SZ: *sees GT looking up some info*...Uh...GT?
GT: Okay...So they're not gazelles…*looks up* Huh?
SZ: First...we got guest. Second...what're you looking at?
GT: The thingy you said Bentley was informed of in the previous chapter. The camel-llama-gazella-thingamabob.
SZ: You mean Pronghorns?
GT: Yeah, those girls. Kinda interesting that they're native to North America. Looked African to me when I first saw the images of them.
SZ: I thought so too until I looked up info on Pronghorns.
GT: *nods before seeing the readers* Oh shoot. *closes the page on pronghorns* Hello!
SZ: Greetings, and welcome to the next chapter of Omniverse Underground. Man..this story's been getting updated quite a bit, Gt. Last you worked on it was in….*looks at the date*...2014?! Wow…
GT: Yep. Really been a long while. Been distracted for a long while.
SZ: It's fine man. But hey, at least I got ya back into it with the Sly Cooper Chapters and such.
GT: *nods* Wouldn't have even given the series a try if it hadn't been for the Completionist's review on the first game. One thing that always confused me though was why did Carmelita keep going through different voice actors?
SZ: yeah...that bugged the hell out of me as well. I'm probably guessing they were trying to figure out which voice actress would fit her perfectly.
GT: Thank the kami above they finally found it with Thieves in Time. Perfect voice for her.
SZ: Agreed. But I think we might be getting off track here. Anyways...last we've seen of Sonic and his group, they were heading to Northamer in the last chapter.
GT: Eeyup. Seems that a certain Chaos's tail-possessed raccoon has been reported in the area.
SZ: Eeyup. As for why though...well, guess we'll have to find out. But before we begin as always...Disclaimer...or not. Given how this is now 29 chapters in, people already know that we don't own most of the things in this story aside from OCs and such.
GT: Eeyup. *door slams open, revealing a growling Kokonoe* ...Uh oh. *takes out Pokeball and it's blasted from my hands* She took out Mewtwo! RUN AWAY! *runs off*
SZ: Holy crap in a pita!*zips out of there*
Kokonoe: GAMMATRON!-!-!-! *chases after us* GET BACK HERE AND DIE! CUT MY OMAKE FROM CHAPTER 25 WILL YOU, YA LAZY ASS?!
GT: ROLL STORY! ROLL STORY! ROLL STORY! *sends a fireball at the top of the screen, burning the rope and sending the story crashing down*
"So I say 'Okay. I want to cancel everyone's gas on my street,'" Jacky informed as the pickup drove down a gravel road.
"Wh-What?" Ragna held back a snort.
"Well, apparently, anyone could turn off anyone gas back home, so I wanted to cancel everyone's gas," Jacky shrugged, "So, in the end, I got free gas for my parents for life...which lasted three months before Robotnik's forces took over the place. Jake, J, and I barely got outta there."
"We wandered around for quite a while before we came across Alpha and Haseo," J added, "If not for them, we would most likely still be out there or captured and Roboticized."
"Yeah. And good thing too. Lumpy ate all the supplies we managed to get before making a run for it," Jacky stated.
"Well, while we did not see hide nor hair of Jake in Soumerca…"
"Fuckin' gorilla…" Ragna growled.
"...My proto-tool was able to pick up the unique energy frequency here in Northamer," Rook continued to explain.
"Well, hopefully, we do find him and knock some sense into the guy. I miss his antics," Alpha admitted, "Like the time he thought he was a woodpecker except with metal."
"Heh heh...or the time he tried curing J's hiccups by scaring him," Jacky laughed.
"That was not amusing," J frowned.
"It totally was!" Jacky laughed before he did an impression of Jake, "I am a zombie and I will malice you with a shoehorn!"
"Malice me with a shoehorn?!" Noel freaked in the back of the pickup, hugging a startled Haseo close.
"And you woke them up," Ragna facepalmed, "Nice going, Jacky."
"Hey. I was trying to lighten the mood," Jacky countered, "Besides, where we're going, it's gonna be full of Wolves and Pronghorns...whatever the hell that last one is."
"It's a type of animal in the antelope family, but it's more closely related to deer, Jacky," J explained.
"What's an antelope?" Jacky asked with a raised brow.
"...Ugh…" J sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Do not be bothered by this, J," Rook assured, "I would rather enjoy to hear about Pronghorns."
"Oh why thank you, Rook. I just happen to have a book on them. Excuse me," J said as he dug around his backpack, looking for the book in question.
"Great...shouldn't have opened my mouth," Jacky grumbled.
"Why the heck is it raining out?" Manic asked as the group arrived in a fairly large plains like area a few days later, some storm clouds above them as it rained outside.
"The water cycle?" Roll guessed innocently.
"It's part of Northamer's climate," Sonia explained, "Mostly around the Thunder Plains, and the Stone Stormlands."
"Oh," Roll blinked twice.
"I see…" Manic noted, "Still...how the heck are we supposed to find that raccoon with the scorpion tail in all this rain?"
A green flash of light behind Manic and a snorting growl was his response. He turned to see Wildmutt panting behind him.
"Oh….that'll do," Manic said as the bus came to a stop, "Well...let's get to searching then."
"Hold on, Manic," Tsubaki spoke up, "I think it might be a good idea to split up. We'll cover more ground that way. One group will take the west while the other will take the east."
"Good idea, Tsubaki," Sonic agreed, "And keep your ID Masks on just in case."
"I hate those things…" Tsubaki muttered in annoyance as she put her mask on.
"Me too, Tsubaki...but hey. They've been pretty useful," Makoto added as she put her mask on while pocketing Ben's.
"...True, but I wish they weren't' so uncomfortable most of the time," Tsubaki admitted, "...But whatever. Sonic, you, Roll, and Manic will head out with Wildmutt to look in the west while me, Sonia, and Makoto will check in the east."
"Rrrowr…" Wildmutt growled out.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tsubaki narrowed her eyes at him.
"Rowrwwr."
"It's because someone that was born on this planet should be with you and Makoto. Heaven knows the trouble you two end up in."
"Rowrowrowwwwrr…"
"...know what? Fine. Makoto, you're taking Manic's place. Manic, you're with me and your sister."
"Aw man…" Manic groaned.
"Did anyone else get what he was saying?" Makoto whispered to Roll and Sonic.
"No idea," Sonic shrugged.
"Iie," Roll shook her head.
"Neither did I…" Makoto admitted.
Elsewhere, a Mobian squirrel in an outfit almost similar to Robotnik's yawned a bit as he sat in front of some holographic security cameras, the screens showing different parts of Northamer. It was a recent creation of the Eggman Empire meant to lessen clutter on desks since the screens were projected from a tiny device.
"...So far no sign of any Freedom Fighters…" the squirrel muttered, using what looked like a game controller to move the images on the screens and such, "...Maybe a quick snack w-" he began before he noticed something blur past one of the screens, "?! What was that?"
"Is something the matter?"
The squirrel tensed up a little bit as he looked over his shoulder to see two shadowed figures looking at him, both feminine in shape.
"J-Just thought I saw something on the screen," the squirrel replied, "Ahem. Maybe a Flicky or something."
=Uh huh. Last time you said it was a Flicky, it turned out to be a lost idiot= one of the female figures rolled her eyes, her voice sounding a bit robotic.
"Oh. R-Right…"
"...Wait," the taller of the two female figures spoke as something moved past another of the screens, "...rewind and enhance."
"O...Of course, lady Clove," the squirrel saluted as he pressed a few buttons on the controller, causing one of the screens to enlarge before the image on it was rewound before it stopped. He then entered a few more commands, casing the image to become a bit clearer, "Okay...I-I think I got it."
=...Hey. Aren't they part of that group that Robotnik's after?= the shorter of the two female figures asked as the screen showed a still image of Sonic and his group.
"...I believe so," the taller of the two noted.
"Oh! I...I also detected three more signatures in the east," the squirrel stated as another image went by, "Should...I sound the alarm, lady Clove?"
"...No need. I'll go take a look," Clove replied.
=Ooh! I'll come with you!= the shorter shadowed figure said excitedly, her eyes stars as she looked at the taller figure, =Let's bust some heads!=
"No no, Cass. I don't think 'head bashing' is necessary…" Clove said to the shorter figure, "...yet."
=Aw, come on! I can watch your back!= 'Cass' argued =Sis...I can keep up. You know I can=
"...I do," Clove nodded as she placed a hand on the shorter figure's shoulder, "I just have an idea, and it'll work better if I go alone. Trust me."
=You know I do= 'Cass' agreed, putting a hand on Clove's.
"Good," Clove nodded as the taller of the two figures began to leave, "Put our soldiers on standby...though I hope they won't be needed. I'll be back shortly." She stopped for a moment to looked at 'Cass', "Cassia, don't forget your treatment."
=...= 'Cass'...or rather Cassia said nothing as she watched the taller figure leave before, once she was gone, saw something on one of the screens =Hey. What's that?=
"Huh? Wh-what's what?" the squirrel asked.
=That thingy. That...um...energy signal= Cassia replied, pointing at what she was seeing =How long's it been there?=
"Uh...I uh...I dunno," the squirrel responded a bit nervously, "It might be another glitch or...uh...an energy shadow."
Cassia rested an arm on his chair, an amused look on her face =Jeez, dude...I mean, really? If you're gonna waste your time playing video games instead of doing your job, I at least expect you to beat my high score=
"H-hey! I was only five hundred points away from the A-rank!" the squirrel shouted.
=It goes up to Triple S~=
"Gh?!" the Squirrel gawked as he dropped his controller, "Tr….triple….S?"
=Anyways….= Cassia began as she stepped back and walked into the light a bit, revealing she was a Mobian Pronghorn in shades of green, wearing a green and black version of Eggman's outfit while her muzzle, ears, and eyes were all cybernetics, the optics in her eyes a soft yellow-gold color =Since someone wasn't paying attention to things, I'm gonna go and check out that whatever-it-is in the east=
"Erm...lady Cassia, your sister said…" a mobian bird began.
=That she was going alone, not that I couldn't leave=
"Uh….we could send an EggPawn instead…" the bird suggested.
=Psh! And let it wander off and get trashed like Starscream when he's acting all cocky? No way. Besides, I'm bored= Cassia waved her off as she walked off =Plus, it's not fair that Clove gets to have all the fun=
"Um...Ma'am?" the squirrel noted, "We just got a request to come into the airspace from one of the Flyers."
=Which one?= Cassia asked.
"The blue one that talks funny," the squirrel replied.
=You mean Jetstorm? Weird. He's never without Jetfire= Cassia scratched her cheek =Mmm...Yeah. Let him in. He can come with me=
"Erm...Is...Are you sure that's a good idea?" the Mobian bird gulped as both broke out in heavy sweat, "You, uh, you know your sister doesn't like it when you're together with those two Flyers…"
=Why not? They're pretty fun guys to be around=
'Not when we have to clean up after the two leave after spending time with you…' the two sweatdropped.
=...Whatever. Just let Jetstorm in. I can use some company=
"But…"
=I'll tell you a shortcut to that one level~=
"...Don't you d-" the bird began as she glared at the squirrel Mobian.
"..." said Squirrel looked between the two females, sweating heavily, before-after a few moments-pushed a button on the dashboard, "Jetstorm, please report to landing bay Omega-Theta-Alpha to meet with Lady Cassia."
=Okay Be thanking you very much now= Jetstorm's voice replied from the screen.
"...Darn it," the bird facepalmed.
"So it turns out that the water that we were splashing about in inside the cavern was freshwater!" Makoto grinned as Roll giggled up a storm, "Boy, you should've heard Noel and Mai freak out when our swimsuits began to dissolve."
"Oh Mai…" Roll giggled.
"H-hey! You made a pun!" Makoto noted with a slight chuckle.
'Why did Tsubaki have them trade places?' Sonic thought as Wildmutt sniffed around the area, the group unaware of a figure looking down on them from a nearby hill.
'What kind of creature is that?' the figure pondered, watching Wildmutt walking around.
A flash of lightning briefly revealed the figure was an older pronghorn Mobian, resembling Cassia, only with a more mature, feminine version of Eggman's uniform in blacks and greens. Unlike Cassia, her features were normal while her legs ended in gold hoof-shaped armor instead of boots. She raised a brow as her periwinkle eyes watched the Vulpemancer turning its head around.
'It...How can it see without eyes?' the pronghorn pondered.
Wildmutt's 'gills' flexed as he sniffed the air. In his mind, a green and black-tinted look of the area came to his mind. His head snapped up, looking directly at the pronghorn, surprising her.
"Hmm? Something up?" Sonic asked as he and the girls noticed Wildmutt looking at something.
The pronghorn quickly hid, but Wildmutt sniffed the air once more. Growling, he slapped his Omnitrix emblem, forming the four spikes on it.
"Ultimate Wildmutt!" the Evolved Vulpamancer roared, "We've got a spy here!"
"A spy?!" Makoto's eyes widened as she pulled her tonfa out, "Where?!"
"Up there!" Ultimate Wildmutt snarled before jumping up at the rock with a roar.
'...Might as well make it a bit easier on myself,' the pronghorn thought as she leapt up from behind the rock, jumping over Ultimate Wildmutt as she landed before Sonic and the girls.
"What the…?" Sonic summoned his guitar as Roll had a hand on her blade's handle, Yacker readying himself, while Makoto put her tonfa on.
"Greetings. My name is Clove, Grandmaster of the Northamer faction of the Dark Legion," the pronghorn introduced herself, giving them a stern look, "Now...may I ask what you all are doing here?"
"Wait...Dark Legion?" Makoto repeated as Ultimate Wildmutt jumped down, ready for anything.
"While I am not fond of the name, it is what we are called," Clove replied, "I take it you are here concerning the rumors of a strange raccoon with the tail of a scorpion being sighted here."
"...Yes," Sonic nodded slowly.
"So what happens now? ...Let me tell you how I see it," Clove informed, "You Freedom Fighters will most likely find and either obtain the rumored raccoon, cause it to flee, or believe that we have it already. If that last case was true, you would mount an assault on the base, chase my people out, lock away the Robians until you can reverse the process, and take control of the base for yourselves." she held up a finger when Makoto opened her mouth, "That would last until Robotnik orders me to take it back, leading to more fighting. He won't let you keep even one base, no matter what happens to us or his machines. There would be no end to it."
"...So...you're basically saying we should back down?" Makoto guessed.
"That is correct," Clove nodded.
"And why would we do that when that raccoon most likely is part of something that will destroy the planet?" Ultimate Wildmutt growled.
"...I've heard of what happened in Chunan," Clove responded, "It was your team that snuck into there and worked with an international renowned master thief and his gang and managed to take down General Tsao in just a matter of days. Conquering Storm's report told me that one of your teammates, Tsubaki Yayoi, an Overlander with four fingers and a thumb instead of three and a thumb, is a compassionate type, believing in protecting others. And from reports from things of before, many of you strike me as smart. Compassionate Mobians, Beastkin, and Overlanders. The types who, when faced with a bad choice, will look for a third option."
"...Okay, lady. You're presuming a lot from us," Sonic spoke up, giving the pronghorn an even stare, "For instance, you think it's just the four of us, so you came out here on your own, possibly knowing we could probably take you prisoner."
"...True. And if I'd made a mistake, I'd deserve the consequences," Clove stated before giving a small, sly smile, "But I came here because I thought you'd be willing to hear me out. Was I wrong?"
"..."
"I didn't think so."
Ultimate Wildmutt changed back into Wildmutt and then into Ben, "You're really confident about this, aren't you?"
Clove said nothing as she continued to give them a firm stare.
"...Okay, okay," Sonic sighed, "We'll leave your base alone and will avoid it at all costs."
"Glad to hear it," Clove nodded as she began to leave, "...Though…" she paused for a moment to look back at them, "I will admit...while I was hoping you were as reasonable as you seemed, I didn't expect you to agree to this so readily. As long as that creature is out there, the planet is still at risk. So let me take another guess here…the creature may no longer be here in Northamer."
"?!" Sonic and his group tensed at this.
"...But maybe I don't know about better," Clove shrugged, "I suppose I'll just have to return to my post. This conversation is risky enough as-is, anyway."
'...Okay. For someone who works for Eggman, I was expecting something...else. Not this,' Sonic thought in a bit of surprise as Clove began to walk away, "H...hold on."
"Hmm?" Clove raised a brow as she stopped, looking back at him, "What is it now?"
"You're working for Robotnik, and yet you're just gonna sit around and play ignorance?" Sonic asked, "Look….maybe...we can try and help you."
"...By not involving my people in more fighting, you are helping," Clove replied as she turned back around, the pronghorn walking away from the group, "Goodbye...Prince Sonic."
'Please let this tracker be right…' Manic mentally pleaded as he was following the Chaos Emerald tracker.
"Keep a close eye out for anything suspicious," Tsubaki advised, looking around as the group grassy plains like area, "You never know what could be lurking out here."
"Got it," Sonia nodded before the group stopped, noticing what looked like a stone pillar with a shrine on top not too far away, "Please tell me that…"
"Sorry, sis. But it says that two are up there," Manic replied.
"...Ugh…" Sonia sighed, "I'll go a-"
=I'm telling you, Jetstorm. It was located right around here= a robotic female voice spoke up, causing the three to tense as they heard footsteps heading their way.
"Hide!" Tsubaki ordered, grabbing the two and ran behind the pillar.
"Oof!"
"Eep!"
"Oh! Sorry!" Sonia apologized, Tsubai bowing beside her with her eyes closed.
"My apologies. We were not looking the way we were going," Rook apologized.
"Gomen nassai!" Noel bowed, her eyes closed tight.
'Wait….that voice…' Tsubaki thought with wide eyes, 'It...it can't be…' "Noel?"
"Eh?" Noel opened her eyes, 'That voice…' she looked up at the same time Tsubaki, "Ts...Tsubaki?"
"No….Noel?" Tsubaki whispered, "Is...is that really you?"
"Ts...Tsubaki!" Noel's eyes watered before she jumped and tackled her with a hug, "Uwaaa-MPH!"
"Shh," Manic hushed, a hand over Noel's mouth.
"Man…" Tsubaki began.
"Shh," Rook hushed, covering her mouth with a hand as he activated his Proto-Tool.
"I am to be thinking that it is to being near here, Friend Cassia," an accented voice noted.
=Good. Once we find out what it is, we can head back to the base before my sister finds out I'm gone=
"Perhaps it is being what Mustard Eggman is lookings for that he has been to sending me on," the accented voice noted, "It is being very hard to find raccoon who is being scorpion-tailed."
=...I still find that thing freaky. I mean, how did he gain that in th...= the robotic voice began before it's owner was face to face with Manic =...=
"...Uh…" Manic blinked a bit.
=Whoa! Who the heck…?= the pronghorn blinked twice.
"Freedom Fighters!" Jetstorm gasped, picking up the Pronghorn and jumping back from the five, "Please to be staying behind me, Friend Cassia." he swung an arm, releasing an icy-blue laser at them, causing them to jump back and let the laser hit the ground, freezing it where they had been, "They is to not be gettings you!"
=Hey! Let go, Jetstorm! I can handle myself!= Cassia argued as she slipped out of his grip and landed in front of him.
"We seem to have attracted unwanted attention," Rook frowned.
"Just our luck, too," Manic sighed, twirling his drumsticks.
=...= Cassia looked back and forth between the group and the stone stairs behind her and Jetstorm =...Jetstorm, buddy. Keep them busy. I'm checking out what's up there=
"You can be counting on me!" Jetstorm nodded, his hands sparking with icy-blue electricity.
"Hey! G-" Tsubaki began before rolling out of the way of one of Jetstorm's lasers.
=Too slow, losers!= Cassia taunted as she jumped onto the stone stairs, sticking her tongue out and holding down the lower lid of one of her optics =Nya!=
"I've got this!" Sonia declared, running towards the tower.
"I am to be thinking not!" Jetstorm replied, about to send a laser at her when he backflipped over a whip of metal and flames and a green laser, making him turn to see Tsubaki and Rook charging with their weapons ready.
=Woah!= Cassia yelped as she jumped back, one of the stray lasers destroying part of the stone stairs =Lasers?! Seriously?! Ugh...I so should've gotten that laser upgrade!=
"Maybe next time!" Sonia replied, jumping over the broken part of the stairs and running up after her while summoning her keyboard in its gun form.
=Uh-oh!= Cassia yelped as she dodge a laser blast from Sonia =Seriously?! That's so unfair!=.
Sonia just ignored her as she ran ahead, causing Cassia's optics to narrow.
=Oh no you don't!= Cassia shouted as she jumped at the magenta hedgehog and tackled her from behind.
"Hey!" Sonia snapped as the two tumbled on the top stair, landing at the top of the stone structure.
=Whatever is up here, I'm not gonna let you Freedom Fighter twerps get it!= Cassia argued as she held Sonia down.
"Twerps?! You sound like some old cartoon from the 90s!" Sonia argued, delivering a kick to knock her off.
=Oof!= Cassia grunted a bit, making sure the magenta hedgehog would stay down =Oh yeah?! Well the 80's called! They want their look back!=
"Oh, you did not just insult the hair," Sonia narrowed her eyes, managing to whip her hair to hit Cassia in the optics.
=Gah!= Cassia yelped, releasing Sonia enough to let her pull her legs under and kick the pronghorn in the solar plexus, sending her off the magenta hedgehog and on her back across from her =Why you…!= she growled as she shot up, pulling out a pair of dark forest green tonfa with the ends a mix of gold and dark forest green =You're not going to get your hands on whatever's here!=
"Oh, I'm getting it and I'm going to teach you a lesson on fashion!" Sonia argued, summoning her keyboard in gun mode once more.
=Oh yeah? Well…= Cassia paused as she twirled her tonfa around like an expert before mashing them together =Bring it=
Down below, Jetstorm laughed as he rolled under a swing of Rook's Proto-Tool, now turned into a handle shape with two electrified bars extending from the ends in a staff configuration. He fired a laser at him, but the alien rolled to the side, letting it hit the tower and freeze the spot it hit. A shadow came over Jetstorm before he turned and fired his two hand lasers at Tsubaki, colliding with her flame-engulfed blade and causing a smokescreen of steam to block their sights.
"This is to being very much fun," Jetstorm noted before changing into his flight mode to avoid the opening ground beneath him from Manic's drumming.
"Is he seriously thinking this is fun?" Manic asked as he sent a few boulders at Jetstorm, who maneuvered out of the way of each one before firing a laser at him, "Woah!" he yelped as he rolled out of the way, his drums being frozen in ice, "Aw man…"
"Bolverk!" Noel called, summoning her guns and began to fire at Jetstorm.
"Do be trying to be keepings up!" Jetstorm taunted, dodging the shots from her.
"He has to have some form of weakness…" Tsubaki whispered as she tried to keep track of Jetstorm as he shifted forms in the air and fired lasers back at Noel, who backflipped over the shots and fired at him while she was in the air.
"From what I have been able to examine, he does not fire at us in the two seconds before and after he changes forms," Rook noted, "Though, I have been noticing one other thing. It seems his fighting style is only half a style."
"Eh? Half a style?"
"That is correct. Almost as if it needs a partner to fully utilize it," Rook confirmed.
At the top of the stone structure, Sonia spun around, dodging a swipe of Cassia's tonfa swing. The pronghorn jumped over Sonia's shots at her and swung her tonfa at the same time Sonia turned. The two halted their fight as Sonia's gun was right at Cassia's temple while Cassia's tonfa was poking Sonia's neck.
=...Heh. Looks like we're evenly matched= Cassia smirked at the female hedgehog =For a hedgehog that looks like she's a spoiled brat, you're not half bad...too bad I'll have to take whatever's up here first=
"You obnoxious little…" Sonia began before both heard a cracking noise, "...Don't move."
=huh? Wh...= Cassia began as she moved her foot a bit, causing the cracking sound to feel louder =...Oh, you've gotta be kidding me…=
"I said don't…" Sonia began before the ground, weakened from the tonfa strikes and laser shots to it, finally crumbled.
"Hmm?" Jetstorm blinked a bit behind his visor, stopping for a moment as he turned to see Sonia and Cassia falling down the newly formed hole, "...Ahh! Friend Cassia!"
"What's wrong? You lose y-" Manic began with a bit of a grin.
"Oh this is bad...oh this is being very bad…" Jetstorm panicked a bit as he held his hands on his head, confusing the two groups on the ground, "I am not wanting to be the one who is to being telling Lady Clove the news of very bads!"
"The what?" Manic blinked twice before Jetstorm ran off to the tower, "Hey! Get back here!"
"Apologies, but I am to be having to cutting our fightings short!" Jetstorm apologized as he tried to fly in through the hole, "...Ahh! I am being the too big to fit!"
"...Okay. Is anyone else aside from me confused as hell here?" Manic asked the others.
"I am...unsure," Rook replied, putting his Proto-Tool back on his back.
"...Oh! Idea!" Jetstorm exclaimed as he flew back down towards the group, "Please. You have got to be helping me with the findings Friend Cassia before Lady Clove is to finds out I was to be losing her!"
"Wh-What?! But you were just…We were just…" Tsubaki threw her hands up with a shout, "GAH!"
"Please! You do not understand of Friend Cassia's condition! If she is not to be getting her treatment, I am as good as scrapped!"
"Wait wait wait...slow down…" Manic advised him, "What do you mean by her 'condition'? Isn't she just a normal Robian...well, one with a personality, but still...what's this condition you're rambling about?"
"She is to not being Robian," Jetstorm corrected, "She is…" he took out a card and looked at it, "...'Legionized.'" he put it away, "Her condition is to being why she is having it to be trying to cure it."
"Cure it…?" Tsubaki whispered.
"...Okay, first off; what does 'Legionized' mean? And se-" Manic began before Tsubaki walked past him,"...Uh, Tsubaki? What're you...?"
"Are there any tunnels around here by any chance?" Tsubaki asked.
"I am unsure," Jetstorm replied.
"Okay, then we're doing this the hard way," Tsubaki noted, turning to the frozen drum set and summoned her sword and shield, igniting both in their flames.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What're you doing?!" Manic yelped, "Don't you melt my set, dudette!"
"I'm trying to get it out so we can use them," Tsubaki stated, "Noel, tap the base of that stone structure if you please."
"Eh? Um...O-Okay?" Noel nodded as she walked over to the structure and began to tap the base, "Ano...Why am I doing this?"
"To detect if it's empty inside," Tsubaki replied, "If it is, no doubt Sonia and that pronghorn fell through it and landed in a tunnel of sorts."
"...Oh! I see what you are doing," Rook spoke up, "If we can determine where they are underground, we can find out where to head and recover them, correct?"
"Exactly," Tsubaki nodded, unwrapping her sword-whip from the ice, the heat remaining finishing melting the drum set out, "Manic, where's the signal of the Chaos Emeralds?"
"Uh…" Manic took out the device, "Bro still has both with him from what I can tell and the other two that were detected…" he pointed at the structure, "There."
"Good. Then at least we have a lead," Tsubaki nodded, 'Though, I hope they'll be okay. From what Ben and Makoto told us...that raccoon is ruthless in keeping the Emeralds to himself. Sonia...be safe.'
"Ugh...my head…" Sonia groaned as she started to regain consciousness.
=Uhn...Way to go, idiot! You-Ow ow OW!= Cassia groaned, grabbing her leg.
"...Are...you okay?" Sonia cautiously asked as she looked at the pronghorn.
=No thanks to you…= Cassia frowned before sighing =Ugh, I can't believe this! My sister is gonna freak…=
"Well, maybe you can get Eggman to replace your leg with a new metal one, considering you've already replaced your eyes, mouth, and ears from the looks of it," Sonia frowned, "After all, what's one more selfish upgrade?"
=...Selfish?= Cassia whispered, the pronghorn shaking a bit before she glared at Sonia =Selfish?! Is it selfish of me for not wanting to be sick all the time?! I'm selfish for wanting my stupid eyes and ears to work again?!=
"What?" Sonia looked at her with wide eyes, "You...You went to Eggman for that? But...couldn't you have gone to someone else?"
=Oh, gee. Maybe I should've gone to the local cyborg store! What were my options, huh? Come on, tell me!= Cassia snapped as she turned away from her =You don't know anything about me at all, you stupid hedgehog!=
"...It's true...I don't know a thing about you," Sonia replied, "Ever since I learned from Tsubaki telling me about Mobians and possibly even some Beastkin turning parts of their body into machines and allying themselves with Eggman, the man who took over the kingdom, began a worldwide war, caused me to spent thirteen years separated from my siblings, and murder our father in cold blood while forcing our mother to go into hiding…" she sighed, "Never mind. I'm...sorry."
=...= Cassia said nothing as she kept her back to the female hedgehog. However...she couldn't help but look back a bit at her after hearing that.
"..." the magenta hedgehog sighed, "Look. It's obvious we're not going back out the way we came in," Sonia pointed out as she looked at the female pronghorn, "This is supposed to be your turf, correct? If so, you have any ideas?"
=If I tell you, are you gonna let me keep whatever it is you're after?= Cassie deadpanned.
"No. But I will help you walk out of here," Sonia offered.
=I don't want your help!= Cassie pouted.
"I can tell," Sonia deadpanned, "But I bet that sister you mentioned will be worried about you."
=...Ugh….Fine. fine...whatever= Cassia groaned before pointing at a barricaded doorway blocked by bricks =We've been using these old tunnels for storage, but because of the raids and stuff from the wolves, we sealed off the sections we weren't using. If we can bust through, it should lead us to the outside eventually=
"Right," Sonia nodded before reaching up to her neck...only for her eyes to widen, "My medallion! It...It's gone!"
=A medallion?=
"It's where my keyboard and my blaster come from," Sonia informed, looking around the floor, "It's been in my family ever since they became the royal family of Mobius millennia ago."
=...I see= Cassia noted =...I have one more question=
"What?" Sonia asked, stilling looking around.
=...Do you...have any friends with cybernetic parts like me?= Cassia asked curiously.
"...I do. His name is Raffie. He...He protected me when I had amnesia for a little bit in Kashastan," Sonia explained, "He was thrown into a Roboticizer and while we were able to destroy it, his legs were Roboticized from the process. We stayed with him for a few days while he had to learn to walk all over again."
=...What about his family?=
"His parents were with him the entire time he relearned," Sonia replied, "Last time we wrote to each other, he managed to join the local Kashastan Freedom Fighters thanks to the enhanced jumping skills and enhanced kicks he can give with his new legs."
=...oh….I see= Cassia noted =...About my question...I mean like...did he ever have to do any special treatment, or take any special medicine or something?=
"Huh? Um...No, not really," Sonia replied with a raised brow, "He just had some issues waking up in the middle of the night from when he'd feel his new metal legs in his sleep."
=...I see…= Cassia noted before giving off a bit of a dry chuckle =Heh...my luck really is garbage…=
*WHAM*
The two blinked before turning to the blocked off door, seeing cracks in it.
*WHAM*
More cracks formed. Sonia helped Cassia up and moved to behind one of the few pillars in the place just before the door exploded. A guttural growl echoed before Jake crawled through the debris. Sonia and Cassia peeked out from behind the pillar and gawked at the state his body was in.
'Is...Is that tail trying to eat him?!' Sonia thought in shock, looking at how his lower half was nothing more than a raccoon-colored scorpion tail, the stinger a split-colored gem.
=Wh….what the heck is that….?= Cassia whispered in a bit of fright.
"I...I think it's that raccoon we were trying to find," Sonia replied as Jake gave a guttural hiss while sniffing about.
=...Th….that's the thing Robotnik's after?= Cassia whispered with wide eyes...or optics in her case =What...How does...Oh god...I think I'm gonna be sick=
Jake halted, his ear near them twitching. Both tensed and moved a bit further behind the pillar before Jake turned to it. He stared at it, giving guttural snarls and hisses before something caught his eye. He crawled over and stabbed his stinger on the ground. Slowly, he rose it up, revealing Sonia's Medallion.
"No…" Sonia whispered with wide eyes.
=...That's your medallion...isn't it?= Cassia quietly asked.
"It is," Sonia replied before Jake opened his mouth, "Oh no...Oh no. No no no no no…"
=He's not gonna…= Cassia began before a wall above them exploded, shedding light on the mutated raccoon, causing him to drop the medallion and scurry back from the light.
"Oh, dudes, did...was that the dude we're looking for?!" Manic's voice yelped.
"I...I believe so…" Rook's voice replied, "But...his tail has appeared to have grown and taken up most of his lower body."
"Sonia! Are you okay down there?" Tsubaki called before Jetstorm erupted from the hole, using the walls to jump off of to the ground.
"Friend Cassia! Are you to being down here?" Jetstorm called.
=Oh thank god…= Cassia sighed in relief =Yes! We're right over here!=
Jake's head snapped towards Cassia's voice before he crouched down. The stinger on his tail glowed before his tail shot out at the pillar, actually extending like rubber. The stinger made impact, blowing up the pillar and startling the two girls.
=...Me and my big mouth= Cassia meeped.
Jake attempted to do so again before Jetstorm grabbed him and struggled away from the girls, "You be staying away from Friend Cassia and the magenta hedgehog comrade!"
=Jetstorm!= Cassia gasped.
"Please be moving while I am distracting him!" Jetstorm shouted as he tried to hold Jake back.
=I…= Cassia began.
"I got you," Sonia assured, helping Cassia up, "We need a pickup down here!"
"I am on it!" Rook replied before a cable with a tiny claw at the end shot down, hitting the ground right on top of Sonia's medallion, the claw scooping it up on contact, "Please hurry now!"
"R-right!" Sonia nodded before looking at Cassia, "Hold on tight."
=Wha…?= Cassia began before Sonia grabbed the cable and tugged twice, causing it to reel back in fast =AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!-!-!=
"Good job, new comrade!" Jetstorm shouted before Jake smacked him in the face with his tail "Ow! That is not being the nice!"
Jake's response was a vicious snarl as he dug his stinger into the ground and folded it down, causing Jetstorm to stumble over Jake before the mutated raccoon used his folded tail as a spring, sending them into the air and causing the hole in the top of the structure to widen from Jetstorm being rammed through it. A bit of oil came out of the blue robot's mouth before Jake spun around, slamming him in the back with the back of his tail, sending him crashing into the ground away from the others, dragging him across the ground until he collided and shattered a boulder twenty-five meters away.
"Gh!" Jetstrom grunted as the raccoon hissed while he landed and crawled away from the robot, using the tall grass and the rain for cover, "...Drats. I letting him get away…"
"He was not that strong before," Rook noted, "Could the Chaos Emeralds he has be causing this?"
"Most likely," Sonia guessed before looking at Cassia, "Hey...are you okay?"
=...Is….Jetstorm okay?=
"I am...fine, friend Cassia," Jetstorm assured her as he stood up, holding onto his arm where some sparks were coming off it, "Though…" he glanced at the Freedom Fighters, "I am to be thinking we are not to being going anywheres soon…"
"Lady Cassia!" a voice shouted, causing the pronghorn to look ahead to see a few armored Mobians running towards them, carrying a few blasters, "Are you alright?!"
"F...Freedom Fighters…" one of the mobians whispered before they all aimed at them, "Freeze!"
=Hold on!= Cassia shouted, hopping over to Jetstorm and looked at the five =I guess I do owe you for getting us out of there...So, how about I be...um...magnametus…?=
"Magnanimous," Tsubaki deadpanned corrected.
=Yeah, that...l-look. How's about I let you guys go in exchange for helping me out?= Cassia offered =I really do appreciate you helping out there, but...well...if Robotnik found out Freedom Fighters helped me, he'll no doubt activate the fail-safe in me and my sister, along with everyone else here. Heck, my sister doesn't even know I…=
"Cassia?!"
=...Aw crudbuckets…= Cassia grumbled, the five quickly running off when the soldiers turned to the shouting voice.
"Please to not being dismantling me…" Jetstorm whimpered under his non-existent breath.
=H….hey….sis…= Cassia greeted meekly as Clove ran over =Wh...when did you get back?=
"Nevermind that for now. I…" Clove began before she noticed Cassia's injured leg, "?! What happened to your leg?"
=Hey. It's no big deal. It…= Cassia began before she started to feel a dizzy, yet painful feeling in her head =...deal…ugh...=
"Cass!" Clove gasped, barely catching her as she collapsed, "Help me get her inside!"
"Y-yes, ma'am!" one of the Mobians saluted.
"But I am not to being understandings...the previous treatments...shouldn't they be having the goods effect on her?" Jetstorm asked, looking at Cassia in concern.
"...Jetstorm, look after my sister," Clove ordered, "I need to have a word with Robotnik."
"...As you are wishing, Lady Clove."
"I think I get it now…" Alpha noted as he and Ragna worked on the pickup truck's engine, "Pretty neat trick to get a lot of extra miles from an old engine like this one, Ragna."
"Yeah…" Ragna nodded.
"And how many does this make, Haseo?" J asked as Haseo folded another paper crane.
"It...It's the last one," Haseo noted, carefully folding the paper.
"Oh?"
"H….hai…" Haseo nodded.
"You mean we don't have to spend anymore of the budget on a large bundle of paper anymore?" Ragna asked as Alpha closed the truck's lid.
"Aw come on, Ragna. He's been working really hard on folding all of those things as carefully as he could," Alpha replied, "You gotta admit it's some good dedication."
"...True. But why the hell does he need to fold so many of them?"
"...W…..wish…."
"Hm?" Ragna looked at the fox in the back of the pickup.
"We've talked about this, Ragna," J reminded, "Haseo has amnesia and doesn't have a clue about his past."
"I still don't get why he needed all those things just to make a wish. We could've just taken him to a well or something," Jacky grumbled.
"We tried that, but you had Jake swallow all the coins we had," Alpha reminded.
"Hey, that change is for vending machines, not wishy-washy stuff," Jacky argued.
"That's what happens when you trust Jake with the money, Jacky," J stated.
"Oh shut it, sockhead," Jacky frowned at him.
Haseo stuck his tongue out, managing to finish the second wing on the paper crane.
"Yatta….almost done…" Haseo smiled softly.
"...ugh. I'm gonna check the news," Jacky grumbled as he grabbed the paper, "...Huh. Looks like something big went down in Chunan..."
"Chunan? Ugh…" Ragna facepalmed, 'Why is it that whenever they mention places here on Mobius, the entire damn time, I keep thinking of places back on the Earth where I first met Ben?!'
"Oh, this is marvelous, Haseo," J smiled encouragingly as Haseo got the tail of the crane up, "All that's left is the head and it will be your thousandth crane!"
"H...hai. I can't wait, J-san," Haseo smiled.
"...So...What're you gonna wish for anyone?" Jacky asked before he got an idea, "Ooh! Wish us up lots of cash! Or better yet, wish us up…!"
"Jacky!" J frowned at him, "It's Haseo's wish, so he should decide on what to wish for."
"Aw come on! It's easy cash!" Jacky argued.
"Dude, it's his wish, not yours," Alpha shook his head.
As Jacky insistence on a cash wish and the rebuttals from the other three there went on, Haseo kept focused on finishing his crane. He smiled as he made the final reverse fold to make the head. He looked up from the crane and blinked twice. Floating before him was a sphere of a soft red/orange light. He tilted his head before it began to float around him, unnoticed by the four arguing. Haseo covered his eyes as a flash of light engulfed him.
Haseo shook his head as the light finally faded away. He squeaked as he noticed he was no longer in the pickup's back, but he was now outside of a cavern passage with a stone bridge before him. On the other side of bridge was a massive shrine with fresh water flowing all over it and a set of seven pillars, all sporting a different-colored fine-cut emerald on top.
"...N….nani?" Haseo tilted his head a bit as he looked around, "Wh...where am I?" he sniffed the air a little before his eyes widened, "I...It smells nice." he looked up, seeing none of the small signs of air pollution most of the planet was dealing with, "It...The air's clean?" a soft breeze went by, causing the paper crane in his hand to fly off across the bridge, "A-Ah! M...Matte! Please, don't fly away!" he called out as he chased after it, managing to catch it just a few feet away from the stone pillars circling the shrine and its seven pillars, a ring of stone connecting them at the top, "Phew…"
"Wow!"
"!?" Haseo looked up.
Standing a few feet away from the stone stairs was a young Echidna girl, possibly around 14 years of age. Her fur and hair done in deadlocks were a gentle shade of a creamish orange, a few rings of white in the dreadlocks framing her face while she gazed at the shrine with her gentle aquamarine eyes. Haseo took note of her outfit, resembling a knee-length white skirt with green and red patterns decorating it, a white sleeveless top, white gloves with blue stones around her wrists, sandals with a series of straps going up her legs to her knees, and a gold necklace and tiara.
'Wh...Who is this lady?' Haseo pondered.
"Is it alright for me to be here?" the echidna girl asked, not paying any notice to Haseo.
Haseo looked around, wondering who she was talking to, before the water in the bottom part of the shrine made two ripples, a small noise coming when both were made.
"So do you… Trust me?" the echidna asked hesitantly before looking at the pillars, "So these are the 7 Emeralds…" she walked up the stone stairs, leaving behind the young fox.
Haseo looked at the pillars before gasping. One of the emeralds was the yellow one that Jake ate when he ran off with a scorpion tail! The wind blew again and his crane 'flew' up the stairs, startling him.
"Mou...not again…" Haseo whispered as he carefully walked up the stairs to retrieve his paper crane.
The girl's gasp startled him once he was able to get his crane. Haseo looked and gave a silent gasp at seeing the massive, green, finecut emerald that seemed to be slowly rotating in the center of the top of the shrine, a hole in the roof of it to let the sun directly overhead shine upon it, only adding to its beauty.
"Could it be?" the echidna pondered as she put her hands together, "The servers are...the 7 Chaos Emeralds...Unified by one that is the controller…" she looked around at the seven pillars, "The 7 Chaos…" she looked back at the giant emerald, "The controller itself...Could this be the Emerald that controls the 7 Chaos?"
'Controls the 7 Chaos?' Haseo repeated before squeaking as the bright light happened again.
"MOBIUS TO HASEO!"
"Eek!" Haseo squeaked, jumping from Jacky's loud shout and landing in Alpha's arms, shivering while holding his crane.
"Finally! We've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes!" Jacky grumbled as he hopped out of the back of the truck.
"Did you really have to scream right into his ear, Jacky?" J scolded.
"The kid was freaking staring into space!" Jacky argued.
"He could've been in a deep thought. He did make the last crane he needed," J reminded.
'Wh...Was that...a...a dream?' Haseo thought as Alpha gently put him down before Ragna put the back of his hand to Haseo's forehead, "?!"
"You don't have a fever," Ragna noted, his normally constant scowl now a bit softer to Haseo, "Are you doing okay, Haseo?"
"...H….hai, Ragna-san," Haseo nodded slowly.
Ragna nodded slowly, "Good. We don't want you to get sick, okay?"
"H...hai."
"Yeah, yeah good. Move it!" Jacky shouted as he pushed Ragna aside...or rather tried, "So Haseo, what's your wish? Come on...tell your ol' buddy Jacky."
"O-Oh...r-right...my wish…" Haseo looked down at his paper crane. "...M...my wish…"
"Come on! Spill it, mumbles!"
"...MY wish…" Haseo whispered as he closed his eyes, "Is that I regain my memories."
Jacky facefaulted at that. He was about to shout in disbelief before Ragna looked at him in the eyes. Jacky shut his mouth as he shuddered, breaking out in a cold sweat as Ragna's cold eyes glared at him, almost as if he were staring into his soul.
"We have guests!" Rook's voice called.
"Oh, please let it not be EggPawns again…" J groaned under his breath before walking to the other side of the truck to see Rook and Noel approach with Tsubaki, Manic, and Sonia, "Phew...It's not EggPawns again."
"Hey dude," Manic greeted them nonchalantly.
"These are Tsubaki Yayoi and the royal hedgehog children Sonia and Manic," Rook introduced.
"R-Royalty?!" J gasped, "Oh dear! Oh my! I-I haven't cleaned or prepared for royalty!" he bowed, "My humblest apologies for the state of our campsite!"
"Hey! What's got you so worked up, s-" Jacky began as he poked his head out, his eyes eying the new comers before he saw Sonia, "...He-hello, mama!"
"Pardon me?" Sonia blinked.
"Dude, she's way out of your league," Manic frowned.
"Grr…" Jacky frowned as he glared at Manic, "Who says?"
"Says me, her brother," Manic countered.
"Drat," Jacky snapped his fingers in annoyance/defeat.
"Heh."
"Shut it, Ragna!" Jacky snapped before squeaking as the white-haired man glared at him again while he stood up.
"?!" Tsubaki gasped, "I...It is Ragna the Bloodedge."
"Hm?" Ragna looked at her and his scowl, "Aw great...You again?"
"Eh?"
"And just when I thought the Zero Squadron wasn't even in this world," Ragna narrowed his eyes as he pulled his sword out.
"W-Wait! Ragna-san, this is my friend, Tsubaki-chan!" Noel moved in front of Tsubaki.
'I guess I chased after him before…' Tsubaki thought.
"Yeah, and she's a member of the NOL. Most likely after me," Ragna countered.
"Whoa! Hold on, dude!" Manic held his hands up, "We're all chill here. She's a Freedom Fighter."
"..." Ragna put his sword back, "She tries anything and friend or not, Noel, I'm kicking her ass."
"Seriously...no fighting," Manic stated, "We just got away from the Dark Legion sta-"
"Wait...Dark Legion?" Ragna repeated with a raised eyebrow, "The hell's a Dark Legion?"
"It appears that some Mobians have allied themselves with Eggman, parts of their bodies replaced with cybernetics," Rook explained.
"E-Eh?" Haseo gasped, peeking out from behind Ragna.
"?!" Tsubaki, Manic, and Sonia gasped under their breath as they looked at him.
"Dude…" Manic whispered.
"C-Could it be?" Sonia pondered under her breath.
"...A….ano….h-hi…" Haseo shyly greeted, his twin tails swaying a bit from the other side of Ragna's legs.
"...Radio."
"Eh?" Noel looked at Tsubaki.
"The radio. Noel, we need to call our teammates," Tsubaki informed, still looking at Haseo.
"E….eh?" Haseo blinked at that.
Meanwhile, back over at the Northamer Dark Legion base, Clove was taking a few deep calming breaths as she stood in front of a large screen, the red light from it brightening up the whole room as the pronghorn sat in her chair.
=Well, what is it, Clove?= the voice of a certain mad doctor asked as the screen showed him, Shockwave's back to the screen in the background, working on something.
"...Doctor...my sister had another...incident…" Clove replied, "I...I thought…" she then looked up at the screen, worry in her eyes, "I thought this wasn't supposed to happen anymore! You said that once she finished adapting to the cybernetics, she'd be fine!"
=Hmm...I did say that, didn't I?=
=Not in those exact words, but you did= Shockwave confirmed, still working on whatever he was working on in the background.
=Thank you, Shockwave. Now then, Clove, the thing is…= Eggman smirked, continuing as Clove's face gave way to a look of shock =I lied. Yes, the cybernetics restored some functionality, but I never cured her condition. In fact, I have no idea what's wrong with her! Not really that kind of doctor=
=Subject Cassia's treatments are not meant to help her adapt to her cybernetics since the adaptation process finishes in roughly a month on average= Shockwave added, grabbing something hanging above him and pulling it down to what he was working on =Her treatments are meant to prevent her condition from degrading further than they already are. If she were to cease her treatments, then…=
=Shockwave, hush. I'd rather let her figure it out on her own= Eggman ordered, a giddy grin on his face at looking at Clove's despair.
"...But...but why the lie?" Clove asked, a look of pure worry and shock on her face, "Why didn't you just tell me?"
=Heh heh...please. I know you only joined my empire because you saw me as a means to an end= Eggman chuckled a bit =It happens. And rather than let the lack of loyalty hurt my feelings and end you like I would've normally done, I've begun to like to make a game of it!= he soon noticed Clove gripping the seat of her chair tightly =Now now, don't look so glum! It's not all that bad. In fact, the little brat is certainly doing better now than when we first met, isn't that right?=
"..." Clove said nothing as she let go of her seat.
=And she'll keep receiving her treatment as long as you keep serving my empire. Understood, Grandmaster Clove?=
"..." Clove slumped in her chair, her eyes shut tight in resignation, "...I understand."
=Good= Eggman nodded before cutting the communication.
"...Cassia…" Clove whispered, a lone tear escaping her eye as she stood up.
"That's your ride?" Ragna asked, looking at the bus stopping before them.
"...Goddamn, I feel insecure now," Alpha muttered, looking at his pickup and then at the bus and back again.
"Okay, Tsubaki, we got the message," Makoto spoke as she hopped out first, "Now what's u...Noel?"
"M...Makoto-chan?" Noel gasped softly, "Is...is it really you?"
"...Yeah...it's me, Noellie," Makoto nodded slowly.
"...Makoto-chan!" Noel shouted as she tackled the Beastkin into a hug.
"Aw...It's so touching, seeing three friends reunited after so long apart," J noted, seeing Tsubaki and Makoto comforting the crying blond.
"Yeah yeah…" Jacky muttered before he noticed Roll walk out of the bus, "...Hello!"
"Taken," Manic spoke up as Sonic came out and Roll pecked his cheek.
"Darn it!" Jacky grumbled.
"...?" Haseo looked at the hedgefox as she bowed to J, who was introducing himself in his usual polite manner, '...Sh….she looks...familiar…but...why?'
"Good to see you again, Ragna," Ben greeted.
"So she's with you?" Ragna asked, pointing at Tsubaki.
"Yeah. Long story," Ben replied.
Ragna nodded, "Fair enough. Now you mind explaining something for me? Why is it that your friends needed to call you because they looked at the kid here?"
"Huh?" Ben blinked twice before seeing Haseo, peeking out from behind Ragna while looking over at Roll, "?!"
"And now you're staring at him like that, too. Dammit, he's not a sideshow," Ragna frowned.
"...S...sorry. It's just...well…" Ben began.
"...Well come on. Spill it out."
"I...think it's best if Roll sees him for himself," Ben replied, confusing Ragna a bit further, "Hey, Roll? You might want to come over here."
"Eh? Hai, Ben-san!" Roll replied as she walked over, "Daijobu, Ben-san?"
"?!" Haseo tensed as he hid back behind Ragna, his twin tails still poking out.
"..." Ragna looked down at Haseo and then at Ben with a raised brow.
"?" Roll tilted her head at Ben and Ragna before Ben pointed at Ragna's legs, "?" she looked down to see the tails poking out, "?!" 'C...Could it be?'
Yacker yawned as he poked out of Roll's hair, wearing a nightcap. He mumbled in his language, rubbing his eye, as he floated out. While rubbing his eye, he ended up going around Ragna and ended up bumping into Haseo.
"Ahh! I...ite~" Haseo winced as he held his head.
"?" Yacker stopped rubbing his eye and ended up looking Haseo in the eyes, "..." his eye widened, "?!" Yacker let out a gleeful noise before hugging Haseo's head, "HA530!"
"?!" Haseo tensed as the Wisp hugged his head, the young fox blinking a bit as Roll looked at him with wide eyes, "...A...ano...Noel-nee…"
Noel paused in her reunion with her two friends and saw the Wisp, who was cuddling the top of Haseo's head with a happy look in his eye, 'KAWAII!'
"A….ano...wh-what do I do?" Haseo nervously, and shyly asked.
"H...Haseo-chan?" Haseo looked at the hedgefox, who was looking at him with wide eyes, a mixture of hope and disbelief in them, "I...Is that you?"
"...H...hai...my….my name is Haseo," Haseo nodded slowly, "...h...how do you…?"
"Y...You don't recognize me?" Roll asked, her face giving way to worry and sadness, "W...Well, I guess it's not surprising. Y...You left home four years ago to join the Freedom Fighters…"
"Ha530!" Yacker repeated, nuzzling the top of Haseo's head.
"...H...home…" Haseo whispered, looking at Roll for a moment before he reached into his inverted tail and pulled out his necklace with the lyre half, "A...ano...does this...look familiar to you, miss?"
"?!" Roll's eyes widened at that, 'Miss?' "H...Hai...Kaa-chan gave it to you on the day you left." her tail moved before her and she pulled out the other half of it, "She gave me the other half so we'd always have something to remember the other...Nii-chan."
"N….nii-chan…" Haseo whispered, his eyes widening a bit as he walked over, holding his half of the lyre necklace peace up, "K...kaa...chan…." he then slowly pressed his piece against Roll's, causing a bit of spark to jolt between the two as Haseo jumped back a bit, the young fox tripping on his two tails as he fell to the ground, "Ahh! I...Itai~"
"Haseo!" Roll gasped as she ran over to him, Yacker falling off with a swirl replacing his eye, "Daijoubu?"
"...I….I…" Haseo whispered, some memories starting to flash in his mind, "I...I remember...not all of it...demo...I...I'm starting to remember more…"
"Haseo-chan, daijobu?" Noel asked as she knelt down beside Roll.
"I...I can barely remember Kaa-chan...N...Nicole-san...a….and….and…" Haseo whispered as he looked up at the two, mainly at Roll as tears began to form in his eyes, "O...Onee...chan…"
"Eh? O-Oneechan?" Noel looked at Roll.
"Nii-chan," Roll sniffled, tears welling in her eyes.
"O...Onee….Onee…" Haseo whispered, tears falling down his cheeks before he tackled Roll into a tight hug, "Onee-chan!-!-!"
"Oh, Nii-chan," Roll nuzzled him, returning the hug as her own tears shed, Noel smiling at the two, wiping a tear from her eye.
Jacky's jaw dropped, 'The kid has a hot sister?! Oh, come on!'
"Jacky!" J hissed as he elbowed the shorter raccoon.
"Ow…" Jacky mumbled as he glowered at his brother, rubbing where he had been elbowed.
"..." Ragna glanced at the crane Haseo dropped when he hugged the hedgefox, "Guess those things works after all…"
"Huh?"
"It's nothing," Ragna waved Ben off before picking up Noel and Ben by the back of their shirts and dragged them off, "Come on, you two. Let's give them privacy."
"...G...got it/h-hai," Ben and Noel nodded.
"...Ben Tennyson," Ben introduced himself.
"N-Noel Vermillion."
"Oh, Tsubaki and Makoto's friend," Ben noted, "That's cool."
"A...ano...h-hai," Noel nodded slowly, blushing a bit.
=You sure you're feeling better, Jetstorm?= Cassia asked, wearing a pink and black set of pajamas while her right arm was hooked up to a machine by some cables, a pink device over her upper arm letting the cables connect to that.
"Yes. I am to being well and goods," Jetstorm assured, rotating his repaired arm to emphasise it, before Clove entered, "...I am to be being giving you the alone times, yes?"
He quickly made his way out, Clove glancing at him as he left. Once the door closed, she looked over at Cassia and the machine she was connected to by her bed.
...Heh...Been awhile since I fell on my face, huh sis?= Cassia gave a bit of a weak chuckle as Clove walked over to her =I was kinda hoping those days were behind me… Guess I still need this for a bit= Clove just continued to walk to her =Look, about earlier, I…= Clove hugged her, surprising the younger sibling before returning it =Hey...I'm sorry for making you worry. I just...hate feeling so weak. But once I'm done with my treatment, we can break away from that big dummy and his whole stupid empire, right?=
Upon hearing those last words, Clove felt like her heart was put into a vice. Eggman and Shockwave's chat with her went through her mind again as a look of despair passed her face. She hugged Cassia closed, trying to keep the tears from her eyes.
"That's right. Just a little while longer…" Clove replied, her heart tearing at her for the lie.
SZ:...*sniff* God...damn man…
GT: Aye…*blows nose* Good things and bad things this chapter…
SZ: Yeah...just...man. I mean, it was really good Roll and Haseo reunited, the latter gaining back more of his memories...but...that ending with Clove and Cassia was just….man….speaking of them, what do you think of the pronghorn sisters, GT?
GT: So sad~!
SZ:...Yeah. Out of the new characters to come out of the Archie sonic comics post Worlds Collide, Clove and her sister Cassia are the most 'human' out of the Egg Bosses in Eggman's army. And when i got to that part in the comics...just…*wipes some tears from my eyes*Just...damn…
GT: *nods* Damn that, Archie Comics Eggman! ...Though, I have to admit that Clove was a dummy on trusting him to cure her...then again, she might have had no other choice…
SZ: Wouldn't you if your sibling was stricken with an unknown illness and had no one else to turn to?
GT: *nods* Hmm...Loss of senses...death to follow...I think I've heard of this before.
SZ: Really?
GT: Yeah. I think you've heard of it as well, SZ.
SZ: Ahh...possibly. Anyways...I think we're done here for…*sniffles* for today...god damn man. That ending is still tugging at my heart strings!
GT: Aye!
SZ: Ah...ahem! L...Like, fave, and review! I'm Seanzilla115, he's GammaTron, and….and…
SZ, GT: SO SAD~!
White and Miyuki: *hold up a sign reading 'Read and Review'*