Casino Park, Empire City

Night

Sonia examined one of the downed terrorists laying face first on the floor near to the casino entrance. One of Lindsey's goons that got left behind to basically die at their hands. That was the initial assumption until they actually checked the bodies and found out they're all androids upon closer examination.

Auto Automation models made to resemble human beings with a fake fleshy exterior, all signed to act as distractions for Lindsey's team and those who weren't deactivated during battle all self-terminated themselves once they sensed their impending capture. Furthermore, they all bore brandings of the Eggman Empire insignia on the fake skin and all carried items in their pockets that bore the same logo.

Paired with the destroyed Badniks over in the city, the appearance of the Egg Carrier and the strong Anti-Eggman sentiments going around, the public at large weren't slow to connect the dots on who's to blame for the recent attack. Even the Ex-Badniks working for the casino were convinced Eggman's responsible.

Sonia and her group on the other hand weren't too convinced that the good doctor had anything to do with tonight's event.

Seeing as the deactivated Auto Automation wasn't going to offer any insight, Sonia headed on outside to find Antoine over at the nearby car park and in the middle of giving a report to Nicole at Central Freedom HQ while waiting on their pickup to arrive. The coyote sighting her and giving the fuschia hedgehog an acknowledging nod.

"...From what we can discern here, Lindsey's gang had everything staged to make it appear like Eggman had appeared zo cause zrouble while zhey rob ze vaults. Ze attack over Empire City was likely organized zo distract ze G.U.N branch while zhey make good zheir escape." Antoine was saying to Nicole on the line, looking at a piece of paper in his hand. "As Sticks correctly points out, zhis could be a big misdirection and ze Eggman Empire happen zo be convenient scapegoats."

"I agree. Despite all appearances, the nature of this invasion doesn't fit Robotnik's M.O. If he was that desperate for funds, he could have raided a federal reserve or a mineral mine rather than waste his resources on robbing a casino. Especially one as secure as Breezie's." Nicole would then ask a question; "Speaking of, have you spoken with her?"

"She's out of zown at ze moment but has been informed of what happened by the manager. From ze sound of zhings, she sounded less zhan pleased at ze fact zhat somebody like Lindsey had found a way zo beat ze house and break into her vault."

"I doubt the loss of a million mobiums was all that got stolen from her. There must have been something else in the vault that got taken as well she's not telling us about. If only we knew what exactly that something is."

Antoine eyeing Butch's note. "Probably another piece of government property according zo zhis note zhat was found and was entrusted with it. She does have good relations with ze President after all."

"In any case, you and your team should all head on back with your findings." Nicole would then remember something Bunnie had told her earlier. "By the way, your wife wants you to pick up some eggs and bread on the way home. Says the bread's gone blue."

"Of course. Bonne nuit."

"Well?" Sonia spoke up after Antoine hung up. The french speaker turned to her.

"She's not convinced zhis is Eggman's doing and doubts ze mobiums were ze only zhings stolen from ze vault zonight." He replied, pulling out his wallet to check his cash amount. "Also Bunnie needs me zo get some eggs and bread."

"Is it that bad?"

"Yes. Our loaf has gone bleu."

"Ugh, gross!" The fuschia hedgehog's face scrunched at the thought of that disgusting blue loaf and the pair going off to find the rest of their crew. "I suppose we could make a stop on the way home..."

Gadget sat on a curb by the tarmac road near the car park. Big, Sticks and Isabelle all with him.

The wolf sulked. Lindsey and her gang have slipped through his fingers again and the others have to pick up the mess like before. The reception he's received from some of the casino patrons that watches I.G.N were anything but welcoming. It's how this whole fiasco came about.

Every time he's on a mission, it has always ended with their suspect giving them the slip. Worse still, Team Sonic vouched for him yet the string of failures would be enough to make any good team leader wonder if he's a millstone or a curse. He bets that Sally and them are all thinking about it even though none of them has shown any sign of regretting his inclusion.

With the rate of failures going on when he's on the team, who wouldn't be having second thoughts about a guy like him? Why does nothing ever go right when he's on the field?

"Why the long face?" Sticks sat down next to him. "Something on your mind?"

"Oh, it's nothing…"

"If it's not nothing, you'd have no reason for wearing that face shy of cheating on your pregnant wife."

Gadget did a double take at that one. "Wait, wha—"

"If it's about those crooks getting away, forget about it." The badger tells him with a little scoff. "They've got their plot armors on and we have nothing in our arsenal to penetrate through them at the moment but once the plot doesn't need them any more to progress the story, that's when we can break through them."

Assuming Sticks is being metaphorical with her words, he nodded to her points. "You think it's just luck being on their side and eventually, it'll run out for them?"

Sticks shrugged, adjusting her dress. "Something like that."

"It's just that both times I've had her in my grasp, something crops up and I'm forced to let her go."

"Pretty frustrating how much luck is on her side…" Isabelle grumbled, arms crossed and staring up at the night skies. "We literally had her knocked out this time and she still manages to get away."

Gadget's ears droop sadly. "You guys would probably have a better chance of catching her and her gang without me around to screw it all up…"

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Sticks assured her lupine teammate. "There's always a next time and it was that moron back there who decided to punch you that caused her to escape, not you."

"I would suggest pressing charges against that man." Sonia suggested as both her and Antoine came over to join them. The wolf quickly shook his head at the suggestion.

"N-No… I d-don't think that'll b-be necessary…" Gadget replied quietly, looking down at the ground. "Don't w-want to cause a-any trouble…"

Sonia frowned at that. "But he assaulted you!"

"If he doesn't want to press charges, then we shouldn't be forcing him to." Big puts in his two cents on the matter. "It is his choice, not ours'."

"Regrettably, Monsieur Big is correct. It's not up zo us zo have zhat connard zried as much as we want zo." Antoine sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "And even if Monsieur Amamiya here does decide zo file zhose charges, zhere's ze matter of proving it in court and ze possibility of ze man hiring the much bigger connard P. Bargrin Fox as his attorney."

"You sure about not pressing charges?" Sonia sat down next to Gadget and he would reply with a little nod, the hedgehog sighing quietly. "Alright. We won't pressure you but you shouldn't be letting everyone walk over you like that. Treat you like a doormat to wipe the dirt of their shoes on."

"I just don't want to stir up any unwanted conflict…" The wolf frowned. "Drag the rest of you down through the mud any further because of me. It's better to just leave it be and move on."

"If you zhink you're a detriment zo our zeam, zhen you're a fool." Antoine speaks to Gadget like he's a sports team captain. "You're not ze only one who zhinks zhey brought shame to zheir friends and families. It's good zo be introspective and critical of one's self but not a very healthy mindset zo carry around zwenty-four-seven."

"Zhere's zime zo be polite and kind with people who deserve zhat courtesy. Zhen zhere's zime zo get stern and firm with zhose who zhink you exist only zo be a pushover for zhem. Be gentle and firm." The coyote flamboyantly points his finger at the wolf. "Listen to ze cold brain of logic in your head less and listen zo ze warm heart of emotion more zo do what you believe is right!"

Gadget looked up at Antoine in awe while the others silently passed knowing looks to each other. It seemed to do the trick as he straightened himself.

"You and Isabelle saved zhat child's life. Zhat is worth more zhan anything I.G.N has zo say about you. Zhink not of failures but of successes. It is early days after all. We all have our kinks zo work out." The coyote smiled encouragingly. "Monsieur Amamiya. As your zeam leader, I kindly request zhat you zurn your frown into a smile. Let us see ze beautiful smile of yours."

Since it's a request and feeling encouraged, Gadget complies with the order. The wolf brought out his smile that helped take the others' minds off from the gloom surrounding them. It's the least he can do for them.

"You have such an adorable smile!" Sonia finds her new teammate's youthful smile with the exposed upper fangs so infectious and endearing. "I think it looks well on you."

Gadget blushes from the praise and shyly averts his gaze from, trying to hide the bashfulness he's gradually becoming known for displaying. There is also the fact that she's Sonic's half-sister and the thought of either Sonic or Manic giving him the 'dating talk' is more terrifying than that shapeshifting lighthouse monster from Doctor Omega.

Sticks snickers to herself and coyly remarks out aloud. "Sonia. It's clear that you clearly have a thing for reds and he's about as red as they come. May he be the Guardian of your Master Heart~"

Sonia rolls her eyes at her comment. "Oh, be quiet you!"

Sticks and Isabelle both decided to do the heart shape gesture together just to wind up Sonia the moment she reacted to the badger's teasing before everyone in the group erupts into laughter with even Gadget joining in the chorus. Having a good release by laughing out his anxieties and enjoying the moment while killing time before their pickup arrives.

"...An intense battle had recently taken place at Casino Park between the casino's brave security force, the Eggman Terrorists and the Snothole Free-Dumb Figures. According to a reliable eyewitness account, it all kicked off when the newest member of the Free-Dumb Fighters had suddenly assaulted him with a sucker punch to the face and all broke loose from there. Our good folks here at I.G.N have reached out to owner Breezie Hedgehog for comment but she has declined to make an official statement regarding the matter."

I.G.N anchorman Adam Frosk reported on what went down in Empire City to the camera and to the viewers watching at home with a slick smile. A picture of Gadget the Wolf from December 2nd would appear on the transmission feed next to him when bringing up the wolf in question. Set up the wolf to be heckled again.

"The same time that idiot Scrappy Oliver was instigating a brawl in Casino Park, Empire City had came under attack by a lone airship carrying a swarm of robots later identified to be Badniks but the city's local G.U.N branch would valiantly fend off the hostile invaders and bring down the vessel."

Footage of an Egg Carrier going up in flames from a barrage of artillery fire with the ship descending from its original altitude and safely exploding in the distance on a patch of ground away from the city. Then cutting to a scene where a bunch of destroyed white and black Egg Gunners and silver Egg Walkers could be seen littering the streets of Empire City.

"Our expert analysts believe this could possibly signal the return of the Eggman Empire after their defeat at the end of the Phantom Ruby War and that the notorious Doctor Robotnik is on the loose again..."

Sonic's Abode, New Mobotropolis

Late Night

Sonic turns and turns in his sleep restlessly. Rolling over on his bed as he becomes unsettled.

For the first four hours, he was sleeping just fine but at the fifth hour into his rest; the nightmare suddenly appears to him and feeling as though he is literally in the nightmare.

A homeless man was poking through a dumpster bin in a city alleyway. Looking for another disposed sheet to use as a blanket to keep himself warm throughout the chilly night and hopefully survive to see the morning.

He snapped his gaze down the alleyway when he heard a can being kicked and sees a cloaked figure gazing at him with predatory red eyes and a shark of a smile. The ominous aura of the stranger made him feel spooked.

"L-Look, I want no trouble." The man fearfully says to the figure, slowly backing away when it started approaching towards him very menacingly. He'd break out into a sprint and running from the other being.

The cloaked being locked onto his prey and rocketed at him with claws outstretched, rapidly closing in on the terrified man. As he got very near, he stretches out a hand and swipes at him...

Sonic shot up in his bed with a scream and a cold sweat. Only calming down when he sees that he's back in his house and in his bed where he's supposed to be.

His face in his hands and trying to process what he had seen in his sleep. Was it another nightmare where he's hunting down defenceless people as Mecha Sonic or has he just witnessed an actual crime through his optics?

The line between dream and reality become uncomfortably blurred for him and enough to bring him plenty of restless nights where he'd come to Central Freedom HQ with a clearly tired face and sluggish reaction speed. Damn that accursed program for giving him more nightmares and unease than he already has. If this mind link keeps going as it is, he'll might lose his mind.

Metal Sonic believes he is the real Sonic and Sonic knows he's the genuine article. Mecha Sonic is him and thus privy to who his shadow is because that program came from him. He birthed that monstrosity into this world. The Jaldabaoth of his world.

Laying back on his bed and staring up at a poster of Captain Rescue in his prime hung on one of his walls, the golden example of how to be a hero. An example he's finding himself coming up short on more and more. Not thanks to evil but his growing doubt about his capabilities as the knight of the wind when his inner world is in disarray and at war with itself. The side who obsesses in bringing Tarek Mengele to stand before his judgement alive or dead versus the side screaming that this is not the path he should be walking upon for it is not who he is...

December 9th

Castle Acorn, New Mobotropolis

Morning

"...It's clear to me that based on your recent track record, you and your team are being reckless. That whole mess on Resort Island is proof—"

"Proof of what? That these people are willing to kill off hundreds just to cover their tracks or that somehow we're at fault for causing the whole thing despite what we just told you?"

"Proof that you're clearly taking matters into your own hands without us having a say on it and getting involved with a case that originated from outside the R.A. You all chosen to charge headfirst into it and look where th—"

"Order! Order!" Rosemary Prower raised her voice. The auburn mother of Tails hammering her gavel to stop the heated argument between Sonic and council member Hamlin Pig which got the two to cease their squabble.

Besides Sonic, Tails, Sally and Nicole are also present at the council meeting. Giving their account of what they've been doing for a while to the committee while excluding certain sensitive details like Sonic's inexplicable link with Mecha Sonic.

Penelope Platypus cleared her throat as the noise calmed down and she addressed the Freedom Fighters present. "While I do not agree with the actions that were taken, it is evident these thieves clearly had their exit strategy planned out and the circumstances weren't in your favor. Saying that, the assault on Boris Speechley has caused serious discussions regarding Sonic's role within the field of diplomacy and everything else attached to it."

"Given the circumstances leading up to that and how belligerent he was to him, I think we can forgive Sonic for his outburst that day." Sally defended Sonic's character as she knew the Mecha Sonic mindlink explanation wasn't going to fly with these people except for Charles. "Is it not a very mobian reaction based on everything we've told you, no?"

"Even still, it's a very unprofessional display coming from you." Rosemary looked over at Sonic with a neutral face. "It's hard to believe you of all people would do that."

"Hey, I regret the fact your son and everyone else associated with me are affected by what I did but I don't regret punching him when he acted more upset about the loss of investment than the fact lives were lost. For many of those victims' relatives, that's what Christmas is going to be for them from now on." Sonic responded back with no enthusiasm. "I certainly don't need a bunch of bureaucrats like Porky over there ragging me over it."

"Oi!"

"Everybody, can we all please get back on topic?" King Max Acorn spoke up, the aged patriarch of the Acorn Royal Family feeling his age even with the advancements in medicine. Running a hand over his tired face from the squabble in his court.

He had really hoped to step down from the throne on his 60th birthday to go into peaceful retirement with his wife but then the Phantom Ruby War happened that put a pause to his plans. His people needed all the morale they could get in those six months and the only reason he's still on the throne currently is that he believes 3240 to be a prime year to hold the coronation of his successor to the throne.

A new decade. A new beginning. The baggage he carries to be left in the past.

Seeing it as his cue, Sir Charles took charge of the conversation. "I had a look at the cold fusion formula Doctor Kirk had written and can confirm it is impossible. Under no normal conditions would it be possible to generate that type of energy based on the math he's written down. I can also confirm that no Chaos Emeralds were used."

Councillor Dylan Porcupine wondered. "If no Chaos Emeralds were used, then what is it we're looking at here?"

"Something that can pull the possible out of the impossible. Produce miracles out of nothing." The senior hedgehog replied sternly. Leading to his fellow councilmen to murmur amongst themselves.

"Oh come on, that's absurd!" Hamlin loudly remarks, voicing out the thoughts his colleagues all have at the idea. "I'm no scientist but what you're suggesting violates the laws and principles of our universe!"

"I know it sounds ludicrous but it is a hypothesis based on the improbability around it and evidence that Sally's team has been able to find. If we can't replicate Kirk's methods to get the results he got, then it's safe to assume he had used a cheat. In a world where Chaos Emeralds exist, such a thing could exi—"

Gadget abruptly bursts into the council meeting with some papers in hand and short on breath. Greeting the council with a bow while panting, having run all the way to the castle. Having been sent out with the notes in Rotor's place since something came up last minute that the walrus had to go tend to and telling the wolf to bring the papers over to the council meeting.

"What's that civilian doing in here!?" King Max stood up, eyeing the bespectacled wolf unfamiliar to him. "Guards!"

"Wait!" Sally put her hand up to halt the Royal Guards. "It's okay, he's one of our newest members. He's with us."

Hamlin crossed his arms. "Hey, I recognise his face. He's that Scrappy Oliver from the news."

The wolf's canine ears droop sadly at that nickname before Sonic sharply corrects the pig. "His name is—"

"Akira?" Penelope blinked in surprise recognition with the wolf mirroring her reaction when he recognised the platypus as well before a smile crept onto her beak. "Well, I'll be a right bugger… Talk about a blast from the past!"

"Penelope?" Akira straightens himself, amazed to see her again. "You're part of the Acorn Council?"

"Three years running."

"You two know each other?" Sonic, Hamlin and Dylan asked in perfect unison. It was rather startling for Gadget, Penelope and Rosemary from how in sync they were.

"Is this room fitted with surround sound?" Tails looks around in confusion.

"Nope. Mono." Sally replied simply without missing a beat.

"Yeah, we knew one another from back then." Penelope responded to Dylan and Hamlin's question, not taking her eyes off Gadget. "I'll tell you about it later."

Sally cleared her throat as she introduced the wolf to the council properly. "This is Gadget the Wolf or Akira Amamiya in the paperwork. The one that rescued Sonic from the Death Egg."

"The Avatar himself?" King Max Acorn asked in amazement. "The one who braved against that masked scoundrel?"

"The very same."

"Huh. Thought the Avatar was an orange cat or something like that." Hamlin dryly remarks, looking the red wolf over. "How are we sure this is the real deal and not one of those imposters running around? We had a few claiming to be the Avatar in the last good while."

"Because Buddy here is the very one that fought at my side from the Death Egg to when we kicked Robuttnik's backside at the end of the war." Sonic puts a hand on Gadget's shoulder, speaking truthfully to the council members. "Tails, Knux, Ames, Vector and most of my friends can all back me up on this."

"It's true. He's the genuine article." Tails added. That seemed to be all the convincing the council members needed to believe the wolf who's looking very bashful from the attention on him is the very one that drove the once-dominating Eggman and his imperial empire to defeat.

King Max stood up with a hand over his heart and smiled at Gadget, now made aware of his identity. "From all of us here in the Council of Acorn, we owe you our sincere gratitude."

"Oh no your highness, I-I only just helped out Sonic and the rest of the Resistance in whatever way I could." Gadget shook his head, politely denying the praise given to him by the King of the Republic of Acorn and bowing to him. "They're the real heroes of the war."

Sir Charles lightly chuckled at Gadget's humbleness. "From what my nephew has told me about you, I think it's the other way around."

"Yeah, yeah and I hate to rain on this war hero appreciation parade but can we please all get back to the topic at hand?" Hamlin reminded both his fellow councilmen and Sally's group on what they were discussing moments ago with Gadget more than happy to not be the center of the discussions. "We were on about a stolen science project, remember?"

"Of course." Rosemary would eye the papers in Gadget's hands. "I take it you bought those papers here for a reason?"

The wolf looked up to the auburn vixen, seeing the family resemblance she has to Tails and secretly thinking she's rather attractive looking. Quickly getting away from the thought, he showed Sally the notes before handing them off to Sir Charles Hedgehog.

"You've all seen the news about what happened in Empire City last night and already explained what had transpired at Casino Park." Sally spoke away while Charles reviewed Rotor's findings including a scan of Butch's note. "With a note that Mister Amamiya retrieved from the vault, we suspect that the author of the note is the same one who sent out the coded transmission that Nicole would come across and could be one of Lindsey's two surviving henchmen from the Westopolis job."

Sally gestured to Nicole in pulling up the holographic mugshots of the two surviving henchmen from the Westopolis heist in question along with their criminal records. "Troy 'Lionel' Lanley and Butch 'The Wake' O'Hare are their respective names. Both were present at last night's heist. One of them had sent out that coded message for us to find which suggests they're either working against his employers or an undercover agent."

Rosemary voiced her thoughts. "If they're an undercover agent, shouldn't his agency be the ones taking action instead of your group? The first theft happened on U.F soil and something that G.U.N should be handling, not you."

"The institute originally who held the project asked us out to help them retrieve it like I said before and Team Dark would be handling this instead of us but unfortunately, they are still currently unavailable as of now. If his agency exists, either they're not willing to jeopardize their agent's cover or they were originally just meant to just keep tabs on Lindsey and her gang's activities before they got involved in something of this scale. We're still trying to figure that part out."

Tails chimed in. "But at least we have someone helping us out from the inside. If not for his note, we wouldn't know about the state of the art computer chip that got stolen from the vault and the make of it."

Sir Charles sets down the papers he was just reading through and looks to his fellow councilmen. "The alloy and material of that blaster is not one that exists nor could exist under normal conditions."

"What are you on about Charles?" Hamlin questioned. Sally nodded to Tails who stepped up to explain the elder hedgehog's statement.

"Usually, a lot of the materials we would use for items like chairs, glass, clothing and even weapons would have to be sourced from somewhere. Diamond, ore, wool, wood and all other key natural ingredients we use to craft our items are all provided by our planet. To keep things simple, a lot of these all have a natural scientific basis for them being able to exist in our environmental atmosphere. Follow the periodic table." Tails explained to the council. "The material that Lindsey's blaster is made of does not conform to these rules nor could it exist naturally in our atmosphere."

"When I handled her blaster, it was about as sturdy as titanium but it's as light as an empty ceramic cup, as warm as a plastic cup and has no smell to it except for the post-heat odour at the tip of the barrel." Gadget added onto Tails' statement. "It's the only weapon retrieved from the scene that's like that. The other weapons left behind by the Auto Automations and the Badniks don't share its properties."

"Whatever artifact the late Doctor Kirk had found, it could produce that gun and the cold fusion like a permanent Phantom Ruby." Sir Charles stressed the severity of the situation to his peers. "Think about it. If one can produce a weapon that can't be picked up by metal detectors and create fusion energy from nothing, what else could it make?"

"But why steal a government computer chip?" Penelope pointed out. "They could easily produce a chip of their own without having to rob from Casino Park."

"At the moment, we aren't sure of what exactly this artifact is or what they need that chip for. My best guess is that this artifact likely has its limitations and the chip is likely needed for a device to overcome said limitations. That blaster is our first hard evidence of its existence." Sally admitted. "I know it does sound far-fetched but how else can we explain these oddities?"

"I think it sounds like a lot of lark to me!" Hamlin scoffed at her words. "Come on princess, you're seriously expecting us to buy into the fact that Lindsey's paymaster is in possession of something that farts out fictional materials into reality? For all we know, this nonsense could be fabricated out of your desperation just to get us to back you and save face from your previous blunders!"

"Hamlin." Sonic said in an even voice. "If we were that desperate, why would we stake everything on a deception and earn your approval?"

"He's right. We don't always see eye to eye but I doubt they would be here with the intent to deceive us and we have seen stranger things happen." Rosemary rebuked the pig. "There anything else you can share with us?"

"We do and it concerns Doctor Tarek Mengele himself. We had held back on discussing him for a special reason." Sally nodded. "We originally assumed he was some obscure Great War scientist but our recent discovery reveals that he's actually a former member of the Court of Acorn under the name of Doctor Xavier Globočnik."

After declaring that fact to the rest of the Acorn Council, Nicole summons holograms of the photos taken of Tarek Mengele and presents them before the council members in attendance. Then an accompanying audio file would play.

"...The water collector took the longest to put together given it's the key component to powering the new Reactive Factory and one we kept from the old building..."

Sonic could see King Acorn's eyes widen in shock upon recognising the jackal in the image and noticed that Rosemary Prower also seemed to recognise him judging from how she froze up for a brief moment before quickly snapping out of it. The only adult from the Great War present that didn't have a strong reaction to the reveal is Councillor Mrs. Mongoose who instead shared a similar baffled expression as Penelope, Hamlin and Dylan.

Sally and Sir Charles would share what they had discussed the night before to the entire council. For Gadget and everyone else who weren't present at that briefing session, this is their first time learning about it.

"By the Great Crown of Acorn..." King Acorn said in a haunted tone, looking as if he had been visited by a ghost and letting the facts sink in. "I really thought he had perished fourteen years ago!"

Charles solemnly sighed. "Thought so as well your highness but him being alive in the present day suggests that he had actually survived his initial crash and stayed off our radar in those fourteen years. Because of that, there is also a very high possibility of him faking his death at the Reactive Factory explosion like Sonic suggests."

Max furrowed his gray brow. "If he's still alive, then stopping him and his associates is a high priority."

Mrs. Mongoose stood up from her seat. "Why in the holy name of Aurora was he sentenced to the Devil's Gulag and not sentenced to death by hanging in the first place if he is that dangerous?"

The aged nobleman sighed. "Like the reason I had allowed Julian to serve under me because of my regret over what happened with Nate, I made the error of assuming that he'd be a lot easier to manage with his talents if he was kept in a high security cell where he could be monitored while sweeping up all traces of him ever existing under the rug. Prevent the possibility of any future fanatics from taking after him or his work..."

Then without missing a beat, he suddenly snapped his stern gaze at Rosemary Prower. "Before you start going off on me for my decision to spare his life like all of my other mistakes, you agreed to this vow of silence along with your husband. Not only that; he was the one at his trial who suggested having him be sentenced to the Devil's Gulag under an arrangement."

Hamlin didn't hesitate to make a snide remark towards Tails' mother upon learning of the fact. "Looks like your husband ain't quite the sword of the people that he makes himself out to be after all!"

The chamber erupted into a burst of shouts and arguments. Only calming down when Sonic zips over to grab the gavel from Rosemary and loudly hammering on the table with it.

"We have all made mistakes in the past and this council has certainly made a few severe lapses in judgment since it was founded but arguing with each other isn't getting us anywhere." Charles spoke up as the ruckus died down, gesturing over to Sonic, Sally and Tails. "We made the choice to bury Xavier's existence for over fourteen years because we thought it would be best for all of our children."

The older hedgehog points at the Tarek hologram. "We foolishly believed that we were doing the right thing back then and foolishly thought he was the threat to the kingdom's safety while overlooking what Julian Kintobor was up to until it was too far late. Our young are now paying for our mistakes."

Standing up with a hand held high. "Whatever you all might think of my nephew and his friends' recent performance, they could be the difference maker between the continued prosperity of the Acorn Republic versus the oncoming ruination that'll await us if we don't let them go and make up for their earlier failings. Unless any of you have better ideas, I propose that we let our heroes here be allowed to pursue these criminals and bring them to justice."

King Acorn raised his hand. "All those in favor of Charles' proposal?"

"Aye!"

"All in opposition?"

With no objections made thanks to Charles' compelling argument and Hamlin having nothing solid to counter it, King Acorn proudly declares to all in attendance. "Then the ayes have it!"

Rosemary coughs into her hand to get everyone's attention and addresses the Freedom Fighters. "But before you start celebrating, we want to make it absolutely clear that we're only endorsing this because of the severity of the threat we're up against and the matter of our world still in the middle of rebuilding itself. Are we all clear on this?"

"Crystal." Sonic did an okay hand sign. The vixen gave a curt nod, knowing her point's been made.

A further conversation would be held in the council chamber before the meeting eventually comes to an end. Nicole and Gadget exited the room together. The latter looping his thumbs over the utility belt while conversing with the holo-lynx out in the castle hallway.

"...I had assumed that because of who you guys are, the council would be more supportive of your endeavors. Especially when it concerns Eggman."

"Sonic would very much like that to be the case but that's not how it works around here I'm afraid. How versed are you in politics?"

"Uhh… Officials have to cast a vote, they debate, they argue, different opinions are brought forth, scandals happen, big money spent on political campaigns, cartoonists will satirize whatever goes on, bureaucracy and some big promises that never get followed through while hoping you forget said promises…" Gadget taps his chip before remembering one last thing. "Oh and there was that time where adult film star Princess Venus dabbled a bit in politics."

"I recall Manic talking about that one when it was going on. The time that someone promised to help clean up Cyber City as a whole during his campaign but went back on his promise a week later after winning the election. He thinks somebody has blackmailed him, bribed him or he was threatened into changing his mind with how abruptly he changed his stance."

"Or he never intended to follow through on his promise. Back when I was living in Golden Bay City, there was someone like him who made a similar promise to do something about the bin men strike that was going on at one time." Gadget sardonically remarks with a tut and an eye roll. "When he got elected as city mayor, the first thing he did was call in the union busters to crack down on them and gave their jobs to refugees from Eurish which of course bred some resentment from the ex-binmen."

"Sounds like a disaster." Nicole commented. Getting to learn more about the wolf's background and seeing another side of his personality.

The red wolf nodded in agreement. "It was. I'd have been much more sympathetic to the workers if not for the fact their jobs are already largely automated as is and us paying their salaries to collect our waste. The genius behind the whole mess didn't even last three months in office before he got done for embezzlement."

"While we haven't experienced the same issues as your former city, the relationship between us and the Council of Acorn is on the rocky side to put it lightly. Some days we'll agree, others not so much."

"Why have a council if it's that much of a hassle just to get anything done?"

"Publicly, it was formed to give the civilians a democratic voice that can be heard when important decisions are made. Privately, it was a compromise made by Sally to prevent a full-on civil war from breaking out."

"Civil war?"

"To keep a long story brief: Amadeus and Rosemary Prower thought it was time to modernize the kingdom from an absolute monarchy to a democratic republic. Both Amadeus and Elias had a dispute with the former forming a mutiny that saw him be arrested for treason. Sally would settle the matter by coming up with the Council of Acorn and avert a civil war altogether." The holo-lynx explained to him. "You know how the rest of the story goes from here."

"I see why Sally's considered a great negotiator." Gadget could only imagine a grim timeline where she wasn't there to prevent a civil war from taking shape. "What do you think of the council?"

He saw a quick flash of emotions in Nicole's eyes before answering him. "I do not have any strong feelings about them one way or another. They function in service of the people and we answer to them. Enough about that, what about you and Penelope?"

"Oh, that. Wel—"

"There you are!"

The pair turn around to see Penelope approach them in the castle hall, giving a friendly wave to Gadget. "Long time no see!"

"Likewise…" The wolf greeted her, pleased to see a familiar face on an unfamiliar land. "How are you these days?"

"Well, I just came back from a cold I took and recently did some Christmas shopping of my own." The purple platypus from Downunda gestured at her own council uniform. "As you can tell from this, I've been a member of the Acorn Council since it was founded three years ago and prior to that, I was a member of a secondary team of Freedom Fighters that Sally had helped assemble back in 3235."

"You mean you got to fight alongside Sally and the others in the First Robotnik War!?"

Penelope lightly shaped her head at the excited wolf's question. "Not quite the way you're imagining it but we did serve with them. We were more like a backup team that would get called in when the main team is incapacitated or unavailable to respond to a crisis. A team of substitutes you could say. Nowadays with the roster expansion, we'd all be part of the main team if we were still active today…"

Pointing at Gadget with a smirk. "And be there to welcome you to the team."

"It'd be nice to have another familiar face at the initiation." Gadget nodded with a gentle smile. "It's rather overwhelming when the only people you know are those you happen to have fought on the fields with and they all outrank you incidentally."

Penelope let off a chuckle. "As Mrs. Amamiya would say; you initially get hired as a plumber but your job description expands into protecting an entire kingdom from an evil conqueror and having cake with the kingdom's princess on the regular as her most trusted. Speaking of, how's both her and Sojiro been doing these days?"

"Both alive and well. Unfortunately, the family cafe did need some repair work done to it a while back but it's still in business." The wolf replied, rubbing his neck. "Haven't gotten around to telling them about this yet in case you're wondering."

"I take it that both of you have a history together." Nicole commented on the two's familiarity with each other and both turned to her. "Childhood friends?"

"During the third year of the Great War if I'm remembering it right, my parents rest in piece reckoned we'd be much safer living out in Golden Bay City away from the conflict and that's how it was until the war came to an end when we all made the decision come over to Old Mobotropolis on that fateful week..." Penelope gave the A.I a quick history lesson about her past. "I first met Akira when he was three while I was four."

"We lived in the same neighborhood." Gadget shared details of his past with the holo-lynx. "Her and her parents would frequent my dad's cafe in the three years they were in the neighbourhood with us."

"And I was like a big sister to him..." Penelope added, wrapping an arm around Gadget's shoulder with a knowing smile. "You should have seen him when he was a little pup. He dressed up as an adorable Zorro for Halloween once, his favourite pro wrestler is Mr. Magnificent, thought the moon was made of cheese and I recall he has such a crush o—"

"S-She doesn't need to know about all that!" The wolf exclaimed in embarrassment and stopping Penelope from revealing any more embarrassing details about him in front of Nicole. "All you need to know is that we knew each other as kids, her father was the one who exposed that crooked mayor for embezzlement and we hung out together until her family moved out!"

"Must have some interesting youthful tales to tell." Nicole said in amusement. She'd see Sonic emerging from the council chamber with his uncle.

"Yo Buddy!" Sonic called out with him and Charles coming over, looking at the bespectacled wolf. "Are you free today?"

"Uh, I think so. Do you need me for something?"

"Nah. Wondering if you're game for hanging out." Sonic did a lazy wave before gesturing over to his uncle. "This is my uncle—"

"Sir Charles Hedgehog." Gadget did a graceful bow to the senior hedgehog. "Your academic papers were essential reading when I was in college and it is such an honor to meet you."

"Likewise Mister Amamiya and just call me Chuck." The aged hedgehog returned the bow. "My nephew has told me a fair amount about you. Says you're a war hero and that you saved his life."

Gadget shakes his head at the claim. "It was really because of Knuckles and the others in the Resistance that saved his life. I was just the guy sent out to retrieve your nephew."

"I think your younger self would have been over the moon after being praised by one of your heroes." Penelope remarked.

The red mobian rubbing his neck. "Younger me didn't know any better…"

"Whether you see yourself as a hero or not, I thank you for your noble services and for bringing my nephew home." Charles said to the young wolf with genuine appreciation. "I'd be more than happy to have a chat with you down at my diner."

Penelope beamed at the idea. "Excellent idea because me and Akira here have a lot of catching up to do."

Sonic looked between them and his uncle with a grin. "Consider it a date. Buddy, you haven't lived for glory yet until you try out our family chili-dog recipe."

"I had hoped to never see him again in my lifetime…" King Acorn rubbed his tired eyes. Not having moved from his seat in the council chamber since learning of who Tarek Mengele is and his daughter at his side.

"Some ghosts have a way of causing trouble for the present..." Sally said in a rueful manner. "But Father, why was this all covered up? Why now are we only just learning about this?"

"I don't exactly remember the full reason behind the decision and I think it was either the Secret Service or Amadeus who originally suggested it but my memory's a little hazy on the specifics..." He hung his head down. "And there's also a level of shame around employing someone like him in my royal court. The horrific deeds he's done during his service to the kingdom including what he did to those captured Overland soldiers in his hidden lab is not something you want the world to know about."

"I understand. With how the Great War was won, that knowledge could have reignited the fighting and no doubt something that could have been used against you."

"Part of me thinks we shouldn't have covered it up and instead be transparent about what had happened… It's the least we could do for his victims' families." Max sighed regretfully. "Perhaps I was willing to take the advice of locking him up because I thought he could be my only chance to bring back both your mother and your brother back from the undiscovered country."

Sally gently grabbed her father's hand. "Your younger self just had to go to Angel Island to find both of them alive if he thought to check there. I doubt someone with his track record could even be remotely capable of performing a miracle to rival the revival of Lazarus."

"Sometimes, one's strong conviction towards their goals can make even a skeptic believe they can achieve the impossible and I happened to be one of those skeptics pulled in by his'. We've all been there." The aged monarch admitted to fallibility to his beloved child. "I think Doctor Ellidy can tell you more than I could since he's the one who exposed his sordid deeds to us and probably one of the only people that really knows him on a personal level given he had spent the most time with him."

Sally nodded. "We are thinking of reaching out to him since Charles made the same suggestion but locating the current whereabouts of Tarek, Slimy and the stolen project is a bigger priority for us at the moment."

"We know the Eggman Empire is behind it. That's the popular consensus going around right now."

"I don't think they have anything to do with it except being scapegoats. Never thought I'd be saying this but I think they're innocent in all of this and a different party is behind this web." Sally voiced her doubts. "I have a hunch that the Dark Legion are behind this somehow. It would track with how quiet they've been lately and what we know of their defection from the Eggman Empire. Everyone's so focused on finding Robotnik and his supporters that people like Lien-Da are slipping through the cracks with ease."

"I honestly don't know what is going on anymore… I once thought Geoffrey St. John was someone to be trusted because of his late father and thought he was better suited to you than Sonic yet we all know how he turned out in the end. Having Xavier alive and looking remarkably better for his age than I is just another cruel piece of irony in the story that is my life." Max looked at his daughter. "At least I have you, my son, my wife and all of my friends here to keep me going. Even Sonic."

"I always figured you have a soft spot for him despite your differences and you took the news of his "death" as hard as I did. Denying that he'd die so measly to some nobody."

"After everything he has done for us and being someone who marches to the beat of his own drums, you learn to accept him for who he is. Appreciate his brand of wisdom. Sure, he's a stubborn one but so are we and together, I can't tell who's worse."

Sally giggled at his statement. "Well, your son does take after you as much as Sonic takes after his own father. I think stubbornness is something both of our families have in common."

"Aye…" Max nodded, ruffling her hair. "But I must ask if things are alright with him as of late? Ever since he came back from the Death Egg, something's different about him."

Sally's smile drops to a frown. "I wish I knew what's bothering him but he won't actually say what it is and I have to guess it myself. It feels like he's trying to act like nothing's happened to him yet I notice there's times where he's a lot more sharp with some people or is quicker to anger than usual and not even Knuckles or Tails could pry anything out of him."

She closes her eyes, letting Max stroke her hair. "I've thought about benching him after what happened on Resort Island but I would question if that's really a good idea or not. For all I know, I could be taking away one of his means of coping from his own PTSD and help himself feel his life is back to normal..."

"For every living being with the gift of free will, they're always destined to be tested. A test of their resolve. A test of their faith. A test of their piety. Whatever their test takes the form of, the beholder will be challenged on a personal level and it is they who must overcome it."

The patriarch of the Royal Acorn Family spoke of the words that his own father once told to him. "Perhaps Sonic is being tested on a personal level. One that'll force him into looking within and confront it head on."

"I'm just really worried about him hitting his breaking point and what'll happen afterwards..." Sally said shakily. "W-What if h-he... Fall into a dark hole and he can't come out of it?"

"Then it's up to another to help pull him out of it. Sometimes, it takes two to tango and we don't get to choose who our dance partner is." Max lightly strokes his daughter's hair. "If none of you can help him find his salvation, then it's up to the one who can."

Sally can understand where her father's coming from but it doesn't settle her deep concerns for Sonic. She can't let him spiral downwards any further yet she can't force him into admitting what's wrong because that could easily alienate him and make him retreat further into himself. Recent events haven't done much good for his state of mind.

What can she even do to fix six months of torture for someone like Sonic? Where does one know how to identify what exactly is wrong internally with him? If neither her or anyone else that knows the blue hedgehog well can't help him, then who can?

No matter how strong his character is, Sonic is still a person like the rest of them and it is an inevitability that he'll come to find it too much to bear. One does not walk away from being Infinite's favorite victim for six months without bearing the scars.

A little crack left on his armor and all it needs is a well-placed nail to reduce his armor to pieces...

Author's Note: The decision to have Penelope Platypus from the Pre-SGW Archie Sonic comics be someone who actually knew Gadget/Avatar from his past was something that came to me as I was writing this and thought it'd be interesting to expand on her lore a bit through this connection since we hardly know anything about her other than the fact she's from Downunda or a Freedom Fighter that became a member of the Council of Acorn. Have someone around to provide insight into his early life.

This is something of a slowburner as far as plot development goes, mostly continuing on from where the last chapter left us at, elaborate on a few details and fill in some blanks. A bit of downtime calmness from the previous chapter while iterating on the central themes of the story. Comes with the territory.

What do you think of this one? Leave your thoughts in the reviews and I'll see you all another time.