"Yo, Tiff, keep an eye out for that Mega Orb, would ya?" Sonic called over his shoulder as he skidded to a stop near the southern wall of Maga. The faint hum of distant winds mixed with the tension in his voice.
"Affirmative," Tristina replied, her tone clipped and focused. Her irises faded from view as her fingers danced across the holographic keyboard projected from her hoverchair. A schematic of the Stealth Orb materialized before her, its rotating image glowing faintly in the dim light of the ancient ruins.
Elsewhere, Sally led Rotor, Antoine, and Bunnie through the narrow passage Antoine had stumbled upon, the dazzling white light at the end growing ever closer. Sally's heart leaped as a familiar voice echoed through the chamber.
"Yo, Sal, you in here?" Sonic's unmistakable call cut through the air.
Her breath caught as she saw the silhouettes emerge from the light—two hedgehogs. One, light blue, was frantically typing on a holographic keyboard that cast an ethereal blue glow. The other, a darker shade of blue, darted his gaze around the area, his body poised for action.
"Sal! Where are—" Sonic began, but was cut off by Sally stepping forward, her composure keeping her emotions in check.
"Here we are, Sonic," she said evenly, resisting the powerful urge to embrace him right then and there.
"Robuttnik's got some Mega Orb chasin' me," Sonic burst out, his eyes twitching skyward as though the very mention of the device might summon it. "Tiff managed to get a basic layout of the thing, but I can't shake it."
Tristina's holographic projection suddenly shifted, revealing a glowing blue image of the Spy Orb. The faint hum of the projection filled the air as the group gathered around.
"In increasing the sensors in the orb, as well as their sensitivity to Sonic's speed and turning radius," Tristina explained in a calm, steady voice, "Robotnik may have inadvertently created a vulnerability. I have crafted a code that will temporarily shift control from Robotnik to Sonic. Unfortunately, the orb's built-in software quickly eliminates the code and resets it back to—"
"Tiff, English," Sonic interrupted, rubbing the bridge of his nose as his patience wore thin.
Sighing, Tristina allowed her eyes to fade back into view as she simplified her explanation. "By adapting the Stealth Orb to track you, Robotnik created a 'back door' I can exploit. I used the code in that knife you saw earlier to make it listen to you instead of Robotnik. It doesn't last long, though—as we've seen—the orb overrides my code and reverts back to Robotnik's control."
"Ah, that makes sense," Rotor muttered, his engineer's curiosity piqued.
"I have an idea," Sally interjected, her voice decisive as she set the scroll down and unrolled it carefully across the ground. "Nicole, boot up the Breath of Maga diagram."
"Working, Sally," Nicole replied, her calm tone complementing the faint hum of its holographic display. Within moments, a detailed map of Maga appeared, projecting the structure of the Breath of Maga with vivid clarity.
"Before we continue, Princess," Tristina began, her voice slightly hesitant, "I've been studying that strange writing the ancient Mikanueans left behind. May I project an overlay over the map of Maga?"
At Sally's approving nod, Tristina flicked her wrist, and shimmering symbols unfurled across Nicole's hologram. The Mikanuean script illuminated sections of the ruins, their meaning known only to Tristina.
"The Breath of Maga runs along this side of the ruins," Sally explained, gesturing toward the diagram. "The winds blow at a speed of 155 miles per hour."
"Yeah," Sonic grinned, catching onto her train of thought. "That wind's a major blower! Glad I thought of it."
Sally rolled her eyes fondly before continuing. "The alcove is connected to the wind tunnel. You could hide there, but you'll get hit by the winds."
Tristina closed her eyes briefly, her irises disappearing as if lost in thought. They reappeared as she spoke calmly. "The alcove is only big enough for Sonic—"
"The Mikanueans created several hiding spots big enough for my wheelchair, Princess," Tristina interrupted gently. "There are two such spots within the wind tunnel. As for Robotnik's Mega Orb, this goes without saying, but..."
Raising her hand once more, Tristina conjured a holographic image of Robotnik's invention. The orb spun lazily in the projection, its inner workings laid bare.
"The orb relies on anti-gravity boosters to remain aloft," Tristina explained. "However, much like its weaker predecessors, it has no counterbalance for... disruptions."
"Say what now?" Sonic scratched his head, his confusion evident.
"When the Breath of Maga hits the orb, Blue..." Tristina began, her explanation trailing off as Sonic's eyes darted skyward.
Her gaze followed his, landing on the real Mega Orb hovering ominously above them. Its shadow loomed over the group like a silent predator, its mechanical hum growing louder as it descended.
Without hesitation, Tristina's hand flicked, and the blueprint projection vanished.
"Yo, Robotnik!" Sonic called, his voice ringing through the ruins as he skidded to a stop in front of the southern wall of Maga. Out of the corner of her eye, Tristina noticed Sally, Antoine, Rotor, and Bunnie quietly retreating back into the shadows of the tunnels. Their movements were careful, almost silent, as they disappeared.
"The old Evil Eye here is pretty cool," Sonic admitted, tilting his head at the pursuing Mega Orb with mock appreciation. "But it'll never catch the hedgehog!"
"Or the hacker!" Tristina added, her sharp gaze locked onto the orb as she conjured another glowing knife. With a sharp flick of her wrist, the blade sailed through the air, sinking into the orb's hull with precision. The sleek device shuddered as the knife's code embedded itself, casting the orb in a faint blue glow.
"Look at the wall!" Sonic shouted, recognizing his cue. Without hesitation, he took off, Tristina's wheelchair in tow, the hoverchair's quiet hum blending with his footsteps.
The orb's glow lingered for only a moment before fading entirely. Its mechanical hum resumed, and its lens refocused, locking onto its targets once more. It surged forward, unrelenting.
From the shadows, Sally glanced down at her watch, her brow furrowing. "Less than two minutes before the Breath of Mobius," she muttered, her voice tight with anticipation. Peering ahead, she gestured for the group to follow cautiously.
Bunnie whispered, "Which direction's it comin' from, Sal? Any guesses?"
Sally shook her head. "Wherever Sonic and Tristina are, you can bet Robotnik isn't far behind," she replied grimly. Her words hung in the air as the group edged forward, their footsteps muffled against the ancient stones.
"That Mega Orb still tailin' us, Tiff?" Sonic asked, his focus fixed on the path ahead as the ruins blurred past them.
"Yep!" Tristina replied, her calm tone contrasting with the urgency in her movements. Her fingers danced across her keyboard, an overlay of her ancestors' instructions flickering in her vision. "That pillar there would hide us while Blubber Butt catches up," she added, pointing toward a nearby structure.
"Gotcha," Sonic said with a grin, ducking behind the pillar with practiced ease. Tucking Tristina safely into the shadows, he stepped back out into the open, his hands on his hips.
"You're really slippin', Evil Eye," Sonic teased, tapping his foot impatiently. "Let's see a little slash 'n dash... a little rip n' zip..."
From behind the pillar, Tristina watched the orb as it floated—almost lazily—toward them. She frowned, her mind racing. Could a machine like this really act of its own accord? The thought unsettled her.
"Juice time!" Sonic cried, ducking back behind the pillar and crouching beside Tristina's wheelchair. "What's up?" he asked, noticing her thoughtful expression.
"Nothing," Tristina muttered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Her sharp ears perked up as a new sound reached her—a distant metallic clanking, growing louder by the second. "I hear Swatbots," she whispered.
Sonic's eyes narrowed as he peered around the pillar. In the distance, Robotnik and Snively approached, a small platoon of Swatbots marching in formation behind them. Sonic smirked. "Right on the money," he muttered.
"Where are the hedgehogs, Snively?!" Robotnik growled, his mechanical arm twitching as his baleful gaze bore into his nephew.
Snively's trembling hands clutched the red monitor, its screen flickering erratically. "They—they seem to have disappeared, sir," he stammered, sweat beading on his brow.
"We are chasing rodents, one whose legs don't even function, and you are telling me they have eluded you?!" Robotnik hissed,
Robotnik's fury boiled over, his metal fist picking up a stone near them. "That blasted hacker!" he roared. "She's tampered with the orb again, hasn't she?!" growling, Robotnik crushed the stone in his fist.
Before Snively could respond, the sound of a revving engine interrupted them. Both men turned, their eyes widening as they caught sight of a dark blue streak pushing a lighter one toward the edge of a large pit.
"Now we have them," Robotnik snarled, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
Sonic and Tristina hid in the shadows, the ancient stones shielding them as Robotnik's voice rang out.
"Look around, hedgehog, hacker," Robotnik called, his tone mockingly polite. "You're both trapped. Do come out and spare us all this drama, won't you?"
Tristina flashed Sonic a small, knowing smile before calling out, "We're in here, Robuttnik. Come and get us, tubs!"
"Send in the Stealth Orb!" Robotnik bellowed. Sonic revved his legs, readying himself. Meanwhile, Tristina placed her hand on a nearby brick, which lit up with the luminous script of the ancient Mikanueans. The stone beneath her palm shifted slightly as if awakened.
"Just a little ahead, Blue," Tristina whispered. "The Mikanueans have a plan for me as well." With a nod, the two took off.
Further down the passage, Sonic darted into the alcove Sally had described. Tristina placed her hand on another brick, and suddenly the walls around her came alive. Both hedgehogs gasped as three transparent, cloaked figures emerged, surrounding Tristina in a ghostly glow.
The figures moved in unison, their hands raised as if typing on invisible keyboards. Tristina's chair glided toward the alcove as two of the figures guided it gently into place. They exchanged a nod with her before vanishing, their forms dissolving into faint whispers of light.
So awestruck by the phenomenon, Sonic almost missed Robotnik's voice booming above them.
"Show yourselves, pincushions!" Robotnik bellowed, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "I'm tired of your monotonous games!"
Tristina shivered slightly at the sound but steeled herself, raising her hands to project a transparent field in front of her. As the Stealth Orb floated past, she gritted her teeth, her sharp eyes tracking its movements.
"Ten seconds to showtime," Sonic whispered, his voice low. He glanced at Tristina, who gave him a confident nod, her finger hovering above the turbo boost button on her chair.
"Eight seconds," Sally muttered under her breath, her keen eyes trained on Robotnik, Snively, and the Swatbots standing sentinel nearby. Rotor and Bunnie exchanged a worried glance, while Antoine crossed his fingers and muttered a silent prayer.
Tristina's concentration broke as the stones around her began to tremble. "Root and scoot time!" Sonic shouted, pulling out the Power Ring.
The wind roared to life as Tristina slammed her fingers onto the turbo boost button. "Let's do it to it!" she cried as her chair's engine whined into action. The full force of the Breath of Mobius hit her like a tidal wave, launching her and the chair tumbling out of the tunnel.
Sonic followed close behind, racing through the wind's current with the Power Ring glowing brightly in his grasp. The chaotic energy carried him forward, his body twisting with the gusts.
"Are you all right, Sugah Tiff?" Bunnie's voice broke through the haze as Tristina's eyes fluttered open. Sonic, Sally, Rotor, Antoine, and Bunnie crouched around her, their faces etched with concern.
Tristina sat upright, instinctively checking the dim glow of the diamond embedded in her chair. Her memories returned in a rush. "The Breath of Mobius... blew us into the air..." she murmured.
"Your turbo boost let out one last blast before you went over the cliff," Sally explained.
"And Sonic's Power Ring saved him," Rotor added.
Tristina wheeled herself to the cliff's edge, peering cautiously over as Bunnie gripped her chair for safety. "Robotnik's... dead?" Tristina breathed her voice barely a whisper.
"Believe it," Sonic said grimly, stepping up beside her. "He's history."
"You got the scrolls, Sal?" Sonic called as he returned from a self-imposed patrol, his confident grin stretching across his face. He had insisted on double-checking the ruins for any lingering "Buttnik traps," leaving no stone unturned. The ruins of Maga had faded into a cautious quiet, but Sonic's instincts remained sharp.
"Right here," Sally replied, holding the ancient scrolls securely as she handed them off to Antoine. Her sharp eyes then darted toward Tristina, noticing something unusual. The hedgehog's eyes were glowing faintly, entirely pupil-less.
"Tiffany?" Sally called gently, concern edging into her voice.
"One moment, Princess," Tristina replied in a calm monotone. Bowing her head slightly, she allowed her vision to fade back in. "Sorry. Just checking the plane for any software issues," she added as her expression softened.
Bunnie tilted her head, her ears twitching. "Didn't the check before we left Knothole take that long?" she asked, her tone lightly teasing.
"Okay," Tristina admitted, her cheeks flushing. "I was also... having a final word with the ancient Mikanueans," she said sheepishly.
"That's okay, Tiff," Rotor chimed in, standing up from behind her wheelchair. He had been crouched there, finishing his work with a wrench. He straightened and wiped his hands on his toolbelt with a satisfied smile. "You're good to go for the flight back to Knothole."
"Are you coming with us?" Sally asked, turning to Sonic, who had been inspecting the Freedom Stormer's wing.
"On one condition," Sonic replied coyly, crossing his arms as he leaned against the aircraft.
Tristina's lips twitched as she turned away, hiding a laugh behind her hand. She and Sonic had discussed this "condition" earlier, and now she was struggling to keep a straight face.
"I'm afraid to ask," Sally sighed, giving Sonic a wary look as Tristina stifled another laugh.
"Don't be afraid," Sonic said in a terrible Dracula impression, his attempt at humor earning a grimace from Tristina as she fought to keep her composure.
"Okay, okay, what's the condition?" Sally asked, exasperation creeping into her voice.
Sonic's grin widened as he placed a gloved hand on the Freedom Stormer's wing. "I get to fly the plane," he declared triumphantly.
Antoine let out a blood-curdling scream, his hands flying to his head as his beret tilted askew. The others instinctively stepped back in mock horror, their expressions a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Sonic's confident smile bloomed into an outright grin.
Tristina shook her head, smiling softly as the Freedom Stormer took off, its engine roaring to life with Sonic at the helm. She had no doubt Sonic would succumb to the temptation to test the plane's limits—barrel rolls and loop-de-loops seemed inevitable. Antoine's scream of terror echoed faintly, drifting on the wind, but Tristina kept her distance, knowing better than to join the chaos directly.
Enemy lives...
The words whispered through her mind, breaking her thoughts. Tristina's hoverchair halted mid-flight as she turned, her sharp eyes narrowing. The ruins of Maga had already begun to disappear into the mists, but the faintest tug from her ancestors' whispers stopped her cold.
Beware...
Her pulse quickened as her gaze locked onto a faint movement near the cliffside. At first, it appeared to be two ants scaling the rock face. But as her vision sharpened, the truth hit her like a blow to the chest. Her heart shuddered, the realization taking hold—what she was seeing wasn't insects.
Turning away, she silently thanked her ancestors for the warning and resumed her flight, her mind racing with the weight of the devastating news. How would she tell the others?
Grunting and sputtering, Robotnik clawed his way over the edge of the cliff, the rough stones digging into his palms as he struggled to pull himself upward. His breath came in shallow gasps, each wheeze a battle against his overnourished frame. Behind him, Snively scrambled with equal difficulty, his smaller stature no advantage in the face of exhaustion.
Finally cresting the top, Robotnik collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving as he fought to steady his breathing. His bloodshot eyes narrowed as he spotted the silhouette of the Freedom Stormer in the distance, its wings catching the sunlight as it soared gracefully into the sky. Behind it, the faint shape of a single-pilot hover device followed dutifully.
"The hedgehog..." Robotnik spat, his voice dripping with venom. "...and the hacker." His teeth ground together audibly as rage bubbled up inside him. "They will pay for this, Snively," he snarled, his red eyes glinting like embers.
Snively, having finally clambered to his feet, wiped the sweat from his brow and followed his uncle's gaze. His expression twisted with dread as he noted the determination burning in Robotnik's features.
Robotnik straightened, his breath finally steadying as his cold fury solidified into a vow. "Mark my words," he hissed, his voice low and venomous. "They will pay."