(Cocoa Island)
Miles had been left to think about a lot of things over the past half of a year. The return and fall of the Battle Kukku Empire, with fights across both West Side Island and the recently rediscovered Angel Island had been at the forefront. He had met and made friends with both Nicky the Hedgehog, better known as Sonic, and Knuckles the Echidna during those times. He'd also reunited with his childhood buddy, Charmy Bee, and made acquaintances of his associates, Espio the Chameleon and Vector the Crocodile, as well as Big the Cat when it came to those that Knuckles knew. Then he just so happened to run into Cream the Rabbit after more than a few years, going on a "not-date" (as he stubbornly put it) to Little Planet during her birthday.
Sonic had even gone on his own adventure, where he'd teamed up with both the Chaotix and Knuckles as well as Mighty and Ray, two friends of the fox from when he was still a preteen boy freshly seeing the world. The news that Mecha Miles had been rebuilt and nearly brought about a catastrophe had been off-putting, to say the least. As for what Speedy had told him about the events of Flicky Island, it had nearly taken a turn for the worse there, too. Alexei's machinations had proven that there were still remnants and fanatics of the Empire, and it remained likely that the owl was still alive. And while he was glad that the Phantom Ruby was no longer in the avian's hands, Miles didn't trust G.U.N. with it, whether it be using it or safeguarding it.
And then, there was the matter of his biological family. After the events of West Side Island, he'd met his older cousin, J. P. Cross, for the first time since he was an infant. The cross fox had indirectly helped him restore the Chaos Emeralds by informing him of Angel Island in the first place, and had spoken at some length about their extended family. How he'd known and been fond of Miles' parents, and that Sylvanus "Silas" Prower, his and Miles' grandfather, had been a rather reputable person before he disappeared. Only it turned out that he hadn't gone missing or died, according to Speedy, but that he was actually being held in the lower levels of G.U.N.'s top correctional facility, Prison Island. As for his parents, Miles only knew that they were still alive, and that thus far, two cryptic hints had been provided to him in regards to where they were.
Equally strange was that those messages had been passed on to him via Sonic and Speedy after they had met some rather unique Animals. Segundo the Skeleton Dog had been the one the hedgehog encountered, and the one ultimately responsible for the events on Carnival Island. He'd claimed the ordeal as some sort of test for the young hero and his friends in order to prepare them for the arrival of "the Dragon." And in the ace's case, he'd met with Tetartos the Phoenix, who'd been guarding the Crown of Delusion, and by extension the Phantom Ruby, ever since the days of the first Great Battle Kukku. He too had tested Speedy and his group, tasking them with taking the artifacts back from Alexei, which they'd completed successfully.
Both of those Animals had also apparently been working with someone else, and the fox had a pretty good idea who it was based on how they referred to the third party. That aside, according to the mural he'd seen and the note he'd received, there still remained two more figures to meet: a dragon and a unicorn. Seeing as Seg and Tet had been associated with earth and fire, respectively, Miles hypothesized that the other two mythical Animals were connected with water and air. Assuming it appeared the same as in many stories, the unicorn would be fairly easy to spot. But, Miles was more curious about whether the dragon was the same as the Dragon from the Echidna legends, or if it was a separate entity. Perhaps they were related in some way?
However, his concerns lay in emptying his mind of those matters, at least for the moment. He sat on the stump in front of his cabin with his legs crossed and his arms folded over his lap, eyes closed as his hands cradled the cyan Chaos Emerald. In the days between the destruction of the Battle Moon and leaving Angel Island, one of them had been spent better understanding Knuckles and his connection to the Master Emerald. The last Echidna had shown and explained that whenever he wasn't making rounds about the island, whether for food or security, he would stay in the great gem's shrine. And while he guarded it, he would spend most of his time meditating, clearing his head and letting the Chaos Energy flow through him. It was an exercise in not only learning and improving upon wielding that power, but also in coming to comprehend it better.
Miles had never really been an Animal of faith, preferring to try and find logical solutions and explanations to seemingly otherworldly matters. And yet, even though the methods were spiritual in nature, there was some practicality in what Knuckles had shown him, and he was open to trying new approaches. The fox had already proven that exposure to Chaos Energy had the potential to increase one's attributes over time, and that extensive use of the Emeralds in particular did so at a significantly increased rate. This was somewhere in the middle, neither passively absorbing energy nor fully calling it forth; it was simply deep concentration on it and letting it flow through him as freely as his blood.
Honestly, he preferred to spend time on other tasks, such as making adjustments to the third iteration of Remi, his new Extreme Gear board the twins had built him, and Sonic's red bi-plane, the Tornado. He'd also gotten back into the swing of things as far as music, having touched his guitar very little since the start of his adventuring until recently, which meant more time with the twins, since they're part of the band. With a new member of his adoptive family on the way, he'd stuck around with Fuchsia more than usual, normally when she and Gadget were together, but not always. And of course, Sonic was always down to race or ride around, or do anything else exciting around the island.
Even so, ever since the start of the new year, Miles had set aside an hour each day to center himself this way, half in the morning, and half in the evening. After a few months of it, he'd already started seeing quantifiable results, which he'd been sure to document. First was greater efficiency in performing his feats, allowing him to conserve more stamina for later. That was complemented by an overall growth in his natural reservoir, as his body continuously adapted to handling higher concentrations of energy. And while it had been difficult, he was proud of the fact that he could now sense the latent Chaos Energy in others, albeit to a limited extent. There were a couple of other tricks he'd taught himself, but he was saving those for a situation where he'd need them.
His concentration was broken by Remi letting out a few chirps to let its master know that half an hour had passed. Miles opened his eyes and set the Emerald aside, letting out a low groan as he undid his posture and stretched out.
"Well, that was nice," he mumbled aloud, pushing himself off of the stump to stand up.
No sooner had he done so when Sonic sped over to him straight from Puru Puru Village. The hedgehog had gotten a good feel for when the fox was finished with his routine, even without having to refer to a clock. Naturally, the fact that Miles did it at the same time every day did contribute to that.
"Hey Tails!" he greeted his partner, "have ya found inner peace yet?"
Miles rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide his smile. "Nah, it's gonna be a while before I get there."
"Eh, you'll have it down in no time flat," the blue boy said confidently, "but hey, enough about that. The twins wanted me to fetch ya."
The two-tailed teen didn't question it, as the wolves' possible reasons for needing him were too numerous to consider. The two raced over to the scrap yard within seconds, meeting the mostly identical pair at the back door, along with Fuchsia the Cat. At that point, the feline was sporting a noticeably swollen belly, having neared the end of her second trimester. Miles still found it hard to believe that she would be having Gadget's child relatively soon, which would–at least legally speaking–make him something of an uncle.
"Hey, everyone," the amber fox hailed them, "what's the occasion?"
Gizmo glanced at her brother and best friend, as if silently telling them to explain. Gadget took the reins and spoke up first.
"Well, to be honest, Miles," he started slowly, taking a bit of a breath, "with our ceremony coming up and the baby on the way, I think if anything happens before then, that'll probably be the last time I'll be able to join you for a long while. That's if I decide to join at all..."
Fuchsia nodded softly. "I'd love a chance to redeem myself after what happened, but I can't and won't risk our child like that. I don't mind too much, though." She offered a smile. "I'll have Gad and Gizzy help whip me back into shape after I recover from the big day."
"I understand, Fu," Miles replied warmly, then looked at his adoptive older brother, "same to you, Gad. Even if some new adventure did pop up before those events, I wouldn't be upset if you chose not to come."
The red wolf gave the fox's shoulder an appreciative pat and squeeze, while the pinkish cat gave him as best a hug as she could manage without making it too awkward. Gizmo waited for them before she took her turn.
"On the subject of the group," she addressed her younger vulpine brother, "Sonic's come up with an idea, and the three of us are mostly for it. But, since you're the de facto leader of our little circle, we wanted to wait to hear your input and make a decision."
Miles wasn't entirely surprised to hear that with significant changes in their lives coming soon, the future of the group dynamic would be brought up. He was more taken aback by the fact that they wanted him to make a choice for all of them, rather than putting it to a vote like they had with their projects and tasks during downtime. And while he'd taken up the mantle during the times they needed direction, especially in more critical circumstances, he was hesitant to think of himself as the head of the group. Still, if they'd come to a consensus and decided that he was the one to defer to about whatever this was, he'd hear them out.
To make things a little more comfortable and so that others wouldn't eavesdrop, the five moved the discussion into Gob's workshop. The patriarch of the Wolf family was currently busy elsewhere in the village on a job, so they didn't have to worry about disturbing him.
"Alright, so," the vermilion twin began, "we've made friends and reunited with a number of people over the last several months, as you know." Miles nodded, prompting him to continue. "Charmy and the Chaotix, Mighty and Ray, and Knuckles. There are more, yes, but I'm bringing up the ones that would be willing to help fight if the situation calls for it."
"And there are a few that want to join," the verdigris twin carried on for her brother, "at least as support, and they wouldn't be obligated to us full-time. And don't worry, we know all of them; in fact, you know one of them better than the rest of us do."
The fox tilted his head curiously at that. If they were people he was well-acquainted with, he wasn't sure if that would make the decision easier or harder. If they weren't opposed to keeping away from the front lines unless absolutely necessary, he didn't have too much of a problem. He'd prefer not to endanger more of his friends at all, but if they were willing to lend him a hand, he couldn't really deny them a chance. After all, it was because of those close to him that he'd mustered the strength and mentality to beat back threats and protect what he cared most about.
"Hey, space cadet," Gadget verbally prodded him, barely masking an urge to laugh.
Miles blinked and shook his head, feeling his cheeks burn under his fur from embarrassment. He'd really just been standing there thinking all that without realizing the long and awkward silence he'd created.
"Sorry about that," he said meekly. He tilted his shades up and glanced between the two. "So, who's on the list of people that want to join?"
Gizmo let out a tired sigh, as though she was reluctant to bring up a certain person. To the fox, that wasn't the best sign, but he considered that it was probably just personal bias on her part. And as if to exacerbate what she was feeling, in walked Lavender, Fuchsia's younger brother, looking apologetic and winded.
"Sorry I'm late, guys," he panted, almost out of breath, "I was helping Dad with the nets, so I ran on over when I realized the time."
Miles quickly connected the dots in his head, figuring that the feline was one of the candidates. "It's not a big deal, this was a surprise for me, too."
"Oh, really?" The purplish cat scratched under his chin as he chuckled nervously. When he noticed that the others had their full attention on him, he straightened up and cleared his throat. "Yeah, I know it's kinda sudden, but hear me out, okay?"
Miles grabbed one of the chairs stationed at the various benches Gob used and got comfortable. "It wouldn't be fair of me if I didn't at least do that much. Go ahead."
"Okay, well." Lavender paused to think of how he best wanted to speak his case. "After Fu told me what happened to her, I got really upset. Not at you guys, but I still felt bad. Mom told us to take care of each other, and I wasn't there when my big sister needed me."
Fuchsia looked away sadly. "Lav, don't put that on yourself. You already help out with Dad and several others around the village."
"Yeah, but I don't wanna be helpless to do anything if a bad situation comes up again!" He clenched a fist. "I hid when the Kukkus attacked way back when, and I was fine staying behind when you left to go with the gang. If I really wanna be doing you and Dad and all the townsfolk a favor, I've gotta improve more than just the skills they've taught me!"
The fox sensed the heartfelt emotions within the Animal's short speech, ones he understood thoroughly. He knew all too well that strong desire to protect the things one cherished, and how it served as a powerful motivator. The main surprise to him here was that the cat was being rather passionate about it, when he'd only seen Lavender previously display such in conversations about his hobbies. Maybe he was being a little biased here, but it didn't take long for Miles to make up his mind, even when considering his earlier worries. But, just to make sure, he still had one more question.
"Can I ask why now?" he queried, "I know that you're usually busy with all the part-time work, but you could've come to me earlier."
Lavender tilted his head down a little. "I just needed time to think about everything that happened, and if this is what I really wanted. It took me a while, but here we are."
"Well, if you're really sure, and if the others are leaving it up to me." He stood up and stretched out a glove to the cat, a bright smile on his muzzle. "Then I can't say no. Welcome aboard, Lavender."
The slightly taller and older Animal let out a small cheer and took the offered hand with both of his. "Thank you! I promise to work hard, boss!"
"No need for that 'boss' stuff, we're all friends here," Miles remarked humbly, "and we all play our part. I'm sure you'll find yours soon enough."
The happy occasion was interrupted when the screen on the Miles Electric began flashing red and the device emitted a loud and repetitive alarm. Someone was attempting to reach him and had labeled their transmission as emergency priority, which overrode the usual music he'd assigned them.
A second or so of static met everyone's ears until it cleared out into a familiar voice. "Miles, can you hear me?"
The panel that had once read "Audio Only" changed to show the only Echidna they knew, and as far as they were aware, the last one on Earth. From what Miles could see and sense, there was barely restrained anger behind the otherwise stolid exterior the monotreme put up.
"Loud and clear, Knuckles!" the fox responded, "what's going on?"
The Guardian's face painted a grim picture. "I wish I knew. The Master Emerald is safe, but Angel Island has once again fallen into the ocean! And it's not like it was with the Dragon's E–I mean, the Battle Moon. I just woke up and found it like this again!"
Everyone in the workshop let out a gasp or other shocked noise, with Miles leaning in closer to his device. If even the Echidna was at a loss, then it was no wonder he contacted them on that particular frequency. Just what could force Angel Island back to Earth's surface short of something like that space station, even against the will of the Master Emerald? Not only that, but according to the Guardian's words, it apparently happened overnight without him or anyone else noticing.
"How's everything doin' after that?" Sonic asked, "have ya looked around and found anything funny?"
Knuckles grunted uneasily and nodded slowly. "Big and the Critters are okay, but I can feel a handful or so of different beings that don't match what I've sensed from you or anyone else."
"I don't like the sound of that," Miles told everyone, adjusting his specs more squarely on his muzzle, "I'd say either someone is responsible for what's happened, or they're after whatever caused it."
"Whatever might be going on, I may need your help." The Echidna's gaze shifted off to one side. "I can feel them moving towards the shore where you first arrived, as well as some other strange energy around there, too. Not Chaos Energy, but something...I don't know, different."
Miles didn't need to hear anything more in order to make his decision. His friend was in a potentially dire situation, and there were likely some troublemakers afoot that might know what's going on.
"We'll be on our way!" he promised the Echidna, "don't go rushing into things before we arrive, okay?"
"Only if I'm not forced to," Knuckles answered through gritted teeth, "but when I find these intruders and they're threatening the island...what's that saying Sonic taught me? Oh yeah: all bets are off."
The fox couldn't blame him, but hoped that whoever was there wouldn't force his friend's hand before he arrived. "I understand. We'll get there ASAP, so please try and hold out until then."
"I will try."
With that, the transmission ended and Miles silently glanced around the room at his friends. Sonic had a rather serious look on his face, though he couldn't hide the excitement in those emerald eyes of his. Gizmo was itching to go, but there was also clear concern, perhaps due to the mystery surrounding Angel Island's second fall within a year. Gadget appeared torn, his orange eyes staring and switching between Fuchsia and his adoptive younger brother. Lavender had an awkward and confused manner about him, his body language making it obvious that he didn't know what to do after all that.
"Sonic, go fire up the Tornado," he told his partner.
"You got it, big guy!" the hedgehog boy acknowledged, running out the door the next instant.
"Giselle, go grab all the gear you can," Miles ordered the teal twin, "you never know what we might be facing."
The she-wolf nodded firmly and left the workshop post-haste. As for the red twin and the two Cats, the fox let the silence linger a little before he spoke again.
"Gad, you don't have to come," he said softly, "I'd understand if you wanted to stay."
The bespectacled canine gazed one more time at his lover, who simply stroked over his face and smiled sweetly. In response, he leaned down to give Fuchsia a short and gentle kiss, then hugged her tightly. Once they let each other go, Gadget readjusted his frames and stepped forward.
"I'm coming," he decided, "it'll probably be the last time I get to do so for a long while. That and, well, you know I'd do anything to keep my family safe."
Miles made a noise of affirmation as he nodded. "Thank you, big bro. Now go get equipped!"
"Roger, little bro!" Gadget acknowledged as he ran out of the room.
Soon, only the Cat siblings were left. There was a long and awkward period where Lavender appeared to want to say something, only to stop short. Miles let him take his time, and was eventually rewarded when the feline worked up the courage to finally put his thoughts into words.
"I know I just joined, but please let me come!" he nearly pleaded with the fox.
Miles was a little stunned at the insistence that his friend showed. "I mean, I can always use extra help." His face changed to a more worried one. "But, this might turn out really dangerous, Lavender, and...well, you're not as experienced as the rest of us. Are you sure about this?"
"I meant what I said earlier," he answered determinedly, "I need to step up! Please, if it does turn out bad, I don't want it to reach back here and affect my dad and sister!"
The fox winced a little at that last proclamation. He thought about how Cocoa Island had nearly been wiped off the map more than once. How he'd almost lost everyone important to him, in part because of holding back and being unwilling to take another life. The things his family and friends had suffered through because they'd been caught up in his struggles. Hadn't that been why he'd been tempering his connection with his latent energy? Wasn't it so that he could use it to keep trouble from following him back to his home and the people he loved?
Lavender wanted the same thing he did: to stop threats short before they got that chance. It was also an opportunity for the Animal to prove himself, as Miles could see the fire in the feline's eyes. A good attitude to have, but hopefully, things didn't turn out too treacherous.
"Okay, go join Gad and Giselle," the fox told the tomcat, "I'm sure they'll find something for you."
Lavender thumped a fist against his chest as a sort of salute and hurried to join the Wolf twins. Being the only one left, Fuchsia crossed over to Miles and took both of his hands into her own.
"Good luck out there," she wished him, "and please, come home safely, all of you."
The fox squeezed her gloves, and then brought his soon-to-be sister-in-law in for a hug. "I will, Fuchsia. I'll make sure of it."
"I'm counting on you." She giggled softly and rubbed at her belly. "And so is our child, 'Uncle' Miles."
Miles laughed shyly as he once again felt himself blushing beneath his cheek fur. A part of him was still rather tickled at the idea of being an uncle, even if not a biological one. But, entertaining those thoughts would have to wait, as there was a more immediate concern to contend with.
He rushed out of there and made his way to the shore just south of his home, where Sonic had gotten the Tornado all ready to fly. Remi transformed into the jet mode of its Sea Fox form just as Gadget, Gizmo, and Lavender came out of the cabin, the cat hopping into one of the back seats as the wolves took both of the front ones. Seeing as everyone else was ready, Miles made a quick sweep of his place for anything that might be useful, then leapt onto the top level of the Tornado's wings.
"Let's go, partner!" he shouted to Sonic, pointing out to the horizon with one hand.
"Here we go!" They jetted out across the water as the plane built up speed, gradually lifting off. "We're up..." The spiny boy couldn't resist doing a full loop, prompting an excited yell from both him and the fox. "Over..." He punched a button in the center of the console, activating the rocket engine attachment on the bottom of the craft. "And gone!"
Miles hunched down more and braced his legs as the Tornado's speed exponentially increased, the tell-tale boom of the sound barrier breaking momentarily ringing in his ears. Another one greeted him as Remi kept pace, and together, the five Animals headed towards Angel Island as quickly as they could.
(Classified Location)
G.U.N. headquarters, considered one of the most secure places in the world, had been enjoying a relatively lax period in the months since the Flicky Island Incident. Crime had been on a downward trend across most of the territories they surveyed, with some infamously known groups and individuals either detained or laying low. Examples of the former included the ex-Witchcarters trio and many old soldiers of the Battle Kukku Empire, while the latter was composed of organizations such as the Neo Battle Armada.
In the case of the NBA, they'd been effectively crippled when agents Speedy the Ace and Rouge the Bat worked together with the spunky Tiara Boobowski and the mysterious Gunner Green to bring their operations on Flicky Island down. Many of their numbers had been apprehended in clean-up sweeps performed after the agents left, while the rest were presumed to have perished in the collapse of the tunnels beneath Volcano Valley. Those believed dead included the NBA's leader, Dr. Alexei Fukurokov, grand-nephew of the late Dr. Dmitri Fukurokov. However, the owl scientist's body was never found following the ordeal, and so some in G.U.N., including Commander Bullock himself, still considered him at large. Even if he did survive and escape with little to none of the resources he'd built up on Flicky Island, Alexei was still a notable threat.
What G.U.N. had gained from that altercation had proven to be quite fascinating and baffling for their researchers. First was the Atlanteans' imperfect copy of a Chaos Emerald, known as the Elemental Euclase. It granted control over the four classical elements of air, earth, fire, and water, as well as some degree of manipulation over plasma as lightning. However, it came at the cost of draining the user's latent Chaos Energy, which could be potentially fatal if taken too far. Efforts were still underway as to how to replicate the effects without any of the downsides, though at least a little progress had been made thanks to applying some of the workings of Chaos Drive technology.
The same couldn't be said for the Phantom Ruby. Despite giving it their all, none of the researchers that had examined that half of the Cursed Corundums pair could determine anything beyond what was already known. It could cause hallucinatory perceptions in the victims of its users, affecting how they could see their surrounding environment for quite a ways. It could produce copies of people that were as strong and intelligent as the originals, with even all their memories intact. But, it had a limit on just how powerful a being it could replicate, and the durability of the phantoms was not so great. The same went for its capabilities in warping how victims saw the user, something that could just as easily work against the latter as it could for them. All the same, the most fearsome aspect of these abilities was that while they brought about things that weren't technically real, they could still cause harm and affect reality. Thus, the phantoms and spaces weren't true illusions in the traditional sense, but rather augmented reality, wherein the features and dangers of one were overlapped onto what most people knew, within a given range.
It was the latter mineral that concerned Speedy the most. His ancestor had attempted to harness its powers without the maddening side effects, with the Crown of Delusion built specifically for that purpose. From what he'd seen of Alexei's attempts at using them in tandem, the ancient headgear could not adequately eschew the hefty cost of using the Ruby's power. What then would become of someone that attempted to use both of the Cursed Corundums to shape reality to their liking? Was it even possible for someone to keep it together long enough to do so if the Shadow Star Sapphire could instill insanity just as potently as its sister gem?
Alas, while he'd made more than a handful of efforts to locate the other Corundum in the time since Flicky Island, Speedy had been unsuccessful thus far. Nothing within G.U.N.'s archives could point to the Sapphire's current whereabouts, as it had been around 200 years since it was last seen. The best that the ace could come up with was a scan of old writings from the Edo Period of Japan, wherein an Animal samurai known as "Okami Kin," thereafter transliterated as "Gold the Wolf," was the last known owner of the artifact.
"Round as the sun and blue like the skies," the bird murmured as he scrolled over the translation, "bearing an eight-pointed star darker than moonless night. Hence did I name it the 'Sapphire of the Dark Star.'"
After that, the account stated that Gold had spirited the Sapphire away to a place known only to him, and that when he'd returned home, he swore never to reveal its hiding place. Much like the Ruby, its sister gem had driven many that used it off the cliffs of sanity, but the samurai had been one of the few to escape such a fate. It was funny to think that while he was seeking it out, Speedy was simultaneously thankful that it wasn't so easy to find. At the very least, it meant that his potential enemies would have just as difficult a time trying to discover where it was.
"Aren't you bored of doing all that work, Ace?" he heard a familiar female voice taunt him from behind.
A few months ago, his feathers would've ruffled at that irritating tone, but not now. Now, Speedy only let out a sigh and a shrug as he turned around to face his flying mammalian partner.
"I'm simply being proactive in dealing with potential threats, Rouge," he explained, "all too often, us relegated peacekeepers react to danger instead of nipping it in the bud."
The bat giggled and imitated his sigh, although it wasn't entirely mocking. "I won't argue with you there. It'd be a lot easier if we could take care of things before they become a big problem."
"Indeed. If only it were easier to find a lead on a gem that's been elusive for over two centuries."
Rouge smirked and peered over his shoulder as she read Okami Kin's text. "That does sound a lot prettier than the Ruby. I was so disappointed at how unsightly that thing turned out to be, never mind the goosebumps it gave me."
"Certainly something you'd expect in a museum." Speedy leaned back in his chair. "If it had been found. Yet, even as technology marches on, the Sapphire continues to elude those that seek it." He rested his chin in one hand. "Suppose it's not on Earth, per se, as with a certain island we know about...that would definitely make it near impossible for most people to reach. But then, how would Gold have been able to get there?"
He let out a huff and shook his head, having racked his brain about the matter for quite a while that day. In that moment of minor frustration, complications arose for the duo. First and foremost was the incessant blaring of the klaxons ringing throughout the complex, accompanied by flashing red emergency lights. Both of their comms were assaulted by confused cries from other agents and soldiers of the organization that were swiftly silenced. Speedy connected it to the console that he was using, trying to get anything from the other end.
The third level of the complex showed various members of G.U.N. strewn about, all of them unconscious but still alive. He switched to a different camera, where he found several more engaged with a force that the cameras couldn't track aside from traces of a blur. It wasn't too much for his eyes, though, and he had to do a double-take when he caught a hint of amber bounding between each person and unit as they fell. In seconds, that wave of security was dealt with, and the unknown intruder zoomed further down.
Rouge glanced between Speedy's monitor and another, her eyes widening as she figured out the path that their enemy was taking. "Ace, it's heading for the vault!"
"There's only one possible reason I can think of why," the bird declared as he hastily got up from his seat, "I have the red Chaos Emerald on me, and the Elemental Euclase is currently being held in one of the labs. It must be after the Phantom Ruby."
"Then let's go!" The bat was already halfway out the door by the time her partner's flight suit was fully prepared. "We didn't bring that thing back with us just to have it snatched away!"
He soon flew after her and together, they made their way down the shortest route to their destination. And yet, even though they'd been closer to the vault, the interloper had apparently beaten them there. Among the beaten guards, one lay slumped against the wall with a hand over the panel connected to the main door, which stood wide open. With slight trepidation, the pair entered the vault proper, its walls lined with reinforced red and blue metal safes that sported the G.U.N. logo and went on up for many meters, a broad walkway on each row. There were infrared lasers blocking several of the containers along with a multitude of autonomous units to help guard them.
Or at least, there would have been if not for the fact that many a good number had already been scrapped by the time the two agents arrived. Even worse, the laser grid had been completely disabled, leaving the contents of the vault almost entirely defenseless. Speedy saw that same yellow-orange flash from before slip inside a safe near the top, jetting up after it without hesitation with Rouge close behind. Both of them were forced to spread out and dodge as the steel door of the container was knocked clear off its hinges by a bright blue burst of energy. Once the light faded and they could get a good look at the culprit, both of them were stunned, though Speedy considerably more so.
It was a robotic likeness of Miles with a decidedly more intimidating visage, its scowling black optics lit by cyan-blue rings in place of irises, and its mouth-less muzzle still somehow giving off the impression of a frown. It had tall "boots" similar to the fox's shoes, and similarly bulky forearms that ended in hands with rust-colored, razor-sharp claws. The remainder of its limbs that connected these features to the torso were comparatively sleek and skinny, but that didn't appear to hamper it or otherwise weigh it down at all. Its ears and nose were pointier than the real Miles' were, while its two tails swished as flexibly as organic ones, the lengthy appendages humming and glowing along the edges from blue plasma emission. Its three bangs of faux fur were the only non-metallic feature about it, bobbing lightly as it moved its head to take notice of the two Animals.
"What in the world?" Rouge murmured, "is that the thing you heard about when you listened in on that kid's story?"
Speedy raised his fists and prepared to face off against the robotic doppelganger. "Yeah, I saw design blueprints for this the last time I set foot in the old doctor's lab. It might look a bit different from what I remember, but there's no doubt: it's Mecha Miles."
"Correction: I am Mecha Miles Mark III, Version 2," it informed them in a synthetically-filtered version of the real Miles' voice. It held up a magenta icosahedron gemstone with rippling black stripes and lines in one hand, its optics shifting to show what seemed to be smugness. "And I have found what I came here for."
Rouge scoffed a bit. "What could a robot want with an ugly gem like that?"
"As much as I'd love to expound on the matter," Mecha taunted her, wagging a finger with its free hand, "I won't waste any more time here. There is much that still needs to be done, and it all takes priority over fighting you."
"As if I'll just let you get away!" Speedy shouted, soaring towards the fox bot with an Aerial Spin Dash.
Mecha brought up both tails to block him and cause him to ricochet away, then dove off the catwalk near the safe, activating the boosters in its heels. Rouge pursued with a Screw Kick, only narrowly missing the artificial Animal as it turned at the last second, causing her to leave a sizable crater in the ground floor.
"Damn!" she hissed, tapping at her comm after pulling herself free, "the intruder's making a break for it! If anyone can hear me, do whatever you can, just don't let it get away!"
A boom echoed through the vault as Speedy went supersonic, swiftly catching up to but not quite overtaking Mecha. The two had to halt when a solid gate slammed down in front of the ramp leading up to the third level, whereafter they were encircled by several G.U.N. robots.
Some of them were humanoids with solid white legs and top-heavy upper torsos that bore flat heads with mono-eyes and no necks. They had red and blue chest plating with the number "02" printed on the left and G.U.N.'s symbol on the right, which were both also emblazoned on their heads. Their left arms sported hands while their right ones ended in large yet sleek red and black-barreled guns. Others were more akin to gray orbs with blue outlines and armor, bearing sharp blue caps with red edges. They had horizontal yellow turbine disks that went far behind their backs, while their front "faces" had singular red and white lenses. Like the others, they had the insignia of G.U.N. as well as the number "01" printed on their heads, and on the bottom, they had their own red-barreled turrets with a box magazine to support them. They were the basic, mass-produced models of the Hunter and Beetle series of the organization's robots, respectively, with these types in particular known as Gun Hunters and Gun Beetles.
"All units, retrieve the Phantom Ruby!" Speedy ordered them as he moved out of their way and focused on making a Shocking Blast.
The Beetles had barely activated their blasters when Mecha slashed one of them into scrap with its claws. The others fired upon their target, unleashing a rapid hail of energy bullets that the metal fox dodged with another burst from its boots. Speedy rounded on it in from the opposite direction, flinging his electrified projectile during the charge and hitting the steely vulpine dead on. Mecha spun from the blast, leaving it open to get pelted by several shots from the Hunters' guns. The ace followed up with a second attempt at an ASD, this time striking true and causing it to ping off the walls.
Despite all the direct attacks taken, Mecha hardly suffered a scratch and instead used its trajectory to its advantage, curling up and bouncing high off one Beetle. The unit was destroyed in the process, along with two Hunters as they were blown apart by a pair of eye beams from the killer robot. Speedy let loose a couple of energy blades, only for Mecha to cancel them out with a spin of its plasma-coated tails. After sweeping around, the fox curled up and went into a Buzz Saw Spin Dash, which the bird narrowly managed to avoid, though the same couldn't be said for the robots that had been near him.
Mecha redirected itself to try and go for the gate, but was stopped by a timely Heart Bomb thrown from Rouge as she entered the scene. It didn't seem to hurt the robot, but the blast had distracted it enough to shift its attention and come out of its attack. As it turned around to face the Animals, more of the organization's automatons had replaced those it had destroyed, and many more besides.
"You're mistaken if you think you can just leave!" Speedy declared.
"Every path out of here's been sealed shut," Rouge added, "and they're not like those doors in the vault."
Mecha looked back at the gate behind it and let out a tinny chuckle. "How foolish of you to assume that you or any of that could stop me." The silver plating on its chest meant to represent Miles' fur recessed into its torso, revealing the blue Chaos Emerald slotted in its core. "I wanted to conserve more energy, but since you insist on getting in my way..."
The cavity shone with a similar glow as the one they'd seen just moments ago in the vault, and soon the rest of the fox was enveloped in the light. It threw the Phantom Ruby into the air and in the same instant, both of its hands retracted into its forearms to convert them into cannons. One of them aimed at the two agents and the group of Hunters and Beetles while the other was tilted up at the ceiling. It almost instantly charged and fired a broad ball of energy from both barrels, making Speedy and Rouge seek cover. Two blinding flashes filled the hall, accompanied by the thunder of explosive power and the screech of searing metal. The bat's sensitive hearing picked up the commotion of Mecha's thrusters, though they were soon out of earshot. The force had pushed them both back anyway, even after they'd shielded themselves from the shock wave.
When the two could see again, most of the G.U.N. robots with them had been blown to bits, and a huge hole had been left overhead. A series of similarly violent bangs came from the floors above, the sounds growing fainter with each passing second. Speedy let out a frustrated squawk and rocketed up through the shortcut that Mecha had made for itself, very quickly finding himself in the airspace above HQ. His eyes darted around, searching the skies for any sign of the metal fox before it disappeared. His keen eyes caught a glint of amber little bigger than a dot on the horizon, moving due southwest of the base's position.
"No you don't!" he yelled. He tapped at his comm while he went after Mecha at just below his top speed. "Rouge, keep track of my position and pursue when you can! I've got to go after it and find out what it's up to before I lose its trail!"
"Ugh, and just when I was starting to relax," she said half-jokingly, "don't worry, Ace, I'll catch up soon." There was a long pause until she spoke again. "Maybe you should let your two-tailed friend know what's going on. Just a thought."
Speedy wanted to be angry at that last little coy jab of hers, but he let out a sigh instead as he terminated the link. As he very slowly but steadily drew closer to the fleeing vulpine, he considered what she said about the other one.
"Perhaps I should," he mumbled aloud.
