Across the desert field, Babylon Garden glimmered in the distance amidst buildings of old. The sun begun to rise across the sand, searing down upon all that it touched. Scattered buildings of sandstone and coral rose above to greet the bottom of the Gardens that hung beautiful in the air. Domed buildings, beautifully carved mashrabiya, and wind towers that rose high into the air. Some new tech had been implanted into the buildings of old, whilst others remained untouched for centuries.
Far away, atop a rock, Sol looked across the land. Her hand outstretched to hold Babylon Garden between her fingers, staring curiously at the beautiful land. Her fur sparked in fire that burned deep within her. The shadow of night still touched her as the sun rose to greet the new day.
Eggman stood far away next to her as he batted his head with a cloth. The heat of the desert unbearable, and the warmth of Sol even more so. Even as she stood stilled, watching Babylon Garden, her fingers sparked with smoke as she held Babylon Garden in her fingertips.
"There are two Chaos Emeralds here."
Eggman blinked, before turning his head downward towards Sol. Her knowledge of the world had made him suspicious of her motives. Enemies of enemies were friends, in a sense; but they always turned more becoming of an arch-nemesis. She was truly the first that Eggman had encountered that harbored no ill will towards him.
For now.
"How do you know?" he furrowed his brows down at her.
Her gaze remained on Babylon Garden. Her posture still the same rage as the first day they met. "A good hunch."
Eggman drew his hands to his hips, knuckles pressing against his sides as he turned towards her completely. It was becoming tiresome having to deal with her vague answers to her surprisingly accurate conclusions. Already, it was difficult to completely trust her, and this made the feeling so much more overwhelming.
"A hunch isn't good enough."
Smoke that rose from her body seemed to flicker into fire at his words. "Why would I lie now?" she dropped her hand to her side, finally turned her face Eggman. Her mouth a perpetual frown. Her brows knitted into a furrow. "Everything I've shown you has turned to truth so far, why would it be any different?"
"I like to know where my information is coming from." Eggman began to tap his foot in impatience. "I doubt you're the only person in on this little path for vengeance."
Slowly, Sol's gaze returned back to Babylon Garden. "You're right." There was silence for a moment before she replied to him. "I have a brother."
She spoke nothing more.
Eggman's face remained a frown, but his eyes returned to Babylon Garden. He supposed that was the best he was going to get out of her. "I suppose those meddling hedgehogs are here as well." The local military would be easy to deal with if they had the same technology as the ones he saw in Halyceon. G.U.N. would pose an issue, but Sol had assured him that they wouldn't be here, curiously. "Just out of curiosity. What do you plan to do with that hedgehog when you meet him there?"
A grin reached Sol's face. Flames begun to slowly rise from her shoulders as her thoughts turned to darkness. The light of the new day finally touched the two of them, and her brilliant blue fur began to turn ablaze in fire.
"Silver?" black smoke left her mouth as she spoke.
Eggman took a step back. His heart begun to race as the heat emitted from her became much too hot to bear. Slowly he retreated to the large metal robot behind them. The power that swelled around her made his skin tingle and his hands shake.
Her hate fueled the fire deep inside her. Hotter than the sun.
"I'm going to treat him to a place worse than Hell."
"Geez, what a sense of déjà vu."
Anu led Tails, Silver, and Sonic through the large lapis lazuli doors of the central building of Babylon Gardens. Glittering mosaics and engraved gold decorated the large Byzantine dome of the building. Intricate designs were inlaid into the walls that regaled stories of eld before the three of them, carved delicately into the ancient structure as they looked in awe. Though Tails and Sonic had already seen the beauty of the interior before, Silver was left awestruck as his eyes trailed up and down as he soaked in the imagery of the interior.
"Woah…" Silver gasped as his eyes became wide. "This is amazing." His mouth was left gaping at the gold that lined the mosaics of the spiraling dome. "I never thought it used to look like this." In a future rewritten, he recalled this place empty and long crashed into the sands. History to be forgotten and beauty left tarnished.
Sonic's eyes trailed through the building, staring up and around the beautiful artwork. It looked no different than the first time he had entered these halls, perhaps more polished. Though last time he had been in too much of a rush to take in the beautiful artwork of the building and never had the time to revisit. Both Tails's and Sonic's reaction was much tamer than Silver's, but even they could not help but stare at the beauty of Babylonian art now in a more comfortable setting.
"You have been here before?" Anu inquired as they slowly walked across towards the other door. She had taken notice of each of their reactions.
"Yeah, actually." Sonic's eyes trailed down to Anu. "I was here when Babylon Garden rose from the desert." But that had been long ago, even before Silver had transported them 200 years into the future. It was surprising for him to see that Babylon Garden was mostly intact and hadn't been ransacked by intruders. He supposed that genie and Babylon's defenses had kept it well guarded alongside the Babylon Rouges.
"Yes, I recall from our history that you had been one of the first to set foot upon this land along with my great-great-grandfather." Anu's gaze took towards the ceiling as Sonic paused in shock.
"Your… great-great-grandfather?" Sonic paused; his face confused. An annoyed Tails crushed against him, and soon Silver joined as his eyes were stuck to the ceilings. "Then… You're—?"
Anu gave a small laugh, "Jet? Yes." She paused, turning to look at Sonic with a timid smile. "I am sure you have noticed how alike Jeckt looks to Jet. The resemblance is not lost to me either. It has taken all my will to not imprison you within my home to endlessly inquire upon my forefather's legends." She could not help but laugh again.
Sonic blinked several times, staring at Anu. It wasn't something that he had thought long and hard about, but it was strange to picture the (literal) living legacy that Jet had left behind. He had thought it was coincidence, at first, that her son was so similar to his rival and friend; but now that the thoughts were beginning to sink into him, he was beginning to feel more out of place within the future that he stood in. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, but yet he couldn't help but let his thoughts race to his other friends and what legacy they had left behind.
Even stranger was the thought knowing that they were—
He felt a hand on his tense shoulders. It jolted him slightly, but when he turned to see Silver having placed a hand upon his shoulder, he relaxed slightly.
A knowing frown kept on Silver's face. "Are you ok?" Silver whispered.
"Yeah. Just uh…" Sonic shook his head, trying to recover from the shock. "A bit weirded out." That was the long and short of it. He gave a shrug and a smile.
Silver sighed with a shake of his head as they pressed further into the building. The feeling was left unsaid, but the white hedgehog knew it well. "You get used to it."
Thankfully, Anu continued to the other large lapis door without a second thought.
As they drew closer to the other lapis lazuli door, Anu slid a hand into her inner robes and produced an object within a hidden pocket. In her hands, she held the Key to Babylon Garden, an ancient relic carved into the shape of a blue cube with ancient text inscribed upon it. Carefully, she held the key up towards the grand doors as it shimmered brightly in her hand. She had not uttered a word, her thoughts alone issuing the command to unlock the grand doors and allow them entrance into the interior of the ancient city of Babylon Gardens and into Astral Babylon.
Silver metal and technology far surpassing that of the future nestled itself deep within the vernacular skin of Babylon Gardens. It came to no shock to Sonic and Tails, but Silver was left to gawk at the magnificent technology that sprawled itself from the lapis doors. In another future, he had once set foot in these gardens. Destroyed and decayed with all gold stripped from the halls and metal turned to scrap. Now, as he looked on within the interior, he could only gape at the halls of glass and metal fixtures that carved themselves deep into Babylon Gardens.
The party stepped forward, with Silver's eyes wide at the alien technology that hid itself within the beautiful structure.
The ceilings were tall and the halls were wide. Machines of all types swarmed around the interior rummaging throughout the length of the halls ensuring that Astral Babylon was maintained. Stationed within, military roamed the halls either on foot or on their own specialized Extreme Gear. They held in their hands heavy guns and wore fatigues should war break out against Babylon. The tension was unsettling. Amongst them, scientists milled about, talking amongst each other as they paid no attention to the legendary heroes that entered the interior Babylon that Anu had led them through, so engrossed in their own conversations that they mattered little.
Although the interior was mostly empty, no one was left without purpose within the walls. The halls were busy in one way or another, and all the party could do was ensure they did not stand in anyone's, or anything's, way.
"We have encased the Chaos Emeralds within Astral Babylon," Anu spoke as they treaded deeper into the sanctum, weaving between soldiers, machines, and scientists. "We have found a way to neutralize the energy transmitted from the Chaos Emeralds, effectively hiding them using the technology of Astral Babylon and the Master Emerald."
Silver's eyes traced the pulsating energy that flowed through Astral Babylon. "I thought you weren't able to get to the Master Emerald." The ancient power of Babylon Gardens resonated with him as he stepped upon the ancient floors. Deep within, he felt the power of his psychokinesis flicker. A hand rubbed his bracelets, anxious. Cyan could not help but seep from his fur.
"We are unable to, but we have managed to procure a piece of it." Anu nodded her head at a soldier who turned and pressed some buttons on a pad allowing them entrance inside another room. "It is true that the one whom guards it would sacrifice their life to ensure that the Master Emerald is safe. But there is no lack of treasure hunters whom take this as challenge against their skill. Some so skillful as to be able to procure the world with mere shards of its power."
The group slowly filed within the room. Lined through it were several computers and holograms. Several scientists were stationed within, sitting at several computers bored with their duty. Some human, others Babylonian. Few looked towards Anu before returning back to their hard stares monitoring some type of data. A few soldiers stood heavily guarded within the room, their hands ready upon their guns. At the far wall from where they entered, a large pane of glass overlooked a larger room. Contained were several complex pieces of machinery that matched the technology of Astral Babylon. Raised within the center of the room were two Chaos Emeralds; blue and yellow. Set higher above the two Chaos Emeralds was a sliver of the Master Emerald that was held by a piece of metal that gleamed brightly down upon the two Chaos Emeralds lower within the room.
"Buying off treasure hunters?" Sonic cracked a grin as he noticed the piece of the Master Emerald. He thought of Knuckles, and was thankful that his hot-headed friend wasn't here to see, nor hear, this.
"I am loathed to purchase such contraband from them, but I must do what must be done for the safety of my people." Anu sighed with a shake of her head.
"I thought you Babylonians were supposed to be treasure hunters yourselves."
"Of course," Anu gave a bit of a laugh as she stepped near a scientist's computer. "But none of us work for free." She leaned down towards the scientist and murmured something to them. They spoke amongst themselves in a language unfamiliar to them, but it was only a few minutes later that Anu stood upright and moved back towards the group. "We will begin procedures to hand the Chaos Emeralds to you."
"Procedure?" Sonic gave a laugh, "What's so complicated on handing off some gems?"
The scientist nearest to the group turned to explain. But Tails was quick to beat him to the punch. "The Master Emerald is emitting a frequency that's cancelling out the electromagnetic waves of the Chaos Emeralds. If we don't gradually taper off the frequency that the machines are emitting it could cause the Chaos Emeralds to react with each other." Carefully, Tails moved towards the glass, pressing his hands against it as he watched the shard of the Master Emerald begin to dim. "Plus, I made sure to ask Anu if I could keep the shard of the Master Emerald so I could use it to track nearby Chaos Emeralds on a smaller scale."
"It should be no problem since we have no more use for the Master Emerald," a scientist spoke as they were typing into their computer.
Anu nodded her head as she approached the glass. Her eyes wistful as she stared at the Chaos Emeralds. "It is our hope—our prayers—that you can save us all from this evil. Anything you wish of us, I will do my best to provide unto you."
Silver stepped forward to join her side at the window. Golden eyes stared deep into the Chaos Emeralds, feeling its call. Even from behind the thick glass, he could feel their power swell around him. "I still don't really understand why you're helping us so readily." He pressed his hand against the glass, power coursed through him. A shiver ran up his spine as he quickly retracted his hands, cyan sparkling around him. He was barely accustomed to its power, having used them only a few times by comparison to his companions. It was hard to resist their might.
"My father had regaled stories of your heroisms in times of crisis. How Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles alongside our forefathers saved Babylon Gardens and the Babylonians from certain extinction and plunder. There is no doubt in my mind that you are all who you say you are." Her gaze took upward from the Chaos Emeralds towards the Master Emerald as its luster faded. "Even as we stand, I can feel G.U.N.'s presence close in around us a hunter in track of its prey. Should I do nothing, we shall be claimed by its empire. Perhaps I am a fool to trust so easily in the fantasies of old of what Sonic had done to save the world time and time again. But if I do nothing, our fate is surely sealed."
The hum of the machine faded. Leaving silence as the brilliance of the Chaos Emeralds faded. But he could feel their power grow with her hopes and dreams, and the hopes of all those who lived in all of Babylonia.
Silver turned to look at Anu, and couldn't help but manage a smile. "Don't worry," slowly he reached out his hand for her to take. She stared at it strangely, but slowly raised her hand to press onto Silver's. He gave her a reassuring squeeze as he held his gaze onto her hopeful stare. "I'm sure he'll be able to help you."
"And what of you?" Anu stared mystified at Silver as she grasped his hand with her other hand. She brought his close to her chest, her hope gleaming bright for even him to see. "I have heard of accounts of you, Silver. But there are not many. Who are you, really?"
Silver could only keep the smile. "Just one of Sonic's friends."
The oppressive power of the Master Emerald shard faded away. A scientist stood from their chair, moving to another door at the side of the wall. "It's safe for you to enter now."
Silver broke apart from Anu as Sonic and Tails joined the scientist at the door. Quietly, the scientist took their badge out, sliding it across a card reader and begun to press several buttons on another pad. The door slid open with a hiss, cold steam escaping the central room and into the controlled temperature of the computer lab.
There was a shiver from Sonic as he clenched his teeth together, his memories of Halyceon not forgotten. Steeled, they entered the rather frigid room with the scientist. The group moved to the center of the large room as the scientist broke from them and moved to a small computer pressed against another wall. They began to type into it as Sonic stood between the two Chaos Emeralds. Silver stood next to Tails, a careful eye on the blue hedgehog.
Sonic raised his hands up towards the two Chaos Emeralds, and Silver felt the will of his friend reach out to them. Slowly, the two Chaos Emeralds floated downward towards his hands. Firmly, Sonic grasped the large gems with a grin.
"Two out of seven," Sonic turned on his heel with a grin. "Easy!"
Silver gave a smile, "For now." With his powers, he beckoned his hand upward, lifting the blue Chaos Emerald from Sonic's hand. Sonic allowed the Chaos Emerald to lift from his fingers and gently it floated into Silver's hand.
"Your powers need a boost?" Sonic poked fun. "You're already, like, the Ultimate Lifeform Number Two."
"It wouldn't hurt," Silver offered a bitter smile, but soon turned playful. "Not like you use the Chaos Emeralds' powers."
"Meh," Sonic gave a shrug as he spun the gem in his hand. "Don't really need 'em like Shadow does. My speed is power enough."
Tails stepped forward, holding a small device in his hand. It looked like a radar with a large slot at the top of it, perfectly fitted for the Master Emerald shard that was slowly lowered to the floor. "Do you know how to use Chaos Control?" Tails looked towards Silver as he neared the Master Emerald.
"No," Silver shook his head. "But the Chaos Emeralds do resonate with my powers. I am a little curious about what I could do with their help."
Tails gave a nod as he turned to focus his attention on the Master Emerald shard. Carefully he reached his hand out, grasping the floating piece in his hand. Slowly, he begun to slot the piece into the radar that he had built.
Sonic walked over to his companion, pointing a finger at the device. "So, what's that do?"
Tails gave his friend a smile as he begun to tweak some dials onto the device. "This device will help us locate nearby Chaos Emeralds. The range on it isn't that far, but if we're in the vicinity of one we'll know!" Slowly the device begun to power on and Tails beamed down at it. "There we go!" Sonic leaned his head over Tails, and Silver watched from afar. "Looks like it's tracing the two Chaos Emeralds we have right now. See?"
Tails pointed at the two dots that were located on the radar. Two small dots blinked on the screen at the center of the radar.
"Bravo!" Sonic cracked a smile. "That'll make the search easier."
"Um… Yeah." Tails furrowed his brows at the device as he turned it back towards him. There was a long pause as the fox stared down at the machine in confusion. "That's strange…"
Silver cocked his head to the side. "What's wrong?"
Slowly, Tails looked towards the other scientist that stood patiently in the room. "You said these are the only Chaos Emeralds here?"
"Only two," the scientist affirmed.
"Then… This doesn't really make any sense." Tails scratched the top of his head. He turned the device towards Sonic and Silver again, concern on his face. "It says here that there's another Chaos Emerald right outside Babylon Garden."
"Uh," Sonic gave a confused stare at the radar blips. "Looks like its headed right towards us. And fast!"
Silver's eyes went wide, turning towards Anu who stood staring out of the glass into the main chamber. Her eyes drew wide as she heard Sonic, her body becoming rigid.
"It couldn't be-!" Anu gasped. "G.U.N?" She turned towards the soldier within the room who pressed a finger to his head. "There are no bases so close to us, and there is no technology that quick to locate the Chaos Emeralds!"
Silver bristled as cyan enveloped him. Sonic frowned; his other hand clasping shut on the Chaos Emerald he held. The jewel disappeared with a flash, its powers shifting itself into a parallel plane waiting to be called back to Sonic's side.
"It's headed directly towards us." Tails gulped. "It's going to hit us in…"
Everyone steeled themselves as Tails gripped the radar in his hands hard.
"Three…"
Anu's breath quickened as the solider readied his gun.
"Two…"
The scientists stood, staring into the central room, their hands tense on the desk.
"One…"
All waited with bated breath.
Silence enveloped them.
Only the hum of the machine. Only the hum of Astral Babylon.
There was nothing.
Nothing.
But heat.
Sirens blared through Astral Babylon as soldiers and scientists scattered through the interior building. The chill of the central room soon faded, replaced with a sudden gust of heat that blasted through the chambers of Astral Babylon. Silver gasped at the sudden heat that touched him, his heart began to race at the sensation.
But it was not merely heat that touched his skin, but something more sinister that begun to wrap its fingers around his mind.
A feeling. An emotion.
It swelled around him. Creeping closer deep into his mind. The oppressive touch entered his soul. It was similar to what he had felt at Halyceon when encountering Eggman, only this emotion incredibly raw to what he had felt within the underground city. He grabbed at his chest for a moment, gasping, before shaking from his senses to follow into the computer lab.
A soldier entered the room as the group rallied together into the lab. "Queen Anuahnheim!"
"What is happening!?" Anu neared the door as the soldier blocked her way. "Where is my son!?"
"Your son is in our custody. We are under attack!" the soldier shouted. "Reports of fires!"
"Fire?" Anu furrowed her brows. "What of G.U.N?"
The soldier shook his head.
"Sounds like another problem we might know about." Sonic stepped forward with a bitter grin.
Anu and the soldier looked towards Sonic with a confused stare. "Another?" Anu inquired with worry. "Who?"
"There could be only one other person if it's not G.U.N." Silver frowned as cyan flicked around his body once more. He cast a knowing look towards Tails and Sonic.
A bittersweet grin flashed across Sonic's face as he readied himself. It was a reunion that they had long been preparing for on their journey to Babylon since the day they met in that ice-city.
"Eggman."
Heat swelled around the group as they exited out of the main building of Babylon Garden. Fire blazed through the once beautiful courtyard and heavy black smoke raised into the city, blotting out the sun. The three of them gasped in shock upon setting eyes at the disaster in front of them. Soldiers ran through streets helping citizens escape burning buildings as they scanned the horizon. Flames gushed forth deeper into the city, setting flame anything that could be burned, and more. None could believe how quick the flames could have spread throughout the city in the short span of the Chaos Emerald's arrival. Even if it was Eggman, he couldn't have mustered an attack so grand in such a sport span.
"Woah!" Sonic covered his face with his arm, shielding himself from the heat that drew close to them. He flinched backwards, holding his breath in to prevent himself inhaling the thick smoke.
A gust of wind blew, and Sonic's eyes went wide upon seeing a figure within the fire. "Jeckt!" Sonic waved his hand towards the child, attempting to catch his attention.
Through the courtyard, Jeckt sped through the charred greenery upon his Extreme Gear. Close behind flames swelled around him.
Silver drew back for a moment, before wrapping himself in cyan as he shot close to Jeckt. Cyan burst from his fingertips as he closed in on the youth. There was a wave of his hand as he attempted to control the flames to protect Jeckt. Though the flames seemed to have flicked to fade, in Silver's mind, they took on a form almost human. Long-flamed tendrils seemed to move as arms to touch Silver, grasping onto his body like souls that had once lost. Through his hands and wrapping themselves within psychokinetic powers to crawl through his fur and deep into his soul. Panic set in quickly, and a burst of power coursed through his body once more, dissipating the haunting souls forever.
He breathed heavy for a moment, before turning to escort Jeckt to the safety of the central building. Memories of a ruined future was quick to ruminate through his mind. The tension in his body turned to worry and sickness in his stomach.
"Jeckt!" Tails grasped the boy's arm as he shakily jumped off his Extreme Gear. "Are you ok?"
Jeckt took a moment to breath, gripping onto Tails arm for a second to steady himself. "They—The—" he took a deep breath in. "Everything just was set on fire all of a sudden! It felt like a heatwave at first, but then everything burst into flames!" He spoke quickly, still in shock by the sudden onslaught. "Where's my mom?" tears begun to well at his eyes.
Sonic gave a reassuring pat on his shoulder. "Your mom is safe in Astral Babylon." He threw a thumb back towards the inner lapis lazuli door. "Stay here while we take care of things."
"But—!" Jeckt moved to protest, clutching his Extreme Gear tight. "I can help!"
Silver shook his head, holding up a hand. "Leave this to us. You'll get hurt."
Before Jeckt could protest, Silver lifted the child with his cyan powers, pushing further into the central building before closing the doors with a flick of his wrist. There were muffled protests from the other side, but soon faded away as Sonic turned to Silver with an impressed nod.
"Something doesn't seem right," Silver gave an uneasy exhale, tugging on his gloves. His eyes darted around the courtyard, the flames returning where Jeckt was fleeing from. "These flames aren't like any I've ever seen."
"You can say that again," Sonic grit his teeth. Tails begun to lift from the ground, taking hold of Sonic's hand to draw them into the air. Silver rose with them, eyes darting from side to side.
"These flames are too intense to be natural," Tails's eyes darted at the surrounding area.
Silver's eyes widened towards Tails. "Could it be napalm?"
Sonic shook his head. "Eggman has a lot more presentation when causing a scene, but that is way out of his playbook. I'm surprised he hasn't showed up yet."
"That coward might be hiding," Silver hissed.
"Coward or not, it's not like him." Tails managed with a cough. They rose on top of the central building's dome, their eyes scanning the horizon, but the smoke made it difficult to see anything.
In the flames, something called to Silver once more.
The same oppressive feeling took hold of him once more, flooding his mind with a call that he could barely decipher. There was a pained gasp from his mouth as he sucked in air sharply. A hand that beckoned him to an unknown. It was intoxicating in a way that he couldn't describe, and a whisper of something that he could barely make out.
"What's wrong?" Sonic noticed Silver's gasp of pain. He turned to his friend, grasping onto Silver to keep him steady. "Silv, buddy, are you alright?"
"I don't know," Silver shook his head. He pressed a hand to his forehead as the pain in his mind grew with every breath. "It's the same pain I felt in Halyceon."
Sonic grit his teeth together, "Then Eggman must be close!" He whipped his head upward searching the sky. Tails moved towards Silver, holding him steady as the hedgehog attempted to stand on his feet.
Silver's fur bristled again, power coursing through his body as a shadow begun to loom over them. A large machine drew over the group with the classic red signaling Eggman's work. Sonic's eyes trailed the robot, teeth grit together and fists clenched tight.
The machine that drew over Babylon Garden was avian in appearance. The main body of the machine was stout, curving over itself in thick glass—likely the main compartment that carried Eggman safe within. Though the body itself was short and stout, the wings were fat and wide, spreading itself across Babylon Garden, overshadowing it in a sheet of metal with large compartments that laid empty within the wings. Guns and offensive weapons were placed upon the wings and main body of the avian, snatching any of Babylon's own machines from the sky without much fight.
Curiously, no machines emptied from the wings, and the group was left to conclude that Eggman had hurriedly put together a machine from one of his many secret labs. They were left to question who would start this fire.
Sonic tensed himself as the body of the machine turned upright, its wings remaining parallel with the floating city. Slowly the glass slid open, revealing the man of the hour: Eggman.
He stood from his seat with a wide grin. Alone with none of the usual machine lackeys he kept at his beck and call.
"You again?" Sonic drew his hand to his face with a yawn. "Thought you got tired of me kicking your butt."
But Eggman kept his smile to Sonic's quip.
Not a good sign.
"I'm becoming bored with this little back and forth game we play, Sonic." Eggman drawled as his eyes glimpsed the Chaos Emerald held tight in Silver's hand. The grin brightened. "I've come to take what is mine; and rid of the thorns in my side."
Silver glowered; teeth grit together. "What game are you playing at?" He stepped off the roof of the building, gliding upwards to meet eye to eye with Eggman. The feeling in his mind settling. "Wouldn't it be easier to be cooperative? The future has already moved on without you."
"That, my boy, is precisely why I need the Chaos Emeralds."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Two hundred years have passed without either of us present. Annoying, surely you can imagine for the two of us." Eggman kept his perfectly maintained smiled as Silver felt his cyan powers flicker. The panic on Silver's face was plain, and it only brought pleasure to the doctor. "Returning home is the optimal path for us, both you and me. I thought the same to work with you, loathed I am to admit it. Weighed my options to continue a crusade here, or to return home and continue with my little tryst with Sonic. Both options, you know, leave me with no benefit gained from it. One more than the other."
"A-Ah…" A headache began to swell in Silver's head. He wavered slightly, the cyan no longer able to maintain his flight as he slowly drifted to the ground. Its intensity was much more than earlier, and he saw sparks in his vision. Tails gasped, jumping to flight to grasp Silver.
"What if there was another way?" Eggman continued, the smirk on his face cracking into a smile full of teeth. "Another way for me to reap the benefits of this predicament with few sacrifices."
"Silver, are you ok?" Tails whispered as he held onto the white hedgehog.
"But then something magical happened." Eggman splayed his hands out, staring into the blackened sky. "A way for me to harness your powers, and a way for me to come out on top."
"Now you've really gone off the deep end," Sonic gripped his hands together, preparing himself against his rival. "What do you plan on doing with that power?"
"We wouldn't want to spoil the ending." Eggman grinned as he pointed a finger to Silver. "Now then. The Chaos Emeralds. And your little friend, as well."
"Really? Asking politely now? We both know how this is going to end."
"Wait—Sonic!" Silver put his hand up towards his companion, finding it too late as he had already sped off to attack Eggman's machine.
But Eggman remained unphased. Defenseless to the attack. "Do we now?"
Sonic leapt from the dome they stood upon. His body curled into a ball prepared to attack Eggman's machine. But as Sonic reached the peak of the arc a wave of flame burst forth from the machine's wing and smashed into him. A gasp escaped Sonic's lips as he unfurled his body, smashing into a nearby building. Eyes were wide as he stared up at the machine with a daze, searching for the origin of the attack.
"Wh-What?" Sonic gasped as he brushed the flames that traced up his figure off his body. He stood, steeled.
Eggman remained still standing at the control center of the machine. A laugh reverberating through the battlefield. "An amicable attempt," he grinned.
From atop Eggman's robot a dark blue figure rose. Her body was enveloped with flames, yet she seemed unaffected by the fire that rose from her body. She wore a black leather jacket accompanied by thick leather gloves. In her hand held a white Chaos Emerald, tucked gently in between her elbows as she crossed her hand over her chest. A huff of smoke released from her muzzle as she drew a long exhale, keeping a steady, piercing, gaze to Sonic. Her emerald eyes matched an intensity that could cause a heart to stop. A suffocating presence even from her faraway spot from the group.
Sonic couldn't help but swallow hard as his quills bristled. The origin of the endless flames revealed themselves. And it was the worst possible outcome.
She stood at her full height, staring down at the group as the backdrop of Babylon Gardens burned endlessly. A wave of her hand, and the strength of the flame roared in intensity as her eyes caught the fox and hedgehog settled atop the central building of Babylon. A smile managed to crack over her black muzzle as she settled her eyes upon Silver. Her scowl turned to one of madness as the flames seem to draw in more intensity, causing even Eggman to break from character and draw his hands up from the heat.
Sonic burst into a run, clambering to the top of nearby building in attempt to get a level playing field with the mysterious stranger. He hardly could hide his surprise at seeing how young she was.
"Another one of Eggman's lackeys doing the dirty work?" Sonic grit his teeth with furrowed brows. "What's he promised you? Power? Wealth? World domination?"
The girl regarded Sonic for a moment, before her gaze left him to focus her attention back to Silver. As her eyes laid on Silver, fire burned through her once more. In a flash of fury, fire ruptured through more of Babylon Gardens as a wall of flames reached high into the sky. Higher than any flame that Sonic had ever seen. But for Silver, his body seemed to convulse in fear.
"Cute," she gave a smile full of teeth.
Tails tensed beside Silver, griping the hedgehog's arm hard as he attempted to drag the paralyzed hedgehog away from the battle. She brought her hand out, fingers poised to give a snap.
Before she could set the two aflame, Sonic jumped again. Gracefully he landed on the wing of the machine before he sped forward towards the assailant. She jumped backwards, narrowly missing Sonic's foot connecting with her body.
"Get away from them!" Sonic slid on his feet near Eggman. The doctor made a yelp, ducking back into the machine.
"The one he sought to kill…" She stayed knelt on the wing for a moment, before standing to regard Sonic. "Your friend?" She gave a smile.
"How about making some sense." Sonic gave a huff, tensing his body again. "First, care to give a name? I like keeping track of the people that want to kill my friends."
The girl paused for a moment, flicking her eyes back to Silver. "Why don't you ask him."
Silver furrowed his eyes to her statement. With a groan, he pulled his hand away from his head, managing to stare back at the girl. "W…What?" She was familiar to him, but in the way of a dream that was remembered but forgotten.
"Oh," she laughed. "That's a shame. I was really hoping that you'd at least remember me." She tipped her head downward, the flames growing intensity around the building. They drew higher towards the top of the dome.
Silver gasped as Tails drew closer into the hedgehog. His breath quickened as he forced cyan powers from himself, encasing the two of them within his powers. Though it kept the flames at bay, even Tails could feel how dim Silver's powers had become.
"Silver!?" Tails clamped onto Silver tighter. He attempted to fly, but the thick smoke was making it difficult to see. "What's wrong? Your powers-?"
"Its…" Silver gasped as her stare loomed on him. "It's her! She's doing something to me-!"
"You did that to yourself!" the girl broke into a run, aiming to leap off the machine.
Sonic stepped forward once more, curling himself into a ball. Quills created sparks against the metal at the speed which he spun himself. He let the tension of the speed go, dashing into the girl before she leapt off the machine. It hit her torso, flinging her backwards onto the metal wing. She landed hard on the metal, gasping as the wind was knocked out of her. Teeth grit together, she attempted to snap back up on her feet but felt Sonic's knee against her chest. A hand clenched her muzzle.
"Might wanna brush up on your fighting skills." Sonic glowered at her.
But she kept her smile. Her eyes saw past Sonic, to a looming figure behind him. A gun glistened.
"I wonder." She kept her smile, smoke rising from her body as flames began to flicker around her once more. A cough came from Sonic as he brought his hand back from the sting of the flame. "Can you outrun a bullet?"
Sonic gasped, turning his body around. Eggman stood on the wing, a gun primed towards him. The shock allowed the girl enough time to ball her hand into a fist, planting it square into Sonic's jaw. Dazed, Sonic stumbled backwards as she lifted herself upward and landed another punch on Sonic's face. She turned her attention back towards the dome, preparing herself to jump once more, but rage bristled across her body as Tails and Silver were nowhere to be found.
Sonic could only give a chuckle, relief drawing over his body knowing they had managed to escape for now.
She turned back to him, stomping up towards Sonic as his hands went up defensively. She threw another punch at Sonic, which he easily ducked. Eggman quietly kept the gun steady towards Sonic, but his aim was lax.
"Where are they?" the girl pushed her face against Sonic's, becoming uncomfortably close to him.
"Well…" Sonic gave a smirk, moving his head back slightly. "You wanted to know if I could outrun a bullet, didn't you?" Carefully he turned towards Eggman, a steady smile on his face as Eggman gave a deep frown. Even he knew the answer to that question which Sonic could see in the relaxed grip.
But the laid-back smile on Sonic's face turned curious as his head tipped to the side. A figure rose from the smoke. It wasn't draped in cyan like Silver, or a figure small like Tails. It was sleek and moved quickly across the sky and left a trail behind it similar to that of an Extreme Gear board. The curiosity soon swept away as panic set in as a familiar face came into view.
"Jeckt!" Sonic yelled without thinking. The tension returned to Sonic's face. "Stop!"
Eggman, with a brow lifted, turned around and followed Sonic's stare. Before either of them could react, Jeckt smashed his board into Eggman. The doctor was knocked off balance, the gun sent flying across the metal wing. Jeckt kept steady on top of his board, a smile on his face.
"Sonic!" Jeckt yelled. "Take my hand!"
Sonic moved to grab Jeckt's hand, but before he could react, flames wrapped around the hedgehog. The girl leapt forward; flames lingered where she had once stood. Jeckt gasped as a firm hand wrapped around his neck. A hiss of smoke left the girl's mouth as a sick smile reached her lips. Panic overtook the child, and she clasped down harder in attempt to quell the child's panic to turn it to fear.
"Stupid boy!" she turned to look at Sonic as Jeckt struggled. Eggman slowly rose from the wing of the machine, scrambling towards the gun. "Tell me where Silver went, and give him to me!"
Sonic gulped hard. Eggman was predictable. Dealing with him on the fly usually lent itself to victory, even if it was hard fought. Wild cards were difficult to deal with, but things always worked out. Had it been the doctor taking Jeckt hostage, it would have been a manageable situation. Negotiable, even. But this girl had shown to be unpredictable, perhaps as bad as Infinite. Uncontrolled power coupled with extreme apathy was always a battle hard won.
A droplet of sweat rolled from Sonic's forehead, weighing his options.
"I'd suggest you do what she says," Eggman approached Sonic, holding out his hand waiting for Sonic to hand over a Chaos Emerald. "Fire can be unpredictable."
From afar, Silver and Tails nestled themselves against another rooftop. Tails breathed hard as Silver rolled his head back gasping in pain as his head pounded. Memories of things he could not piece together clouded his vision, and the smoke that surrounded them was making it harder to keep focused. Tails kept a careful eye on the machine above, watching Sonic attempt to fend off their assailants. Silver kept a steady focus on a spot on the rooftop, attempting to regain control over his powers.
"Tails," Silver coughed. "What's happening?" Silver slowly managed to crawl over the roof beside Tails.
The fox's eyes remained on the machine above. "It's Sonic! He's…" Tails trailed off as he gripped the wall he hid behind hard.
When Silver turned the corner, his eyes drew wide at the situation that was unfolding atop the plane. The two watched as Jeckt crashed into Eggman, the tides turning quickly against their favor. A gasp escaped the hedgehog's lips, before he covered his mouth. "We have to help!" Silver turned towards Tails.
Tails shook his head, "I know Sonic, I know he'll be able to get out of this!" Tails turned towards Silver. Though Tails believed in those words, Silver could even see the worry plain on the fox's face. "We have to escape. I know its what Sonic would want."
Silver shook his head, "He needs our help." He scrambled up to his feet, wavering slightly as he took a step into the open. Pain washed over him once more, and he stumbled to his knees before attempting to rise once more.
"Are you crazy?" Tails grasped Silver's arm. Roughly, the hedgehog pulled away from Tails. "You can barely stand!"
Silver shook his head, "And do what?" Silver's quills flared. Cyan enveloped him once again, weak and dim. "Do nothing?" Tails drew back from Silver.
The fox wanted to convince Silver to stay, but he knew the endeavor would prove to be impossible. Silver was as headstrong as Sonic. Once something had been set in his mind nothing else mattered. Physically restraining Silver was out of the question. Even with Silver's powers brought to his knees, the hedgehog could easily overpower the youth.
Tails flicked his eyes towards a loose brick, before focusing back to Silver. The thought briefly crossed his mind before he dispelled those thoughts. His hands clenched together at his side, truly feeling helpless to the situation at hand.
Silver turned away from Tails. "You got a way to escape?"
"I was working on the Tornado while here."
"We'll meet you south of here." Silver glanced back at Tails.
Tails kept still on the rooftop, staring hard at Silver. He was unsure if Silver's powers could hold up against Eggman and the unknown assailant. In fact, he was convinced that what Silver was attempting to do may as well be handing himself over to the doctor. But the both of them knew that doing something, even if the odds were against them, was better than sitting around arguing over details.
The fox swallowed hard, letting go of the breath he had been holding. "I trust you." It didn't take long for Tails to scamper off the building, running towards his workshop to manage an escape.
Silver turned back to the machine, kneeling to the ground as he steadied himself. The air was muggy, and it was becoming difficult to breath. Head was beginning to become light headed as he a migraine was forming within his mind. It was becoming hard to focus on anything in front of him and vision was becoming blurry. There was an attempt to draw his powers from his body, cyan crackling at his fingertips, but it was difficult to maintain and only brought searing pain into his mind.
Focus! Silver clenched his eyes shut.
The flames drew higher to the sky, licking at his feet.
Forget everything. Just focus. The pain remained in his head, but the weight on his chest disappeared.
At his side, he felt something call to him. It was not the call of madness that the stranger emitted, but a calm serenity that washed over him. Suddenly, his eyes shot open as his hands jerked to call forth the blue Chaos Emerald in his hand. It glittered brilliantly within the smoke. It was not a voice that spoke, but a primal instinct that compelled him to draw from the fountain of infinite power.
His own powers fluttered between his fingers as it joined with the Chaos Emerald's power. The wails of fire licked at his boots, burning at his ankles. But as he stared up at the machine, the pain of the power that sapped him of his energy washed away, so too did the heat. Anger overtook him, at first. But then clarity as a wish was made manifested in his mind. From afar, he felt Anu's prayers. Felt what she had spoken to him within Astral Babylon. Those hopes and dreams drew forth power unspeakable from the Chaos Emerald.
He drew his other hand back. Fingers joined together to form a point. Powers channeled from the Chaos Emerald and manifested into something that was not his psychokinetic powers, though they felt one in the same. He moved without thinking, his hand grasping onto raw energy that formed into a physical manifestation of chaos power. It was different in his hand and glowed an electrifying yellow. The familiarity of it drew Silver into a trance. A memory within his blood coursed through him.
With a snap, Silver released that power, aiming it towards the intruder.
It hit her body, knocking her back. The chaos energy shot through her body, paralyzing her for a moment. Sonic's eyes went wide as he recognized the power that manifested in front of him. Eggman turned towards the hostage situation, confusion on his face as the girl laid on the metal dazed. Quickly, Sonic recovered from the shock. He leapt upward, jumping atop Eggman's head, before leaping forward to grab Jeckt.
Silver leapt forward, cyan powers returning as the assailant's focus was interrupted. He floated towards the machine as Sonic grabbed Jeckt's Extreme Gear, hopping atop of it.
"Thought you said you couldn't use Chaos powers," Sonic managed a joyful quip, breaking the tension.
"I…" Silver was about to protest, before shaking his head. "That doesn't matter right now. We have to get out of here."
He landed on the machine, turning towards the unknown assailant as she slowly stood. Rage coursed through her body, heat that emanated from her body was enough to melt the metal that she stood on. She leapt forward, hands primed to grapple onto the white hedgehog. But before she was able to come in contact with Silver, Sonic maneuvered the Extreme Gear, pushing the board against her body as he stood on top of it. She gasped in shock as she was pushed off the edge of the wing.
Without thinking, Silver pushed forward past Sonic. "No!" he ran to the edge of the wing as he slid forward, reaching out into the abyss of smoke and flame. He watched, helplessly, as the flames engulfed her. Silver pulled back from the edge, staring confused at his hand from the sudden panic that took over him. "What?" Memories flickered across his mind, ones he could not remember, yet remained so vivid in his head.
Sonic roused Silver with a quick jostle as he stood on the Extreme Gear. "Silver! No time to waste!"
Jeckt struggled against Sonic's firm grip. "What about my mom!?"
Silver watched Jeckt for a moment, before throwing his gaze towards Eggman who fled to the machine once more. There was an idle thought to take care of that meddlesome doctor once and for all, but there were more pressing matters at hand.
"She'll be fine," Silver stepped onto the Extreme Gear board. He attempted to remain weightless atop the board, but fatigue and pain soon draped over his body. "We need to get out of here."
"I'm not leaving without my mom!" Jeckt protested once more.
Sonic rode off into the sky as the giant machine turned. "She'd kill us if we went back for her." Sonic shared a look with Silver. Bitterness marked in his face. Subtle, but apparent. "I know she's safe. Astral Babylon couldn't come down without a fight, and these flames are nothing to the ancient's powers."
"I don't care!" the boy struggled again.
Silver bit his lip. Even if he was unsure of the fate of Anu, her prayers had been so vivid in his mind. He looked down at the Chaos Emerald, handing it to Jeckt as they flew over the flaming Babylon Gardens.
"She's safe," Silver managed. Jeckt stared at him infuriated for a moment, before grasping the Chaos Emerald in his hand.
Before calmness could wash over the young boy, shock was quick to overcome the three of them that laid huddled atop the Extreme Gear. Jeckt's protests turned silent as he gripped the blue Chaos Emerald hard in his hand, watching in fear the destruction that remained below.
The fire had thought to have been localized to the floating city of Babylon Gardens. As the board left the beautiful city of old, the lower city sprawled before them. Fire burned across the old city, raging into the desert. Tendrils of flame raised into the sky, reaching into the sun that was now blotted out from the smoke. The weight of the disaster now laid heavy in their minds as they could only watch in mournful silence what would no longer remain.
Sonic's mouth was gaped open as he watched the fires rage on. Jeckt stared silently at the city he had once called his home burn to nothing. But Silver stared petrified at the future now made. What had been beautiful and untouched, now to turn into a world of despair. Just like all the futures before him. Memories of futures lost came bubbling to the surface, and he could only try to remain focused to stay atop the Extreme Gear.
Yet, as he stood, he could not help but turn back to the place where it all began. Slowly, he turned his head. Wide yellow eyes staring into the smoke, watching the mirage of Babylon Gardens burn away.
Even as they sped into the desert, he saw in the flames the girl who started it all.
Her name rang clearly in his mind.
His lips parted, the word rolling from his mouth before he could recognize what had been said. It reverberated through the dry air. A poison that clung to him.
"Sol."
Sonic bristled at the name, his gaze reaching Silver's. But his silence was kept.
All they could do was watch as Babylonia burned.
And Sol stood, smiling to herself as she made the flames burn hotter than hell itself.