keeping their embrace for a little longer.

Titania: "I am willing to have you as part of my crew, if you wanted, Undina… But…"

Undina: "I know… It would be no different than kidnapping… But I care not. I would sneak out a hundred times more if it meant I could go on adventures with you."

Titania: "And I'd accept that. But I cannot take a princess from her kingdom…"

Undina felt dejected, but understood. It could cause problems with Meropis and she wasn't exactly the most fit on a ship. But she did still want to be with Titania…

Titania: "Hey. Let's go for ice cream after this is all over. I'll treat the crew too, but this is for you the most. Okay?"

Undina rubbed away her tears before she nods, stepping back to give Titania her space as she went to work out on the icy surface, the shark showing her strength.

As the heroes return to the Sea Fox, Sonic seems deep in thought as he recalled Angelica's orders to dispose of the pirates. Sonic then stopped as Amy and Julie hopped into their seats.

Tails: "Sonic? What's up?"

Sonic: "Something's not right. There's a bit more not being told to us by that queen and honestly… I hate it."

Tails: "Well what do we do? Should we just… bail?"

Sonic: "No. We stick to our 'orders'... for now. But we don't get rid of them. We need information first."

Sonic hops into the Sea Fox, Amy and Julie looking at him with a bit of concern as Tails joins in. Once the Sea Fox leaves, Striker's strike force follow from the shadows, keeping close to Tails' submarine without drawing attention to themselves.

On Titania's ship, the crew were cleaning the deck while whistling a sea shanty together. One of the crew members even began singing. Whilst this was happening, two crew members who weren't in the singing mood and just leaned against the rail began to talk.

Crew Member 1: "Boy, that captain of ours is a straight shot at the best of times, but a plum loko at the worst. Why'd she bring a princess here?"

Crew Member 2: "I've known the captain since she was a wee pup barely out of the egg sack. Her mum was part of the royal guard, up there with the current Captain Striker even as a brilliant tactician. A born hunter and a fantastic bident wielder."

Crew Member 1: "Yeah, cool lore, bro. But what's that got to do with the princess?"

The crew member who asked that question got his face grabbed and slammed on the railing by his talking partner, who was slightly annoyed at having to spell it out.

Crew Member 2: "Think with your brain, me hearty! The former captain was a royal guardswoman. She was closer to the royal family than any of us nobodies. So of course, Princess Undina and Captain Titania knew each other very well from childhood."

Crew Member 1: "Isn't that, like, very cliche though?"

Crew Member 2: "...Do you just love having a concussion?"

Crew Member 1: "It's Tuesday, right?"

Crew member 2 just grabs his talking buddy by his legs and flips him off the boat, then spills his drink where he splashed, adding insult to injury.

Crew Member 2: "Shiver me timbers, these youngin's I swear…"

Crew Member 1: "Love you too!"

As the overboard crew member climbed back onto the ship, Rotor was busying himself with his equipment to make a device that could help with the brine before it became a problem. But as he wiped away some sweat, he sees the radar spot four Mobian-sized objects approach the ship, all grouped together. He places down his equipment and walks out to alert his fellows.

Rotor: "Everyone! Unknown vessel approaching from below!"

As the crew give Rotor their attention, the unknown vessel he spoke of suddenly appears, opening its top as Sonic stands on the edge. Rotor and a few pirates walk to the edge of the ship to see the blue hedgehog and his friends.

Sonic: "Ahoy, mateys! I'm looking for a group of pirates in the area. It's prrrretty important."

Rotor: "Um… Considering we're the only ones here for miles…"

Rotor gave the submarine goers a bridge to cross so they can talk face to face.

Sonic: "Name's Sonic. These are my friends, Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose, and Julie the Echidna."

Julie: "We're looking for a princess named Undina. Have you seen her?"

The pirates looked at each other, thinking the heroes were there on orders of the queen to kill them. Sonic plays it cool as he approaches the guy in charge.

Sonic: "Look, the queen did send us to get rid of you lot, but we don't play that game. You guys don't look like average pirates that I've seen in stories."

Rotor: "Aye. We're a bunch of freedom fighting buccaneers who live for each other and have each other's backs. We're more like scavengers, often finding rare valuables and trading them for supplies rather than theft and the ilk."

Sonic: "So a bunch of cool pirates. Alright, I can dig. So are you the captain?"

Rotor: "Nope. I'm the first mate, second in command, Rotor the Walrus. Used to live in the Distant Tundras before I met the good captain Titania herself, who brought me onboard to keep the ship running."

Amy: "Titania? As in, like, the Titanic?"

Julie: "Oh, I've heard of that ship. It was considered "Unsinkable" before it was proven wrong."

Rotor: "HA HA! Yep, she's called "Titania the Unsinkable" for it! But unlike the ship of history, she's got the power to back it up, able to smash icebergs like they were mere sticks."

Sonic: "All fascinating stuff, but if we don't find Princess Undina, I can't say what the queen below is going to do. Sorry to seem impatient, but time is of the essence."

Rotor: "Hmm… Well… See… The captain did ask for privacy with the princess, since… well… Their history is complicated. I can rest assure you that she is safe."

While Sonic was assured, that didn't bring him comfort. Angelica was unpredictable; she could have some kind of trap set up…

Rotor: "She'll return soon, with the princess in tow. That I swear."

Voice: "Funny you should swear."

The voice catches everyone's attention, startling them. They then see a dozen- no, way more than a mere dozen Meropis troops climb on the side of the ship. All led by Captain Striker.

Striker: "Because it'll be on your lives that the princess be returned."

Sonic: "You know, I hate being right. But I don't think Queen Angelica trusted us to do this the right way…"

Tails: "And your instincts were on point."

Rotor: "Is this what you meant by unpredictablility?"

Sonic: "Yeah. Look, help us beat them and I'll try as much as I can to help clear things up with the queen. Deal, Rotor?"

Rotor: "Alright. Great White Pirates! Battle stations!"

Sonic: "Let's do this, Team Fighters! …Let's hope this doesn't cause any war…"

Striker: "Meropis City Guard! Attack!"

As the battle commenced at the ship, Titania's senses went off as she chucks a large chunk of ice she was using as weights for her feet off, causing it to splash into the water nearby. Undina notices her unease and rushes over to her.

Undina: "Titania? Is something wrong?"

Titania: "Yeah. My crew's getting attacked. Ugh… And when I'm gone too…"

Undina: "Attacked!?"

Titania: "Don't worry. I'll go check it out. Once I've scouted the situation, I'll come back. I promise."

Undina didn't get a chance to reply as Titania stood up and ran into a dive, speeding through the water like a torpedo back to her ship. Though Undina trusted her friend, she dove into the water to follow her regardless, though not being as fast as her at all.

Back on the ship, a massive battle royale broke out as the factions fought each other - military trained fish people against pirates who know their way with a blade. Rotor used his size and bulk to disarm a good few soldiers with Tails helping him out. The battle did shift to underwater for many of the pirates and soldiers, keeping a large chunk of the soldiers off the purely land-loving allies. Sonic took advantage of the lessening crowd to spin attack Striker.

Sonic: "I guess Queeny didn't trust us after all! Why even send us out in the first place then!?"

Striker: "Easy! You're nothing but a bunch of prawn! A mere distraction so we could board and attack! And once we take care of the captain, this entire pirate crew will falter!"

Sonic: "Leave them out of this! They didn't do anything wrong!"

Striker swings his gauntlet claw to knock Sonic back before firing off laser blasts from his bident as Sonic runs to the side.

Striker: "Your words are meaningless! Pirates are pirates! Scum of the sea that need to be purged!"

Sonic: "Why have such a beef with them!? Are you just that delusional!?"

Sonic sweep kicks Striker, knocking him back before grabbing a sword from a barrel and spin attacking with it, clashing with Striker's claw, getting right into his face.

Striker: "Ever wondered how I got this eyepatch!? This is a personal thing! And I'll crush anyone who gets in my way!"

Striker attempts to stab Sonic with the bident, but the hedgehog jumps back, getting some distance between them. But as he does, something rocks the boat, causing the two to almost lose their balance. After a moment, the rocking stops… then a large splash occurs as a figure jumps out of the water; a great white shark Mobian with her teeth on full display and a very hateful look. Captain Titania had arrived!

To be continued…