Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, Zemma, while alone, recalls her memories that led her to the point in life she is in. Betrayal after betrayal, she began to get increasingly distrustful of other beings. As these thoughts haunted her, Zan and the two Clan Brides, Many Paths and Constant Vigil, began to discuss the future of Chun-nan and what may come… With Conquering Storm now confronting the Ogre of Iron Mountain, how will this story conclude?

Zemma stood on guard as she looked up at the sight of the lynx leader of the Raiju, Conquering Storm, on the roof of the building she was hiding behind. She pulled out her club, ready to attack, but Conny simply jumped down, standing across from the Zeti.

Conny: "...So you are the Ogre of Iron Mountain… You don't appear to be much…"

Zemma: "Y-You… You hunt Zemma…? You kill Zemma?"

Conny: "...That depends…"

Conny states, looking at the creature with a very intense glare. The Zeti stared back, her hands on her club as she was ready to attack if Conny attacked.

Conny: "...That look."

Zemma: "...?"

Conny: "Your look tells me of someone who's lived alone, away from others… Away from those you perceive as a threat. Am I wrong?"

Zemma was confused by this question. But she didn't deny there was some truth to it.

Conny: "...I can relate, somewhat. Thread and Espio? They have been my friends since our time in the ninja academy. Between Thread's overly outgoing personality and Espio's level headed personality, I somehow become the outlier. And that became more obvious since mom died…"

Zemma listened, still confused by what exactly prompted this talk. Was Conny saying that they are alike?

Conny: "Tell me… You've been alone for a very long time… Why still live? Why do you fight to survive?"

Zemma takes a step back at that question.

Zemma: "Zemma no have to answer… People live… People survive…"

Conny: "Because it's natural. That's a fact. But from your look, I can tell you have suffered loss and betrayal. There are times I have been betrayed at a young age. Heh… Kind of shaped me to focus on my strength, really… However, there have been times where life didn't seem worth living for some. So I ask again… Why do you fight to survive?"

Zemma quivers at the speech, her glare softening as she stood up straight, prompting Conny to do the same.

Zemma: "Years ago, I was part of a group… A group called the Deadly Seven, who represented a different quirk. Or as you more religious Mobians call 'Sin'. I represent the Sin of Envy… Envious of life… Envious of all living creatures… How life molded them to be so… happy… Whereas I only knew pain… suffering… death… Why do you filthy creatures live in peace whereas I live my life in turmoil? Why do you carry yourselves day after day with a smile where such a thing is never given to me!? Why are you loved… but I've only experienced hate…?"

Conny: "So you fight… to learn?"

Zemma: "I fight because I have nothing left… But my envy… I wanted to learn peace… To learn happiness… But all I ever got was betrayal… by the armored boy…"

Conny: "One who is said to feast on peaches often?"

Zemma: "Yes… He came to me… Offered to become my friend… Told me of the war here on this island. I wanted to quell the fighting… But instead, I was treated like a monster… And the boy betrayed me… I slaughtered him in a fit of anger, but the battle against that trio of animals… It took its toll… Once again I was betrayed… Once again I was dying… Once again I was… alone…"

Conny was certainly sympathetic to the creature's story; Zemma went through a lot, compared to herself.

Conny: "Does it have to be that way though?"

The lynx took off her straw hat, revealing a black bang of hair and a long stripe going between her ears and ending just at the back of her head.

Conny: "Loneliness is never a good feeling. For years because of my own choices, I chose to become a lone lynx. I only ever concentrated on power and ways to achieve power. My mother would often encourage me to search for other avenues… but I'd ignore her advice. Until I realized what she meant… Thread… Espio… Hmph… Even Dulcy in a way… They are able to accomplish things that I'm truly envious of… Even if I want to pound their faces in at times for annoying me… They are among my most important things in this mortal coil…"

She then extends a hand to the Zeti, Zemma looking at her with confusion.

Conny: "I know trusting others is tough for you. But it never hurts to try again."

Zemma looked at the hand, then at Conny. She still wasn't sure if she could trust anyone… Her hand clenched her club tightly as it began to shake intensely.

Meanwhile, Sally and Dulcy continued their search, having lost where Zemma went after their encounter.

Nicole: "I cannot detect any nearby electrical interferences, Sally. That creature gained a lot of ground in a short span."

Sally: "Either she's aware of her own ability and is hiding it, or she was faster than I thought…"

Dulcy: "Man, this is nuts… Where did that ogre-"

A large flash of lightning struck an area nearby, causing people to panic, though it gave a lead to Sally and Dulcy. The two ran in the direction of the lightning, arriving to where Conny and Zemma stood for their conversation; Conny stood in the center of a burnt spot, having seemingly killed the Zeti.

Dulcy: "Conny!? What happened!?"

Conny: "...Nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just an… altercation."

Conny sheathes her blade, hiding it away as she turns to Sally.

Conny: "Are you a friend of a canary and woodchuck?"

Sally: "I am… Who are you?"

The lynx gave a respectful bow, placing a fist to her other palm as she bowed.

Conny: "I am the Bride of the Conquering Storm. I apologize for startling you if you were spooked by my lightning."

Dulcy: "Conny… You didn't…"

Conny turned to Dulcy, placing a hand to her shoulder.

Conny: "I took care of the problem. That's all I will say. However, there is still one thing we need to take care of…"

Both Sally and Dulcy were quite confused, having been left out of the loop the entire time.

As the lightning struck, the Yagyu Lord that sent Conny to kill the ogre smiles as he thinks the lynx had potentially perished.

Lord Yagyu: "That's two troublesome pests down… Now how to deal with the other two Brides?"

Voice: "What do you mean by 'deal with'?"

The Yagyu Lord is startled by the voice before Espio jumped at him from above, causing the bat leap out of the way, tossing kunai at him. The kunai are bounced off by green feathers launched by Tekno the Canary.

Tekno: "Hey, freak! Why don't you stand down before we mess up ya ugly mug more!?"

Lord Yagyu: "Grr… I got too reckless…"

An arrow narrowly misses Lord Yagyu's head as Rosie lands just opposite of where Espio was, the trio surrounding the bat in all but one angle. The bat smiles before flying in that open angle, cackling as he does.

Lord Yagyu: "Fools! Chun-nan belongs to the Yagyu Clan! And so will the world!"

As he flies, his wings are caught by something invisible. He is shocked at first, trying to flap it free, but then his other wing is caught. Then his legs… He begins to panic as a large, triangular shaped web was made.

Thread: "You know… I hate when my friends are messed with… You know what happens when my friends are messed with…?"

Thread asks as red glowing eyes are seen as she made herself visible. As she approached, the Yagyu Lord's heart began to beat faster and faster, panic turning into full fear as Thread traced her sharp fingers along the bat's chest, pointing directly at his heart.

Thread: "I make your heart stop."

Thread's fangs are on full display as she shares a truly horrifying slasher smile. Her finger digs deep into the Yagyu's chest, causing him a moment of pain before… he passed out. Reality around him fades; it was but an illusion as Thread had snuck up behind him and injected him with her toxins.

Thread: "Spiders are known for their venom~ And it has quite the effect too!"

Tekno: "...Goodness…"

Espio: "Yeah, this is why I stay on Thread's good side… Her Nightmare Toxins can be quite a sight to behold…"

Some time later, and a bit of cold water thrown at the Yagyu Lord later, Team Freedom and their new Chun-nan friends, as well as Zan and the Brides, arrive to arrange their story of events. Conny's testimony of the Yagyu Lord tricking her to attack the Ogre of Iron Mountain matched up with his own, with evidence suggesting the Yagyu Lord was the one who killed Thunderous Storm.

Zan: "So the Bride of Rich Nights set up a private meeting with the Bride of Thunderous Storm… This then prompted her assassination?"

Yagyu Lord: "Not quite. I arrived on my own as the spokesperson of my lady. The brat chameleon stationed to guard Thunderous Storm was quickly dealt with, with the lynx to follow as I poisoned her tea."

Constant Vigil: "For what reason? What is your end goal?"

Yagyu Lord: "Total domination of course. Isn't it obvious? This island has stagnated. There needs to be a proper ruler… A proper king! And who else to serve besides me?"

Conny glared at the Yagyu Lord, approaching him slowly… before giving him a hard punch to his gut, causing him to start coughing violently after the shockwaves of the punch leave his system.

Conny: "See to his imprisonment is a long and painful one… That's all the Raiju Clan demands."

Zan looks at Conny, nodding as a couple of Chun-nan soldiers are called to take the Yagyu Lord away. Sally hears the story from Tekno and Rosie, leading her to sigh as she took it all in.

Sally: "Boy… We sure landed in quite the misadventure… But hey, I think it was still fun."

Rosie: "But princess… What of this ogre you spoke of? Conny…"

Sally: "I don't think anything really happened, Rosie… Conny doesn't seem like the type to do such a thing… Whatever happened, it's none of our business…"

Tekno: "Meanwhile, I had to wear this stinkin' kimono… I mean look! I ripped holes in the sleeves because of my wings! This is a rental and now I have to buy it…!"

Tekno cries more as Sally and Rosie start to chuckle. Then Dulcy walks up to Sally, smiling at her.

Dulcy: "Sorry for involving you in all that, Sally… It kind of ruined your time in the festival…"

Sally: "Ah, don't worry. I think this was fun. And we could stay and help out more, if you want."

Nicole "If I may interject…"

Sally flips open Nicole's computer at the sound of the computer lynx's voice. A map is then shown as a signal was found by Nicole.

Nicole: "A message was just found in this spot of the ocean. I will now play back the message…"

What plays is somewhat hard to hear, due to what seems to be an alarm going off in the background, as well the sound of rock being blasted.

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

Voice B: "They're breaching in! Hurry!"

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

The sound of blasters breaching is heard before it cuts to static. Sally takes a moment to process what she heard as her face grows serious.

Sally: "'Lam'...? As in Lam the Goat, from South Island?"

Tekno: "Someone you know?"

Sally: "No, but she helped Sonic at that very island a while back when he went off on his own. And it sounds like she's in trouble."

Zan then approaches, with the Brides and their new ninja friends standing behind him.

Zan: "It sounds like you are needed somewhere else, young Acorn princess."

Sally: "We are. I'm sorry for leaving, but…"

Zan: "Say not another word. It should come as no surprise, but… You are always welcome here, Sally. We will assist in any way we can, as allies to the Acorn Kingdom."

Sally looks at the Chun-nan group, who all bow to the princess, which prompts the heroes to bow back in respect. With a thankful smile, Sally orders her Team Freedom for immediate departure, leaving to their next real adventure in the dead of night… However, from a distance, Zemma watches as Sally leaves; she then turns away from the scene as she herself runs off to parts unknown, vanishing from the public eye… Will she return? Who is to say…?

Inside a dark, foreboding castle, decorated with the emblem of 'Iron', rows of Yagyu stand at attention as three Lords and Ladies bow to a figure sitting upon a throne.

Woman's Voice: "So one of your lords has been captured? Is that it?"

Yagyu Lady: "Yes, your majesty… It is as you planned…"

Yagyu Lord: "He took the fall so as to not arouse suspicion. He played his part quite well. Down to even being caught by those fools."

Woman's Voice: "And of the dragon?"

Yagyu Lord: "None the wiser."

The woman chuckles a lady's taunting laugh as she stands from her throne.

Woman: "Excellent… All is going according to plan. Chun-nan will soon fall to my dominion. All will be under my direct command. And it's all thanks to you… my benefactor."

The woman turns, facing a monitor as on screen… the evil dictator, Eggman, was shown on screen with an evil smile.

Dr. Eggman: "But of course, Iron Queen Regina Ferrum. Why waste a good… business opportunity?"

Just below the monitor, a machine most foul that was just used. Behind it, a line of robots… Seven roboticized chameleon… and a roboticized lynx… The Iron Queen's laugh is heard as the robots' eyes glow to life…

To be continued…