Review Responses:
To Boss Teal: Yes, Sonic is an only child.
That's all for now, on with the show.
Badland Saloon, Badlands, Great Desert
The Badlands of Mobius was a place of tension between the United Federation and the Mobian Alliance. During that time, the Great War took place on the very earth, which led to the destruction of vegetation, lead, and bullets everywhere from the scraps of metal that came from the machines of the Overlanders, and the rotting carcasses with pools of blood
When the war was decided, the Mobians came together to see what remained of their once beautiful west coast. Realizing what the war has wrought upon the land, the Mobians spent years removing the debris, burying the fallen soldiers, and washing away what remained of the conflict while trying their hands in environmental restoration.
But this had failed.
The war proved to have been worse than the Mobians anticipated for the Great War reduced the greenery that was the battlefield into a wasteland.
Things only got worse after the coup of 3314 when Naugus emerged as a nihilistic hellbent on destruction. Those who didn't make it to the Sanctuary of Knothole ran out to the desert, fearing for their lives. Many of these refugees came together and founded the Great Desert Settlement. But other…weren't so lucky.
Those who weren't a part of the settlement or another settlement were forced to scavenge for themselves, eventually resulting in most of these desert drifters into petty thieves. Nowadays, the wasteland that was once the land where war and death occurred become a hotspot for stray rogues and criminals to hide out, mingle, and do business.
The locals had now called this side of the Kingdom of Acornia the Mobian Badlands.
Within the Badlands was a small bar that people used as a pitstop. Inside, the setup was simple. From entering through the wooden doors, there was a clean counter run by a male Mobian iguana. Behind the iguana were three shelves with all sorts of beverages, from family-friendly soda pop, all the way to the adult whisky and margarita bottles. Of course, there was a sink for him to clean any cups and or other dishes and a backdoor that leads to storage of sorts. In front of the counter stood seven stools for customers to sit on. There were also at least six tables with two chairs (one on each end) with pendant lights hanging from the ceiling.
While a few thugs and thieves were sitting down with drinks in their hands, heckling to each other, three people stood out amongst the crowd.
The first was a muscular gray and white-furred coated wolf who seemed to be in his early two mid-twenties. This Mobian wolf was six feet in height with azure-colored eyes and a tuft of hair with three bangs. On his face were black shades that covered his eyes, meanwhile, he had bushy white-colored eyebrows. On his body was a tuff of chest fur which was above his well-kept physique. For attire, he wore a dark blue jacket that tore up on the sleeves, a black leather jacket with one of the knees possessing a whole on one of the pant legs while he had a dark brown leather belt with a golden buckle that had a wolf's head engraved on it, dark blue and white sneakers, and a pair of black leather gloves.
Sitting at a table behind the stool was a teenage Mobian vixen who looked to be in her mid to late adolescence. She possessed crimson and cream-colored fur, hair that had a hue of mahogany, and baby blue eyes. She wore a dark attire that consisted of a black crop top that showed her midriff, black fingerless gloves, black-belted skirt, black skinny pants, black boots with her hair having a cute yellow bow tied nicely on top.
Lastly, there was a Mobian weasel who appeared to be in his mid to late adolescence with a long crooked who sat across from the vixen. His fur was violet and white color and had cerulean-colored eyes. He wore matching brown gloves, a brown and black Stetson hat, brown and white boots, and a brown belt with a holster that carried a high-tech revolver that was modeled after a Smith and Wesson 500 Bone Collector.
These individuals were Drago Wulfe, Fiona, and Fang the Sniper.
Drago kept to himself, silently brooding over the condition of his life. One of the only escapes that he had outside of thievery was alcohol. And downing vodka was a pastime that seemed to only numb the pain.
The wolf sighed as he thought to himself, '...It's just another day.'
Fiona drank from her glass that was filled with ice-cold lemonade.
"Ah!~" Fiona gasped. "...Got to say, this place really deserves a better reputation. With quality drinks like these, this joint has the potential to make serious cash …It's such a shame that it has to resort to serving bottom feeders in the middle of the Badlands. Oh well."
The vixen turned to the weasel, asking, "What do you think, Fang?"
"S'truth, love. Gotta make a buck to keep this bungalow of a place up and runnin' after all." The weasel Fiona called Fang retorted.
The vixen shrugged as she said, "Hey, you should've accepted a room back in the hideout. Rent is free and everything."
"Think I'd prefer my own hidey-hole over sharing a den with a bunch of wankers." Fang said, gritting his teeth.
Fiona looked back at the unmoving wolf with a half-glare before turning back to face Fang as she sighed.
"I don't blame you. The only reason why I'm doing this is to survive." Fiona explained, forming a frown on her face as she brought her hands to her face. "It's not like I have anything to fall back on. Of course, our beloved 'leader' is not exactly the greatest roommate. You can ask Lightning and Predator, they'd back me up."
"Yeah, bird of prey and ninja cat don't piss me off as much as that white drongo." Fang remarked.
Fiona formed a glare as her hands came to the table, clenching into fists.
"One of these days, something nasty's going to go down. And when it does, he's gonna get everything that's gonna come to him." The girl whispered harshly.
Just as Fang was going to speak, the doors of the saloon opened abruptly, forcing every criminal and rogue that wasn't Drago to stare at the newcomer.
The individuals in the background gasped and began to murmur amongst themselves as the large newcomer began to walk towards the front counter.
Fiona, not believing who entered the room, asked softly, "...F-Fang? I-Is that who I think it is?"
"Holy shit…" Fang said, observing the newcomer to the bar.
As the figure nearly approached near Drago, a large Mobian buzzard, who was about five foot seven in height, brought a hand on the figure that was over six feet tall.
"Hey!" The buzzard called out to the figure. "We don't like your kind around parts. This is Mobian territory. Not only that, but you're on the wrong side of the kingdom. So, I suggest you get your ass out of here and go back to where you came from, Overlander."
Before anybody could say anything or blink, the anthropomorphic avian was grabbed by the neck as he was slowly reeled in by the figure, who had on glasses that slowly showed his red eyes with black sclera.
"You dare speak to me like that?" The figure growled in a low and offended tone. "Do you know who I am!? I am the most brilliant mind off the face of this planet! My genius takes priority over your meaningless primitive existence! I could very easily capture you, lock you up in a chamber while I find every insignificant creature that is associated with you, and have your eyes glued to a screen as you watch as I burn them alive while your life wastes away!"
The eyes of the figure glow crimson in rage, instilling fear into the squawking bird as he shook. And as quickly as he was snatched, the large figure threw the Mobian buzzard into a window, landing outside with a loud crunching sound following after it.
Nobody made a sound upon witnessing the feat of the figure. A few who were foolish to pull out firearms against the Overlander had been taken out by their own shots given that the figure had a reflector device activated through a mental link.
Upon taking a seat next to the wolf, the figure spoke to the Mobian iguana bartender and said, "I'll have your most expensive glass of whiskey, hold the ice. And make it quick."
Nodding, the bartender quickly grabbed a glass and served the man before saying, "H-Here you are, sir! E-Enjoy!"
The figure nodded, then took the beverage and set it on the counter from where he sat. The next thing he did was rather odd.
He took out an egg and cracked it, pouring its contents in the drink before consuming the whole thing.
From the corner of his eyes, Drago was watching the whole thing with a semi-shocked and curious gaze.
'What is a man like this lunatic doing all the way here? Doesn't he have bigger fish to fry?'
"...Excuse me." The figure spoke, grabbing Drago's attention. "I was looking for a particular gentleman with a particular set of skills that could aid me in my endeavors. Word on the street says the man I'm looking for is named Drago Wulfe?"
"Well, that depends…what's the job?" The Mobian white wolf asked that sat across from the figure.
The figure chuckles before holding out a hand.
"Now, now. Let's not cut to the chase so hastily. A business relationship has to be built on trust. Let's get to know each other first." The figure advised as he introduced himself. "My name is Dr. J. Ivo Robotnik, scientific extraordinaire and aspiring future ruler of the entire planet."
"Robotnik…wait, you the guy who blew up half the moon?" The wolf, now confirmed to be Drago Wulfe, asked curiously.
Robotnik grinned, saying, "Why of course! One of my finest accomplishments! …Before, that rodent undid that feat using the Chaos Emeralds, but that's beside the point."
"Yeah, you still haven't told me why you want my services." Drago retorted before finishing off his drink.
Turning to the wolf, Dr. Robotnik folded his hands together as his grin never left his face.
"Mr. Wulfe, can I call you Mr. Wulfe?" The scientist asked before continuing. "What if I told you that I have an associate who can pay you and your merry motley crew of rogues, handsomely, mind you, to perform a daring heist?"
Drago's ears raised slightly, signifying that Robotnik had gotten his attention.
"I'm listening…"
The doctor leaned a little closer, saying, "What if I told you, that I can offer you a chance to break into a territory that you're quite familiar with. My offer to you and your crew is your biggest mission yet. A heist within the borders of Lobonia."
The weasel and fox's jaws dropped, not believing what kind of situation they found themselves in. Both rogues anticipated their boss' answer.
"I'm in," Drago said with a grin, flashing his large canine teeth.
Sonar's Special Holding Cell, Castle Acorn, New Mobotropolis
Silence. That's all that accompanied Sophia Grayson, otherwise known as Sonar the Fennec.
Upon entering New Mobotropolis, the king and the royal Parliament had reviewed her case regarding her involvement while she was affiliated with Team Sandstorm under the command of Naugus the Dark.
While the Parliament originally was willing to resort to life without the possibility of parole, King Max allowed Sonar to defend herself to the court. After hearing her story, the Parliament and the king spoke amongst each other, deciding what to do.
On one hand, Sonar confessed a hand in the crimes in which Team Sandstorm had enacted; abandoning the crown, siding with their worst enemy, distributing drugs, extracting crucial information from their soldiers. But on the other hand, she was a twelve-year-old girl who had been physically and emotionally abused and held against her will by who she considered her brothers.
After careful consideration and a heated debate, King Max decided that she would be placed in a holding cell for a month to be monitored while periodically being taken to an interrogation room for questioning related to Naugus and what she knew. After four weeks she'll be under house arrest in a location of the king's choosing.
For now, she stayed in a large containment unit. Unlike any other ordinary jail cell, here's an actual bed with sheets in a blanket, courtesy of the king. She had a nightstand that had a modest lamp and a shower with a bar of soap which was adjacent to her own toilet as a small bathroom.
Of course, she wore an orange jumpsuit, given that she was a prisoner on a technical level but had a certain kind of privilege compared to the horrors that the girl imagined her "brothers" must have been going through in the Devil's Gulag.
Sophia sat on her bed, contemplating her life, her past, and her future.
'...I never thought I'd end up here. At least, not at this age. Even though this is better than what I saw on TV, it's still a jail. I'm still a prisoner.' The former Desert Raider member thought. 'Still, I'd take this over the hell Spencer and Trevor put me through any day. ...I should be angry at them for what they've done, yet, I still can't help but miss them. Why did they have to turn out that way? We were supposed to be the good guys. And yet, look at what happened to us. They're never going to see the light of day again. And me? ...I still have a shot at life, a chance to start over and do it right. I'm not going to miss that chance.'
The teal and white-colored fennec was interrupted by a knock on her cell by a prison guard who was a Mobian ferret.
"Inmate T-1107, you have a visitor." The ferret said indifferently with a firm undertone.
Sonar froze from the information she had just been given with an obvious thought that lurked from the corner of her mind.
'A visitor? Who would want to visit me?'
Fixing herself up a bit, Sonar walked up to the cell for the guard to unlock and open. Immediately upon exiting the cell, the guard took out cuffs, slapping them on her wrists.
The next thing she knew, she was in a lounge room with two sofas and a coffee table. There was a guard in each corner of the room but what caught Sonar's attention made her heart skip. Sitting on one of the sofas sat Miles "Tails" Prower, her inspiration for as long as she remembered.
"You have fifteen minutes. Use your time wisely." The guard grunted.
Nodding obediently, Sonar walked over to the sofa opposite the one Tails was sitting at before taking a seat and looking at the two-tailed fox.
"H-Hello?" Sonar stuttered.
"Hi, Sonar-I mean, Sophia." Tails greeted, trying to be mindful of the girl's past.
"No, Sonar is fine! Really… it's fine." The fennec reassured, averting her eyes shyly before looking at him.
"So, uh, anyway, how are you? It's been quite some time since...you know." Tails questioned.
"Two and a half weeks," Sonar nodded. "I've counted. And it's still an adjustment that I'm still getting used to."
"It must be hard...How do you cope with...this?" Tails asked.
The girl closed her eyes as she took a deep breath to answer.
"To be honest, I am still trying to figure that out myself. Most of the time that I have is spent on self-reflection. Whether it's my life, past choices...or rather the lack of choice for myself." Sonar sighed.
"But that's in the past, Sonar," Tails pointed out. "There's nothing we can do about what happened there. All we can do is learn from what we've experienced and grown from it."
Sonar nodded, "I know, I know. I guess that's the doubt that is talking. Ugh! I'm such a mess."
"Sonar…" The yellow furred fox whispered.
In the background, the guard behind Sonar said, "Five minutes left", grabbing their attention for a second before focusing on each other.
"...Tails? Did you think that I made the right decision? By leaving them?" She asked.
Tails looked at the confused and lost look on the teal fennec's face, desperate for reassurance.
"I believe that you did what was best for you and your well-being as an individual." The boy said.
"...I suppose that makes sense. Even so, why do I feel so...guilty about it?" Sonar responded with an inquiry.
"That's because your heart is big and you're a kind person to a fault. That's not a bad trait at all." Tails explained. "It may take the government a while for them to see that aspect of you, but you complying with their conditions is an excellent start to earn their trust. Things will get better with time."
"I hope so…" Sonar said solemnly. "I'm not sure how long I can hold up here. Even if it is modified, a cell is still a cell."
"Hey, everything is going to be alright. You're not alone in this. My friends and the Freedom Fighters have your back. You have our full support." Tails said with a confident smile. "And even if you start to lose hope, I will always have faith in you as I do now."
The fennec's eyes dilated in shock.
"You...believe in me?"
"Sure I do." Chirped the young fox boy. "Ever since we've met. And especially when you stood up for yourself in the refinery. It takes a lot of courage to do what you did back there. I'd be scared if my friends were like those two. Not to mention your skills as a fighter blow mine out of the water."
The two stopped to stare at each other, with Sonar's heart beating a thousand times a second while focusing on Tails' eyes.
Suddenly, a warning of two minutes was heard behind the fox girl.
"...You never asked me why you came to visit me. Shouldn't you be off helping Mr. Sonic and the Freedom Fighters?" Sonar asked, moving to another topic.
Tails scratched his head, saying, "Well, I was planning to go straight to Freedom HQ to work on the Hyper Tornado, but I thought to check on you to see how you were holding up."
A dust of pink formed on the girl's white muzzle, as she stuttered, "That's v-very thoughtful of you. You didn't have t-to though."
Tails tilted his head in confusion.
"Why shouldn't I visit? Do I need a reason to check on a friend?" Tails asked, catching the girl off guard.
'...He called me his friend. He considers me his friend.' Sonar thought to herself over and over, making sure that she wasn't hearing this wrong.
A smile formed as a single tear ran right down her cheek.
"Sonar, are you okay?" The young inventor asked with concern in his voice.
The fennec nodded, saying, "I'm fine. Thank you."
Tails nodded as he finally said, "Listen, I'm going to try and come visit you once a week until you get released. Amy may show up from time to time as well. Is that okay with you?"
A smile formed on the girl's face as she said, "...Yeah. I'd like that a lot."
Then, the guard said, "Time's up, Inmate. Wrap your conversation up."
Sighing, Sonar turned back to Tails with a bittersweet expression.
"...I have to go now. It was nice talking to you, Tails."
Tails nodded I'm understanding. He then said, "You too, Sonar. Stay safe. I'll see you later."
"You too, goodbye."
And just like that, Tails watched as the guard took Sonar out of the room. Although Tails' heart was saddened by the sight of a person his age being treated like a prisoner, little did he know that Tails' visitation made the day of the former Desert Raider member.
Julaya Memorial Park, New Mobotropolis, Acornia
Left foot, Right foot, one, two, and repeat. This was his biorhythm; double altogether.
Sonic's life had always been centered around what he spent most of his time doing.
Running.
This was the only thing that made him relax, what got him up in the morning, what caused him to tremble with excitement, and gave him that rush of adrenaline and serotonin. This acted as a sign of the hedgehog's freedom.
But most importantly, it was a form of escape for the adventurer.
Whenever he needed to get his mind off of things or get over a difficult situation, he ran. The passionate emotions were vented by increasing the pace of his sprint, allowing the hedgehog to break each limit that was set record after record. This technique generated a type of kinetic power that grew in Sonic to the point where it leaked out in the form of electricity.
This was the secret to Sonic's power.
Even now, Sonic kept moving out of the need to come to terms with his current situation.
Everything around him was a blur, yet he could see what was up ahead. The teenager's power accelerated the movement of his brain, allowing him to react faster than most to avoid hazards such as running into any obstacles or crashing into people.
While running around the Great Forest, memories of the refinery played in his mind. From Sonar being slapped into unconsciousness by Spike to his assault on Spike, and Sally's plea as he nearly killed Spike.
'...Shoot!' Sonic said while shaking his head.
Eventually, Sonic grew tired of going through the forest surrounding the city, ended up going back to the city, and made a detour to Julayla Memorial Park where he stopped in his tracks where there were very few people considering it was early in the morning with the sun beginning to rise.
Walking on the sidewalk of the park slowly, Sonic's emerald green eyes averted to the ground in shame.
"...Dang it! I lost it again! I should've kept my cool back there. Now some of the others know about… Grrr! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Sonic groaned, facepalming three times, with one hit being harder than the last.
The frustrated hedgehog felt his blood boil as his anger spiked. Immediately, he calmed himself down upon catching that familiar dark sensation.
He sighed, saying, "Come on, hedgehog. You're better than this. Losin' your cool ain't doin' nobody favors. Now you've gone and spooked some of them, and they're gonna want some answers. And you can't outright explain…that."
Wandering about caused Sonic to stumble upon the hill which he took Sally a while ago. He stood by the tree while looking at the view of the city, letting out a sigh again.
"Tails...I saw him that scared of me," Sonic lamented l. "That look on his face, I must have freaked the kid out half to death. And Red…She probably didn't know what to make of it. If she didn't snap me out of it...I would have…"
Sonic punched the trunk, causing it to shake before a large acorn fell from the tree and hit him on the head.
"Ow!"
The hedgehog rubbed his head as he looked at the acorn that was on the ground. He couldn't help but find the nut symbolic as he chuckled.
"Heh heh heh… Ain't that funny. I bet she'd knock some sense into me like that, too." Sonic said, pulling himself together before pausing.
'Okay, here I go again! What is up with my thoughts? I mope for a few seconds then Sally ends up popping up in my mind. I can't be thinkin' about girls again in… Not after that day…with her. That's off-limits.' He thought to himself.
With his mind clearer, Sonic slowly made his way back to the sidewalk where he was met with a sound of a familiar voice calling to him.
"Sonny-boy! Good morning!"
Sonic turned around to see his uncle, Sir Charles walking with a new person seemingly unknown to him.
The Mobian woodchuck who happened to be a female around his age. Her fur was tan and light brown while her eyes were an orange color. She wore a blue dress that covered her feet, a white shirt, and a red shawl.
The younger hedgehog walked over to him, waving at the two, "Mornin', Uncle Chuck. ...Oh, who's ya lady friend?"
Sir Charles and the woman smiled at each other in a nod before the knight (re) introduced her to his nephew.
"Well, I'll let her speak for herself." Sir Charles suggested, allowing the woman to take a step forward towards Sonic.
"...My, look how much you've grown." The woodchuck said almost motherly, holding his cheeks with both of her hands. "You have your mother's gorgeous eyes…"
She then touched Sonic's forehead.
"And you're just as healthy as your father. Oh, your fur has even started to darken like his too." She mused.
The adolescent hero couldn't help but blush out of embarrassment, freezing at the way the lady was treating him. But he didn't know how to react, so he remained still.
Tilting his head, Sonic asked while blushing, "Uh...Miss? I don't mean to be rude, uh, or anything but have we met before?"
Freezing upon hearing those words, the slightly saddened woodchuck looked at Sir Charles, who also shared a similar gaze.
Sighing, the woodchuck said, "Oh dear… I didn't take your uncle and the king's words to be true. It did not wish for them to be so, but you truly do not remember."
Sensing the sadness, Sonic brought his hand to her shoulder for comfort.
"...I don't know what to say about that," Sonic said, feeling bad for the lady. "I'm sorry."
"No, no. It's not your fault. That night was a horrible moment in history for all of us. We all had our reactions and responses to the incident. It's just that I never anticipated your memory being…" The woodchuck said before pausing.
"...Maybe you can jog a bit of that memory for me. Please, tell me who you are supposed to be to me. Back when I lived with you guys in Mobotropolis." Sonic pleaded to the woman, wanting both of them to have closure.
Sir Charles smiled in approval towards the compassion of his nephew.
The woman only shook her head, with her smile never leaving her face. She placed her hands on her hips, displaying a bit of light sass.
"Oliver, child. Surely you must recall a moment with your old nanny." The woman hinted to the young man.
"...My...nanny?" Sonic echoed.
Sonic scratched his head, trying to think back. His head began to throb, prompting him to hold his forehead with his right as he squinted, attempting to recognize the woodchuck.
"...I know you...or, at least I think I do," Sonic said with a hint of familiarity.
The woodchuck answered sweetheart, "I'll give you a hint, sweetheart. When you are a toddler, I would bring treats to all of the children close to the royal circle. You were among those who I've sat with while the parents were away with the other adults."
Sonic snapped his fingers on his right hand while asking, "They wouldn't happen to be oatmeal raisin cookies, were they?"
"Why yes, they were!" The woman clasps her hands together with enthusiasm.
Sonic, processing the small glimpse of his memory, recalled the name associated with his preferred taste in sweets.
"Wait a second...Oh, snap! Rosie, now I remember!" Sonic remembered and pointed at her.
Charles nodded in confirmation as he walked beside the woodchuck, now named Rosie.
"Got it one, Sonny-boy." Sir Charles said. "She's been eager to see you ever since word spread of your arrival."
"And I couldn't be any happier, seeing you breathing and taking good care of yourself." Rosie expressed. "Hearing of your disappearance wounded all of us. It hurt me more than most, for I would take care of you more often than the other children. Outside of Princess Sarah, of course."
"Man… This is wild." The hedgehog said with a grin on his face, running a hand through his quills. "I had a nanny back in the day. Wait, how did you know my family?"
"Rosie and I met when we were young. Around your age. We all got along quite famously." Sir Charles answered.
"Your parents became one of the most precious to me over the years. Bernie and I used to be very close..." Rosie continued.
...Bernie? That name did not ring any bells to the blue hedgehog.
"...Bernie who, now?" Asked Sonic, tilting his head.
"Oh, right. You must have not realized this as a young lad. When we came to Old Mobotropolis to live after the complete destruction of Azuron, Aleena wanted to start off fresh with her newly found freedom. So, she was registered as 'Bernadette Hurst' and married Jules a few months after." Sir Charles explained.
Sonic nodded as he glanced at the pair. He then picked up on how close his uncle was to Rosie, also taking notice that when he approached them that both older adults were joined hand in hand.
'Wait a second…are they holdin' hands?'
Sonic then teased the pair, saying, "Wait, what are the two of you doin' out and about by ya'll lonesome? Are ya'll datin' or somethin'?"
Rosie blushed while Sir Charles snickered at his nephew's antics.
"It's funny that you ask that because you'd be correct." Sir Charles confirmed wholeheartedly.
"...Wait, you serious?" The younger hedgehog blurted out of shock. "I was only pullin' your leg. When did this happen?"
"This development was after Sally forced Naugus to retreat. When the reconstruction period occurred, we took the opportunity to rebuild our personal lives properly as people." Said the scientist.
"One thing led to another and your uncle and I came together. We are our own individuals with lives outside or taking care of you children, and Gaia knows that we're not getting any younger." The woodchuck said, wrapping Charles' right arm with her two arms. "We've been happily at peace together for two and a half years since."
Happy for both his uncle and former nanny, Sonic gave both of them a thumbs up with his right hand.
"Wow, that's way past cool! Congratulations on your relationship guys. I hope it goes on for a long time. Also good luck to ya, Rosie! Hopefully, I could call ya Aunt Rosie one day." Sonic said, winking at the end.
Both adults smiled, thinking to themselves '...I'm looking forward to that day.'
A loud beeping sound caught the attention of both hedgehogs, whose ears twitched. Sonic raised his left arm to see a yellow round wrist communicator in which Rotor and Tails made for him and the rest of Sonic's friends.
Pressing a button, Sonic said, "Yo,"
"Good morning, Sonic! Sally and the others are holding a meeting about our next move in ten minutes." Tails said from Sonic's communicator.
"You got it, bud! Let Sal and the others know that I'll be there in two minutes." Sonic said.
Tails then said before cutting off the end of the link, "Roger, that!"
Sonic then turned to the couple and bid them farewell.
"What can I say, duty calls." The young hedgehog shrugged.
"We're familiar with how that line of work tends to be." Sir Charles nodded.
"Go on, then." Rosie said. "It would not be wise to keep a leader waiting. Especially if it's a lady."
Cracking a grin, Sonic nodded while saying, "Yeah, you're right about that. It's nice seein' you again. But hey, I'll catch ya guys some other time. I gotta get movin!"
Like that, Sonic left in a flash, leaving behind a blue streak while the winds blew around up the waving pair.
"He's grown up quite nicely, Charles," Rosie said.
Sir Charles nodded with a small smile filled with pride, "That he has, dear. He sure has."
The pair continued their walk after the streak of blue left their sight, never letting go of each other's hands.
Freedom HQ, Royal Hills, New Mobotropolis
Sally, Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, Tails, and Knuckles all sat at the conference table, waiting for Sonic's arrival.
A few days after the mission in Sand Blast City the rest of the Freedom Fighters were briefed on the mission in regards to Sonar and the rest of the Desert Raiders, outside of Sonic's rage-induced episode.
Needless to say, Rotor and Antoine were relieved that Sonor was able to stand up for herself and get out of the situation, the boys' anger and feeling of betrayal still lingered for the other two traitors that were thankfully in custody for their crimes against the nation.
The tension ceased upon the realization that they now acquired the Chaos Emerald. Of course, that excited the rest of the Freedom Fighters, furthering their drive to go with efforts of ending the war against Naugus.
"It iz like being in a dream. We live in an age where ze gems of miracles are here. Ahnd we have one in our possession." Antoine marveled, recalling seeing the relic back in Sir Charles lab when he had the time last week.
"Boy, I'll say," Rotor chimed in. "The books depicted them to be larger than what their actual size is. It's interesting, yet a head-scratcher from a historical point."
Tails and Knuckles shared a glance at each other, already knowing the reason behind Rotor's comment but tactically chose to withhold such information.
"The Chaos Emeralds are quite the mystery, " Tails commented. "Even after being in contact with them and using it on occasion, there's still little that we actually know about them and their power."
Knuckles jumped in the conversation, stating, "Save the gawking for another time. What matters, in the long run, is that we've got one."
Hearing the focus of the meeting return, Sally made her presence known by saying, "Knuckles is right, guys. With one of the Gems of Miracles down, we have one over the enemy. Furthermore, we were able to recover another piece of the Master Emerald. By the rate in which our circumstances are proceeding, this operation may go well in our favor."
"Now that's what I call positive thinkin'."
Turning their heads, Tails, Knuckles, and the Freedom Fighters were greeted by the familiar Blue Blur that stood right by the table, holding a half-eaten chili dog with his left hand.
"Sonic!" Most of the militia and the last two of Team Sonic called out.
Seeing the time on the digital clock on the computer screen and the chili dog on his left hand, Sally crossed her arms.
"You do know that a snack break in the middle of a meeting is unbecoming of a Freedom Fighter, right?" Sally pointed out.
Sonic then finished his chili dog quickly while saying, "What can I say? When can move as fast as me, you burn so much calories that your stomach practically becomes a bottomless pit. You'll have to take what you can get."
The princess rolled her eyes at the sight of him sucking the leftover chili off of his fingers.
"Okay, just try not to make it a habit," Sally said.
"I'll try, but I ain't makin' no promises," Sonic smirked while sitting in his seat with the others mildly amused at the hedgehog's antics. "So, what's goin' on? Word had it that we're makin' our next move, today."
"That's right. Tails and I were in the middle of locating the next Chaos Emerald coordinates where we received a transmission." Sally confirmed as she turned to the large computer screen that had her handheld.
"A transmission?" Sonic questioned.
Nodding, Sally spoke to the large computer.
"NICOLE, please play the transmission from fifteen minutes ago," Sally ordered.
The AI said on the screen, "On it, princess. Now playing transmission 27023327-729."
Suddenly, the screen showed a room full of people recording a female Mobian who seemed to be at least three or four years older than Sally.
She seemed to be a wolf with light lilac and white colors of fur, dark purple hair with a streak of white in it which was somewhat spiky and mohawk-like, and was branded into a ponytail by three golden-hair bands.
"Greetings, Knothole Freedom Fighters. This is Lupe, chief of the Waya tribe and ambassador of the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters. Normally, my people and I wouldn't be asking other allies to deal with our own affairs. However, the circumstances have called for certain measures that may be of familiar territory. So I'm sending this transmission as a call for assistance."
Everybody listened close as the recording continued.
"As of the time of this recording, it has been exactly a week since we've found our borders being attacked by strange metallic forces. With the help of our resources and technological backing and support that your king provided, we managed to overcome the threat, forcing them to repel. We've taken the liberty of looting the wreckage of the enemy's broken machines. All of them seemed to possess an emblem of sorts. We are unsure of its origin, so the other chiefs and I hope that you would have more information than we do." Lupe said.
Suddenly, another screen appeared next to the wolf. That screen showed pictures of torn metal with an emblem that resembled a grinning man with a pointy nose and a mustache.
Seeing this, Tails, Knuckles, and Sonic's eyes narrowed as they said at the same time, "Eggman!"
"Ugh, thet creep again?" Bunnie groaned, finding Dr. Robotnik's face to be disgusting. "What's he doin' in Lupe's country?"
"I've got no clue. But I bet it's no go." Rotor responded.
"Whoever the adversary, they have made themselves known to us right after two discoveries my people made two days after. I'd show it to you here, but I would rather you and your team come here in person to see it for yourselves. They hold great and mysterious energies unlike those that come from the Source of All and its Power Rings. It would also be beneficial to have support in case of this threat were to return. We would be honored to have you here. Until then, I will be seeing you. Farewell, Freedom Fighters."
The transmission ended as Sally turned back to the table.
"Any comments?" The princess offered.
"Miss Lupe mentioned zere being two discoveries made een hair terreetahry by hair people." Antoine brought up.
"Yes, that's a great jumping point into another thing I want to show you." Sally said as she spoke to NICOLE. "NICOLE, access the map and activate the locator application please."
The AI then shifted the computer screen to the map of Mobius. As she zoomed in to the side where the gang was currently located.
"Alright, now give us a visual on where the Chaos Emerald is nearest to our location." Sally said next.
Suddenly, a dot was shown blinking on Lobonia, where the Unified Wolf Pack Nation thrived.
"Now it's making sense," Knuckles spoke with his arms crossed. "Eggman's already on the move in swiping the next Chaos Emerald."
"Given how things went before, Eggman won't stop until he gets his hand on that Emerald by any means." Tails reasoned. "Things will only get worse as long as he's there."
"Yeah, and I'd bet a hundred rings that a piece of the Master Emerald is that second thing that the wolves found too." Sonic pointed out.
Sally grabbed NICOLE from the main computer as she said, "And that's why for our next destination, we'll be traveling to the country of Lobonia.
"Alright, I'm game," Sonic said, getting up from his seat. "But who'll be stayin' behind? The X-Tornado only has a few spots."
Bunnie said, "Amy-girl iz not gunna make it. She's takin' care uh Cream who's feelin' poorly."
"I'll stay behind again. Uncle Chuck and I are going to be working on forging the Warp Rings once we get the last Power Ring today. I'll try and tag along next time." Rotor said, prompting the others to nod.
"I'll be going ziss time. I must be zere to guard my beloved ahnd ze princess." Antoine stood firmly with a dutiful nod.
"It'll be great to have you come with us, Antoine," Said Tails with a happy expression.
Sonic gave the coyote a thumbs up with his right hand saying, "Yeah, I wanna see what you can do with that sword!"
Smiling at the festive nature of the group, Sally said, 'Then it's settled. Let's move, Freedom Fighters."
Meanwhile, in Eggman's Base
Naugus the Dark sat in the main computer room, watching the surveillance tapes of the events in the refinery from two and a half weeks ago.
While he was impressed with the strength of Knuckles given his Yaotl heritage and connection to the Master Emerald, his sights were set on one young Mobian adolescent.
Sonic the Hedgehog.
The troll's eyes wandered about, watching the fight between the hedgehog and the late porcupine, Spike. While he anticipated Sonic to be formidable due to some of what he had seen earlier in Sand Blast City, Naugus would never have guessed that the Blue Blur was capable of producing enough power to shatter Ixis Phantoms. And while looking at him, a repeated realization kept creeping up on him since he spoke with Dr. Robotnik.
Sonic was the son of Sir Jules and Queen Aleena.
"...Who would have thunk? The child of my most hated enemies is this brash and headstrong little quickster." The warlock said as he watched the fight. "The resemblance is uncanny."
Naugus remained indifferent to Sonar and Spike's spat. But the moment that the porcupine slapped the fennec into unconsciousness, his demeanor changed from being unreadable to his eyes having a hint of intrigue.
That was when the troll witnessed Sonic's change and outburst.
"...Oh, and what do we have here? Either my eyes are deceiving me, or the quickster seems to possess the power of negative Chaos Energy. Hehehe, how interesting."
The troll's interest in Sonic only increased further as he witnessed Sonic utterly destroying Spike and beaten in until he was stopped by Sally. After that, Naugus paused the video and cracked a smile.
"Poor little Cobalt. It seems that my handiwork has done its job a bit too effectively. No matter, this only works for the betterment of myself. This only confirms my methods in breaking you. And trust me, in time, you will be broken when I'm done with you. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Hey guys, here's the next chapter.
Just gonna let you guys know that I'm tired, so this will be a shorter note.
While I am working on PRIMAL again, that and this story's updates will be slower. I need to really focus on this semester of college and I don't want to mess up.
Besides, it helps so I won't be burnt out with this like I am on A Leaf's Fairy Tale.
And yes, that story is discontinued.
Also, I am asking for you guys to be posting questions for the Ask the RESURGE cast. I've decided to extend the date for Sonic and Sally's questions to next week because I only have one question from one person. Please, feel free to ask Sonic and Sally questions just so long as it's nothing that has to do with the plot going forward. I need at least, ten questions.
Anyways, let me know if you have any ideas on a chapter, I'm open to PMs.
I gotta go now. Catch y'all later!
-DarkShadowGames451