During the time Eggman was still preparing his eventual rise to power, two inexperienced explorers had made a fascinating - but ultimately costly - discovery. One explorer managed to escape, while the other was unfortunately left behind with his fate left unknown. The name of that sole survivor? Mighty the Armadillo…

Several months ago, a speed boat is shown traveling across the ocean as a young, yellow furred flying squirrel Mobian is seen piloting it. Mighty is seen looking at a radar, which has detected unusual traces of energy in the general area.

Flying Squirrel: "Hey, Mighty? You sure we should be out here? This part of the Mobius Ocean is all ocean, isn't it?"

Mighty: "You worry too much, Ray. Even if it is, a little scuba diving hurts no one. Especially not me. Anyway, we're closing in on our target."

Ray looked ahead and froze as his eyes widened. A shadow crept over their tiny speed boat as they saw a massive mountain that bore the face of Dr. Robotnik - though they didn't know this.

Mighty: "...W-Whoa… That island shouldn't be here… It's on no maps, let alone our radar."

Ray: "I-I don't like that mountain though… It looks… sinister."

Mighty: "Huh? Pfft… Whoever owns this place must think very highly of themselves. Well, that only means the treasure here must be good. Ray? Let's dock and see what this place has to offer."

Ray: "R-Right…"

Some time would pass as a defeated Mighty and Ray were tossed to the feet of the evil soon-to-be dictator, who wore his more Classic look, instead of his Modern one, which likely was in the process of being built. The robot that caught them was a beta Omelette, with no synthetic skin and exposing the robot she was underneath.

Omelette: "Daddy!~ Look who I caught! Some poor fools trying to sneak around your island."

Eggman: "Excellent, my dear. You make Daddy very proud. But now…"

Eggman raised a foot before slamming it on Mighty's clenched hand, causing him to scream out.

Eggman: "Are you allies of my sister, Jennifer? She shouldn't know where I am, yet here you are…"

Ray: "Who…? Who are you talking about!? Leave my friend alone!"

Eggman: "Oh? So you choose to be quiet, eh? Well, that's fine."

Eggman says as he moves his foot off Mighty's hand, moving to a device in the back behind him. The device was being powered by a chunk of Chaos Gem, the same one that would power Tails Doll.

Eggman "Every good scientist needs a willing volunteer. Or in this case… an unwilling volunteer."

Mighty is grabbed by his shell by Omelette as she brings him closer to the device - a ray gun type device.

Eggman: "This device is a beta version of a device I intend to use in the near future, the Ultimate Annihilator, situated aboard currently being built Death Egg. I have every intention of destroying all life on this planet to make room for my true utopia. But in order to do that, I need a test subject…"

Eggman smiles as he grabs his ray gun and points it at Mighty.

Eggman: "I'm a fair sport though so I'll allow you some last words. Make them last, brat."

Mighty: "...You are one… rotten… egg…"

Eggman shrugged before starting to charge the laser, laughing as he got ready to fire. But as he was about to, Ray suddenly flew in and tackled Eggman, hitting Omelette on the leg instead, allowing Mighty to get free.

Omelette: "Ah! My leg! Do you know how hard it is to replace that!?"

Mighty kicks Omelette away before staring up as Ray wrestles the ray gun from Eggman, only to be lifted up.

Eggman: "You… I will not tolerate brats like you!"

As Eggman grabs Ray by his neck, Mighty rushes in and punches the ray gun, breaking it to pieces. However, the Chaos Gem chunk starts to vibrate…

Eggman: "You fool! Do you realize what you've done!?"

Eggman rushes to the nearest escape pod as Mighty and Ray look to each other.

Mighty: "I dunno about you, buddy, but if he's terrified, maybe we should-"

As Mighty spoke, Omelette gets to her remaining foot as she turns her hand into an arm cannon.

Omelette: "You made Daddy upset and me look like a fool! I'll make sure you never leave here alive!"

Mighty tried to clench his hands, but the pain from the one Eggman stomped on made him reel back. Ray looked at this before turning to the Chaos Gem chunk. Without thinking, he grabs the chunk and stabs it into Omelette's chest.

Omelette: "Gah!? E-Error! E-Energy… ov-...overload!"

Ray: "Mighty! Run!"

Mighty: "Ray!? What are you-"

Ray: "Just… GO!"

Mighty looked at Ray before turning away and running out of the lab, crashing out of the eye of the mountain, falling into the air and towards the ground below. As he fell, he saw the mountain let out a huge shockwave, which pushed him even further, allowing him to hit the ocean. Some time later, he made it to his speed boat, taking a big gulp of air as he nearly drowned from his experience. He looked at the still standing mountain, contemplating going back… but the alert Egg Robos swarming out put a stop to that plan. He had no choice but to leave, tears in his eyes as he left his best friend behind…

Present day, Mighty is seen piloting the speed boat, having finished telling his story of what happened on his first visit to the island to Lam, who listened with a growing look of sadness.

Lam: "You… Ya went through all of that…?"

Mighty: "Yep… Ray was brave… He saved my life… But at what cost…?"

Lam: "Oi, don't ya start feelin' down now, ya hard shelled rodent. If ya believe yer friend is still there, then I say the trip's worth it. If not, well… Ya get closure, right?"

Mighty looked at Lam and his adventurous spirit reignites. He smiles as he nods.

Mighty: "You're right. I've got to stay strong. Lam? How close are we?"

Lam checks the radar and finds the island's signal to be close.

Lam: "We're close. Should we get ready?"

Mighty: "Yeah. I'm gonna anchor the boat once we get close. I got out because of that explosion, but I doubt we'd get lucky a second time."

As the dreaded Robotnik Island came into view, Mighty slowed the boat to a stop, anchoring it to the sea bed below. With scuba gear and their instincts, the duo dive into the water, swimming towards the island from under the surface of the water.

The duo swam under the artificial island, held floating by propellers; as they swam under the island, they found a grate. Mighty pulls it off and instructs Lam to follow as they enter from the grate and sneak in through the ducts.

Lam: "So what's yer plan?"

Mighty: "Find Ray, then blow this island sky high."

Lam: "Alright. Any ideas on doin' the latter?"

Mighty: "We'll figure it out."

Lam gives Mighty an annoyed look before the duo find a place to spy from above. Inside, various robots are seen still working, producing more robots for… something. Mighty looks to Lam, seeing her glare at the Egg Robos and various South Island Badniks.

Mighty: "They remind you of something?"

Lam: "Those bucket o' bolts are from South Island… Took my entire village an' everythin'..."

Mighty: "Sounds like you have a vendetta against them then… More reason to blow up this island."

Lam: "I hear that…"

The two continue their crawl through the ducts, finding an unoccupied room, allowing them to break in. Once inside, the duo look around for any signs of trouble.

Lam: "Looks like the 'bots are on a smoke break."

Mighty: "I didn't get a good look around for a map last time…"

Lam: "Like this one, laddie?"

Lam points to a framed map. She starts to trace where they were - the bottom sector labs - to the prison cells.

Lam: "Looks like this island is used as some kind of lab rat facility… There're all kinds of funky things in this place…"

Mighty: "Yeah, and I hate to run into them again… Where are the holding cells?"

Lam points out the quickest route, only to then avoid a laser shot.

Lam: "Oi! That could've taken my head off!"

Lam and Mighty turn to see Egg Robos enter the room, followed by a Mobian dressed in all black and wearing some kind of mask. This mask seems to be altering his voice to much deeper and threatening.

Masked Mobian: "Capture them. And prepare them for interrogation."

Lam: "How'd they find us so quickly?"

Mighty: "No idea… But they aren't catching us alive!"

Mighty jumps into the air before curling into a ball, slamming onto the ground with enough force to break through the floor, with Lam following.

Masked Mobian: "After them you fools!"

Mighty and Lam run through the halls, Lam ramming through any Badniks that stood in her way with her horns while Mighty used himself like a bowling ball to smash through any others.

Lam: "Never thought I'd get a repeat of Scrap Brain!"

Mighty: "Who the heck is that guy!? Is he working for the Robotnik jerk!?"

Lam: "Less talk, more bash!"

Lam slams her head into the doors, knocking them off conveyors as Mighty tosses some nearby junk to block the entrance. Eventually, they make it to the holding cells.

Mighty: "Ray!? Ray!"

Mighty and Lam look through the cages, but find no one.

Mighty: "Oh no… Don't tell he really…"

Masked Mobian: "'Died'?"

Mighty and Lam turn their attention to the entrance as the Masked Mobian walked in, hands behind his back.

Masked Mobian: "Not exactly. Your friend is here. Still alive."

Mighty: "Grr… Cut the crap! If you know where Ray is, tell me! Or I swear I'll…"

Masked Mobian: "You'll do what… Mighty?"

The Masked Mobian adjusts his hands before unlocking his mask, lifting it up and revealing himself. Mighty's demeanor changed in an instant, from angry to fearful. Lam was shocked by what she saw. The Masked Mobian… was Ray himself!

Ray: "It's been a while, Mighty."

Mighty: "R-Ray…? Y-You're… alive…?"

Ray: "Yep… No thanks to you."

Ray activates his suit's laser blaster, blasting Mighty across the room. Mighty hits the wall hard as the flying squirrel looks ready to blast him again.

Lam: "Sorry, lad! But I don't have the same attachment as him!"

Lam grabs Ray by his wrist and flings him away, sending him out of the room. She bashes the wall behind Mighty as she picked him up.

Lam: "C'mon, Mighty! We gotta get out of here somehow!"

Mighty: "B-But Ray… He… What the heck is going on here!?"

Ray, meanwhile, rubs his head before grabbing his mask and putting it back on.

Ray: "All forces! Capture the intruders! Block all exits!"

Alarms began to blare as various doors slam shut. Mighty and Lam's options were running out as robots began to close in on them. They enter a lab, destroying the entrance to cave it in and block out their pursuers. It wouldn't be long before they were caught.

Mighty: "Lam… Please tell me I did not just see what I thought I saw… I know I've been gone a while… B-But…"

Lam: "I don't know what to tell you, Mighty. I'm still catching my breath…"

Mighty: "W-What do we do!? We're trapped!"

Lam looks around the room before seeing the big monitor. She worked as fast as she could as the sound of blasters ripped through their temporary blockade. All she could manage was an S.O.S. signal and hope someone would rescue them.

Lam: "Listen! We need help! Whoever gets this! My name is Lam! We're trapped on-"

Mighty: "They're breaching in! Hurry!"

Lam: "I-I'll try to send coordinates! Please come quickly!"

Laser blasts enter the room as the robots barge in, blasting Lam and Mighty and forcing them to the ground. As the duo lay on the ground, Mighty looks up at the masked figure - at Ray - hoping in vain that this was all just a nightmare.

Ray: "Take them away in the name of Lord Robotnik."

Egg Robo: "Yes, sir."

Mighty's vision blurs as he falls unconscious, his only thoughts at that point being 'Why?'...

To be continued…