At Nine's Lair in The Grim.
"The only person I can trust is myself." Nine said, exited a portal and entered his base. "Sonic! The fool! This could have been everything he ever wanted." he said and took a deep breath. "No matter. I have the Shards now." he said, started climbing up a ladder, and made it up to a machine which holds the Grim Shard. "And I know exactly where each one of them fits. Like the pieces of a puzzle." he said and used his mechanical tails holding all of the Shards one-by-one, and started inserting them into the machine.
He put the Red, Green, and Blue Shards into the machine.
"Last one." he said, inserted the Yellow Shard and all of the Shards glow and were put back together, forming the Paradox Prism. "The Paradox Prism. With this, I can transform the Grim..." he said and started extracting energy from the Prism using his mechanical tails. "...and make it stable. Make it perfect!" he said and released all of the energy he had connected from the Paradox Prism.
Outside The Grim,his new home was complete resembling a castle. he flew out from the top of his home and gathered more energy from the Prism to make a dome over his home. He looked around and smiled, proud of what he created.
At the Shatterverse one of the Gateway was leading to The Grim and showed the four other Gateways leading to the other Shatterspaces, and they appear to be destabilizing as rainbow-like effects were seen on the edges of the Gateways. Rumbling could be heard as well. The Gateway leading to Ghost Hill, in particular, was beginning to slowly fall apart.
At Ghost Hill everything started to decay and even float away.
At the top of Temple Mountain, Shadow was looking around at what was going on. Inside Leader was walking up to where the Prism was.
"After all those years of raising him Nine betray us." Leader said.
"It's destabilizing." Shadow said and rushed over to her. "Sonic, I told you Nine couldn't be trusted. Whatever he's up to, it's causing this world to fracture."
"I don't understand. Why would he—?"
"Pull yourself together! This mountain is decaying, and it's going to take us with it. We have to run!" he said, grabbed her hand and she ran together with him out of the mountain.
They started to make their way down to the mountain, but it quickly started to decay. Shadow looked behind him and noticed it decaying so pushed Sonic.
"Jump!" he said and they jumped off the mountain.
Shadow landed on the ground safely, but Sonic landed face-first. She gave him a quick thumbs-up to thank him, until she heard the rumbling coming from the mountain as even the atmosphere started to shake and she looked at the now-decaying mountain.
"Whoa." she said.
"We need to leave this world." Shadow said.
"You don't have to tell me twice." she said, ran off and he followed after her.
In the sky the Yoke HQ was still in Ghost Hill.
Inside.
"I told you we couldn't trust that fox! I knew he'd steal the Shards the first chance he got!" Eggman said.
"Well, you said nothing of the sort. You're just trying to cover your tracks, like you try to cover your head with that silly toupee!" Done-It said.
"Trying and failing." Don't said.
"Gentlemen, forget the fox." Deep said and put Babble back into his seat. "Look around." he said while Ghost Hill kept decaying. "This world draws its last breath."
"And so will we, if we don't get out of here!" Done-It said.
"Agree, but without the Shards, our energy supply is low. We barely have enough to portal back to New Yoke!" Eggman said and Babble babbled in anger.
"Agreed. Set a course for New Yoke, post haste!" Deep said so they opened a portal leading to New Yoke City and made their way through the portal.
Meanwhile Leader and Shadow were running together to make their way out of Ghost Hill.
"If we can gain enough speed, we should be able to teleport out. To higher ground." Shadow said and they jumped off two walls, he grabbed her hand once more, flinging her onto one of the bridges in Ghost Hill.
Shadow spin-dashed onto the bridge and kept running together with Leader, but as they ran, the bridge started to decay underneath them.
"Faster!" Shadow said and they started to pick up their pace, with Leader even performing her Super Peel Out to go faster.
Before they made it to the end of the bridge, they were flung off the bridge and landed on the ground. They got up and Shadow coughed, then looked at Leader who looked at him back.
"You OK?" Leader asked and he nodded. "Let's get out of here." she said and they started to run together, making their way out of Ghost Hill with everything they have.
They pass all sorts of objects as they made their way out, such as the palm trees, rocks, and more. Shadow gave Leader a boost again to fling her onto another bridge and he followed behind but the bridge started to decay as they ran along it.
"We're never gonna hit speed. How are we gonna get out of here?" Leader asked and Shadow looked up, noticing a portal in the sky leading to the Shatterverse.
"That's our exit." Shadow said.
"Right. We need to get vertical!"
"Jump!" he said and they jumped on multiple rocks and as they got closer to the exit, they looked at each other before taking one last giant leap and spindash onto a few more rocks before aiming directly for the exit.
They made it out of Ghost Hill just in time and land safely on a rock. Soon, the Gateway to Ghost Hill exploded and another rock was sent flying towards the one that they were standing on, and they were flown off the rock. They screamed, but manage to grab hold of another rock.
"Hang on!" Leader said.
As they hung onto the rock, Shadow's right hand slipped off the rock, but he was luckily still grabbing on with his left one and grabbed on again. Soon, the rock they were hanging onto bumped into another rock, and they landed on the rock that they bumped into. They climbed up to the top of the rock.
"It's gone." Leader said and they got up and looked at what happened to Ghost Hill's Gateway. "If this can happen to the Ghost Hill, it can happen to the other Shatterspaces."
"Nine betrayed you and left us to die, and he will pay for it." Shadow said and tightened his fist while she looked at him with a serious look.
'This isn't the Sonic and Tails I knew.' he thought.
At The Grim Nine was in his lair activating his mechanical tails and grabbed some of the parts on the inside of his home. He extracted energy from the Paradox Prism using his mechanical tails and tried creating something, but the first try went wrong.
"No!" he said annoyed, got another pair and tried again. "I need more power." he said and extracted energy from the Paradox Prism again, hoping that the second try went right this time, but he realized it still wasn't enough power. "Still not enough. More energy!" he said and gave it everything he has to gain as much energy as he could from the Paradox Prism.
Suddenly, energy from the Paradox Prism stopped extracting to Nine, and he fell to the ground, got up and noticed he finally made his creation. He was surprised, but smiled at what he created and gasped.
"Hello, Friend." he said and the atmosphere started to shake. "What's going on?" he said and jumped down to the main floor. "I must have diverted too much energy from the force field? Huh?" he said, looked at the screen in his lair and noticed the Grim was starting to Decay. "The Grim is starting to Decay! No, no. This doesn't make sense." he said and flew up to where the Paradox Prism was again. "I collected all the Shards. I aligned them perfectly." he said frustrated and grunted. "What am I missing?!"
The Chaos Council put tests on Sonic to determine how powerful she is with her speed.
"I knew it. He's got the same energy that powers the city." Nine said.
"Sonic." he said.
At The Void Leader sat down on a rock, covering her face in frustration. Then she opened one eye and took her hands off her face while Shadow walked up to her.
"Ghost Hill is gone, the Shards are gone." Leader said.
"If knowing you has taught me anything, there's always another way." Shadow said and she looked at him.
"I'm not what I once was Shadow." she she and he gave her an look.
"Nine is out there... hiding in one of the Shatterspaces."
"Hmm... The Grim." she said and jumped up. "There's another gateway and a fifth Shard."
"That explains why he wasn't able to rebuild the Prism." he said and a rock flew towards them, but they manage to dodge.
"Whoa!"
"Can you remember where the gateway is?" he asked and she got up.
"Of course. Nine brought me there in his Shattercraft." she said and moved to the right. "It's this way. Come on!" she said, flew off and he followed after her, making their way to the Gateway that lead to The Grim. "Whoa!" she said and ducked under a rock.
They both continue to make their way to the Gateway. As they get closer to the Gateway, Leader landed on a rock, and Shadow noticed that there was another rock flying towards him. He flew up and grabbed her.
"Watch out!" he said and landed her safely onto another rock.
"Thanks." she said.
"Don't get used to it."
"I wouldn't dream of it." she said and they made it to the Gateway leading to The Grim. "We're here. The Grim."
"I can't pass through Gateways." he said and she looked up and noticed a small gap in the Gateway.
"There's always another way!" she said pointing to the gap, made her way for the gap with him he following after her.
They both made it into The Grim safely.
"Whoa. So that's what he's doing with all the Energy." Leader said and they walked towards Nine's home, until Nine emerged from the platform at the top of his home and looked down at them both.
"That's far enough." Nine said.
"Nine, what are you doing? We had a plan!"
"That was your plan. It was never mine."
"So it was always about power." Shadow said and Leader looked at Nine in shock.
"Exactly. With the Paradox Prism, I'll be able to turn this world into a paradise... my paradise!" Nine said, extracted energy from the Paradox Prism and used it to form a dome.
"Let's destroy this traitor."
"Wait. Maybe I can reason with him." Leader said.
"Reason with him?"
"Just let me try. If that doesn't work—"
"Then he's mine."
"No. He's ours." she said, walked off and started to confront Nine. "This isn't you, Nine. We're friends. We can still stabilize the Shatterspaces. Together!"
"You were only using me to get what you wanted!" Nine said.
"That's not true." she said and he slightly smiled.
"Sorry, old friend! You've been replaced." he said and walked off while Alpha Grim Sonic appeared, looking at both Leader and Shadow.
"Shit."
"It's you." Shadow said.
"I think it's both of us together."
"Whatever it is, it's in our way."
"Not for long." she said and the robot jumped off the platform and went for them down below.
He ran up to them and flung them up into the air. The robot stopped. Soon, Leader and Shadow managed to make a safe landing.
"This isn't the first Metal Sonic we've fought Nine! You know that!" Leader said.
"I saved you from the one in New Yoke and you had bot me and Knuckles the first time. This time, you're on your own!" Nine said and she immediately got a sad look on his face.
Suddenly, her ear perked up.
"She's not on her own." Shadow said and Leader looked at him, smiled and they both got into position, ready to fight Alpha Grim Sonic.
"We're all on our own." Nine said.
Leader and Shadow looked at each other, gave each other a nod of approval and headed straight for Alpha Grim Sonic. Shadow performed an air kick to Alpha Grim Sonic and the robot was flung back, but it got back on its feet. They went after the robot again. This time, Leader attacked the robot, and as she did, Shadow surrounded both her and the robot so the robot can't escape while she was attacking it. However, the robot broke free, and they chase after Alpha Grim Sonic again. Nine watched on as Leader flew up into the air, getting ready to attack Alpha Grim Sonic, but it flung her away. Shadow also charged to Alpha Grim Sonic, but Alpha Grim Sonic backflipped and headed for them again as they make a safe landing. Alpha Grim Sonic kicked Leader and Shadow tried punching the robot, but it performed a cartwheel and threw him to the ground. Leader came back and punched the robot, and while the robot strikes back by trying to kick her, she dodged the robot's moves. They parry punched at rapid speed punches, until she grabbed a hold of the robot's hands, and delivered a headbutt causing it to stumble. Shadow returned as well and kicked Alpha Grim Sonic to the ground before speeding towards the downed robot and kicking it towards Leader, who kicked it into the air. Alpha Grim Sonic landed on the ground again, but they stated to spin and repeatedly Spin Attack the robot in a frenzy. They pant in exhaustion, and as the robot landed back onto the ground, Alpha Grim Sonic tried to get back up, but Shadow slammed on top of it to shut it down and looked up.
"It's over, Nine!" Leader said.
"I'll decide when it's over." Nine said and pointed to himself.
Then he raised his arms in the air and closed his eyes. Four other robots emerge from his home, and they all head down to the ground. Grim Birdie squawked and flew down, while Grim Rouge made her entrance by flying down too. Grim Amy appeared, performing many techniques with her hammer and Grim Knuckles jumped down, standing in front of the other three robots. They all stood together, looking at Leader and Shadow.
"Rouge? Knux? Amy?" Leader said. "What have you done to our friends?!" she asked Nine fighting a panic attack.
"Oh, they're my friends now. Take them." Nine said.
Both Leader, Shadow and the robots charge for each other. Grim Rouge aimed straight for Shadow, while Leader dodged both Grim Knuckles and Grim Birdie. She stopped, thinking she's safe, but Grim Amy appeared with her hammer raised. Leader ran off as Grim Amy's hammer hit the ground, and she charged for Leader again. Next, Grim Birdie also charged for her, and she jumped on top of the bird. She laughed and waved to it from above as it looked around, wondering where she went. She jumped off the robot bird and ran off, while Grim Amy jumped onto it and it flew towards Leader. As Shadow kept battling Grim Rouge, she spun him around and flung him off her. She tried charging for him again, but he ran off. Grim Amy went to attack Leader again, but she dodged her once more. She started rapidly swinging her hammer around and Sonic stood on top of the hammer, trying to maintain her balance, but got sent flying.
"Woah!" Leader said and Grim Birdie tried firing a laser at her, but she just barely missed.
Now, Grim Knuckles was trying to attack Leader, and she spin attacked Grim Knuckles into Grim Birdie when Shadow appeared again.
"Behind you!" Leader and Shadow said pointing to each other.
Shadow grabbed hold of Grim Rouge and stood on top of her as she flew through the air. He did his best to stay on the robot, and covered the robot's eyes so it can't see where it was going. However, the robot started to lose control, and he flew the robot towards Grim Amy, who was attacking Leader again. Shadow crashed Grim Rouge into Grim Amy and sent both of the robots flying. However, Alpha Grim Sonic reactivated, wiped some dust of its shoulder before it ran towards Leader and Shadow, but they manage to fling it away.
"Go for the Prism." Shadow said.
"And leave you alone with them?" Leader said.
"I'll be fine! Go!" he said and she went to get the Shards while he kept attacking the robots alone.
Grim Birdie flew lasers at Leader, but she managed to deactivate the robot and kept making her way for the Shards.
"So quick to rush into things when you have no idea what you're up against." Nine said, raised some parts of his home up using his mechanical tails and aimed them at Leader who spin-dashed up the wall of his home, heading for the Shards. "See if you can dodge this." he said, grabbed two larger parts of his home using his mechanical tails again, and aimed them for her.
As the latter got further up, the two parts collide with Leader and headed straight for the ground and Shadow noticed Leader.
"Sonic!" Shadow said and headed in the direction where Leader was.
Leader crashed onto the ground and Shadow appeared to protect her. Soon, Leader got up as they were surrounded by the robots and Nine flew down.
"Impressive, isn't it? With the power of the Prism, there's nothing I can't do." Nine said.
"Is this what you want, to spend the rest of your life alone with robots for friends?" Leader asked. "After I literally raised you?"
"At least I can trust them."
"Look around you Miles!" she said and he twitched at the name. "The Grim is starting to decay."
"You're right, it is. But once I finish the Paradox Prism, I'll have all the power I need to fix everything."
"Wait, you haven't rebuilt the Prism yet?"
"Oh, I've rebuilt it. But it turns out there's some Prism Energy missing."
Leader was confused by what Nine meant and started to think, while Shadow looked at her. Nine looked furiously at her, and Shadow realized what Nine was planning to do. Nine flew back up to the platform at the top of his home.
"Sonic, you have to get out of here!" Shadow said.
"What?" Leader asked and he pushed her away as Alpha Grim Sonic tried to attack her.
"It's you. He's after your Energy." he said and they ran off to avoid both Alpha Grim Sonic and Grim Knuckles trying to attack them both.
Grim Knuckles went to battle Shadow, but he defeated the robot, looked behind himself and saw Leader being attacked by the robots. He got serious and started to spin-dash around Leader, forming a Tornado to lift her up in the air and carry her away.
"You have to go! Now!" Shadow said.
"Wait! What are you doing?" Leader asked.
"What? Shadow thinks he can take Sonic away from me? Heh. Not a chance." Nine said and extracted energy from the Paradox Prism using his mechanical tails. "Ah!" he said and created a chasm on the ground's surface to stop Shadow from sending Leader away.
As Leader was being carried in the Tornado, Shadow grabbed her foot.
"This is for your own good!" he said, threw her into the air towards a portal in the sky leading to the Shatterverse and the Tornado disappeared.
"Shadow!" she yelled out.
"No!" Nine said furiously as she entered back into the Shatterverse. "Grim Birdie, I have a mission for you." he said and Grim Birdie flew up to where he was, and he created two clones of Grim Birdie to help give the robot extra assistance.
Meanwhile Shadow kept battling the robots. He fought off Alpha Grim Sonic, Grim Knuckles, and Grim Rouge. Suddenly, Grim Amy behinds him and held him hostage using her hammer. Grim Knuckles punched him and the Grim Birdies screamed and headed for the portal leading to the Shatterverse.
"Now to deal with you." Nine said to Shadow.
Shadow broke free of Grim Amy's grasp, took her hammer and hit her with it. However, Grim Knuckles attacked Shadow again, causing him to land onto the ground but got up.
"Is that all you've got?" he asked and Alpha Grim Sonic charged straight for him and punched him, sending him flying into the chasm that Nine created to try and prevent him from letting Sonic get away.
Alpha Grim Sonic, Grim Amy, Grim Knuckles, and Grim Rouge all looked down into the chasm.