My motivation train is not stopping! Let's get on with the story!

The machine had failed, that was everyone's current thought, yet the shock mixed with happiness indicated that it wasn't a failure either. Sally Acorn was back although her body didn't, and Sonic didn't care a single bit, throwing himself in for a hug the second he realized what happened, a small tear coming from his eye that he wiped away with a smile.

"Sonic?" said Sally in a robotic-ish voice that lacked any profound emotion "Sonic, I-I… what's happening? What's-"

Sonic kindly shushed, trying to calm her down.

"It's okay, Sal, you're okay… We're gonna take you somewhere safe".

Tails and Rotor were speechless as well but overwhelmed with joy at the image that was unfolding, and they had so many things to say to their friend but they stood quiet for now, Tails along with Sonic helped her to stand up straight, which proved to be quite difficult but manageable and with the help of the two of them, Sally was able to take a few steps.

"Where are we taking her?" asked Tails and Sonic didn't have a proper answer, the castle was in a messy state and not the most comfortable and relaxing one at the moment, and the other place would be Freedom HQ which also had some guests –and even more than those he was aware of–, Sonic paused for a second thinking about other places he could take her before finally coming up with seemingly the best option.

"Rotor, you think you can fix this?" he said as he picked up the robotic Sally in his arms.

"I hope so".

"I'd recommend you stay inside for now," he instructed the Metal Sally who gave a nod of agreement "And you… actually you can do whatever you wish".

Sticks crossed her arms, not too bothered by that.

"Tails, meet me at Freedom HQ, I'll catch you later," he said before dashing out of the room.

-X-

As a robian, there was no need for sleep, your body doesn't need the rest when you're a robot, so Jules the Hedgehog used the time one would normally use for sleeping to keep guard during the nighttime, and as a robian, all of his senses were enhanced which allowed him to feel that someone was getting close. A knock on the door gave the impression that it wasn't a threat but he wasn't expecting it to be his son carrying the body of a robotic Sally.

"Sorry, couldn't announce I was coming," he said with a smirk "I'll take her to my room if that's okay".

He gladly opened the door letting him inside and closing the door after checking no one else was nearby.

"Is that the princess?"

Sonic replied with a weak smile that served as confirmation.

"Didn't want too much attention, I tried to get here as fast as I could… Figured it would be the best place for her".

"Not too many people are awake at these hours," said his father "We can look over her if that's what you need".

He smiled, thankful for the offer before going to his room closing the door behind him, and finally placing her gently in the bed and kneeling next to it, meeting her eyes that were now closed but slowly opening.

"Hey there Sal," he said slowly and with care waiting for any response that would come in the form of her metallic hand reaching out to Sonic with him gently holding it.

"Is everyone okay?" was the first thing she managed to say.

"They are," Sonic replied "Everything will be okay Sally… I promise… I just have to solve a few problems, just hang in there".

Sonic slowly stood up before coming to a halt feeling the grip in his hand getting stronger.

"Don't leave me" she said weakly, her eyes showing the emotion she lacked for what felt like ages now.

"Sally, I am never-... I won't leave you, Sal, you know I wouldn't" they both stood there all alone for as long as it was needed until they were both ready and the grip on Sonic's hand began to lose up.

A kiss on the forehead for goodbye.

"Everything will be okay," he thought as he left the room.

Archie Sonic was standing just outside the Freedom HQ entrance thinking… about a lot of stuff, being in this world was unstable and not only for him. His friends were missing with no way of communication, his body wasn't feeling that well and Eggman gave them a beating back when they were trying to infiltrate the Death Egg, now he was having symptoms that should have been long gone and currently, they were simply waiting. Waiting for what? And why? If there was something that needed to be done then they should do it now.

And in the middle of those thoughts, another Sonic had exited the building… Just Sonic.

"You know, for a multiverse, I fail to see any difference between us," he said as an introduction "Wondered where you went after that little thing down there".

"I usually don't mind being the center of attention," he said with an 'I know you know' smirk "But I had to get out of there".

"Agreed… and what happened… for how long?"

"Since I appeared in this world, I guess? Why?"

He looked at his hand feeling a weird sense of relief realizing that his experiences weren't isolated.

"Because you're not the only one that's having trouble with it… My body has also been acting weird since I got here with something that we already solved back in my world".

"Yeah, exactly!" Archie exclaimed, glad that someone understood the feeling "We already got rid of it but I still feel that-".

"You're about to turn into a big fluffier version of yourself when the sun goes down?" he said with a smirk that made Archie stop entirely.

"You know?"

"Been there, kind of hard to forget the feeling… but the sun is down and you're still there so I guess it doesn't work".

"And you've been feeling the same thing?" he replied looking at the sky realizing that he wasn't facing any issues now that there was no sunlight.

"Heh, no, I have my own problems to deal with… I just need not to touch anyone".

Archie assumed that he was referring to the 'avoid touching your counterpart' rule they had going on but before he could expand the conversation, they were interrupted by the rush of the wind that blew past them both and now, three identical Sonics stood there for a while looking at each other not knowing how to react or what to say until a certain fox caught up to them after doing some running and he was also confused at the sight, especially since he couldn't figure out which one was his Sonic, which one was Archie and who even was the third one.

"Archie?" he said, hoping that the designated Sonic would reply which he did.

"You're the main Tails? So… he's the main Sonic?" he replied with a smile.

"Prime Sonic," said the other Sonic rolling his eyes, remembering the cheeky self-imposed nickname.

Prime and Tails looked at each other in the realization that each had information that the other did not, standing there looking back and forth knowing that there was a bit of catching up to do… A silence that was broken by the fox who began chuckling slowly ascending into a laugh weirding out the hedgehogs.

"Prime Sonic…" he chuckled to himself.

Prime smiled before walking past everyone and entering the HQ with the rest following behind him. Although he was aware that the base had some visitors now he wasn't sure of who to expect and his reply would come soon as he spotted Tails in the lab despite being sure that the fox was behind him, not only that but it wasn't just one Tails that was in the lab, there were two of them.

"Oh, hey there Sonic," one of the foxes said after noticing his friend looking at them "I was thinking that we should add a section like this to the Sky Patrol, you know? It's not like we don't have space".

"I believe you're talking to me" Archie walked in startling the fox, noticing the similarity between them and that he was talking to the wrong one.

"What are you guys doing?" Prime Tails asked.

"He said he hasn't checked it enough" Archie explained referring to Boom Tails.

Prime Sonic sighed.

"Hey buddy, why are there two versions of you?" he whispered and the response he got was a shrug, Tails couldn't explain why it happened… Sonic's mind went back to the moment where it all started, trying to make some explanation based on what he knew. Tails noticed his expression, figuring out what he was thinking and he also wanted to know the thought process.

"Sonic, what exactly happened in the Death Egg?"

"We did stop what he was trying to do… no idea about anything else," he said after a long thought "Alright, how many Sonics do we have around?"

"They're all in the bedrooms," explained Archie Tails "I figured we could use them so… why not?"

Prime sighed, everything felt so casual when it shouldn't be, they had destroyed the Death Egg but Eggman was nowhere to be seen, Sally was back to her old self but still in the same robotic body, the multiverse could be breaking apart at this very moment and yet here there were two more Tails seemingly playing on the lab while everyone else was… sleeping? Hanging out.

He sighed, walking away and heading downstairs leaving everyone around him confused by this behavior with everyone else looking at each other not knowing what to say but all eyes ultimately fell on Prime Tails.

"What happened to Eggman?" Sonic asked.

"What happened to Sally?" Archie added, the suddenness of the news triggered obvious questions and the answer was as straightforward as it could be.

"It's done," Prime Tails replied "And… maybe I should talk to him".

-X-

The main lobby of Freedom HQ looked as empty as Tails described except for one small detail coming from the couch of the room, a red detail that turned around when he sensed that someone had walked into the room.

"Knuckles?"

"Please, tell me you're the Sonic I know" he replied.

"Only if you can tell me you're the Knuckles I know" the hedgehog crossed his arms after so many look-alikes and confusion.

"The one who was in Albion".

It was Knuckles.

"How did you do it? All these different versions of yourself" he said jumping out from the couch and staring at him face to face.

"You know, as always… team effort, Nicole and Tails did all the work with some help from-".

"Don't play with me Sonic! You opened multiple zones at once and for what?"

Sonic struggled for a second to find the right answer.

"Because we needed help".

"-And now I'm needing help" Sonic put one hand on his shoulder.

"Knux, you know I can't bring them back" and Knuckles threw the hand away while closing his eyes.

"I know you would do the same"

Sonic opened his mouth to say something but there was nothing to say. Knuckles pulled out the Warp Ring and opened a portal that led back to the shrine of the Master Emerald.

"You can keep it," the echidna said "I'm sure you'll have a better use for it" and with that he disappeared through the portal with Sonic grabbing the remains of it wondering what Knuckles had gone through that got him all the way here.

"Sonic?" his Tails called out after spotting him in the middle of the room contemplating a ring "Are you okay?"

"Did you know Knuckles was here?" he said still looking at the ring.

"Knuckles? Yeah, he came with us on the ship with another Sonic but they never said what they were doing… where is he now?"

"I don't think we'll be seeing him anytime soon," he said, showing the Warp Ring to Tails "You know we have to send them all back, right?"

"I've seen it too but… what about Sally? Not our Sally, I mean but the other one, we can't leave her like that".

"And I'm not planning to. We brought them into this, didn't we?"

"I guess we did," the fox replied with a smile allowing for a long pause between them "And I guess we're all gonna need some rest after this is over," he said trying to lighten the mood, a mood that would quickly lighten up even more as Boom Tails rushed through the stairs with nothing but excitement.

"You do have a garage in this dimension, right?!" he said, startling his counterpart.

"Yeah, back in the city- what do you need it for?"

"I found a way to bring us all home!"

And that's a wrap! Man, I am having so much fun with this fanfic, I am also excited that the climax is right around the corner because I can't wait for you guys to see what I have in store for when all these characters and storylines finally come together.

Thank you all for the comments as well, I appreciate each and every one of them… See you soon!