{A/N}
I swear these two will be the last references to that web series.
Chapter 42: Into the Hideout
Trail Ocean – Evening Hours
The setting sun painted the sky with hues of deep orange and purple as it sank lower toward the horizon. The waters of Trail Ocean were calm and serene, save for the rippling waves left in the wake of a small red motorboat cutting through the sea at impressive speed.
"Wooooo! This is so faaaast!" Carol yelled, her voice filled with excitement. She leaned forward on the bow of the boat, one hand gripping the side while the other held onto her new cowboy hat to keep it from flying off. The wind sending her fur fluttering wildly as she grinned.
Knuckles shot her a sharp glare. "Hey! Sit down or you'll fall!" he barked, his tone tinged with annoyance.
Carol waved him off dismissively. "Relax, Knux! Like I'm gonna fall—"
The boat suddenly hit a small wave, causing it to jump slightly. Carol wobbled precariously, her arms flailing as she fought to keep her balance.
"W-Whoa! Okay, nevermind!" she yelped, quickly dropping back into her seat. Clutching the boat tightly, her face a mix of embarrassment and nervous laughter. "Sitting now!"
Knuckles let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. "I swear…" he muttered under his breath. After a moment, he glanced toward the horizon as he scanned for their destination. "Are we close?"
Carol, still recovering from her near tumble, gave him a sheepish grin, trying to play it cool. "Yup! Before nightfall, we'll hit the forest. This baby's fast! Tails made it, yeah?" Her eyes sparkled as she added, "Oh, I'm totally gonna ask him to build me a new bike when we're done with this. A custom one, with turbo boosters and everything!"
"Worry about that later," Knuckles replied. A patch of land began to emerge in the distance, the dark outline of Shang Tu's forest becoming clearer. "We're approaching. I'll find a place to hide the boat so it doesn't get stolen."
Carol nodded, her expression turning more serious. She glanced at the approaching shoreline, her heart starting to beat faster. They would be docking near the forest, a familiar place she hadn't seen in a long time.
She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Returning to a place she once called home, even briefly, carried its own weight. But she pushed those feelings aside, forcing a confident grin.
"Alright," she said, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Like Sonic would say, let's not be late to the party! Time to make a big entrance and do some serious homewrecking!"
Knuckles allowed himself a small smirk at her words, giving the throttle one last push as the motorboat surged forward, cutting through the water toward Shang Tu. The distant forest looming closer with every second.
Pangu Forest – Red Scarves Hideout
The dense canopy of Pangu Forest filtered the last rays of sunlight as night set in. Deep within this wilderness stood the underground secret base of the Red Scarves.
Inside, the hideout buzzed with muted activity. Members of the notorious gang patrolled the narrow corridors and hidden alcoves with ease, their movements stealthy, their conversations hushed.
"Can't believe we're still patrolling," a masked wolf muttered, his tone laced with irritation. "Ever since that magician robot or whatever went off the grid, he's had us running around like paranoid idiots."
"Tell me about it," his companion, a weasel grumbled. "Between that, Spade running his little revenge missions, we're stretched thin. And don't even get me started on Nana. Who knows what she's up to?" He sighed, slumping against the wall. "We're just pawns, man. Pawns trying not to get squashed by Shuigang."
The wolf snorted in agreement. "Ugh, this blows," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "But hey, at least nobody's stupid enough to break in here." He gave a dry laugh, pushing off the wall. "C'mon, let's finish this patrol and get back to the dorms."
But unbeknownst to them, trouble was already closer than they thought.
Near the hideout's main entrance—a concealed hole in the ceiling —two guards stood watch. The first was a lanky gecko with striking pink eyes, his posture relaxed as he leaned against the wooden frame. Beside him, a possum twirled a small dagger between his fingers, his purple eyes scanning the dark hall.
"…Ugh, man," the gecko muttered, holding up his bandana for inspection. "Why did they decide to clean the dorm's white bedsheets right when I threw my red bandana in the wash?" He grimaced, turning the bandana over in his hands. "Now look at it—it's turned into a… a light-ish red!"
The possum stopped playing with his dagger as he looked at his companion with a frown, raising an eyebrow. "Uh, don't you mean… pink?"
"No, no," the gecko insisted, waving the bandana as if to make his point more convincing. "It's totally a light-ish red. Look at it!"
The possum sighed, clearly unamused. "Dude, that's pink."
"Well, you're wrong," the gecko huffed, crossing his arms. "Thid id totally a light-ish red, and pink's a stupid color anyway."
"Pink is not stupid!"
"Huh? You heard something?" the gecko asked.
As if summoned by his insult, a sharp yell echoed from above, a blur of pink shot down through the ceiling entrance. Before the gecko could react, a loud bonk reverberated through the cavern as a massive hammer slammed into his head. His eyes rolled back, and he crumpled to the ground, stars swirling around his head.
The possum's jaw dropped. "Delano!" he cried, panic surging through him as he turned toward the alarm panel on the wall. But before he could sound the alarm, a bolt of ice shot past him, freezing him in place from the neck down.
"Ugh!" he groaned, his eyes wide with terror.
Two more figures landed gracefully in the hideout behind the pink blur. Neera Li stepped forward, her icy purple eyes scanning the room with steely precision, while Milla followed close behind, her floppy ears twitching as she sniffed the air excitedly.
"We found it!" Milla whispered, her tail wagging. "This is the place!"
Amy twirled her hammer and rested it on her shoulder, her eyes narrowing at the unconscious gecko. "Hmph! That's what you get for disrespecting the color pink!" she said, her voice full of righteous satisfaction.
Neera ignored her as her gaze settled on the frozen possum. Her Cryo Staff gleamed as she pointed it at him, her voice cold and commanding. "You! Name, location, number of members—now!"
The possum stammered, his teeth chattering from the cold. "Huh?! I-I'm not supposed to—"
Neera inched her spear closer, the sharp tip inches from his face. "Now."
"Ihhhh! Okay! Okay!" the possum yelped, his eyes wide with fear. "Uh, well m-my name's Dufresne, but everyone calls me Duffy since is easier to say!" He gulped, his words spilling out in a frantic rush. "T-t-this is the hidden base in Shang Tu, the only one we have and, uh, almost all of us are here! I swear!"
"Almost all of you?" Neera pressed, her glare unyielding. "Numbers!"
"I-I don't know a couple hundred, maybe more, give or take!" Duffy blurted. "But the high-ranking officers and the boss aren't here right now, I swear! It's just us low-level guys!"
Neera's expression didn't waver. She leaned in, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Very well, now you will answer the next question and you better not lie or else…" she said threateningly, Duffy frantically nodding "The Royal Magister. Was he brought here?"
Duffy hesitated, his eyes darting nervously between Neera, Amy, and Milla who looked in anticipation. Under Neera's icy gaze, he swallowed hard and nodded. "H-he's here. They brought him a few days ago. But I don't know exactly where he's being held! They keep moving him around and making us guard different doors to throw people off. It's the truth!"
Hearing that made Neera's heart eased slightly, the confirmation of the Magister's presence bringing a moment of relief, hes here... She pulled back her Cryo Staff, but her expression remained cold. "Last thing—why? Why would you do this?"
"Uh, why?" Duffy repeated, his confusion apparent. "Uh, profit? Money? Ransom? You know—the usual for us?" He gave a weak, nervous chuckle.
The three girls exchanged a glance, their expressions grim. Neera's eyes narrowed as she turned her gaze deeper into the hideout.
"I see…" she murmured. She could sense there was more to this than a simple ransom. This was about destabilizing Shang Tu—spreading fear and chaos for Robotnik and Brevon to easily take over the islands. But not for much longer. "We can't waste any more time." She turned to Milla. "Milla!"
"Yes!" Milla straightened, her nose twitching as she sniffed the air. She pointed confidently toward the dark corridor. "He's that way!"
"Let's go!" Amy declared, gripping her hammer tightly. Without hesitation, the trio sprinted, leaving the frozen Duffy behind.
As the trio vanished deeper into the labyrinth of the hideout, Duffy's desperate cries echoed through the now-empty corridor. "Wait! Come back! Don't leave me like this!" he pleaded, his voice cracking. But his calls went unanswered, their footsteps fading into the distance.
"Oh, man…" he muttered, his breath visible in the freezing air.
But before he could wallow in his predicament, a soft thud came from above. Duffy's eyes widened as a new figure descended gracefully from the hole—a slim, imposing panda that radiated a faint green aura.
"Spade, you're back!" Duffy exclaimed with nervous relief. "Listen, man, just now—"
"Don't bother I already know," Spade interrupted, his eyes flicking towards the wall. And without hesitation, he leaned against a section of wooden paneling, which slid open to reveal a hidden passage.
Duffy's jaw dropped. "Whoa! Since when was that there?"
Spade didn't answer. "Time to give these ladies a proper tour," he said, his tone cold and focused. Without another word, he dashed forward, his form becoming a blur as he disappeared down the hidden corridor.
"Wait, no! Get me out! It's so cold!" Duffy wailed, his voice cracking again. "Come back!" But the secret door slid shut with a quiet thunk, leaving him alone once more.
The possums head slumped, but before he could wallow in his predicament yet again, a groan from nearby broke the silence. "Ugh… the back of my head…"
Duffy turned his head—or as much as he could—toward the sound. Delano was slowly sitting up, rubbing the large bump on the back of his head. His pink eyes blinked in confusion. "Did someone hit me? That was too rough."
His gaze shifted to his frozen companion, his head tilting slightly in confusion. "Oh, hey! What are you doing there? Was it you who hit me from behind? You should have asked and I would have let you any other day!"
Duffy gave a long stare before sighing, his breath fogging the air. "...Just…just sound the alarm," he said flatly.
"Oh, ok!" Delano scrambled to his feet and hurried over to the wall, slamming his hand onto the large, red button. Instantly, a deafening alarm blared through the hideout, red lights flashing with the wailing sound.
Delano turned back to Duffy, still encased in the block of ice, with an innocent look. "Soooo, you know we have an air conditioner, right?"
Duffy's eye twitched. "…I should never have left medical school," he muttered, his voice heavy with regret as the alarm's wail drowned out the rest of his complaints.
Red Scarves Hideout – Halls
The blaring alarm reverberated through the dark, winding halls. The trio's pace quickened, their senses on high alert.
"Oh no! Somebody spotted us again!" Milla cried out, her voice tinged with alarm.
"I knew I should've hit that lizard harder!" Amy exclaimed, frustration evident as she tightened her grip on her hammer.
"It doesn't matter," Neera said sharply, her eyes blazed with determination. "If they dare to interfere, we will take them down."
Milla's nose twitched as she sniffed the air again. "The trail says it's this way!"
They sprinted deeper, but soon, the sound of mechanical whirring filled the air. Red laser beams flickered to life, crisscrossing the path ahead in deadly patterns.
"Oh-oh!" Milla yelped as the lasers crackled ominously. Without hesitation, she conjured a shimmering green shield, its surface reflecting the deadly beams. "Stay behind me!" she urged as she moved forward, the shield deflecting the lasers.
The halls quickly transformed into a maze of traps. Laser grids shifted with every step, forcing the trio to duck, leap, and weave to avoid them.
"Whoa, they really set all this up?" Amy asked, her voice filled with disbelief as she narrowly avoided a beam.
"Unlikely," Neera replied, her tone sharp. She scanned the walls, noting the intricate mechanisms. "This is advanced tech—likely stolen from the kingdoms. Or worse, supplied by our enemies."
And as if on cue, a hidden section of the wall slid open with a metallic hiss. From the darkened alcove, a horde of badniks emerged—Newtron chameleons flickered into visibility, their optics locking onto the intruders. Buzz Bombers hovered menacingly, their stingers ready while Caterkillers slithered forward.
Among them were Red Scarves members, their red bandanas tied tightly as they drew their weapons.
"We found them!" one of the thieves shouted. "Capture them! We're not letting them reach our gold mine of cash!"
Amy's eyes narrowed as she raised her hammer. "Gold mine of cash, huh? Over my dead body!"
Neera stepped forward, her spear gleaming as frost began to gather at its tip as Milla formed an alchemic cube. "Let's do this!"
The room erupted into chaos as the three launched into action.
"Seems like Eggman lent them some robots," Amy said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Well, all right! Been a while since I smashed some good ol' badniks!" With a wide grin, she spun into action, her hammer stomping a group of Motobugs, their metal shells crumpling into scrap under her powerful strikes.
Besides Amy, Neera moved with precision, her spear a blur as she unleashed a flurry of ice bullets. The frozen projectiles shot through the air, striking several Red Scarves members in quick succession. They barely had time to react before they were encased in blocks of ice, their weapons clattering uselessly to the ground.
Milla was no less as she hurled an alchemic cube at an oncoming Caterkiller. The cube struck its target, detonating in a burst of energy and sending the segmented robot into a shower of debris. Barely pausing, Milla created another cube, using it as a shield to deflect a flurry of ninja stars from a nearby thug. With a quick pivot, she hurled another explosive cube, knocking the attacker off his feet and into the wall.
"Lady Neera, behind you!" Milla shouted, her eyes wide as a Newtron chameleon flickered into visibility behind the warrior.
The mechanical reptile opened its mouth, a laser charging within its maw. Neera barely had time to turn before the shot hit her shoulder, forcing a grunt of pain from her. The Newtron prepared to fire again, but a green blast collided with the Newtron, shattering it into pieces.
"Lady Neera!" Milla cried out, rushing toward her.
Neera raised a hand to stop her. "No, I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth, standing tall despite the fresh scorch mark. Without missing a beat, she raised her spear and fired an ice bullet past Milla's shoulder, freezing a thug who had been creeping up from behind.
"Just focus on the battle," Neera commanded, her voice steady.
Milla hesitated for a moment but then nodded, steeling herself as she turned her attention back to the fray. The battle raging on.
Amy and Neera found themselves against a swarm of Buzz Bombers ready to strike.
"Up top!" Amy shouted, swinging her hammer upward. With a mighty leap, she brought the hammer down on one of the Buzz Bombers, smashing it to pieces in midair.
Neera, meanwhile, sent a wave of ice spikes shooting forward, skewering several ground-based badniks and thugs who had attempted to flank them. "Keep moving!" Neera ordered, pivoting smoothly to deflect a sword strike from a Red Scarves member. She countered with a sharp thrust of her spear, sending her opponent sprawling in ice.
"I've got your back!" Amy called as she launched herself into a spinning hammer attack, clearing the space around them.
Further down the hall, Milla faced her own challenges. A Spinner whirred toward her at high speed. But the pup braced herself, summoning a green cube. That she hurled towards the robot, the force of the impact not only stopping the robot but sending it careening backward into a cluster of badniks, making them also explode in the clash.
"Yes!" Milla cheered, but just then a thug tried to take advantage of her momentary distraction, swinging a chain at her. Milla ducking under it, "You meanie!" she spun around, and delivered a well-placed kick to his midsection, sending him crashing into a wall.
"Nice!" Amy said from the other side giving her a thumbs up, approving the move.
"U-ups I didn't mean to hit that hard, sorry!" she said apologetically to the thug who just grunted, clutching his midsection in pain.
Soon, the chaos began to subside. The trio fought with unwavering determination, each attack more coordinated. Badniks lay in heaps of broken metal, and the remaining Red Scarves members either lay unconscious or bolted deeper into the hideout, unwilling to face such fierce resistance, until the hall became empty, except the three victorious heroines.
"Halls cleared!" Amy declared triumphantly, slamming her hammer onto her shoulder.
Neera gave a curt nod, already scanning ahead. "We keep moving," she said.
With renewed determination, the trio pressed forward, cutting down any remaining resistance. More traps sprung up to block their path—laser grids, swinging blades, and pressure-activated turrets—but they were either skillfully avoided or swiftly destroyed.
The deeper they delved into the hideout, the clearer it became that they were closing in on their target. As the trio moved swiftly through the winding halls and into an open room, Milla suddenly hesitated, her nose twitching as she sniffed the air.
"Is something wrong, Milla?" Amy asked, slowing down to check on her.
"I… I can't tell where he is," Milla said, her voice filled with uncertainty. "It feels like I can smell him from here," she pointed to her right, "but I also smell him from there…" she pointed to her left, her ears flattening in confusion.
Neera's eyes widened as the realization struck her. "Scent trails," she murmured. "They must have anticipated a tracker, so they spread his scent in multiple directions to confuse us!"
"Ding ding ding! We've got ourselves a winner!" A smug voice echoed through the hall, breaking the tension.
The trio spun around to see a gang of Red Scarves members riding in on sleek, black motorcycles. They were flanked by a new wave of badniks, including some of Brevon's personal machines. The leader, a robed figure, revved his engine and grinned smugly. "Pretty neat trick, huh?"
The three immediately fell into fighting stances, Neera taking the front. She raised her Cryo Staff, its icy tip gleaming in the dim light. "You!" she barked, her tone sharp and commanding. "Enough games. Freeze, and bring us the Royal Magister. Now."
"Tsk tsk," The thief wagged his finger in mock disapproval, his grin widening. "No can do. We're about to hit the jackpot of our lives, and we ain't giving it away just because you asked nicely."
Neera's teeth clenched, the desperation behind her fury barely hidden. "Stop. Fooling. Around," she growled, her grip tightening on her staff.
"You heard her!" Amy shouted, stepping forward with her hammer poised. "Give us the Magister, or things are going south real quick!"
Milla nodded, a green cube already forming in her hands, her determined eyes locked onto the enemy. "Yeah, we will prefer to not fight you, so please give him back so no one gets hurt!"
"…You know what? Sure, why not?" The leader said, feigning thoughtfulness.
Milla blinked in surprise, her tense stance relaxing. "Whoa, really?" she asked, her innocent smile returning.
"Yeah…" the leader said, his voice dragging with false sincerity. Then his grin returned, sharp and cruel. "If you can cough up a million blue crystals by tomorrow, we might consider giving you a finger at best." With a laugh, he tossed a piece of torn blue fabric onto the floor.
The gang erupted into mocking laughter, even the badniks and Brevon robots emitting synthetic chuckles. "Haha, oh man!" the main thug howled. "Like we're gonna let two kids and an old hag ruin our payday!"
Milla's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the fabric. Her face fell, a deep frown replacing her hopeful expression. Amy's face, however, twisted into irritated rage. She bared her teeth, her grip on her hammer tightening as she prepared to charge.
But before she could act, she noticed Neera's reaction—or rather, her lack of one. "Neera?" Amy gasped, her fury giving way to concern.
Milla followed her gaze and let out a soft gasp of her own. "Lady Neera…"
Neera stood motionless, her spear lowering slightly. A shadow fell across her face, without a word, she stepped forward, kneeling slowly, Neera reached out, her hand trembling as it hovered over the tattered scrap of fabric lying on the cold floor.
She picked it up gently, brushing over the worn, stained material. It was unmistakable—a piece of the Royal Magister's robe. The vibrant royal blue had faded, marred with dirt and frayed edges.
Her breath hitched, and for a brief moment, the room seemed frozen in time. She clutched the cloth tightly against her chest. Then, she raised her head, her gaze locking onto the gang of criminals before her.
The men, who had been laughing only moments before, now stood rooted in place, their smugness replaced by growing unease. One by one, their chuckles died, replaced by an uneasy silence. Only the leader remained oblivious, still grinning and revving his bike.
"Eh? What's with you guys?" he asked, glancing around in confusion. "Why'd you stop laughing?"
Then he saw her face.
Her bloodshot eyes, twitching with barely restrained fury, locked onto the gang leader. The temperature in the room plummeted, an oppressive chill spreading outward as frost began to crawl along the walls and floor. Neera's icy aura flared with a quiet, deadly intensity, each breath she exhaled visible in the freezing air.
"You dare…" she began, her voice low and steady. "You dare to kidnap the Royal Magister… to drag him into this den of filth and mock his suffering. The man who rules these lands, the man I swore to protect with my life…" Her tone grew icier, each syllable laced with venom. "And you dare… you dare…"
The gang leader's smug grin faltered, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple despite the freezing air. The badniks and thugs around him began to shift uneasily, their systems and instincts alike detecting the escalating threat.
Neera's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, her bloodshot eyes twitching with rage. "To call me… an old hag?"
The room fell deathly silent.
"O-oh," the leader stammered, his bravado collapsing as the weight of his mistake became painfully clear. He took a half-step back, his confidence evaporating in the face of Neera's wrath. "O-okay, mayyybe not old, old, uh, slightly young?"
A mistake had been made today.
Letting out a furious cry, Neera raised her spear high, the icy energy surging around it now crackling with lethal intent. The frost intensified, condensing into sharp, jagged spikes along the walls and ceiling.
Amy's eyes widened. "Milla, shield!" she shouted, diving behind the young basset hound as Milla hastily conjured her green shield.
The gang leader raised a trembling hand. "Wait, I—"
Before he could finish, Neera brought her spear down with a roar, the tip crashing into the frozen floor. The impact sent a shockwave of raw, icy energy rippling outward.
The area was filled with frost as the temperature plunged further, everything in the room becoming obscured by a swirling blizzard of ice and snow. The screams of the thugs and the metallic shrieks of badniks were drowned out by the roaring storm.
A really grave mistake.
Red Scarves Hideout – Inside a Dark Room
Far within the labyrinthine depths of the hideout, a grand door stood ominously under the pale light of the moon.
Inside, the room was shrouded in shadow. The air thick and heavy, the only light coming from a faint beam of moonlight that cast long shadows across the stone walls.
The Royal Magister sat slumped against one of those walls, his regal robes a tattered mess of fabric stained with dirt and sweat. Despite his weakened state, his magenta eyes held a resolute glimmer. He strained to listen, catching the faint sound of alarms blaring from afar. Echoes of distant battle accompanied the wailing sirens, and amidst the chaos, he heard something unmistakable—a woman's shout, fierce and commanding.
His lips curled into a small smile, a flicker of hope breaking through his exhaustion.
"She came," he murmured to himself, his voice soft but certain. "I knew she would."
"Hmmm. It seems you were right after all," Heavy Shinobi said, his voice low and composed. He folded his arms, observing the faint vibrations of battle reverberating through the walls. "I'm impressed. We didn't even need to negotiate for your release. This spares us the inconvenience." A rare, dry chuckle escaped his lips, though it held no warmth.
"…Glad to hear it," the Magister replied, his voice weak but laced with dry humor. A faint, wry smile tugged at his lips. "I'd hate for my rescue to be an inconvenience."
Shinobi's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on the Magister. "Hmph. Don't be too optimistic. They won't have an easy time reaching this room." His voice dropped "I wonder who will reach you first—your rescuers, their demise, or your death?"
The Magister's weary eyes met Shinobi's, a silent challenge passing between them. He straightened slightly, summoning what little strength he had left. "You said it yourself before, didn't you?" he said, his tone defiant. "Let us hope and see if they're ready."
Shinobi's glare hardened, but there was a flicker of acknowledgment in his eyes. "Yes… Let's," he said quietly.
Turning away from the Magister, Shinobi positioned himself by the door. His gaze sharpened as he listened intently to the faint sounds of the ongoing battle.
The room settled into an uneasy silence, broken only by the faint murmurs of the Red Scarves guards stationed nearby. They shifted nervously, their hands gripping their weapons tighter with every distant explosion and shout.
The Magister remained still, his eyes half-closed as he conserved his strength. Though the odds were against him, hope flickered in his heart.
Both he and Shinobi waited, their fates hanging precariously in the balance as the inevitable confrontation drew closer with each passing second.