Episode Sixty-Four: Shattered
Dr. Eggman sits brooding in his command chair. His ship has been running low on fuel, and as much as he loathes it, he knows he has no choice but to contact Battle Lord Kukku XV. The screen flickers to life, and Lord Kukku's smug face fills the monitor, his wings folded behind him in a stance of arrogance.
*Eggman: "Lord Kukku… I'm calling to request more fuel for the Egg 'Stache Flyer."
Lord Kukku chuckles, clearly enjoying the Doctor's predicament.
*Lord Kukku: (grinning evilly) "Requesting fuel, are you now? How the mighty hath fallen, Doctor. For all your great ships, you ask me for fuel?"
Eggman clenches his fists under the console, barely containing his rage. He knows he has no choice — Kukku has the upper hand. Kukku's laughter fills the room as he continues to milk the situation.
*Lord Kukku: (mockingly) "Doctor, I was under the impression you had a massive space fleet. A mighty battle-station. Whatever happened to those? You're nothing more than a beggar now, relying on my Armada to keep you afloat. And all of it is due to the tactical strikes of one little girl. How pathetic."
*Eggman: "Are you going to give me the fuel or not?"
Lord Kukku smirks, leaning forward into the screen.
*Lord Kukku: "Rest assured. I'll give you your fuel, Doctor… But don't forget who's really in charge up here. You may have your little flying toy, but I rule the skies."
The screen cuts out, leaving Eggman sitting in silence, his fists trembling with humiliation. His anger simmers beneath the surface, but for now, there's nothing he can do but sit there and take it.
Cut to the Sky Patrol, where the mood remains tense after the argument from earlier. Sailor Moon sits with Sailor Mars in the common area, her face still reflecting surprise over the earlier disagreement. She turns to Rei, her expression curious.
*Moon: (softly) "I was surprised when you sided with Silver-san, Rei-chan. I thought you'd be more on Knuckles' side, given… you know… your temper."
Rei shoots her friend an irritated look before crossing her arms and leaning back, her eyes thoughtful as she explains.
*Mars: (annoyed) "I know how to read the room, Usagi. Silver's right, we're up against Metal Sonic — someone who can copy our abilities and use them against us. We're gonna need more than brute strength to win this fight, obviously. Besides…"
Her voice trails off as she glances down, her expression softening.
*Mars: (quietly) "Silver saved me. I owe him my life."
Usagi's eyes widen at Rei's words, a new understanding dawning on her. The revelation seems to bring the Sailors closer together, as they each reflect on the importance of trust and strategy in their fight against Metal Sonic.
*Moon: (gently) "I understand. You're right, Rei-chan. We need to trust each other… and Silver-san's doing what he thinks is best."
The two share a quiet moment of understanding, and the tension between them begins to ease. As the Sailor Senshi regroup emotionally, they prepare for the challenges ahead, knowing that they need to be united if they are going to stand a chance.
Sally sits in a bed, her face pale and her body weak. A pair of doctors stand nearby, reviewing her chart as they prepare to deliver devastating news. Sally watches them with tired eyes, her body still recovering from the battle and the pain in her chest she barely survived.
*Doctor: "Princess Sally, you've been pushing yourself far beyond safe limits. The stress and exhaustion have taken a toll on your body, and we discovered that you suffered a massive heart attack earlier today. If you hadn't been brought in when you were, you… wouldn't have made it."
Sally's eyes widen, her hands gripping the bed sheets. She swallows hard as the doctor continues.
*Doctor: (somberly) "But that's not all. We've detected signs of an unknown form of radiation in your body. It appears to be linked to prolonged exposure to something…"
Sally's mind races, and then it hits her — the Warp Ring. She freezes as the doctor continues to explain.
*Doctor: (grimly) "This radiation is corrosive, and while it's not immediately fatal, it will shorten your lifespan considerably. You'll have a degenerating quality of life from now on, and based upon the state of your heart and the rest of your circulatory system… I'm afraid your days as a Freedom Fighter are over."
Those final words crash over Sally like a tidal wave. She remembers Silver's warning about the Warp Rings — their unstable nature, the dangers they posed.
"No, NO! Sally, please! If you use that, there's no telling what it'll do to you! It's too unstable!"
He had told her about the Warp Ring's instability. He begged her not to use it, but she strode forth, undeterred in the name of vengeance, and now she was paying the price. Sally stares ahead, her face a mask of shock and disbelief. The doctors' voices fade into the background as she processes the news. Her mind goes blank, and she slips into a catatonic state, unable to comprehend the gravity of her situation.
Meanwhile, Sonic's team — Sonic, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus, and Bunnie — continues their search for Sally. They traverse the vast landscapes of Efrika, passing through Mazuri and drawing closer to the neighboring country of Shamar. The desert heat beats down on them as they press forward, determined to find their friend.
*Sonic: (urgently) "We're getting close. Sally has to be nearby."
Just as they're about to cross into Shamar, a sudden blast of energy rocks the ground beneath them. The force of the impact sends them flying backward, crashing into the sand. Sonic quickly gets to his feet, but before he can react, a shadow looms over him.
Metal Sonic strikes with lightning speed, grabbing Sonic by the throat and lifting him into the air with a vice-like grip. Sonic struggles, his hands grasping at Metal Sonic's cold, unyielding hands.
*Metal Sonic: (coldly) "Long time no see, Sonic. My loathsome copy."
The rest of the team stares in horror as Metal Sonic tightens his grip, his red eyes glowing with malice.
*Metal Sonic: "This time, I will finish what I started."
Sonic gasps for air as Metal Sonic's grip tightens. The team watches in shock, knowing they are up against a deadly adversary determined to exact his revenge.