Chapter 17: Mission Failed, We'll Get Them Next Time!

Relic Mountain – Kingdom Stone's Chamber, Noon Hours

3 Minutes Before Bean's Big Blast

The tension in the Kingdom Stone's chamber reached higher stakes as Sonic and Spade continued their ferocious battle.

Sonic's fur was ragged and torn, marked with deep cuts and burns from Spade's deadly cards. Spade himself was in no better shape—bruised, his clothes torn to shreds, and his once-confident demeanor cracked by exhaustion. Yet despite their weariness, neither showed any signs of backing down as the Kingdom Stone gleamed behind them.

Spade spat on the ground, eyes flashing with defiance as he pulled out another set of cards. "Persistent, aren't you?"

Sonic wiped the sweat from his brow. "What can I say?" he quipped with a cocky grin. "It's one of my better qualities." Without a word, both charged at each other once again.

Nearby, Lilac and Carol faced off against the Mantalith. Lilac darted around the guardian, charging her energy into a Cyclone attack. She launched herself forward, the spiraling force of her attack aimed at the creature's right eye. The blow connected with a resounding crack, and the Mantalith staggered as its eye turned from bright yellow to a deep, bloody red. The creature's pained screech echoed through the chamber. "Carol, aim for the other eyes!"

"Got it!" Carol responded, leaping high into the air and landing a rapid series of kicks to the Mantalith's left eye. The eye began to crack under the assault, and the monstrous guardian grew more erratic in its movements, swinging its massive scythes wildly as it tried to fend off the relentless attack.

The Mantalith, now half-blinded and fully furious, unleashed a shriek that sent tremors through the cavern.

"Is it just me, or is this thing getting angrier?" Carol yelled between dodges, barely avoiding a lethal swing from one of the Mantalith's scythes.

"That means it's working!" Lilac replied, leaping high into the air again, aiming for the Mantalith's head as she charged a Dragon Boost. "We just need to keep going!"

2 Minutes Before Bean's Big Blast

The battle raged on as Spade and Sonic's duel grew to its climax. Spade's movements became more erratic, his energy nearly drained. He threw another explosive card, but Sonic dodged it effortlessly, the card detonating against the chamber wall.

Spade snarled, wiping the blood from his mouth. He was on the brink of collapse. "You're out of your league, hedgehog. You don't know what you're messing with!"

Sonic grinned, though his breath came in ragged gasps. "Heh, yeah, I get that a lot, but here I am, still standing!"

The two fighters dashed toward each other. Sonic's punches were quick and precise, while Spade, now desperate, swung recklessly in frustration. Finally, Spade landed a blow that knocked Sonic back, sending him tumbling across the chamber floor.

Sonic recovered quickly, his body spinning into a blur as he launched a spin dash toward Spade with full force. Spade attempted to Flash Jump away, but Sonic was faster this time, catching up to him mid-leap and delivering a kick that sent Spade crashing into the rocky ground.

Spade, winded and at his limit, growled in frustration. This random hedgehog—a nobody to him—was beating him. And worse, Sonic was still smiling. That infuriating grin never seemed to fade, even with all his cuts and burns.

"You're done," Sonic said, standing over him.

Meanwhile, Lilac and Carol were nearing the end of their own battle with the Mantalith. Both girls were battered, their bodies marked with cuts and bruises from the creature's vicious attacks. But with each strike, the Mantalith grew weaker, its eyes now fully cracked.

"One last push," Lilac said through gritted teeth in exhaustion, glancing at Carol.

Carol nodded, panting. "Lil… remember that move you pulled with Sonic on the train?"

Lilac's eyes flickered with recognition, a confident smile forming on her face. "Yeah…"

With the Mantalith on its last legs, thrashing about in its final desperate attempt to crush them, the girls synchronized their final assault. As the Mantalith lunged at them, Lilac gathered the last of her strength for one final Dragon Boost, while Carol prepared herself in anticipation.

With a coordinated strike—Lilac grabbed Carol and soared forward in a spiraling burst of energy, launching Carol towards the robot. Lilac then used her Cyclone to shatter one of the Mantalith's scythes, while Carol delivered a devastating kick to its head, finally breaking its neck and detaching it from its body. The guardian let out a final, ear-piercing screech before collapsing in a heap of metal and gears, its body dissolving into dust as it disintegrated into the ground.

Carol landed gracefully next to Lilac, the two of them sharing a triumphant high-five. "We did it!" Carol exclaimed with excitement.

Lilac, though exhausted, managed a small smile. "We sure did… now let's go help Sonic."

1 Minute Before Bean's Big Blast

Turning their attention to Sonic and Spade, Lilac and Carol watched as the two stood a few meters apart, both at their limits.

"Haaaaaa!" Spade, with a burst of rage, unleashed all his remaining cards in a final desperate attack, each one sharp as a blade as they flew toward Sonic in a deadly barrage.

Sonic sped forward, weaving through the deadly projectiles with precision. A few of the cards nicked him, leaving fresh cuts across his body, but his determined expression never wavered.

"Teriaaaaa!" With one final burst of speed, Sonic closed the gap between them, landing a rapid series of punches on Spade. Each blow pushed Spade closer to defeat until Sonic delivered a powerful kick that sent Spade flying across the chamber. He crashed, sliding into the ground near the Kingdom Stone's altar with a sickening thud, the wind completely knocked out of him.

Spade was defeated.

Sonic stumbled, clutching his side in pain, his body shaking from the strain of the fight. "And… that's… a wrap…" he muttered, collapsing onto one of the nearby rocks.

Carol and Lilac rushed over, helping him sit down. "Whoa there, Bluey! Easy does it. Take a breather," Carol said with a smile, glad that their fights were over.

Sonic chuckled, despite the pain. "Yeah… I think I'll do that."

Lilac, however, wasn't done yet. She glared at Spade, who struggled to rise, his body trembling with exhaustion. "It's over, Spade," she said bitterly, her eyes burning with intensity.

Sonic raised an eyebrow at the name. "So… that guy's name is Spade, huh? Gotta admit, he put up a fight."

Carol, rubbing her sore arms, nodded grimly as she sat beside him. "Yeah. He's with the Red Scarves. They're basically a street gang, only that for them, said street is all of Avalice. They do what you'd expect: steal, kidnap… kill." Her voice dropped as she looked away, guilt flickering in her eyes.

Sonic noticed the shift but said nothing, his gaze returning to Spade.

Spade, lying on the ground, muttered through the pain, his voice barely audible. "No… not like this… I need the stone… they need to pay… my father's murderer… Dail…" His eyes, once filled with cold determination, shimmered with a desperate, broken light as he stared up at the ceiling.

Lilac's anger softened as she watched him with pity. The room fell eerily quiet, the echoes of their battle slowly fading away.

Sonic, still catching his breath, asked, "His dad?"

Carol sighed heavily. "The king of Shuigang. He was murdered days ago. But you knew that already."

Sonic, puzzled, glanced between her and Spade. "But… why would the son of the king be part of a gang like that?"

"It's… complicated," Lilac said, her voice heavy, but before she could answer, the ground beneath them began to tremble violently.

BOOM!

Suddenly, the entire cave shook as a massive explosion rocked the ceiling's chamber, sending debris crashing down from above. As they all looked up in panic, a gigantic hole opened above them, sunlight pouring in as six figures tumbled through the opening, their screams filling the air as they plummeted toward the ground.

Relic Mountain – Just Above

"Ahhhh!" The piercing screams of the six figures echoed through the gigantic hole that suddenly tore open the sky above the Kingdom Stone's chamber.

Tails reacted quickly, instinct taking over as his twin tails whirled into action. Grabbing Torque by the shell, he slowed their descent. His face was full of concentration as he fought to keep them steady.

Milla, just a few meters away, spread her long ears, fluttering gracefully in the air, floating downwards.

But not everyone was so calm.

"Crap, crap, CRAP!" Fang flailed wildly through the air, his arms and legs twisting as he cursed under his breath. His eyes darted to Bean.

"Why did you bring that stupid bomb with you?!" Fang growled, irritation clear in his voice. His eyes were wide with panic.

Bean merely lifted his sunglasses, which he somehow had for some reason, and looked over at Fang, his eyes half-lidded. "Can't blame me," Bean replied casually, his arms draped behind his head. "Blame my small pockets," he added, pointing to his waist where there were, obviously, no pockets in his nonexistent pants.

As Bean floated calmly downward, Bark didn't fare as well. His massive form twisted awkwardly through the air, his eyes swirling with dizziness as he tried to right himself.

Fang's frustration deepened, his face contorting in irritation, but he had no time to argue. He readjusted his body mid-air, looking down at the ground below.

Through the settling dust, Fang's sharp eyes spotted Sonic, alongside two random girls, and that Spade guy standing near what looked like an altar. But what truly captured Fang's attention was the glowing blue sphere perched atop the stone altar—the Kingdom Stone.

Fang's eyes lit up with greedy excitement as he looked at the prize. "Boys!" he shouted. "Seems like we won't botch this job after all!" In that moment, his fingers shot to his mouth, and with a sharp, piercing whistle—

From above, something large and metallic broke through, joining them in their rapid descent. The sleek, pod-like air bike with its bright yellow armor and dark blue-gray hull zoomed toward them, its rocket engines blazing brightly. Two yellow sidecars were attached to it. The open cockpit beckoned to its pilot, ready to serve as their escape once again. It was Fang's pride and joy: the Marvelous Queen.

Without missing a beat, Fang expertly flipped mid-air, landing in the cockpit of the Marvelous Queen. His eyes, now gleaming with greed, locked onto the Kingdom Stone.

"Let's get this done!" he barked, pressing a button on the console. Instantly, the vehicle's sidecars detached, zooming toward Bean and Bark, who were still flailing through the air.

Bean landed on his sidecar with ease. Meanwhile, Bark slammed into his upside down, his huge frame barely fitting as he struggled to right himself.

"Get it together, scarf mook!" Fang shouted, adjusting the Marvelous Queen's trajectory as the vehicle zoomed toward the altar, its engines roaring like a beast on the hunt.

Down below, Sonic staggered to his feet, eyes narrowing as he saw the familiar air bike approaching. His body, sore and battered from the fight with Spade, deterred his every movement, but he pushed through the pain.

"Well, this sure is a blast from the past," Sonic muttered, his voice laced with sarcasm as he caught sight of the approaching Marvelous Queen. "Guess Eggman's pulled out the whole squad for this one."

Lilac and Carol exchanged confused glances, their eyes flicking between Sonic and the incoming Hooligans. Above, Tails and Milla were still descending with Torque, while the Hooligans closed in fast.

Fang smirked as his vehicle hovered just above Sonic and the girls. "Fleet Feet!" Fang's mocking voice rang out. "What a surprise, eh?"

Sonic's eyes narrowed. "Wish I could say the same, Fang. What are you doing here? Picking up scraps from Eggman's table?"

Fang's smirk widened. "Call it a side gig, hedgehog. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a little something to collect!" Without another word, he pressed a button on the Marvelous Queen's console.

A grappling hook shot out from the vehicle, heading straight for the altar. The hook latched onto the Kingdom Stone with a loud clang, and with a violent jerk, the stone was yanked free from its pedestal once more.

"No!" Lilac's voice was a mix of desperation and fury as she charged toward the Marvelous Queen with her Dragon Boost ready to strike. But she didn't get far.

Bark, finally upright in his sidecar, swung his massive arm, intercepting Lilac mid-flight with brutal force. The impact sent her crashing to the ground with a pained gasp, her body tumbling through the dirt.

"Lilac!" Sonic and Carol shouted in unison. They moved toward her, but then…

BOOM!

Bean threw a bomb, which detonated, sending shockwaves through the chamber. Sonic and Carol were thrown off their feet, crashing into the stone floor.

"Score!" Bean cheered, standing triumphantly in his sidecar. His eyes lazily scanned the battlefield before landing on Spade, who was still lying groaning on the ground, glancing at them in shock. "Hey, Fang!" he called out, pointing lazily toward the fallen panda. "What about him?"

Bark grunted, raising a questioning eyebrow toward Fang.

Fang's face twisted into a grimace. He glanced at Spade, clearly not caring about his well-being. But after a moment, he sighed, knowing better than to leave loose ends. "Ugh, fine. The big man will probably want him alive anyway."

He pressed another button on the console, sending a second grappling hook shooting out from the Marvelous Queen. The hook latched onto Spade's leg, jerking the battered panda with a startled yelp.

"H-Hey! Wait— Hurk!" Spade's protest was cut short as the hook dragged him upwards, his body flailing helplessly in the air as he was lifted along with the Marvelous Queen.

"Stone and idiot secured. Time to skedaddle!" Fang announced with triumph. He gave Sonic and the others a mocking salute. "Hope you enjoy the cave collapse… not!"

The Marvelous Queen shot upwards at full speed, Bark and Bean firmly reattaching their sidecars to the main vehicle as it raced toward the hole in the ceiling. Debris continued to rain down.

"No! Don't let them get away!" Torque exclaimed desperately, firing his blaster in a futile attempt to stop the retreating vehicle. Tails clung tightly to him, trying to stabilize their descent, while Milla's alchemic cubes failed to form, her energy too drained.

"See ya, suckers!" Fang's voice rang out one last time as the Marvelous Queen disappeared into the sunlight, Bean waving cheerfully behind them, while Bark remained silent, his eyes fixed on the collapsing cave. Behind them, Spade screamed, trying to hold on as the Hooligans made their escape, the Kingdom Stone in hand.

They lost.

The chamber quaked violently as chunks of rock crashed down around them. The once grand, mystical Kingdom Stone chamber had turned into a scene of chaos and destruction, the air thick with dust that made it difficult to see or even breathe as the cave collapsed upon itself.

Tails and Torque landed beside their friends, the fox panting from the effort of keeping them afloat. Milla landed gracefully nearby, her wide eyes filled with awe and panic as she took in the sight of the chamber. Her gaze lingered on Lilac, who stood with Sonic and Carol. There had been a flicker of excitement in Milla's innocent face—this was a real dragon! She had wanted to ask so many questions. But the cave trembled beneath them, snapping her back to the reality of their situation. She swallowed her questions, focusing instead on the crisis at hand.

Lilac stood frozen for a moment, her eyes locked on the gaping hole above where Fang and his gang had just made their escape with the Kingdom Stone. "The stone…" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rumbling of the collapsing cave. Her heart sank. The Kingdom Stone was gone.

"Not now, Lilac!" Sonic's voice cut through the growing noise, filled with urgency. His eyes darted around the chamber. "The cave is collapsing! We need to get out, now!"

"But how?!" Carol shouted, panic creeping into her voice as her wide eyes scanned their surroundings. She pointed toward the entrance they'd used to enter the chamber—it was now completely blocked by debris, massive stones sealing their exit. "All the entrances are blocked!"

Tails spun his tails furiously. "Guys! I'll try to lift all of you!" He gestured toward the open ceiling where sunlight streamed in from above, their only way out.

Torque looked doubtful as he wiped some dust from his face. "How, Tails? The exit's way too high up, and you already struggled to carry me!" He could clearly see the exhaustion on the young fox's face.

Sonic's gaze flickered between his friends and the falling debris, a crazy idea forming in his mind. He could see the rocks crumbling, but… maybe. "Guys," he said, turning to face them. "I'm about to do something insane. Do you trust me?"

The group exchanged nervous glances. Dust and debris rained down around them, but one by one, they nodded, a mixture of fear and trust in their eyes.

Carol grinned shakily. "I mean, I've trusted you once. What's one more?"

"Right behind you, Sonic!" Tails called out, his tails picking up speed again as he fought through the exhaustion.

Torque checked his blaster, tightening his grip. "It's not like we have any other options, so sure. What's the plan?"

"Okay!" Milla chirped, her tail wagging excitedly. Even though Sonic didn't know the enthusiastic puppy, he couldn't help but appreciate her eager response.

Lilac glanced briefly at the newcomer, curiosity flickering in her eyes. But there was no time for introductions. She turned her focus back to Sonic, locking eyes with him. In that shared moment, despite the chaos around them, her gaze was filled with unwavering trust. "Of course," she said softly with a smile.

Sonic grinned as he put his plan into action. "Tails, grab Torque and fly up! Girls," he nodded to Lilac, Carol, and Milla, "follow my lead!"

Without another word, Sonic leaped onto a large piece of falling debris, using it as a springboard to launch himself toward another rock mid-air. The others quickly understood the plan and followed, each using their own abilities to navigate the crumbling chamber.

Lilac, with a burst of energy, Dragon Boosted upwards, her body propelling through the air with powerful speed. Carol scaled the rocks with her feline agility, her claws gripping the rocky surfaces. Milla flapped her long ears to lift herself higher, her innocent smile replaced with focused determination as she followed closely behind.

Tails, meanwhile, held on to Torque, lifting the heavy shell duck as best as he could. The two of them zigzagged through the falling rocks, Torque firing his blaster at any large debris that threatened to crush them.

The sound of the collapsing chamber was deafening, the ground beneath them rumbling as if the entire island itself was crumbling into the sea. But despite the danger, they pressed on. Sweat dripped down their faces, but none of them stopped. The exit was in sight.

"Everyone, one last push!" Sonic's voice barely cut through the roaring of the collapsing cave. His body was a blur as he bounced from one rock to the next, the light from the exit growing brighter above.

Tails and Torque were the first to make it out. Tails, his energy nearly drained, stumbled onto solid ground with Torque landing awkwardly beside him. The fox's chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath. "Made it…" he gasped.

Lilac boosted upwards once more, rolling mid-air as she cleared the cave's edge and landed gracefully beside them. Her eyes darted back to the others. "Come on!"

Carol was next, propelling through the final stretch. She scrambled up the last rock, tumbling out of the cave with a gasp, landing flat on her back. "Whew… we're alive!" she panted, staring up at the sky in disbelief.

They all turned, looking back into the collapsing chamber. Only Sonic and Milla remained, still climbing their way up the crumbling rocks.

Sonic leaped with practiced precision, moving effortlessly from rock to rock, his grin still on his face. But just as he was about to clear the last rock—

"Gah!" Sonic's foot slipped as the rock beneath him crumbled. His eyes widened in shock as he lost his footing, plummeting back toward the depths.

"SONIC!" they all screamed in horror, reaching out instinctively as their friend fell.

Before anyone could react, a small voice cried out, "I got you!" Milla, leaping from her own rock, flapped her ears furiously as she used the last of her alchemic power. A green cube formed behind her, using the force of the blast to propel her forward. She dived toward Sonic, catching him mid-air.

They both crashed through the cave wall together, smashing through the stone with such force that it created a gaping hole on the other side.

A thick cloud of dust filled the chamber as the last remnants of the mystical cave collapsed. The Kingdom Stone's chamber, once a place of awe, had been reduced to rubble and debris.

As the dust settled, the group anxiously scanned the rubble. "Sonic! Milla!" Tails shouted, his voice filled with worry. The air was still, too quiet for comfort. Everyone held their breath, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Suddenly, the sound of digging echoed from behind them. They all whipped around, eyes wide in disbelief as a small hole formed.

"Hedgehog, noun: a burrowing animal," from the small hole in the ground, Sonic's head slowly appeared, his face covered in dust but grinning from ear to ear. "Hope you guys got that, 'cause it's going on the test tomorrow," he said with mock seriousness.

The silence broke as everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. Sonic's casual grin and terrible joke were exactly what they needed in that moment.

"Test? Oh no, I didn't study!" Milla added as she popped out of the same hole beside Sonic, her ears twitching nervously. "I hope it's not too difficult!" she said, genuine concern on her face.

They all were silent for a moment as Sonic slowly blinked at her, then suddenly burst out laughing. The sound was infectious, and soon the others joined in, their tension dissolving as the weight of their near-death experience lifted. Despite the failure of their mission, they were alive. And in that moment, that was enough.

The laughter soon died down. "Man, that was a good one!" Sonic said as he got to his feet and offered a hand to Milla. "Well?" he asked, still smiling.

Milla hesitated only for a second. She glanced toward Torque and Tails, who both gave her encouraging nods, and she smiled back as she took Sonic's hand. "I'm Milla!" she announced brightly. "Nice to meet you!"

Before anyone could respond, a sharp, authoritative voice cut through the moment. "And I, am Neera."

They all turned to see Neera Li as she approached them, flanked by Shang Tu soldiers. Her eyes were cold, arms crossed as she took in the wreckage around them. Her presence instantly made the group tense, though Milla seemed more curious than anything.

"And I would like some answers," Neera demanded, her icy gaze sweeping over them.

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, knowing they'd have a lot to explain. But before the tension could build further—

GROWL

A loud growl filled the air, causing everyone to jump. They turned, eyes widening in surprise, as they realized that the sound came from Sonic's stomach. Sonic scratched his head sheepishly. "Uh… you guys wouldn't happen to have, uh, something to eat, right?"

His friends let out tired groans, while Milla giggled. Neera, despite her cold exterior, raised a tired eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

This was going to be a long explanation.