Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

(10 days ago...)

Dr. Fukurokov heaved a sigh as he sat back in his chair and steeped his talons together. It had been one headache after another since his plans had gone awry and the Battle Moon had fallen. Morale was low because Speedy had abandoned them, and the Great Battle Kukku had sustained catastrophic injuries following his showdown with Miles Prower. He’d been left on the verge of death after the space station had crashed and the remains of the Grand Kukku Mobile Suit had collapsed atop him, but luckily, the medical facility was one of the few areas that the then super-powered fox hadn’t demolished during his rampage. As such, the Emperor had been saved, but only just, having to be outfitted with cybernetic parts to survive. Although the operation had been completed successfully, a day had gone by, and the Kukku leader hadn’t yet regained consciousness. There weren’t any clear signs of when he would, either, leaving his subjects anxiously awaiting his return.

The current situation had left the owl in charge, and frankly, he wished the GBK was the one managing things. It was hard to intimidate the troops into respecting him when he was barely any larger than most of them, not to mention significantly older. Trying to run all of the day-to-day affairs on top of monitoring his superior’s health, not to mention formulating new designs for their forces, was supremely taxing. Much as he disliked the former prince, he also would have preferred that he was still around to assist with everything.

And yet, there had been an interesting development when the doctor had examined the Emerald Radar that had been constructed along with the station. Two signals had been detected somewhere east of their position that matched the gems’ energy, but he didn’t believe that they could be Chaos Emeralds. All seven of those stones were presumably still in the fox’s hands, as their readings were far off to the southwest, albeit very weak compared to when they were in his hands. Still, they were a curiosity in themselves, these new blips on their Radar. One of them had been stationary since he started observing it, while the other had occasionally moved around, but never too far away from the first. It warranted an investigation, but there were hardly any hands free that could assist him in this endeavor, what with all that needed to be done.

“Doctor, urgent report from local scouting!” came the voice of a grunt as one of the monitors around his work station lit up.

The owl let out a startled hoot and nearly fell from his chair, placing a hand against his chest to calm his heart. “Spare no details on your findings, soldier.”

“Sir, the lake region appears to be surrounded on all sides by extensive forest and tall mountains,” the combatant dutifully told him, “from atop a local peak, we’ve determined there to be multiple distinct geographic features across an area larger than West Side Island. In addition, we’ve found a number of Critter species, but have only identified two Animals that are of...questionable civility.”

That was curious. Wherever they had ended up, it seemed like it was even more isolated than that little clod of dirt that Prower came from. He cleared his throat, prompting the underling to continue with his debriefing.

“One of the Animals is a striped purple cat with yellow and black eyes that is very, very large,” he went on, “more so than most humans, even. He appears to be solely concerned with finding a good fishing spot around the island, from what we can confirm. The second is a red, spiny mammal with purple eyes and a white crescent mark on his chest. His features don’t match those of either hedgehogs or porcupines, so we’re not sure what he is, doctor.”

The old engineer relaxed his hands on the armrests of his chair and stared more intently at the other bird. “And have you determined his motives and activities?”

“Ah, well,” the combatant answered hesitantly, “he was headed towards your position, last we saw him, sir.”

Dr. Fukurokov almost bolted out of his seat at that news. He swiveled his chair over to more monitors around his space, checking each of the immediate areas around the Battle Moon’s exterior. After scanning a couple of them, the owl spotted the Animal that the grunt had mentioned, lingering close to the edge of the woods and gazing up at the fallen space station. He certainly had a nasty set of spikes on the knuckles of his mitts, from what the picture was showing. Even so, the birds that served the Empire were supposed to be made of sterner stuff, not to mention obligated to protect their base! His feathers ruffled up, the old bird whirled around at the reporting Kukku.

“Why didn’t you try and apprehend him before now!?” the doctor demanded of him.

It was the trooper’s turn to look indignant, though unlike his superior, he couldn’t afford to snap. He simply rubbed the back of his helmet and let out a breath.

“We did, doctor,” the soldier continued, “I’m the only member of the squad still conscious and able to make this report to you, as a result.”

That gave the owl serious pause. Did this mean there was yet another being that possessed ridiculous agility and physical prowess like that two-tailed fox? First, it had been him, and then there had been that blasted flying squirrel and armadillo during that one time. Now, there was also that hedgehog, that trio of two reptiles and an insect, the twin wolves, and...whatever this fellow was. It seemed that no matter where he went in the world, he just couldn’t get away from these types. He really didn't want to have to deal with another problem child.

But when he stopped to glance over at the stranger, Dr. Fukurokov saw that he hadn't moved from his position. He was still glaring at the Battle Moon with a mix of trepidation and anxiety, which intrigued the acting commander. Was there something about it that gave this odd fellow a fright aside from the obvious? Or was this merely the gawking of some simpleton shocked to see the majesty of his genius work? Whatever the case, he felt the need to get to the bottom of what this guy wanted, even if that meant going out there and confronting him. He just prayed that diplomacy was an option, if the threat truly was as great as the scout made it out to be.

Utilizing a personal hoverpod, the owl made his way through the winding passages of the Battle Moon and gathered up a few Buzzer Badniks as an escort. The group traveled down an auxiliary shaft, coming out from near one of the imperial insignia’s eyes on the front of the station and moving around the circumference to their target. Once they’d turned the corner, the doctor spotted the odd Animal, now with his attention focused on the group. He made no move to close the distance, but did raise his fists, taking up a defensive stance in response to the newcomers. Fukurokov ordered his robots to stay as he dismounted his hoverpod, though he kept a respectable stone’s throw away from what he now perceived to be a clearly bigger animal.

“Greetings!” he called out to the unknown mammal, raising his hands to show he was no threat, “can you understand me?”

The other male narrowed his eyes. “Well enough.” His voice was a light, yet powerful bass, one that went well with his well-toned body. He lowered both of his arms, though kept one fist leveled and pointed at the owl. “I am wary of you, though, owl. You are no native to my land, and I have found you near the Dragon’s Egg. What business could you possibly have with it?”

Dr. Fukurokov blinked. Did he just hear this stranger correctly? He honestly believed that the Battle Moon was the apocalyptic object from the legend of the Floating Island? The same tale that also told of the Stone of Power, which had been proclaimed to be so great that the gods themselves sent it to the heavens on that same section of earth?

'Do I dare hope?' Dr. Fukurokov thought, 'could this island be that same one? The stories about the Chaos Emeralds turned out true, so what if...yes, I could use this confusion to my advantage.’

“Well, my boy, stories about it and the Floating Island have been passed down for generations among many peoples,” he explained to the red guy, which was technically true, “and there were many that saw it fall from the sky!” Now to sprinkle in some fibs. “I’ve spent most of my life studying such tales about it, though I’d never dreamed of seeing it before my time in this world was over.”

This appeared to get the gruff mammal to ease up a bit and stop being so threatening. Thankful that he seemingly found someone gullible enough to take the bait, the old bird put on a sympathetic look as he held a hand over his chest.

“And now that it is here, I fear there isn’t enough time to complete my work,” he pretended to lament, “if only it could be done, then perhaps the prophecy about the end of the world could be denied!”

That seemed to catch the other’s attention, his body shifting to more closely regard the owl. Although his steely gaze showed that he wasn’t entirely convinced, he was at least more willing to listen now.

“You claim it is possible to prevent the Dragon from hatching?” he questioned, “and yet, already the Egg has fallen and forced the island to the surface.” He briefly shut his eyes, humming concernedly. “I can feel the residue of negative Chaos Energy emanating from it; raw emotion like that of a beast, but twisted by rage, hatred, and sorrow.”

Dr. Fukurokov felt his breath catch in his throat at that description. His mind brought up that horrific visage that the fox had taken when he used the Chaos Emeralds. Those pure, glowing white eyes that had struck true fear into his superior for the first time, and that wispy black aura that rose off of his midnight blue-indigo fur like smoke were both going to haunt him for the rest of his days. And that display of power that Prower had shown...it had been nothing short of incredible. He had savagely torn the GKMS apart, and then blasted through the layers of the Battle Moon like they were made of paper. It was like he had been made into the incarnation of those negative emotions he’d been feeling in those moments.

That was when the engineer struck upon what he considered a most brilliant idea.

‘I don’t even have to lie to this buffoon about how utterly terrifying that monstrous state was that the fox was in!’ he reasoned, a sly grin forming on his beak, ‘well, perhaps a little more fibbing couldn’t hurt. I could even set the two against one another, and see how that troublesome teenager likes having more than one headache to deal with!’

“You were fortunate you did not witness the source of it,” the owl said with a genuine shudder, “I was not so lucky.” He paused for dramatic effect, eyeing his one-man audience to make sure he was invested. “For the first time in recent history, the Chaos Emeralds were gathered together, and indeed, the one who used them did so in a most destructive way! And who’s to say his lust for power will stop there?” A look of stark realization crossed the younger Animal’s face, and the doctor knew then he had him hooked. “If this truly is the Floating Island of legend, and if the Dragon’s Egg is real, too...may I assume that the Stone of Power is as well?”

The stranger grunted and glared at the doctor. At first, Fukurokov believed that he’d made a misstep, and that this fellow was going to get physical. But instead, he simply tore his gaze away to briefly stare off in the same direction as the energy the Radar had detected before. That seemed to confirm that it was still working properly, at any rate.

“Its true name is the Master Emerald,” the Animal replied after a moment, facing him once again, “and I am its Guardian: Knuckles the Echidna.”

Dr. Fukurokov’s eyes just about bulged out of their sockets at that news. Not only was the Stone of Power real, but with a name like that, it had to be linked to the Chaos Emeralds! And on top of all that, there was a real live echidna right in front of his face. Were he more of a historian or an anthropologist, his heart would probably be soaring right now.

“I’m shocked!” the owl exclaimed honestly, though he did exaggerate his reaction just a bit for show, “it’s been long assumed and supported by many the world over that echidnas went extinct centuries ago!” He waddled up closer to Knuckles, who nervously took a step back. “Are there more like you?”

The echidna crossed his arms and slowly shook his head. "I have been the sole echidna on Angel Island for many years now." He quirked his brow. "And you are?"

"Dr. Dmitri Fukurokov, at your service," the old bird replied as he bowed to the other Animal, "just 'doctor' will do. And if you'll allow me, I can enlighten you on who it is that threatens the Master Emerald."

Knuckles stood there for several lengthy moments, eyes closed and making the occasional grunt of contemplation. Eventually, he opened his eyes again and nodded to the owl, who smiled maliciously.

“His name is Miles Prower, and he’s the most troublesome kind of fox,” Dr. Fukurokov growled, though he kept calm to prevent himself from getting too lost in his hatred for his foe, “he was raised by wolves, he keeps ruffians as companions, and he misuses his gifted intelligence for nefarious ends. But fear not, as you’d never miss him in a crowd, not with that amber fur and those two tails!”

To his delight, the echidna actually gasped. “Two tails? Then the prophecy is true and soon to be realized...”

“A prophecy, you say?” the old bird inquired, intrigued and amused at the idea of Prower being involved in some sort of prognostication, “I do not believe I’ve heard of any that involve that fox.”

Knuckles hummed and stepped forward with one hand raised, causing the owl to take a few back in turn. The smaller Animal flinched when he saw the echidna extend his glove, covering his eyes in expectation of a solid hit. After a few seconds of no injury, however, he peered through his talons and saw that the hand was presented for a shake instead.

“If you truly wish to prevent the disasters foretold by my ancestors,” Knuckles said solemnly, a slight smile on his muzzle, “then you will need to know more, doctor. Allow me to show you the mural that depicts the fox with two tails.”

Dr. Fukurokov suppressed a hoot of laughter as he took the glove and politely shook it, a broad grin on his beak. “Lead the way, my friend.”

(Present day...)

The sun was about halfway above the horizon when Miles sat down for breakfast with his siblings, Sonic, and Fuchsia. They had been surprised when the teen had shown up the night before, looking restless and lost. Not in the sense that he didn’t know where he was, but more that he wasn’t sure what to make of what was on his mind. They hadn't needed to hear his reasoning; it was clear he'd come for their comfort and support, and that was enough to bring him in. For the first time in a long time, he’d spent the night with them, and even offered to camp out on the sofa. There had been no need, though, as the guest room had more than one bed. It had still taken some time for him to drift off, but with his companion by his side, and his family nearby, it helped to calm his nerves.

The fox skewered a small sausage and bit into it as his eyes scanned around the table. Sonic had gone through his food so quickly, everyone else still had more than half of theirs left, and he was stuck sitting there to wait on them. Gizmo was distracted from her plate as she occasionally messed around with her comm, leaving Miles to wonder what she was doing. Gadget was prevented from enjoying his meal every so often by something Fuchsia was doing to mess with him, though what exactly, no one else could see from their place at the table. Well, the teal wolf probably could, but she was preoccupied between eating and working away at whatever was on her device. It was nice to see them at ease, as though the events of a week and a half ago were a much more distant memory.

But, unfortunately, Miles couldn’t put matters behind him just as readily. Not since he learned that the Battle Moon hadn't been entirely destroyed, but rather, had crash landed into a newly discovered island. Said island was believed to be the one from the myth of the Stone of Power according to his newly made acquaintance, J. P. Cross. And then there was the bombshell regarding the cross fox's connection to other things the teen had been meaning to do research about. The last of those concerns could be addressed after the others were dealt with, but it would be stuck in the back of his mind. To help get his attention away from that, Miles thought about something that needed to be decided before he left.

"So, I don't need to ask if you're coming along, partner," he said to Sonic with a wink, getting a thumbs-up in return, "but what about you, Gad? Giselle?"

The former stopped a laugh he'd been sharing with the cat just as the latter halted her work. In sync, they looked at one another, then back at the fox, one enthusiastic while the other appeared hesitant.

"Someone has to watch the Tornado while you're traipsing about in new territory," Gizmo answered with a smirk.

Gadget poked a bit at his food. “I want to be there to help in case you need it, but I don’t want to get in the way. Maybe I should hang back this time.”

“Ooh, then can I come?” Fuchsia asked excitedly, the tip of her tail twitching from side to side, “after hearing about what you and Gizzy did, I want in on the action!”

Sonic smiled at the go-getter attitude. “Sure. It’d be fun to have someone else along for the ride!”

“Hold your Cloppies there, kid,” the fox told him in a chiding tone, “you’re not the only one who gets a say in this.” He turned to the feline female. “To be honest, Fu, I’m not sure if you should come. Unlike the rest of us, you’ve never been in real combat, or any kind of danger, really.”

The vermilion wolf nodded in agreement, not wanting to see his significant other in danger. The purplish-red cat, however, crossed her arms and pouted at Miles’ words. She didn’t appear to be willing to take no for an answer.

“Aww, foxy,” she whined, giving him the “sad kitten” eyes, “are you sure you don’t have anything I could use to defend myself or help out? If not, I can just stick by the plane.” She glanced at the teal wolf expectantly, whose demeanor showed she was a little bewildered and annoyed by the proposal. “Come on, Gizzy, I promise I won’t be a bother.”

The verdigris twin shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with it, as long as you don’t cause any trouble.”

“Seriously?” Gadget protested, sitting up straighter in his seat as he regarded his brother, “Miles, please don’t. I don’t want to think about what could happen if the Kukkus decided to pull something like Speedy did to Sis and I.”

The fox did agree that the other wolf had a point. But with the way things were, if he went along with him and opposed Fuchsia coming along, the decision would be deadlocked. He briefly considered his options, and soon came to the conclusion that it would be easier to go along with just allowing the cat to accompany them. It was less work to try and convince his older brother than either his sister or the hedgehog, anyway.

“If you’re that worried about her, Gad, then just come along with us,” Miles commented, a knowing grin crossing his lips, “I’m sure she’d feel safer if you were around.”

He was amused when, just to drive the point home, the cat leaned in from the side and hugged the older male lovingly. Gadget was about to gently nudge Fuchsia off of him, when she let out a soft giggle and planted a kiss on the side of his muzzle. He seized up from the smooch, his peachy cheeks and inner ears soon matching his fur color. After a moment, his fiery orange eyes lit with a spark and he fluffed up his chest, looking more determined than Miles had seen in a while.

“Okay, I’ll do it!” he decided, getting a small “yay” from Fuchsia, to which he gave her a one-armed hug, “just stick close to Sis and I, okay? I know you’re a grown lady, but going off alone in an unfamiliar place can be dangerous for anyone.”

She nodded and purred, nuzzling up under his chin and making him let out a loud puff through his nose. Gizmo rolled her eyes and snickered, polishing off the rest of her food and then heading into the kitchen with her and Sonic’s dishes. The fox did the same with his own a couple of minutes later, followed by his brother and their friend. While their bellies were sated, the group wasn’t certain how long they would be staying at the island, and so planned accordingly. If things dragged out, then Miles figured they would also need some extra firepower.

Once they’d prepared a week’s worth of rations, as well as a stockpile of bombs, ammunition, and spare parts for maintenance that could fit the Tornado’s cargo, they were ready to go. They bid farewell to Gob and Guen for the time being, then set out to the dock near Miles’ cabin. Since she wasn’t accustomed to wing riding like the rest of them, and she wanted to be close to her boyfriend, Fuchsia squeezed in the back seat and tucked her head beneath Gadget’s chin, settling in his lap. Gizmo decided to forgo her usual spot on the plane as well, allowing Sonic to use her hips as a makeshift booster seat as they climbed into the cockpit. That left Miles to take up his position in the top center of the wings, where he set his shades on the bridge of his muzzle and flashed an eager smirk.

“Welcome aboard Adventure Airlines,” the hedgehog announced in his best commercial pilot’s drawl, “this is your captain, Sonic the Hedgehog, along with local hero, Tails the Fox.”

Miles moved so that he was partly facing the rest of them, playing along with the hoglet's gig. “You may experience some turbulence during flight, but we expect to reach our destination without issue.”

“Be sure to stay strapped in at all times until the plane comes to a complete stop,” Sonic advised them as he started up the engine, “alright, I think we’re good on safety. Here we go!”

The Tornado coasted over the shallows for a little bit until the plane built up the momentum it needed to lift into the air. Once Cocoa Island was a speck in the distance behind them, Sonic activated the rocket attachment on the underside. A loud boom went off behind them as they broke through the sound barrier, pushing all the passengers firmly back into the seats. Miles hunched forward and used one hand as well as his tails to brace himself on the wings, his other glove keeping his sunglasses from flying off. After a moment, he adjusted to the velocity and stood tall once more, though he kept himself anchored with his rear limbs just in case.

Even at the speed they were going, the Pacific was a truly vast stretch of water that was only occasionally broken up by land here and there. They followed the signals from the Emerald Radar north-northeast, and though there weren’t any notable places to stop on the way, the view was still nice. After a good couple of hours, Miles spotted their destination as it appeared on the horizon. It had been one thing to view the island from satellite images, but it was another entirely to see the real thing more up close and personal. There were mountains that put the Hill Top Peaks to shame, some of them even sporting thick layers of snow despite the season and latitude. He saw vast jungles and rolling green plains, as well as a forest of mushrooms, and a sprawling desert just beyond that. There were structural ruins in both the sandy area as well as the wooded one, though the latter remains were more hidden by the hills and the dense greenery around there.

What caught his and everyone else’s eyes, though, was the Battle Moon. It was currently situated on the northern shore of an immense lake whose forested valley was itself encircled by mountains. And to the group’s collective dismay, it was apparent that repairs had been well under way on the station. It didn’t appear ready to head back into space, but much of the significant damage Miles remembered inflicting had already been mended. And though the fox wanted to fly right in there, he couldn’t go it alone, and that aside, there was no place for them to land close by. The best they would be able to manage, from what he could piece together, was to bring the Tornado down on the western shore and then approach on foot through the jungle and other terrain.

Sonic cut the rocket and flew around in the air to help decrease their speed before activating the water gear. He brought out the wheels once they approached the sand, and soon, the propeller ceased its spinning as they rolled to a stop. The fox hopped off the wings and reached into one of the pouches that he’d brought along, fishing out the second iteration of his multitool, the Miles Electric. Having grown attached to the last design, he’d made this one physically identical, although it was functionally superior. With the improved Emerald Radar, which could now overlay satellite imaging onto the grid, he was able to pinpoint the location of the two errant Chaos Energy signals he’d discovered a few days ago. One of them was situated in the middle of the mountains in the center north, while the other was on the opposite side of the island from him. One or both of those things would hopefully be able to help him solve the dilemma with the Chaos Emeralds.

Sonic jumped down beside him, slinging a pack over his shoulders that contained all the gems except for the cyan one, which the fox preferred to carry on him. The others soon followed, with Fuchsia taking an interested gander at their surroundings while the twins began making camp. Miles found himself copying the cat, peering at the lush and healthy plant life that awaited them just past the beach. It reminded him of the jungle on Guririn Island, though the trees here towered over the ones back near his home, and the vines were so large and strong, they looked like they could easily support his weight and allow him to swing around. There was a lot of uneven brown rock beneath the grass and moss growing, and when he perked up his ears, he could detect the sound of flowing water, both that of a running river and those of crashing falls.

But, as he listened intently, he picked up a different sort of commotion. Something was rapidly moving through the brush, something that was far too fast to be a typical Animal or Critter. The direction they were coming from suggested they weren’t headed straight for him, but at least towards their general vicinity. Miles tilted his head to try and discern where exactly whatever it was would spring out from, stopping when he spotted Fuchsia poking around closer to the edge of the jungle than she had been a moment ago. His body started moving before his mind put two and two together, his tails spinning to give himself a boost and get over to her quickly. The fox swept her off her feet and flew away from the ground just as the approaching creature crashed through the nearby bushes. Everyone was startled when a spiny Animal with red fur, purple eyes, and a white crescent mark on his chest punched into the ground with a glove that had spiked knuckles. The impact created a crater that was a few meters across and at least one deep, despite the fact the guy's fist had slammed into solid rock!

Miles set Fuchsia down, where Gadget stepped in front of her protectively with his lightning baton drawn, the energy currently in its blade form. Gizmo pulled out her blaster pistol, but kept it aimed at the ground, as she didn’t know how hostile his intentions were just yet. When the fox came to land in front of him, the purple-eyed Animal withdrew his hand from the dirt and stood up straight, coming to roughly a head shorter than him. He briefly dusted his glove off, then scowled at Miles.

“So you have finally arrived, two-tailed fox,” he proclaimed, taking a combat stance with both fists at the ready, “prepare yourself for battle, you who would misuse the Emeralds and bring ruin to this place!”

As he allowed himself to get a better appraisal of what the Animal was, the fox’s mind went back to the time he and Sonic had been deep within the mountains on West Side Island. The pictographs and images of the last Great Civilization, their discovery of the Chaos Emeralds, and the creation of the Floating Island all had Animals in them that looked just like this fellow. But, that would mean...

‘He’s an echidna!’ Miles thought as he shifted into position to defend against the other male, ‘normally, I’d be a lot more excited about this kind of discovery. But, why would he be expecting me at all? How would he know about the Chaos Emeralds going dark, or that I used them? And what does he mean about me bringing ruin?’

It seemed that if he wanted answers to anything, he would have to contend with this unexpected new adversary.

Chapter Text

“Hold on, I’m not here to cause any trouble,” Miles told the echidna across from him, his body on alert for any sign of him making a move, “I just want answers.”

The spiny Animal scoffed, his brow deepening with further indignation. “The doctor has warned me about you being deceptive. Admit that you are here to take the Master Emerald, just as my people had predicted!”

The fox was taken aback at the accusation. Was that what the Stone of Power was really called? If that was the case, then he wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. While the echidna wasn’t exactly wrong about it being part of the reason he was there, he didn’t mean any harm by it. The other Animal had made it quite clear that he wasn’t about to listen to him, though, and he doubted he’d entertain any questions he had. For instance, the identity of the doctor that had tipped this guy off, which the fox had a pretty solid hunch about.

A gentle thud on the sand nearby caught his ears, turning to see that Sonic had set down the backpack with most of the Chaos Emeralds. The hedgehog was wearing his seldom seen angry face, working the kinks out of his neck as he extended his arms and did the same with his fingers. Miles hoped he wasn’t about to try anything, but it looked like that would be asking a bit too much.

“He’s not gonna admit to something that isn’t true!” the boy shot back, drawing the echidna’s attention, “besides, we only just got here. We haven’t done anything!”

The bigger spiny mammal pointed at the bag that the hedgehog had set down, now even more irritated. “The state of the Chaos Emeralds is proof enough that he has abused their power. As Guardian of this island, I cannot allow ones such as him to get close to the Master Emerald!"

"The biggest reason we're here is so we can make them bright again, you knucklehead!" Sonic shouted, planting his legs and raising his fists.

The Guardian's expression shifted to confusion. "No, my name is Knuckles the Echidna."

A brief, but howling breeze blew in from the sea as the quintet absorbed his words. Were this the desert, a tumbleweed might have rolled on by during the silence. Both hedgehog and fox found themselves lowering their hands a little as they stared at Knuckles. At least the question of whether or not he really was an echidna had been answered.

"That's...rather on the nose," Miles mumbled, then shook his head and shot the echidna a more pleading look, "but, my friend is telling the truth. We just want the Emeralds to be the way they were before, and I don't want to fight if I don't have to. Please, if there's a way we can make that happen, then as soon as that's done, we'll leave."

There was a short, yet seemingly sluggish period where the monotreme molded over his words. But, to the fox's disappointment, he shrugged it off and reaffirmed his guard. It was apparent that Knuckles was a stubborn guy.

'Kind of like a certain cool blue hedgehog,' Miles thought to himself.

"I cannot grant that request," Knuckles said, shifting one foot further forward, "if I am to save my home from disaster, you must be felled."

Miles bowed and shook his head, heaving a sigh. He glanced back at his siblings and friends, then returned his gaze to the echidna.

"Since you insist on getting violent," he growled, his own stance changing to a more offensive form, "I have no choice but to defend myself." He saw Sonic start to move out of the corner of his eye, so he held up a hand. "No. I'm the one he wants, guys, so leave this to me!"

Knuckles grunted in what sounded like respect for the decision to keep their battle one-on-one. "Let us fight then, fox!"

The echidna started things off by rushing forward with a lunging jab. Miles blocked it with one of his tails, grimacing as he felt a bit of pain, followed by the tingling of numbness in much of the appendage after that. This guy was seriously strong; if he'd taken that unguarded, it would've done major damage. It figured that someone claiming themselves to be a Guardian wouldn't be a pushover.

With that in mind, Miles shrugged the fist away and swung his other tail around in a swift whipping motion. Knuckles grunted, but barely budged from the Tail Attack, moving to counter with a hook directed at the fox’s chest. The teen kicked off the ground and twirled his tails together to hover and put some distance between them. To his surprise, Knuckles boosted up into the air with a Rolling Jump, then stuck both fists in front of him as he began gliding after him. He closed the gap so quickly, Miles was given hardly any time to catch those hands with his own. The force and weight pushed them both back to the ground, the fox’s shoes pushing through the dirt as the echidna tried to overwhelm him.

Miles let himself fall back onto his rear limbs and repositioned his feet so that they drew near Knuckles’ chest. He then let go of the smaller Animal’s fists as he used his tails to bounce back and reinforce a good double kick. The Guardian went flying back, though he managed to right himself and land on his feet well enough. He crouched down and curled up into a ball, the familiar screech of a Spin Dash charging up reaching the fox’s ears. Although he was stunned that someone else knew the technique independently from him, Miles wasted no time in doing the same. A few seconds went by before the red and amber spheres blitzed forth and crashed into one another, but the outcome was not what the heroes expected.

The fox yelled as he was knocked out of his Spin Dash and sent sprawling across the sand. The echidna pounced after him and attempted to drive his spiked gloves into the prone teen, but Miles rolled out of the way and quickly got to his feet. He threw a few punches of his own, only to have them blocked and redirected by his opponent’s skillful maneuvering. Knuckles slapped his arms away and wound up one of his own, delivering a powerful straight that his target was unable to get away from in time. The hero coughed up a bit of red as he was propelled backward from the blow, dull pain flooding from his head down his spine after slamming into a palm tree. Not only that, but the impact caused it to topple over, producing a mighty crash and kicking up a large cloud of sand and dirt.

Not a moment later, Miles blasted through the debris in another Spin Dash, which Knuckles managed to catch using both of his hands. He was forced back a few meters, but ultimately managed to anchor himself, where he then threw the amber ball high into the air and jumped after him, spiking the fox back to the ground with a double ax hand. Miles picked himself up once more, panting a bit as he eyed over the scrapes and bruises inflicted on him. By comparison, he’d not done any meaningful damage to his foe, who bumped his fists together and looked ready to charge him again.

‘He’s a skilled fighter, and on top of that, his raw power is immense,’ the teen observed, brushing his fingers over the pouch that had his gem, ‘I felt power like the Chaos Emeralds coming from him, too, but it seemed more...pure. Could that be from him passively absorbing energy from the Master Emerald like I have with my own stone?’

Whatever the case was, he knew he wouldn’t be able to win with his own strength alone. Miles reached into a different pocket and pulled out a trio of tiny bombs, flicking them the echidna’s way. Knuckles avoided the explosives by slamming his fists into the ground and hauling up a chunk of stone bigger than himself, using it as an improvised shield. It broke apart from the blasts, and while the echidna was no worse for wear, it gave the fox the opportunity to close in. He swiveled onto his hands and spun as though he were break dancing, both legs and tails colliding with his opponent. Knuckles growled as he was sent flipping through the air a few times, though he caught hold of a vine and looped around a broad tree trunk. He let go and went into another glide, only to dive and dig down into the ground as though it were water.

Thinking quickly, Miles took to the air, rising up until he felt he was at a good altitude. He noticed the ground beneath where he’d just been starting to shift, and in response, he went into a Drop Attack, letting gravity do the work. Knuckles popped up out of the ground to deliver a punch, only to be confused when the fox wasn’t there to take it. He once again ate dirt, though not by choice this time, as Miles bashed him in the back of the head from above. He wasn’t down for long, however, vaulting from all fours and charging at the fox with a flurry of punches. It was answered with a barrage of kicks and tail swipes, with neither party managing to deal more than some glancing blows to each other, even after several seconds.

The two parted and circled one another in a sprint, trying to spot any kind of opening. Knuckles was faster on the draw, throwing one arm back and then bringing it forward, his fist just missing his target. Or so Miles had thought until the tip of the balled up glove glowed a brilliant orange. A huge boom filled the air as the space between Knuckles and Miles exploded, making the vulpine hurtle backwards into the brush. He tumbled and tossed through brambles and vines until he splashed into the river he'd heard when feeling out the area earlier. The fox erupted from the surface and touched down on the shore seconds later, shaking himself off and glaring as the echidna stepped through the greenery to get to him.

"You are tenacious, fox," Knuckles remarked, "I suppose that is to be expected from what the doctor told me and what my ancestors' mural showed."

There it was again, his supposed prophetic role in whatever was going on with this island. How did this guy even know he was correctly interpreting an image left behind by his people? The mention of that doctor also bugged Miles.

'It has to be him,' he concluded, 'who else could it possibly be but that damn old owl? He must have tricked Knuckles into thinking I'm the bad guy in all of this! If only I could get through to him.'

His deliberation was rudely interrupted by the echidna shoveling and then tossing a big block of earth his way. Miles skipped to one side, then drew out a palm-sized golden ring and tossed it to Knuckles like a frisbee. The Guardian caught it almost reflexively, puzzled at why his opponent would do something like that. He was given no time to ponder it extensively before the trinket glowed a hot white and then blew up in his face, showing it was one of the fox’s patented Dummy Rings. Knuckles kept proving he was made of tough stuff, though, as the blast left him with little more than some scorching and a few scuffs that he shrugged off seconds later.

“You are not the only one with tricks, fox,” he claimed, an oddly mischievous smile on his muzzle.

He rushed his foe with another series of punches, which Miles narrowly managed to slip between. Knuckles then used a Rolling Jump to get behind the other Animal and wound up a second meteoric strike. The teen spun on his heel and brought up both arms and tails to defend against what he assumed would be a repeat of earlier. However, at the last second, the echidna redirected himself by spinning around and then driving his fist into the ground, producing a localized quake that caused not only Miles, but everyone else aside from the Guardian to lose their footing. In the instant the fox was falling, Knuckles delivered another explosive punch, sending him flying yet again. The hero had still been blocking and so hadn’t taken as hard a hit, even managing to spin his twin limbs around to halt himself before he could smack into anything else. The Guardian’s grin reappeared as he did so, as though he’d been expecting the fox to do that.

“Lightning Arrow!” he roared, pointing one of his fists at his adversary.

There was a crackle from the clear blue skies, and a green-tinted bolt arced straight down into Miles. The fox yelled and spasmed, white hot pain lancing through every fiber of his being. It felt like it struck not only his physical body, but his inner self, or perhaps more accurately, the Chaos Energy that flowed through him. Though the experience seemed long, it was only for a brief second that he was shocked. Even so, it was too much, causing him to lose control of his flight and plummet to the ground.

“Tails!” Sonic cried out, gritting his teeth and wheeling around to face Knuckles, “that’s it! I’m not gonna stand around and let you pummel my pal any longer!”

He ran at the echidna as fast as he could without causing serious collateral damage to the surrounding plant life. A few meters away, he bounced into a Jump, which Knuckles prepared to receive. He grunted in surprise and slight pain as the hoglet exponentially increased his rotation speed for an instant, causing the air around him to slash like a blade. Once his feet touched the ground, Sonic immediately went into a Spin Dash and barreled into the bigger guy's chest, knocking him back a few meters and making his shoes skid in the dirt. In retaliation, Knuckles pounded the ground to make it shake once more, but the hedgehog hopped over the shockwave and wagged a finger at him.

"That's not gonna work on me anymore!" he taunted, dashing in and using his speed to deliver his own storm of blows.

Stunningly, the echidna was able to keep up with most of them and block accordingly. Those that he failed to avoid did meager damage, giving him the fortitude to slowly force the boy back. He attempted to sneak in an explosive punch, but the fact he had to significantly slow his arm gave Sonic ample time to skip away before the blast went off. Annoyed at the kid's speed and antics, Knuckles assumed the same pose he did when he struck Miles down.

"Fast as you are, you cannot outrun this! Lightning Arrow!" he called out once more.

The same crash of thunder came again, as did the arc of Chaos Energy. Sonic had randomized his running pattern, even slowing and accelerating to attempt to avoid it, but it was no use. The bolt redirected itself and overtook the boy before long, delivering the same painful shock to him as the fox had received. It caused him to lose his balance, rolling and tumbling across the ground until he was stopped by a loose boulder, cracking it into pieces.

Knuckles had hardly taken another step to engage his grounded foes when he found himself dancing out of the way of blaster rounds and bolts that weren’t under his control. Gizmo laid down suppressive fire while Gadget switched his lightning baton to whip mode and used his grappler in tandem to try and snatch the other guy. This kept the echidna from getting any closer to either the fox or the hedgehog, and he was too preoccupied staying on his toes to be able to counter them with that odd technique. When the opportunity presented itself, the teal twin used her own wire to tug Sonic over to her side, then let Fuchsia look after him as she moved closer to Miles, who was starting to get back up.

Aggravated that his duel had become an effort to gang up on him, Knuckles weighed his options. The hedgehog had proven a bigger thorn than the doctor had said, and the fox was proving to be resilient as well. And though comparatively slower, the volume of attacks from the twins made it difficult to focus and get close. The two-tailed one may have been an enemy, but he could acknowledge the loyalty the others seemed to have for him. If perhaps he could separate them somehow...

That's when he noticed the bag that the boy had left on the ground. Though faint, the echidna could feel the energy of the Chaos Emeralds emanating from it. He ducked beneath more blaster shots and whip arcs, digging into the soil to escape the mess. The group assumed he would emerge near them, but he instead veered away in the direction of the pack. The ground erupted next to the bag, which was then seized by the opportunistic echidna. He didn't linger long enough to do more than loudly chuckle as he sprinted and leapt into the dense jungle.

"Get back here!" Miles called after him, not getting far himself before Knuckles was out of sight.

He fished out the Miles Electric to try and track him, only to find that the Emerald Radar was somehow unable to pick up the signal from the others aside from his own. The fox narrowly kept himself from crushing his fingers around the device, though the temptation was strong.

“Damn it!” he swore as he put it back in his belt, then glanced at his partner, “come on, Sonic, we’ve got to go after him!”

“Don’t hafta tell me twice!” the hoglet exclaimed, hopping back to his feet and shook out the aches and grains of sand and dirt.

Both of them were stopped and pulled back by a hand on their shoulders. They looked to see Gizmo giving them a disapproving expression.

“Hey now, don’t run off without your new invention,” she told her brother in particular.

The teal wolf dropped a disc-shaped amber widget with a blue button in the center into his hand, then gave another one to Sonic. In addition, she also provided the latter with a belt like the fox’s, given that his pack was now gone. Her frown flipped to a smile, and she gave both of them a fist bump, as well as a pat on the head for her vulpine sibling.

“Go get him,” she encouraged them, “just give us a call if you need help.”

Gadget nodded and showed off his comm. “We’ll stick around the Tornado for now, but if we find anything, or if we get in trouble, we’ll let you know!”

“Got it,” Miles affirmed, pocketing the device his sister gave him and gesturing for his little buddy to follow, “let’s go, Sonic!”

“Right beside ya!”

With that, the duo made their way into the jungle, moving past a pair of falls that tumbled down an earthy brown cliff. There was an upward slope that went downhill after a second, the two stopping near the foot of a palm tree and coming across a new face on their travels. It was a monkey-like robot with a heavy, metallic blue body, a thin silver tail, and arms made up of four segmented spheres that each ended in a clawed hand. It had a dark face with cartoonish eyes and a yellow beak-like mouth, and it didn’t appear to have any legs. It was simply clinging to a palm tree with its tail and one of its arms, while the other hand held a coconut.

“Looks like the doc made some new toys,” Miles remarked, clicking his tongue and shaking his head, “not what I would call quality work, though.”

The synthetic simian cocked its arm back and then hurled the coconut in a moderate arc at the two Animals. Miles and Sonic watched it fall towards them, then lazily moved out of the way well before it could hit them. The monkey robot reached up to restock its ammo, but to its dismay, there were no fresh, hard fruits left to pick. It nervously peered down at the pair, the taller one letting out a sigh and chucking a bomb to put it out of its misery.

“Yeah, definitely junk,” Sonic concurred with the fox’s earlier assessment.

The fox and hedgehog carried on, moving back uphill and skipping over a short rise in the terrain, coming to a stop beneath another palm tree. There, at the crest of the hill, was a Badnik reminiscent of a rhinoceros that had an overall gray body with orange lines and a few ventilation holes. It had a single wheel below its body, two horns on its orange face, a pair of mean black eyes, and sharp triangular ears. Upon spotting the heroes, it revved its wheel and peeled out a second later, its horns aimed at Sonic. The hoglet smirked and jumped right over the Badnik, leaving it to try and go for the teen, who had already taken to the air. More visibly irritated, it whirled around to attempt another go at the blue blur, but it was too late to prevent an oncoming Spin Dash from smashing it to pieces and releasing the Ring that had been powering it.

Just past where the Badnik had been, the path came to the edge of a cliff, where Miles spotted a second monkey bot below, a trio of vines that could be used to reach a ledge across from him, and one of those mysterious loops made from the rocks and grass around the region. Sonic opted to travel the high road while Miles stuck to the low, the hedgehog letting out a whoop as he used nature’s “ropes” to swing to the other side. The fox Jumped into the Badnik before it could detect him, snatching up its Ring and hovering up to the top of the decline near the loop. With a quick burst of speed from his tails, he pushed through and went sailing off of a stony ramp over a portion of the river, brushing through a small waterfall and landing on the other side. He weaved out of the way of a coconut from a third monkey, dispatched it with a Dummy Ring, then sprang up a cliff and propelled himself onto the path of a loop that was higher above him. At the same time that he went up the curve, Sonic reunited with him and matched his steps as they succeeded through yet another ring in the earth. An immense tree with a hollow opening at the base of the trunk was at the end of the path, where they changed course and ran up the bark on the inside in a spiral. Sonic and Miles reached an exit that had been carved further up, coming out onto a flat stretch with a few more tiny waterfalls off to the side.

Seeing this as a good place to take a breather, Miles pulled out his multitool and checked to see if anything had changed with the Emerald Radar. To his relief, the other six gems were visible again, but the bad news was that they’d all been scattered quite a ways from each other!

“What the? How did he manage to separate them so far apart in so little time?” the fox wondered aloud, showing the screen to his partner.

“Maybe he’s got secret tunnels,” the other boy theorized, “he could dig, after all, and he was decently fast.”

It certainly was possible, but it still wouldn’t have enabled the echidna to do so in such an expedient manner. There had to have been something more to it, but they could ponder that conundrum for later.

“Regardless, one of them isn’t too far away from here,” Miles deduced from the coordinates of the nearest signal, “let’s go get that first.”

The Radar pointed them to a cliff with a tunnel that brought them to a pair of large waterfalls. The footing on the cliff just outside the opening crumbled away the moment they touched it, but the boys reacted by leaping over the gap to the next outcropping. From there, Sonic noticed a vine that was connected from an overhang above to a palm tree at the other side of the second falls, almost like a zip line. The hedgehog whipped off his belt and sprang up to use it just like that, grinning as he slid down the length of it while the fox navigated the small bit of land sticking out from the water. They Rolled through yet another loop, then scaled a short cliff by way of Miles’ flight, arriving at a straightaway much like the one they’d been at moments ago.

Out of nowhere, a diminutive red hummingbird construct flitted in front of the duo. Curious, the two looked on as its eyes glowed a neon red, and within a few seconds, a scarlet projection of a familiar owl came into view.

“Hoo hoo hoo!" chortled Dr. Fukurokov, "I knew it was only a matter of time until you came snooping, Prower!"

Miles crossed his arms. "I guess it was too much to hope the crash took you and Fifteenth down, doctor."

"Merely wishful thinking!" the old bird agreed snidely, his grin falling into a frown, "but you really did make a mess of things! You grounded my masterpiece, you've put His Majesty into a coma, and you convinced his son to abandon us when he's needed most!"

Out of context, he could admit it sounded less than flattering. But, being witness to everything the Kukkus had done themselves, it was a drop in the bucket compared to their actions.

"It's pretty hard to have any sympathy for you when you tried to atomize my home," the fox retorted, his own scowl deepening, "not to mention how you almost killed my friends and family!"

Dr. Fukurokov tsked. "I wouldn't dare ask for sympathy from a monster."

"That's funny coming from you," Sonic said smartly, "you're such a...what's the word for someone who calls other people what they are, or badmouths them for doing stuff they do?"

"Hypocrite," Miles supplied.

"That's what you are, Old Man Owl!"

That got the engineer's feathers ruffled. But, after a moment and a deep breath, the doctor calmed down, his prior smirk returning.

“Never mind your mudslinging, I’ve prepared several wonderful new creations to contend with you, while I attend to other matters,” he announced in a dark tone, “they’ll meet you when you least suspect it, unlike this deliberate attempt to reach out. Between them and my new ally, I suspect you’ll be kept plenty busy, boys.”

The projection deactivated and the hummingbird bot flew off, leaving the two to ponder his words.

“He better not try anything with the others,” the fox growled, clenching a fist.

The hedgehog gave him a pat on the lower back. “Don’t worry, they said they’d let us know if anything bad happens.”

Sonic was right. He had to have faith that they would be able to hold their own, and that they’d ask him if they couldn’t. For now, it was better to focus on the Emeralds, as well as other threats promised by his old enemies.

It appeared that the cliff in front of them was a dead end, but Sonic’s keen eye as a burrowing mammal told him otherwise. Miles watched as the hedgehog knelt down into a Spin Dash and broke through the rock, revealing a passage that they could get through in their Rolling states. They did just that, coming out the other end above a section of the same river they’d passed over earlier. Fortunately, they landed on a section of land that was only ankle deep, treading through it and leaping to a crude wood bridge to a dry spot. The fox’s partner discovered a space in the second cliff they came across, the both of them punching through the stone and taking out a rhino bot while they were at it. Their speed and momentum allowed them to run over the surface of the water until it came to a cliff, which they both jumped up onto.

More Spin Dashing sent them sailing up a slope to a high ledge, dodging out of the way of a charging Badnik and subsequently breaking it with a mini bomb. Minding a bamboo spike trap, no doubt set by that echidna, the pair leapt over the top of a waterfall, then up to an even higher outcropping, and a third just beyond there that required Miles' two-tailed flight to scale. There, they ran into what appeared to be a large tulip flower, though a second glance showed them it certainly wasn’t natural. It had a large red and closed bud with small spikes around its surface, and a gray stalk connected directly below to a bulb, which was covered by four gray spiked armor plates. Its petals twitched as it sensed the approach of the heroes, and with a “pon”, it launched a pair of spiny mines similar to those the GKMS used, albeit not as large. Despite the random pattern, they were easy to avoid, and in the interim between lobs, Sonic Jumped over its bulb and used that same air slashing technique from their fight with Knuckles to take it out.

From there, they Rolled down a decline, hitting a brief drop and then continuing on through two loops. They crashed through a second flower bot, then went over a groove and flew by the tallest waterfall they’d seen yet. But, rather than keep going, Sonic skidded to halt just as they landed on the other side.

“Hey, Tails, check your Radar,” the hedgehog told his partner as he went back to the edge of the cliff and looked down, “I think I saw something while we were speeding by the falls.”

Miles did as his friend suggested, and sure enough, the Chaos Emerald they’d been tracking was close. In fact, according to the Radar, they had almost missed it, as it was right below them! The fox flew down the cliff face, catching sight of a hole that was just wide enough for him to hover through, leading him into a tiny cave. Leaning and glimmering softly against the back wall was the green Emerald. For a hot second, his first meeting with Sonic flashed through his mind, bringing a warm smile to his face. He picked up the gem and placed it in one of the pouches on his belt, then made his way back to the hedgehog.

“Good eye, Sonic!” he praised his partner, giving him a fist bump, then checked the Miles Electric again, “the next one is located...huh?” He pulled up the geographical data on this region of the ocean and compared it to what his multitool was showing him. “It’s below sea level, but still on the island, according to these readings. I wonder if there are underground tunnels like in the Mystic Cave Network, or maybe those ruins we found?”

Sonic shuddered a bit at the mention of the latter. “I just hope there isn’t a lot of water where it is.”

“I doubt it’ll be very dry,” Miles commented, then patted him on the shoulder, “but don’t worry, I’ve got your back. And if we need it, we’ve got that new device of mine, too.”

The hoglet shook off his momentary discomfort and regained his confident grin, shooting a thumbs-up to the fox. The path forward took them up and around the cascading water, knocking out a few more Badniks along the way. They busted down a third rocky patch, traveling through the tunnel until they shot up out of the ground. They sprinted across a long, flat plain and passed through a small wooded area, coming out before a roaring waterfall that put all the rest before it to shame. A pair of bridges connected to an outcropping from the falls, as well as an overhanging cliff, but what was below made both boys pause.

The currents plummeted into a cavernous hole, one that went so deep, Miles and Sonic couldn't see the bottom. The pit wasn't entirely dark, but the mist from the tumbling waters made it impossible to discern what was down there. The fox didn’t marvel long until his sensitive ears detected a difference in the movement of the currents, whipping his head in the direction of the disturbance. A shadow pierced the wall of water and landed upon the cliff above the second bridge, shaking itself off and turning around to show it was none other than Knuckles!

“It’s that red knucklehead again!” Sonic exclaimed, rushing out onto the second bridge to gaze up at him.

Not so taken with the hedgehog’s humor, the echidna leered down at the two of them from the ledge. “I am impressed at your swift recovery.”

“I’ve been through worse,” Miles replied. As if to rub matters in the other’s face, he momentarily popped the green Emerald out and showed it off before pocketing it again. “I don’t know how you scattered them, but we found one already. We’re going to get the rest back and restore them, with or without your help, Guardian.”

Knuckles’ brow visibly twitched at the proclamation, his fists clenching as if ready to go another round. But instead, he took in a breath and put on that same mischievous smirk from their prior fight.

“If that is the case, then I must change my approach,” he said ominously.

He lifted one of his feet and stomped down close to the tip of the rocky ledge. Miles hopped from his position and took to the air, keen on interrupting the other Animal’s scheme. He was almost on top of the echidna when a cry from his companion made him halt. Looking back, the teen’s eyes widened as the planks and rope tangled up with the hedgehog as it all collapsed, taking him down into the depths of the falls.

“No, not again!” he cried out, recalling when he’d just barely saved the boy from drowning, “hang on, Sonic!”

He repositioned himself and used his tails to boost downward, going into a Drop Attack so that he’d fall faster towards his partner. He knew he wouldn’t be able to reach him before he was swallowed by the water, but he was certain he could stop him from being swept away and succumbing to the depths. Whatever the case, it looked like they would be seeing what was at the bottom of the waterfall after all.

Witnessing the fox risking his hide to try and save the hedgehog boy, Knuckles wasn’t sure what to think. Going by the doctor’s words, the teen had enough sense to try and keep his more useful subordinates alive. But on the other hand, it wasn’t too dissimilar a display to the concerns he sometimes had when Big found himself in trouble.

‘No, it must be a ruse,’ he tried to reason, ‘the doctor warned me he would use whatever means to fool me. He would save the hedgehog not because he cares for him, but because he believes him useful to his ends.’

Convinced of this, Knuckles hit a second hidden switch in the grass, opening up a chute that went underground and hopping right inside. He had to try and head them off in the event they survived the dangers of the next region.

Gadget dusted off his gloves and nodded in satisfaction at the job he'd done. He'd set up the tent for the younger boys, amber like the fox, and one for himself and Fuchsia, which was a cool blue. The original plan was for the boys to share one while the girls slept in another, with a spare in the event one was damaged. The cat had insisted that they have one to themselves, which had made him blush profusely. Gizmo had seconded the idea, as the teal twin would be getting her own personal space out of the arrangement. And within a few minutes, they had their shelter for the evening and however many more nights they'd be spending here.

With that done, the red wolf scanned around the campsite to see what the others were up to. Gizmo was piling wood into the fire pit she’d made, while Fuchsia was checking the foliage for anything that could be potentially edible. He was wary about the latter, given what had happened only a short while ago, but he didn’t want to come off as too overprotective. So, he approached her with a more relaxed posture, hands behind his head, while his ears were still perked for any odd noises. She noticed him when he got close, looking back to flash him a smile before returning to her search.

“Find anything so we don’t have to rely on rations the whole time?” he asked in a joking way.

The cat hummed. “Aside from coconuts, I haven’t had much luck. I think I’d be better off trying to fish for something.”

“Oh, that sounds nice.”

Gadget and Fuchsia blinked at the third voice, which certainly hadn’t come from the other wolf that was with them. It had been far deeper, distinctly male, and had a much slower drawl. Not so much to suggest the speaker was lacking in intelligence, but more that he was very relaxed, perhaps even lazy. The pair of them glanced towards the brush, where they saw a bulky purple cat, bigger than most humans, gazing down at them with yellow eyes. He tilted his head at them and briefly shut his eyes, putting on something of a dopey smile and waving to them with his free brown glove, the other holding a fishing rod.

“Agh!” Fuchsia shrieked, swiftly moving behind the wolf and holding onto his sides.

Gadget pulled out his lightning baton and held its sword form in front of himself defensively, his arm shaking a little. He couldn’t help but be a bit intimidated at the size of the bigger Animal. Briefly peering back showed him that his sister had been alerted as well, hurrying over with her firearm drawn just in case he needed the back up.

“Stay back!” he warned the other feline, his own voice a little higher than he would’ve liked.

“Don’t make us use these!” Gizmo threatened, motioning with her blaster.

The larger cat backed up and held up his free hand in a placating gesture, clear alarm on his face.

"Wait, I don’t wanna hurt you," the big guy tried to explain, waving his hand pleadingly, "I was just looking for my friend and heard something about fishing. I thought it sounded fun."

The innocent demeanor made Gadget want to drop his guard, but he wasn't entirely certain. After all, they'd already had a hostile encounter within minutes of landing, and that came from someone smaller than most of the gang! Who knew what to expect in a place like this? What if that echidna was the friend this guy was talking about?

Fuchsia was far more trusting of her kin’s word, though, coaxing her boyfriend to lower his weapon arm as she slowly came back into view. He resisted for a few seconds, but ultimately did so when the newcomer showed no signs of aggression, with Gizmo doing the same soon after.

“Hey, sorry,” she apologized on their behalf, “someone tried to attack us a little earlier, so we're a bit jumpy. You seem alright, though." She held out one of her gloves. "I'm Fuchsia the Cat. This is my boyfriend, Gad the Wolf, and that’s his twin sister, Giselle.” She pointed to herself and each of the wolves in turn before looking back to the stranger. “What about you, big guy?”

A smile returned to the other feline’s face and he nodded his head as he shook Fuchsia’s offered hand. “Oh, that’s my name, actually. I’m Big the Cat.” He scratched under his chin in thought after withdrawing his hand. “There sure have been a lot of new Animals showing up lately. They’ve all been birds and weird metal things, though, except for you guys.”

That certainly sounded like the Kukkus, although it was more like their invasion of Cocoa Island, with how quiet they’d been here. There were a lot of places for them to hide, and a much bigger area to provide them with both cover and natural resources. It did explain why they hadn’t seen any activity or troop movement when they’d touched down some minutes ago, and it sounded like their forces were prowling around, according to Big. Why hadn’t they tried to capture him, then, since they had that Conversion Therapy the doctor was fond of using? They supposed that the question answered itself, if the cat’s name and bulk were anything to go by.

“Um, have you guys seen my friend?” the large cat asked them as he gestured with the hand that wasn’t holding onto his fishing rod, “he’s a little green frog with orange stripes and yellow eyes.”

Gizmo shook her head. “No, we haven’t seen anyone that looks like that. Is he an Animal or a Critter?”

“Oh, he’s a Critter,” Big answered with a fond smile, “his name is Froggy.”

Fuchsia leaned in and whispered in the other wolf’s ear. “Do you think the Kukkus took him away?”

“It’s unlikely, but possible, since Dr. Fukurokov’s always got something odd he’s working on,” Gadget murmured back to her, then faced the taller male, “do you know if he was headed this way?”

Big rubbed the top of his head while he hummed. Several long seconds went by, and then he refocused his attention on the smaller Animals.

“I saw him go south from the lake,” the purple feline recalled, “so I followed that path.” He tilted his head. “Hmm, he must’ve gone another way after a little bit.”

The pink cat gently nudged her boyfriend in the side with an elbow. “Well, maybe we can help you look for him.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Gizmo said, hands on her hips, “I’m not letting you two leave me alone while you head off to who knows where!”

Fuchsia gave her friend a surprised look. “But, Gizzy–”

“Let me finish,” the teal wolf cut her off, holding up a finger and smiling at Big, “give us a minute.”

The fellow nodded and watched as Gizmo took Gadget and Fuchsia a good stone’s throw away. She glanced back at him for a second, then brought the other two in for a huddle.

“I’m not opposed to helping him,” she whispered, “but, I would like it if we had two people watching home base.” She gestured at her brother and her friend. “So, how about you guys stay here while I help our new acquaintance? I’m sure it won’t take too long.”

While concerned for the safety of his twin, Gadget knew that Gizmo was capable of handling herself for the most part. If things got dire, he could count on her to call for his help, or at least run in the worst case scenario. There was also the prospect of having some alone time with Fuchsia. They’d have to be vigilant for any Kukkus that came their way, but it was still a nice opportunity. His chest puffed a bit at the thought of getting to show off in front of her and further cement that he was a different wolf than the one that left Cocoa Island not too long ago.

“S-sure, Sis, we can handle that,” he swore to her.

He got a roll of the eyes and a snicker from her. Gizmo was more than aware of how motivated her sibling had become ever since he and Fuchsia started going steady. Despite his normally jittery and nervous behavior, he’d done well during the West Side Incident, and she was certain that the cat being on his mind had played a part. She hoped that he kept up that same vigilance, now that Fuchsia was around and very much subject to any dangers that came their way.

“Okay, you know the deal,” she said as she broke their little huddle, “if anything happens, call me and I’ll come running. I’ll be back before sundown, at the latest.”

Gadget nodded affirmatively, waving to her as she strode over to the huge feline and went off into the brush with him. It was certain to be an interesting experience, getting to see the sights for herself, as well as having someone around that looked like he could put up a fight and have a good conversation with.

“So, you’re a lady?” Big asked her after a few moments into their journey, “I’ve never met a female Animal before.”

‘Okay, maybe I spoke a bit too soon about the latter expectation,’ she mused, ‘this is already becoming awkward.’

Chapter Text

Miles squinted through the spray as he followed Sonic’s flailing form down the length of the waterfall. He was focused on little but his partner, so he barely noticed the change in the environment as they fell. Eventually, the hedgehog hit a large pool of water, and a couple of seconds later, so did the fox. The former didn’t sink too far before the latter grabbed one of his hands and used his tails to jet them back to the surface. His eyes darted around until he spotted a ledge several meters up, making his way over. He set Sonic down, the both of them panting a little as they shook off their soaked fur.

Now that he had a moment, Miles took it to view where they had ended up. The area appeared to be encapsulated within a huge open temple that was long abandoned, seeming to collect all the water deposited by the island, as there were many more falls near and far. Dimly lit purple stone pillars and brick work was etched throughout the place, with some candle-lit displays here and there. The ground was composed of mostly warm yellow gravelly bricks, with some green, brown, and purple mixed in, and thin yellow road laid over it all. The green-ish water below was dark and murky, and the shadows near the high ceiling obscured more images that had been carved into the stone. In addition to the cracking support pillars, there were also strange cylindrical structures that contained pendulum orbs, though they apparently served as little more than decoration, from what he could tell.

“This is incredible,” the fox breathed out, already drawing out the Miles Electric and using it to record some footage of their surroundings, “J is going to have a field day if there’s more like this to find.”

Sonic regarded the water above and below, then turned back to his partner. “I don’t see a way out, but maybe we’ll find one further in. What about the Emerald?”

Miles cut the video short and changed to his multitool’s Radar, unable to get a more detailed layout due to not having a map of the area. Even with the old grid view, he could still determine the elevation and distance to their next target, and had a handle on it within a few seconds.

“It’s a good way east of here, and slightly higher up,” he informed the hoglet, putting his device away and starting to walk forward, “if we tread lightly, I’m sure we can stay above–”

He was stopped short when a section of the ground shot up under his feet and began spinning around like a gear. The fox was about to jump away, only for a mechanical hand to grasp onto his head and hold him in place, forcing him to sprint. He tried to pry it off, but it was tightly clamped, and he soon started to have to use his tails to keep up with the rotation. Miles was just about ready to ready into his pouch to blow the arm away when it suddenly let go and the dial receded. He let out a yelp as his feet hit the ground, accelerating at a pace he wasn’t used to and gaining even more speed as he went running right downhill. In a blink, he’d gone up an opposite slope and hugged the curve of a loop that sent him up further, before a strange red spring at the end of the path sent him flying upward.

“Wow, that looks fun!” Sonic exclaimed. 

He copied his partner and soon joined him at the top of the route. From there, the two Rolled down into another loop, then scrambled up the side of a tall wall to reach a ledge and a different path. Eager to go ahead, Sonic triggered the same sort of “trap” that they’d encountered a moment ago, letting out a whoop as the momentum carried him through numerous twists and turns. Miles was hot behind his heels, the pair being propelled by springs into higher reaches of the temple, where they had a better view of the layout.

It was up there, however, that the obscure figure in the ceiling carvings they’d seen earlier was now clear, and the image made Miles stop in his tracks. It was a vague likeness, but there was no mistaking who the Animal in the pictographs around here was supposed to be. A fox had seemingly been purposefully hewn into the warm yellow bricks, one that sported a trio of prominent bangs, familiar markings on the ears and limbs, and most notably, two tails. He had a menacing expression on his face, but there was otherwise nothing else that stood out in the image.

“You think this is what that guy was talking about?” Sonic wondered aloud.

Miles wasn’t convinced. “He said that I would bring ruin to the island, and he did mention a mural. I doubt this is the same one.”

“Worry about it later, then,” the hedgehog suggested, “let’s find the Emerald and get out of here. All this water’s making me antsy.”

The fox allowed himself a teasing grin, but didn’t comment on his partner’s discomfort. They carried on past a few more openings and descended a set of slopes until they came to a spiraling path. Both of them shot through the spray of a tumbling current, the momentum from their nearly nonstop sprint allowing them to run over a broad stretch of the surface of the underground reservoir. The moment they reached the other side, though, they had to duck down as a blur nearly crashed into them. Whirling around, they saw a metallic blue goose with a black head and neck, save for a yellow “chinstrap”, yellow under-tail “feathers”, and orange LED lights for eyes. Its webbed feet were tipped with razor sharp claws, with its bill looking just as fierce, and it disturbingly sported wings more appropriate on a dragonfly. Three more buzzed onto the scene, each of them glaring down at the duo.

“As if the real birds weren’t mean enough,” Sonic quipped.

They honked in much the same way real geese would, only with a tinny filter, diving at them with their bills raised and necks poised to strike. The hedgehog hopped over one that came his way and twisted his body out of the path of another, curling up into a ball. Rather than Rolling along the ground, however, he instead used it to spring high into the air and intercept the third robot, breaking it with what he’d taken to calling a “Bounce Attack”. Miles let the last one lunge his way, waiting for it to outstretch its neck at him to make his move. Once it did, he swiveled his body so that its beak didn’t even so much as graze him, then grabbed its elongated neck and swung it into one of the others like a club. Both were wrecked at once, leaving the remaining unit to attempt to get the drop on the fox, but the teen needn’t have worried. Before the last goose could get close, it found itself cooked, or rather ground up, by a well-aimed Rolling Jump.

Having dealt with them, Miles and Sonic used the Spin Dash to scale a couple of steep inclines, coming to a loop at the crest of the second one. In front of it was a dark red and yellow hermit crab robot with a spiny cone on its back and two pairs of tracked wheels, with the front ones larger than the rear. The shell rocketed off its spine and screamed towards them like a missile, while the crustacean construct did an about face to get away from them. The projectile wasn’t equipped with a tracker, and thus the heroes were able to lose it with a quick sidestep, then ran down the now helpless robot. They were ready to progress through the loop, until the hoglet pointed out a road connected to the top of it that went up a different path. The fox’s two tails took them that way, where they happened upon what seemed to be a dead end.

That was when Miles triggered yet another running device, though in addition, the wall in front of them slid open, revealing a ramp that led to a wide open area. Sonic’s feet transformed into a blurred wheel as he blitzed on ahead of Miles, though the fox was right by his side once the “trap” receded. They both had to put on the brakes only seconds later, preventing themselves from going over the edge of a walkway that overlooked a huge circular whirlpool. The teen went to scope it out, flying above the center of the vortex to get an idea of where it went, if anywhere. From what he could piece together, the water dropped far below into a massive chamber, though he couldn’t make out any details beyond that. A quick check of the Emerald Radar showed the target gem at about the same elevation as him, but there was no straightforward route to get to it.

“Looks like we’ll have to take a leap of faith,” he told his younger partner once he rejoined him, retrieving the disc-like device that Gizmo had handed him and the hedgehog, “you remember how to use it from what I showed you?”

Sonic flipped his own like a coin and balanced it on his index finger. “Yeah, I got the gist of it.”

“Alright then!” Miles declared, taking out one of the Rings they’d been collecting, “let’s put the Elemental Shield Projector to the test!”

Miles popped open the back of the disc and inserted the Ring into a groove that had been clearly made for it. The front of the device lit up, showing a simplistic LED of an orange flame against a black background. He turned the dial around the edge, changing the image to a white lightning bolt, and then a blue water droplet. He pressed into the picture with his thumb, a transparent and pale-blue bubble soon enclosing itself around him in a perfect sphere. With a grin, he jumped high into the air to initiate a Drop Attack, the bubble bending and warping when he hit the ground again. It did not break, however, but made him bounce back upward to nearly the same height he’d leapt to before.

“The Water Shield, or alternatively, the Bubble Shield,” the fox stated proudly, “it helps protect from high falls, enemy projectiles, and a certain amount of overall punishment, not to mention provides a potentially offensive bounce.” He held up a finger. “But the most important feature is that it provides an effectively limitless oxygen supply, while also conveniently keeping the user dry.”

Sonic smirked as his own personal shield conformed to his proportions. “Definitely handy for this place. Can’t wait to see the other shields in action, too!”

“I’m sure we’ll be using them before long,” Miles replied with both anticipation and a little anxiety.

“Hey, Big,” Gizmo said, trying to make conversation as she followed her newly made acquaintance through the jungle, “how long have you been living out here?”

The cat curiously looked back over his shoulder at her. “I’ve been here my whole life.”

“I figured, but how old are you?” she asked, wanting to get more definite information.

Big balled up his free hand into a gentle fist and rested his chin atop it. He hummed and for a few moments, and then smiled at the wolf.

“Well, I was born in early winter,” he explained, causing his companion to quirk her brow, “and Knuckles taught me some things, like counting. This winter will be my eighteenth, so I’ll be turning seventeen.”

The fact that Big was familiar with the echidna they’d had a run in with piqued Gizmo’s interest, though she couldn’t help being a little skeptical too. “Sounds nicer than the Knuckles I met earlier. He was shouting something about a prophecy with my little brother in it, then attacked him!”

The bulky feline made a noise, as though he wasn’t surprised to hear that. Rather than answer, though, he simply kept trodding down the path they’d been taking, leading them over a fallen log to cross part of the river. They followed the shore in silence for a short while, eventually coming to one of the many waterfalls in the area. Gizmo watched as Big tightened the lure on his fishing pole around the shaft, then put the grip between his teeth so both his hands were free. She found herself surprised that, despite his build, he began to scale the cliff with ease, reaching the top of the falls within seconds. Given her own experience climbing around Mt. Pori Pori, it didn’t take her too long to catch up.

“I don’t like it when Knuckles gets violent,” Big said suddenly, though his tone suggested he’d given the teal wolf’s statement some thought, “but he just wants to keep the Master Emerald safe. He’s been more tense than usual, ever since some things in the stories he told me started happening, like the Dragon’s Egg coming down last week.”

Gizmo slowed her pace at that. Miles had mentioned something about that legend during the days leading up to the expedition to this island. How he’d related it to the murals he’d seen in the depths of the Hill Top Peaks, and then picked up a theory from J.P. Cross during their meeting together. Something about the Battle Moon being the Dragon’s Egg from the prophecy, and that this newly discovered place was the Floating Island from the same tale. The date that the cat brought up also matched when the space station fell back to the planet. Assuming the aforementioned theory held water, did that mean that the Battle Moon “hatching” was the completion of an even more terrible weapon that the Kukkus were working on? And if the Stone of Power, or rather the Master Emerald, was indeed real, then it was only natural to assume they would be after it, likely to power said creation.

That aside, it was apparent that Big, and perhaps Knuckles, were convinced that the station was the genuine Dragon’s Egg. That meant that whatever the echidna was on about earlier must also be rather important. Was it really as straightforward as the Guardian claimed, about Miles bringing ruination? If the guy with her had heard him talking about these sorts of things, perhaps she could get some more insight.

“Well, I’ve heard a lot of stories, too,” Gizmo said, pushing foliage out of her way as they went off the beaten path, “but I’m not familiar with the one about the two-tailed fox.”

“Oh, yeah, he’s been really concerned with that one after those birds showed up,” Big answered a little glumly.

Once again, he just sort of let the conversation hang. They continued on until they could safely descend down the other side of the ridge, once again getting back on track when they found the river. The wolf and cat traveled upstream, coming upon a simple wooden hut with three walls and a slanted roof, with its only furniture being an equally basic bed fit for one Big’s size that had little more than a layer of straw to serve as cushioning. All of that was set atop a massive tree stump, likely to keep it above water if the river flooded. While she hadn’t wanted to make any assumptions about the larger Animal, Gizmo had to admit that she had expected something like this for his home.

Big searched around his shack, letting out a quizzical grunt after a couple of minutes. The lady lupine guessed he'd been looking to see if his friend had been home, but she couldn't be sure. More so when he prepared his rod and took a seat between his hovel and the river. With a practiced fling of the arm, he cast his lure out into the calmer section of the stream and took hold of the pole with both hands. Much as this perplexed her, Gizmo sat down next to the feline and folded her legs, patiently awaiting what he had to say next.

“There’s this neat picture in the Hidden Palace,” he went on, as she’d predicted, “one that shows the two-tailed fox and this giant bird, with the Master Emerald between ‘em. Knuckles thinks the fox is trying to take it, but, I dunno...the bird looks like the bad guy to me. It’s bigger and scarier, or at least I think so.”

Gizmo giggled upon hearing that reasoning. “Trust me when I say that Miles is a sweet boy, and that he wouldn’t hurt anyone that didn’t deserve it.”

“I hope he’s nice like you,” the cat told her, which made her pause and glance his way more intently, “you’re helping me find Froggy even though we just met. You’re a nice lady, Giselle.”

The wolf cleared her throat, trying not to let his compliments get to her head despite her rosy cheeks. Best to steer the conversation in another direction before he got the wrong idea...assuming he knew anything about Animal body language.

“It’s no big deal, kid. But, speaking of your friend,” she segued, “why did we stop to fish when we’re supposed to be looking for him?”

Big held off from answering her as he noticed his bobber disappear beneath the surface. He flicked his wrist and swiftly started a rhythm of tugging and reeling, expertly fighting against what was on the line. Within seconds, he wrangled in a catfish that was more than half as long as the wolf herself was tall. The cat beamed at his catch, then unhooked his lure from its maw and chucked it into a basket he had next to his hut.

“I just love to fish,” Big replied simply, “it’s relaxing, but it can be exciting, too. It also helps me think when I’m having trouble trying to figure things out.”

She supposed that it made sense. The first place to search for his friend had been their home, and now that it was apparent that Froggy wasn’t there, he was doing what best helped him cope with stress. With a calmer mind, he could better determine where the little amphibian could possibly be. It was an interesting way to handle things, but she wasn’t about to knock it if it got them results.

Once he’d hooked a handful of fish, Big made his way back to his hut and moved his bed aside with one hand. He opened up a panel built into the tree trunk and reached in, gathering up a big fistful of sea salt and spreading it over his haul to preserve it for later. When he went to grab another helping, Gizmo noticed him stop part way and look down into the hollow. His eyes lit up after a second, with his free hand snatching up a different object instead.

“That's right, Froggy and I found this the same day that the Egg fell,” the large Animal said as he turned around and showed it off, a cheerful grin on his face.

The wolf had to rub her eyes to make sure she was seeing things right. Nestled between a few of Big’s fingers was a familiar blue and yellow tool that her brother wielded on occasion. Miles had lost it during his fight on the Battle Moon, and since the station had crashed here, she supposed it wasn’t out of the question for that to land here as well.

“The Pikkon Hammer!” she exclaimed as she jogged over to the cat’s side, “we thought it might’ve sank to the bottom of the ocean, but here it is!”

Big smiled down at her warmly. "Oh, if it's yours, you can have it back. It's a bit too small for me, anyway."

Gizmo was a tad bemused that he would hand it over so easily, but she took the hammer nonetheless. She gave it a few swings, happy to feel the light, but powerful weapon in her hands again, then slipped it into her belt. 

“Thanks, Big, Miles will be happy to see this,” she said appreciatively. Another thought crossed her mind as she recalled what he’d just said. “Do you remember where you found it? Maybe Froggy might be around there.”

The husky mammal let out an “ah” of realization at the idea, nodding his head. “Hmm, I remember. It’s not too far away from here.” The wolf was raring to go, just about ready to run off to their next destination, only to notice Big start to gather up the fish he’d brought in a few minutes ago. “We should have a snack first, since we’re gonna be doing a lot more mountain climbing.”

Gizmo felt her enthusiasm deflate at the news. Not that she wasn’t up for the challenge, but that hadn’t been what she expected when she heard that their destination wasn’t “too far away”.

‘And here I thought things would be easy,’ she thought to herself as she volunteered to help gather wood to build a fire so that they could cook the fish, ‘oh well, free food is nice, and I've already been working up a bit of an appetite.’

Due to being distracted by their task, neither of them were aware of a set of deep blue eyes watching them from the cover of the jungle.

It was an odd feeling, having the air rush across his face even though he had a barrier around him. Even so, Miles couldn’t help but feel the thrill of excitement as he and Sonic plunged through the eye of the whirlpool and dove towards a colossal pool. A few seconds later, they splashed through the surface and sank several meters, landing on top of a “hill” made from the surrounding bricks. 

Sonic was a little nervous with all the surrounding water, but he was certainly thankful that he had a supply of air. To help get his mind off of the situation, he tested to see how well he could move around. It wasn’t much different from trying to walk through water normally, just with significantly less resistance than one would expect. He estimated he could probably move at about a quarter of his full speed if he pushed himself, maybe half if he got a good head start from above water.

“I’m glad you came up with this, Tails,” he commended his partner, “I don’t have to rely on you lugging me around while you’re swimming!”

Miles smirked. “Can’t hurt your hedgehog pride this way. Still, it’s not impervious, so don’t get too careless.”

“Okay, big bro,” Sonic said snarkily as he thumbed his nose, getting a snicker from the fox.

From there, they went around the outer rim of the hill, moving down until they came across opposition. On the one hand, there were shark-themed torpedo robots with blue bodies and silver underbellies, with bolts for eyes, the typical dorsal and anal fins, as well as a four-winged propeller in the back. And on the other, there were pink manta ray constructs with gray undersides, cyan eyes, and small mouths. In addition, they had orange and pink turbines between their “wings” and bodies, and holes on their bellies, which the fox assumed was for releasing explosives. A trio of the former initiated their thrusters and swam at the heroes, sporting toothy grins like their organic counterparts. Sonic went into a Rolling Jump, proving that even while he was slowed by his surroundings, his quills were sharper than the sharks’ fangs. He tore through one after the other, drawing the attention of one of the rays to him, which worked out in Miles’ favor. He zeroed in on the Badniks from behind and slammed through one with his own jump, then turned around and flung a handful of waterproof bombs at the rest.

There appeared to be no easy way out of the pool, but an odd silver glint caught the corner of their eyes. The two discovered what looked like a simple floor switch, and upon pressing it down, the nearby wall slid open to reveal a passageway. They followed it to the end, coming upon a series of fans that stirred up the current and brought them along for the ride. It was only a few seconds that they were out of the water, heading up a ramp before they were forced to take the plunge again. A  group of fish like the ones they’d seen in the Aquatic Ruin Reserve charged at them once they hit the bottom, but the two were wise to their tricks and design, taking them out with little effort. Beyond them and around the corner, they went up two more inclines and emerged onto dry land, only to run into even more Badniks. The rays and sharks were apparently capable of floating through the air as well as the water, and their numbers were backed by the Aquis and Octus robots from the Oil Ocean Refinery, as well as the spine-spewing Asterons they encountered in Metropolis.

As much as Sonic was raring to fight the lot of them, Miles saw a different way out of the situation. There was a gradual curve that led up the back wall, and when his eyes followed the path, he spotted a loop high above their position. Judging from its trajectory, it went out onto a platform and further into the temple. All they had to do was get past the numbers here and they’d be in the clear, for the moment.

“Let’s break through them, Sonic,” he proposed, kneeling down into position for a Spin Dash, “we’re here for the Emerald, not these scrap heaps.”

The hoglet copied his stance, lining himself up with as many of the oncoming bots as he could. “I hear ya, big guy. Not like they could keep up with us anyway!”

The two of them balled up, screeching as they gathered the energy needed to make it up the wall and deal with these mechanical menaces. Just as most of the Badniks got close, they took off, slamming through several sharks and Octus. The spikes from the Asterons narrowly missed them, while the bombs dropped by the rays were blown away by the wind of the boys’ wake, flinging them into other Badniks. Right as they were about to hit the ramp, Miles and Sonic uncurled from their Dashes and shot up the wall, their vision spinning for a moment as they went through the loop at the top. Just as the fox had predicted, there was a landing for them to move around on, and two paths for them to choose from. One went down into the depths, while the other went even higher thanks to a series of suspended platforms presumably made for those with flight.

The signal from the Radar pointed to the latter as the preferred route, which worked out for them, as less water meant less of a pain, especially for the hedgehog. Miles conserved his stamina as he carried Sonic up, using only enough to reach each stop along the way and taking a moment before moving on. At the top, they ran over a much smoother and more gradual hill, which fed into an aqua blue half-pipe slide. Once they got to the bottom of that, they proceeded through a thin waterfall and had to stop themselves from nearly barreling over the cliff just on the other side of it. To both their left and right, there were more platforms and pipe slides, though they each went off in their own direction, and the Emerald Radar couldn’t indicate which would bring them closer to the gem. With a shrug, Sonic used his shield projector as a makeshift coin and flipped it as high and fast as he could, leaving their choice up to chance.

"Heads we go right, Tails we go left," he called out.

Miles watched the device intently. “Tails is the side with the button?”

“Yep,” Sonic confirmed, reaching to snatch it and bring it face-up on his palm.

Tails. With that decided, the two of them took several paces back to give themselves a proper head start, then ran and jumped out to the left route. They didn’t stop after hitting the first platform, springing past the next one and straight into a pipe slide. They dipped a few times on the otherwise straight path, then headed left onto a walkway that had steel mesh mixed in with the bricks, a few small fountains of water coming up through the holes. The boys wound around the edge and broke down a few more Badniks along the way, going up a ramp to a narrower road. It took a sharp right after several meters, bringing them to a loop that sent them running down a wall, then to a decline that went into the water.

In the dark and murky water, Miles could just make out a duct to the right, where he and Sonic contended with a few seahorses and sharks as they ascended a few giant steps. The passage opened into a chamber that was walled in on all sides, but a set of fans in the back center provided a way out. The heroes rode the air currents up into a mesh cylinder, popping out onto a pipe track and taking it through a short tunnel to a platform. The water around them churned more violently than any other part of the temple here, so much so, that they couldn’t see beneath the surface of the swirling green.

“Let’s not take a dip around here,” Miles advised, “that current looks strong enough to turn someone into paste if they smack into a wall.”

He got a nervous gulp in response, which would have amused him if he wasn’t also rather wary of the hazard. More mindfully than before, they hopped and hovered across a couple of gaps to an incline up the wall. Instead of going straight, the duo ran along the side until they reached the far corner, soaring above and beyond a loop to a mostly open area. Aside from the pillars, candles, and metronomes that decorated the path, there were also floating blue and purple cylinders, patterned arches made from the bricks and stone, and a bridge of blue stones similar to the green ones they saw in the old ruins on West Side Island. And thankfully, the place was currently devoid of Badniks, allowing them a small respite.

One thing that stood out, now that they had a moment to explore, was that there were a set of cylinders that rose and fell at set points, with one of them near the ceiling of the back wall. That certainly seemed suspicious. The fox whipped out the Miles Electric and aimed it in that direction, a smile crossing his muzzle at what it showed him.

“The Emerald is up there, Sonic,” he pointed out to the hedgehog, “want me to grab it?”

“Nah, I got this,” the kid told him confidently, stretching his arms and rolling his neck a few times, “just sit tight!”

He sprinted and Jumped on top of the first one, trotting against its rotation as he eyed down the second one. As soon as it was safe to do so, Sonic transferred to the next floating platform, and then the one after that, gradually progressing further up into the chamber. Once he got to the last one, he appeared to slip right through the wall, but Miles knew it must’ve been a space that wasn’t visible from where he was. And after a few more seconds, the blue boy bounded back down, using the Bubble Shield to cushion his stylish three-point landing.

“Check it out, Tails,” Sonic said with a smirk, holding up the faded yellow Emerald, “with this one, we’ve already got three again!”

The teen came over and knelt down a little bit to give him a high-five. “Nice one, bud. Now let’s look for a way out of this place.”

The only option they had was the blue bridge in the corner, and so they crossed it. The two of them noticed a blockade at the end of it, but paid it no mind and simply smashed through it, though they almost immediately regretted it. They fell some ways onto a second bridge, only for that to collapse under them a moment later, causing them to splash down into a fairly deep pool. They were swept up by a current that was created by a large turbine, and it was only thanks to their reflexes that they weren’t dashed against the walls, or the spike traps that had been set in place. They floated out with the draining water into what had to be the main hall of the temple, as the ground was flat as far as they could see.

The heroes were given but a brief rest when two long and skinny black legs with a triad of talons touched down near them. They were attached to a towering mech that was based on a great blue heron, with the signature blue-gray coloring on its wings and a lighter gray body. It sported black eyes that looked more at home on a shark, and a long, sharp yellow beak that, when it was ajar, showed a turbine in the back of its gullet. And plastered on its forehead, as if there were any doubt, was the rooster skull insignia of the Battle Kukku Empire. The thing glared down at the two of them and spread its mechanical wings in a threatening posture, letting out a distorted recording of the bird it was based on.

“That certainly looks more formidable than anything we’ve faced so far,” Miles commented, peering over at his partner with an assured grin, “but compared to the Grand Kukku Mobile Suit, it’s like a chick. And with two of us, it’ll be a cinch.”

Sonic chuckled and got himself ready to brawl with the big robot. “You’ve got that right. Let’s show that thing what we can do!”

The pair split up as the heron drove its head down to peck at them. Rather than retract itself, the robot’s bill opened and the turbine in its throat started up. Within seconds, the water in the arena grew choppy, and a column of it was drawn up into the construct like a vortex. Sonic put his legs to work and fought against the current to avoid being sucked up, while Miles flew around, trying to find any weaknesses. The bird noticed what the teen was up to and backed off its efforts on the hedgehog to attempt to swat him back down. While it was occupied, Sonic did an 180 and went full tilt in the direction of the fading waterspout. He sprang out of the water and used the Bubble Shield to bounce off the crest of the vortex, slamming into the side of the robot’s head. It let out a surprised cry and nearly lost its balance, but managed to catch itself before it could take a tumble, albeit clumsily.

With an angered squawk, the heron took to the air with powerful wing beats, retreating to the perimeter of the chamber and then coming in for a pass. As it did so, numerous ports opened under its wings and across its breast, and a plethora of mines rained down. Sonic waded through the shallow water as best he could, but he couldn’t outrun all of the explosions with how he was weighed down. The Bubble Shield absorbed the majority of the blasts, bursting apart as the shock created a column of water that flung the hoglet into the air. The mech swooped in with its beak wide to catch the boy, only to be foiled by the fox using a Drop Attack on one of its wings to divert its course. Miles caught Sonic and saddled him onto his shoulders, keeping tabs on the Kukku creation while he treaded air.

“You good, partner?” he inquired, watching the heron get ready to make another run.

Sonic stood up on the teen’s shoulders and braced his hands between those triangular ears. “Yeah, I just wasn’t expecting that. How long until I can get the shield back up?”

“There’s a ten minute cool-down between uses, regardless if it’s ended voluntarily or through damage,” the fox explained.

“Good to know,” the boy mumbled, “got any idea how to best take this thing down?”

“If we can knock out those wings, it won’t have as much mobility,” Miles replied, “aim for the joints there and in the legs, and we should be able to take it out.”

With their plan decided, the fox made a beeline for the bird at the same time that it rushed him, feeling the hedgehog’s heels digging into his shoulders. When they were a handful of meters apart, Miles went low to dodge a peck from the bot, while Sonic leapt high above and curled into a ball. Utilizing his Bounce Attack, the kid redirected himself straight down, striking the spot between the thing’s left wing and its main body. The heron screeched and stumbled as it extended its legs to catch itself, wheeling around to lower its beak and use its suction ability from before. With its turbine exposed, the fox allowed himself to be dragged closer to its maw, then decided to spring his own trap by hurling a handful of Dummy Rings at one of its knees.

It screeched and whipped its head around as it tried to maintain its balance, managing to catch Miles with a lucky shot. Though he felt fine aside from some disorientation, the sudden lack of oxygen clued him in to the fact that his own Bubble Shield was now disabled. Seeing how dangerous its quarry was turning out to be, the heron distanced itself, and with a flap of its wings, hurtled a fresh volley of explosives their way. With the both of them better prepared for that attack, Miles gauged the gaps between the projectiles, then gave Sonic a boost. The hoglet gracefully sailed through the air until he was above the mines, timely bursts of water propelling him further up and preserving his momentum. With a flourish, he caught one of the bombs and, with a quick handful of spins, chucked it right back where it came from, causing one of the weapon ports to collapse and burst into flames.

While the robot reeled from the serious damage, the teen dove down and revved up a Spin Dash, releasing it just as he spotted the last of the prior salvo coming down. Like his partner, he Jumped and rode the columns that plumed up from their detonation, though with his speed, he didn’t gain as much height. This worked out in his favor all the same, as he rammed right into one of the heron's knees, a horrid buckling groan resulting from the solid hit. Just as he’d thought, the plating was thin and weak there compared to other spots.

‘And here I thought the doctor actually learned something from the GKMS,” he thought as he put some distance between himself and the falling robot, ‘but nope, still predictable in some respects.’

Miles and Sonic regrouped, watching the bird strain to support itself on its damaged leg and ultimately having to favor the one that was unharmed. It made some show of its wings and opened its bill as if to threaten them, but neither of them budged. If anything, they were amused at the display.

“Looks like it’s out of tricks,” the hedgehog commented from atop the fox’s shoulders, thumbing under his nose, “I thought it’d be a bit more fun than this, but whatever. You wanna just end this, big guy?”

The teen rubbed his scruffy chin for a couple of moments, then nodded to his companion. “Yeah, we really don’t have time to mess around. We should still finish it in style, though!”

“Of course!”

The heron was hardly given any time to stand straight again when a handful of bombs were chucked at its other leg, causing it to wobble and flap its wings. Rather than risk toppling over, it went into the air once more, and out of desperation, decided to attack with everything it had. While it hovered in place, unleashing yet more of its payload, it used its gullet turbine to stir the water up, several waterspouts trailing up to its beak thanks to the mines. Miles vaulted out of the water and put his tails into high gear, zipping behind the bird’s head and grabbing its attention. Sonic used the distraction to hop from the tip of each waterspout and like he’d done earlier, Jumped right into the side of its face. Its head lolled to one side and then was whipped back when the fox came down on one wing joint with a Drop Attack, forcing it to lose altitude. The hoglet Bounced off of the other, watching the heron splash down and beginning to spin around as fast as he could.

“Heads up, Tails!” he called to his partner, dropping straight towards the teen’s outstretched arms.

Miles caught him, his hands blurring as he maintained the boy’s rotation, keeping an eye on the big bird as he canceled his flight and let gravity take hold. The heron saw this as its chance to take them both down in one go and lunged for them with its beak wide open. The fox grinned and tossed the blue “ball” into the air, turning about and twisting his body into doing a soccer-style backflip kick.

“Thunder Shoot!” the teen shouted as his shoe connected with Sonic.

The boom of the broken sound barrier echoed throughout the chamber as Sonic shot through the giant bot’s mouth in the blink of an eye. In that same instant, he shredded its internals and flew out the back of the thing, where he was intercepted and halted by Miles so he didn’t go too far. The heron let out a distorted cry as it went limp, thudding into the pool and sliding for many meters. The surface bubbled and quaked from the electricity arcing across its form, and the construct sank into a deeper section. The commotion died for a few seconds, only to be shattered as a tremendous geyser of water erupted so powerfully, it broke through some of the old stone and bricks in the ceiling. Thereafter, the rest of the voluminous tide spiraled away down the newly formed drain, courtesy of the heron’s destruction. Peering up where the temple had been worn away, the two heroes could see sunlight shining through, which made them both smile.

“Ace finisher, quality explosion, and making our own way out of here,” Sonic listed off, giving his buddy a thumbs-up, “I’d say we wrapped up pretty good.”

Miles returned the gesture with his usual peace sign, then started to carry them up to the hole. “We sure did, now let’s go dry ourselves off and check in with the others.”

“Hmph, they are persistent,” Knuckles grumbled to himself as he watched the pair through a well-hidden slit in the walls.

He’d been observing their progress through the temple from a comfortable distance, using paths known only to him. Them finding the Chaos Emerald was a point of frustration, as was the ease which they bypassed both his traps and the doctor’s mechanical creatures. The setup to get them in that arena was his idea, while the bird robot had naturally been the old owl’s contribution, who’d assured him that water was the blue one’s weakness. Despite that, he and the two-tailed fox had handily beaten the overgrown heron, and made a convenient exit for them to boot. Perhaps taking a more indirect approach and leaving things up to his new ally hadn’t been the best idea, but he wasn’t willing to abandon this course of action just yet.

That aside, there was something else that had been bothering him since around the time the Egg fell. After he’d gained his bearings from Angel Island crashing, he’d detected a strong presence that he picked up through his natural Chaos Energy sensing. At first, he’d mistaken it for one of the Emeralds, but after feeling out the state the gems were currently in, he knew it couldn’t be them. He also knew well that it couldn’t be the Master Emerald, as that was where it was supposed to be, and hadn’t moved once in all the time he’d watched it. Another notable trait was that the amount of Energy he felt from whatever this thing was fluctuated from time to time, meaning it wasn’t boundless like the stones were. It was still powerful, nonetheless, and quite difficult to track because of its discordant nature.

But, what disturbed Knuckles the most was the fact that he could determine it was alive. All living creatures contained a measure of Chaos Energy, with some species being more predisposed to having high amounts of it. Moreover, in especially powerful people, they had a signature that was as unique as they were, something that would allow other sensitive individuals like himself to tell them apart. He hadn’t had a chance to acclimate to the newcomers so he could better track them, but this other one pricked at his senses even when he tried not to give it any mind. On a basic level, it was like many others he felt here and there he’d passed over as the island moved through the sky, ones he didn’t have a name for, as he’d never seen any of them firsthand. But, aside from that and its power, it felt vaguely ancient in a similar respect to the ruins around his home, though it clearly wasn’t an echidna.

His rumination was put on pause by a beeping from his left wrist cuff. He pushed it forward to unveil a simple black communicator with a single red button, which the doctor had told him was for answering and sending messages on the device. Figuring that it was the owl that was hailing him, he pressed the button.

“Knuckles, this is the doctor,” he heard Dr. Fukurokov say from the other end, “I’m calling you to let you know that our Radar has picked up a Chaos Energy signature south of the Kukku Launch Base. I suspect it might be related to that presence you informed me about.”

That did sound rather tempting to pursue. At the same time, however, there was still the matter of the interloper and his friends.

“Should we not focus on the fox?” Knuckles inquired, “he has already recovered two of the Emeralds I took, as well as destroyed your metal water bird.”

There was a growl on the line, though the owl swiftly stifled it. “That is to be expected, unfortunately. And let him chase after those gems, my boy. So long as I hold one of them, he will inevitably make his way to me, and we can plan accordingly.”

The echidna did see the logic in that idea, but he still worried about what Miles would do if left unchecked. The engineer was the one with prior experience facing him, though, so if anyone knew how he operated, it would be him. He supposed that he would just have to trust the doctor’s judgment and allow his other creations a chance to try and stop the vulpine, or at the very least, slow him down so they would have time to prepare. And perhaps if he was quick enough, he would be able to track down this mystery being and discover their intentions.

“Very well, doctor,” he answered after thinking it over, “I will make my way over to the western jungle.”

“Once you’ve finished with that business, rendezvous with me at the Base,” Fukurokov told him, then cut the line.

With a grunt of acknowledgment, he covered up the comm and hooked the spikes on his gloves into the wall, making his way to the shortcut that would bring him nearest to his new destination.

Chapter Text

Miles finished shaking himself off and peered out at the place he and Sonic had come to after exiting the temple. They were high up on rolling green hills, where they could see for kilometers all around them. The majority of the surrounding landscape was thick forest that contained a collection of ancient ruins whose decaying buildings were being reclaimed by nature. Where there had been a clear blue sky when they arrived, there were now a few dreary clouds hanging low in the distance over the mountains on the northern horizon. To the west, the two could see the desert they’d spotted during their flight, showing that they’d traveled quite a ways underground.

As for the more immediate area they’d ended up in, the ground was mostly man-made, or echidna-made they supposed, consisting of big stone slabs of gray, orange and purple. There were odd complex patterns thrown in here and there, and they were all covered in packed layers of grass. There were several trees bulging with ripe fruit, massive potted plants with straight-edged leaves, and numerous crumbling temples that had patches of yellow and brown stained glass between tall silvery columns. There were smaller pillars affixed into the ground all over the place, some of them broken up and revealing chunks of orange stone beneath their marble surface. There were numerous slopes and hills as well, many of which were dangerously steep and dropped into places that weren’t visible from their position.

“Man, the National Trust would eat this place up,” the fox commented as he snapped many pictures and recorded a few short videos with the Miles Electric, “but J’s going to be beside himself since he’ll be getting first dibs.”

Sonic snickered and smoothed back his quills after drying them out. “He’ll probably want to visit himself after we show him.”

“I wouldn’t blame him, this place has been like a treasure trove for archaeologists, historians, and so on,” Miles replied. He switched the function on his multitool to the Emerald Radar and smiled at what it showed him. “Speaking of treasure, the next Chaos Emerald is somewhere around this giant garden. But, before we go and grab that...”

He turned the dial on his device once again and brought up the communication application. A few icons popped up on the screen as his quick contacts, his finger going to the likeness of Gizmo and initiating a call.

“What’s up, Miles?” he heard his sister answer after a couple of seconds, her face popping up on screen.

The fox took a seat on the grass and stretched his legs. “Just checking in on you and the others. Sonic and I ended up pretty far east of camp, thanks to some underground ruins, and we’ve gotten two of the Emeralds back so far. How’re you and everyone else holding up?”

“Gad and Fu were doing alright when I talked to them a few minutes ago,” the teal wolf reported, “and I’m fine, just away from base at the moment.”

Miles tilted his head. “What made you step away?”

“Well, sit tight for a few minutes and I’ll tell you all about it.”

He paid close attention as Gizmo proceeded to explain what she’d been up to since the last time they’d seen each other. How she and the others had met a large cat appropriately named Big, and that he was another native of the island. Unlike Knuckles, their encounter with the other feline had been benign, and he was simply looking for a friend of his own when he stumbled upon their grounds. She had volunteered to help him and got a good tour of the jungle until they decided to stop by his house, where she had just finished helping him build a fire for some fish he’d caught.

She went on to inform them that Big was apparently friends with the echidna, and that he’d learned some things from him. One of those had been regarding the story regarding the two-tailed fox, and the details she got about the mural within a place known as the Hidden Palace. The wolf wasn’t sure, as the cat hadn’t confirmed it, but she assumed that that was where the Master Emerald was probably located. Leaving that aside, she also told them that Big disagreed with Knuckles’ interpretation of the picture, and that he wanted to meet with Miles himself after hearing about him from the lady lupine. But, that apparently wasn’t the only interesting or exciting news she had to share.

“Look at what I’ve got,” she told him in a little bit of a sing-song voice, holding up a familiar tool.

Miles’ eyes widened and a smile spread across his muzzle. “The Pikkon Hammer! Where did you find it?”

“Not me, Big,” she answered, giving the weapon a few twirls, “he said he picked it up shortly after the island fell to the surface. You told us you left it in the Battle Moon, so it likely fell out just before the station crashed.”

The fox counted his lucky stars that it hadn’t ended up in the sea, or the lake that the Battle Moon had landed in. He was also glad that they’d made a new acquaintance that seemed to be on their side when it came to the supposed destiny that was slated for him.

“I’ll be sure to give him my thanks when we meet,” Miles said appreciatively, before giving his sister a more serious expression, “just be careful. The Kukkus have been pumping out a lot of new Badnik models and other sorts of robots, from what Sonic and I have seen so far. Seems like they bounced back from their recent loss more quickly than we expected.”

Gizmo nodded in understanding. “Thanks for the heads-up, I’ll pass the message along to Gad and Fu. You keep on your toes too, little brother, and take care.”

“Will do. See you soon, Sis.”

With that, they terminated the call and the teen got back to his feet. He saw Sonic standing nearby, gazing out at the steep downward hill that was immediately east of them. Joining him and looking out, he could see that traversing this place wasn’t going to be easy. There were many twists and turns through the ruins and the vegetation, and likely several more paths that were out of sight.

“Looks like we’ve got a maze on our hands,” Miles mumbled as he reexamined the Radar, “I’d fly us over to the Emerald, but it’s buried in that mess, from the look of it.”

The hoglet stretched his legs and grinned as he took up a position at the edge of the decline. “Guess we’ll have to go on foot!”

“Into the maze we go!” the fox shouted, matching his partner’s spirit.

The pair went into a Roll, streaking down the hill at increasing speed until they shot off a ledge. They landed on an outcropping, swiftly turning around and continuing down another couple of slopes. One of those strange springs from the underground ruins was hidden at the bottom of the third one, propelling them across a gap so that they landed near a trio of fruit-bearing trees. The path ahead didn’t curve in a way that would let them go up to the next cliff, so Sonic jumped off of Miles’ shoulders up to it, with the fox following after with his flight. The next one was more amenable to their pace, though they were forced to make a stop as a pair of pillars with spikes on the bottom came down in front of them! They rose back up and slammed down again every few seconds, clearly meant to deter whoever trespassed into the place.

The heroes waited until there was enough room for them to Spin Dash under the spikes as the columns receded, sending them up a sudden incline and touching down a few meters shy of a bed of spikes. Just past that was a huge ball and chain with broad spines all over it, whirling around a pole in an automated clockwise motion. Miles flew the two of them over the hazard and onto what appeared to be a large blue spinning top toy, which started to turn when they took steps. The more they ran, the more rapidly it rotated, and soon, it even began to hover up in the air!

“Not sure how this works, but it’s cool!” Sonic said, stroking under his chin as an idea popped into his head, “I wonder what’d happen if we put it back on the ground like this?”

Miles was also curious, so he and his partner slowed their steps down to let the top touch the grass once more. With speed that almost rivaled their own, it rocketed up the hill, flying past a couple of trees before sailing into the air once more. As though they were on a track, their ride skirted down the next slope, where there was a dead end past a drop in the ground. The two abandoned the top to avoid smashing into the wall, then proceeded down the available route, avoiding a few more spike traps along the way. They dropped down to an overhang and further down from there, where Sonic rushed ahead at a marble pillar with a Rolling Attack. He tore through it and revealed a loop beyond the new opening, one that went down a long and spiraling structure. The boys got off on the east side, following the terrain down and then up, right into another spring that caused them to end up next to an odd blue and yellow wheel. Sonic put his noggin to use and Rolled against the object, which caused the ground to rumble and few platforms to rise out of the hill in front of them. 

Miles spotted a couple of different ways they could go, but ultimately went for the highest one, carrying them both up to that ledge. Together, they broke down the marble that blocked their path, but found themselves putting their reflexes to the test immediately afterwards. They narrowly avoided being crushed by more of those falling spiked columns, hopped over a couple ball-and-chain traps, and passed by a bizarre rotating cylinder of earth that was studded with thorns. Past all of that, they boarded a spinning top, which plowed through yet more obstacles and allowed them to descend down a deep shaft within one of the old temples. When once again presented with the option of heading left or right, they went with the former this time, Rolling down two more slopes and hitting a ramp. After touching down, it appeared that they finally reached a straightforward section. There was a strange and dark, earthy liquid in a few pools in their path, though neither of them were eager to see exactly what it was. The route led them into yet another temple, but there were thankfully no traps waiting for them here.

Seeing as they were fairly far into the maze, and it seemed as good a time to rest as any, Miles took the opportunity to confirm the whereabouts of their objective. It seemed that they were on the right track, and that the Emerald was a lot closer than he’d originally calculated. Still, there was the matter of finding a way out of here and getting to the next gem, which was...not anywhere near their proximity. Neither were the other two remaining ones, he determined.

“Okay, good news and bad news,” he announced to his friend.

Sonic looked at him quizzically. “So, what’s up?”

“The good news is that the next Chaos Emerald is right around the corner, figuratively speaking,” the fox started, “the bad news is that the rest of them are clear on the other side of the island. And like with our last outing, it looks like the Empire has one of them.” He folded his arms and hummed. “They know I can track them, too, so they’re likely preparing for when we eventually show up.”

The hedgehog nodded. “We’ll probably run into that knucklehead echidna once we do.”

“Yeah,” Miles murmured, having considered that as well, “it may sound optimistic, but maybe we can expose what the Kukkus are really like to him, if we have a showdown at their base.”

The kid didn’t seem all that psyched about the idea. “I dunno, big bro, he doesn’t seem like the listening type.” He then shrugged and smirked up at the teen. “But hey, if you still wanna try, then let’s give it a go.”

Miles was glad for his companion’s understanding. If they could convince Knuckles of the doctor’s true nature, they would potentially gain an ally against the Empire. The question was how to best go about doing that...

“Gad?” Fuchsia called to the red wolf.

Gadget ceased his sifting through the Tornado’s storage to glance back at the cat. “What’s up, Fu?”

“I’ve been thinking about what Gizzy told us that she passed on from Miles,” she said, her boyfriend’s ears perking up further as he turned to better face her, “and about what I said before we came out here.”

The lupine leaned back against the plane and eyed the space he’d just been going through. “So you want to see if there’s something you can use to help out or defend yourself?”

“Yeah,” she answered, strolling up to him and running a hand through his chest fur, “is there anything that comes to mind in that big brain of yours, wolfy?”

He flushed a little at her actions and tone, but made no move to stop her. Even if this wasn’t exactly the time or place, he still found himself returning the affection by wrapping an arm around her waist. Not to mention, he always enjoyed compliments he received here and there, though he tried not to get a big head about them. Coming from his girlfriend, however, he let himself figuratively and genuinely puff out his chest with pride this time.

“Well, let’s take stock of what we’ve got,” he offered, “is there anything in particular you’d like, off the top of your head?”

Fuchsia’s tail twitched as she gave it some thought. “What about that one you whipped out earlier?”

“My Lightning Baton?” he inquired, chuckling when he got a nod from her, “alright, I can show you how it works.”

He put a couple of meters between them for safety, then fetched the baton from his belt pouch. Making sure she could clearly see what he was doing, he demonstrated that twisting the cap of the shaft clockwise so that it clicked once produced a solid and condensed bolt that doubled the weapon’s length.

“I haven’t used this much outside of training, but this is the actual nightstick form of my baton,” he stated, giving it a few swings, “good for delivering blunt blows that can shock foes, although it has the shortest range.”

Fuchsia nodded and watched him turn the top further clockwise, the solidly cylindrical beam of energy flattening and extending until it was sword-shaped. Its effective range seemed a little more than double that of the nightstick form.

“This is the blade form, which you saw earlier,” Gadget went on, drawing a crackling line in the sand, “very effective against Badniks and other bots in close quarters, as the plasma can ‘slice’ through most armor like it’s paper. Just watch where you’re swinging it when you’re around other organic folks; I haven’t tested it on flesh and blood, but I’m not exactly eager to see how effective it would be.”

The cat grimaced at the image that produced and shook her head to try and will it away. The wolf moved the cap counterclockwise three times, moving past the “off” setting and creating the whip he’d also employed against Knuckles.

“And then the whip form,” he concluded, twirling it over his head and then deactivating his weapon, “it’s got the longest range, but requires the most finesse to handle. It’s pretty easy to hurt yourself with it if you don’t watch what you’re doing.”

The wolf closed the distance and handed it over to the smaller Animal, who examined it for a moment. Just as he’d shown her, Fuchsia activated the nightstick form of the baton and gave it a go, liking how light it felt in her grip. Gadget looked on with a smile, seeing his girlfriend having a bit of fun with his personal weapon. Perhaps he should consider making another one if she truly wanted to pursue learning how to use it effectively. For a brief moment, his mind wandered to an image of him and the cat kicking some Kukku tail, and the potential action after the dust settled.

The snapping of tinder and leaves reached his ears before he could get too lost in his daydream. He slipped up behind his girlfriend and stopped her practice, holding up a finger to her lips when she was about to ask him what he was doing. His ears swiveled around, keeping alert for any sort of movement in the brush and staying close to Fuchsia while he kept his grappler at the ready. He picked up more commotion to his left, his right hand reaching into his utility belt and taking hold of a few small spheres as he turned to face the source. He heard heavy footsteps, about five pairs from the sound of it, as well as the buzzing of wings and the whirring of engines. Whoever it was certainly wasn’t doing their best to be stealthy.

“We’ve got company,” Gadget whispered to Fuchsia.

Stepping out of the shadows were a quartet of Robo Kukkus with slightly more streamlined designs than the last time that Gadget had seen them. Backing them up were just as many Buzzer Badniks, a pair of hoverpods, and a Kukku Walker that took a moment to spew flames in the air in a showy display. Had this been the Cocoa Island invasion from over four years ago, the wolf would have been scared out of his wits. But now, after his recent experience on West Side Island, and with someone he cared very much about by his side, he wouldn’t let that fear get to him.

“A bit much for my first outing, huh?” the cat giggled nervously, turning the baton so that its energy took on its blade form.

“Just don’t let them separate and surround us,” the wolf murmured back to her, “now, cover your eyes.”

Fuchsia did as he directed, catching sight of him pressing a button on his glasses to darken the lenses just as he threw down one of the objects he grabbed from his pouches. He heard all of the combatants cry out as a flash blinded the lot of them, leaving the automatons as their main opposition for the moment.

“Badniks and RK units, get them!” shouted one of the soldiers in the Walker.

The cat leapt forward and slashed at the nearest Robo Kukku, separating its head from its shoulders before it knew what hit it and leaving its body to slump to the ground. She pumped her other fist in celebration, but wasn’t given long to savor her first beaten bot as the others started to open fire on the two of them. Gadget tossed the next sphere at one of the hoverpods, which buckled and collapsed as electricity arced over the vehicle, forcing the pilot to abandon it. He lobbed another high into the air and then grabbed Fuchsia with his now free hand, grappling and vaulting them both off of the now barren as the ball came down. The resulting blast blew away a couple of the Buzzers, while the rest of the group scattered and spread out to try and head them off.

Gadget sidestepped a few blaster shots and fired his wire into one of the Robo Kukkus, yanking himself over to it and smashing it with a Rolling Attack. Fuchsia let out a yipe as the remaining hoverpod fired a cannonball her way, reflexively swinging the Lightning Baton and slicing it in two, both halves flying past her and thudding ineffectively on the ground. She blinked at that, as did the combatant that had attacked her, then switched the weapon to its nightstick form as she pounced at him. The pilot avoided the initial blow she brought down, but by doing so, the vehicle’s console took on serious damage and made it drop to the ground. Too stunned from the sudden landing, he was unable to react in time to dodge a follow-up strike, knocking him out.

The cat cried out and fell to one knee as an energy bolt struck her in the hip, courtesy of one of the Robo Kukkus. A second shot streaked at her, but she managed to roll out of the way before that could hit her too. Gadget’s cable lanced through the same RK unit’s torso, which he pulled toward him this time and brought down into the sand with a slam. He planted a boot in its neck and pulled the wire with both arms back through its chest, ripping out the CPU.

“That’s what you get for hurting my girl!” he growled, turning to face the Kukku Walker.

Fuchsia rushed at the last of the bots, but every time she got close, it would put itself out of reach again. With a huff, she decided to try out the whip form of the baton, lashing at the cheeky creation with wide swings and flicks. After a few attempts, she managed to strike it down, but also felt her breath catch when she heard her boyfriend grunt in pain. She gasped as she saw that her last attack also whipped him across his back, the added shock making him drop to all fours. Seeing this chance, the pilots in the Kukku Walker aimed their primary flamethrower at the wolf and let loose a burning gout.

“Gad!” Fuchsia screamed as she watched him reach for his belt just before his form was consumed by the spewing flames.

The combatants let out a cackle as they assumed that they’d reduced the canine to a crisp. They soon stopped their laughter, however, when Gadget revealed that he was perfectly fine and back on his feet. He was holding up an identical device to the one his sister gave to Miles and Sonic, and his body was surrounded by a translucent, wavy sphere of fire that matched his orange eyes.

“Whew, got the Flame Shield up just in time,” he said with notable relief as he stared down the Walker, “but if you think immunity to your main weapon is all it affords me, guess again!”

Gadget performed a Rolling Jump straight up, and at the peak of his leap, the shield around him completely obscured his balled-up self and changed to a white hot color. In a flash, he streaked at the front cockpit of the vehicle in the form of a fireball, ramming into it hard enough to dent the front guard and force it back a few steps.

“Fu, wrap one of its legs!” he shouted to the cat as he landed and once more hopped into the air.

Hoping for the best, and that she didn’t hurt her boyfriend again, Fuchsia cocked her arm back and aimed for the knees with the Lightning Baton’s whip. Thankfully, it hit its mark, sending a jolt through the thing’s joints and causing it to buckle as Gadget gave it another Fireball Spin Dash. The Walker tumbled over, its occupants spilling out and making a run for it, now that they realized they were outclassed. One of them managed to get away, but the other was snagged by the wolf’s grappling wire and dragged back towards the two Animals they’d just tried to attack.

“I’ll be taking this,” Gadget told the pilot as he snatched the Kukku’s comm device from his uniform, “now, beat it!”

He then undid his cable and gave the bird a swift kick to send him on his way, watching as he picked up his unconscious comrade and fled. Fuchsia let out a relieved sigh and deactivated the Lightning Baton, then made her way over to the wolf’s side and gave him a hug. Even though he deactivated the Flame Shield, his cheeks were still burning a bit from the affection. Part of his daydream had just come true, after all.

“I’m sorry I hit you earlier, hun,” she apologized and looked up at him, “are you okay?”

He squeezed her back with one arm as his other hand fiddled with the plundered tech. “Yeah, don’t worry about it, I know you didn’t mean to.” He offered a gentle smile. “Besides, you did well for your first real fight.”

“As long as you’re alright,” she mumbled, still feeling a little bad about it. To try and take her mind off of things, she released the hug and watched him work with the device. “What’re you doing with that?”

“Seeing if I can find the channel for their main base,” Gadget explained, “once I determine the frequency, I’ll be able to use my own comm to keep tabs on their activities.”

It didn’t take long for the tech-savvy wolf to accomplish that task, copying the necessary information into his device. He switched over to the radio function and adjusted the settings for the frequency, picking up various chatter until he found what he was looking for. To make certain that the Empire didn’t know he was listening in, he muted his microphone.

“Sir,” came a soldier’s voice, “we’ve confirmed that the fox is close to retrieving the Chaos Emerald in the Marble Garden area of the island. Shall we continue with your plan to let him gather the gems for us?”

“Negative,” Dr. Fukurokov replied, “the rest of the Emeralds are close enough for us to retrieve on our own time. Send the Kukku Dirigible to intercept Prower and the hedgehog. It doesn’t matter if you take them dead or alive, so long as we get their half of the collection.”

That was all Gadget needed to hear before he cut off the transmission. Much as he didn’t want to leave the camp unattended, he couldn’t just sit by as the Empire tried to spring a sneak attack on his vulpine brother. If he could beat them there, then maybe they could launch a counterattack against this “Kukku Dirigible” and bring it down. It certainly sounded like something important and powerful, if the doctor was confident in its ability to handle Miles.

“Fu, get in the Tornado,” he commanded the cat, “we’re going to throw a wrench in the old owl’s plan.”

Miles and Sonic exited the temple and found a curious sight awaiting them at the first hill they arrived at. It was one of those blue wheels partly buried in the ground, but with a rope attached to it that had a white and blue ring on the other end of it. It reminded the fox of those pull-strings found in some of those old talking toys he’d seen as a child, and it made him wonder if they worked in a similar manner. He jumped up to the ring and grabbed it, giving it a good tug to pull it taut. As he’d suspected, the rope wound itself up towards the wheel and pulled him along for the ride, his partner hopping up to grab hold of his other hand. They vaulted to another of the pulleys and let it carry them up so that they were directly across from a ledge.

When given the chance to continue ahead or fly further up, the Emerald Radar’s reading suggested that doing the latter was the better course of action. Miles lifted Sonic and himself first to the top of a cliff that was tens of meters high, then to yet another ring-rope further up. After crossing over to the outcropping they found at the top, they Rolled down a hill into a loop, going into a spiraling pillar that offered a couple of routes. They went left and sprinted down the path to a drop, curving around and into a broken down opening of a shrine. It was there that the two spotted a faint, but still distinctly different glimmer from the rest of the ruins. The fox bent down and retrieved it, turning back to the hedgehog with a smile as he revealed it to be the magenta Emerald.

“Alright, that brings us to four,” he remarked, tossing it to his partner, “I think we should make our way back to camp before we chase after any more of them.”

The kid caught it easily and slipped it into one of his spare pockets on the belt. “Sounds good to me!”

From there, they came across a blue wheel on the ground, giving it a spin and opening the other exit to the building. That was when the ground started to tremble and the ruins began to sway, as though a great earthquake had struck out of nowhere. Thinking that getting to a high place would be best, Miles carried them both to the most elevated ledge he could find. They Dashed past a crushing trap into a small temple, clearing a bed of spikes and once again activating a door at the rear. The two hovered over to a ledge that was a bit lower than they were, then flew up into the chambers of the building they entered, avoiding another giant morning star. They slid down a decline on the other side and caught hold of a pulley, using that to reach a yellow spring and land upon a relatively flat plain.

The shaking had finally stopped, allowing them to take a moment to choose their next route. Even with the immediate danger seemingly over with, Miles and Sonic concluded that staying in higher places would probably get them out of there faster. Thus, the heroes detoured through the shrine on the upper route, grabbing a small stockpile of Rings and outmaneuvering a crushing trap. A loop and spiral pillar combo deposited them right next to another studded ball-and-chain, which they cleared with a timely Jump, only to land on one of those blue tops from earlier. The difference was that this one was already spinning, and the moment their shoes touched it, the stand that it had been on sank into the ground and the thing took off like a drag racer. It drilled through a layer of marble and clay to reveal a hidden path, which it then followed along like a track up and over a large hill. The ride came to an unexpected end as the top crashed into a rise in the terrain, flinging both of the boys through the entrance of a temple and onto their fronts.

“Man, the brakes on that thing,” Sonic grumbled as he got up and dusted himself off.

Miles chuckled as he did the same. “Good thing we’re made of tough stuff.”

Once they got back on track, they came to a dead end with a relief of a human face made out of stone. The edges of it were lined with yellow ornamentations, its eyes were stony gray with black pupils, and its forehead sported a shining red gem. The moment the two of them got close, its eyes swiveled down at them and its mouth opened in an O-shape. They dodged as an arrow fired from its orifice, and in retaliation, Sonic slammed into the forehead of the human likeness. Its mouth twitched for a moment and its eyes rolled back as a crack formed in the gem, which the two of them noticed. They rinsed and repeated the hedgehog’s approach twice more and broke the stone, which caused the relief to deactivate and a piece of the floor to slide away, giving them a way out. 

As several times prior, they used a blue wheel to open the route ahead, but were met with a sight that neither of them had expected to see. It was the latest iteration of the Mecha Golem line, which would make this model Mark VIII, and though it greatly resembled the previous version, it had a few notable differences. It now had an overall silver color scheme with gold trim around its mole-shaped head and its new hands, where it had smaller, retractable drills in place of the larger ones the older one had. It was also significantly downsized, about two to three times as big as Miles was, as opposed to the five or so that Mark VII approximately had been. The creepy smile that had been Robotnik’s work was absent here, and it had two apparent side thrusters instead of three that were concentrated along the bottom. Most of all, it was apparent that this version was fully automated, like the heron and the Auto Arachnid.

“Well, I can’t say I wasn’t expecting this,” the fox remarked, getting himself ready for a fight, “but a tiny part of me is still surprised the doctor would make another Mecha Golem. Sure, he took my advice on installing an AI, but it’s still getting old. This will be, what, the fifth one I’ve scrapped?”

The hoglet shrugged and grinned. “Maybe he’ll finally try something else after this one.”

“Let’s just get this over with,” Miles said impatiently.

Sonic snickered. “Looks like I’m starting to rub off on you a little more, big guy.”

Before the teen could retort, or do anything really, the Mecha Golem beat a hasty retreat, burrowing deep into the ground and making the earth shake much like the shock the two had experienced some minutes ago. Realizing that the robot was the source of it, and that the ruins were starting to collapse around them the heroes evacuated themselves. The ground gave way to a slope that dropped them at the bottom of a cliff, where they saw bits of marble, stone, and broken traps beginning to crumble and come down.

Wasting no time, Miles and Sonic cleared two makeshift hurdles in their path, then flew up through a gap into a collapsing shrine. They Spin Dashed to the end of the route, using another of those strange thorny columns as a stepping stone to reach the next ledge. The fox put his tails to use and made them rapidly ascend to the highest point, where it appeared there was a dead end. Unperturbed, the hedgehog shattered the marble barrier with a Rolling Attack, allowing them to safely arrive outside at what looked to be the very edge of the garden.

That was when the Mecha Golem resurfaced, the two Animals barely moving out of the way of its extendable arm as it tried to skewer them with a drill. Rather than pull it back, the automaton sprang in the direction of the limb and submerged once more, rooting around under their feet. Sonic’s own nature as a burrowing mammal gave him a somewhat better feel for where it was, and he accurately predicted where it would pop out. Just as it moved to attack, the kid outpaced it, ricocheted off an outer temple wall, and drove himself into the thing’s face. The MG8 reeled back for a second, but shrugged it off and went for another go, this time aiming for the fox. Its arms stretched out from the front and behind, attempting to trap the teen and force him into a tight spot. But, even as it predicted that Miles would use his flight, the hero was a step ahead and dropped a few bombs during his ascent.

The robot unleashed its own explosives, firing several mortars into the air to bombard the duo while it sought another prime opportunity. Miles was used to this tactic from its previous models, so he was quick to avoid the shower and set Sonic up for a clear path to Spin Dash the machine. It recoiled from the hit, and as the hedgehog bounced back, the fox passed him overhead and went into a Drop Attack, driving its head into the dirt. It became apparent to the AI that with the latter’s flight and the former’s natural affinity for burrowing, the mech was fighting a losing battle.

As the damage it took became more and more visible to the boys, the MG8 switched to more desperate tactics. It swam through the soil and came up beneath the vestiges of the shrine at the edge of the ruins, knocking out the columns one by one. Miles and Sonic soon discovered that it must have been wreaking even more havoc on the foundation, as the ground not only started to quake once more, but actually break apart and collapse along with the old structures. The fox made himself as horizontal as he could so that his partner could hop onto his back like a board, then rocketed high above the now even more ruined garden. As they moved away to try and find solid ground, the automaton pursued them with a vengeance, firing off more mortars in their direction while simultaneously trying to grab and jab at the flying duo.

“Those brutes destroyed priceless historical remnants and ancient flora!” he snarled, “we’re not gonna let them get away with this, Sonic!”

The hoglet knelt down on the fox’s back and gauged the distance between himself and his target. “I’m not so broken up about the geeky stuff, but trashing other people’s things is uncool. You know I’ve got your back, Tails!”

“Alright, let’s circle back and give this mole a proper dogfight!”

The fox pulled a rapid 180 and shot straight at the MG8, the hedgehog performing short hops to stay airborne and dodge oncoming fire as his partner twisted and weaved this way and that. Miles brought out a Dummy Ring and expertly tossed onto the end of the construct’s snout, diving low to avoid the blast while Sonic jumped high. The younger Animal delivered a Bounce Attack that lobbed him even further up, giving him enough time to pull off a few stylish poses and flips, and then safely land on the older boy’s back. In order to match their speed, the MG8 put its thrusters into overdrive, putting some vertical distance between them and then dive bombing with its drills out. Miles didn’t even have enough time to grab more munitions as he was forced to dodge, growling as the robot wheeled about and came back for another go.

Sonic pounced and let the MG8’s attacks do little more than graze him as he clinged to its face, giggling boyish as it tried to swat him away to no avail. Even in such a limited space, the little blue blur was simply too agile and treated the bulky creation like an aerial jungle gym. This occupied the latter’s attention long enough for Miles to equalize his elevation so that he was just a couple of meters above and away from the MG8’s position. He cut his flight for the briefest moment, using his tails as an air strip as he charged up a Spin Dash just as gravity began tugging him down. Once he was level with the automaton, he let loose, with Sonic jumping clear the instant before the fox drove himself into his target. The Kukku weapon spun off course for several seconds, allowing the boys ample time to rejoin and come up with an ideal finisher.

“Let’s lure him up so I can spike him down at ya!” the blue blur proposed.

The amber teen considered a few ways to follow that up, and a grin formed when he arrived at a decision. “Got it. Get ready to use my feet like those springs we’ve come across!”

The MG8 retried its combination from earlier where it interspersed its mortar volleys with grapples and drill strikes, but the heroes didn’t flee. Miles rose and fell, ducked and jolted around the limbs and projectiles, while Sonic was more showy about it. He flipped over punches, used a few mortars like stepping stones, and most insulting of all, he touched down on the fists from time to time to make faces or dance in a taunting manner. The AI appeared to have feelings of some degree, as the assault became less focused and more erratic, as though the hoglet had touched a nerve.

‘Of course it would react like that,’ Miles thought with amusement, ‘the doc hates it when he and his creations get mocked, and he has a big enough ego to base the AI on his own neural makeup.’

It worked more than well enough for their purposes, as it didn’t take long for the Kukku mech to switch to a more aggressive approach. With a whip of his tails, the fox soared to increasingly dizzy heights, coaxing the MG8 into trailing after him. Once the gap between them was sufficient, Miles canceled his flight and flipped himself around so that his head was aimed toward the earth, his legs cocked back as Sonic stood atop his shoes. With a powerful thrust of his feet, the vulpine catapulted the hedgehog far above him and passed the robot on the way down, smirking when he saw the thing doing a double take as he did. Its optics swiveled back up to Sonic, who was spinning his balled-up form faster and faster with each passing second, the air spiraling into the blue sphere. When the familiar screech associated with a different technique reached a crescendo, the hedgehog remained suspended for what seemed a lot longer than it actually was, and the robot could somehow sense that his foe was firmly centered on him.

“Have a new take on an old favorite!” Sonic called out, “Meteor Spin Dash!”

The sound barrier shattered, and faster than it could possibly calculate, the MG8 was struck in the center of its mass, sending it hurtling back down the way it came. Miles gave his tails a quick whip and a spin, accelerating to meet the robot halfway, though he once again halted his flying ability. He wound up his torso in one direction, his rear limbs bracing against him, eyes narrowed on the spot his partner had dented.

“Take this!” he shouted as he whirled back around and slashed at that area with his twin appendages, “Rending Tail Attack!”

To the fox, it was as though time slowed to a crawl the instant that the Mecha Golem fell past him. Peering back, he could see a bifurcation right where he’d meant to strike, delivered so cleanly he hadn’t felt any resistance when his tails passed through the metal. The two halves of the formerly whole automaton came apart, then gave in to gravity as it pulled them down. Seconds later, his perception returned to normal, and twin fireballs shot upwards from the sea of greenery and rubble where the MG8 crashed, a fresh cloud of debris adding to the mess that was left after its last artificially induced earthquake.

After catching Sonic, Miles brought them back down to the ground when he found a place that was stable. The hedgehog gave the fox a thumbs-up and grinned brightly at him.

“Nice one, bud!” he praised his partner, chuckling a little when he saw the teen was a bit out of breath, “you okay?”

Miles waved off his concern. “Yeah, just, we haven’t had too much rest since we started, and it’s been a while since I had to fly for that long.” He smirked a bit in turn. “Not to mention the last time I did so, I wasn’t carrying nearly as much weight.”

“This just comes with being a young hog!” the kid said defensively as he crossed one hand over his belly, “gimme a few years and it’ll stretch out!”

“Sounds like we’ll both be waiting a while,” the fox quipped.

The two of them shared a laugh at that, though they weren’t given long before the older Animal’s ears flicked from a disturbance in the air. It was a low, powerful bass, like that produced by an exceptionally large craft on the move, though not as mighty as the Battle Fortress’ had been. Even so, it was big, it was coming from the northwest, and when he turned around to see, its identity became clear. It was a huge, heavily armored military blimp that was strangely held afloat by fairly low-tech propellers and machinery. There were platforms and outcroppings made of light gray metal with darker scar-like markings, and orange plating covering the top layer of much of the craft. It was studded with guns and cannons on the outside as well, but aside from those, it was relatively plain, aside from the fact that it was heading straight for them. And if his calculations were correct, it would be on top of them in just a couple of minutes.

“Where the hell were the Kukkus hiding that?” Miles wondered aloud, “I didn’t even notice it until just now, and it’s almost here already!”

Sonic snickered and hyped himself up for another fight. “Hey, don’t sweat it, big guy. We’ll just hop on board and bring that big bird down!”

“And how do you propose we do that?” the fox inquired, crossing his arms, “I’m not sure if I have the energy to get us both up there and still be able to throw down. If we had the Tornado, that’d be a different story, but we–”

“Hey, guys!” came a voice that was almost drowned out by the sound of the dirigible, as well as another, smaller aircraft.

Both of them whipped around to see the aforementioned plane streaking through the sky towards them, Gadget at the yoke with military green flight goggles strapped over his specs, and Fuchsia in the back seat waving at them. It was outpacing the bigger aircraft, in part thanks to its rocket engine, and was gradually lowering its altitude to meet the boys. Quickly getting the picture, the pair resumed running and picked up the pace so that they could more easily board the plane. Once the wolf brought it low enough, Miles and Sonic leapt up onto the top wings and held on as the Tornado performed a sharp ascent before evening out.

“Not that I’m ungrateful,” the fox shouted over the whipping air, “but what’re you guys doing here?”

“A squad of Kukkus and bots attacked the camp, but we fended them off,” Gadget explained, tossing a device in question up to the fox, “I grabbed one of their comms, and we found out they were planning to try and take you guys down after you grabbed the last of the Emeralds on this half of the island. Obviously, I wasn’t about to let them try it.”

Fuchsia giggled behind him and gave him a pet between his upward curving ears. “You’ve got a good big brother, Miles. He’s a good teacher, too; I don’t think I’d have been much help without his primers.”

“Th-that aside,” the wolf went on, trying to ignore the blush forming due to his girlfriend’s affections, “what’s the plan, bro? Do we try to board it or fly away?”

It wasn’t a difficult decision to make. Miles figured that the Empire knew where he and Sonic were because they had their own Emerald Radar. They could run, certainly, but they wouldn’t be able to hide as long as the gems were on them. And if the birds were so eager to pick a fight, then it would be better to not only take them up on it, but also seize the initiative. There had to be something they could do to deal a more critical blow than just grounding the blimp.

The number of possibilities to turn this on the old owl’s head got his gears turning, and he briefly referenced his own multitool to see where the remaining Emeralds were. Once he knew, he glanced back at the wolf and pointed at the immense aircraft.

“Bring us to the underside of the rear,” he commanded Gadget, then turned back to his partner, “Sonic and I are going to infiltrate the place while you and Fu lure them back in the direction they came from. There’s an Emerald in the snowy mountains close to where the Battle Moon landed.”

The pilot nodded, making a U-turn and flying high over the dirigible as it came their way. Just as they arrived at the tail end of the thing, the Tornado went into a dive and rolled around to get in position. Conveniently enough, there were some auxiliary access points on the underside of the ship, likely to allow maintenance to get at thrusters and weapons ports. Miles and Sonic leapt from the wings onto the nearest one, then signaled the others to go on ahead. Gadget and Fuchsia pulled away and went to do just that, leaving the two heroes to their task.

“It feels like we’re getting close to the end!” Sonic said excitedly, “wonder if they have any boards we can use to get down the mountains. I wanna show up at the doc’s doorstep in style!”

Miles flashed a small smile across his muzzle before sporting a more serious expression. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

Sparks flew and metal hissed as Dr. Fukurokov applied a welding torch to his latest creation. He’d received a number of questions about what it was he was making, but he’d been keeping it under wraps since before he started. It wasn’t meant to be as grandiose as the Battle Moon, nor would it be quite as straightforward and deadly as the Grand Kukku Mobile Suit, but it would serve an important purpose, nonetheless. In truth, it was one of those things that now became a series, much like the Mecha Golem, though unlike that creation of his, the owl believed this would have a final design. The initial model didn’t even get a chance to do what it’d been intended for, so the engineer had made marked alterations so that this version wouldn’t end up the same. If this wouldn’t be the one, then the old bird was certain, for some reason he couldn’t explain, that the next would be it.

Of course, that wasn’t the only project he had in store. There was the reconstruction of the Battle Moon, which was some hours away from completion. The station would be ready for launch around the early evening, by his estimates, which worked out well enough for their plans. But, should the fox survive and continue to make trouble for them, there was one final ace up his sleeve. It hinged on him getting a great enough power source, however, and he wasn’t brimming with confidence that his forces could secure the other Chaos Emeralds, given their track record. That left him with the prospect of seizing the Master Emerald instead, which Knuckles had told him was potentially greater than the seven gems. While he wasn’t keen to break off the alliance he had with the echidna, at least not yet, the doctor knew it was an inevitability.

The lab darkened as he cut the flame on his torch, then pushed up his welding mask to admire his work, now that it was finished. Well, perhaps “admire” was the wrong word, as part of him felt a strong disgust for even resorting to this. Ivo had been the one to suggest creating a likeness of his greatest enemy in order to best fight him, and he admitted there was some poetry in the idea. At the very least, all those recordings he made and the information he kept on his arch-nemesis would come in handy for its AI.

It sported the same overall color scheme as the original Miles, save for metallic gray in the place of white, and both of his forearms being the same steel coated hue. In place of its bangs were three prominent spikes, a single smaller one for its nose, and though it had a muzzle, it lacked a mouth entirely. The fluffy tips of its tails had several more serrated spines along the last third, ending in piercing pick-like points. Its forearms were more broad and like a barrel than the real thing, and its segmented fingers had vicious brush-shaped claws, while its legs were mostly the same, with the exception of studs on its knee joints. Its shoes were bulky, not only to support the weight of the robot, but to fit in extra designs such as back wheels and miniature jet thrusters. Most notably, there was an indentation in its chest that was the same shape as Miles’ fur there, the outer framing of it gray while the rest was a neon yellow that was “divided” into six sections by black lines.

At the bottom of its chest cavity was a trio of circular slots, one red, one green, and one magenta. Dr. Fukurokov turned around to the work table behind him and opened up a large locked box, pulling out three glass tubes. Inside each of them was a crystal that matched the sockets in the robot, all of them giving off a hearty glow. Ivo had told him that these were known as Chaos Drives, crystallized Chaos Energy that’s primarily used as a power source for the combat robots under the control of the Guardian Units of Nations. Family ties and a bit of cleverness on the human’s part had enabled him to secret away the process of creating them, but even with direction, Chaos Drives were not easy to manufacture on a large scale for anyone that wasn’t affiliated with G.U.N. The dim red Emerald that Knuckles had retrieved for them had managed to produce only these three specimens, but he supposed that was due to its own power being reduced. There were just enough units for what he needed, anyway, so he could worry about making more after he completed his other project.

The owl waddled back over and, with a bit of trepidation, set the Drives into the corresponding slots, then took a step away from the construction table. After a couple of moments, the lines around its core filled with electric blue light, and its limbs twitched to life. Its dark eyes lit up with a pair of vertical cyan-blue ovals, serving as irises while the black background and the “holes” in the color served as the sclera and pupils, respectively. After several more seconds, the likeness of the fox slowly brought itself upright, examining its dangerous digits as it gave them a few flicks and wiggles.

“Good morning, Mecha,” the doctor greeted the automaton, “or afternoon, technically.”

The robot glanced over at him and nodded its head. The bird let out a quiet breath as that confirmed that it recognized him, as it should from the registry and information he uploaded. A small part of him had been nervous that with a framework of the fox’s thought patterns installed, it would rebel against him, but the programming seemed to override any considerations like that.

“Hello, Dr. Fukurokov,” it replied with Miles’ voice, albeit a little deeper and tinged by cybernetic refrain, “I have a query: is Mecha the designation assigned to this unit?”

The owl coughed and cleared his throat. “Yes, well, your official name is ‘Mecha Miles’, with ‘Mecha’ simply being a short form to save time and breath.”

“Acknowledged,” Mecha responded as it bobbed its head in understanding. It pushed itself off of the table, its feet making a loud clang as they hit the ground. It stood there for a couple of seconds until a beep came from its speakers. “System checks report operation is at 100% functionality. Power, Speed, and Flight Drives are online and supplying requisite energy at 100% efficiency. What is my first mission, doctor?”

The owl stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Perform a perimeter sweep around the valley that the Battle Moon is in. We don’t want anyone that isn’t supposed to be here getting inside. After you’re done with that, report back to me about anything suspicious you find, or the lack thereof.”

“Affirmative, engaging reconnaissance and defense protocols,” the mechanical fox droned out.

Dr. Fukurokov pressed a button on a remote in his lab pocket, causing a skylight to open above the two of them. Without further questions, Mecha activated the boosters in its shoes and put its two tails to work, rocketing up the access shaft and exiting the station in a flash. The engineer closed up the passage behind it, then went over to his chair and slumped down in it tiredly.

‘At least I know it works,’ he thought, massaging his temple between his talons, ‘and thank goodness I decided to forgo including his speech patterns. Having him drone and be technical like most stereotypical robots might be irritable, but it’s vastly preferable to that attitude of Prower’s.’

He put that out of mind and reached for the cup of tea that he’d prepared to help wind down after all that work. He blew away some of the steam and let out a relaxed sigh as he raised the rim to his beak.

“Doctor, urgent report!” shouted a combatant that rushed into the room.

The owl squawked in fright from the sudden intrusion, causing him to spill some of his drink onto his lap. His eyes just about bulged through his glasses at that, the pain making him let out a very unmanly cry as he fell forward out of his chair. The soldier hurriedly went over and helped him back to his feet, only to be rudely pushed away.

“For Babylon’s sake, I’ve told you all many times to hail my comm link before entering my laboratory!” Fukurokov scolded the grunt, rubbing out the damp spot in his pants as best he could, “now, what is it? You said the report was urgent, soldier!”

The fellow snapped to attention and saluted. “Sir, the Kukku Dirigible has reported that the fox’s aircraft intercepted them and is currently fleeing our way with Prower in tow!”

“That cannot be right!” the owl growled, glaring at the subordinate, “I could expect his friends arriving after we’d engaged him, but ahead of us? What about the squad we sent to deal with their base camp?”

The other bird was silent for a moment. “All robots, vehicles, and Badniks were destroyed, while our combatants were made to flee. Aside from one comm, all of their equipment is present and intact.”

“Unbelievable!” Dr. Fukurokov shrieked, angrily stomping his way to the door of his lab, “such incompetence must have led to those brats eavesdropping on the plan! It’s the only explanation that makes sense!” Seething from the news, but also the accident he had, he swiveled his head around to look at the grunt. “Send a message to the bridge of the warship to shoot down that plane!”

While the Kukku Dirigible pursued the Tornado, Miles and Sonic started their infiltration. With a Spin Dash, they shot upwards through a loop, tripping a few mines as they went and moving quickly enough to avoid the explosions. Inside the aircraft itself, there was a shiny bronze path, neatly punctured with rows of tiny holes. The internal ground was composed of large square blocks and fuel tanks, both light mauve in color, and with thick purple chunks of metal lining the walls. The fuel tanks came in various shapes and sizes and were connected by complex piping systems, and the outer walls weren’t so much as solid, but composed of massive gray shutters.

Following the path to the end, the both of them spiraled down a massive mesh cylinder until they came upon an opening about halfway down. The slope just outside of it brought them to a shaft that went further into the depths of the ship, and into the path of new Badniks. These were based on Hercules beetles, with bulky brown and gray armor, as well as a pair of tracked wheels underneath their bodies. Their horns, however, were based more on those of Japanese rhinoceros beetles, with bisecting points and barrel holes between the horn ends. With a rev of their wheels, the robots charged at the two, with the Animals answering in their own way. Sonic bent down and went into a Spin Dash, carving through them and proving that those strong horns were no match for his speed and quills put together. Miles, meanwhile, picked off the stragglers with a few bombs that he dropped as he passed overhead, leaving them with more Rings to grab afterward.

Once that was done, they progressed beyond a whirling flame trap and took hold of a hanging bar on the back wall, which opened a panel in the floor beneath them. The hanger itself began to drop down from a chain, leaving them suspended above more flamethrowers and next to more of the same bars. The next one furthest from danger delivered them to a passage where they could hear the wind more clearly, meaning they were back outside. Before they continued, a few more automatons blocked their path, ones that were familiar to the fox, though he hadn’t seen them for quite a while. They were small and round robotic rats with emerald green bodies, which had four short legs with midnight blue boots. They also had gray muzzles with little black noses, round antennae-like ears, a pointy tail, and yellow LED light bulbs for eyes.

“Nezus, huh?” Miles said curiously, “just don’t give them a chance to plant their bombs, and you’ll be fine.”

For people with their speed, they didn’t have to worry about that. Before most of the rodents even knew that they were there, they were swiftly dispatched. Although a few managed to get their tiny bombs out, they were easily avoided by the duo, who then moved on to the edge of the path. Between them and another outcropping, there were several meters of open air that provided a view of the island below, as well as a series of hangers, presumably for flying combatants to use. With pep in his step, the hedgehog backed up, then ran and leapt at them, managing to grab hold of one. While the fox flew beneath to act as a safety net, his partner used the things like monkey bars and swung himself to the other platform, soon being joined by the teen.

Just as they’d done when they first boarded, they ascended an access shaft, the way behind them shutting firmly the moment they were back inside. A trio of rolling mesh cylinders, much like the ones from Metropolitan Industries, led the heroes up a half-pipe and over a flamethrower, which the hoglet noticed was flat on top. He parkoured off the bit of ceiling onto the panel, feeling the pressure build up beneath him and then launching him up a similar, but longer stretch than the one he’d just scaled a second ago. Following him, Miles saw that the chamber they ended up in had a network of moving spheres set on a fixed path between two series of four metal tubes. Sonic had already gone ahead of him to take that route, while he elected to fly up to the top of the wall that the spheres led to. Meeting up at about the same time, the pair padded down the hall to a flame trap, which they used to boost themselves outside once again, this time onto part of the deck.

Here, they saw some of the many propellers that kept the dirigible afloat, as well as a few missile ports installed to ward off intruders. Sonic daringly grabbed hold of the base of the propellers’ support, swinging around the pole and using the momentum to fling himself to the next. Thanks to the somewhat unpredictable path he took, the boy was able to shake off any missiles that came his way. Miles took the high road, though it was a bit difficult to fight against both the wind and the updrafts from the propellers. In any event, they found an entrance back into the ship from the top level, riding a platform to the next floor down. There, they discovered a long silver and green section of the ceiling that, every few seconds, would pull both Badniks and half-cut spike balls up to numerous magnetized points in the metal. The fox and hedgehog timed it so that they passed under the obstacles before they came back down, which also left the hapless robots unable to pursue them.

From there, the path came to a dead end on that level, though there were a couple of options to proceed. On one hand, they could fly up to a ledge that appeared to go further up into the ship, possibly back onto the deck. On the other, there was a floor switch much like the ones they encountered in their trek through the ruined underground temple, and an orange and black-ringed portion of the floor that was notably different from the rest.

“Hey, Tails,” Sonic said to the fox, who glanced down at him attentively, “what do you say we split up and see if either of us can find the control room?”

Much as he wanted them to stay together for safety, Miles did concede they could cover more ground if they went with his partner’s plan. “Sure thing, little buddy. If neither of us find it, we can meet up further in.”

With the plan in motion, the hedgehog stepped on the switch and hopped down the shaft that opened up, while the fox took to the air. The older Animal landed on the ledge and rolled down the slope he found there, a dip in terrain sending him up into another loop. He ran down the interior of a spiraling cylinder like he had with Sonic just a little bit ago, coming out the other side and hitting a spring that sent him up through a shutter near the ceiling. At the end of the short hallway he emerged into, Miles found a wall variant of the barrier Sonic had opened seconds earlier, tripping the necessary switch and heading back out onto the deck. Making his way to the back of this section, he searched around the corner and uncovered a maintenance access panel that was just big enough for him to fit through. This brought him through a second outer hallway and into an area with rotating iron spike balls set between a few gaps in the flooring. Naturally, it wasn’t a problem for a flier like him, and just as he did in the previous “room”, he found a spot in the rear that allowed him to progress.

Meanwhile, Sonic fell through the center of a cylinder, right onto a platform that immediately dropped the moment his feet touched the top. He jumped to a couple more that brought him below the bottom of the blimp, seeing a series of rotating mesh tunnels precariously suspended above the sky. Confident though he was in his ability to get across, he knew the big guy would want him to make absolutely certain that he could. With that in mind, he fetched the ESP device from his pouch and inserted a ring into the back, adjusting the elemental display on the front so that it showed a white lightning bolt. Activating the projector, a translucent electric blue barrier erected itself around the hedgehog, a few arcs and lines of power flashing from inside the border on occasion.

“Feels like I’m inside one of those lightning balls,” he commented as he smoothed his tingling quills, “but if I remember right, Tails said this would be really useful for me.”

Not wanting to keep his friend waiting, the hoglet raced through the first cylinder with no issue, Rolling right into the second one. He paced himself so that he’d angled into the third mesh passage, but his timing was off by the slightest amount, and he found himself tumbling out into the open air! Thinking fast, Sonic attempted to Spin Dash so that he could close the distance to the other platform, but something else happened instead. The sound of discharging static rang in his ears, and the course of gravity was suddenly reversed, his feet making contact with metal a couple of seconds after. Looking down, he’d made it to the other side, where he patted himself to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. He attempted to replicate what he’d done before, clearly seeing for himself that the Lightning Shield had allowed him to jump a second time with no loss of vertical or horizontal momentum.

“Pretty sweet, big guy,” he mumbled with a grin, “this’ll definitely come in handy.”

Using his new, albeit temporary Double Jump, Sonic vaulted up to a platform that carried him back into the ship. He activated a floor switch and came to another magnetic strip just as it activated, letting out a cry of surprise as he was dragged up along with the iron balls and Badniks in the area! But even with the change in perspective, the kid was able to navigate the hallway and right himself on the other end, using his built-up speed to ascend two steep half-pipes. He came across a pair of those iron balls with the top half cut off, seeing them stopping short just below the ceiling when they were drawn up by magnetic current. He rode them up and pried himself off of the strip above, only to land right atop some mines that had been placed on the next outcropping. The shield protected him from the blasts, though it was now disabled from the sheer force and would be on cool-down for a short while. The boy was ready to use the next platform to go up, when he felt an odd breeze close to some equipment where one of the explosives went off.

“What the heck?” he muttered, nudging at the stuff with one foot and finding it was loose.

Pushing the junk aside, he discovered an alternate route that brought him to several meters below a cylinder. Sonic made short work of the handful of Nezus and Badniks that stood in his path, boarding an iron ball platform up to its limit. He got off onto another of those tracks of spheres, hitching a ride up to the only available path in sight. Moments from reaching the top, an amber blur passed overhead, making the hedgehog snicker. It seemed that his partner had just managed to beat him here, wherever “here” was. In short order, he joined back up with the fox, who’d taken a moment to try and assess things, from the look of it.

“Hey, kid!” Miles greeted him, then let out an airy chuckle, “I guess you didn’t have any luck finding the control room either, huh?”

Sonic shrugged nonchalantly. “Not yet. Looks like we’ve still got a bit more ground to cover anyway.”

“It does feel oddly bigger on the inside than it appeared on the outside,” the fox remarked, “and from what I’ve seen so far, it’s like more of–”

He cut himself off when he noticed that the machinery around them no longer resembled fuel stores and weapons. Instead, there were numerous dark machines that resembled pill capsules, with a single window visible where a person’s face would be, relative to their placement inside. He should’ve figured that with the Battle Moon still around, there’d be a chance they’d be reproduced, but it still made him irate all the same.

“Wretched old coot,” he growled as he clenched a fist, “still making Conversion Therapy Machines. All the more reason to bring this place down.”

Sonic gave him his trademark thumbs-up. “Right behind you, big guy. The faster we get through this place, the faster we can stop ‘em from using those!”

That lifted the fox’s spirits a bit, and helped diffuse some of his welling anger. He reminded himself he had to keep a better handle on it, especially after what happened at the end of their last adventure. And he had a feeling that if they were to have any sort of chance to restore the Chaos Emeralds, resorting to negativity would be the furthest thing from helping. Besides, a level head would be better suited to finding a way to ground this blimp without causing too much collateral damage.

Gizmo had to admit that as simplistic as his methods were, Big continued to impress her. He’d cleaned and cooked the fish with as much skill as she’d seen Fuchsia’s father exhibit, with the resulting dishes tasting pretty good to boot. He’d stowed away the scraps for later, not wanting to waste anything, then resumed leading the way to where he last believed his friend was.

Now, the two of them had reached the edge of a great lake with much of the surrounding forest and mountains reflected on its surface. Beneath the verdant grass was purple stone and clay, and many red and yellow wildflowers sprang at the base of golden yellow trees. In addition, there were several different points in the water that appeared to create a somewhat unorthodox path across the lake. While this area wasn’t the place the cat had been thinking of, it was a good spot to search for a frog, which the wolf could agree on. In the meantime, if she could perhaps glean more information about her companion, as well as the echidna that was no doubt mindful of their movements, all the better.

“So, tell me a bit more about yourself, Big,” Gizmo started as they passed a small hill, “we kind of got sidetracked earlier. I know you said you’re sixteen and you’ve been here your whole life. What about your parents?”

The cat contemplated the question as they came two large loops in a row, the portly feline choosing to leap onto the other end rather than run the length of it. The wolf considered it a smart approach, though her speed was just enough to allow her to clear the obstacles like Miles and Sonic could, if only just. They stopped at the edge of a cliff that left a significant gap between them and the next bit of earth.

“I don't really remember them,” Big replied with a smile, “but that’s okay. Froggy and Knuckles have always been here for me.”

Gizmo perked her ears at that. “Just you three, huh? There isn’t anyone else on the island?”

“Well, Knuckles had a mom and dad,” the cat went on, his voice a little more somber, “I don’t remember them too well, but I know they were nice.”

The wolf bowed her head solemnly. The way the large cat was referring to them, it sounded like the echidna’s parents were no longer around.

“I see,” she said as respectfully as she could, wanting to move away from the potentially sensitive subject, “how did you meet your friends?”

Big pointed ahead at the opposite landmass, as though wordlessly saying they should cross. Gizmo wasn’t certain how the rotund fellow was going to manage that, but if he was insisting, then he must know a way. She gauged the distance between the two cliffs, then knelt down and curled into a teal sphere as she built up a Spin Dash. Letting loose, the she-wolf leapt from the edge of the rock and let her speed carry her most of the way across. The instant it became apparent that she wouldn’t make it, Gizmo straightened herself out and used her grappler to catch the side of the other cliff, tugging herself up to the top. She turned around and folded her arms, interested to see how her companion would make the journey.

The cat mimicked what the wolf had done, surprising her when he, too, used the Spin Dash. Despite his feline nature, Big’s jumping height was less than amazing, but that’s when he showed his hand. He raised his fishing rod above his head and pressed a button near the reel, causing a wide and bright white umbrella to sprout from the tip. Gizmo watched on with a slightly ajar mouth as the bulky boy, against all conventions of physics she knew, was loftily carried across the gap. He gripped onto the rocks just a few meters above the water, folded up the umbrella, then swiftly climbed the rest of the way.

“Well, it all started when I was a kitten,” he began to tell the lady lupine as they walked down the path and climbed a short rise, “I was a small, skinny thing, and one day, I was stuck in a pretty bad storm.”

Gizmo found herself smiling at the image of a scrawny little Big, perhaps even smaller than Miles had been as a child, that popped up in her head. At the same time, picturing such an innocent boy desperately trying to stay out of the rain and cowering from lightning tugged at her heart. It brought up memories of how her adopted younger brother used to be terrified of storms, and the way he would cling to her, Gadget, or their parents whenever one rolled around.

“I was really sad, because I was cold, wet, and hungry,” the cat continued, the two of them passing over a narrow strip to where the cliffs got higher, “but before things got worse, that’s when Froggy showed up. Thanks to him, we found a dry place to take shelter and a good spot to fish. After that, we hung out pretty much all the time.” His muzzle broke out into a broad smile. “He taught me the best places to fish, what else can and can’t be eaten, and where some neat spots on the island are.”

While she couldn’t comment on just how smart certain Critters could be, Gizmo wasn’t about to knock Big for making friends with one and learning from it. Miles, after all, had befriended the Flickies on Cocoa Island, and had actually learned how to understand them and translate what they said. Maybe it was the same with the feline and his frog friend? In any case, the pair of them scaled up another handful of ledges to a tunnel that went straight through the cliff face at the end of the islet. A trio of natural pillars descended from there, the wolf and cat using their grappler and umbrella to move to the next big piece of earth.

“Anyway, we were looking around one day when we found this pretty place with lots of crystals,” Big told her as they went down the path to yet another rise, “that’s the Hidden Palace, and where I met Knuckles. He was really mad that someone got in, but his folks didn’t seem to mind.” The huge guy chuckled. “That happened a lot, me getting in and him getting upset. He never tried to hurt me, though, no matter how angry he got.”

The wolf tilted her head. “Sounds like something of a game you two had going.”

“Hmm, maybe,” the cat considered, “he did always try something different to stop me.” He shook his head after a moment. “But, after his parents were gone, he stopped getting angry with me so much. He started trying to teach me things instead, like how to carve wood and do maths. I think it’s because he was afraid I was gonna leave, too, even if he told me to get out of the Hidden Palace all the time.”

Gizmo had to admit, Knuckles still sounded like something of a jerk, but one with a good heart, at least. Of course, she had sympathy for his loss as well, although she couldn’t understand it herself, nor did she wish to anytime soon. Still, that he was antagonistic towards Miles wasn’t doing him any favors in her book. However, like she’d pondered earlier, maybe having Big in her corner could help remedy that.

They crossed a second set of three plateaus and arrived at the foot of a much taller one. Big made use of his natural climbing ability to climb the rocky wall, while Gizmo got a head start with a Spin Dash to run up as much of it as she could. Not being as fast as Sonic or Miles, she was barely able to make it to the top, using her cable to anchor herself. From there, they could see that they were close to the northern shore of the lake now, though it was still a considerable distance from their current position. Even at her full speed and tool at the ready, Gizmo was certain she would fall short before reaching the shore, and as floaty as it seemed, Big’s umbrella probably wouldn’t cut it either.

A glint of blue caught the corner of one of her eyes, one that wasn’t coming from the water. Big tilted his head as the wolf went over to one spot in the grass at the top of the plateau and started sifting through the blades. After a couple of moments, he heard Gizmo let out a happy woof as she held her prize in the air, none other than the blue Chaos Emerald.

‘Yes!’ she thought excitedly, ‘first the Pikkon Hammer, now one of the Emeralds. Helping Big out with his search has been more productive than I thought it would be.’

Just before she went over to the cat to show her prize, something else grabbed her attention. There was a flurry of movement on the shore they were looking to get to, where she spotted a dark figure rushing through the brush. Her ears could pick up the crashing of leaves and branches, but her eyes couldn’t keep up. What it was, it was moving too quickly for her to get a proper bead on it, and as suddenly as it had become known, it vanished. Even the sounds it had been producing had ceased completely, leaving Gizmo more confused.

“What’d you find?” Big asked her.

Shaken from her thoughts by his timely interruption, the wolf flashed a grin and showed him the gem. His eyes lit up with recognition and he came closer to get a better look.

“Wow, I haven’t seen one of those in years,” the cat remarked happily, “not since they disappeared from the Hidden Palace.”

Gizmo looked at him more intently upon hearing that. “Wait, the Chaos Emeralds used to be here?”

“Indeed they were, wolf.”

The wolf and cat whirled around, seeing Knuckles standing by the top of the cliff they’d just climbed, both fists raised as he stared the former down.

After taking a moment, Miles and Sonic resumed their journey through the blimp. They proceeded down the long hallway that they guessed was halfway through the craft, then went upwards this time through a vertical cylinder that was enclosed on the top except for a small opening. A red spring sent them up into a three-quarters loop, over a platform by using curves in the ceiling, and in front of more metal hangers and a couple of Nezus at the end of the ride. Both used the bars to move down to the next level, avoiding a few floor traps and winding into a complete loop through another cylinder. The two were dumped into a half-pipe that put them in front of a floor switch, with a bizarre spiraling lift that went lower into the ship. A declining ramp guided them to a second one, the two deciding to get off at the halfway point and traveling down a hall to a platform at the back.

The fox and hedgehog briefly braved the underside of the dirigible, passing through a couple tunnels before shooting up an access shaft. Dodging a flame hazard, they took down a pair of beetle Badniks and used a spring to boost themselves into the following room, where they slid beneath a crushing trap and happened upon a third lift that went back up. At the top, they utilized the pressure from a flamethrower’s panel to launch themselves onto a high ledge. And just like sometime ago, they found themselves at a fork, with one path going up and the other continuing beneath a floor shutter with a switch nearby.

“Want to split up again?” Miles asked his protege in adventuring.

Sonic shrugged and sported an unconcerned smile. “If that’s what you wanna do.”

The teen answered him by stepping on the switch and going down the path below without him. Chuckling, the hoglet glanced up and saw that a few panels were sticking out of the walls every so often. Thanks to some fancy footwork, he easily cleared his way to the top, flipping over the flames of yet another obstacle and springing up to a higher floor. He Spin Dashed through a few Badniks on the way to a spring, his vision spinning as he traveled the divots in the floors and ceiling for a good few seconds. He went into a roll down a steep drop, uncurling as the route flattened out and using his momentum to leap clear to a far ledge. From there, it was a matter of hopping over a few gaps while maintaining his speed. The path took a dive once again, swerving upwards into a series of springs that brought Sonic in front of a flamethrower. He dodged the fire with a timely Rolling Jump, running over a switch and depositing him on course to a loop, taking a few Nezus out of commission. A downward trip through a mesh cylinder sent him above a few traps, into the path of a couple beetles, and finally put him at the foot of one of those odd lifts.

Miles shot from the end of a loop and was ready to go up the next incline until he found a hollow point in the floor. There, he uncovered a passage that guided him down a short hallway to what amounted to a manhole cover. Below it, he Rolled down several meters of twists and turns to a longer tunnel, using the rise at the end like a ramp to shoot into the air. Thanks to his tails, he was able to get to an outcropping close to the ceiling of that chamber, opening the door to a spiral lift. He unlocked the gate and passed under a few crushing iron spheres when the time was right, seeing another lift between himself and the next ledge. He sprinted so he wouldn’t be squished by the platforms, and opened what seemed to be the umpteenth door that brought him to a lift. Only this time, he found Sonic waiting for him on one of the spirals coming down!

“Hey, Tails!” he hailed the fox as he joined him on the way down.

Miles smirked and rode down with his partner to a hall with a floor switch at the end of it. “Hey, Sonic. It took less time for us to meet up than before. Must mean we’re getting close.”

“Let’s bring this bird down!” the boy proclaimed.

They descended the shaft atop an iron platform as the magnetic field wore off, only to find four more that served as a way to reach a far-off ledge. The fox chose to hoist the hedgehog onto his shoulders and circumvent such a route, flying them right to their destination and over a large number of mines. They grabbed hold of a hanger that brought them around the outside of a cylinder, using a few more to dive deeper into the ship. Past a floor switch, crushing traps, and Badniks, a spiral lift put them beneath the same mesh structure they’d just maneuvered past. 

Spin Dashing their way up the vertical climb, they hopped across two seemingly final platforms to the entrance of a huge open room. An immense, noisy machine dominated most of the space, which Miles presumed to be the main generator of the Kukku Dirigible. High above, there was also a curious glass dome attached to a metallic drum that was pointed down at the chamber, one that the vulpine noticed was slowly moving  his direction. He squinted up at it as light started to gather behind the glass, and a high-pitched whirring rang in his ears, slowly becoming more frequent. He jumped away the moment the noise ceased, looking on as a sky-blue beam of light fired into the spot he’d just been standing in, searing through the metal and causing an explosion of shrapnel from the destroyed flooring.

“That’s one heck of a defense system,” Sonic commented as he Jumped upward and gave it a good whack, barely denting the thing.

Miles eyed up the speed of its movement and charging period, stroking under his chin as he then glanced at the core. “A pretty poor place to have one like this, though.” He grinned as an idea formed in his head. “We won’t even have to lift a finger to ground this blimp. Follow my lead, Sonic.”

The fox started to jog at a leisurely pace, checking behind and above him to make sure that the beam projector was following his movements. When he saw that it was, he smirked and changed course to run around the perimeter of the room in a lazy, but swift circle. After a few seconds, it attempted to blast him again, but a flick of his tails got him out of harm’s way without any issue. Sonic hopped over the new hole in the floor and stuck out his tongue at the machine to try and coax it into tracking him instead. Either due to movement detection or someone controlling it, the weapon did just that, hounding the hedgehog as it charged up a third attack. This, too, only succeeded in busting up more of the arena, as the kid was far too fast for the beam to come anywhere close to hitting him.

Thrice more, the heroes repeated this approach, pushing the security into leaving gashes and pits in the solid steel. Now that he was certain that it, or whoever was controlling it, was willing to do whatever it took to take them down, Miles put his plan into action. Both he and Sonic backed themselves close to the generator, eyes fixed on that dome as it filled with that pale blue light once more. When it was a couple of seconds away from being released, they bounded to the top of the blimp’s core and taunted the projector. And just as the fox had predicted, it adjusted its course so that it was right above them when it let loose.

Unfortunately for the Kukkus, the seventh attempt wasn’t their lucky break. The projector fizzled and sparked the instant its beam pierced the generator, and the aircraft let out a horrid metallic groan as the engines started to shut down. Feeling the sensation of a pit in their stomachs from the impending drop, Miles and Sonic scrambled for the nearest exit. They scaled a few ledges and Spin Dashed up walls to reach a shaft with sunlight coming in from above, giving them a way to reach the upper deck. Up there, they landed on a narrow walkway and found one last structure between them and the very front of the blimp, presumably one of the cabins that soldiers monitored things from.

However, that wasn’t the only obstacle waiting for them at the end of this place. A tropical bird robot that was somewhat bigger than both of the Animals put together flew in and grabbed onto the catwalk with its talons. Its colorations were mainly chestnut brown with a blackish head and rump, its tail a bright yellow aside from two dark central feathers. It had a bare blue cheek patch and a pink wattle, brown eyes, and a long black bill that was red at the tip.

“Huh, a Montezuma oropendola,” Miles said as he identified the species it was based on, “interesting choice. Wonder what possessed the doc to make this one?”

The oropendola hopped from its perch and came down on them with a peck, causing both of the boys to scatter. Just as the hoglet came in to counter with a Jump, the bot clutched the walkway once more and swung to the underside with ease. Still in motion, it rounded about the metal and came in for another strike, just barely missing Sonic and nearly knocking him off. Miles tossed a few bombs at the thing, managing to score at least one hit, then dove off the side and flew in when it dodged and went below. But before he could get in close, the construct turned its head and let loose a gout of flame from its beak, forcing the teen to ascend to avoid it.

“Whoa, this bird’s packing heat!” Sonic quipped, earning him a pointed “boo” from his partner for the pun, “oh come on, it wasn’t that bad!”

The fox landed next to him and gestured at both their foe and the snowy mountains they were slowly dropping towards. “We can make all the jokes we want after this is over. We’ve got to beat this thing before the ship crashes!”

“Fine, fine,” the kid muttered as he waved nonchalantly, “but stop playing around if you’re gonna rush me!”

The fox rolled his eyes, but his partner was right. They didn’t have the time to mess about, and his habit of going easy had bitten him in the tails more than once. With that in mind, Miles activated the ESP and cloaked himself in a Flame Shield, then rushed in at the oropendola for another go. It twitched and let out a cack as it spewed fire in his direction, only for a fireball to rip through the stream and drive itself straight into the nozzle in its beak. Miles returned topside and positioned himself so that the bird was now between him and his partner. Sonic sprinted at the bird, Rolling under its searing breath and then skirting along the edge of the catwalk to Jump up into its throat.

The oropendola screeched as it swung backwards from the hit, rotating around the metal outside of its control. Miles took advantage of this vulnerable moment by delivering another Fireball Spin Dash, dislodging one of the robot’s feet from its perch. It chose to take flight and home in on the hedgehog, seeing as it couldn’t follow him into the air like the fox could, pecking at the boy while flames licked its beak. Sonic yelped as the ground around him began to melt away from the super-heated strikes, backing himself closer and closer to the shaft they’d come up. He chanced a Jump once the automaton got close enough, pushing off of its frame and landing on the other side of the hole. The boy pulled down an eyelid and blew a raspberry at the oropendola, and when it flew in to take the bait, he sprang across the gap and let the thing’s upper torso get caught in the space.

“All yours, Tails!” he called over to his partner, “let’s pluck this guy’s feathers and get the heck out of here!”

Miles chose not to comment on that phrasing, instead going straight for their foe. He flew forward with another fiery Dash and drove the oropendola further into the hole, ricocheting off the frame and going into a Jump. Like a rubber ball, he bounced up and down on the backside of the bird repeatedly, driving it deeper down where they came from. When it appeared that it had gotten stuck well enough that it couldn't get itself free even if it tried its hardest, the fox rocketed off the deck, flying higher and higher until he felt he was at a good height.

“As pretty as you are, I don’t have the time to admire you or your internals,” he said in a low voice, “so let’s just end this, nothing super fancy.”

Miles canceled the movement of his tails and went into a Drop Attack, building up more and more velocity each second. Finally, he hammered down into the oropendola and rebounded off of it as its body scraped down the tunnel. He heard the metal creak and protest from both the robot and the ship, and looked back for just a moment to see it pass through the shaft into the depths of the blimp. If his attack didn’t total it, then the impending crash would take it out along with the warship.

“Let’s blow this blimp before we blow up with it!” Sonic shouted to him, busting down the door to the cabin at the end of the walkway.

The fox hurried after him, running through a short and mostly empty hall until his partner ran into an emergency hatch at the far end of it. Instead of simply opening it, the hedgehog smashed it off its hinges and grabbed the edges of it, anchoring his feet against it like a board. Jumping out after him, the teen discovered that the Tornado was also right there, though Sonic fell past it, aiming at the mountains below.

“You crazy kid!” he yelled after the hoglet, even though he knew he couldn’t be heard over the wind and the collapsing dirigible.

He steered himself so that he landed on the top wings of his partner’s plane, startling Gadget and Fuchsia with his sudden entrance.

“Dude, a little warning next time,” the red wolf scolded him, “I almost lost control!”

“Sorry, Gad, you know how it is with hasty exits,” Miles tried to play it off, though he couldn’t help but be worried about his companion, “but I can’t stick around; I’ve got to go after that damn adrenaline junkie.”

Fuchsia giggled. “Don’t have too much fun. We’re gonna go find Gizzy and Big, then meet up with you two later.”

“Sounds good to me,” the fox replied, “we’ll bring the Kukkus’ operation down together!”

He flashed his brother and the cat a peace sign, then leapt up and let the Tornado soar ahead of him. Miles narrowed his eyes as he went into a dive, spotting where Sonic was after a few seconds. He also traced a path of where the hedgehog’s improvised snowboarding would take him, assuming it worked out, and prepared to rendezvous at that point.

‘And once we’re on the other side of this range, we’ll be at the Empire’s doorstep,’ he thought to himself, ‘you better be ready, Fukurokov.’

Chapter Text

As the slopes of the snowy mountains drew closer with each second of his fall, Sonic positioned himself so that his makeshift “board” would land at an angle favorable to making a smooth transition. While he’d never gone snowboarding before, he figured that it was close enough to skateboarding that he could figure it out as he went. He also knew that he was far from properly prepared for the environment here, but he figured that Miles had something to help warm him up. If not, he could always just bundle up in the fox’s fur for a short while, assuming the big guy would allow it. Maybe the Flame Shield could heat him up in case the teen wasn’t feeling so amenable.

The hedgehog was nearly thrown from his ride as it hit the powder, the grinding of metal against snow filling his ears, along with a rush of air as he shot downhill. The wind whipped in his face, just as frigid as his new surroundings, though it felt good despite the biting cold. He squinted his eyes so that they wouldn’t water so much, but also kept them open enough so that he could take a gander at his surroundings. As he’d often seen in pictures and entertainment, there were many other tall, snowy mountains around him, boasting steep slopes and dotted with numerous white-capped trees. Further down and out, he could make out a huge river flowing through the range, carrying many ice floes along with it. All of this was rather picturesque with a fresh layer of flakes coming down.

He sped down the path, weaving this way and that through a series of trees that had shed their leaves as the decline became less extreme. It even out some more further down, but not so much that the speed-loving hedgehog couldn’t appreciate the ride. When given the choice to take a detour and enjoy the scenery a bit more or heading straight for a cliff, the thrill-seeking boy naturally went for the latter. Sonic jumped off the edge of the frosted rock face and jerked his body back as he held the front of his board. He counted a few dozen back-flips, twists and rolls before he had to come down, nailing a perfect landing. He imagined he probably broke several sports records with that one jump alone, and wished that he had an audience besides the fox that was undoubtedly trailing behind him.

The hoglet went off a second jump, going into a cartwheel-style flip this time while grabbing the broken door’s heel edge with his lead hand. He saw a third cliff up ahead and was ready to freestyle some more, only to back off on that when he saw the sudden drop just beyond it. To his delight, he picked up even more speed, not minding that the whipping wind was making his muzzle tingle and sting a little. What didn’t thrill him was that as this route neared its end, there were sheer cliffs on all sides, and a great big hole past the bottom of the slope. He did his best to try and slow down by steering his improvised board in wide turns, but it did little to stop him from sailing over the final jump. 

The kid swung his board into the oncoming wall, grimacing as he was thrown off his ride and into a pile of snow below, which was subsequently added to because of his crash. His natural knack for burrowing got him out in a snap, shaking off everything but the goosebumps in his skin. The sound of a shoe tapping against the snow met his ears, and he turned around to see that Miles was waiting for him just a little deeper in the cave. He was leaning against one of the walls with an outstretched arm, one foot crossed over the other as it padded the ground, pretending that he was examining his claws through his gloves.

“How’d you beat me to the bottom?” Sonic couldn’t help wondering.

The fox peered down at him with a grin as he adjusted his shades. “Same way as when we first raced: I’m just faster than you.”

“For now,” the boy grumbled, dusting the remnants of his snowy bath off.

The teen chuckled and reached into his pouch to grab the Miles Electric. “At least you got to go snowboarding, like you said you wanted to. Did you have fun?”

“For how short it was, it was pretty cool, no pun intended.”

Miles hummed at that, his attention more focused on the Emerald Radar. Aside from the four gems that they already had, the nearest one was due west from their current location, likely close to the river he’d spied while descending. While that was a little ways off, there was one much further than that in roughly the same direction, which the fox assumed was the one the Kukkus had. And the last one was southwest, almost as far as the previously mentioned stone, though it was steadily moving northward. Maybe Gizmo and their new acquaintance had managed to get their hands on it?

With their course set, he put his multitool away and swiveled around to face the interior of the cavern, finding a decently thick wall of ice in front of him. Sonic came up to his side and eyed up the obstacle, nodding his head after a moment.

“Looks like there’s a way forward on the other side,” he observed.

Miles rapped his knuckles on the frozen barrier. “We should be able to plow through this with a good Spin Dash. Ready to get going?”

“Better sooner than later,” Sonic remarked, hugging himself and rubbing his arms, “the more I stand around, the more I feel the cold.”

A sentiment that the teen certainly agreed with, even though he was more suited for this sort of environment. Both knelt down and revved up in sync, then barreled through the ice like it was soft dirt. Part of the ceiling collapsed behind them, caving in that entrance as they Rolled off a ledge and into the place, where they got a better look at what awaited them. Cold blue and black walls with pillars of hoarfrost were strewn about, as well as strange blue and green decorations with other colorful blocks set among them. A mostly enclosed blue platform connected to a green link of chain rested against the end of the stretch of rock they stood atop of, something Miles would have thought was out of place if it weren’t for a certain echidna inhabiting the island. What could it be used for, though?

Sonic didn’t wait for him to posit its purpose before going ahead and dashing into the thing. Rather than break through the back of it, the platform took his momentum and swung upwards, giving him the height needed to make a jump over a short drop over to a sheer outcropping. Miles was quick to follow when his ears picked up the sound of fracturing ice, flying over and getting his partner to more solid ground just as the ledge crumbled away. A pile of ice blocks acted as a step ladder for them to reach the cliff beyond it, continuing until they came to a dead end.

They weren’t left trying to find a path for long, though, when the floor broke under their feet. They fell a few meters into a slippery decline, which they rode down to some flatter ground and went through a brief tunnel. At the other end, the path went even further down into the cavern, and there was a sizable bowl-shaped platform attached to one wall. Sonic jumped over to it without waiting for Miles to see if it would be safe, his weight dislodging the block from the surrounding ice and causing it to carry him along as it descended further. The fox went down after him, using his arms to keep steady as he “skated” and jumped to keep his footing, until the platform with the hedgehog crashed through a thick layer of frost.

From there, they narrowly avoided more ice caving in on top of them, exiting into a chamber that looked like it reached just as high as they’d gone down so far. Miles spotted a few of those swinging platforms like the one they’d seen just a couple minutes ago, but also figured he could fly up on his own. Sonic decided to make the journey without him, giving himself a running start and springing up high to kick off a wall towards the first one. It shot up enough for him to reach the second, where he had to use a Spin Dash to build up the proper speed and momentum to get to the third platform. He and the fox reached the top of the room at roughly the same time, where they came upon a new sort of Badnik.

There were a pair of penguins about half the size of Miles in height, with black bodies covered in blue armor. They also had long plated arms, silver bellies, thin orange feet, and glowing cyan eyes that sat above a sharp yellow beak. Upon spotting the pair of heroes, the robots waddled their way over with their optics narrowed, trying to look intimidating. This had the opposite effect, getting a good laugh from both boys, who only stopped when the birds charged forward with a belly slide. The attacks didn’t stand up to a Spin Dash, though, which the Animals used to take out their foes. They stayed curled up as they bounced down several small rises in the ground, ending in a short drop down a chasm onto a snowy ledge. A trip down a nearby slope gave them the chance to avoid a pitfall and leap to an outcropping, though the ground there wasn’t as stable as it appeared.

The sudden drop made Miles and Sonic Roll up to minimize any damage they took as they skidded and tumbled down the declines in the ice. After a few seconds, they found themselves going back uphill and were stopped when they ran into a similar block that Sonic rode earlier. Considering that one opened up a passage, this gave the kid an idea.

“Let’s push this down and see where it takes us!” the hoglet suggested.

Miles hopped to it, getting on the other side of the platform and pushing into it with both hands and one shoulder. Sonic moved next to him and did the same, their efforts getting the thing to budge after a moment. Once it started gaining its own momentum, the two jumped aboard and held on as best they could as it slid down the slope. It served as a shield as it carried them over icy stalagmites, bounced and shot down a few more rocky shelves, and eventually broke down several thin walls in their way. The platform ultimately broke apart when it struck a cliff that was too thick for it to smash through, leaving them with little choice but for the fox to use his flight to carry them up to the next leg of the journey.

Miles and Sonic ran down a few more “steps”, momentarily startled when they rose upward and tried to crush them against the cavern ceiling. After getting out of that danger, they traveled down a ramp over another set of terraces, dropping into a narrow shaft to the top of a powdery hill. The teen spotted one of those swinging platforms at the bottom, along with a few more penguin Badniks. The duo ran and went into Rolling Attacks, letting the slope build up their speed enough that they destroyed the robots and sent the chained hunk of metal lurching upward. At the peak of its rise, Miles flew the two of them onto the cliff above, where he found that the chamber went higher still. And from up there, they could see sunlight pouring in from the end of a passage just across a wide gap. 

The two didn’t waste any time in getting over to the tunnel and running through it to find a hill just outside. They had wound up much closer to the river with the ice floes that they’d spotted when they initially entered the area, and the sun was dipping lower towards the western horizon. While there was still plenty of light left, the warmest part of the day was behind them by now, meaning it would only get colder there as time went on.

“Hey, Tails, how close are we to the Emerald?” Sonic asked him, leaning in against his companion.

Miles adjusted the Radar on the Miles Electric and subconsciously draped one of his tails around the younger Animal. “Just a bit further, kid. From what I can see, if we follow the path of the river, it’ll lead us to where it should be.”

“Then it’s a clear shot to the Kukku HQ, so let’s go!” the boy proclaimed in his ever energetic tone. Although, he didn’t move from his position with the fluffy limb wrapped around him. “Just gimme a couple seconds.”

The fox chuckled, but didn’t move his tail away. “Sure thing, partner.”

With that guy that gave her brother and young friend a bit of roughing up right in front of her, Gizmo was tempted to reach for her blaster. However, given what Big had told her about Knuckles, and not wanting to exacerbate the Guardian’s already negative opinion of her group, she thought better about drawing her weapon. She figured she wouldn’t have been able to contend with him anyway, seeing as Miles was unable to do so on his own. And all that aside, she had plenty of questions for him, though she wasn’t expecting him to be the most cooperative sort.

“Hey, Knuckles,” Big happily greeted his friend, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air.

A ghost of a smile flashed across the echidna’s face, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared. “I am relieved that you are unharmed, Big. Now, step away so that I may deal with her.”

“Whoa now, can’t we be civil about this?” the teal wolf proposed, her hands raised with her palms up, “I’m just trying to help find this fellow’s friend, nothing nefarious.”

“You lie!” Knuckles spat with an accusatory edge, “I can sense the depleted Chaos Emerald in your possession!”

Gizmo flinched at both the sting of his tone and the fact that he knew about the blue gem. If he had his own natural form of the Emerald Radar, then it meant that he likely knew where Miles was. That could prove quite the potential problem if they couldn’t win his trust. Meanwhile, Big’s own smile faded into a frown of concern as he put one of his burly arms in the space between the other two Animals.

“I think talking to that old owl’s gotten to you, buddy,” he told the monotreme, “I don’t like it when you’re like this, and this is worse than normal.”

Visible irritation flowed across Knuckles’ face. “You have always been too lax about everything, Big. And it is clear this temptress has taken advantage of that.”

“Now now, let’s all settle down,” the cat said evenly, now placing himself more firmly between the both of them, “no one needs to get hurt.”

The wolf bit back some choice words, knowing they wouldn’t help her. She could tell from the look in the echidna’s purple eyes, however, that he wasn’t about to abide by this.

“She is working with the two-tailed fox to bring ruin to our home,” he insisted, pointing at her with one fist, “do not be taken in by her deceptions!”

“Oi!” Gizmo protested, her fur bristling and fangs showing, “I don’t take kindly to being labeled a liar and other unflattering, untrue things! Besides,” she carried on, her scowl shifting to a smirk, “why are you wasting time on me? I thought you were worried about my little brother.”

Before anyone else could chime in, a deafening boom sounded from the direction of the mountains. While they couldn’t see the source of the disturbance, the three Animals could make out a few large plumes of smoke rising over the range. Simultaneously, a heavy metal ringtone went off from Gizmo’s comm and Knuckles’ own unit from the doctor started blaring at him. And, at the same time, both attended to their respective calls while still glaring at one another.

“Sis, where are you right now?” Gadget’s voice called out once the wolf picked up.

“Knuckles, come in!” squawked Dr. Fukurokov, sounding notably more frantic than the lupine on the other line.

Gizmo chose to take this moment to slink off to the side while Knuckles was busy with his own dealings. Much as she didn’t want to leave without helping Big accomplish his goal, she considered she would likely have to flee if the Guardian got any more aggressive.

“I’m on the plateau in the middle of a place called Azure Lake,” she replied, “it’s on the south side of the mountains around where the Battle Moon landed, north of the jungle. I might need you for a quick escape; Big and I found one of the Emeralds, but then Knuckles showed up.”

“Oh no! We gotta go help her, Gaddy!” Fuchsia exclaimed over the radio.

The teal twin covered her mouth to muffle a snorting snicker, but the growl on Gadget’s end made it clear he heard her. To her further amusement, it trailed off into an embarrassed groan after a couple of seconds.

“Hun, I thought we agreed you’d only call me that when we’re in private together,” the red twin grumbled over the frequency, then sighed after a moment, “anyway, Sis, we’ll be over there soon and fill you in on what’s happened.”

“Hang tight, Gizzy!” the other cat cheered her on.

As for the doctor and the Guardian, their conversation had gone on at pretty much the same pace.

“Miles Prower and his hedgehog companion have taken down my main supply ship!” the owl informed the echidna, clearly upset by the major loss, “not only that, but they’re en route to my base via the pass in the Ice Cap Mountains that you showed us!”

As pressing as that sounded, Knuckles couldn’t help but keep a wary eye on that sneaky wolf. “I regret to say that the elusive presence remains so, doctor. However, a member of the fox’s group is right in front of me, along with a Chaos Emerald.”

“Leave them,” Fukurokov commanded him, “I need your muscles back at the main facility. You don’t want to see what will happen if the two-tailed fox reaches the Dragon’s Egg, do you?”

Knuckles was having none of it, though he was concerned by the possibility the doctor brought up. “Apologies, doctor, but you had me wait when I could have faced them down at the Marble Garden. It has proven unwise to hesitate when there is an opportunity, if your latest misfortune is anything to go by. It will take only a moment to deal with this one, and then I shall come help you.”

“Bah, fine,” the old engineer compromised after a moment, the reluctance evident in his tone, “but be quick about it! By my estimates, that dastardly duo will reach the outer limits of my facility within the next twenty minutes!”

The echidna switched off the comm and pounded his fists together as he returned his full attention to his quarry. “It will not take me long.”

Gizmo adopted a more defensive stance as she saw that Knuckles was finished with his conversation as well. She had expected him to be stubborn, but she didn’t think he would be this unwilling to work things out, nor so single-minded in fulfilling his supposed duty. Sure, Big was here with her, but he didn’t seem like much of a fighter, and the echidna made it apparent he wasn’t about to be talked down by the cat as he just slipped right by him. Honestly, she was a bit scared at the prospect of having to throw down with this guy, but she wasn’t about to let him walk all over her and do her in. Besides, it wasn’t as though she had to defeat him; she merely had to keep him busy long enough for the others to swoop in and give her an out.

“Do not think I will restrain myself simply because you are a female,” Knuckles warned her as he put up his dukes.

The teal wolf scoffed and shifted her footing a bit. “Much as I don’t want to fight, I’d be insulted if you did.”

The Guardian started off proceedings by dashing in for a straight from his right, which Gizmo managed to avoid by pivoting to one side. Using her longer legs, she tried to sweep him from the edge of her reach, but he saw it coming and jumped over the attempted attack. Thinking fast, she curled up while she was still low to the ground and charged the echidna with a sudden Spin Dash. He brought up his hands to block her, skidding back a few meters in the dirt before shifting his arms and throwing the teal sphere high into the air. With no place to grapple that would help slow her fall, the wolf felt herself helplessly drop, hoping that the Dash would mitigate most of the damage. Instead, Knuckles Jumped up and knocked her out of the balled up state, leaving her tumbling across the grass and stopping just short of slipping over the side of a cliff.

Seeing how out of her depth she was physically, Gizmo drew her blaster pistol and set it to stun, leaving it at a high setting to account for the assumed durability of her foe. She took careful aim as her other hand stayed behind her, then gave a few quick squeezes of the trigger. Knuckles weaved and dodged around the energy shots, one glove drawn back and starting to spark over the front. The explosive punch would have hit the wolf, had she not used her cable to snag a bit of earth and yank herself away just in time. Getting back to her feet, she let loose another burst of rounds while she reached into her pouches, digging around for anything that might be useful. Once again, she couldn’t hit her mark thanks to the Guardian’s speed and fine-tuned reflexes, at which point, she decided to holster her weapon. She reasoned if it couldn’t even slow the guy down, it wasn’t going to do her any good to keep it drawn.

Taking a daring approach, the she-wolf sprinted at Knuckles, her right hand finally picking something she thought would work against him. He slid forward and prepared to meet her with a one-two combo, but was left swinging at air when she pounced over him instead of striking back. When she landed, she somersaulted over to Big’s side and flipped her goggles down over her eyes.

“Big, close your eyes and cover your ears,” she told him just loud enough for him to hear while her opponent could not.

The cat was perplexed at the order, but didn’t argue, doing as Gizmo directed. She chucked the silvery orb in her palm at Knuckles, then turned away and pressed her hands entirely over her ears. As he’d been wont to do this battle, the echidna dodged out the way of the projectile, smirking as it fell short and dropped out of the air. His expression promptly vanished when a sudden bang caused his eyes to burn as his vision went white. As if that wasn’t enough, the sound that the blast emitted caused his ears to start ringing with the worst case of tinnitus he’d ever experienced. On top of all that, he was hit with a strong concussive force from the physical aspect of the blinding explosion. All of those sensations put together forced him to one knee as he clutched at his temple with a hand.

“Damn your tricks, she-wolf!” Knuckles swore as he tried pushing himself upright again.

Gizmo didn’t hesitate to run at the Guardian while he was disoriented, seeing it as her best chance to inflict some sort of damage on him. To her surprise, when she came in for a spinning kick, he managed to easily block the blow with his other arm, and it didn’t look like a blind attempt. Knuckles let out a short and airy laugh as though he could feel her shock, his arm not even quivering as the wolf pushed against it.

“You may have blinded and deafened me, but I can still sense your latent Chaos Energy!” he boasted, shrugging her boot off of him.

Knuckles proved very quickly that there was indeed some bite to his bark, springing back to his feet and tossing a few punches that were definitely aimed Gizmo’s way. The wolf brought up her palms to block the fists, but even with both sets of gloves to cushion the blows, her hands down to her wrists flared up with searing hot pain. Not wanting to risk having her arms broken, Gizmo was forced to take a hit in the torso, her breath coming out in a harsh gasp as she was socked in the sternum. The full weight of the punch kicked in the next second, sending the lupine flying straight for several meters before she tumbled across the plateau like a rag doll. Once her world stopped spinning, the canine Animal groaned and let out a pained cough as she tried to catch her breath and get up.

The echidna was gracious enough to allow her to stand, but not so much that he would wait for her to be entirely ready. The moment Gizmo was on her feet, Knuckles rushed in again, even as her hands were still on her knees. He was ready to give her a nasty hook, but found it stopped by a brown leather glove before it could connect. Both combatants saw Big now standing between them, his arm shaking a little as he held back the Guardian’s mighty fist.

“Out of my way, Big!” Knuckles yelled, the feline’s fingers locking his hand in place, unable to pull free, “she must be dealt with!”

For the first time since she met him, the wolf saw a mildly angry expression on the cat’s face. “No, stop it! You’re hurting my new friend, Knuckles!”

“She is conspiring with a monster that means to destroy our home and take the Master Emerald for himself!” 

Gizmo would have liked nothing more than to set things straight about why Miles and them were really here, but the echidna obviously wasn’t keen on the idea. He used his free hand to rapidly dig up the earth beneath him, making Big let go of his other glove once he was in deep. The wolf recalled him doing something like this during his fight with Miles, and kept her ears and eyes open for any disturbances in the ground. She stumbled back as Knuckles popped up in front of her, knocking her away with a surprise Rolling Jump and going into a glide to try and get her with the spikes on his fists. He crashed into her and pinned her by the neck with one hand as he raised his other to deliver a coup de grace. Just before he could do the deed, he was yanked off of Gizmo and back through the air by a seemingly invisible thread, which the wolf saw was actually the line attached to Big’s fishing rod.

“It’s best if you go on, Giselle,” the huge Animal told her as he struggled to genuinely reel in the angry echidna.

“But, what about you, Big?” she asked, concerned for what Knuckles might do, “I don’t want you to get hurt on my account, and we still haven’t found Froggy yet!”

Big gave her one of those dopey, but understanding smiles she’d come to see him use often. “It’s okay, we’ll find him later. Now get going, alright?”

Reluctant as she was to leave him like this, Gizmo nodded and bolted towards the end of the plateau. She couldn’t run as fast as she liked due to the bumps and bruises she’d accrued, not to mention the pain in the top of her chest. To her relief, the wolf didn’t have to keep it up for long when the familiar roar of the Tornado’s rocket engine reached her ears. And just as well, for she heard a loud snap and a dismayed cry from Big, then the sound of shoes rapidly padding across the grass in her direction. She knew that Knuckles had broken free without having to glance back, and that he’d be on top of her if she didn’t take a leap of faith. To that end, she decided to take that idea literally, pushing herself as fast as she could go in spite of the aches and soreness, and then hurling herself up and over the edge of the cliff.

She let out a little laugh as her brother swooped in like he was part of some grand escape scene at the end of a movie, lining himself up to catch her on the wings. The teal wolf grunted in further pain as she slammed into the top of the aircraft, clutching onto the edge and using her grappler to secure her to one of the support poles. All at once, the full weight of her injuries and the exertion she forced upon herself hit her in that moment. Weathering the heaviness that caught up to her after the fight, it took a bit to realize that the red wolf was calling out to her.

“Giselle!” Gadget shouted up at her.

She lifted her head up and peered down over the wing at her twin and his girlfriend with a weak smile. “I’m alright, Gad. Just a bit out of it after getting my arse handed to me.”

“Yeah, I bet,” he replied, hands tensed over the yoke as he steered them towards the mountains, “do you need us to land and bandage you up at all?”

Gizmo shook her head lightly, feeling just a tad woozy after doing so. “N-not right now. Besides, we still have to get the blue Emerald to our little brother.”

“Are you sure, Gizzy?” Fuchsia inquired from the back seat, “you look like you could use it.”

“After we give the gem to Miles, then you can worry about me all you want,” the banged up wolf insisted, “let’s go!”

Shrugging, Gadget did as she said and adjusted their flight path in the direction of the fox’s comm signature. He hoped that the two were having a better time than they were.

“Okay, big guy, I’m good,” Sonic said as he pushed the fox’s tail off of him, “any longer and it would be awkward.”

Miles snorted with amusement, but didn’t feel like teasing his little buddy this time. “Well, if you’re ready, then let’s move!”

With a Spin Dash, they both blitzed down the other side of the hill and up a natural ramp in the snow, landing above a tunnel they saw on the way. The Emerald Radar indicated that the location of the stone was at about the same elevation they were, so now it was just a matter of distance. Further on, they found an arch of ice and snow that resembled part of those loops they occasionally came across, with a pair of penguin Badniks stationed atop it. Once those were dealt with, they found a purple platform suspended between a pair of chain links that were connected to the cliff in front of them and the edge of the half-loop.

While the older Animal flew on ahead, Sonic pounced onto the thing to see what its purpose could be, smirking when he found that the “chains” were more like bungee cords. With each bounce, the platform dipped lower and flipped him higher into the air, keeping it up until he could fly above the top of the wall, where Miles reached out and tugged him onto safe land. They ran through the curve of one loop, only to drop through another and launch off of another ramp onto a space next to a penguin. After getting past it, the pair flew across a wide gap to an arch on the opposite cliff, then leapt from there onto a loop and a ledge just beyond that. The boys went through an icy tunnel and found yet another loop, although this one didn’t appear to go anywhere except into the ground. Recalling that they did something similar back in the Hill Top Peaks of West Side Island, they utilized their Spin Dash and followed the curve of the loop into the earth.

Twisting and turning through a tunnel only fit for their spherical forms, the fox and hedgehog launched out the other side of the cliff into a packed bit of risen snow that let them reach greater heights. Defeating the lone penguin present there, they moved on across an icy bridge to a second seeming dead end, repeating what they did earlier and burrowing through another passage. Miles stopped them short just before they could go off the ramp at the end of the path, as the signal on the Radar recommended they keep going straight from there. He and Sonic sprinted over a bridge, through a single loop, and then Rolled into a double loop, flying high when they came to the expected gradient in the terrain at the end.

The two landed atop another of those bungee platforms, using it to get to the ledge just a few meters above. To the boys’ delight, there was a large store of Rings in this hidden nook between cliffs, but the real prize was just ahead. The Emerald Radar indicated that their target was within a small cave that was open on both sides. However, despite the device’s track record for accuracy, the two couldn’t find it when they looked around.

“That’s strange,” Miles mumbled as he tried tuning the device to better pinpoint the location, “the Radar says the Emerald is here, but I don’t see it here.”

Sonic zipped around the space several times, then came back in front of his partner and shrugged. “Maybe you can, I dunno, feel it out? You’ve had yours since you were really young, right? Try and find something like it.”

The fox supposed that it was worth a shot. If Knuckles was able to sense Chaos Energy like his multitool could, then he should be able to as well, given his nearly lifelong exposure. He shut his eyes and concentrated on the familiar sensation he’d grown to associate with the cyan Emerald. Weak though it was, he soon felt the warmth of the mineral’s essence from the pouch he kept it in, along with the other one he held. Like the hedgehog had suggested, he focused on trying to reach out and detect that same impression that the stones gave off. He picked up the presence of the other two Emeralds that Sonic was holding, and from there, he took a few steps around the area. 

After a moment, there was a fifth presence that was distinct from their combined numbers. Miles followed it to one of the corners in the cave, then opened his eyes to see there was a small part of something sticking out of the ground that resembled ice, but he knew it wasn’t. Dusting away a bit of snow on the ground, the teen uncovered the faded white Emerald and subsequently placed it into one of his belt pouches.

‘I wish I’d thought of this sooner,’ he admitted internally, ’if I can further develop this ability, I won’t need the Emerald Radar function on the Miles Electric.’

“Alright, we're ready to go, Tails?” Sonic asked him, eager to move on to a warmer place.

Miles shook his head to clear it and smiled at the kid. “Yeah, we’re good. The Kukku’s base should be on the other side of the next ridge coming up, too.”

“Awesome!” he cheered, “we can beat the birds, grab the last Emeralds, and be back in time for dinner!”

The teen wanted to share in Sonic’s enthusiasm, but he doubted it would be that simple. Every adventure he’d had since his first encounter with the Empire had always ended up becoming bigger and more complicated, sometimes only by a little, and other times by a lot. The Battle Moon had been an example of the latter, but then, he doubted anyone aside from the avians had been expecting a fully armed space station. Some would say he had a knack for things like this, but really, it was just experience telling him it would turn out that way with this latest conflict.

All the same, the two of them continued, carefully navigating the cliffs back down. Once they were by the shoreline of the freezing river running through the chilly mountains, they spotted some fresh green in the distance just past the tops of the lower hills. Just a bit further, there was the imposing top of the Battle Moon’s shape, the insignia of the Empire seeming to stare back at them from above the trees. And unlike most of the places they’d been so far, the boys didn’t find any further opposition after acquiring the gem. They had a straight shot to their destination for once.

‘Fingers crossed that this will finally be the end of it,’ the fox swore to himself, ‘that no one else will have to suffer like the folks of Cocoa Island and West Side Island!’

The pair of heroes took off in a blur, speeding through the snow towards the west. Neither had noticed the mess of metal parts floating along with the ice floes in the river, nor the figure sitting on the opposite bank that was closely monitoring them.

Dr. Fukurokov grumbled and held his jaw after clenching it so hard in sheer frustration. Not only had Knuckles questioned his abilities and forced him to compromise, but he’d received reports that his weapon in the Ice Cap territory had been dismantled before the fox and hedgehog had even reached it! The owl refused to believe that it had been the result of catastrophic failure, which led him to two conclusions about his robot. Either it had been destroyed by another ally of Prower, or there was a traitor in the midst of the Kukkus, one that would know precisely how to take it apart. The latter consideration, he admitted, was the more unlikely of the two, as most of their forces that had harbored second thoughts about their goals had fled or died when the Battle Fortress was shot down. Thus, the former one it had to be, though the engineer wasn’t certain who it could be if Miles and his friends were already accounted for.

That was, until he remembered a detail he’d uncovered in the aftermath of the Battle Moon’s crash landing. The first iteration of his Mecha Miles project had suffered an identical fate, having been cut down before it could carry out its purpose of combating its organic counterpart. Searching through the security footage had turned up nothing of note, as though whatever had reduced it to scrap had been too swift for cameras to trace. That, in and of itself, was much like the movements of that monstrous form the fox had taken; a lot of the action had been captured, but anytime Prower had moved at considerable speed, his tech had been unable to keep up. Perhaps this was related to that aberrant Chaos Energy signature that the station’s radar kept detecting.

‘If only I could figure out who or what it belongs to!’ he thought as he wracked his brain, ‘then I could establish some sort of connection.’ He let out a sigh and went back to the more pressing matter of the approaching heroes. ‘As things stand, I’ll be forced to use Mecha earlier than I’d like. I would use my trump card, but it’s not ready yet, and it still won’t be by the time that troublesome teenager gets here.’

The owl’s thoughts were put on pause when he heard the buzzing of his comm link. One of his combatants likely had something to report to him, or they wished to enter his lab. Either way, he waddled over to his desk and pressed the button to connect the line to whoever was hailing him.

“Requesting permission to enter the laboratory and deliver my reconnaissance report, doctor,” came the voice that wasn’t quite that of his hated enemy.

Dr. Fukurokov was relieved to know that, unlike many of the combatants under his command, at least this facsimile of his foe had the decency to check with him before barging in. “Permission granted, Mecha.”

The door to the chamber slid open and in walked Mecha Miles, its feet causing heavy, mechanical thudding that echoed throughout the lab. Part of the engineer wished he’d made the double with lighter material, but it hadn’t been built with grace in mind.

“Approximately five minutes prior to this unit’s return,” it began, “sensors indicated the presence of a red biplane of unknown make and model flying above the southern area of the surrounding mountain chain.”

That immediately got the doctor’s attention. “Were you able to identify the pilot and any passengers?”

“Affirmative, doctor,” Mecha replied. Its cyan eyes brightened up and projected images for its creator, the first being a certain bespectacled red wolf. “Pilot identified as Gad T. Wolf, adoptive older brother of Enemy Number One.” It then flashed to a similar teal lupine, then a fuchsia-colored cat. “First passenger registered as Giselle T. Wolf, biological twin sister of the pilot and adoptive older sister of Enemy Number One. No existing data present on the second passenger.”

Dr. Fukurokov let out a huff. Those siblings had caused him and the rest of their forces some serious headaches during their previous invasion. It still made him seethe at how they had managed to obtain a copy of his Emergency Shutoff Device and use that stupid little robot to plug it in. If only Speedy had let him end those upstarts when they first had the chance, then things wouldn’t have gone so awry. He briefly considered sending Mecha out to take care of those pests, but that might take too long, and he couldn’t afford that with Prower on the way. He would just have to hope that his anti-air defenses could deal with them, or at least keep them busy enough so that they wouldn’t be able to help the fox.

The lab comm link buzzed a second time, which the engineer promptly answered. “Speak.”

“Doctor!” cried out a grunt on the other end that seemed to be in a rather emotional state, “please, come quickly to the royal chambers!”

The owl leaned in closer to the speaker. “Calm yourself! Has our leader’s condition worsened?”

“No, sir!” the soldier informed him, sounding as though he was struggling to hold back tears, “His Majesty...His Majesty has woken up!”

Dr. Fukurokov couldn’t remember the last time he’d bolted out of his chair and ran as fast as he was now. After all the terrible news he’d received today, this spot of hope lifted his spirits back above where they’d been before this mess started. He hurried to the lift, commanding Mecha to accompany him as they journeyed to the upper reaches of the station. After getting off the elevator and navigating a few hallways, they passed through a pair of ornate gold and purple sliding doors. Inside, much of the walls and ceiling were draped in the same colors, with plush red carpet and embroidered furniture making up the floor decorations. In the back, there was a colossal window that gave a grand view of the lake, the forest, and the mountains to the south of the Battle Moon.

And standing in front of it, looking out at the scenery, was the Great Battle Kukku. The bird heard his quarters being accessed and turned to greet the doctor, showing off all his changes. His green one-piece pants and high-heel shoes had been replaced with long and powerful cybernetic limbs that resembled his old garments. The same went for his arms, the upper parts now genuinely more solid, while from the forearms down, they were built like cannon barrels and maintained the ivory and gold trim of his gauntlets. He still sported his red coat and his black hat, though in place of his pince-nez glasses, he wore a similarly styled blue monocle over his left eye. The right was left bare, showing off how most of that side of his head was now composed of metal that matched the rest of his facial feathers, the eye itself a burning red ring in a pool of black.

“Ah, Dmitri,” the Emperor addressed him, his voice carrying a note of mechanical reverb due to having to install artificial vocal cords, “I understand you are responsible for this state I’m in.”

Dr. Fukurokov approached his superior and bowed his head. “I did all I could to save you, My Liege. I apologize if you find these synthetics lacking.”

“Nonsense, old friend,” the Kukku commander claimed as he clanged his fists together, “I feel stronger than ever before! More power, more durability, far greater visual acuity, and greater stamina! I also noticed you installed a few interesting functions in both my arms and legs.”

The owl chuckled and rubbed at the back of his head. “Your praise flatters me, My Lord.”

“Yes, now, please answer me this,” the GBK said as his teeth audibly grinded under his beak, his eyes turning to Mecha, “what the hell is that?”

‘Ah, of course,’ the doctor thought to himself as sweat ran down his brow, ‘I should have known that His Majesty would react poorly even to an imitation of Prower. Best I get him up to speed before the real fox arrives and makes his already souring mood even worse.’

Chapter Text

By the time he was back up to speed, the now conscious Great Battle Kukku was mulling over everything that Dr. Fukurokov had reported to him. First, their unexpected but bountiful landing on none other than the Floating Island, a place of legend that had been coveted even by his earliest ancestors. Second, the Stone of Power spoken of in myth also existed, and its true name was the Master Emerald, confirming the theories of many scholars about its connection to the other gems. Third, the echidnas had not gone entirely extinct after all, as they had one working as an ally for them, although it seemed that his chief engineer had difficulty keeping a handle on him. Fourth, the replica of Prower was a design that improved upon the previous one that they’d employed, and that it wasn’t the only new weapon at their disposal. And last, but most certainly not least, that damn fox and his friends had tracked them down, and by now, they had made it to the main base.

“I do hope you have a plan, Dmitri,” the Emperor said expectantly, talking to his chief engineer through his built-in communicator “much as I would love to get my hands on Prower myself, I’ve not acquainted myself with all the new functions you have provided me. It would not do for me to face my arch-nemesis when I’m not in peak condition.”

The owl had returned to his laboratory to continue his work, but kept his own link open while he tinkered. “Of course, My Liege, I had considered this scenario. There is a machine I’ve built that can harness the Chaos Emerald that we have, and Mecha Miles is our most powerful A.I.-driven unit to date. We should be able to handle those kids, and if that still isn’t enough, we can have Knuckles provide assistance as well.”

“I still believe it would be less troublesome if we were to simply Convert him,” remarked the GBK as he rested his huge chin against one of his equally big hands, “he seems a bit too focused on personal matters, such as that prophetic nonsense about that vexing vulpine.”

Dr. Fukurokov hooted proudly. “It’s exactly that fixation that allowed me to so easily manipulate him, Sire. So long as we don’t give away our true motives, we can play him for a sap no matter how hard Prower tries to convince him that we’re the villains. And when the time is right, we can take the Master Emerald and use it as the new power source for the Grand Kukku Cannon, and the Battle Moon as a whole!”

The head of the Kukkus still would have preferred his way of doing things, but if this arrangement had gotten them this far, he would permit it to continue for now. And with his greatest foe knocking on his figurative front door, they wouldn’t have had the time for an effective treatment anyway. It did irk him, though, that their new muscle wasn’t present to help contend with the current threat. He had gone chasing after the other members of Prower’s group, which had ended up with them getting away, with one of the Emeralds to boot. It reminded him of the time those twin wolves had given his son the slip during their invasion of Metropolis.

“Speedy,” he uttered, both anger and longing in his voice, “he truly never returned?”

Dr. Fukurokov hummed apologetically. “I’m afraid not, Your Highness. We have considered the possibility that he may not have escaped the destruction of the Battle Fortress, but it is more likely that he survived. Much as I don’t want to believe it, he has made it clear where his loyalties lie.”

So, that was it then. The GBK banged one of his metallic fists into the wall next to him, putting a rather sizable dent in the material. His boy had flown the coop, abandoned his birthright and royal responsibilities, for reasons that the Emperor couldn’t discern. Was it a longing for so-called freedom, like Speedy had lectured him about one time many years ago? He’d had a chance to seize that after their failure at Cocoa Island, yet the prince had dutifully stayed by his side. What had changed during the invasion of West Side Island that had made his own feathers and blood desert the Empire he’d served for his whole life?

It made his blood boil to know that fox had something to do with Speedy’s change of heart. It didn’t matter if his boy had been convinced through words or force, the sleight was unforgivable all the same. Of course, the former prince wasn’t going to get away from this without a due punishment, but the majority of the GBK’s ire was reserved for that furry freak. He would get what was coming for thwarting their previous plans and leaving him in this semi-organic state. Naturally, if his old friend and that hideous robotic copy of his nemesis could get the job done, he wouldn’t complain, but he had a nagging feeling that they may not be enough. Much as he hated to admit it, Prower had a knack for turning the tables even in the worst situations; he’d demonstrated such in all of their past encounters, after all.

“Pardon me if I am disturbing any contemplations, My Emperor,” Dr. Fukurokov apologized, “but our ant-eating associate is hailing me. Would you care for me to bring him on this frequency so that he may acquaint himself with you?”

The GBK hummed, thinking it over for a moment before nodding, even though he knew the owl couldn’t see. “You have my permission, Dmitri.”

“Very good, but remember, Sire,” the engineer advised him, “he believes that the Battle Moon is the Dragon’s Egg from the old legend about the island, and that I am a scholar long in pursuit of both.”

Silently agreeing to keep up the act, the Emperor cleared his throat to let the other bird know that he was ready to bring Knuckles into the conversation. After a few moments, a click echoed from the line, and the call was split into stereo, with the background noise of the owl’s lab in one receiver, and the steady breathing and hurried footsteps of a new presence in the other.

“Knuckles, allow me to introduce my leader and the one that funds my pursuits,” the doctor announced, “the illustrious Great Battle Kukku XV!”

A grunt of acknowledgment came from the echidna’s end. “Well met, King of Kukkus.”

The GBK chortled at that. It may not have been his true title, but the reverence he was afforded was no different than a king, he supposed. He would allow this fool’s perception of him to persist, if it would further their machinations.

“Yes, hail and well met, Guardian Knuckles,” the big bird said, using his gentlemanly facade to butter up the lad, “Dmitri, the doctor, has informed me about you and everything that has happened up to now. From what I hear, the fox and his friends are giving you more trouble than you may have expected.”

A growl came from the monotreme. “I underestimated the craftiness of his subordinates, that is all. The two-tailed fox himself is acting precisely according to what the doctor and my people had foretold.” There was a pause that made the Emperor raise the organic part of his brow quizzically. “Although I am uncertain why he is heading for the Dragon’s Egg first, rather than the Master Emerald. The mural in the Hidden Palace depicts him warring with some great beast over it, one that resembles a monstrous bird.”

“That may have been an exaggeration of myself!” the GBK laughed good-naturedly, covering up the uncomfortable mumbling of his second-in-command, “you know, there is something we have in common, young Knuckles.”

Knuckles let out a curious noise. “What is that, Kukku King?”

“We are both descended from ancient peoples, lad,” the cyborg answered earnestly, “ones that once effectively ruled the entire world at some point in history. I know well the legacy of the last Great Civilization, established by your species, but I wonder. Have you heard of the Babylonians, perchance?”

The Guardian hummed thoughtfully. “My people do not have much information about them, but I know a few things. It was said that they came from the heavens, riding aboard a great vessel not too different from Angel Island, and that many bird Animals around today are descended from them.”

“Quite so,” confirmed the Kukku patriarch, “though our relatively fledgling nation has never met your people until this day, stories were passed down to me by my father, his father before him, and so on. Ones that told of ties between the echidnas’ Great Civilization and the Babylonians when both were at their peak.”

Knuckles uttered an intrigued grunt, which made the GBK glad the naive young man couldn’t see his grin. He had no idea if the Babylonians ever even established contact with the echidnas, but he was going to milk this for what it was worth.

“After the fall of your people,” the GBK went on, “the old empire of birds persisted a while longer. Alas, the sun eventually set for Babylon as well, and for several centuries, its children wandered the world, holding fast to their history and technology. Those that stayed true to the old ways and maintained mastery of these tools and implements eventually formed the Battle Kukku Empire. My direct ancestor, the first Great Battle Kukku, established himself as its founding ruler nearly seven hundred years ago.”

He cleared his throat. Nothing that he just said was false, but this lesson was more to try and foster a more firm connection with the Guardian than it was to give him a lesson. That, and, he would admit to no one but himself that he rather enjoyed getting the chance to flex his knowledge like this. Perhaps he could have been a university professor, in some other life.

“I tell you this because as heir to the legacy of Babylon,” the Emperor concluded, “I would rekindle the relationship once held between my ancestors and yours. The mural was surely a sign that we would aid you in your time of need; no, not just you, but the entire world! The fox seeks domination, yet he has already demonstrated before my eyes that he cannot control the Chaos Emeralds as well as he would like. All the better for us to work together, as that vile vulpine will bring about ruin and destruction if he isn’t stopped!”

His words seemed to have the intended effect, as he could hear a growl rising from the echidna. If it was this easy to convince this earthbound idiot about the made-up meaning of some old picture, then perhaps the doctor was right about not needing the CT machine. After a few more moments of audible contemplation, Knuckles let out a noise that seemed to suggest he understood what the big bird was going.

“I will arrive at the site of the Egg’s landing soon,” he informed the GBK, “we must halt his advance before it is too late!”

And now they had him. All that remained was to make good use of his assets.

“Fortunately, we’ve made a path for the fox that shall lead him right where we want him,” the Kukku commander replied, “he may be cunning, but even he won’t be able to resist the bait we’ve laid out. The coordinates of the point we need you to cut him off at shall be provided to your comm device. If we succeed here, Guardian, the doomsday depicted by your kind may yet be denied!”

Miles and Sonic burrowed their way out of the heavy snow at the bottom of the pass, seeing that they’d come to the border of the Kukku base that had been built around the valley. The Battle Moon sat halfway submerged in the lilac lake, with many large red towers and cranes rigged around it. Part of the forest that stretched about the area sat between their position and the station, where they saw numerous pipes and tubes that ran above and below the water. Abstract gold and royal purple blocks made up the facility itself, where the boys could see many Kukku robots and combatants patrolling the place. Honestly, the fox found it rather impressive, albeit concerning, that the doctor had managed to set this all up as quickly as he did. What worried him more, though, was that the Battle Moon’s repairs appeared to be nearly complete.

“I didn’t think they were this far along already,” he said, flicking his tails irritably, “I guess what we saw from the air wasn’t just our imagination.”

Sonic glanced up at him. “Sounds like we gotta hurry, big guy!”

“Yeah, we’re running out of time,” Miles agreed. Before they moved on, he gave his multitool a quick check, seeing the signal from one of the Emeralds moving in from the southwest. “Looks like the others are on their way, but we can’t wait around for them. We’ll just have to meet up once we get closer to the station, assuming they can find a good patch of water to land on.”

The hedgehog regarded the lake as one hand reached into his own belt pouch and grabbed the ESP device firmly. “Good thing we’ve got the Bubble Shield.”

“Don’t tell me you’re starting to develop hydrophobia, little buddy,” teased the fox as he started jogging ahead.

As if to somehow try and prove him wrong, the hoglet dashed past him at a much faster pace, getting a snicker from the teen. He followed after him, the both of them keeping pace as they ran through a pair of transparent posts with red rims and black globes inside. The instant they did, the spheres lit up and a klaxon rang throughout the region, no doubt alerting the Empire of their arrival. They didn’t have to wait long to find out before they had to dodge out of the way of a couple robots that swooped down at them. They were small gray seagulls with red plating on top, with thin beaks and tiny black eyes. Their wings were oblique rather than true to the bird they’re based on, and they seemed to lack feet and legs entirely. Aside from their diminutive stature, they were easy to deal with, but they weren’t the only forces that the pair had to contend with. 

Climbing the hill just beyond the alarm, the boys encountered several Kukku hoverpods, all of their cannons trained on them. A massive spinning gray turbine was beneath the enemies, which would have been uneven and difficult ground, if not for the capabilities of the fox and the hedgehog. The former put his twin tails to work and soared above the shots that went for him, taunting the soldiers with a flip and a roll here and there. The latter used his speed to effectively stay glued to the turbine’s surface, following its rotation and ending up behind the group of birds when we came back up. Caught in a pincer on both sides, the troops were swiftly grounded and left unable to counterattack as their weapons were stripped and subsequently destroyed.

On the other side of the makeshift bridge, the pair hopped aboard a horizontal lift that carried them across a gap. Just a bit further was a blue glass elevator with a red and gray egg-shaped capsule serving as the car. After getting inside, their ride spun around briefly before shooting straight up, letting them out in front of another security gate. The duo gave it a wide berth, clearing a couple of hills and climbing into a gold and purple bowl-shaped platform attached to a tall pole. It spun about the support like a key ring around a finger, bringing them an outcropping. They leapt atop a structure onto a wide steel beam, then sprinted and hurled themselves over a gap to the top of one of the base’s high buildings. Even up there, they found they couldn’t let their guard down, tripping a floor buzzer that brought in more seagull Badniks.

Once they were dispatched with timely Rolling Jumps, Miles and Sonic continued on to a support tower with a metal hangar that was attached to some sort of zip line. The fox grabbed on while the hedgehog held fast to his shoulders, letting the thing ferry them to the front of an even taller building. Instead of continuing forward, Sonic elected to roll down the hill behind them and right through a tunnel that was lower down. Miles followed after him, letting out a yelp of surprise as he hit a sudden drop and was nearly singed by a flamethrower trap at the bottom of a decline. A Spin Dash sent him up and over a bump in the flooring, depositing him onto an alternate path that went in the opposite direction and dead-ended at a red spring.

The fox looped through a pipe and came out the other end like a cannonball, continuing to build up speed as he barreled down yet another hill. A few Kukku ground units were bowled over like pins as he made way, his spherical self bouncing along the ground until he was fired upwards into an access shaft. The teen took a moment to look around and try to find his partner, but there was no luck. Scratching his chin, he flew up to the next ledge, then even further to another zip line, where he discovered he needn’t have worried about Sonic. 

The hedgehog had crossed a rotating turbine and entered a different side of the building they’d seen a minute ago, speeding by a few laser turrets that were far too slow to hit him. His pace let him run up a wall just outside and into a bowl platform, where he smashed through a security box and opened a red and black banded gate. After dismantling a handful of Robo Kukkus and exiting, the boy met Miles on the other end of the hanger’s rail. 

They resumed their run by breaking apart the thin ceiling just above, but no sooner did they surface, than they were set upon by yet more seagulls, hoverpods, and ground units.

“Really rolled out the red carpet for us, didn’t they?” the kid commented as he cartwheeled and Rolled around each shot that came his way.

Miles grinned and dug into his pockets, then threw his arms wide to scatter a bunch of bombs and Dummy Rings. “It’s not just a reconstruction site for the Battle Moon. This is their main HQ until they can get that thing space-born again, so of course it’s going to have heavy defenses.”

“They can throw as much at us as they like,” Sonic boasted, kicking a seagull into the barrel of a walker mech and causing both to break down, “we’ll still win!”

The blue blur pin-balled himself off a pair of walkers, then Jumped into the air to bounce three consecutive times into just as many seagulls. The amber fox spun on his hands as he used both his heels and tails to strike out at grounded and aerial foes alike, the fluffy appendages slicing through the armor plating like a hot knife through warm butter. Both were careful to avoid maiming the pilots themselves, but that’s not to say they got away scot-free. By the end of their brawl, there were piles of metal scrap everywhere, and at least a dozen unconscious Kukkus.

“Too easy,” the kid remarked with a smirk as he stretched his arms over his head, “gotta say, Tails, I’m kinda surprised.”

Miles tilted his head. “About what, Sonic?”

“Just all the stuff we’ve done today,” Sonic replied, gesturing with his arms spread wide, “even after all that, I don’t really feel tired. Do you?”

Now that the hoglet mentioned it, the fox noticed that he wasn’t feeling that fatigued himself. A week and a half ago, they would have gotten about half as far in the day as they did now, and while he couldn’t speak for Sonic, Miles was certain he would’ve been fairly beat. Eleven days of exposure to a weakened set of Emeralds, and not all at once usually, couldn’t have produced such an increase in stamina. There was one possibility that did come to mind, however.

“Remember how I told you that my body absorbs bits of Chaos Energy via exposure and use of the Emeralds?” he inquired of the boy. When he got a nod in return, he frowned a little. “Well, it’s also possible that I permanently took in the power that I had after I transformed.” He shuddered and let out a labored sigh. He really didn’t like thinking about that part of himself and the feelings it stirred. “Even if it’s only a fraction, it would still make for significant gains. Maybe some of it bled into you as well when you helped bring me back to my senses.”

Sonic crossed his arms and bowed his head in thought. “Hmm, that’d be something.” After a moment, he shrugged and pointed onward towards the lake. “Well, hope you’ve got enough juice to get to the end.”

“You know it, kid!” he said confidently, peering above his specs and giving young his partner a wink.

Leaving the battered baddies behind, the boys leapt from one ledge to the next, passing over a spike trap and tripping a floor alarm as they entered the building ahead. This time, there were more simplistic Badniks, albeit ones that still looked rather threatening. They were nothing more than dark gray balls with pairs of black eyes, but what made the heroes cautious to approach were the four spike balls they had orbiting around the central spheres. On the flip side, their movement was limited, and the speed at which they approached the pair to menace them was less than stellar. Miles knew that he could probably take it out with his explosives, but he wanted to save a bit of his stockpile for the tougher fights ahead. Ultimately, they decided to go around the slow-moving Badniks and run along the side of a turbine to the building’s exit.

Miles and Sonic got inside an elevator like the one they’d used some minutes before, which brought them to an area with a couple floating platforms and a support beam between them. With a skip and jump, they crossed the gap, grabbing a zip line in the next “room” and taking it to the other side of its track. There was a black and purple crushing trap with golden spikes between two pillars, which the boys used as an impromptu lift to access what appeared to be a maintenance tunnel. At the other end, Sonic Jumped into a red box with a green screen on the front, causing a black and red checkered gate to open in front of them, revealing a small cache of Rings. Miles “alleviated” the Empire of some future power sources for their forces, then rode the curve in the back wall down to a steep decline. Both Animals curled up to maximize their acceleration, passing through a divot and then rocketing into a pipe at the bottom of the slope.

They looped around in the metal and were fired up into a second line, then a third, until they shattered the ceiling at the very end of that dizzying path. The pair were practically at the shore of the lake now, with one last sturdy structure standing between them and the water. Without hesitation, they entered, flying up to a rotating bowl platform and using it to reach a second one higher up. The moment that one arrived at the top, however, a massive BOOM echoed up from the ground floor, fire quickly rising up to meet them!

“Hurry!” Miles shouted as he grabbed his companion by the arm and scrambled for the window near where the platform ended up.

The heroes dived out of the opening and fluttered down to a balcony-like space between the building they’d just escaped from, and one in front of them. The gold and purple bricks came apart as the foundation crumbled, the death trap they’d just avoided seeming to melt as it collapsed. It was just a trick of the eyes, though, and a thunderous clatter soon rang out, a huge cloud of dust and debris kicking up from the ruins.

“Can’t believe they tried to turn us into sloppy joes,” Sonic said as he rubbed under his nose, “that doc’s got no sense of a good fight.”

The fox scoffed at that. “What do you expect from a coward? I’ve fought a ton of his creations, but he’s only fought me ‘directly’ twice.”

“Is that counting the time you, me, and your siblings whooped him in Mystic Cave?” the kid asked, wanting clarification.

“Yep.”

“Wow,” the hoglet murmured, his opinion of the owl dropping even further, “that’s mondo lame.”

Miles snorted and laughed at his partner’s bluntness. But before they could amuse themselves further with smack talk about their enemies, they were interrupted by a rocking tune coming from the Miles Electric. The fox brought it out, seeing a super-deformed model of Gadget jumping up and down on the screen, indicating that it was an urgent call.

“What’s going on, Gad?” he inquired of his brother, “you called me using the priority frequency.”

“We were coming in when we saw that building collapse a moment ago,” the wolf replied, “are you guys alright?”

Upon hearing that the others were close, Miles perked up his ears, and indeed, the Tornado’s rocket engine could be discerned in the distance from among the ambient noise. “Yeah, we’re fine. We’re right near the edge of the lake, and it looks like there’s a spot you could make a water landing.”

“I’ve got your position locked in,” Gadget confirmed, “we’ll see you in a few!”

With that, Miles ended the call and proceeded with Sonic through the building before them into yet another of those bowl-shaped platforms. They rode it down to where a massive series of pipes stuck out of the water and tunneled through other structures, likely using the lake as a power source in addition to the stores of Rings. The two descended the one they stood on like a fireman’s pole, coming down to a ledge that went several meters out into the water. The boys sat down close to the end of it, their eyes on the sky as they waited for the rest of the group to arrive.

Things had been happening at a much more blistering pace for the relaxed and easygoing Big than he was used to. The morning had started off nicely enough, with him and his little pal Froggy going out to do some early fishing at the valley. Knuckles had come running past his spot, looking more serious than usual, and for the short time that the cat had been distracted by the echidna, his amphibious friend had wandered out of sight. He went to search for him, but didn’t find him in any of the typical locations around the lake, so he’d backtracked near his home in the jungle. Then he’d nearly gotten shot after stumbling into the camp of a few Animals that weren’t natives of the island, but also weren’t with those birds that had shown up last week. They were pretty nice after calming down, and they’d even offered to help him look for Froggy.

Big smiled when he thought about Giselle in particular. She’d been the one to go along with him, and asked him about a number of things about both him and Knuckles. She didn’t get to talk very much at all about herself or the two-tailed fox—Miles, if he recalled the name right-–but that was okay. The she-wolf had been thrilled when he gave her that hammer he found, as it apparently belonged to the fox, and it made him happy to know he would be pleased. She’d then helped him cook and sat down for a simple, but filling meal, then explored the Azure Lake region with him afterwards. She had impressed him with her agility and skills, and they had even come across one of the Chaos Emeralds, which the cat hadn’t seen in several years.

It was a shame that their time together had been cut short by Knuckles, though. The wolf had sounded like she really wanted to try and talk with his friend, but the Guardian just wasn’t having any of it. He even pushed Big aside and nearly brought himself to hurt the cat when he stepped in to stop him from hurting his new friend. Fortunately, Giselle had managed to get away with his help, and Knuckles had been predictably angry with him. He didn’t stick around to lecture him for long, though, and had left to pursue the plane that the wolf had hitched a ride on. 

That had left the feline fisher alone at the top of the plateau, pondering whether he should follow or continue his search for Froggy. On the one hand, he was really concerned about his friend, as he and the Critter had never been apart for quite this long ever since they met. On the other hand, something big was happening, and if things went a certain way, then he and everyone else he cared about would be in for a bad time. In either case, Big was uncertain.

“Mm, what do I do?” he mumbled aloud, tapping his fishing pole against his shoulder as he padded around in small circles, “I wanna find Froggy, but I’m worried about Giselle and the others.”

“You need not choose one over the other, young cat,” came a deep voice from behind him.

Big turned around and found his worries melting away as he saw who it was. It was a human with olive toned flesh, ocean blue eyes, and curly, jet black hair that came down to his shoulders with lush, matching facial hair that dropped just as far. He had a powerful, but not overly muscular build that was framed by a simple black tunic with matching pants and a pair of brown leather boots. While his state of dress was different now, it was indeed the same man that both Miles and J had met aboard the Battle Moon.

“Oh, Gil!” the cat exclaimed as he waved and walked up to the guy that was nearly a head taller than even him, “I haven’t seen you for a few days. I’d love to go fishing again, but I can’t right now.”

The man nodded at him. “I’m aware of your predicament, and I’ve come to lend you a hand.”

“Oh, really?” Big asked him, then decided that the why of the matter wasn’t important, “well, I appreciate it, but what’re you gonna do?”

Gil made a gesture of sliding two fingers down his face. “All you have to do is cover your eyes, and then I shall do the rest.”

The large cat did as he was instructed, flinching for a brief moment when he felt a hand on his shoulder. The human hummed softly, the volume steadily increasing as a warm sensation passed into the Animal’s body. It reminded him of the times he’d gotten hurt and Knuckles healed him with his abilities, although there was no pain to relieve in this instance. Instead, it was accompanied by a pit in his stomach, similar to what one experiences when very nervous, which was a seldom feeling for him. It was like the whole of his being was lighter than the air itself, though it lasted for only a fleeting instant. 

Once it was over, he noticed that the turf under his boots felt different than it did a moment ago, and that Gil had released his shoulder. Opening his eyes, Big saw that he was back on the shore of the lake that the Dragon’s Egg had landed in, right near the spot he’d been fishing earlier that morning. He had no idea what sort of shortcut the human had taken them through, but he had been considering coming back here to look for Froggy. It was also where his new friend had been going, so if the stars aligned, he’d get to see both her and his little buddy soon enough.

“Hey, thanks a lot for this, G–”

When he turned to express his gratitude, Gil was not there to receive it. Big scratched at his ears bemusedly with his free hands, then shrugged it off.

“I guess he left already,” the cat said simply, “oh well, I’ll probably see him later.”

He turned in the direction of all the construction and took in a whiff of the air. His brow creased as the stench of oil, grease, and other unpleasant artificial odors assaulted his nose. And yet, underneath all of the nearly overpowering smells, his keen senses picked up the scents of Animals. Most of them were birds, but there were a couple of unfamiliar ones that stood out. He concentrated more, detecting numerous Critters in the area, such as Flickies, Cuckies, and...

“Froggy!” he exclaimed happily, “so he didn’t leave the area after all!” His smile faded and he tilted his head when he realized his friend’s distinctive scent was coming from the direction of the Dragon’s Egg. “What are you doing over there, buddy? Knuckles said it’s not safe. I better go get him before something bad happens.”

With that, the portly cat started the long journey of walking around the circumference of the lake to get closer to where his friend supposedly was.

“There they are!” Sonic exclaimed as the other three Animals in their adventuring party pulled the Tornado up close to their position.

Miles was happy to see his siblings and their mutual friend in one piece along with the plane. He’d caught sight of several batteries of anti-air weapons firing upon them when they came in for a landing, though he knew better than to doubt their ability to pull through. They’d gone through much worse with their last adventure, after all. Once he got a better look, however, he started to fret over the state of his sister, who looked like she’d taken her fair share of lumps.

“Did Knuckles do this to you?” he asked her as he helped her off the aircraft and lent her a shoulder.

Gizmo was a little unsteady on her feet, but managed well enough with the fox’s help. “Yeah, he was in no mood to talk, unless you count fisticuffs as conversation.”

“Bastard,” mumbled the fox, feeling his head heating up at the image of the echidna beating up the she-wolf. He took in a few deep breaths to calm himself, then brought them to sit down so he could look her over. “Need me to heal you? I’m not sure how much I can do with the Emeralds in their current state, but I can try.”

She perked up at the offer. “I’d like that, yes, but before we give it a go...” Gizmo smirked as she reached into a pocket of her own utility belt and retrieved the blue Emerald, handing it over to Miles without hesitation. “Here. This brings the count to six, right?”

“Yeah, just one more. Thanks, Sis,” Miles said gratefully, clutching it tightly after taking it off her hands, “now let’s patch you up.”

The teen closed his eyes and placed his free hand on the she-wolf’s sternum, trying to find the energy within the drained stone. It took him longer than he would have liked to establish a connection, and as he’d feared, it would require more effort to draw the necessary amount to mend Gizmo’s wounds. But, it didn’t matter, so long as his sister would be okay. He felt the stamina leak out through his palm as he wordlessly communicated his desire to restore her body. His ears picked up a light gasp, followed by a relieved sigh, opening his eyes to see for himself that Gizmo’s scuffs and bruises were vanishing.

Once he pulled his hand away, Miles felt momentarily overcome by a dizzy spell and dropped the faded mineral. His head throbbed painfully for a few seconds, the teen clutching at his bangs as he grit his teeth. Eventually, it faded away, but the fox was still feeling a bit woozy. He hadn’t expected this kind of feedback from using a drained gem for such a task. Perhaps in their weakened state, the Emeralds’ power was even more discordant than it typically was. At least, that was the theory he came up with to try and justify why he’d be experiencing such side effects when he never had before.

“You okay, big guy?” Sonic asked him, slight concern etched on his face.

Miles hummed and brushed his bangs out of his face, sliding the blue Emerald into a spare pouch. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. How’re you feeling, Giselle?”

“Much better, thank you,” she said with a smile, then frowned a bit as she peered down at herself, “I know now’s not really the time, but I’ve got a bit on my mind. I’m still fairly winded, too, so maybe I can think things over while I catch my breath.”

The fox wanted to say something to cheer her up, but she was right. Gizmo needed this brief respite, and whatever was eating at her, she could get through it without him trying to figuratively hold her hand.

“We can’t stay grounded for long anyway,” Gadget told them, “I’d rather not leave the Tornado sitting out here in the open when they already know we’re here. And in the event you can’t stop the Battle Moon from taking off, we’ll be around to give you a lift before it gets too far.”

Fuchsia took a seat by her friend, giving the heroic duo a casual salute. “If you need a hand sooner, just give us the word and we’ll be there!”

“Two cool guys like us should be fine, but it’s your call, Tails,” Sonic remarked with his usual confidence.

“That’s pretty much how I was thinking this would go,” the fox answered, not having to give it much consideration, “we’ve got backup if we need it, whether or not we’re able to keep the station from relaunching.”

He gave each of the twins a firm hug, then bumped fists with the cat, while Sonic gave a high-five to each of the three older Animals. The teen double-checked the location of the final Emerald, which was coming from the direction of the colossal vessel itself. He grabbed his partner and lifted the both of them back up to the pipe that they’d dropped down from just a little bit ago. They dipped down into a curve before descending closer to the lake’s surface, jumping atop one of the support platforms that held up the pipes. Their toes barely avoided touching the water as they flew up and over to more solid ground, only to be set upon by more seagull Badniks. Once those were dispatched, the boys utilized their Spin Dash to travel up the path of a wall, briefly sprinting across the ceiling and landing on the other side of a spike trap. 

They traveled along with the rotation of a turbine to avoid a few spiny robots, grabbing hold of a cargo crane and hitching a ride to a higher spot. There were a pair of zip lines that were situated a few meters further up, but with their speed, they didn’t need them to get to the ledge they led to. Miles flew to the highest platform that was immediately on the path, with Sonic electing to run up the pipe to the same destination. They dove into a maintenance shaft, with the fox having to use his tail to quickly swerve them out of the way of several flamethrowers. A security gate served as a brief impediment, only to be easily circumvented by the hoglet smashing its control box. Rolling down a lengthy pipe, the duo came close to the water before rolling up a hill in the metal and leaping from the top of it to the base of construction crane’s tower. Miles went on ahead, swatting a few seagulls out of the air while his companion went for the walker units that were strangely guarding a section of piping. 

As the fox took the high road, the hoglet Spin Dashed through his opposition as well as the exterior of the metal tube. He cried out as a surge of water swept up his spherical self, unable to reach for his shield projector and helpless to do anything but go along with the flow. Luckily, the pipe did open up soon enough for him to catch his breath, depositing him near another turbine. The boy hopped over an alarm barricade and sped across the cylinder, past a pair of spiked ball Badniks into a series of vertical curves that left him next to one of those bowl platforms. This brought him to a short tunnel that connected to a corkscrew pipe, causing the kid to twist and turn up and down for a brief period. A dip in the path caused him to soar high into the air and land onto a ledge close to a large crane and two makeshift bridges.

Miles had fluttered above the pipe that had separated him from his pal, slicing through a few Robo Kukkus with a Rolling Attack. He did a quick U-turn up a pipe and once again used his tails to get to the highest point he could find, passing over a pair of turbine bridges riddled with spiny Badniks. This didn’t get him clear from seagulls, but their basic flight and attack patterns were trivial to deal with. He skidded to a halt at what appeared to be a dead end, noting that one portion of the pipe in front of him was thinner and colored differently from the rest. He didn’t even have a few seconds to ponder this before Sonic barreled into him from behind, blasting the metal apart and sending them both through the pipeline. They came out the other end in a heap, with the hedgehog laying atop a thoroughly soaked fox.

“Whew, reminds me of when we did that in the Chemical Plant Complex, only we’re a lot wetter,” Sonic commented, drying himself off in a blur.

Miles pushed himself to his feet and fluffed up after wringing and shaking most of the water from his fur. “Blegh, I feel like I just got out of a washing machine. Let’s not do that again, if we can help it.”

“Yeah, I’ve already been through two of ‘em,” the boy groaned, digging some fluids out of his ears.

Once they were good to go, the two went down and pulled an 180-degree turn, passing through a structure and dodging laser fire as well as actual flames. They grabbed hold of a maintenance crane and used it to travel down what appeared to be the final stretch of pipes to the site of the Battle Moon itself. Aside from the towers erected around the station, however, there was no more solid ground for them to traverse, and no easy place for them to get on board. Or at least, it seemed that way until Sonic got a bit closer to the surface of the lake from the last ledge they were standing on.

“Check it out, big guy!” he exclaimed, waving the fox over to where he was, “you’re not gonna believe what I found!”

Wondering what could cause the kid to create such a commotion, Miles hurried over to see what the big deal was. And when his eyes caught sight of it, he felt his heart leap to his throat and his breath halt. There, parked in the water with its cockpit open seemingly in wait for him, was what appeared to be the Sea Fox, only sporting the colors of the Empire. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things, and when the vision of his departed creation’s underwater form remained, he clenched his teeth and his fists.

“That old bird has some real nerve doing this,” the teen growled as he glared daggers at the replica of his most faithful and endearing invention, “mocking the sacrifice of my friend...he thinks this will get me to do what he wants and go where he wants me?” He let out a sigh and gave Sonic a rather serious look. “Well, he’s right, but it doesn’t matter that this is a trap. Things aren’t going to go his way!”

“Just keep cool, Tails,” Sonic told him gently, “you know those jerks love to push your buttons. Long as you don’t let ‘em get to you, we’ve got this.”

Miles simply nodded and hopped into the cockpit of the imitation Sea Fox, waiting for his partner to do the same. Just before the hedgehog was about to, he let out a yell as he was swept away and intercepted by a huge and fast machine. The teen was about to go after him when the canopy slammed shut overhead and the craft lifted out of the water into the air, moving entirely on its own. He had expected this whole setup to be fishy, but he didn’t think it would go in this direction.

“No, Sonic!” he yelled as he banged on the glass.

It didn’t even budge against his slamming, nor did the craft slow down at all when he tried fiddling with the controls. It was already programmed to take him wherever it was headed, meaning the console was just for show. A low rumbling filled the air and caused his ride to vibrate, and its source became almost immediately apparent when he turned his head. The water around the Battle Moon began to churn, and the buildings that had been constructed around it began to fall away. The gargantuan station was slowly rising from the lake, its giant thrusters stirring up the surface even more.

Close to one of the highest crane towers in the facility, Sonic grunted as he was thrown against one of the pipes that connected to the structure. A colossal weight shifted his position as it touched down, the hedgehog gritting his teeth as he looked up to see what it was. There was a huge mecha modeled after an albatross, possessing a powerful and sharp-edged gray bill attached to a crimson head, soulless black eyes peering down at the kid. The rest of its body was similarly tinged with dull silver and deep red, with notes of black on its massive pair of wings. There was a crown of spikes jutting from its head and around its breast, while its webbed feet had been given short but vicious talons on its toes. A number of other holes studded its form, giving the hedgehog the unsettling feeling that those were all weapon ports.

“Hello again, boy,” came the grating tone of Dr. Fukurokov, an obvious grin on that beak, “I was hoping to use this against Prower, but you will make a more-than-adequate replacement as the first test target of my most impressive procellariiform piece!”

Sonic scoffed and rubbed the underside of his nose. “You sure like to brag a lot about stuff that’s gonna get broken.”

“Bah, not even a back-handed compliment about my craftsmanship?” the owl griped, “at least Prower would give me that!”

After getting in some quick stretches, the hedgehog grinned and pointed at the avian. “The only thing I’m gonna give you is another notch in your losing streak, doc!”

“We’ll see about that, brat!”

Back with Miles, the fake Sea Fox pulled into the very bottom level of the Battle Moon, which was an unexpectedly open area with little in the way of equipment or anything else. It was mostly purple catwalks and platforms suspended by golden support poles, with a few stairways and elevators going up into the vessel itself. The replica of his old companion came to a halt at the very edge of the floor, the top opening up to allow him to climb out. The teen did so, and as he glanced around for the nearest proper entrance to the place, he found a familiar, but unfriendly face waiting for him: Knuckles.

“You came, as expected,” the echidna claimed, already looking like he was spoiling for a fight, “it seems the doctor and the emperor were right after all.”

Miles’ fur stood up at the mention of the latter Animal. So, the GBK had finally come out of his coma, had he?

“I don’t know what those two told you,” the fox said as calmly as he could while his fists trembled, “but you need to stop this foolishness, Knuckles.”

The Guardian snarled defiantly. “What is foolish is letting you carry on! They have built the means to remove the Dragon’s Egg from Angel Island, which is more than I could have hoped for!”

“Oh, for the love of...this isn’t the Dragon’s Egg!” Miles shouted right back, throwing up his hands in frustration, “I highly doubt your ancestors thought it was made of metal, or that it had a big and blatant insignia of a rooster skull on the front!”

“What are you saying?” Knuckles asked him incredulously, “there is no symbol like you describe! And the material of the shell was not specifically disclosed, so that matters not!”

The fox couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Did this guy really not see the sign of one of the most nefarious groups in the world? He could understand how someone like Knuckles could be ignorant of who the Battle Kukku Empire really was, but not even spotting that big old thing? It had been there when they first arrived, and was still present when they showed up at the boundary of the base.

“Okay, this is going to bug me like hell unless I can figure out one thing,” Miles remarked, confusing the echidna as he held up three fingers. There was a few meters of space between the two, which worked for his test. “How many digits do you see?”

Knuckles stood there for a few moments, squinting a bit before eventually answering. “I fail to see what this has to do with anything, but if you need an answer, I see...five!”

The fox had to keep himself from making a face as he heard the echidna’s reply.

‘This guy’s vision is almost as bad as Gad’s,’ he thought in a deadpan manner, ‘no wonder he couldn’t see the insignia.’

“Well, you’re wrong. There are three,” Miles told him plainly.

The echidna growled and put up his dukes once again. “Stop trying to distract me! I will not let you bring the Dragon’s Egg back down upon my home!”

The hero puffed out a sigh from his nose and did the same, seeing as the other animal wasn’t about to listen to reason. But before either of them could make a move, an amber blur that wasn’t Miles rammed right into the Guardian’s back. The echidna cried out as the impact launched him clear from the platform, sending him tumbling into the clouds the Battle Moon had now risen above. The fox wasn’t even given a chance to call out and go after him before he felt a harsh and blunt force strike him across the face, making him bounce and skid across much of the barren space. He wiped off the bit of red that trickled out from his nose and stood up to face his assailant, only for his jaw to tighten.

Miles remembered the poor imitation of him that had been presumably sent to deal with him aboard the Battle Moon. It had never gotten that chance, as Gil had apparently been the one to do it in. What he saw in front of him bore only a passing resemblance to that robot, and for all his vileness, the doctor had done a bang up job with this one. He’d actually nailed a respectable evil robot version of himself.

“You look a lot more intimidating than that doll of me the doctor made the last time I was here,” he complimented the automaton, “it’s kind of a shame I have to scrap you here.”

“Incorrect, Enemy Number One,” it responded with an off putting version of his own voice, “this unit, the Mecha Miles Mark II, is superior to you in every respect. There is only one logical outcome to this battle.”

Without knowing it, Miles mimicked the same cocky expression that his partner often used, then fell back into a fighting stance. “I’ve heard that before. Prove to me that you’re all that you say you are!”

“That is what I am programmed for,” Mecha fired back, extending its claws and revving up the wheels in its feet, “executing objective: eliminate Miles ‘Tails’ Prower!”

Chapter Text

More than a kilometer above Angel Island, the Battle Moon’s thrusters continued to push it higher and higher into the atmosphere. The fiery glow of sunset illuminated the land below, while the craft rose through thick and dark clouds, obscuring it from view. At the bottommost level, where only utility and hazard lights kept it from being consumed by the surrounding gloom, stood Miles and his robotic lookalike, Mecha Miles Mark II. Both foxes, organic and synthetic, stared each other down, each ready to make a move.

Mecha started proceedings by using the wheels in its feet to charge at its organic counterpart, claws extended and poised to slash. Miles leapt over the robot and reached into his utility belt, spinning on his heel and throwing several bombs at his foe. In retaliation, it swung its serrated tails at the explosives and cleaved them in two before they had a chance to detonate. Annoyed, the teen moved to where there was more space to maneuver, considering what else he could employ against the automaton. Mecha dutifully followed, crouching down as it built up speed and then curled into an amber buzz saw blade, leaving scars in the deck as it gave chase. 

The fox tossed a few Dummy Rings out in front of him, then flew over the pursuing double and watched it barrel right into the trap he just put down. Or, it seemed to be heading that direction, until the heavily built bot dug its feet into the ground and came to a halt before it ran into them. 

‘Damn, it knows how to deal with my usual bag of tricks,’ he thought, hesitating to reach for more of his tools.

Mecha’s core radiated a purple light as it activated the rocket thrusters in its heels and chased after Miles, trying to skewer the hero with the tips of its tails like a scorpion would. But even as he avoided the direct attempts to stab him, he winced as he felt the jagged edges of those twin limbs brush against him and lightly cut into his flesh. He weaved in and kicked Mecha back before trying to put more distance between them, weighing whether or not to use one of the Emeralds. Recalling what happened after he healed Gizmo, Miles decided against it and instead chose to get even further away, digging into his belt for something that could possibly work. 

Mecha’s hands retracted into its barrel-like forearms, the empty space they once occupied filling up with a red shine just as the matching tube in its chest brightened. Miles used his tails to give himself a starting boost, only just getting out of the way of twin energy blasts. He found himself skipping, sliding, and even stopping on a dime at times to dodge the shots Mecha sent his way, missing him by a hair each time. After several volleys, the artificial fox recalled one of its hands, using it to hold the other barrel steady as it charged up even further. The organic one hit the deck as a solid beam of crimson surged forth, piercing one of the elevator shafts on this floor and completely totaling it.

“I don’t think your master would appreciate the collateral damage you’re causing,” the fox commented snarkily.

Mecha unsheathed its other hand and balled it into a fist as it landed on solid ground once more, a green glimmer replacing the other two colors now. “The condition of this area is irrelevant to my objective and nonessential to the functions of the Battle Moon. Dr. Fukurokov has authorized full force for your elimination, and if destruction of this battlefield is required to accomplish that, it shall be done.”

“Duly noted,” Miles mumbled, realizing just how serious this thing was.

The robot sped towards him even quicker than before, catching him with a lightning fast punch across the face. Just as he had been when Mecha first showed up, Miles tumbled and bounced against the floor, feeling the wind rush up under him as he fell over the side. He reversed course and caught back up with the station before it could get out of reach, though he nearly fell over again from bending back to avoid another attack. Mecha had just missed him with an aerial version of its Buzz-saw Spin Dash, traveling over the air for a couple of seconds before it unfurled and rocketed back toward him. Once on the ground again, it switched to solely using its red Chaos Drive, lunging at its foe with furious fists. It made an effort to deliver an axe kick to the flesh and blood fox, and although it missed, there was now a huge hole in the catwalks, the sections nearest the carnage hanging on by metallic fibers.

Miles went in with a Spin Dash of his own, only for Mecha to crouch and block his spherical strike. Shrugging him off, the robot shifted to the green Drive, perfectly mimicking the break dancing-like motions of his Rapid Tails Attack, only with greater velocity than he’d typically use. The teen repeatedly jumped back from the whirling steel blender, getting a chance to roll to the side as Mecha sliced through a support pillar. It returned upright, letting its core dim as it took up a more defensive posture, its cyan-blue optics “narrowing”.

‘Okay, there’s no way that the doc came up with Mecha Me on his own,’ he concluded, irritated at the idea of his enemy “borrowing” even more from other sources, ‘especially not with those power sources. He had to have someone get the scoop on how to reproduce Chaos Drives somehow.'

That considered, the information didn’t really help him out beyond revealing a possible weak point. But to get at it, he needed to try a different approach. There had to be something he could use against this thing that it couldn’t see coming, at least initially. That was when his hand brushed across the Shield Projector. If Mecha’s A.I. had been built prior to his landing on Angel Island, then it shouldn’t be aware that he possessed the device. It was risky, because for all he knew, the doctor did indeed possess information about his newest invention, and had installed countermeasures.

‘Only one way to find out,’ he mused, ‘let’s see if it’s got any data on this.’

Miles waited until Mecha seemed to make up its mind and charged at him, then activated the device. He wreathed himself in flames and unleashed a Fireball Spin Dash that crashed into the core of his mechanical doppelganger when it got close. Mecha stumbled back from the hit, its optics briefly flickering more brightly as it scanned itself for damage. It completed the operation just before Miles could get in another blow, jetting away with its boosters as its core shined with green and purple light. Its fingers seemingly melded together and holes opened in its palms. Electric blue energy batons extended roughly half a meter from these ports, which the bot wielded in ways that only a fully synthetic being could.

Miles brought up his two tails to block the weapons, only to grimace as a shock traveled up his limbs and caused his fur to poof out from the static. He bowed low as one of them suddenly flattened like a blade and passed over his head, then twisted his body to avoid the other as it did the same, sparks kicking up from the ground as it slashed across the steel. The energy retracted a bit and then broadened at the tip, resembling, at least in Miles’ mind, the Pikkon Hammer. He momentarily chastised himself for forgetting to pick it up from Gizmo, but it probably wouldn’t have helped him much anyway. Mecha seemed to be loaded to the brim when it came to arms and techniques.

“Wow, the doc really just threw everything together when he made you,” Miles remarked, ducking and pivoting away from every attack sent his way, “reinforced armor, morph-able energy melee weapons, blaster cannons, a wave motion gun, rocket boots, wheels in your heels, and you know my moves on top of all that.” He flipped back and away, minding his step as he came close to the edge. “I’m actually a bit miffed he built you for such a single-minded purpose.”

Mecha didn’t let up with its assault, though there was a notable lag in its speed compared to a few seconds ago. “Why express concern for something which is constructed to terminate you?”

“You should already know the answer, if your A.I. is at all based on me,” the hero retorted.

He leapt back from a beam saber slash and retaliated with a Fireball Spin Dash, managing to score a clean hit and knocking his double back. Miles went in for a second strike, only to gasp as Mecha spun out of the way and grabbed him by his scruff. He let out a painful grunt as he was slammed into the ground and then tossed away, his Flame Shield collapsing when a follow-up energy blast collided with him. The robot sought to shoot him out of the air with follow-up rounds, but Miles shook his daze away and flipped back onto his feet while letting the attacks graze by.

“Affirmative,” Mecha replied monotonously, “your neural patterns, as indicated by samples of your genetic coding, serve as the framework for my central processing. Footage captured by the doctor of your numerous confrontations with the Empire was used to refine the replication of your abilities, in addition to adopting tactics that you would employ.”

The teen weaved in close and aimed a kick at the Chaos Drives in its chest, but the double fended it off by crossing its arms over the area. He found himself bouncing back a couple of times on his toes as those jagged tails aimed for him once again, getting stuck in the flooring. Miles spun his own set to fly forward, only to feint up high when Mecha moved to block him from the front. He cartwheeled through the air, just out of reach of a few swipes, then came down with a Drop Attack onto the bot’s head. Mecha was forced to its knees, but that gave it the leverage it needed to yank its tails out of the ground and quickly get back up.

“Exactly,” Miles said, causing his doppelganger to tilt its head curiously, “so you should understand why I think it’s a waste for you to be a killing machine when you could be so much more than that. Even though you’re my enemy, you’re a remarkable feat of engineering, the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the days of the last Great Civilization.”

Mecha’s eyes flickered briefly, as though contemplating what the other fox said. “It is true that my data also notes the organic experience of ‘passion’ when you are involved in mechanical endeavors. This extended to affection, in the case of more personal projects, such as the companion unit Remi.”

While he didn’t want to get his hopes too high, Miles welcomed this short break from the action. He had to come up with some way of either extracting or destroying the Chaos Drives in Mecha’s core, and stalling for just a little bit could help him think of something. It would also give his Shield Projector some much needed time to recharge, though he wasn’t sure what to go for once it was ready.

“Ultimately, your appeals are futile,” the metal mimic stated, “my programming cannot be overwritten by diplomacy.”

The hero clicked his tongue irritably. “I thought it might be worth a shot, since you seemed like a reasonable, rational vulpine. But I guess the doctor couldn’t let you be too much like me, could he?”

The robot answered him by withdrawing its claws and whipping out its cannons once more. Miles dug his heels in as his tails started to spin, ready to dash at a moment’s notice.

“You don’t understand the situation you’re in, whelp!” Dr. Fukurokov claimed, “or just what a Chaos Emerald can do, even when it’s drained!”

The albatross mech spread its massive wings and a hail of feather-shaped rays of energy rained down in the direction of the hedgehog. Sonic evaded the storm of luminescent bullets by running up and along the edges of the crane tower they were near, jumping through the gaps in the support beams every so often. The doctor went to put a stop to that, commanding his ride to strike at the base of the structure to try and force it to topple over. Just before it connected, the hoglet reached the top of the crane and leapt off, lining himself up with the space between the spikes of that avian’s crown. He managed to land a hit before the doctor saw it coming, causing the mech’s head to bow and the rest of it to stumble for a moment.

“Real impressed so far,” Sonic snarked, dusting off one of his arms.

Dr. Fukurokov growled through the speakers and made the albatross peck down at him. The boy avoided it, but the thing’s beak hadn’t gotten stuck like he’d expected, the sharp edge of it allowing the robot to withdraw it from the catwalk quite easily. A flap of its wings created a huge gust of wind that blew Sonic back, though he forced himself to the ground with a Bounce Attack before he could fly over the side of the pipes and into the lake. He didn’t bother to uncurl, going straight into a Spin Dash and rushing at the immense bird. The albatross jabbed at him once more, just barely missing and leaving the kid between its head and legs. With another daring maneuver, Sonic converted his Dash to a Jump and hit the smooth spot nestled between the barbs in the bot’s chest. 

Its legs wobbled and skidded back a few steps from the blow, but it righted itself, its black eyes focused on the hedgehog. The mech spread its wings and took to the air, circling about the arena. It made a few passes over the place, doing nothing more than stirring up the wind, before Sonic started to get antsy.

“Come on, doc, I thought you were gonna get me!” Sonic taunted as he looked on, wondering what the owl was plotting.

As if on cue, the humongous bird suddenly appeared a lot pointier as its weapons ports gave off a silvery sheen. Sonic saw that those were, in fact, needle tips to a whole heaping load of missiles, which the doctor unleashed all at once. With a smirk, Sonic took a breath, knelt down, and Jumped up as high as he could. The missiles followed after him, a few of them crashing into each other from the sudden change in direction. It appeared that while they were locked onto him, they didn’t home perfectly, nor were they built with any tech to keep them from running into one another.

‘Perfect,’ he thought as he glanced back through the blue blur in his Rolling state.

Sonic unfurled from his spherical form and shifted his body so that he dodged the first missile headed his way. He did the same with the second, though he extended a hand to grab onto that one, taking him for quite the ride as it struggled to correct course between his added weight and its programming. Once he was able to get up on the thing and establish a foothold, he tilted into the thing like he was surfing. Sonic weaved it out of the way of the initial missile that went after him, causing it to impact and detonate many others due to their proximity. A few strays managed to get through the cloud of debris, keeping on his tail as he directed them to his foe.

Dr. Fukurokov let out a cackling caw as witnessed the hedgehog altering the path of his explosives. The boy thought he was clever, did he? He made the albatross perch atop the tower and flap its wings a second time, intent on knocking the kid out of the air or into the other missiles. All that succeeded in doing, however, was giving Sonic plenty of opportunities to show off some aerial tricks that would normally be impossible for even naturally agile Animals. The doctor gritted his teeth under his beak and kept those wings flapping, but the hoglet dropped to lay across the missile and kick his feet like he was using a paddle board. To the owl’s shock, such an asinine approach actually worked, Sonic’s sheer speed letting him fight against the gusts until he got close.

From there, he kicked the back of his ride so that it collided with the albatross’ chest, pushing it back and making its head bobble low. The boy grabbed hold of two spikes in its crown and flung himself over the top of the mech, landing on the other edge of the tower. Dr. Fukurokov wheeled his creation around to counterattack the hedgehog, but he wasn’t given a chance as the bird was suddenly slammed into the ground by a handful of powerful explosions. The missiles that had been blown back by the winds of his wings had caught up with Sonic, or they would have, if there hadn’t been an even bigger target blocking their path. The internal alarms beeped and blared at the old bird, notifying him of the damage that his creation had taken, not that it wasn’t already obvious. And as he pushed the albatross back to its webbed feet, Dr. Fukurokov let out a loud shout of indignation.

“You are really beginning to annoy me!” the engineer snapped, “how is it that you fight so much better now than when we last battled?”

“No mystery there, old man,” Sonic replied smugly, “I’m stronger now than I was then, and I’m not going easy on you this time!”

Dr. Fukurokov could have sworn that he felt like his forehead was on fire after hearing that. “What do you mean ‘going easy’ on me!? You couldn’t have beaten me on your own then, and you shan’t this time!”

The albatross kept in the air and hacked away at the hoglet with its beak several more times, but the kid just Jumped and Rolled out of the way in each instance. His form spun up and around the crane, coaxing the mech into tearing away at the supports with every strike it made. Once the two of them neared the top, Sonic lured the mech into stabbing at the center of the beams, springing off of its head and revving up in mid-air. With a boom true to his nickname, the young hero spiraled down into the robot’s back with a Meteor Spin Dash. The force not only made it fall prone into the tower, but the cumulative damage it had dealt to the structure caused it to collapse under the stress and weight of the thing. Sonic made a graceful three-point landing on one of the pipes near the wreckage, panting a little bit. Much as he liked to brag, the events of the day were starting to wear on him, and going hard on the doctor was adding to the fatigue.

‘Can’t rest my dogs just yet,’ he reminded himself, patting the sides of his face to keep focused, ‘gotta stick it out for Tails!’

The ruins of the tower erupted into a geyser of metal as the mech fought free from the pile of rubbish. A screech of rage blasted out of the speakers, and its bill opened wide as deep red energy gathered at the end of a barrel in place of where a tongue would be.

“I’ve suffered being made a fool at the hands of that fox time and again,” Dr. Fukurokov thundered, “I’ll not have that become a recurring trend with you as well! Die, you little blue rat!”

A crimson orb crackling with dark bolts of energy fired from the cannon in the maw, which Sonic had no problem avoiding. What was an issue, however, was that the projectile blasted several of the pipes to pieces, limiting the ground he could stand on. No other building was around for him to escape to, and they were fairly far out on the lake. He did have the Bubble Shield just in case, but he wasn’t eager to find out just how deep the water was. There was only one path that would take him closer to shore, and the albatross mech was currently situated atop it. It was either try and beat it here or look for an opening to make a break for it, and he was sure that the doctor wasn’t going to give him any wiggle room in that regard.

And it soon became apparent that the owl was quite aware of this predicament for the boy. The mech once more built up the energy needed for its attack, then aimed it at the ground a few meters in front of it. Sonic hopped over to one of the few pipes that hadn’t been affected, feeling sweat forming on his brow as they started to creak under the heft of the doctor’s creation. The boy zoomed in so that the doctor wouldn’t risk firing at his feet, but the albatross opened its wings and let out another torrent of energy rays, forcing him to double back. He waved his arms in a circle to maintain balance as the shots made swiss cheese out of the piping and caused them to buckle further. If they took another volley or hit from anything else, they would be done, and the hoglet would be taking a dip much sooner than he’d like.

With that in mind, Sonic knelt down near the curve of the pipe he was on and revved up a Spin Dash. Rather than aiming directly at anywhere on the robot, he used the makeshift ramp next to him to try and fly over the mech’s head, ready to make a run for it back to safer ground. Dr. Fukurokov responded before he could get the chance, whipping the thing’s head upward and spiking the boy much higher into the air than he’d meant to go. With a fierce hoot, the owl commanded it to crush the remainder of the platforming, then took flight after the hoglet.

“You believe that you are the only one who has been restricting himself!?” the bird laughed with a crazed undertone, “this has mostly been a test run as I said, brat! I wanted to get some enjoyment out of this, but you’ve done nothing but spoil it and force me to use its full capabilities!”

Even in his current situation, Sonic couldn’t help but show off his trademark smirk. “You sound like a stick in the mud, doc, because I’ve been having loads of fun!”

“Then it’s time for you to stop!” Dr. Fukurokov vented, his mirth quickly fading back to rage, “any last words before I leave you as chum for whatever aquatic life inhabits the waters below?”

The kid stuck out his tongue and used one hand to display a rather rude gesture to the cameras in the optics. He was glad Miles wasn’t there to see him do it, or he’d have words. It had the intended effect, though, if the rising pitch of the owl’s snarling was anything to go by. At the same time that he reached into his utility belt to grab the Shield Projector, the albatross rose up to meet him as gravity started to take hold, leaving him nowhere to go. It drew its head back, a sheen crossing its beak as it poised to strike against the fading light of the day.

Just as it moved to follow through, it was suddenly assailed by a hailstorm of machine gun fire, the countless rounds pinging off its plating. The albatross didn’t take much damage, but it was suitably thrown off balance enough that it missed Sonic, leaving the hedgehog to continue his free-fall unharmed. That didn’t last long either, as he felt something wrap about his midsection and tug him back upward. He looked to see what it was and smiled when he spotted the Tornado overhead, and a familiar teal wolf on the other end of the grappling wire that was fastened around him. With a hearty pull, he was soon on the wing next to her, spotting the other two Animals in their respective seats.

“Nice entrance, guys,” he complimented them, “bonus points for dramatic timing and making that bird barely miss me.”

An even louder screech of fury came from the mech, which was treading the air as it stared down the plane. “You and Prower both have the devil’s own luck!” There was a moment of calm that was soon replaced by dark chuckling. “But this works out well enough for me. I was planning to kill those flea-bitten canines along with that new tag-along, too. Having you all here together just makes things more efficient!”

“Please, you think that clunker stands a chance against my bird?” Sonic scoffed, taking a position on the right side of the wingspan, “no way! Even if you’ve got a Chaos Emerald powering that thing, my friends and I will take it down!”

Gizmo pumped a fist and aimed her grappler at the robot. “You’ve got that right, spiny boy! I’ve been wanting another crack at the doctor anyway!”

“And I get to help this time!” Fuchsia chimed in, “just tell me what to do, Gad!”

A grunt of affirmation came from the red twin. “Fu, get all of the weapons primed while I get us in position. Sis, Sonic, you know what to do.”

“Of course!” the hedgehog replied, bracing himself for the next part of the battle, “let’s do it to it!”

As he laid on his back, floating on the surface of the lake and watching the fight between the doctor’s machine, as well as the ascension of the Dragon’s Egg, Knuckles felt many things. He was pleased to see that the efforts made to remove that piece of a horrible prophecy hadn’t gone to waste, but he worried what the fox would do. The Guardian had boarded the escort vessel himself to do battle with him if necessary, but he’d been unceremoniously shoved to the side, quite genuinely over the edge at that. If he didn’t possess the ability to glide and remarkable durability, that would have been the end of him.

It had been too quick for him to get a proper glance at what hit him, though its Chaos Energy was...different. As monstrous as the fox was made out to be by his ancestors and the doctor, his signature still felt natural, as did the strange presence that lingered on occasion around the island. Whatever had prevented him from having a proper showdown with his fated rival also possessed a “typical” sort of presence, but it felt off, like it hadn’t been condensed in the body by the usual process. He wondered if that was another of the owl’s creations, perhaps one built precisely in the event the fox managed to board the Dragon’s Egg transport.

Then there was that whole thing that his enemy was trying to say, about it not being the Dragon’s Egg. How would he know whether or not it was the genuine article? And that point the vulpine made about it bearing some sort of insignia that he couldn’t see. There was no need to embarrass him like that! So what if his vision wasn’t the greatest? He was still able to fight and live well enough with his other senses, especially those afforded to him as Guardian.

‘Calm down,’ he mentally scolded himself, ‘it was because I lost my focus that I ended up here.’

After a few deep breaths, Knuckles flipped himself over and began to swim towards the closest point he could pull himself out of the water. He spied the dock where the strange vehicle the fox had used had once sat at, and soon enough, managed to get onto dry land. Everything around him was starting to go dark, but it wasn’t due to his vision going out. Gazing upward, the Guardian saw that the already fading light in the sky was becoming quickly obscured by dark clouds. He frowned as the faint rumble of thunder filled the air, a few flashes of light coursing through the clouds as raindrops began to fall, their volume steadily increasing.

‘Something about this storm does not feel right,’ he thought grimly, ‘it arrived so suddenly, and near the end of the day. I pray that this is not a sign of things to come.’

“Oh, Knuckles!” came a voice that he could never mistake for anyone else.

There was Big, waving to him and wearing that usual close-eyed goofy smile. Part of the echidna was still a bit cross that the cat had helped the fox’s friends, but it wasn’t entirely surprising. The guy was known for being amicable and easy to please, so it made sense to Knuckles that his friend would get lured in by a false promise. He would not hold that against him, not that doing so would benefit him anyway.

“Hello, Big,” he curtly replied, “what are you doing here?”

The cat went to stand next to him and tapped a button on his fishing pole, shielding them both from the rain as its umbrella popped out. “I found out that Froggy’s in the area! I caught his scent and followed it all the way here!” He seemed proud for but a second before his smile drooped. “But it doesn’t get any stronger from here. I’ve looked just about everywhere in this weird place, and I can’t find him.”

Knuckles found that rather peculiar. He didn’t doubt the feline’s keen sense of smell, not when he’d seen it used to great effect first hand. But, it did beg an important question.

“Why would Froggy be here?” he asked his hefty friend.

Big simply shrugged. “I dunno, but my nose doesn’t lie.” His ears perked up as the sound of concussive blasts disturbed the gentle patter of rain. “Oh, that’s Giselle and them! That’s a really big bird that they’re fighting.”

Given how high up the battle was taking place, the Guardian knew there was nothing he could do to help the doctor. No tower nearby could afford him the altitude to glide into the fray, and the rain and wind were starting to get worse. It would have to be the owl’s own effort that brought down the fox’s group, along with whatever was fighting Miles himself. Even though it looked like things weren’t going particularly well for Dr. Fukurokov, Knuckles had to have faith that he would pull through.

‘Angel Island will be safe if they emerge victorious,’ he told himself internally, ‘that is what they promised. With the Dragon’s Egg removed, it should be able to return to its proper place in the sky.’

And yet, he couldn’t keep his mind off of the other possibility: the one where the fox wins. Part of him held onto that terror produced by the mural in the Hidden Palace, and the story about it that had been passed down. The same fear that made him believe that despite all of the efforts he was making to prevent the worst from happening, it couldn’t be stopped. After all, the doctor had informed him of his previous battles with Miles. How he would find a way to seize victory from the jaws of defeat, such as when he used the Chaos Emeralds to become a monster. It scared him to think that there was a chance that he could do so here as well.

“Big,” he said to the cat, who moved his head to stare down at him, “I need to leave, to prepare for the worst. You know where to find me if you need me...just please, do not bring trouble with you.”

Big nodded and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, buddy. Everything will work out.”

“I hope you are right,” the echidna mumbled. 

He dashed away in the direction of the base’s outer limits, using his gliding ability to cut across quite a few wide gaps in the terrain. The cat watched him go until he was little more than a dot in the distance, then turned his attention back to the battle at hand. Like his friend, he wished that there was something, but he couldn’t fly or work a machine nearby to get him up there. Maybe if he had a really big fish, he could distract that overgrown bird or something.

“But if it’s one of those things the little birds made, it doesn’t need to eat, does it?” he considered, scratching his chin with his free hand.

He would just have to hope for the best that Giselle and the others could get out of this okay. Not that he was too worried, given how well they seemed to be doing. Maybe after that and some rest, they could look for Froggy together again. It still bugged him that the little amphibian seemed to be around here, yet was nowhere to be found.

Miles used a Spin Dash to rocket down the catwalk as he dodged more energy blasts from his double, getting back to his feet before he reached the edge. He let out a yelp as he ducked beneath a claw swipe not even a second after uncurling, Mecha’s face mere centimeters from his with its core below glowing green from its active Speed Drive. The fox Jumped into his foe, but despite the tiny amount of space between them, it didn’t connect as the synthetic vulpine doubled back in a flash. The Flight Drive lit up in conjunction with the other, and the robot activated an aerial Buzz-saw Spin Dash in an attempt to bisect the original. A reflexive twist of his body and use of his tails allowed him to avoid becoming split in twain, but the tireless assault from the bot was starting to wear on him, as was the fact he’d been running around and fighting all day.

‘Can’t let the fatigue get to me,’ Miles thought, ‘but it’s tough to keep up with something that can do most of what I can, plus more. It doesn’t help that those Chaos Drives collectively give it roughly the same power boost as an Emerald, when I also can’t risk using the actual gems. Well then, time to make it a more even playing field.’

Miles landed back on the flooring and ducked behind a support beam, slipping a few Dummy Rings into one hand. When Mecha came after him, he jumped out from cover and went into a Rolling Attack, which the robot attempted to skewer with its own tails. The teen returned upright and swiveled his body so that the appendages just missed him, then threw the Dummy Rings at his doppelganger’s face. He kicked away just before they made impact, watching with a grin as his opponent’s head reeled back from the explosion. The fox didn’t stray far from his target, however, pouncing back at it once the opportunity presented itself and reaching into that chest cavity. Mecha responded with a strong hook that easily knocked Miles off of it, only for a system alert to start going off like crazy.

“Looking for this?” the hero taunted as he revealed that he was holding the Speed Drive in one hand, “it sure does seem important.”

The robot glared at him, using its wheels and boosters in tandem to close the distance, but without that third piece, its velocity had dropped considerably. Miles didn’t give it the chance to retake the tube and promptly opened one end of it to take out the verdant crystal. He felt the same surge of energy as he would when using an Emerald at full strength, albeit not as impressive as the real deal. There was a sensation of lightness that filled his body, as though he weighed nothing at all in the moment, which he assumed was associated with the fact the fragment was focused solely on increasing speed. He knew, though, that unlike his Emerald, the Drive would eventually run out of energy and dissipate, so he had to make it count.

Miles broke the sound barrier the moment his heels left the ground, using his other hand to swing a supersonic punch into Mecha’s face. The artificial fox flipped over a few times in the air, stopping itself by grabbing onto the catwalk with its vicious claws. Both Power and Flight Drives came online, their holder zipping up close to the bottom of the Battle Moon and opened fire with its cannons. It didn’t charge any of its shots this time, and while that reduced their size and power, it allowed Mecha to release them more rapidly. But with the Speed Drive in Miles’ hands, it was almost trivial for him to outrun and avoid the blasts, although the barrage made it so that he couldn’t get in close himself. Not only that, Mecha’s reckless bombardment was ripping off chunks of the surrounding environment, leaving them both with less room to stand.

Those barrels eventually ceased with their attack, the gray metal having turned red hot, steaming billowing out of the ends of them. The instant that it let up, Mecha was sent plummeting to the ground with a dive kick, though it stopped itself from getting knocked prone and sent the fox flying back with a powerful discharge. And yet, it wasn’t given long to recuperate before Miles was on top of it again, giving it a taste of what it gave him earlier with his own powered-up version of the Rapid Tails Attack. Though its plating was tougher than anything he’d fought, even the Grand Kukku Mobile Suit, it didn’t escape without a scratch, and suffered even more gashes and dents the closer the fox struck to its core.

Miles put himself at a considerable distance, ready to give his double another taste, only to feel the Chaos Drive crumble like dirt in his fingers. His body went back to feeling like its normal weight, though with the mounting fatigue, it seemed even heavier. He cursed the timing of it, but supposed that was what he got for drawing as much energy from it as he just did. He wasn’t built like Mecha, after all. It served as a measuring stick to how he used the Emeralds themselves, too, and that his wielding of their power was not as efficient as he’d believed. Perhaps that could be something he worked on once he restored them to their rightful state, assuming he could find a way to do that.

“Even without a Speed Drive, my superior construction will outpace you,” Mecha claimed, bringing its digits out once more, which began to shine with bright yellow around their joints, “I do not suffer such a debility as limited stamina, and I still have more in my arsenal to use against you.”

It demonstrated such by firing golden rings of light his way which, like his own bombs, erupted in rather large explosions despite their small size. Miles grimaced as another of the stairwells that led up into the Battle Moon was reduced to rubble, causing the flooring to buckle a bit more. It was true that the two of them could compensate if it turned into a dogfight, but then it would turn into a chase to keep up with the space station, too. He knew he didn’t have the energy to keep that up on top of everything else, so the best he could do was try and minimize any further damage to the arena.

That aside, the sky had also gotten quite dim, and the fox was certain that it wasn’t evening yet, nor had they risen far enough to enter the next atmospheric layer. The clouds had piled on pretty thick, and they were much darker than he’d seen them just a short while ago. The fur in his ears was tickled by the low rumble of thunder, and he spotted flashes out of the corner of his eyes, both of which made him subconsciously flinch.

His mind went back to a time when he was still a young kit, before he met the family and friends he has now, and after his biological parents had disappeared. He recalled that he’d always been skittish about storms, but the first monsoon season without anyone there to comfort him had been a nightmare. The winds and the rain had been too severe for him to step out of the cabin for long, and the power had rarely been on during the ordeal, leaving him with little light and ways to prepare food most of the time. The worst had been the thunder and lightning. Not only had those kept him up at night, but the latter had come close to striking him several times when he had bravely tried to venture beyond his safe space. He remembered spending hours huddled under a blanket, shivering and occasionally crying, both from the terror and dearly missing his mother and father.

‘I’m glad I had a place of real comfort after I met the Wolf family,’ he thought with a smile, ‘they’ve done so much for me...but their patience with my astraphobia is something I’ll always be grateful for.’ He clenched a fist and took in a deep breath, not letting his fur stand up even as the surrounding storm worsened. ‘I was still suffering from it even when the Kukkus first invaded, and for a short while after that. But, with their love and dedication, and my own willpower, I was eventually able to move past it! I’m not going to let that old fear stop me here!’

Feeling as though he’d just gotten his second wind, Miles charged in without hesitation and swung at Mecha, which dodged the hit easily enough. It slashed at him in return, managing to catch the fox in the side and make him wince as a bit of blood was drawn above his waist. Still, he didn’t let the pain overpower him, pushing through the stinging and aching to drive a hard kick into the robot’s chest. A few bolts crackled around the core from the impact, while Mecha itself skidded back on its heels, its wheels kicking up sparks. The Power Drive’s crimson brilliance illuminated the bot’s chest, and like it had done so some minutes ago, it steadied one arm while the other had energy coalesced into the end of it. Miles was ready to move the moment he fired, his tails warming themselves up as he dug his blue and white kicks into the metal. A bolt of lightning arced through the clouds and struck the elevator just behind Mecha, and it let loose in the next instant.

To the teen’s surprise, the concentrated energy beam went wide from its mark, so much so that he didn’t even need to pivot or so much as flinch to avoid it. He glanced over to see that Mecha’s optics were dilated, and the arm it had used to fire at him was trembling ever so slightly. Perhaps he’d been imagining things, but it was like the duplicate of himself had faltered right when the lightning had made its mark.

‘Could it be?’ Miles wondered.

A loud jingle came from one of his belt pouches, signaling that the Shield Projector had finished cooling down and was ready to use again. There was an idea forming in his head, just in case his hypothesis turned out to be correct, but he couldn’t put it into action just yet. He kept on the outer edge of the catwalks, one hand on the device while he fixed his gaze on Mecha’s next movement. The robot shook off its daze and curled its own steel digits into fists, tucking its body in as the Flight Drive amplified its boosters. With a screech like a jet engine, the vulpine droid crossed from one end of the arena to the other, set to pulverize its original into paste.

Miles stepped away from the end of the flooring, grabbing onto a pole with his free hand to swing out of the way of the blow. He even corrected his course as he noticed Mecha altered its trajectory, revolving around the beam a couple of times and landing close to a lift. The Kukku masterwork was quick to return, slamming its feet into the catwalk hard enough to warp the metal. It drew one fist back with as much gusto as Knuckles would, the Power Drive seemingly overclocked as the whole limb became cloaked in the same luminescent splendor.

Perhaps due to their altitude and the abundance of metal to attract it, lightning struck near them once again. While Miles was rather startled by the close call, Mecha seemed to have it worse. Like with its particle cannon, the empowered punch came nowhere near its mark, instead slamming into the suspension beam next to the fox. Miles countered with a close-quarters Spin Dash, managing to knock the bot on its back for once, though it only briefly stayed down. He noted that it was twice now that nature had flexed its muscles and caused his opponent to falter in some manner. Its reaction could have been a coincidence in both cases, but the tense yet uneasy posture that his double had suggested otherwise.

The teen pressed the offense this time, dashing straight at Mecha and briefly dipped one hand into his utility belt. He then aimed a number of kicks at the robot, most of which it dodged or was merely grazed by. It lashed back with its tails, using them like clubs as it continued to put its Power Drive to good use, though without the Speed Drive to supplement it, most of its strikes couldn’t land. The few that did, however, Miles had to bite his chops to keep himself from crying out as the serrated teeth on those limbs sliced against him. The pain distracted him enough for Mecha to deliver a jet-powered kick to the liver and send him flying, crashing back down on the deck near one of the lifts. A wave of nausea passed through him as he struggled to get to his feet, his vision blurring for a few seconds.

“Perhaps you are not as clever as data suggests,” Mecha said as it stomped over to him, “you had many potential approaches, yet chose that which left you particularly vulnerable.” It extended its claws and lifted both arms above its head. “It took longer than calculated, but this conflict shall be concluded. As for what awaits this unit afterward, that shall be under the discretion of the doctor.”

Miles shook off the daze from the blow and smirked at the likeness of himself. “I agree with you that this fight is over, but not in your favor!”

With that proclamation, he once again called upon the Shield Projector, bringing up the Lightning Shield this time. Mecha’s hands stopped short of tearing into him as those white hot bolts formed a sphere around the fox. The hero fully stood up, brushed himself off, and began walking to his counterpart, which involuntarily backed away from him in turn. Seeing this, Miles couldn’t help but let out a sinister chuckle.

“Illogical automatic response,” Mecha droned out, gazing down at itself and then at the other fox, “does not compute. Query: what is happening to me?”

“The doctor made you afraid of lightning,” he pointed out, “I’m guessing it’s some sort of fail-safe in the event you turned rebellious. Perhaps he even meant to set it up so that we both would be crippled and easy pickings for him, if we’d joined forces for whatever reason.” The fox cracked his knuckles as the static made his fur stand on end, appearing even bigger than he really was. “Unfortunately for the both of you, I got over my astraphobia a while ago!”

He drove a punch into Mecha’s face, some of the electricity jumping from his fist into the robot and causing sparks to erupt from its ears. It seemed that not only had Dr. Fukurokov made the replica afraid of lightning, but physically weak to it as well! He drove his knee into the thing’s chest, watching with some delight as his copy spasmed from the impact, the plasma-laced damage to its weak point utterly stunning it. This gave him the time to buckle the Projector to his belt, then leaned in to yank the other two Chaos Drives out of their sockets. Like he’d expected, Mecha wasn’t deactivated the instant he pulled them free, but the thing was no doubt severely limited compared to before. 

But now that he knew what was most effective and what the Kukku creation was capable of, this would be easy. Miles tossed the Flight Drive into the sky below, then opened the canister for the Power Drive so that he could use it himself. He wasted no time tapping into it, feeling his muscles firm up and grow beneath his fur just in time to sock the robot right in the optics with his free hand. A crack formed in the tempered glass, but Mecha was given no time to address the breach before it got bonked on the head with a fluffy tail, only it was more like being slammed with a sledgehammer. Miles repeated this action a few times, denting up the amber frame before knocking the invention to the ground with a jump kick.

“Now to finish this and bring down the Battle Moon!” he said to his double, the Lightning Shield flickering.

Miles put the Power Drive in his muzzle and bit down as grabbed Mecha by both of its arms, tossing it into the air and using the Double Jump to build up more electricity. With his tails below him, the fox continued to kick his doppelganger up towards the space station, guiding it into one of the elevator shafts. Once they were in a suitable position, the hero forcefully balled the robot up into a Rolling form, his arms and hands bouncing it up and down more and more rapidly. Bolts from the Lightning Shield coursed through his arms, sparks and pops emitting from his foe. Noises that were more akin to the stereotypical beeps and boops of simplistic AI came out of the robot, no doubt fried by the constant shocks it was receiving.

“Time to put you out of your misery,” Miles declared, tossing the synthetic fox up and drawing his legs in, “Lightning Driver!”

With a thunderous double kick that drowned out the natural noise, he sent Mecha soaring up into the lift shaft. The clamor of thick layers of steel being punctured by plasma-charged metal met his ears, along with the screams of countless Kukku combatants. These were followed up by multiple blasts of increasing intensity, until it climaxed with the thrusters on the underside of the Battle Moon ominously quaking and their flames suddenly going out. It didn’t take long before the fox noticed that they had stopped ascending.

The whole of the level Miles was currently on buckled and broke apart, then detached completely from the station itself, leaving him at the mercy of gravity and the storm. The winds carried the fox and the debris he was standing on away from the Battle Moon, but even against the coming night and the dark clouds, he could see its colossal silhouette coming down. He panted and was about ready to collapse, but knew that he couldn’t afford to do that just yet. There was still the matter of a safe landing and setting up a small camp for the night.

“No! How can this be!?” Dr. Fukurokov wailed as he caught sight of the Battle Moon falling out of the sky, his eyes nearly bulging into his glasses, “that damn fox must have cheated! That raging storm should have left him immobile with fright!”

By contrast, Sonic and the others raised a fist and let out a cheer even as they continued their fight with the albatross mech. “Way to go, Tails! We knew you could do it, big guy!”

“Now to shoot down this overgrown seabird!” Gizmo yipped, her grappler at the ready as her other hand held fast to the wing.

Disheartened by the defeat of one of his greatest creations and the second fall of another, the owl was ill-prepared for a hail of missiles to strike its remaining one. He used its wings to shield the body from what he could, then returned its own volley at the Tornado. One by one, however, each of the explosives detonated prematurely, which utterly confused the doctor until he spotted something on the plane’s wings. There were minute flashes of light on the edges of the top, and every time one of them appeared, his missiles burst. He wasn’t given long to peep when the big bird’s optics were splattered with more machine gun rounds to go with the rain.

“How do you like your point-defense lasers being used against you?” Gadget shouted over the storm and the engine, “it’s one of the designs we managed to swipe from your console on the Battle Fortress before it was destroyed!”

Dr. Fukurokov commanded his creation to pursue the smaller vessel, furious at having his own technology pilfered and put to use in his enemies’ hands. Footage from the Fortress in its final minutes showed that wolf in particular was the same one that had commanded that infernal pet of the fox’s to shut down the Grand Kukku Cannon. Sure, his sister had helped, but he was the one that had done all of the figurative heavy lifting.

“You were merely a footnote in the first skirmish against us!” he railed against the lupine pilot, firing numerous crimson orbs at the Tornado, “a stupid kid that couldn’t even lay a finger on our former ace!”

“Funny how people can change, unlike your machines,” Sonic quipped.

Fuchsia giggled and leaned in a bit more to rub the red wolf’s ears, then returned to viewing her console. “Yeah, my boyfriend is pretty cool.”

“Way past cool,” the hedgehog corrected her with a smirk, making the cat laugh again.

Gadget made a poor effort to hide his flushed face, mostly on account of his hands being busy with the controls. “L-let’s save the flattery and touchy-feel stuff for after we’ve dealt with the angry bird on our tail, okay?”

Try as it might, the albatross couldn’t quite overtake the Tornado in terms of speed. The doctor had it spread its wings and halt, prompting the group of Animals to turn around and fly back its way. When the biplane let loose more of its mass of missiles, the mech answered with its energy rays, cutting down most of them before they could reach him. The Tornado rose up out of their path, then dove down just as it was a handful of meters away. Sonic jumped from the top of the wings and landed a Rolling Jump into the space between its chest spikes, free-falling for a couple of seconds before he was retrieved by Gizmo’s grappling wire. Staggering from the spiny kid’s blow, it was left open to more machine gun fire from the back as the plane made another pass.

Try as he might, Dr. Fukurokov just couldn’t get himself in the right head space to fight back. Dealing with the hedgehog boy had been frustrating enough, though he would never openly admit that his bluster earlier had been just that. With no clear advantage over those brats, even if his mind was in the game, he wouldn’t be able to turn the tide in his favor. And though his ride was still solid on the outside, the readings on its defensive integrity were anything but reassuring. If only he could turn things on their head in some way, then perhaps he could still win this fight, or at least get away with some sort of victory.

‘There is that, I suppose,’ he pondered as he sifted through his options, ‘though it would essentially mean abandoning this fine piece of work I spent so much time on, not to mention its precious cargo. And do I really want to do something that will get my arch-nemesis truly worked up, not to mention a bit cliche?’ It was only a few moments of consideration that led him to his answer, a devious grin on his beak. ‘Oh, I can’t kid myself; of course I do. Besides, His Majesty will know how to salvage this situation.”

While he devised how to put his plan into action, the Tornado came in for more, bullets ricocheting off the wings of the albatross mech. The giant robot tried to peck at the plane, only to receive a Rolling Jump in the side of its face, the hoglet safe from any spikes there. Sonic was retrieved much like before, and this pattern kept up for a couple of tense minutes, more dents and chips forming in the bigger machine with every round trip. After that, the kid landed back on the top for what felt like the millionth time, crossing his arms and tapping one of his feet.

“Alright, I’m bored now,” he told the others, “let’s wrap this up and grab the last Emerald. Tails is probably waiting for us somewhere.”

“I’d like that, but,” Gizmo said as they kept circling around the doctor’s creation, “I dunno, I’ve got a weird feeling about this, like he might be up to something.”

Gadget kept their altitude and distance at a constant as he mulled over the situation. “Yeah, his attacks have become more lax, and I’m not sure it’s due to damage.”

“Then let’s take him down before he tries something!” Fuchsia encouraged them, “we won’t have to worry if we can beat him to the punch!”

Seeing as they didn’t have much choice any other way, the twins agreed to go along with that approach. Just as the red one made moves to bring them in closer, the teal wolf turned to the kid besides her.

“Alright, how’re we gonna do this?” she wondered.

Sonic rubbed under his nose and giggled boyishly as he grinned up at her. “I want you to hurl me into that thing like that one event in the Olympics.”

“Ooh, I know which one you mean,” Gizmo replied, mirroring his expression.

The hedgehog went into a Jump, the wolf’s grappling wire wrapping around the blue sphere so that she was effectively wielding an organic ball-and-chain. With her free hand she reached down to click the tongues of her boots between her fingers, grunting as the magnetic soles activated and made them feel all the heavier. Gizmo took the steel wire in both gloves and, with considerable effort, began to spin both herself and Sonic around. The kid was, thankfully, considerably lighter than Vector when it came to doing this, allowing their momentum to build more quickly. Once the two were whirling fast enough to appear as one, Gadget cranked the Tornado’s jet engine as high as it would go, intending to pass as closely as possible so they could get a clear shot. Time seemed to slow to a molasses-like crawl as they got within range, no sound in the ears of the Animals aside from their quickened breathing.

“Here we go!” Gizmo cried out, digging her heels into one last rotation before her weapon hand went to her grappler, “Hedgehog Hammer Throw!”

At the same time that the pilot suddenly cut the thrust, there was another click, and the cable released itself from around Sonic, sending him careening towards the albatross’ chest. Just as they had planned, the boy was aimed perfectly between its breast spikes, causing the huge bird to hunch inward from the sheer impact. With a high-pitched screech, the spiny young hero drilled through the armor plating and out of the other side of the mech, leaving it twitching in the air. Sonic continued flipping forward until gravity finally began to pull him down, at which point the Tornado caught up and let him land stylishly on the wing.

“Nailed it!” he hollered, giving the crew a thumbs-up, “now let’s go get that Emerald before it falls into the lake!”

They pulled a U-turn and headed back in the direction of the albatross, being treated to the spectacle of the massive fireball its explosion made. The Tornado’s built-in Emerald Radar indicated that the gem was plummeting towards the water, and the group decreased their altitude accordingly. What also caught Sonic’s eye, however, was a curious translucent blue bubble that he spotted coming down as well. Inside of it was a rather sizable green frog, one probably half as long as he was tall, sporting a white underbelly, orange stripes on the sides, and red marks on its cheeks, with relatively big eyes that had pale yellow sclera and wide black pupils. Before he could point it out or ask what it could be doing there, Gizmo’s wire popped the bubble and snagged it out of the air.

“So the doc’s started using Critters to power his big machines now?” she remarked with disgust. Although, once she got a better look at the little guy, her eyes slowly widened as a smile did the same on her muzzle. “Wait a minute, this frog looks exactly like the way Big described Froggy!”

Fuchsia popped her head up to take a look, her feline eyes able to see well despite how dark it had gotten. “Hey, you’re right, Gizzy! He’s gonna be really happy we found his friend!”

“Alright, Sis, you should be able to find the Emerald with your goggles,” Gadget called up to her, “hurry up and grab it before I have to pull out of the dive!”

Considering the visibility, she took his advice and pressed in on the corner of her specs. Thanks to the night vision function, she was able to pick out the gem in the rain, steadying her hand to fire. It was a much smaller object to aim for than the friend next to her, but she was confident in her ability and her brother’s piloting. With a deep breath, she let loose the cable, watching with bated breath as it extended in slow motion. She cheered a bit on the inside when her aim was proven true, and with a snap of her wrist, she brought the dull red Emerald back to her hand. With that, they finally had all seven of the mystical minerals again, and hopefully, they’d soon have a way to restore them to normal.

Their celebration was cut short when an electric blue beam of light shot through the tail of the Tornado and the jet engine attachment. 

“My baby!” Sonic cried out at the crippling blow done to his beloved vehicle.

Everyone yelled as the plane lost control, with Sonic being thrown from the sudden tailspin it went into. Gizmo quickly pocketed the Emerald and tried to call the boy back with her device, but there was far too much turbulence to get a good bead. On top of that, Froggy had started panicking in her grip, so she was distracted by trying to keep hold of him. Gadget struggled to get the craft to even out, although stopping it from falling entirely was proving to be a futile endeavor. At best, they could manage an emergency landing and hope to take as little additional damage as they could.

Just as they were all distracted, a shadow slightly smaller than the Tornado zoomed by and left just as hastily as it had appeared. A pleading scream came from the direction it went, and when the red wolf peered over, he felt ice in his veins. There was a navy blue falcon mech that didn’t appear to be modeled on any species in particular, just that he could tell it was meant for speed. He presumed that Dr. Fukurokov had been hiding it in the albatross as a means to escape, but what got him going was what it held in his talons.

“Gad, help me, please!” came Fuchsia’s voice, the cat feebly struggling to escape the iron grip that held her.

“Fuchsia!” the wolf howled after her, desperately trying to get the Tornado to ascend again. But no matter what he did, the state of the plane wouldn’t allow him to pursue the fleeing robot. “Fuchsia!”

Several seconds later, the twins barreled into the lake, kicking up huge waves of water as they came in hard and fast. The Tornado ended up partially beaching itself with its water landing equipment as it came ashore, leaving the pair of them banged up a bit as well. Once she had her bearing again, Gizmo deactivated her magnet boots, jumped down from the wings, set Froggy down, and started running to the water. She was about to dive in to go get Sonic when the hedgehog zipped up onto the freshwater breach, the sheen of the Bubble Shield around him.

“Oh, thank the gods,” she breathed out in relief, “are you hurt, Sonic?”

The hoglet did a quick limb check, rolled his neck, then looked back at her with a smile. “Nope! A bit woozy from that dive, but otherwise, I’m good!”

“Glad to hear it,” she said earnestly, her ears folding back as she moved her gaze to the Tornado, “but...this is really bad, kid.”

“Yeah,” he replied as his face became more serious, “they’ve grounded our wings and taken one of our friends! We gotta go after them!”

The teal wolf put a hand on his shoulder just before he could go and race off. “I’m all for that, but we’ve got other problems to deal with first, like getting out of the rain and finding a place to sleep.”

Much as he wanted to shrug her off and go save Fuchsia, Sonic knew she was right. He didn’t have the strength left to make it halfway to wherever the Kukkus were, and he didn’t know where to look to begin with. They had to let Miles know that they were okay, too, and inform him about what happened. Hopefully, he would know what to do once the morning rolled around.

Gadget, meanwhile, hadn’t moved from his spot in the pilot’s seat, his muzzle against the yoke as his hands clutched at his head fur. The wolf was thankful it was still raining right now, as he didn’t want the others to see the mess of tears that were forming. He knew that bringing his girlfriend along had been a risky idea and had been steadfastly against it, but he’d let her and the others convince him it’d be okay. He knew his gut hadn’t been steering him wrong during the fight earlier, but she and Sonic had encouraged them to finish it quickly rather than carefully. He had wanted to prevent this sort of scenario from happening, even warned about it happening, and yet he had gone along with it because they had trusted him to make sure that it wouldn’t. Now, those birds had taken her to do who knows what, and he felt so...weak. Everything he had done up to now in this crazy adventure? It didn’t mean anything if Fuchsia wasn’t there to share in the revelry that came after. 

But, if the Kukkus thought that this would break him, or any of the others in their group, then they were sorely mistaken.

“Tomorrow,” he growled in a low tone, fangs on display as his orange eyes seemed to burn like fire, “I’ll get you back, kitten, and those damn birds are gonna pay!”

The Great Battle Kukku had been rather livid when the Battle Moon had failed to perform as promised. Of course, it was the fault of that fox that several of its main generators were horrifically damaged. That imitation that the doctor had built had proven ineffective at taking out the original, and he’d wholly expected that unwieldy mech that his old friend had made to be just as disappointing. The footage he’d been digesting of the battle from all angles had proved him right. It agitated him to no end that this was the third time now that Prower had managed to foil his operations!

The silver lining to this debacle was that the station was still mostly in one piece, and when it came to powering their propulsion, they had a backup plan. The Master Emerald that the echidna guarded would serve as the perfect substitute for both the Chaos Emeralds and their overbearing generators. According to their Radar, they had crashed into the massive volcano in the Red Mountain Range, which was closer to the powerful Chaos Energy reading that they’d deduced belonged to the gem in question. Truthfully, the Emperor had been hoping to put the plan to plunder it into action sooner, but the state of the space station made him decide to delay it for just a little longer. They would squeeze every bit of use out of Knuckles until either he had nothing more to provide, or if that fox broke through his rock-hard stubbornness. Either of those was inevitable, and he really preferred it to be the former that comes true.

A pair of tones similar to a sonar ping sounded off in his ears, indicating he had an urgent call, and his new additions showed it to be Dr. Fukurokov. No doubt the owl was calling him up to inform him about things that he already knew. Oh well...it had been a while since he’d last given any of his underlings a good dressing down, and he’d had one on the back-burner for his Number 2, both for this and the previous crash landing of the Battle Moon. With that, he directed his internal systems to answer the call, putting it on speaker so that his other minions would be able to hear who he’s verbally dismantling.

“Hello, Dmitri,” he started off in a cordial manner, “I do hope you weren’t banged up too terribly.”

There was an odd noise of surprise from the owl, like it was halfway between a gasp and a choke. “Oh, well, I managed not to sustain any serious injuries, but thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

“I’m glad to hear that old friend. Now,” the GBK said as the smile on his face morphed into a deep scowl, his teeth audibly clenching, “I normally do not use such vulgar speech, nor do I always speak so frankly...but you really fucked up, Dmitri!”

All the combatants in the command room jumped and instinctively cowered away from their boss. On the other end, they could hear their chief engineer let out a yelp and stutter as he tried to catch his breath. When the Emperor got genuinely angry, nobody wanted to bear the brunt of it, so they couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for the owl.

“Not even an hour after liftoff, and we’re back on the ground yet again!” their commander ranted, “your mock-up of Prower failed to deliver, and it was a big part of the reason that our engines failed! That damn fox knew exactly where to aim it to knock us down before we could even get to the stratosphere! And don’t get me started on the ‘ brilliant’ defenses you came up with for the station and our base. What the hell were our anti-aircraft placements doing!? Shouldn’t shooting that stupid plane of theirs have been as easy as ruffling your feathers!? Do you have any explanation for how and why an 8-year-old little bastard of a hedgehog made such a mockery of your latest battle mech!? WELL!? ”

There were a few moments where Dr. Fukurokov could do nothing more than mumble quietly, trying to calm himself down after that fright. But, after a bit, he managed to find his voice.

“I-it isn’t entirely a wash, Sire!” he rushed to say, “I managed to snag their rookie! Surely, she would serve as a good bargaining chip!”

The GBK wanted to tell his lackey that bringing home a captive did nothing to amend his failures. But then, he really thought about it. This girl, whoever she was, must have been competent enough for the fox to bring her along, which meant that she must possess some skills like the rest of his band. Perhaps she could be used for their purposes, instead.

“Or a Convert,” the Kukku leader suggested as a malicious grin showed on his beak.

Chapter Text

Miles groaned as the early morning sun hit his eyes, moving one arm up to shield them. Once his pupils had adjusted to the light, he let out a yawn and stretched his arms and legs, blinking a bit as he brought himself to sit up. He was in a deep woodland forest with impressively tall and thin brown trees that had rich green moss growing at the base of their trunks, and thicker trees that helped make up the expansive canopy. The forest floor was covered in dewy grass, shrubs and bushes, with the path further on being studded with huge vines that were entangled with smaller ones. The soil was an odd sandy tint, tinged with some odd ovular stones here and there, perhaps the natural minerals of the region. 

But, most notable of all were the bountiful, colorful, and seemingly bouncy mushrooms of various shapes and sizes as far as the eye could see. He was currently beneath a decently tall one that had a red cap with orange spots, which he’d used as shelter for the night before. It hadn’t been perfect, as there was a bit of mud that had stained his fur while he rested and had dried overnight, but he didn’t mind so much.

There were more important things to worry about, anyway, and at the top of that list was Fuchsia’s abduction by Dr. Fukurokov’s hands. The others had informed him after their respective battles had ended, not too long after he himself had managed a safe landing. She had most likely been taken to the Battle Moon, and due to the storm, no one had seen where the station had crashed. The comm that they had given the cat had either been destroyed or its signal was being suppressed, as they couldn’t track its location. Even if they could, the Tornado had suffered some pretty serious damage, so it wouldn’t be a simple or quick task to retrieve her.

Despite that, Miles didn’t allow himself to get lost in his emotions. He was angry, perhaps even furious, if he was being honest with himself. His worst enemies were holding one of his longtime friends captive. But, he wasn’t about to let it get to him, as a calm and rational mind was needed to devise the best course for rescuing Fuchsia, not to mention figuring out where the Battle Moon had fallen. Even so, the fox couldn’t help but feel sympathetic for his older brother. He imagined it was more difficult for Gadget to keep his cool, given what Fuchsia was to him.

‘Gad was afraid something like this might happen, too,’ he recalled with some guilt as he got to his feet. He shook his head and rubbed at his eyes, getting the sleep out of them and fixing his gaze on the forest with a determined look. ‘But don’t worry, Bro, we will get her back!’

Before he set out, Miles dug into the small stash of food that he’d foraged last night, thankful that many of the wild berries, fruits, and some of the mushrooms were edible. Having spent most of his life gathering food in and around his home on Cocoa Island had come in handy for recognizing such. Once he was properly satiated, he did a couple of stretches to get himself limber, then double-checked all of his belongings. His supply of bombs and Dummy Rings was almost exhausted, but the Miles Electric and the Elemental Shield Projector both had enough Rings to keep going for quite some time. He also took stock of the four Emeralds he had: cyan, green, white, and blue. The yellow, magenta, and red ones were in the others’ hands, and though it was on his mind, he would worry later about whether or not all seven needed to be present for their restoration.

After he was all set, the teen sprinted down a gentle slope, passing beneath the caps of similar fungi like the one he’d been resting under, as well as many smaller ones to his sides. He came to a huge and steep rocky hill that had a passage carved into it, which brought him to the edge of a short cliff. The fox was about to jump down when his keen ears picked up the sound of shoes against stone coming from below. He dropped to his stomach and crawled forward so that he could peer over the side, keeping mostly hidden in the grass. A few seconds went by where nothing happened, and Miles was about to write it off as him just hearing things. But then, the shadow of a studded glove appeared from an opening in the rockier part of the cliff below, and a familiar face followed.

‘Knuckles!’ the fox exclaimed internally, inching up a tiny bit further to see the echidna more clearly, ‘he survived the fall after all. I’m actually a bit relieved, but, why is he here?’

Miles would have assumed that the Guardian was searching for him, but the monotreme’s behavior suggested otherwise. He was being cautious, looking around to see if anyone was watching him, which made the hero duck back into the foliage when those purple eyes turned his way. There was a long pause, then Knuckles eventually stepped out of whatever tunnel he’d just been in. He pushed up the cuff of one of his gloves and revealed a Kukku comm, pressing the one button it had and bringing the device closer to his face. Miles leaned in once again and strained his ears to listen for whatever he could pick up from the echidna.

“Doctor, can you hear me?” Knuckles inquired into the mic.

The crackling of static filled the air for a couple of seconds before a response came. “Knuckles! What happened yesterday!? I thought you were going to confront your fated foe!”

“And I would have, had something else not stopped me,” the Guardian answered irritably, puffing out his chest, “I am enough for that fox. Whatever pushed me aside clearly was not.”

There was a moment of silence where the engineer absorbed his words. Once he’d let it hang for a bit, Dr. Fukurokov came back on the line.

“Ah, I understand now, my boy,” the owl told him, with Miles not liking the sudden change in tone, “and I do apologize for how my creation treated you. However, it was for your own good.” 

Knuckles scoffed. “Are you saying I could not have beaten him? I handled him well enough when we met at the shore.”

“You may have fared positively in your first encounter, but he adapts like none other,” the engineer countered, with some disgust in his voice for giving any praise to his enemy. He coughed and cleared his throat to get the bad taste out of the back of it from doing so. “Moving on. The operation with the Dragon’s Egg was a bust, as you’ve surely figured out by now.”

There was a grunt of acknowledgment from the echidna. “Yes, the underside of the Egg is now visible from within the Lava Reef Caverns, as well as from the Master Emerald’s shrine. We are fortunate that it landed in such a place, otherwise the damage to the island could have been far greater.”

Miles counted his lucky stars that he just happened to be here to hear this conversation. From the name, he assumed that the Lava Reef Caverns were part of the massive volcano he’d seen near the center of the island. If the station was there, then Fuchsia should be, too. The problem was that if he took a more direct approach, they would likely do something to her that would get him and the others going. Not to mention, if that was close to where the Master Emerald was, running into Knuckles again might be unavoidable. Perhaps if there was another way to approach the Battle Moon, he could get in there and bust the cat out before the echidna noticed and the birds tried anything.

“Where are you now, Knuckles?” the doctor asked, his question snapping the fox back to attention.

The echidna did a quick survey around him, seeming to just miss the peeping fox as he went back to his comm. “The Mushroom Forest east of the Sandopolis Desert. I shall use a path through the ruins there to make haste through the Caverns to the Hidden Palace. That way, the fox has no chance of making it there before I do.”

“Then let’s plan to meet where the two Zones border,” Dr. Fukurokov offered, “I remember the route through the Red Mountains you showed me. See you soon, my young friend.”

Knuckles said nothing more and closed the comm link. He made one final scan of the place before reaching over and pressing something in the rock. Miles caught the sound of sliding stone coming from the cliff side, which eventually ended in a gentle thud as something made contact with the ground. That certainly was curious. Afterward, the echidna breathed in, let out a sigh, and then left the area through a tunnel that was supported by two large wooden posts. 

When he was certain that the other Animal was gone, Miles leapt down from the ledge and inspected where he had come from. A few minutes of diligent searching rewarded him with a section of stone that pressed inward when he applied a bit of pressure to it. More of the rugged cliff side receded into the bulk before lifting upward, revealing a chamber at the end of a relatively short passage. Miles wandered inside, not finding anything remarkable until he got to the very back of the place, where he found a giant Ring mounted on the rear wall. Unlike any others he’d seen, this one had writing etched into the circumference, and although he couldn’t read any of it, he did recognize their form and style.

“It’s the same script that Sonic and I saw in the ruins beneath the Mystic Cave Network,” he said aloud, moving up to the Ring and running a finger across the characters.

He was startled when the thing suddenly lit up with a golden light, the runes shining with an emerald green hue. A shimmering film of white filled the space in the Ring, which rippled like a disturbed pond when he experimentally tapped it with a digit. Curiosity got the better of him and he slipped his hand inside. It felt just like sticking it into water, and the teen’s eyes widened when his arm most certainly went beyond the wall on the other side. Miles pulled his limb back and examined it, finding nothing amiss other than a mild tingling running up to his elbow.

“Whoa, is this how Knuckles got around the island and scattered the Emeralds so quickly?” he questioned. He flexed his fingers, finding them still perfectly functional, and the funny feeling eventually wore off. “I remember reading about something like this being present on South Island; the existence of supposedly giant Rings that could transport people to different and sometimes strange places. If that’s the case, I wonder what’s on the other side of this one?”

Taking a page from Sonic’s book, he decided to leap before he looked, diving feet-first into the apparent portal. His vision went entirely white, and his body felt as though it was melding into the void beyond the Ring. He was filled with the sensation of being lighter than even air, and a noise unlike any he’d heard seemed to go on for ages. Whatever composed his existence was yanked in an unknowable direction, the rush greater than anything he’d achieved by himself, aided or not.

“Froggy!” Big cried out joyfully as he lifted the little green amphibian up in one hand. The cat placed him on one of his shoulders and gave him a gentle stroke, then beamed at the group. “You found him just like you promised, Giselle!”

The teal wolf beamed and put her hands on her hips. The remaining members of the gang had taken shelter in one of the buildings closer to the treeline, and were now enjoying the gleam of the morning dew and the smell it brought. Big had found his way over to them, drawn by the scent of his companion, so Gizmo had seen it fit to surprise him after getting Sonic up to speed on who he was. Seeing the look on his face, she certainly thought it was worth it, even considering their situation.

“Glad I could get your little friend back, Big,” she told him, her smile falling away a moment later into a worried frown, “but now, one of our friends is missing.”

“Yeah, I don’t see that lady cat with you,” the hefty feline said, now concerned himself, “where did she go?”

Sonic pointed at Froggy. “The same guys that nabbed your pal took her away.”

“You were kidnapped, Froggy?” Big asked his companion, who gave a few ribbits and croaks in response, “that old owl that Knuckles keeps talking to?” The Critter bobbed its body as if to affirm the cat’s guess, with the latter slowly adopting a more serious expression. “I knew there was something fishy about that bird.”

Over in a corner, Gadget was monitoring and messing with his comm. He hadn’t spoken at all since they woke up, but had spent the entire time working with his device, wordlessly munching on some dried meat and fruits every so often. Despite his vigilance, nothing had turned up when it came to tracing Fuchsia’s position. Even the chatter he was eavesdropping on through the Kukkus’ channels wasn’t mentioning anything about her, nor the direct whereabouts of the Battle Moon. Still, he kept at it, logging what he believed were coded terms for the Empire’s operations.

“Fuchsia is really important to Gad, Big,” Gizmo explained to him, glancing over at her twin brother sympathetically, “they’re in love, so seeing her in danger like this and being unable to help right away...I can only imagine how he’s feeling right now.”

The cat tilted his head and scratched his chin, seeming to struggle with the concept. But when it seemed like the wolf would have to lay it out for him, he appeared to get it as he let out a low hum.

“So, it’s like Knuckles’ parents,” Big concluded, “or the Flickies and Pockies when they get together.”

As dire as their friend’s plight was, Gizmo found herself briefly picturing Fuchsia and her brother together with kids of their own. Would they be puppies, kittens, hybrid children, or even a mixed bag of all three? When it came to Animals, any of those were possible, and to the she-wolf, all of them were adorable in her imagination. She suppressed a squeal at the thought of being an aunt to such a pack, briefly covering her face in embarrassment. Much as she tried to be a little more like her two siblings, she couldn’t help loving cute things like that.

“Well, they’re not quite at that point yet,” she clarified, letting out a nervous laugh, “but he’ll do anything for her, which is why he’s trying so hard to find her right now.”

The three of them sat there, listening to Gadget continue his efforts as they thought of something. Following a few minutes of racking their brains, it was Sonic that broke the silence.

“Gizmo told me that you know where the Hidden Palace is,” the hedgehog stated to Big, winking at the wolf.

The portly fellow perked his ears and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been there a lot. You think that’s where your friend might be?”

“No, I get what Sonic’s saying,” Gadget spoke up for the first time that day, catching everyone else’s attention. He stood up and walked over to them, his eyes fixed on the cat. “The Empire is no doubt after the Master Emerald. They’ve just been waiting to make a move on it, likely to keep Knuckles on their side until the time is right. If we can beat them there, we might be able to stop them, find out where the Battle Moon is, and save Fuchsia!” He clasped his hands together as he maintained his gaze on Big. “Please, if there’s any fast way to get there, can you show us?”

Big stared back at the red wolf, an air of understanding about him. He nodded again more firmly, his free hand clenched in a relaxed, yet somehow determined manner.

“Sure. You guys helped me find Froggy, so I’ll help you find Fuchsia,” he informed the other three, “if I remember right, there should be a Giant Ring close by.” Seeing that it was their turn to give him confused looks, he chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you how it works when we get there.”

Following Big’s lead, the Animals made their way out of the now-defunct Kukku base and into the forest that lined the mountains around the valley. The Critters were much livelier than they had been the previous day, or at least the cat thought so, since the others had been too busy dealing with the Empire’s machinations. The Flickies, Rickies, and other creatures greeted them with the typical calls and cries, seeming to recognize Big as he passed through, and being intrigued at the presence of Animals that some of them had never seen before. If they had more time and less urgency, the gang would’ve stopped to enjoy the wildlife and the surrounding scenery.

Several minutes later, they arrived at the base of the mountains on the eastern side of the range. Big brought them up a path that either he, Knuckles, or the both of them had gradually worked into the ground, as it was notably less rough in that patch than anywhere else along the way. The trail split off in two directions, with one going further into the rocky peaks, and another, obviously less-traveled one veering off to a sparse gathering of pines. Nestled in the rocks in the back of these woods was a modest cave with stone that was too smooth and even to have formed naturally, the heroes assuming it was hewn by the ancient echidnas. And when they went inside, the trio were stunned by the fact that there was, indeed, a rather huge Ring with archaic characters and symbols that was propped up in the back of the cave.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, Big, it is giant for a Ring!” Sonic commented as he walked up to it and took a gander. His brow perked up when he noticed the script that was on the thing. “Hey, I’ve seen this kind of writing before! It was back on West Side Island, when Tails and I were way underground and found that place where the white Emerald was!”

“Too bad we don’t have a translator or interpreter handy,” Gizmo remarked, casting a glance at the cat, “unless you know how to read it, Big?”

The stout Animal shook his head, getting a sigh from the other three. “Nope.” Despite that answer, he still had that usual smile. “But that’s okay. I know what it says because Knuckles told me.”

The others were relieved to hear that and waited on him to elaborate. Both Sonic and Gadget found themselves getting a little impatient when Big didn’t follow up right away, but Gizmo merely held up a hand to signal for them to wait. She’d gotten used to the cat’s...unique penchant for dropping and continuing conversations at odd moments.

“It was really long and fancy, so he had to shorten it for me to get it,” Big resumed, tracing around the rune with the tip of his fishing pole, “it says something like ‘Chaos will open the way’.” He shrugged and turned back to the others. “Then he just touches it, and it starts working. I dunno how he does it, since I’ve never gotten it to.”

Gadget went up to the Ring and examined it for himself, pressing his hand against the surface. As he expected, nothing happened, leaving him to rest his chin in one palm as he mulled over what he’d been told.

“I’d wager that Knuckles meant that Chaos Energy is needed to activate the Ring,” he theorized, looking back at Sonic, “he can probably do it unaided because of his connection to the Master Emerald, but maybe there are alternatives. Rings are made from small, concentrated portions. I’ve got about fifty of them on me at the moment, so let’s try that. If that fails, we can use one of the Emeralds.”

The wolf retrieved the pouch that held the Rings, then touched it to the much larger one. The golden light spilled out of the top of the bag, and in turn, the Giant Ring brightened up as its symbols came alive with a green glimmer. The hole in the center was filled with a white brilliance that mesmerized everyone, save for the teenage cat.

“Yeah, that’s how it looks after Knuckles does his thing, then he just jumps on in,” he confirmed, then frowned a little, “but we’ll have to find another one if we all wanna get there.”

Sonic let out an annoyed grunt. “Why’s that?”

“Knuckles says only two people can use a Giant Ring at a time,” Big answered, “and you can use one of ‘em only once a day.”

Which meant that two of them had to stay behind. Given his familiarity with the island, it was the logical choice to leave Big so that he could shepherd the remaining member of their group to the next Giant Ring. Sonic was probably eager for action, so they knew that there was no way of talking him out of going. Thus, it came down to which of the twins would accompany the hedgehog, though there was no need to debate.

“Gad, you go on ahead,” Gizmo said as she clapped her brother on the shoulder, “I’ll catch up later.”

Gadget nodded and gave her hand a gentle squeeze with one of his own. “Thanks, Sis, see you soon.” 

He stepped up to the gate next to Sonic, then tossed his Rings back to his sister so that she could use them for her future trip. With that, both the red wolf and the blue boy Jumped into the center of the Giant Ring. The portal dissipated seconds later, and the whole of the large object was dark once more.

Knuckles ran through the Mushroom Forest at a measured, but still impressive pace. He reached a section of earth that went under a part of the forest floor where the grass and leaves became brown as they do in autumn, and the mushrooms had blue caps with either black or white spots. The echidna reached into a recess of the rock and grabbed a hidden lever, pulling it down to open a door that was camouflaged by the cliff side. He went through a short tunnel to a wide open space that he’d studded with spike traps in the event anyone discovered it. With practiced ease, he glided over the hazards and landed at the bottom of the shaft, then punched away a layer of fake walls he’d set up.

The Guardian wasn’t back out in the open for long before he went up a curve and swung around the other side of a vine into another tunnel. He used his fists to scale the wall, going under a pair of loops formed from the mighty floral tendrils found throughout the area, then grabbed hold of an umbrella shaped fungal cap to gently descend to the next section. One more underground passage allowed him to catch a spring and propel himself out into the open to a pair of toadstools, one of which had a huge stone on it. He landed on the opposite cap, causing the first one to pop up and launch its cargo, only for it to come back down and send Knuckles flying from his position. The young adult gracefully touched down on the grassy cliff above, but wasted no time in getting a move on.

As he continued his trek, he couldn’t help but be bothered by Dr. Fukurokov’s seeming lack of confidence in him. Claiming to be doing him a favor when his creation had so rudely shoved him to the side was also strange. Sure, it might not have been the most honorable thing to fight the fox when he was exhausted, but the chance was there. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t employed some more underhanded tactics on advice from the owl in an effort to, at the very least, impede the vulpine. He could have ended the threat on that deck before it even got the chance to reach the Master Emerald.

Now, not only was the Dragon’s Egg once again on Angel Island, but the two-tailed fox was likely aiming to try and locate the Hidden Palace. Knuckles would have liked to believe that the security he’d set up would be sufficient in leading him down a false path, but that was wishful thinking. At best, the invader would be momentarily sidetracked, if his swiftness in reaching the Egg was anything to go by. Even the added muscle from the doctor’s inventions did not inspire faith in the well-being of the great shrine. He found their performance wanting after everything he’d seen and heard up to this point. Not that he wouldn’t accept the help if it was given, but he had to wonder just how much, or how exactly, the Kukkus were aiding him.

‘The only thing I can truly rely on to protect the Master Emerald is my own strength,’ he thought as he picked up the pace, ‘I must act if I am to prevent my peoples’ prophecy from coming to pass!’

At any time before now, that thought would’ve been enough to steel his conviction for what needed to be done. But at the moment, he instead found himself questioning that same reasoning that had driven him. He’d had the chance to act several minutes ago; the fox had probably believed himself hidden, but Knuckles had known that he was present. The echidna had sensed his Chaos Energy, as well as that of the four Emeralds in his possession, all of which were hard to miss at that distance and with his level of ability. Both of them were fresh and rested, too, so there would have been nothing dishonorable about clashing there and then.

And yet, he’d simply moved on, rather than confronting his destined foe. He didn’t fully understand why he did, only that a part of him believed that fighting Miles at this point didn’t feel right. It honestly didn’t make any sense, not with the threat that the two-tailed fox posed to his home. Maybe it was fate compelling him to delay it, or his sense of pride as a warrior telling him that this wasn’t an appropriate place for their battle. Whatever the reason, he had allowed his enemy to listen in on his conversation with the owl, then left as if nothing had happened.

‘I only hope he does not find the entrance to the Great Ring Chamber I was near,’ he mused, ‘or, if he does, that he will not know how to activate it.’

Speaking of, he bounded off a second spring and whipped along the width of a vine, slipping into a tunnel hidden within the hill it was wrapped around. Within it was another one of the giant golden Rings that were spread throughout the island, many of which he could locate by second nature now. It was currently inactive, which he gave a nod of approval, then moved on through a narrow slit in the wall next to the object. 

From there, the flora all around had become frostier in color, even though there was no snow, and the mushrooms were now a rich green with flesh-toned stalks. Even as a native, it fascinated Knuckles how the Mushroom Forest seemed to have this seasonal progression the closer one approached the desert, and he could certainly appreciate the variety of hues. But, there was no time to be admiring the landscape when he had somewhere to be.

Knuckles used a pair of mushrooms as makeshift trampolines to reach a spring, giving him the height and head start he needed to go into a lengthy glide. He drifted over several loops in the vines to a towering rise in the terrain, digging his namesakes into the wall and climbing up the sheer cliff. He reached the top within seconds and once again used his gliding ability the moment he reached the other end, crossing into the last stretch of the forest. The wintry glaze gave way to ‘Spring’, with the verdant greens, reds, and oranges from further back in the forest making a return.

It didn’t last for long, however. Knuckles reached the point where the ground had flattened, traveling through the center of numerous wood arches until reaching one of the thicker trees in the woods. He ran through a hole that had been carved in its trunk, then hopped on top of a vine just on the other side, curling up into a Rolling Attack and letting gravity do the rest of the work. The end of it curved upward like a ramp, which the echidna used to launch into the air yet again, shooting beyond the edge of the forest. With a tactful application of his skill, he broke his fall without expending too much energy, gently touching down on golden sand.

There were miles of semi-flat and empty wasteland all around, only broken up by the occasional pyramid. Further in the west, there were massive dunes that served as a border to the valley the Dragon’s Egg had been. Palms sparsely dotted the landscape, proving that at least some plant life could be sustained out here. All of this was painted by the morning sun behind him, the sky still more of a purple with bright yellow as one got closer to the horizon.

‘Now to make my way to that tomb,’ he thought to himself, suppressing a shudder.

As brave as he was, even Knuckles found himself uncomfortable with the idea of taking this particular shortcut. But, if he was to beat the fox back to the Palace, and not keep the doctor waiting, it couldn’t be helped. With a deep breath, and a reluctant sigh, he resumed his trek and started racing across the sands to his destination.

Eventually, there was a keening blare as Miles’ body recomposed itself and was sent into a fall that was like an amusement park tower ride’s inevitable drop. His feet touched down against a surface that felt like solid glass, and when he opened his eyes, they sparkled with wonder at what he saw.

He was inside what appeared to be a beautiful castle-like stronghold that was nestled deep underground, with massive crystalline rocks stretching up like pillars to an incredibly high cavern ceiling. The walls around him were composed of a multitude of bright neon colors, and the floor was much the same, save for a teal sphere beneath his shoes. There were also seven flower-like platforms that were arranged in a rough circle around a bigger, more circular central structure with lime-green globular baubles hanging from its similarly colored edges. Many green crystals were arranged in the top like the points of a crown, with the most prominent of all being a huge brilliant-cut emerald that was visibly pulsing with light that waxed and waned like a heartbeat.

At the sight of it, and the power that was emanating off the giant gem, Miles had no doubt what it was.

“That must be the Master Emerald,” he said, in awe of the stone’s beauty as well as the incredible energy he felt radiating from it, compelled to step closer.

His admiration was interrupted by a white beam of light descending from above and striking the very spot he’d just been standing on. Wheeling around, the fox found that as suddenly as it had appeared, it went away, leaving behind two more figures in its wake, ones that made his muzzle split into a wide smile.

“Gadget! Sonic!” he exclaimed, laughing a bit at the happy coincidence, “I guess you guys found a big Ring, too!” His smile faltered when he looked between them. “Where’s Gizmo?”

“She stayed behind so we could come through,” the wolf replied, crossing his arms, “turns out there are certain limitations to using the Giant Rings, such as a two-person capacity and a 24-hour cool down period.”

“Yeah, but she’ll catch up soon enough,” Sonic said confidently as he scoped out the place. His eyes stopped squarely on the enormous gemstone that was occupying the center of the chamber, letting out a low whistle. “That’s a big Emerald. But, is it the Emerald that Knucklehead says we’re trying to take?”

Miles hummed as he went back to checking out the mineral in question. “Given where we are and the fact that it’s visibly pulsing with power, I can’t imagine it’s anything other than the Master Emerald. What I wonder is whether it can bring the Chaos Emeralds back to how they once were.”

“It can indeed, kitsune,” came a fourth familiar voice.

The trio’s heads whipped around to one of the flower-like crystal platforms around the shrine, finding a tall and powerful human male sitting on the insides of its petals. Neither wolf nor hedgehog recognized him, but the fox let out a gasp after examining him for a moment.

“Gil?” Miles asked in a shocked tone, “what are you doing here?”

“Oh, so that’s Gil,” Sonic said, as though everything now made sense. He waved up to the man and grinned. “Nice to meet ya!”

The imposing fellow let out a soft, but booming chuckle that made their chests vibrate from the bass. His deep blue eyes trailed up to the Master Emerald, then fixed themselves on the teen’s own cyan-blue set.

“The feeling is mutual, hedgehog,” Gil replied to the boy, then turned to Miles, “and to answer your question, kitsune, I am here to keep the world in motion.” 

Gadget tilted his head at the cryptic response. “And...what does that mean, exactly?”

“Should we continue to cross paths, perhaps you shall know one day,” the human told him in no less vague terms.

The Animals regarded one another, shrugged, then gave him their attention again. A lot of odd events had transpired in the past couple of weeks, so this was just one more added to the pile, as far as they were concerned. 

“As previously stated,” Gil went on, “this grand gemstone is capable of what you seek.” He held up a finger. “However, you must prove that you are worthy of wielding the Seven Chaos once they have been reawakened. Thus, before their luster can return, you will have to complete a series of trials, one for each Emerald.”

He got up from his seat and leapt to the edge of the platform that the Master Emerald rested on. With a wave of one hand, all seven of the Chaos Emeralds flew from their places in the pockets of the Animals and gathered around the shrine in a large, loose circle. They made several rapid revolutions around the circumference of the chamber before grouping together in a line. The human raised that same hand towards the ceiling, and the stones let out a shrill keen as they scattered high into the air, while the Master Emerald’s pulsations reached an apparent peak brightness. Seven pillars of light touched down in the center of each crystal flower, fading away to show the Emeralds floating above their stigma. Whereas they at least had some vibrancy before, they were now almost entirely achromatic, being a dark and drab gray with the barest tinge of their original colors.

“Yo, Tails,” Sonic whispered to him as he leaned over, eyes glued to the action, “I missed the part where you said this guy could do all that.”

“Hey, I didn’t know myself,” Miles replied crossly, “I told you he gave off a signal like a Chaos Emerald, but I didn’t see him do anything out of the ordinary when we met on the battle Moon.”

It was at that moment that the fox remembered the very important news he hadn’t had the chance to tell the others. He tapped Gadget on the shoulder, who looked like he’d been lost in thought, as he jumped a little at the touch. He did the same to Sonic, who glanced over his shoulder at his partner.

“Sorry, I got distracted by what’s going on,” Miles said, giving the Emeralds a brief look, “but before I ended up here, I happened to find out where the Battle Moon was. It’s actually really close, so we can make a plan to rescue Fuchsia!”

The fox choked out a bit as he was swept up in a crushing hug and swung around by the wolf. The hedgehog snickered at the display, seeing that Gadget had picked up his parents’ habit of nearly squeezing the life out of their vulpine kin when showing their love and appreciation.

“Finally, some good news!” he told the teen earnestly, “you don’t know how happy I am to hear that, Bro!”

“I have a pretty good idea,” Miles gagged, squirming in the embrace, “now please let me go before you break me in half. I swear, this is a tighter grip than that mobile suit had on me!”

His lupine brother did so, leaving him to catch his breath for a second. Once he was good, he looked back up at Gil, who had been sitting there patiently.

“It is pleasant to see such good spirits,” he commented, “now, you may tackle the trials in any order that you desire,” he went on as though the brotherly show of affection hadn’t just happened, “but you may only do one for each of you. Afterwards, you shall be sent back to where you entered the Hidden Palace from.”

The three of them balked at that news. That wasn’t something they wanted to hear at all!

“What? That’s not fair!” Gadget protested, obviously the most upset, “the woman I love needs my help! I can’t go back when she’s so close!”

“I am no stranger to matters of the heart, wolf,” Gil responded evenly, “but the Great Rings were not made with outsiders’ convenience in mind. They were constructed by the Guardians so that they could expeditiously resolve threats and other matters around Angel Island, while being able to return to this place at a moment’s notice. Unless your worth is proven, the Master Emerald will not allow you to come and go from this shrine as you please.”

Sonic gave the explanation a thumbs-down. “That stinks. Isn’t there some way you can bend the rules or something, magic man?”

“I am not the one who devised them to begin with,” the human said with a wry smile, “but I suppose I can attempt to pull a few strings, as they say. It would depend on what exactly you desire.”

Miles wasn’t sure what to make of this. He knew that prying for more information would just result in roundabout answers from the man, but what was more concerning was being sent back through the Ring he’d just used. Would that mean he’d have to make his way to the Hidden Palace the long way after all? He’d rather not have to, if it could be helped. That said, if Gil was willing, but more importantly able, to do something about the restrictions in place, then it was worth a shot to throw out suggestions.

“Well, we work together as a team,” he said to the man, who regarded him more intently, “but if we have to be sent back the way we came, I’d like one of them to come with me.”

Gil tapped the fingers of one hand against his chin while the other slinked over to rest on the Master Emerald. There was an almost imperceptible shift in its pulsations, but Miles wasn’t sure the others caught it. Maybe he’d been seeing things.

“Yes, that is amenable,” he informed the group.

In which case, that just left them to decide which of the two would accompany him back to the Mushroom Forest. Given how he’d accompanied him throughout most of the journey, Miles expected Sonic to jump at the chance. And while it did appear that the hoglet wanted to go with the fox, the expression on his face suggested he had second thoughts.

“If I go back the other way, I can catch up to Gizmo and Big no problem,” Sonic said with a grin, “and between the two of you, you’ll find the next Ring easily. We’ll be back to light up the rest of those rocks in no time!”

Gadget sighed and nodded to his sibling. “If that’s what he wants, and we can’t stay here, then there isn’t much choice. I hope I don’t slow you down, Bro.”

“Not at all!” Miles assured him, offering a smile, “we can’t approach the Battle Moon too hastily anyway, or else we might put Fuchsia in further jeopardy. We can come up with a plan on the way and keep the others posted.”

With that, the three were in agreement. Recalling that they were each allowed one trial, the boys took up positions around an Emerald of their choice. Miles went with the cyan one that he’d always carried, Sonic chose the green stone, and Gadget decided on the yellow gem. Seeing that they were ready for the next step, Gil gestured to the minerals themselves.

“If you are prepared, you may initiate the challenge by touching your respective Emerald,” he instructed them, “once you have done so, you shall be transported to the proper location to begin your ordeals.”

The trio did as directed, and the instant their fingers met the Emeralds, they were engulfed in a blinding white flash.

When Miles regained his vision, he was quite perplexed by what he saw, which was saying a lot considering what he had seen on his adventures. Under a bright night sky filled with countless sparkling stars was a cyan and magenta checkerboard pattern that went on as far as the eye could see. To what he perceived to be north and south, there were two three-by-three clusters of blue spheres, while to the east and west, there was a border composed of white spheres with red stars painted on them. Further beyond these features were many, many red spheres, which made him feel uneasy for reasons he couldn’t explain.

“So you have chosen this trial, kitsune,” came Gil’s voice, though the human was nowhere to be seen.

Miles bent his ears this way and that as he surveyed his surroundings. “What is this place, Gil?”

“This dimensional space was charmingly termed the ‘Special Zone’ by the Great Civilizations of old,” came the reply, “your trial, as well as those your friends are undertaking, are all being held in different pockets of the Zone. Yours is known as ‘Blue Sphere’.” A projection of each of the three objects he’d seen so far came into view, along with a fourth yellow sphere. “Your objective is to transform every blue sphere on the planetoid into a red sphere. However, there are several things to keep in mind.”

A simplified version of Miles blinked into the display as well, coming across a group of blue spheres like the ones near the real fox. Rather than blindly run through all of them, it touched the orbs on the outside, and the moment it closed the square, all of them transformed into Rings!

“While not required to accomplish this challenge, you are free to keep any Rings you come across,” Gil explained.

The next demonstration showed the chibi fox running into a red sphere, which resulted in an explosion of white light. Miles felt himself go a bit pale at that, which was answered with a deep, disembodied laugh from the human.

“Apologies, you will not perish if you fail the trial,” he guaranteed the fox, “but you will immediately be ejected if you make contact with a red sphere, so take caution.”

A graphic then appeared of the mini-Miles bouncing off of a star sphere he ran into, making him walk in the opposite direction. A yellow sphere, on the other hand, bounced the little fox in a high arc, much like the springs he’d come across.

“While you may reverse course when touching the former, you can force yourself to walk forward again,” the human said, “and on the subject of movement.” A large cross-out sign appeared over an image of Miles doing an 180 on the spot. “You will be limited to moving forward and making a 90-degree left or right turn, after which you must take one step before being able to alter your direction again. Only by the previously mentioned method may you move in reverse.” The ground under the projected fox moved like a treadmill, with the energy vulpine steadily sprinting faster to keep up with its quickening pace. “Once you begin, you will constantly be in motion, and after certain periods of time, your speed will notably increase. This will continue until you either succeed or fail the challenge.”

It all dissipated a moment later, leaving Miles with just the Zone around him once more. That was all there was to say about what he had to do, apparently.

‘Well, let’s not waste any time,’ he thought, taking the first step forward and feeling his legs go into autopilot.

It was disorienting to be unable to move as well as he liked, but Miles soon got a feel for what Gil had outlined. He first cleared out the borders of the two groups of spheres near him, changing them into Rings and taking them for himself. The next set were beyond the bumpers, arranged in a cross pattern so that he would have to pass through twice to transform them all. As he did so, he minded the fact that he had to leap over the center orb on his second run, then searched for the way ahead. He found it by jumping on a yellow sphere, which set him up to ricochet off a bumper into two more blues, then repeated the performance to navigate the dangerously narrow path.

Just as he came into the next open area, he felt his legs pick up the pace automatically. There was a larger four-by-four set of blue spheres that were easy enough to mop up, though Miles was cautious not to take too much time. It had been a little less than thirty seconds after starting, by his count, when his speed increased, so he couldn’t afford to dawdle. He exited that “room” in much the same way as the last, finding another cross setup in the following one. It differed in that there were many red spheres instead of bumpers in some places, but he needn’t have worried about racking his brain to change them all into Rings. 

One straight path through a side was enough to convert most of them, and left him with more room to maneuver as well. He ended up needing it, for his sprinting got even faster, almost twice as much as when he began. After gathering up everything, he went down one more tight passage between red spheres to a yellow one, using it to get to the final three blues. First, he bounced off a bumper to grab the two following his jump, then took a hard right when he could and leapt over the final orb to get himself what he also assumed were the last couple of rings.

The instant he did, every sphere on the planet shot up into the stars above with a sudden zoom . Miles’ pace slowed to a crawl as he continued wandering the now empty planetoid...until he came across it. That long-cut cyan figure hovering in the air, getting closer and closer, his senses detecting the warmth of its energy that he’d known for so long. It felt like a dream, but even if it was, it didn’t stop him from reaching out and grasping the Emerald tight. Not long after he did, his vision whited out...

Sonic let out grunts of discomfort as he was constantly falling and sliding against the ground. There were spheres that reminded him of peppermints, blocks of multiple colors, star bumpers like those in Casino Night, and Rings aplenty. The sky was composed of green and teal cubes that shifted every so often into a random Critter, usually ones he wasn’t familiar with. Definitely the strangest place he’d ever been, and the kid had gotten around more than most his age, or even in general.

Gil had explained to the hoglet that his trial was akin to a giant, constantly rotating pachinko machine, and that he would be restricted to his balled-up state for the duration. His objective was to reach the center of the maze and touch the likeness of the Chaos Emerald, while also being wary of certain blocks that would change his course or boot him out entirely. Any Rings he found along the way were his for the keeping, whether he passed or failed, which was nice. It was pretty simple to understand, but actually trying to navigate the space was disorienting, to put it mildly. It didn’t help that there were spheres that either sped up or slowed down the rotation of the maze, or ones that changed it from clockwise to counter-clockwise and vice versa. And since he couldn’t physically unfurl himself while the challenge was in play, all he could do was Jump and pivot this way and that in the air. 

He wasn’t about to let something like this get him down, though, not when he had others counting on him to pull it off! After taking a few moments to get his bearings, or at least as best as he could in this bizarre dimension, he spotted a group of Rings that formed an arrow. Using a peppermint orb as footing to avoid flashing red and blue balls that screamed danger, the boy grabbed a few of them and went in the direction they were pointing to. The maze shifted to clockwise rotation when he impacted a black orb with a yellow “R” in the center, hopping over a second one before the motion could reverse. However, everything sped up as he hit a red and white sphere that read “UP” on it, and Sonic was once again taking a fall.

The kid let out an “oof” as a star bumper sent him into another block, though this fortunately prevented him from falling into some ejection spheres. He Jumped up and found a second guiding arrow made of Rings, following it through what seemed to be projections of peppermints rather than the real thing. But the moment he passed beyond them, they turned solid and locked him into the chamber. Red, yellow, green and blue diamond-shaped stones were gathered in a tight cluster, and between the gaps, Sonic spotted the green Emerald hovering at the core.

‘Now, how to get to it?’ he asked himself, ‘maybe I can break these crystals somehow.’

His theory was proven correct when he bounded into one of the red diamonds, which vanished roughly half a second after making contact. He attempted the same with a yellow crystal, but discovered that instead of dissipating, its color changed to match the other reds. It dawned on him that each hue could only take a certain number of hits, so naturally, the ones closer to the Emerald would require more effort. He also noticed that while the maze moved him around, the sections of the barrier he chipped away at remained in place, and there were plenty of objects for him to continue breaking it down. After all, he didn’t need to destroy all of the obstacles in his way, he simply needed to get to the Emerald.

A couple of minutes later, along with liberal use of everything at his disposal, Sonic managed to make a path just wide enough for him to reach the true center of the maze. He waited until the passage was below him, then dropped straight down, his Rolling form touching a few stones on the way. The hoglet initially missed his target, but the “cushion” of crystals kept him from falling out of the barrier. He wasted no time in Jumping for the gem, managing to touch it with his second attempt.

“Piece of cake!” he bragged.

Like what had happened before the trial started, when his body met the Emerald, everything went white soon after.

Gadget hadn’t expected to genuinely hit the ground running the moment his vision cleared, but that’s precisely what had happened. He was sprinting forward, completely unable to stop himself from doing anything else but moving side to side or jumping. Moreover, he was traveling headlong down a seemingly never-ending half-pipe structure that was primarily orange-gold with green stripes and yellow highlights, as well as green spheres that formed arches every several meters. The sky above seemed to get brighter the closer to the horizon he got, but it was clearly evening, wherever this was, if the presence of stars were anything to go by. There were also these diamond-like shapes and clouds up there as well, and peering further ahead, the wolf could see how his path would bend, dip, and twist.

“For this trial,” came Gil’s voice, “you must gather a specified number of Rings by the time you arrive at a checkpoint. There are three of these checkpoints in total, and meeting the amount required for all of them will mean success. However, should you be unable to do so with just one, it will result in immediate failure.”

“No pressure, then,” the wolf grumbled sarcastically.

“As you have already become aware,” the human continued, ignoring the remark, “you are constantly in motion and, aside from maintaining the ability to jump, can only move laterally left and right.” A few ethereal images of some spiked orbs showed up in front of him, with a super-deformed version of Gadget running into one and causing a big boom. “You will also encounter mines that will explode upon impact and cause you to lose ten Rings per hit. It goes without saying, but do your best to avoid them.”

“Wait, what!?” Gadget shouted in alarm, “you didn’t tell me there was a risk of death involved!”

That booming chuckle came once more. “Worry not, wolf. The explosives will not cause any actual physical harm, merely make you lose hold of some of your Rings.”

Even if that was true, the Animal wasn’t eager to find out if he’d still feel pain by triggering a mine. A small jingle that he didn’t recognize played in his ears, and for a moment, he wondered if he’d imagined it.

“Now then, for the first checkpoint,” Gil announced, “collect 50 Rings!”

Gadget prepared himself for whatever was to come, first following the path as it went to the left. It straightened out shortly after, bringing him into view of the first group of Rings. He swiped some from the ground in front of him, then ran up the side of the half-pipe to snag a few more, finding it easier to maintain momentum and traction here on the slopes than back in the real world. It was also interesting to note that despite the consistent slopes and hills in the terrain, his pace never increased or decreased. Not only that, but the Rings themselves let out a chime as he touched them, dispersing into sparkles that seemed to meld into his fur, though he didn’t appear any different himself. He used this to his advantage to go for a cluster of Rings in mid-air, dropping down into yet another group of them as he let gravity take hold. 

Just after those, black spheres with spikes and red “eyes” began showing up to his sides, no doubt the mines he’d received prior warning about. The road took a right before going downhill and into a second curve, Gadget doing his best to weave between the hazards while running and leaping for Rings. He then went up and in the opposite direction, only to drop down once more as the half-pipe twisted further.

‘Feels like I’m on a roller-coaster without the cars,’ the wolf thought, ‘at least I don’t have to carry the Rings.’

One of the arches above had different colors than the rest, which Gadget assumed was the checkpoint. A bell rang out when he ran beneath the banner, and he was both momentarily amused and disturbed to see the image of a thumbs-up greeting him.

“Good work,” Gil commended him, “now, for the second checkpoint, your Ring total must come to at least 90!”

A line of Rings was up next, which Gadget followed until it split into two separate directions. He went to the right and used the golden objects as a guide to move up and down the half-pipe, even going into a flip over the open top at one point. There were more mines along the center of the path, so Gadget had to stick to the sides in order to avoid them. It also happened to be where most of the Rings he needed were, so it worked out doubly well for the wolf. Granted, he had to hop from end to end to reach some of them, but with the way this place worked, that wasn’t such a difficult feat. After several more twists and turns, everything once again straightened out, and that same arch that stood out came into view.

“Excellent,” the human told him as the visage of a thumbs-up once again briefly popped into view, “for the final checkpoint, you must have gathered a total of 160 Rings!”

For the last third of the course, Gadget was on edge. He expected mines to pop up when he least expected it, as the road became more and more difficult to see ahead as the winding got worse. There were a number of opportunities where he could have gotten some Rings, but he hadn’t reacted in time due to the way the half-pipe was structured. On top of it all, he was starting to get a bit dizzy from having to hurl himself up the sides and leap for the Rings, nearly tripping himself up. 

Thus, when the last arch inevitably popped up, he felt nervous that he may not have been successful in the end. Gadget soon found that his worries were for nothing, as for the third time, he was given the sign that he had done well. The yellow Chaos Emerald suddenly appeared in the distance and floated his way before he knew. With a relieved smile, he reached out and took hold of it, reality being wrapped up in white light shortly afterward.

When he opened his eyes next, Gadget found that he was in a place wholly different from where he’d been before ending up in the Hidden Palace. From what he could tell, he’d ended up in the Mushroom Forest that he’d seen from the air a few times, which was where Miles had ended up yesterday after the big battle. A Great Ring was behind him, now inactive. Meanwhile, his fox brother was next to him, who seemed to be in a trance until his eyes refocused and blinked several times. He glanced over at the wolf and chuckled softly, holding one hand to his head.

“I was wondering if any of that was real, but here you are,” Miles remarked, “and it looks like you passed your test!”

Looking down, the wolf saw that he was still holding the yellow Emerald like he had been at the end of the trial. And just as that mysterious man had promised them, it was back to its original vibrant self. 

“Yeah, looks like it,” he responded contentedly, pocketing the gem in his belt pouches, “how about you?”

The teen smiled and reached into his utility belt, pulling out his ever-trusty cyan charm.

“You know, it wasn’t so bad,” Miles admitted, “and while I’m eager to try again, let’s just move on and devise a plan for when we have to infiltrate the Battle Moon.”

The fox promptly put the Emerald back in his pocket, dusted himself off, and walked out of the chamber. Gadget followed after him, both of them in somewhat better spirits than they had been a few minutes ago. Perhaps this was the pep they needed to think about how to best save Fuchsia.

Chapter Text

Even this early in the day, the Sandopolis Desert was already scorching. While Miles had been thankful for his fur when traveling through the Ice Cap Mountains, it was definitely more of a burden in this area. Fortunately, he and Gadget hadn’t run into any Badniks during their trek so far, but for all they knew, they could have been lying in wait. It was also entirely possible that Dr. Fukurokov and the rest of the Empire thought that no one, aside from the island’s resident echidna, would be determined enough to cross the expanse. That aside, there had been some rather deadly mechanisms that nearly crushed or impaled them, so they had to keep their wits all the same.

“Ugh, it’s hard to concentrate when it’s so hot,” the fox grumbled as he tinkered with the Miles Electric. He’d been trying to adjust the Radar so that it could detect Great Rings, but the heat was making it difficult to focus. “Are you having any luck, Gad?”

The wolf panted while he messed with his own comm. “I think I’m getting something, but it’s still quite a ways north.”

“That could be the Master Emerald,” Miles proposed, “and I don’t know about you, but there’s the faint smell of something unpleasant wafting through the air.” He stopped when he glanced over at the wolf, who was gazing at him with a grin. “I don’t mean me!”

Gadget chuckled for a moment, then turned serious, his nose wrinkling a bit. “No, I know what you mean. It’s perspiration, but that underlying musk isn’t from any Animal I’ve ever had a whiff of.”

“Most likely our antagonistic echidna.” The two of them cringed at that, but then it was Miles’ turn to smirk. “He did say that he knew a shortcut to the Hidden Palace, so if we follow our noses, and the Radar, we should be able to find it.”

With the plan set, the two canids took off from the top of the hill they’d stopped on. The sand flowed downhill much like a river would, carrying the two of them to a bumpy slope and gap that the two had just enough time to jump over. They cleared the top of a sandstone loop as they did so, coming to a platform that moved in an overhead semi-circular fashion to ferry folks over a pit of quicksand. After using it, Miles flew up to an even higher ledge attached to a thin tower of pale blue stone, while Gadget used his grappler to follow. A timely hop over a spike trap in the center of the structure nearly made the both of them fall many meters, but the fox was fast enough to grab onto his lupine brother and fly them to safe ground.

As they touched down and continued, Miles mulled over the plan he and the others had come up with during an early conference on their comms. After getting the rest of the Chaos Emeralds back in shape, he and Gadget would infiltrate the Battle Moon from within the Lava Reef Caverns. Meanwhile, Big would guide Sonic and Gizmo through and over the Red Mountains so the two could try and enter the station from the top side of the crater. With any luck, Fuchsia was working on a way to escape, or at least buy them time to get to her before the Kukkus did anything terrible. Once she was rescued, they would deal with the doctor and the Emperor directly, and then put the super-weapon down for good. And if Knuckles got in their way, Miles was willing to knock some sense into him if it came down to another fight.

When it came to the Emeralds, Miles’ thoughts made him pause in the shade of one of the ruins. Gadget had almost gone on ahead of him when he noticed that the fox had suddenly stopped. He backtracked to the amber teen’s position and decided to take shelter from the sun as well.

“What’s up, Miles?” the wolf inquired, “you look like you’ve got something heavy weighing on your mind.”

Miles took the cyan Emerald from its pouch and stared distantly into its facets. “I want to restore the Emeralds, but I’m worried, Gad.”

“How come?” Gadget asked him with his head tilted and his face showing concern.

The fox clasped his other hand over the stone and looked down toward the ground. “Well, what if the Kukkus made something that we can’t beat without them?” 

The wolf hummed, seeing the other canid’s point. “Like a weapon powered by the Master Emerald, for instance.”

“Yeah.” Miles raised his head again, peering up at his sibling with fearful eyes. “What if I have to use them, and I end up turning into that monster again? What if I have no control over it this time, and I end up hurting you and the others, or worse?”

It was an understandable fear. Gadget and the others had only gotten a glimpse of the dark form after all was said and done, but it had been enough to intimidate most of them. Seeing the carnage and destruction in the footage that had been recorded of the fox’s fight with the GBK had only made the group even more uneasy, though none of them told the hero that. He’d be lying if he said that they weren’t afraid of the prospect of Miles completely losing control. They knew that if it reached the point where not even Sonic could bring him to his senses, the lot of them, and possibly the rest of the world, would likely be doomed.

But then, Miles had only achieved that state because he’d used the Emeralds while he was caught in a whirlwind of negative emotions. That had been something that the old legends of the gems had warned about, but given what had triggered those feelings, the teen couldn’t be blamed. Theoretically, all he had to do to avoid that was to utilize their power without relying on anger, sorrow, or anything like that. Of course, it was probably easier said than done, as the wolf had no idea how drawing in such massive stores of energy functioned, much less how it felt. Still, if there was anything he could do to help his brother, even telling him things he already knew, then he wouldn’t hesitate. They needed their group’s leader in good spirits if they wanted to pull off their plan, after all.

“Even if you have to transform, you know that you’ve got us, right?” Gadget told him reassuringly, coming over to give his shoulder a squeeze, “We won’t let you lose yourself. Just remember what Dad told you, and what you know from reading that old story so many times!”

Despite his dip in mood, Miles smiled as he recalled a fond memory with his adopted family. Technically, it was well before they took him in, but even back then, they were treating him like one of their own pups. The first time he’d read the story about the Chaos Emeralds according to the people of West Side Island, Gob had sat the kit in his lap and followed along with him. He’d been impressed at how expansive the little fox’s vocabulary had been, seldom asking how to pronounce words as they read. Humorously, though, Miles had fallen asleep before they could finish, which had led to the boy spending the night in another’s home for the first time. 

They’d gotten around to finishing it the next day, and came back to it every so often for a while. Each time, Gob had reminded him that the Emeralds did not discriminate between those who would use them for good or for ill, responsibly or irresponsibly. All that mattered was the strength of the user’s heart, which could be as discordant as the gems themselves. He may have faltered when he called on their power in the last conflict, but if he needed it again, he wouldn’t let that happen a second time. He wouldn’t betray the confidence that his friends and family had in him, and if he needed their help to keep it together, he wouldn’t hesitate to call for their aid.

“Thanks for reminding me, Gad,” he replied softly, some faith in himself restored, “with you guys here, there’s no way I’ll become a monster again.”

The wolf’s hand on his shoulder moved up to fondly ruffle his bangs. “Just try to think of positive things if you really do have to use them.” He frowned a little and clenched his other glove into a fist. “I know that’s harder than it sounds, given everything the Kukkus have done.”

“Yeah, but you’re right,” the fox concurred, “now, let’s get going. Fuchsia’s waiting on us, and I bet Sonic’s already caught up with the others and is growing impatient.”

The two of them shared a small laugh at that, then moved out of the shade to resume their run across the sands, using both Knuckles’ scent and the Radar as their guides.

Fuchsia let out a moan as a dull pain in her neck snapped her awake. The cat immediately noticed several other things that made it evident she was in a truly bad situation. She was bound and gagged, her hands having been forced to curl up in an odd pair of mittens, and those had been shackled together with some cuffs linked by a kind of strong, flexible cable. Her feet were in pretty much the same situation, bound up so that she could stand and walk if needed, but would most likely trip if she attempted to run. Some sort of muzzle was clamped down around her head, keeping her from opening her mouth and crying out for help. All of the accessories that Gadget had given her to help give her a fighting chance and keep her safe had been confiscated, leaving her with nothing but her clothes, gloves, and boots.

While there wasn’t much to take in from her surroundings, she knew she had to be on the Battle Moon. The gaudy gold and purple details outside her holding cell were something the others had told her that the Battle Fortress had sported as well. The jail itself was composed of a hallway that contained primarily chrome quarters with flat blue beds that folded out from the walls, porcelain white sinks, and a toilet. In place of iron bars, there were electric blue beams of light that kept her contained, ones that looked like they’d deliver a pretty nasty shock if she tried touching them. All of it was illuminated by sterile white fluorescent light, which dampened Fuchsia’s already dwindling spirits.

She thought about how her lover had advised against bringing her along, and how distraught he must have been to have his fear realized. The cat still heard his anguished calls after her when she was taken away, and the image of the Tornado going down from the cheap shot by Dr. Fukurokov. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and brought herself in an upright sitting position, only to hang her head a moment later. There was nothing she herself could do in her current position, and the reality of that was difficult to stomach. While she had faith that Gadget, Miles, and the rest would come for her, she was afraid of what the Kukkus might do to her.

‘Don’t be afraid,’ she thought to herself, though she couldn’t help shaking, and a few tears spilled down her cheeks despite trying to will herself not to. She wiped them away with the mittens, then laid back down and curled up a bit. ‘There’ll be an opportunity to get out of here. I just need to keep cool until it pops up.’

As if on cue, she heard the door at the end of the hallway slide open. A few pairs of boots thudded her way, one set notably slower and more uneven than the rest, but she didn’t bother to turn and see their occupants. She could tell from the occasional gasp for breath that the old owl was among them, though why he’d come personally was a mystery to the cat.

“Open it up,” the doctor ordered his subordinates.

A few blips rang out as one of the combatants messed with the panel next to the cell, and the bars of energy fizzled out a couple of seconds later. Fuchsia flicked her ears as a pair of soldiers came up next to her bed and prodded her to get to her feet. She did so reluctantly, shuffling her feet as best as she could as they brought her over to Dr. Fukurokov, who gave her a condescending sneer.

“You must feel like quite the fool for tagging along with that infernal fox,” he said derisively, “though not as much as that wolf. He really thought he could get the better of me and protect you all the while? What a stupid boy!”

That made the cat growl and lunge at him, and while she ended up falling like she expected, she did manage to tackle the owl to the floor. He screeched in fear as despite her restraints, Fuchsia kept him pinned and started to smack her bound hands against his face. She only regretted that she wasn't doing a lot of damage, thanks to the padding. The few grunts that had accompanied him moved to wrestle her off of their superior, taking a few tries before they managed to pry her off and keep her restrained. Gasping for breath, the doctor got back to his feet and glared daggers at their prisoner.

“If I didn’t have other pressing concerns, I would punish you properly,” he snarled at her, straightening his coat, “but I will be sure to save that for once I return. Your treatment should be complete by then, and you’ll be fully willing to accept what’s due.” He glanced at the Kukku troops. “Make certain to keep a close eye on her during transfer. Disabling her is permitted if the situation calls for it, but His Majesty wants her alive and intact. I’m expecting to hear good news when I return.”

With his signal, the men escorted Fuchsia out of her chamber and down to the end of the cell block. As they left the area and headed to wherever they were taking her, she saw for herself how huge the station was in person. Through the tubing that connected countless passages, there was a surprisingly hollow space where she could see the back “wall” of the satellite. The floors and ceilings were patched with vertical lines, alternating between gold bars and black spaces of equal width. The ground beneath was buzzing with activity, full of small cogs and generators vibrating and gyrating constantly. All these gubbins were segmented into a grid of large square windows across the whole board, made up of strips of bolted down metal to form the edges of the squares.

The large chunks of cylindrical transport tubing are made up of a series of silver shutters, with the acronym "BKE" printed on them at the tops and bottoms in bold black letters. The conveyor belts and elevator sequences were controlled by a large, spiraling contraption going down their centers. The “background” got darker as it came closer to the core of the Battle Moon, where there was a colossal pillar with hundreds of lights on and around it. The menacing nightly purple and blue colors combined with the ambiance made the place seem more like an alien mother ship than something built on their world. 

However, that was the least of her concerns as far as this place went. After several minutes of moving up lifts and being herded through quite a few checkpoints, the group arrived in a more open area. There was a sickly magenta luminescence that filled the space, only just bright enough that she could make out the equipment that was set up. They were transparent, egg-shaped pods with a large pipe at one end, and some sort of helmet with an oxygen mask near the top of the other. They were a little different than how Gadget had described them to her, but the cat knew without a doubt that they had to be Conversion Therapy machines.

‘No, not that!’ she tried to say, but the muzzle prevented her from uttering anything other than muffled cries.

Knuckles ran through an arch composed of old stone blocks like those of the pyramid, spinning around and yanking two levers down once he cleared it. A door made of volcanic rock like the passage he’d just hurried into slammed down to fill up the formerly open space, while a click sounded on the other side. He let out a breath that he barely noticed he’d been holding in, then wiped the back of one glove across his forehead.

“Damn those restless spirits,” he swore as he began to resume his journey, “they attack anything alive that disturbs their slumber, even people that try to protect their resting place.”

Part of him wished that they would give the fox hell, but then he thought better of it. Those specters had tormented him every time he had been forced to travel through their tomb, and as used to it as he could be, it was always harrowing. He wouldn’t say that they scared him, though they were certainly unsettling, to say the least. Even his fated enemy didn’t deserve to be hounded by those things.

“Why should I care, though?” he asked himself out loud, “he is the beast in the mural.”

That’s what he kept telling himself, but Knuckles couldn’t deny the thoughts that had gone through his head. And as he exited the tunnel into the spacious subterranean environs of the Lava Reef Caverns, Miles’ words echoed in his mind. How the Dragon’s Egg wasn’t the colossal object currently occupying the crater of the island’s biggest volcano. That standing against him was foolishness, and implying that the doctor and his superior weren’t being honest with him. He wanted to believe that the fox had been deceitful with his words, but his actions belie that framework. Even when hesitant to fight, the vulpine had stepped up, and his determination made the echidna recognize that the amber Animal firmly believed in his own words.

As much as Knuckles didn’t want to consider it, what if Miles was telling the truth? What if what crashed into Angel Island wasn’t the Dragon’s Egg? And if that was the case, what were the true intentions of the Empire, if not to help him? What if the fox really had just come here to restore the Chaos Emeralds and not cause him any sort of grief?

These distracting ruminations nearly caused him to run into a pair of ball and chain traps he’d set up in the walls, reflexively gliding in the space between them. The Guardian felt himself really start to sweat as he landed on a bit of earth that was sticking out of a large lake of magma. Using his ability and recalling his many trips through this route to the Hidden Palace, he made it to the distant shore and dashed beneath a huge spike trap as it was going back up. A series of vents in the cavern ceiling above opened a bit away from him, molten rock coming down in a horrifically hot ooze before it closed up again. It was a system in place that his people had built to help relieve pressure in the volcano, greatly reducing the risk of a future eruption.

Timing it so that he could get through the chamber safely, Knuckles rode down one of his spike traps to the next tunnel while his mind wandered back to Miles. If his role in the mural wasn’t what he thought it was, or what Dr. Fukurokov and the Great Battle Kukku insisted that it was...then what was the meaning of it? Was it like Big had told him that one time he’d asked, about how the great bird-like creature in the image was the more likely threat to the Master Emerald? That would suggest that the fox was actually trying to help keep the stone out of the wrong hands. And also, it would mean that he’d attacked that she-wolf without any justification, when all she’d wanted was for him to hear her out.

Knuckles shook his head, clearing it so he could circumvent some more magma vents and drop down a narrow shaft. He flipped a switch to open a section of rock to a hidden path, gliding over spike-studded iron balls and ducking beneath falling stalactites as he went on. The Guardian sailed over a fiery pit and climbed up the side of a cliff, breaking down several thin walls to enter a room full of Rings. He ignored them, just as he was trying to put any further contemplations about his foe out of mind. After several more twists and turns that gradually ascended up into the mountain, Knuckles arrived at a spot where the lava had cooled and the terrain was a dark blue and purple rather than brown and green like what he’d seen so far. A thin layer of turquoise flooring was layered over the volcanic rock, allowing him a smooth surface to better run on.

He was getting close to the entrance of the Hidden Palace, and where what he believed to be the Dragon’s Egg had come back down. To be honest, he wasn’t sure whether he wanted Miles or Dr. Fukurokov to be right. With the latter, it would mean he was taking all the necessary and correct actions to try and rid himself of what he’d been forewarned about. But if the former was true, then...

“Hopefully the trap I set for him in the pyramid won’t slow him down for long,” he finished the thought out loud, making his way to where he’d agreed to meet the owl. The echidna scoffed and shook his head once more. “I should not be showing such leniency. Regardless of his intentions, he is an outsider, and duty demands that I must defend the Master Emerald.” He nodded resolutely. “I shall hear what the doctor has to say, and then I will return to the Shrine.”

And if Miles managed to get all the way to the Hidden Palace itself, he would be waiting for him. Whatever the fox wanted with the Master Emerald, Knuckles would fight, whether to protect it or just to assuage his concerns.

“You know, you should be honored that His Lordship chose to make you serve him,” one combatant commented as he typed away at a console next to one of the pods, “he could have just ordered you dead, or worse. At least this way, you get to be useful to the Empire. And hey, you get to be the first non-avian volunteer of our newest version of the Conversion Therapy Pod! The doctor did away with a lot of the old methods we used, and he’s curious to see how this ‘novel approach’ will develop. He’ll be happy to get results, even if you end up as a zombie trooper.”

The three Kukkus had a jeering laugh at that, then proceeded to get on with things. One kept hold of her wrists while the soldier behind her reached up and undid the back of her muzzle. That was the opportunity she had been waiting for. 

Taking advantage of the fact they were ordered not to kill or maim her, Fuchsia whipped her head forward and clamped her fangs down near the neck of the grunt in front of her. He screamed and let go of her hands as he fell back and clutched at his wound, giving her the opportunity to tear at the material surrounding her paws with her teeth. The other grunt attempted to restrain her, only to get a nasty bite right near the eyes on the bridge of his muzzle, making him drop his keys.

“This is the Conversion Lab!” the third combatant announced into a microphone on the console, “I need backup! The prisoner has just injured two and is attempting to flee!"

Now on a tight timer, Fuchsia tore into the material that kept her hands bound with her teeth, breaking it just enough so that her claws could shred it the rest of the way. Much as she didn’t want to damage her gloves, she didn’t have the luxury to worry about that with more troops on the way. She flipped through the key ring and found the one to undo her shackles first, turning around to see the uninjured grunt sprinting her way. With her legs free, she got up and booked it, her greater agility allowing her to slip out the door just before it closed. She smirked with some satisfaction as a loud thud came from the other side, no doubt the fool colliding into the metal.

The cat continued to run as she awkwardly fiddled with her cuffs, klaxons blaring and red lights flashing to let others know of her escape. After several tries, she managed to get the dang things off and tossed them aside, keeping the keys with her just in case she needed them to get out. She exited downhill from the chamber, having to jump down from a considerable height to get further away. Her hair stood up as a missile whizzed above her head after landing, scaring her into running even faster. She descended from one high ledge after another, panting a bit when she finally reached a tunnel that continued away from both the Conversion Therapy Lab and the core of the station.

“Sheesh, this place really is for the birds with the way these paths are built,” she complained, taking in a few breaths and then forging on.

On the other side of the tube, she stepped onto a set of red and gold blocks that rose up to form stairs, scaling them and coming face to face with a Badnik. It vaguely resembled a woodpecker, though it was missing its feet and its wings seemed to be just for show, using an engine pack on its back to get around instead. It had a black top cap with two glaring eyes beneath it, while their oversized beak was fashioned similarly to a gray drill, which had a spiked ball orbiting around it. The deadly orb came flying at her the moment the robot noticed her, which she avoided with a well-timed pounce. Said jump put her in position to vault off of the thing and keep up the pace, springing up to an outcropping to get away. 

She flew down a few flights of those moving blocks, then hopped onto a purple platform that was connected by a chain of orbs, using it to cross over to a tunnel. Fuchsia came out the other side and barely dodged a spike that came down from above. It retracted into a hovering blue orb with a crimson red eye, as well as three other spines at cardinal points on its body. She tried to run away, but it zipped in front of her in a blink, giving her a second close call with its extendable weapons. The clatter of boots and fluttering of wings began to close in behind her as well, making her panic a bit. She yowled as she forced herself past the Badnik and took a slash across the back of her shoulders.

Staggering for a moment, the cat utilized another of the platforms to get down and continue around a bend, grabbing hold of a blue and red device with a bar on the bottom. It carried her over a set of long and flashing electric blue tubes, energy crackling from them and nearly singing her tail. After getting down, she was about to go one way when she nearly ran into a squad of Kukku combatants, immediately backpedaling and taking off in the other direction. With her speed, she was able to lose them after a short while of ducking around several corners and hopping down a number of ledges and platforms. 

Hope welled up within her as she saw that she was approaching the outer wall of the Battle Moon. Fuchsia didn’t care that she would likely have to traverse yet more unfamiliar ground to truly escape. She was confident that her boyfriend and the rest of the group would be able to find her, even if they couldn’t rely on her comm signal to locate her.

That was all dashed when a figure that was about a head taller than her crashed down on the catwalk. Not just anyone, but a figure whose face was known the world over thanks to his exploits and the broadcast of his duel with Miles. Except, now he had cybernetic parts that made him look all the more intimidating than she remembered. Without fully realizing it, Fuchsia’s legs stopped her a few meters away from the Emperor, now unable to do more than shake.

“You seem lost, young lady,” the GBK said to her with a tone that contrasted with his malicious, tooth-studded grin, “come along with me, if you would.”

The cat slowly raised up her claws, more in a defensive manner than a threatening one, trying to get her legs to move. They did, but only to deepen her stance, the subconscious part of her recognizing that she wouldn’t be able to run. Not unless she could disable him long enough to give him the slip, but she wasn’t sure how she would do that.

“And I was going to treat you fairly,” the big bird remarked, his dark smile only broadening, “but if you insist, I shall take you by force. This will provide a good template to compare your post-treatment capabilities to, anyway!”

“So the shortcut is through here, huh?” Miles said as he stepped through an ominous doorway.

He and Gadget had found a huge pyramid at the base of some sandy falls, and the signal on the Radar appeared to be coming from deeper inside. The ground was composed of dirty yellow and brown blocks with plenty of grains between them. The walls of the pyramid were illuminated by many torches, which were mostly arranged in threes. The building’s blocks varied in size and shape, but they're all visibly ancient, and crumbling, though some were still intact enough to have legible symbols. They appeared to be hieroglyphs upon closer inspection, suggesting that, perhaps when it was still part of the mainland, that Angel Island had been visited by the Egyptians at some point.

As they ventured further in, an unsettling feeling ran down the back of Miles’ spine. It was much like the nervousness that he used to feel whenever a thunderstorm was on the horizon, only the reasoning was more irrational. A tomb wasn’t exactly the best atmosphere for anyone, but the fox especially felt uneasy just being there. Gadget picked up on Miles’ tense behavior, but he didn’t say anything. Much as he was trying to be brave for his brother, the place was giving him the creeps, too.

The pair made their way down a bumpy hill and Rolled into a stony loop, following the curve a few times before finding an opening in one section. They both landed with an ominous crunch, the two of them peering at each other and then at their feet. A pile of dusty old bones belonging to some Animals they couldn’t readily identify had been what broke their fall, and the two felt rather sick at the discovery. But to make things worse, at least for one of them, a small spherical being with black eyes and a sheet-like white body popped into view behind Gadget. When Miles caught sight of it, his own eyes widened and he raised a finger to point at it.

“G-G-G-Gad,” he stuttered, unable to get anything else out as his other hand moved to clutch at his chest fur.

The wolf turned to see what had the fox so startled, and he had a much different reaction.

“A real ghost?” he wondered with a boyish grin, watching it list about in the air and lifting a hand as he contemplated petting it, “I admit, it’s not what I expected. It’s actually kinda cute.”

The lights in the pyramid dimmed not long after he made that remark, and two things happened. The first was that another specter appeared, joining the first in a seemingly directionless bout of hovering. The second was that both of them grew in size, sprouted a pair of stubby little arms, and adopted a more menacing expression. At that, Gadget lowered his arm and stopped smirking, while Miles clutched at one of his tails in fright and bit back a whine.

“I take back what I said, they’re not cute anymore,” the wolf amended, taking a few steps back to stand closer to his sibling and grab his other arm, “let’s go!”

The two of them made a break for it, though no matter how fast they ran, the ghosts were able to pursue. They slipped and skidded down a few sand slides, flying into the air from a sharp upturn in the terrain. They found an obsidian black cylinder settled into an equally dark groove on the floor, which they both pushed to the other end. A pillar moved out of the way up on a ledge above, which the fox brought them to before it could close back up. A pale stone tower in their path was one of a few that served as central support, which they descended in their own ways until coming to an opening near the bottom. Miles pressed a black slab in place to open up another door for them, dodging several traps as they navigated the ever-darkening hallways.

Once out in the open again, the torches were extinguished entirely. Thanks to their sight, and the little bit of light coming in from the entrance, they were able to adjust to the darkness well enough to see a bit around them. They both froze when above them, they saw that there were now three ghosts that were even bigger than before. Pairs of sharp horns had appeared atop their heads, and their eyes were furrowed in a scarily angry manner. One of them tilted itself so that it was facing the fox with those horns, then charged at him full speed!

“Waugh!” Miles screamed, all but flailing as he ducked beneath the spirit, hearing it crash into the stony ground just beside him. That thing could have actually gored him!

Another one tried to go for Gadget, who used his grappler to jerk to the side. He went for a Rolling Jump and felt himself hit something as the body of the ghost disappeared. However, a new ghost, or perhaps the same one he’d just “defeated”, showed up almost immediately to take its place. The wolf tried fending them off with his Lightning Baton next, but he was met with the same results as trying to strike them unarmed.

“Fighting them is no good!” he informed the fox, “we’ve got to–”

The teen vulpine didn’t even let him finish that sentence as he grabbed the wolf and bolted away. Gadget’s vision spun as he was dragged through two loops and a pair of sand waterfalls almost before he could blink, guided into an even deeper passage before long. It was thanks to their dark vision that Miles narrowly avoided a few traps on the way, though he couldn’t avoid striking a section of ceiling as he escaped the tireless assault of their departed stalkers. Sand poured into the catacombs, turning the situation into both an attempt to get away from the ghosts as well as a race against him. Whether it was the spirits, the sand, or the traps in the tomb, none of them sounded like a particularly fun way to go, and all of them were making things too close for comfort.

Higher and higher they climbed in the pyramid, although it was more accurate to say that the wolf was being taken for a ride by a frantic fox. The two came out near another of the support towers, navigating them in a hurry to get through their centers in the direction of the Radar’s signal. Partway through, Gadget spotted a semi-circular bar hanging by a chain from the ceiling, which stoked his curiosity. He broke away from his panicky brother and leapt for it, using all of his weight to yank it down from its position. Once it could go no further, there was a loud click, and the torches around the pyramid lit back up again. 

The ghosts that had been chasing them let out pained moans as they vanished almost immediately, though one of them did reappear a few seconds later. It was back in its harmless state from when they first encountered it earlier, unable to even glare at them as it once more flitted about. It wasn’t good enough for Miles, who hopped onto the pull-switch himself and rapidly tugged at it, causing the lights to flare and repeatedly “banish” the specter. 

“Go away!” he yelled, his hands locked in a death grip around the pole, “finish your business and leave!”

Gadget winced at the way the fox was acting, feeling a bit guilty as he tried to ease him away from the bar. It was so bad, though, that he had to use his cable to pry his brother off of the device, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him a few times.

“Miles, get a grip!” he shouted in the fox’s ears. When that didn’t work, one hand took hold of the younger Animal’s chin and jerked it in his direction. “Look at me!” Those trembling eyes darted around a few times, then slowly focused on him. “As long as we find things like that to keep this place lit up, we don’t have to worry about the ghosts. Do you understand?” The teen stopped shaking and his breathing slowed a bit, gently nodding his head. Satisfied, Gadget released his muzzle. “Are you gonna be alright?”

Miles let out a sigh and bowed his head. “Y-yeah. Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” the wolf told him comfortingly as he gave him a quick hug, “maybe we’ll work on your phasmophobia once we get back home.” He released the fox and pointed to the comm on his wrist, then the presumed way forward. “But for now, let’s get out of here.”

No arguments there. After descending and passing through the bottom of the support tower near them, the two ran down the sandy hill just beyond it and moved through a loop. The opening of this one was at the top, though shortly after emerging, the canids found themselves slipping down the longest sand slide yet. The low friction combined with the angle allowed them to build up so much speed that they went rocketing through the air when they finally hit a divot. They landed near a narrow entrance that brought them into more darkened halls, but fortunately for the fox, there was at least one light switch for him to keep the ghosts away with. 

Manipulating more of those obsidian door devices, the two discovered a deep shaft that brought them into a large chamber with a solid wall in the far back, and a tall opening in front of them. They passed through to a slightly smaller area that went back out into the open pyramid, with the only other path being a conspicuous doorway that had been carved into the surrounding stone. Through there, they could see that the rocks became more natural and unworked, and a heat unlike the desert sun was billowing out, along with the unpleasant scent of sulfur. After double-checking the Radar, they determined that the source of the signal they were following was somewhere beyond the tunnel.

“This must be the way to the Lava Reef Caverns,” Miles deduced, rifling through his utility  belt to feel over the Shield Projector, “we better get our Flame Shields ready.”

Gadget nodded, making sure his own was at the ready. “And the bottom of the Battle Moon is somewhere in there, close to the Hidden Palace? I don’t remember seeing it from where the Great Ring brought us.”

“Maybe Knuckles meant the whole Palace in general when he said ‘shrine’,” the fox figured, “it makes sense that the Master Emerald wouldn’t be out in the open. Still, if what he said is true, that means it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to send a small aerial squad to the place. Maybe their meeting is just a distraction for the Kukkus to steal it!”

Stubborn as he was, and as painful as he’d made their journey, Knuckles had only been doing what he did to protect what his people had left him. Even if he got attacked for trying to help, Miles wasn’t about to let the Empire lay their talons on the Master Emerald. Seeing that gleam in his brother’s eyes, Gadget didn’t even wait for him to make a move before they both started down the tunnel together.

However, they didn’t get more than a few steps when an ominous click reached their ears. The fox felt the ground give way beneath his feet and reflexively put his two tails to use, avoiding the pitfall that had been left for him. His brother had not been so quick to react, getting his feet caught up in the rubble and the shower of rocks preventing him from aiming his grappler properly. Rather than panic, the wolf reached up with one arm and was rewarded with his faith when the teen caught hold of it and began lifting him back up.

“I’ve got you!” Miles assured him.

After pulling them both to safety, they took a moment to calm their hearts after that scare. 

“Seems like he knew we would follow his trail,” Gadget observed, frowning a bit, “so, now what?”

Miles went and peered over the edge of the pit, using his multitool to see if he could scan deeper. After a few moments, a crude topographical image of the shaft was relayed back to him, showing that there was solid ground and more beyond the bottom of the drop.

“Well, it looks like we can proceed if we descend safely,” he informed the wolf as he pocketed the Miles Electric, “though it’s likely an alternate route to the one Knuckles took. Still, if the Caverns are all connected, we should be able to make our way regardless.”

With that change in plans, both of them activated their Flame Shields so that they’d be ready for the sweltering passages that awaited them. And once Miles had a good grip on Gadget, they began to hover down the long and dark pit, the heat steadily rising with every few meters.

Fuchsia cried out as she was sent rolling across the hard metal floor and crashed into the edge of the ledge near where she’d nearly tasted freedom. The cat had known that trying to fight against the Emperor himself was foolish at best with her skills, but what choice did she have? It was better than simply surrendering or letting them catch her, but she wasn’t sure how long she could hold out. The GBK wasn’t using his full strength against her, not by a long shot, and every blow she took hurt something fierce. She’d accrued quite a few bruises and scrapes, and the dull, throbbing pain that coursed through her body made her not want to get up.

Her aching muscles protested as she did so anyway, albeit with much difficulty. Not even a few seconds after getting to her feet, however, she gagged as one of the GBK’s massive mechanical hands closed around her neck. It wasn’t enough to cut off her breathing, but she was helpless to fight back. Her claws merely made noise as she tried to scratch at his arm, her legs too short to reach his torso with any kicks she sent his way.

“You think that your gallant hero will ride in at any moment to save you?” he asked with a sneer. He growled and threw her in the direction he came from, making her slam into the wall above the exit. “Stupid cat! Even if that fox is on the way, you can’t hope to hold out long enough for him to arrive. You’ll be another one of his failures that he’ll have to live with, just like the people he couldn’t–”

The GBK stopped in the middle of his speech when he noticed that Fuchsia wasn’t there to hear it! The cat had taken the opportunity to run out the door he’d flung her near, and even with her injuries, she was nearly out of sight. The Emperor grinded his teeth and went after her, his enhancements causing royal purple exhaust to emit from his heels. With that boost, he caught up to the fleeing Animal in no time, snatching her by the back of her head and pinning her against the wall with a rough shove.

“It’s very rude to walk away when someone is talking to you, young lady!” he shouted at her, forcing a yowl from her as he banged her muzzle into the metal, “especially when I’m only trying to help you. You’ve a very important procedure that would be terrible to miss!”

Even though there was no way for her to escape now in her position, the cat still did her damnedest. She flailed, slashed, and even tried biting at him, though she regretted doing the latter immediately after trying. None of it mattered as the GBK brought her back to where she had fled from in much less time than it had taken her to get away. He spat to the side at the sight of his downed soldiers, as well as the one that had reported the issue, then threw Fuchsia down.

“You!” he addressed the combatant, who yelped at the ferocious tone that echoed through the lab, “is her pod primed?”

The grunt took a moment to register the question, then snapped to attention and saluted. “Y-yes, Your Highness! All that needs to be done is to prep her so–”

RIP!

Given how she had acted before, and the fact that she was his prisoner, the Emperor felt no inclination to act gentlemanly to the cat. With one swift motion from his huge hands, he tore the fabric of Fuchsia’s clothes right off of her body, leaving her with one less layer to cover herself. She closed her legs and crossed her arms over her chest, feeling tears sting her eyes as she was left nearly naked on the cold floor. The shivers got even worse when she felt those chilly fingers seize her gloves and boots, yanking them off before grabbing her once again and lifting her up like she was rubbish.

“...so that she can best absorb the solution,” the soldier finished, letting out an uncomfortable cough, “well then, we’re ready to begin the first part of the procedure, Sire.”

The cat’s struggles renewed themselves, her sense of shame thrown to the side as she lashed out however she could. She managed to clip the assistant a couple of times, but the Emperor easily kept her at bay as he shoved her into the pod. While he kept her down, the smaller Kukku locked the helmet around her head, her mouth and nose covered by a breathing mask while much of the rest of her face was left exposed. The top of her head and her ears were protected by whatever material it was made of, presumably to keep the latter from getting flooded. Once that was done, the GBK punched the cat in the gut to stun her just long enough for them to seal the machine. A few seconds after, luminescent red water began gushing into the pod from the pipe by her feet, making her skin crawl under her fur as it filled the cramped quarters.

When the reality of her situation sank in fully, so did the panic.

"No! Let me out!” she wailed, hammering her bare fists and feet against the tempered glass to no avail, “I don’t wanna be Converted!"

In less than a minute, the whole of her pod was filled with the strange liquid, causing her movements to become sluggish. A sweet smelling gas that was definitely not oxygen flowed into her nostrils and down her throat, and her screams started to taper off. The tingling spread throughout every inch of her, becoming a pleasurable sensation that coerced her into relaxing against her will. Her mind kept yelling at her that she shouldn’t give up, but her body wouldn’t listen.

‘No, not like this,’ she thought, feeling her grip on reality begin to slip more with each passing second.

She felt her eyes unfocusing, the figures of the GBK and the grunt with him fading out along with the Lab. Everything melted away into a place she was familiar with: the cozy little town back home, Puru Puru Village. 

But it was all wrong. The sky was filled with black clouds that let loose torrents of rain, the wind whipping about as lightning flashed and struck the ground far more frequently than was normal. Dangerously high waves crashed against the cliffs near the village and churned up the sand of the nearby beaches, the water littered with debris. The mountains had been chipped away at, and slews of the trees in both major forests had been downed or torn from their roots. Buildings were in ruin, their roofs collapsed and their foundations undone as the rest of them were left smoldering and shattered. And worst of all were the bodies. Corpses of Animals and Critters alike were strewn all over the place, most of them with twisted or torn necks, and all the rest...she couldn’t stomach looking at them. 

It was as though the island had been hit head-on by a cataclysmic typhoon. In her attempts to shield her eyes from the carnage, she spotted the unmoving form of her father next to what she presumed was once their house.

“Daddy!” she cried, running over and kneeling by his side. It didn’t occur to her that she should have been unable to, given where she really was. She nudged him a few times, bowing her head and covering her face when that yielded nothing. “No....”

The cat was given no time to grieve when a deep and menacing growl set her hair on end. Fuchsia raised her head, slowly turning her teary eyes towards the source, and she felt dread fill every fiber of her being. It was Miles, but not the one she knew and loved as her boyfriend’s brother. It was that form of him she had seen in the footage during his battle against the GBK at the climax of the West Side Incident. That wispy black aura that rose off of him like smoke, those pure and wild white eyes, the knife-like ears and tails, the torn and tattered gloves and shoes, and those terrible claws and fangs. To her horror, much of his body was stained with blood, but especially his hands and muzzle.

It became clear to her in that moment what had transpired. But before she could even entertain the thought of running, the monstrous Miles was already in front of her. His lips curled into a sinister smirk as he reached for her throat with his crimson-coated claws, the cat too stricken with fear and sorrow to move. Those digits dug into her neck, a sharp and fiery pain spreading from there throughout her whole form as the smoke seeped into her wound. In spite of the agony, she didn’t scream or thrash. Instead, Fuchsia weakly grasped at his arm with both of her hands, gazing at her friend through watery eyes.

“No, Miles, please,” she begged, “don’t do–”

There was a sickening crack, and then everything went white. She couldn’t see, hear, taste, or smell anything, and the pain she’d been experiencing had ceased entirely. She felt nothing but the sensation of drifting aimlessly, unable to do anything but think, and even then, most of her thoughts were of the same thing: rest.

‘Am I...dead?’ she wondered.

“No.”

The presence of another voice, and the fact she could hear it, startled Fuchsia. In the white space, she suddenly caught sight of her body again, though she was quick to cover herself in the presence of whoever else was there. Apparently, one did not get to keep their clothes wherever she was, but she found that she was able to float and move just by thinking about it. The cat willed herself to face the source of the voice, and her eyes started filling with tears yet again. 

However, they were not shed out of despair or sadness. Hovering across from her, just as bare as she was, was the vermilion wolf she loved.

“Gad!” Fuchsia exclaimed as she rushed over to him, his arms already spread wide to receive her. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her head beneath his chin, sniffling when she felt him embrace her. “Oh, Gad...I was so scared.”

The wolf stroked over her back in soft circles. “It’s okay, Fuchsia, you were just having a nightmare. None of what you saw was real.”

“I-I thought so,” she stammered, still a bit shaken from the experience, “but it felt so real.”

Gadget’s smile flipped into a frown, and he reached down to cup her chin in one hand. “I know, love. It could become real, though.”

That made the cat pause. Had she heard him right?

“W-what?” she asked, blinking in confusion.

The wolf grabbed her shoulders and stared at her right in the eyes. “What you saw could happen, Fuchsia. Miles lost control of himself once before when he used the Chaos Emeralds. What if we can’t stop him next time? Wouldn’t it be better for everyone to keep that from becoming a problem, even if we have to do some things we might regret?”

“Gad, what are you saying?” Fuchsia inquired, now a bit unnerved, “he’s your little brother! He’s saved all of our lives!”

“You saw what he did!” her lover shouted back, making her ears fold in fright, “and what he’s capable of doing! I don’t want to have to do something drastic, but is it worth the risk to let him keep those things? He might have saved us, but he could very well end up killing us, and without even realizing it!”

Much as she wanted to keep arguing, he did have a point. Fuchsia really wasn’t sure whether or not Miles could handle the full power of the Chaos Emeralds without going berserk. If he did end up snapping again, and if Sonic couldn’t bring him to his senses like the first time, they didn’t stand a chance. Even so, she couldn’t stomach the thought of doing something extreme to keep that from happening.

“What can we do, Gad?” she mumbled with her head hung, “how can we prepare for that?”

As if he’d been waiting for that very question, the wolf gave her one of his devilish grins. “You won’t like it, but we’ll need the Empire’s help.”

Fuchsia could certainly count on her boyfriend to be right about most things when guessing her reaction. She sure as hell didn’t like the sound of that! And yet, much as she wanted to berate him for even daring to suggest such an idea, she didn’t. There was something about it coming from him that made it less unpalatable.

“But, you know what they’ve done,” she said with uncertainty, pulling herself closer to him again, “are you sure we can trust them?”

“You trust me, don’t you?” he retorted, his tone sounding a little hurt.

The part of her that was saying she was making a grave mistake grew quieter as she mulled it over. Much as she didn’t like the idea, she did have faith in Gadget. If he truly believed they had to resort to decisions like this to keep everyone safe, then she would support him. And as more time passed, being held securely in his arms, she found herself becoming more and more agreeable to it.

“Of course I trust you, Gad,” she whispered, nuzzling at his neck, “I love you.”

As real as it seemed to Fuchsia, she was unaware that she was experiencing an elaborate hallucination. The chemicals in the fluid were affecting her perceptions while the gas being pumped into her lungs kept her docile. The voice that she believed to be her lover was coming from a microphone that was being filtered through a machine to distort the audio. And holding the receiver was none other than the Emperor himself, who cackled to himself when he heard the speakers picking up her faint mutterings.

“I’m so glad to hear that,” he crooned into the mic.

Chapter Text

“So, wait, all the mountains on Angel Island are part of the same range, even with the clear divide?” Gizmo asked her companions.

Froggy croaked at her, and Big nodded. “Yep. From here back that way, it’s the Ice Caps.” He gestured to the west where they came from, then pointed to the east. “And that way forward, it’s the Reds.”

Befitting their name, the towering peaks were primarily reddish brown like the clay that was found under the soil in some regions of the world. Even though many of them went above the cloud line, the wolf could see grass, moss, and lichen growing on the sides and tops of these mountains. There weren’t a lot of good spots to climb, and from what she heard from the cat, this was where they got out of the cooler and into the fire. While the Ice Caps were glazed with snow and frost, numerous “mountains” among the Reds were, in fact, active volcanoes. Not only did they have to worry about treacherous cliffs, but super-heated vents and potential lava flows. The wolf counted herself fortunate to have a guide through such a seemingly peaceful, but actually dangerous area.

Before either of them could get started on their ascent, they felt a sudden gust blow at their backs, prompting them to turn around. Gizmo was surprised in some respects, but not in others, to see that it had been Sonic who kicked up the wind.

“What’re you doing here, spiny boy?” she wondered, “did Gad send you back?”

The hoglet shook his head and smirked. “Nah, there’s a bit more to it than that. Lemme fill you in.”

And so, Sonic relayed everything to them that had happened since he and Gadget went through the Great Ring.

“So, first off, Big was right,” he started, shooting a thumbs-up to the cat, “Gadget and I ended up in the Hidden Palace, like he said we would. Tails found a different Ring and managed to beat us there by a few seconds or so. Also, Gil, that guy he told us about that he met on the Battle Moon, was there too.”

Big’s ears perked up at that. “Oh, you got to meet Gil? He’s nice.”

“Yeah, nice and weird,” Sonic added, “the guy seems to know a lot about Angel Island. He’s got these weird powers, too, like being able to talk to us across dimensions.”

“Whoa whoa, slow down,” Gizmo stopped him, “what’s this about other dimensions?”

The hedgehog elaborated that in order to restore the Chaos Emeralds, they must undertake a trial for each gem. Said challenges were held in pockets of space that had alien geography and physics, with the boy’s in particular being a giant rotating maze. As confusing as it had all been, Sonic had managed to reach the end of the labyrinth, bringing light back to the green Emerald. He couldn’t speak for Miles and Gadget’s ordeals, since they’d all been transported to their own respective places, but he assumed they succeeded as well.

“After that, I was sent back where we came from and ran to catch up with you guys,” he concluded, juggling his gem in one hand before placing it back in a pouch, “Gadget’s probably with the big guy.”

Taking that all in, Gizmo had mixed feelings. She was relieved that Miles had met up with her brother and their young friend, as well as the fact they had a definite method for getting the Chaos Emeralds back in shape. At the same time, the she-wolf was annoyed that to get to the Hidden Palace and stay there, they apparently had to take the natural route. It also complicated their plans for rescuing Fuchsia, since it meant they couldn’t approach the Battle Moon as readily as they’d hoped.

She momentarily thought about chastising Big for leaving out an important detail like that, but she thought better of it. Maybe he didn’t mention it because that wasn’t how it worked for him and Knuckles? From what Sonic told them about what Gil had said, that might have been the case. That did explain how the Guardian was able to move around the island and scatter the Emeralds so quickly. It may have afforded their foe an advantage, but she took solace in the fact that the Kukkus apparently weren’t sharing in it. Otherwise, they would have been facing down hordes of Badniks and combatants at any moment and practically at every turn.

“Well, aside from the fact we can’t camp at the shrine,” Gizmo reasoned, “our original plan hasn’t changed: look for the next Great Ring, get the Chaos Emeralds back in working order, meet up with the others, infiltrate the Battle Moon, save Fu, defeat the doctor and the Emperor, and shut down the station once and for all. As long as we work together, those Kukkus don’t stand a chance!”

Sonic nodded and zipped up to the top of a boulder, pointing out at the range. “You said it! Now let’s juice!”

With high spirits, the three Animals and one Critter began scaling the rocky terrain. Sonic utilized his speed to run up sheer cliff faces, switching over to his impressive jumping skills as needed to reach outcroppings and overhangs that he couldn’t just dash to. With his hulking strength and surprising agility for his size, Big propelled himself with his arms alone, making leaps and bounds at a time. Gizmo kept up with them by way of her grappler, pulling off a few acrobatic tricks and flourishes whenever she had enough air time to do so.

After reaching the top of the first ascent, they crossed a wooden bridge, wary of the steam billowing out from the rocks beneath their feet. They came to the other edge of the cliff when suddenly, the ground cracked apart, and the pent up pressure from the volcanic activity sent the four of them flying. Gizmo grabbed onto Big and snagged Sonic with her cable while the cat used the umbrella in his fishing pole to glide them to safety. Fortunately, the blast had sent them in the direction of a small, but tall plateau, giving them stable ground to land on. Big stowed it away without issue, while Sonic stared at the rod, then looked over at Gizmo.

“How did that not break?” he asked her.

“I dunno,” the she-wolf replied, shrugging her shoulders. She was just as mystified as he was when it came to how exactly that thing worked. “But I’m not complaining. Good work, Big.”

The cat nodded and smiled, happy to have lent a helping hand to his new friends. They continued on to a narrow pass between two shorter peaks, using the ledges shared between them to make their way across. To reach the next mountain, Big used his umbrella to carry himself and Gizmo across, while Sonic got a running start to jump the broad gap. There was a more natural bridge made of rocks in front of them, but the moment they set foot on it, it began to crumble. Hurrying along, the group wound their way through a cluster of plateaus and across a few more bridges, taking care to watch out for more vents along the way.

They arrived at what appeared to be the tallest mountain aside from the one the Battle Moon had landed in. Winding their way up the sides, they eventually reached the summit, where there was a shallow lake of lava bubbling up in the narrow crater. Going around the fiery pit, they came to a zip line that was attached to an oversized winch, presumably to retrieve the bar. Big didn’t wait for the wolf or the hedgehog as he put his pole over the top, grabbed both ends, and let himself slide down the steep cable. Watching him go, Sonic eagerly stepped up onto the platform and grabbed hold of the bar.

“Geronimo!” he shouted as he pushed himself from the edge, letting out a whoop as he rapidly shot down the line after the hefty cat.

Gizmo waited for a couple of minutes before the zip bar came back up to the platform, then climbed on herself. The cable ran around the side of the mountain, through a few holes in the rocky terrain, and eventually came to a stop at an inconspicuous outcropping just below the cloud line. There was a tunnel that had been hewn in the stone, Big motioning for the two to follow as he proceeded inside. About a minute later, they arrived at a chamber similar to the one they found in the foothills, a Great Ring waiting for them at the back of it. As he’d done the first time, Sonic touched the green Emerald to the border of it, bringing the object to life and making a portal appear in the hole.

“Alright, you ready this time, Gizmo?” he asked the teal wolf.

She gave him a nod and momentarily turned back to the cat and frog. “Thanks for the help, Big. We’ll be back soon, so hang tight.”

“Okie dokie, but don’t take too long,” he called after her, “Froggy doesn’t like the mountain heat very much.”

Gizmo giggled softly and gave them a wave as she went to stand in front of the Ring with Sonic. Without skipping a beat, the hoglet Jumped through the center of it, with the wolf right on his tail.

Shortly after reaching the bottom of the volcanic shaft, Miles broke through a thin layer of rock with a Rolling Attack, while Gadget used the Fireball Spin Dash to catch up. Both of them avoided some falling stalactites and came to a wall of smooth stone at the end of the passage. Jumping into a switch panel behind them opened the way to a precarious pond of magma, leaping over it and continuing on to a flight of wooden steps built into the rock. A number of fire traps had been built to deter intruders, spewing burning hot orbs in their direction, but thanks to the Flame Shield, they weren’t worried.

At the top of the climb, they entered a much more open space, spotting massive stone columns with a green-ish glow that reached up from the floor to the ceiling. Beyond those, there were veins of bright lava streaming between black rocks, and other endless glowing pillars into the distant abyss of the colossal caverns. Despite being inside of a volcano, the insides of it looked like they went on for miles, and as they surveyed the topmost layer, the canids found something that didn’t belong up there. It was the Battle Moon, with the Empire’s insignia on full display for them to see, and looking no worse for wear despite the hard landing.

“There it is,” Miles said with a furrowed brow, “if we didn’t have Fuchsia or the rest of the Emeralds to worry about, I’d fly right over there!”

Gadget shared in his frustration, letting his fangs gleam in the ambiance of the cavern. “You and I both. I swear, if they’ve done anything to her...”

“They’ll get what’s coming even if they haven’t laid a talon on her,” the fox swore. He glanced over at his brother’s comm, then up to him. “Have you tried checking their chatter to see if you can find out anything about her?”

The red wolf took his advice, fiddling with the device on his wrist until he found the Kukkus’ registered signal. Nothing came up, not even static. Gadget grunted and tried the various channels attached to it, but they yielded the same result.

“Damn it,” he mumbled, letting out a sigh as his other hand sifted through his head fur, “they must’ve found out we were listening in and changed their primary frequency. Now I’m even more anxious for her.”

“Then let’s pick up the pace and keep a sharp lookout for anything that seems out of place,” Miles suggested, “there has to be a Great Ring around here somewhere.”

The two leapt over the top of a “lava-fall” and opened another door, spiraling around a pillar that was holding up part of the level below them. They went off a natural ramp in the terrain past that same flow, ducking beneath ball-and-chain hazards as they re-entered the cave system. Dropping down a narrow shaft and running through the tunnel at the bottom brought them out to the edge of a small molten lake, which they were able to navigate around well enough. Between Miles’ tails and Gadget’s grappler, they ascended back up through the caverns and stopped themselves just before they came to a fiery pool. They were glad that they had, as a large platform with equally big spikes lining the bottom came crashing down, then rose back up using a pair of thrusters on its sides.

“That doesn’t look like something Knuckles or his people made,” Miles remarked. The thought that the Kukkus had something to do with these hazards made him stroke his chin in thought. “I wonder if the doctor spent more time making obstacles and traps than robots. We haven’t really seen any after the station came back down.”

Gadget folded his arms and pondered along with the fox. “Well, it’s a given that they’re keeping most of their fighters and weapons in the Battle Moon itself. Since they’ll leave after getting the Master Emerald, there’s no need to spread their forces out. And once they enter orbit, they’d be able to strike practically any point on the planet.”

Which meant that, unless they took a more covert route through the satellite’s interior, they would be facing down a potentially overwhelming amount of foes. It wouldn’t be like with their fight against Dr. Robotnik in Metropolis, either. The number of potential enemies was greater, and they had fewer allies to help, one of which was being held captive, and another that didn’t seem inclined to fight. Even if they could get Knuckles on their side, engaging in such a big battle wouldn’t be easy. Using the Emeralds against such odds was an option, but Miles preferred to keep those as a last resort. He needed to save his strength for the real fight, after all.

“Once we get the Chaos Emeralds back in order,” the teen decided, “let’s go over the blueprint for the station you guys managed to recover from the doctor’s old network on the Battle Fortress. We can figure out the most likely places we’d face the heaviest resistance and plan accordingly.”

The pair waited on the platform to come down, then hopped aboard and rode it up to a short berm sticking out from the rocks. They did the same with a second one that was just beyond the rim, traveling up a few wooden steps and unlocking the door that was at the top. The third time was thankfully not the charm for the traps as they avoided yet another of the nasty things, Rolling under it as it went back up. Continuing on into the next section of the caverns, the two found about a dozen normal Rings, as well as a hole in the ceiling above them.

Miles didn’t think much of it at first, but he stopped himself from moving on when a jolt of Chaos Energy suddenly shot through his veins. Startled at the reaction, he fished the cyan Emerald from its pouch and held it up, puzzled at how the light within it was now pulsing like the Master Emerald’s did. Curious, he raised it up to the opening, watching as its incandescence intensified the higher he lifted it. The fox sprang up and used his tails to fly into the hole, discovering a compact space that housed a Great Ring!

“I found one!” he called down to his lupine sibling.

Gadget’s cable shot into some of the stone next to the Great Ring, with the wolf pulling himself up a second later. Miles leaned over, still holding the gem, and touched the rim of the object with his free hand. After the portal appeared, he put his charm back and took a deep breath, then let it out in as relaxed a manner as he could.

“Alright, I’m ready,” he said solemnly, “how about you, Gad?”

“As I’ll ever be,” the red wolf replied, his tense arms and legs supporting his statement.

Nodding to each other, the two adoptive brothers took one step back, then hurtled themselves through the gate.

Knuckles let out a puff of air through his nose as he reached the top of a flight of green-blue steps. It was the last section of a bridge that connected two parts of the Caverns, suspended over a vast chasm that went down into the crater itself. Some hundred or so meters above, the bottom of the Dragon’s Egg was visible, imposing as ever. And not far beyond this point was the entrance to the Hidden Palace, although there was still a bit more of a hike to get to the actual shrine of the Master Emerald.

Dr. Fukurokov hadn’t yet arrived, so the echidna was left with his thoughts. This time, it was about the words the Great Battle Kukku had spoken. Knuckles wanted to believe the history that his people and the Babylonians had, according to the Emperor, but he couldn’t recall much of anything from his parents or the leftover scriptures. He’d seemed like an upstanding gentleman, yet there was something about him that felt...disingenuous, if he were to sum it up. Of course, this was more of a feeling than anything, as the bird hadn’t yet shown any reason for the Guardian to distrust him. Perhaps it was just his training and the fact that he was wary of company other than fellow residents of the island.

‘Then why do I have a sense of foreboding?’ he contemplated.

Knuckles was spared from wondering about it thanks to the sound of a small, but powerful engine. He glanced over to see the old owl approaching him in a modified version of the hoverpod that his troops used, sporting the same colors as his outfit. The engineer brought it down into the passage by the bridge, then grabbed a cane and waddled his way over to the echidna. There was a rather placid expression on his beak in spite of everything that had occurred, like he’d found the answer to all their problems, or at least his own.

“Ah, Knuckles, apologies if I kept you waiting,” he said as he took a seat on the top step.

The echidna shook his head, both to dismiss the concerns and to clear his head. “It was not for long.”

Dr. Fukurokov nodded, silently appreciating the patience of his ally. A moment of silence passed between them before the owl sat up straighter and tapped his cane against the smooth stone steps.

“Well, I have both good and bad news, my magnanimous monotreme,” he announced, adjusting his spiral-lensed specs, “which would you care to hear first?”

Knuckles had figured that the conversation wouldn’t be entirely pleasant. That there was any good news was a positive in and of itself.

“The positive,” he answered.

The owl pointed his cane up at the cavern’s ceiling. “The good news is that we have finished constructing the new method to carry the Dragon’s Egg off the island. Within the hour, you’ll no longer have to worry about it.”

That was something that Knuckles was indeed glad to hear. He doubted that Miles would be able to arrive in time to disrupt the operation, given the labyrinthine nature of the caves within the Red Mountains. Even if he did, the Guardian would make certain that he didn’t interfere a second time. He’d also be sure that one of the doctor’s robots didn’t get in the way, either, if that became a problem.

“Then what is the bad news?” he wondered aloud.

There was an uncomfortable clearing of the throat from the doctor. Now the echidna was starting to wish that he’d asked for that information first.

“Yes, well, in order for that launch time to be feasible,” Dr. Fukurokov started with some hesitation, “we will require an exceedingly great amount of energy in order to power the engines.”

Knuckles quirked his brow at that. “Do you mean to use one of the Chaos Emeralds to do so?”

“No, Knuckles,” the owl said bluntly, suppressing an irritated growl, “that would be insufficient. I would require all seven of them for this to work.” He pushed himself to stand and got up on the echidna’s level, then prodded him with his walking aid. “But I hear that the Master Emerald is even more potent. And so it occurred to me that if we could harness its power, temporarily of course, then we could easily overcome this roadblock.”

Even if it would only be for a brief period, Knuckles didn’t like what the doctor was suggesting. In his mind, the risk wasn’t worth it.

“I cannot abide that, doctor,” he protested, fixing a prominent frown on the elderly engineer, “if we move the Master Emerald from its resting place, then Angel Island will sink! Removing the Dragon’s Egg will only delay the inevitable if it is not returned quickly.”

Dr. Fukurokov did not appear to like that answer. But, rather than express his frustrations over the stubbornness of the echidna, he kept his cool.

“Fret not, Guardian, I have considered that,” he said evenly, “I am nearly finished on a device that will be able to safely transport the energy to the shuttle without the need for upsetting such a delicate balance. All I ask is that you afford me a little more time.”

That did calm Knuckles down a little, but he still wasn’t a fan of the idea. Even if they weren’t actually relocating the Master Emerald, rerouting its power to somewhere other than the shrine, and the rest of the island by proxy, was a gamble. There was a chance that it could partially sink and cause potentially permanent damage to vast swathes of land, not to mention some of the freshwater sources. While that was preferable to complete destruction, he would rather have it so that none of the resident Critters had to suffer.

“So long as you can guarantee that nothing disastrous will happen,” Knuckles allowed, letting out a sigh himself, “is there anything else?”

“There is,” Dr. Fukurokov affirmed, slowly beginning to make his way back to his hoverpod, “the signals of three Chaos Emeralds have become stronger. Two of them were last detected close to where the ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ parts of the Caverns meet, while the third was in the Red Mountains just a stone’s throw southwest of the main volcano. They’ll be on top of us soon, so perhaps you should prepare for them, Guardian.”

The Guardian found that difficult to believe. Had Miles and his companions really caught up that quickly? Apparently, the pitfall trap he’d left for them in the pyramid hadn’t impeded their progress as much as he’d assumed. He felt inclined to retreat to the Hidden Palace, but he was meant to be the last line of defense. Only when the fox had trounced all of his tricks would he grant him the privilege of facing him again.

In a place like the Lava Reef Caverns, there were a few measures he could take even with the limited time he had. Collapsing a couple of passages was one, destroying part or even most of the bridge was another. Contending with that flight of the fox’s would be difficult, so perhaps it would be better to make him use it for something else that would slow him down. Assuming he was traveling with a partner, like the doctor had informed him he liked to do, then incapacitating them would work well. 

‘One last effort before we clash once again, Miles Prower,’ he thought, barely paying any mind to the doctor as he made his exit.

As he made preparations to deal with his fated foe, however, Knuckles couldn’t help shaking one other implication that arose from the owl’s news. Despite being the one that caused them to lose their spark, the fox had somehow managed to restore it to a few of the Emeralds. If he was as reckless and abusive with them as Dr. Fukurokov had said, then that shouldn’t have been possible. What did it mean?

“This is the Hidden Palace?” Gizmo let out as she took a look around at the crystalline environment, “it’s rather beautiful.”

She wished she could say the same for the Chaos Emeralds that were still dark. Sonic strolled around the flower-like platforms that bordered the Master Emerald, eyeing up the remaining gems they needed to re-energize.

“Yeah, I guess,” the hedgehog said inattentively as he continued to search the place. He stopped after a few moments and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Yo, Gil! Are you there?”

He was met with a distant echo of his voice off the cavernous walls, but nothing else. It seemed that the man wasn’t present, but did they need him to begin the trials? With a shrug, Sonic went to stand next to the stone that served as the landing point for those using Great Rings. He didn’t have to wait long before a pillar of white light descended from above, leaving Miles and Gadget standing in front of him once it faded.

“Great, you guys made it!” the fox said as he took immediate notice of the other pair of Animals, “now we can get the rest of the Emeralds up and running!” Miles glanced around for a moment, then looked at Sonic with a puzzled expression. “Where’s Gil?”

“Not here, apparently,” Gadget remarked as he took a gander around for himself, “but, does it matter whether he is or not?”

The three boys regarded one another and collectively shrugged at the question. They hadn’t tried yet, and the human had never claimed that they needed him to begin the challenges in the first place.

“We may as well just help ourselves,” Miles reasoned, taking the initiative by going over to where the white Emerald was, “the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can go and take care of that space station.”

No one argued with that, and soon enough, each of the quartet had taken up a position by a certain stone. While Sonic and Gadget were ready to go, having chosen the gems that matched their own colors, Gizmo hesitantly stood next to the magenta Emerald.

“So, I heard what Sonic went through with a giant rotating maze,” she said to the boys, who perked up, “but what else can I expect?”

Her twin brother chuckled lightly. “For me, I was constantly running down some half-pipe collecting Rings and avoiding bombs that’d make me drop them.”

“And my challenge had me going around a small planetoid turning blue spheres into red spheres,” Miles finished, “there were some other rules, but that was the important part.”

And for all the she-wolf knew, hers wouldn’t involve any of what theirs did. But, she also knew that standing there thinking about what could be wouldn’t get them anywhere.

“In for a pound, then,” she accepted, leaning in to lay a hand on the Emerald.

“A moment, Children.”

Gizmo withdrew her hand and perked up, her eyes darting around for the source of the voice. She noticed, though, that the boys weren’t concerned at suddenly being addressed. A fifth beam of light appeared next to the Master Emerald, revealing none other than the person that they had been expecting.

“Oh, so that’s Gil,” the teal wolf uttered, comparing him to the description her brothers gave her.

“Hah, that’s what I said!” Sonic remarked, smirking a bit as he wiped under his nose.

The man peered out at the quartet, then the gems they each stood next to, a small frown crossing his features.

“Four Chaos Emeralds, four Animals to challenge their trials,” Gil stated wistfully, “and yet, the time of your fated confrontation is nigh, kitsune. At your current pace, there may not be enough left to accomplish all of your goals.”

Miles assumed that the man was referring to his seemingly inevitable fight with Knuckles, or perhaps with the Emperor and Dr. Fukurokov. Either way, from the way Gil spoke, the fox wondered if he was somehow disappointed in their progress with the gems. He could concede that he and his brother could have been searching a bit more attentively, but he really didn’t want to think about one of the reasons why they hadn’t. Out of all of them, though, Sonic was the one to speak up about the human’s remark.

“Can’t you do something about it, then?” the hoglet asked with a roll of the eyes, “you made it so Gadget could go back with Tails. Use your Chaos Magic or whatever to whip up a challenge so we can get the rest of the Emeralds in one go!”

With a contemplative hum, Gil gazed at the great gemstone itself, giving off its warm glow as it always did. “A bold, but intriguing proposition, blue hedgehog. Are you suggesting an ordeal that requires cooperation?”

“If that’s what we gotta do, then yeah!” Sonic affirmed.

The man laid one hand against it, and though it was subtle, there was a shift in the frequency of its pulsations. The flashes emitted no sound, but if one were to examine them closely, it would almost appear that the Master Emerald was trying to signal or communicate.

“Do the rest of you share his sentiments?” He inquired of the Animals. They glanced at one another, spoke in hushed tones, then turned back to him with a collective nod. “Very well, then I shall ‘work my magic’, as some would phrase it.”

Gil closed his eyes and tilted his head down, a thin film of emerald green energy surrounding him that matched the light coming from the great gem. He grimaced, for the moment that energy enveloped him, he was met with a wave of overwhelming negativity, a storm of rage that was carried by an oceanic undercurrent of sorrow. It was not a manifestation of his own feelings, but something that emanated from within the Master Emerald itself. The man kept his hand in place, even as several beads of sweat started running down his forehead. However, the others could see that even he was starting to shake a slight amount.

“Are you alright, Gil?” Miles asked with some concern.

“I just need one more moment,” the human replied, his voice slightly strained.

A few seconds later, a shower of sparks flew out of the Master Emerald, tumbling down and coating the smaller gemstones like dust. Gritting his teeth, Gil yanked his hand away from the massive mineral. The swirl of hatred and despair left him after pulling away, letting out a stilted breath and shuddering a bit. 

“As you have requested, there will be one final task to restore all of the remaining Chaos Emeralds,” he informed them, taking a moment to shake off whatever had happened, “should you prove worthy, all of the Seven Chaos will be alight once again.”

Sonic chuckled boyishly, glad that his idea worked. “I hope you didn’t make it too easy!”

“That is for the lot of you to determine,” Gil replied with the barest hint of playfulness, like a father challenging their kids, “now then, you should go, for time marches on all the same.”

Just like last time they were here, Miles would have liked to stay and pick at that guy’s brain, but there was always some convenient excuse, wasn’t there? Taking the man’s advice, the quartet placed their hands on their respective Emeralds, and then were transported out of the chamber and into the Special Zone, where their test awaited. After everyone else had left, Gil then walked to the chamber adjacent to the shrine. He descended the steps and came face to face with the mural that had been the cause for much of the recent mess. The golden two-tailed fox wreathed in a fiery blue aura, the colossal avian humanoid that stood opposed to him, and the Master Emerald between them.

“Today is the day of another important event that has long been prophesied,” he said aloud, as though the group of Animals could still hear him, “the fate of this island, and indeed, the rest of the world, hinges on the outcome of the coming battle.” A ghost of a smirk formed on his face as he ran his fingers over the image of the legendary gemstone. “Should all go as intended, ‘Dragon’, then your time shall come soon enough.”

A brief, but powerful gust blew through the shrine, seemingly from nowhere, although the man was neither surprised nor disturbed by it in the slightest. Gil raised his head to where it had come from, and while a normal person wouldn’t see anything out of the ordinary, he did. More specifically, he could sense where a person should have been standing if they were visible, his eyes appearing to fixate on blank space.

“Father,” came a light and airy female voice, much like the wind itself, “we’ve done what you told us to do, and we’re ready to go. Aren’t you finished yet?”

Gil let out a fatherly chuckle, giving the air a figurative pat on the shoulder and getting a grunt in return that didn’t come from him. “Patience, my Child. Once the Seven Chaos are bright again, I shall depart.”

“Well, me and the others are going on ahead then,” said the other in a disinterested tone, “we’ll see you on the mainland.”

The man simply nodded his head and strolled back into the Master Emerald’s chamber. He jumped up next to the gem itself and took a seat on the edge of the platform, leaning back on one hand while the other pressed against the glowing facets.

‘Now then, before I return to where I must be,’ he thought as he shut his eyes once more, ‘let us conclude my role here.’

When he could see again, Miles and the others found themselves in a more blatantly bizarre location than last time. They were standing atop a flat and relatively wide prismatic road that seemed to stretch on forever, with the changes in color every bit of the way being entirely random. The space around it cycled through all the possible hues of visible light in a gradual sequence, and it was filled with all manners of objects. Not just planetoids, but large five-pointed stars and myriad geometric shapes, although there were no actual stars to speak of that they could see.

“I’m gonna need to sit down after all this,” Miles heard Gizmo say as she rubbed her forehead, “maybe take a break from the next adventure I’m invited on.”

“Gods know Fu will need it more than the rest of us,” Gadget remarked in a worrisome tone.

What came next was something that had sparsely been in the fox’s thoughts, but there were a few things that came to mind. The whole deal that he’d discovered thanks to J would probably be the first matter to tackle. There was a lot of emotional baggage to sort out with the cross fox, quite a bit of which had been loaded onto him because of the guy’s actions. 

Whatever came of it, he hoped to sort that out before his birthday, which was a little more than a month away. He knew the village would love for him to stick around for as long as he could, and that after everything he and the others had done, the next celebration was sure to be big. Perhaps putting his global travels on hold for a while would do him some good, and it’s not like he would be sitting on his tails the whole time. There was plenty to do even in a modest place like Cocoa Island.

However, when he did get in the mood to explore again, he had the perfect place in mind. A couple of months after his birthday, it would be the time of the year when Little Planet descends to Earth and takes its place in the skies above Never Lake. The last time he’d gone over that way had been nearly three years ago, where he’d also met a pair of kind and brave young ladies, among others that had gone to see the annual cosmic event. Though seeing Little Planet was enough for most people, Miles had gone further and taken his new friends along for an actual journey across the dwarf celestial object while it was near their world’s surface. And while they’d learned a lot about the small satellite that graced their world back then, he still had many more questions.

‘Now that I think about it,’ he mused, ‘that...presence I felt while I was there seemed somewhat like Gil. There wasn’t a face to give the voice to, and it wasn’t nearly as chatty, but the vibe it gave off was similar. Cream and Amy seemed to notice it too, so I might’ve not been hearing things.’ The fox shut his eyes and cupped his chin in one hand, allowing himself a small smile. ‘It’d be nice to see them again. Heh, I bet Cream will be surprised at how big I’ve become, but then again, she’s likely grown a good bit herself. We might not even recognize each other!’

“Hey, big guy,” Sonic called to him, waving a hand in front of his face, “Earth to Tails!”

Miles blinked and raised his head, letting his arm fall back to his side. “Sorry, I was just lost in thought about what we’ll do after everything’s over.”

“It’s nice to think ahead, but maybe save it for after we’ve gotten past all the hurdles,” Gizmo advised him, flipping her goggles down over her eyes.

Without warning, all four of them suddenly felt their legs move on their own. After a couple of moments, they found that they were unable to turn back, move more than 45 degrees left or right, or even stop. For Miles and Sonic, they were moving at about one-fifth of their maximum speed, while the twins were pushing close to three-quarters of their own, though it didn’t feel that way to them. Regardless of the speed or the effort, everyone appeared to be doing just fine, as though they could do this all day.

“This already feels a lot like my last challenge,” Gadget commented.

“The objective is mostly the same,” Gil’s disembodied voice answered, bringing up a projection of the crew much like the ones he’d shown the boys before. The miniature figures raced along a rainbow track, nabbing rings as they went. “You must collect a specified number of Rings by the time your party reaches the end of the straightaway, which you must also get to within a limited time.” The image changed to the Animals avoiding some nasty looking obstacles that included mines, electrical traps, and numerous pits in the road. “Along the way, you’ll face various hazards that will cause you to lose hold of your Rings or drop out of the course entirely. In order to complete the challenge successfully, all four of you must arrive with the required Rings.”

The chibi Miles and friends disappeared, replaced with a big “500” in the middle of the air that was encircled by a large gold Ring. Following that, a graphic of an hourglass appeared, a time of “1:40” suspended just above it in bold red font.

“Collect 500 Rings and reach the end,” Gil announced, “you have 100 seconds, during which you will be unable to use any of your tools or stop running. You may, however, accelerate and decelerate by a fair amount, as needed. Show me that you can overcome this, and that you can rekindle the power of the Seven Chaos.”

Immediately after his voice faded out, the timer began to count down, and the number for the Ring total enlarged itself, then melded into the shifting prismatic void so that it was always in their sight. The fox and his friends were left with the course itself, and not even a couple of seconds after starting, they reached an abrupt end where they had to leap to a higher path in order to continue. Miles was ready to reach for his Shield Projector in order to bypass a line of free-standing electrical bolts, but remembered what the human had said. That gave him barely enough time to dodge out of the way, only to have to use his tails to avoid a hole in the road. This maneuver brought him into contact with a spring, sending him in an arc that allowed him to pick up a small cluster of Rings.

Sonic leapt over a few solid black cubes with green details, swiping up a trail of Rings that had been hidden behind the boxes. Several gaps in the path awaited him, but at the other end of it was a curious bubble-like container. Deciding to take the risk, the hoglet utilized his Bounce Attack to get some extra air in order to clear the empty space. The familiar chime of the items they were tasked with gathering met his ears, and he noticed the Ring amount in the Zone’s “background” increasing by ten. It was a start, but only a few seconds had gone by, and there were still so many more of the golden objects for them to collect.

Gadget let out a yipe as several spiked boulders that were suspended in the air dropped down the moment he passed underneath them, narrowly missing him. That stole his attention away just long enough for him to run into a bumper that blended in with the floor, making him trip into a Rolling Attack. His sister came in to kick his spherical self out of the way of a pit, which also conveniently punted him towards another Ring Capsule. Seeing him safe for the moment, Gizmo drifted over to the opposite side, but was given no time to focus on the Rings there. One after another, recreations of Badniks and other past synthetic lackeys popped up to get in their way, and the teal wolf’s itchy trigger finger was ready to bring up her blaster. Remembering that it wouldn’t work here, though, she curled up instead and hammered her way through the baddies. She was soon joined by her brother, the twin wolves bouncing off of the robots like pinballs to help keep the course clear.

Once there was about one minute remaining, the runway split into four quarters and rearranged themselves so that Miles continued as he had been. Sonic was now straight above him, sprinting upside-down according to the fox’s perspective, while his siblings were on either side of him, appearing as though they were running on walls. With the laws of the Special Zone, the teen assumed that subjective gravity or something like it was in place, otherwise his friends would’ve fallen. He wasn’t given any time to mull it over as the paths each dipped away from one another and went off in their own direction. Perhaps this was part of the test that Gil had made for them?

The hedgehog was up first, with a multitude of traps consisting of spikes, electrical fields, and fire popped into view. He hopped to the side and over the hazards, keeping himself on what he perceived as the best path to get more Rings. He bounced onto a new level, only to drop back down an instant later, having to repeat this a few times to avoid smacking his head into an edge or falling off the side. Sonic kept up the pace even as the road transformed into a stairway, then into a series of rainbow pillars, sometimes skipping one or two at a time if it got him extra Rings. But just as he was starting to get hyped up, he saw that his road was coming to an unexpected stop, and that there was nothing for him beyond it!

“Shoot!” he exclaimed, trying to put the brakes on his feet, but his body wouldn’t listen, “don’t tell me Gil set us up! What do I do!?”

Trying to see if there was a way out of the predicament, the boy noticed a bit of blue that stood out from the rest of the vibrant space. As he got closer and closer to the end point, he made it out to be an ethereal image of the blue Chaos Emerald, hovering out of reach even if he made a jump for it. That was, unless he really went for it, and since Gil had said that he could speed up or slow down if he wanted, that was exactly what he intended to do. While there was no air to speak of in this plane, he felt the wind whip at his face all the same as his legs became a circular red and blue blur, pushing himself to speeds he hadn’t used since his race against Miles. An immense boom echoed out behind him just as he made the leap of faith, sailing through the air like a jet with his hand outstretched for the Emerald. While he managed to reach it, nothing happened for the briefest moment. But, just when it seemed that Sonic was about to tumble into the void, more road blinked into existence beneath his feet and let him keep going.

The twins’ routes were intertwined by comparison, twisting about each other in corkscrew loops that put them across from one another, and other times running parallel. Shrapnel and debris from the conjured obstacles would spill over onto the opposite paths, forcing the wolves to keep pace while watching out for what was ahead for both of them. It didn’t help that the constantly shifting perspective was a bit dizzying, nor that it got close enough that the pair could’ve touched fingertips if only they reached up. Without their weapons, they had to rely on their Rolling Jumps and Attacks to deal with the phantom Badniks, while also being mindful of any treacherous dips in the terrain. All the while, time continued to tick away, and while their total was climbing quickly, they weren’t sure if they would be able to make it. They had no idea how long the course was, after all, only that it was apparently possible for them to reach the goal within the allotted limit if they tried.

The two paths straightened out and came side by side after several more seconds, though there was still a significant gap between Gadget and Gizmo. As if to taunt them with this fact, they found their own projections of the red and magenta Emeralds hovering down the line, staying high enough that neither could reach the gems on their own. But then, this was a test for them to work together, and so the teal twin took a daring jump over to her brother’s side. She motioned for him to cup his hands together as though he were knocking a volleyball upward, a knowing smile crossing his muzzle as he picked up on her idea. Once they were closer enough to the collective mirage, Gizmo went into a Rolling Jump and bounded towards Gadget. With a grunt, he thrust his arms up and flung her at the fake Emeralds, causing her to pass right through them. After that, the roads melded back together and took a sharp turn in a different direction, leading them to where Sonic’s portion was.

As for Miles, it wasn’t often that he had to use his flying and ground speeds in tandem, but this challenge was putting his ability to do so to the test. The ground gave out and was replaced with an extensive, rising column of platforms that were spaced pretty far apart. The fox ran along the length of one before hurtling himself upward and using his tails to make the rest of the trip, repeating this as the floating bits of land brought him higher and higher. The available space also got thinner as he went along, until it got to where he was practically running on a tightrope. Having to maneuver himself to balance and reach for Rings, as well as manage his other four limbs in such ways, was certainly giving him a good workout!

‘I’ve got to remember to incorporate more exercises like this during my down time,’ he mused, ‘whenever I can fit it in between everything else, anyway.’

Peering down to one side, he could see that his friends were about to converge onto a single position, while his route was going elsewhere. He soon found his answer in the form of a spectral white Emerald hovering out in the shimmering space, meaning he’d have to use his tails from there. Taking flight, Miles weaved between the resurrected foes that spawned in his path, treating a few now and again as a stepping stones to keep himself airborne. He eventually got to the object in question, and just as he touched it, it was replaced by a prismatic hoop that he ended up shooting through. The fox felt a burst of speed as he went out the other side, only to rocket through a second one, then a third, a whole series of them winding him back around so that he caught up with the others.

With everyone together again, they peered up at the illuminated digits to see their progress. Thanks to their efforts, they had managed to obtain and even exceed the 500 Rings they needed, but they were saddled with a different problem.

“We’ve only got 20 seconds left!” Gadget shouted, “and the end’s nowhere in sight!”

Which meant that they had to put the figurative pedal to the metal. The issue with that was that the wolves couldn’t keep up with the fox and the hedgehog, and all four of them had to reach the finish within the limit. There was only one solution, and while it would slow them down a tiny bit, Miles figured they should be able to just make it.

“Pardon me, Sis,” the fox said as he swiftly moved over to Gizmo’s side. She let out a yelp of protest as he seized her by the waist and held her above his head, her legs and feet still trying their hardest to run. It was hardly ideal, but it would have to do. “Sonic, let Gad hang onto you! We’re going to run as fast as we can with them in tow!”

The hedgehog flashed him a thumbs-up and slowed down a bit so that the red wolf could clamp onto his shoulders. Once the two speedsters were set, they stepped on the gas. As Sonic’s legs once more resembled wheels, Miles’ tails went into overdrive like a hovercraft’s propeller, their vision stretching and blurring as they broke through the sound barrier. The howling of wind whipped in their ears, only occasionally broken by the adrenaline-fueled screams of their companions. Even with this extra effort, it seemed as though they weren’t going to make it, with the clock passing the 10-second mark before long. Just as it appeared that they would fail, however...

“There!” Sonic yelled as he pointed forward.

Sure enough, a black and white checkerboard style patch of ground was just a little further ahead. The fox and hedgehog leaned in and gave it everything they got, barely able to keep their eyes open against the wind. With just a few seconds to spare, the quartet crossed the finish line, their Ring total above what they needed. And not long after they did, everything faded to white.

Miles found himself floating in a snowy void, this time able to see himself and feel the weightlessness of his body in the empty space. The seven Chaos Emeralds, all of them now completely restored, orbited around him in a slow and calm circle. The fox could sense the energy coming off of them, which was just as gentle as the way they rotated about him. It was very much like the sensation he experienced when he used the cyan Emerald to comfort himself or to help him fall asleep when he was a young kit. The brief memories brought a smile to his face, as did the fact that he and the others had succeeded in what they’d originally set out to do on Angel Island.

“Congratulations, kitsune,” he heard Gil’s voice echo through the realm, “you and your companions have proven your earnest intentions, and have thus been deemed worthy of wielding the true power of the Seven Chaos.”

As thrilling as the news was, some of the lingering doubts about his ability to use the gems rose up again within Miles. “I don’t know about that.”

“Your uncertainty is understandable,” the man replied with some kindness, “but you have nothing to fear, my Child. Remember the bonds that you have and the wonderful feelings they give you, and let the Emeralds shape them into power.”

The fox hummed at that. “In other words, just stay positive. Gad told me the same thing.”

“Then you already know what to do,” Gil told him. The Emeralds stopped floating and then deposited themselves in the fox’s utility belt pouches. “With this, my purpose on Angel Island has been fulfilled. I must depart for now, kitsune, but I am confident we will meet yet again...perhaps then, you will be prepared to handle some of the truth of this world.”

And then, as though he’d abruptly awakened from a dream, Miles was back in reality. However, while Gadget had come back with him, they discovered that they hadn’t been returned to the same Great Ring chamber that they’d entered to get to the Hidden Palace. The cavern had gone from browns to cool blues and greens, and the temperature was significantly lower there than it was in the other part of the tunnels. There was a golden yellow floor panel a couple of meters away, and when the fox stepped on it, he saw a door at the end of a narrow passage open up.

“Were we transported closer to the Master Emerald?” he wondered aloud.

He was ready to pull out the Miles Electric to check, but the wolf was already on top of things with his comm. “Oh yeah, significantly.” Gadget turned the display around for the younger guy to see that the signal for the giant gem was only a hop, skip, and jump away compared to before. “If this is correct, then we’ve come out near the opposite side of the Caverns. The entrance to the Hidden Palace can’t be too far away, not to mention...you know.”

“The Battle Moon,” Miles finished for him. He stretched his arms and legs for a few moments, then made for the exit of the Great Ring chamber. “Let’s hurry and regroup with the others at the shrine. I hope they got a shortcut like we did.”

Rushing out of the room, the canid pair dodged a flamethrower trap just under their feet as they tucked and Rolled down a hill to a dip that sent them up. Judging from the paved pathways and smoother surfaces around them, Miles figured that they had to be getting close to the most sacred part of the island. He was also impressed by how well-preserved a lot of the architecture was, almost as though it never missed a day of maintenance. Opening another door, the two came out into a more open part of the Caverns, where they leapt over a few lava pools as they climbed higher. 

With the fox’s tails and the wolf’s grappler, they ended up on the tail end of a long bridge that ascended like stairs towards an overhanging section of stone in the volcano’s walls. Above them and closer than before was the bottom of the station, while a massive lake of molten rock sat hundreds of meters below in the depths of the crater. And on the other side of the overpass, they could make out what had to be the passage that would take them where they needed to go. After taking in the view, Miles and Gadget sprinted up and across the bridge, some of the support crumbling away into the abyss as they passed.

Just before they got to the top, a huge icy blue boulder came rolling down the steps and nearly caught both of the boys off guard. The fox immediately jumped over the side and flew out of reach, while the wolf used his wire to drop below and then swing back up onto the platform. Once both of them made sure they were okay and that no more traps were coming, they rushed to the top and found Knuckles waiting for them.

“Rats!” the echidna growled, taking a few steps back, “how did you avoid all of my measures?”

Miles snorted with laughter. “You really thought a boulder was going to stop me?”

“It was not just the boulder,” the monotreme said with barely restrained anger, “you should not have been able to arrive here so quickly.” He shook his head and spun on his heels, going into a full on run. “Damn it all! I will not let you take the Master Emerald!”

Momentarily stunned at the unexpected about face, Miles and Gadget were soon chasing after Knuckles. With the head start he had on them, not to mention his knowledge of the island’s layout, he was certain to reach the shrine before they did. And when they caught up, the hero was more than sure that the Guardian would come at him with everything he had. It seemed that no matter what, fate, or whatever power that was, was determined to make the two-tailed fox and the last of the echidnas fight.

Chapter Text

Even though they tried to keep hot on his heels, Miles and Gadget were ultimately unable to keep up with Knuckles as he ducked out of sight and into passages they couldn’t find or fit through themselves. Fortunately, they didn’t have very far to go. The same sort of turquoise segmented pathways as the previous area lined this one, as did the cooler-colored rocky terrain, though the crystals were different from those in the previous region. And as they got further from the crater, the air continued to cool until it was almost as chilly as the environment around them would suggest.

But the moment they came out the other side of the tunnel from the Lava Reef Caverns, they were treated to the wondrous sight of the Hidden Palace in its entirety. It stood well over a hundred meters tall, though it came nowhere near the ceiling of the volcano itself, held up by thick purple pillars and blue-green columns made up of tapestry-like squares that got lighter closer to their centers. There were other detailed, but unspecific arrangements of yellow, purple and green, along with ancient symbols and characters that the fox recognized from the murals and ruins he’d seen so far. The internal segments, from what they could gleam from their position, had dark blue walls with grid-based patterns that were studded with numerous bumps and grooves. When it came to the outlying area, it was pitch black across the middle except for rows of darkened rocks, with only their top features visible in a blue light. There were taller and clearer crystal rocks further down, and at the top of the colossal crater was light pouring in from outside. It illuminated the whole rocky opening of the volcano, making the Battle Moon stand out even more.

“So that’s what it looks like from the outside,” Miles mused out loud as he took in the sights, “it’s similar to the one Sonic and I found beneath the Mystic Cave Network, albeit more grandiose and practically untouched compared to what we saw.”

Gadget held up his comm in front of him to scan the area, then nodded. “The Master Emerald is straight ahead, according to the Radar. Knuckles too, no doubt.”

The fox acknowledged the news, glancing between the proper entrance to the Palace and the figure of the Battle Moon far above. While there was no activity coming from the latter, he had a sneaking suspicion that something ominous that had to do with it was about to make itself known.

“Then let’s not keep him waiting,” he told the wolf, walking down the steps from the catwalk they were on.

They followed them to a small structure that was composed of purple crystals, with a spherical red gem set inside of a small stand on top of the central dais. Miles was sure it had to be for something, but since they didn’t really have the time to sit and study it, he gave it a passing look before moving on. A couple of stairs brought them up into a hallway that was several meters high, with more modest-sized pillars spread out here and there as support. Once they got close enough, their sensitive ears detected the sound of a shoe tapping against the flooring, as though someone was impatiently expecting them. Taking a deep breath, Miles and Gadget resumed their pace and soon came to the end of the pathway. And after descending another short set of stairs, the two of them saw that it was indeed the echidna that was anxious to greet them. 

Not only that, but Miles finally caught sight of what had to be the mural that the Guardian had been referring to about the so-called prophecy. It was hard to deny that the fox in the image did bear a rather striking resemblance to him, even more than the ones in the Hydro City Ruins. The color of the fur, the eyes, and even the details regarding his bangs and accessories matched up well with the real thing, as much as an ancient bit of art could anyway. That huge bird creature that the depiction of him was fighting didn’t look too different from something the Empire might cook up, either. But of course, the most important part of the picture was what the two of them were quarreling over, which was none other than the Master Emerald. It certainly helped to explain why the echidna was so hell-bent on trying to stop them.

‘And yet, despite calling me a monster, why don’t I look like I did on the Battle Moon in that relief?’ the fox wondered, ‘and what’s that aura? Is that supposed to be me with the power of the Emeralds? Is that what it’s supposed to be like when they’re used without negative emotions getting in the way?’

“So, it has come to this,” Knuckles said, taking a quick gander at the mural himself, “I may have been unable to prevent you from reaching this secluded stronghold, but I will not let you take the Master Emerald!”

Miles ran a hand through his bangs and took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “No matter how many times you insist on it, I’m not here for that. What do I have to do to convince you that I’m not the bad guy? That I’m not trying to deceive you or pull any tricks?”

Knuckles was tempted to tell the fox that there was nothing he could possibly do to accomplish that. However, the information the doctor had given him before came back to mind, about how a few of the Chaos Emeralds had apparently been restored. And now that he was thinking about it, his affinity for the energy alerted his senses to the presence of all seven gems, which were emanating from the teen. More notably, they felt stronger than they had been while they were under his temporary care, but that couldn’t be. How could someone that had once used them to become a destructive beast be capable of rekindling them?

“Show me the Chaos Emeralds,” he decided, catching a perplexed expression from the other two guys, “the doctor informed me that you had restored a few of them. I wish to see for myself.”

Miles was uncertain about doing so, considering what happened the last time they let their guard down around the stones. But, the fact that Knuckles was even giving him a chance to try and prove himself was a marked improvement over their initial and second meetings. He looked over to Gadget to see what he thought of it, and the wolf wordlessly gazed back at him, shrugging his shoulders. Seeing as the decision was left up to him, and wanting to seize on this possible chance to win the echidna over, the fox removed each of the gems one by one and deposited them in the crook of his arm. The six Emeralds aside from the cyan one were stacked together, with the latter one being held in his other hand, plain to see for the scrutinizing Guardian.

Knuckles could scarcely believe what he was seeing. The doctor had been telling the truth about the gems, but now, it wasn’t just a few that were back to normal. All of them were. The fox had somehow managed to do it, and it brought about a startling realization. He had all that power at his fingertips, genuinely so at that, and he could use it at any moment if he was so inclined. Knuckles began to think that it was a mistake to let him bring them out.

“I do not understand,” he said, his face scrunching up as one of his gloves cradled his head, “I was told that you became a wild beast when you used them previously. How is it that you were capable of this?”

“Because Miles is a genuinely good person,” Gadget answered him, drawing the echidna’s leer, “I watched this fox as he grew up, so I know that for a fact. Whatever Fukurokov told you that made him sound malicious is baseless!”

Miles appreciated the words from his adoptive brother, but he knew he had to do this himself. The only one that could truly speak for him was him, after all.

“I’ll concede that the doctor didn’t lie about me becoming...savage when I transformed,” he admitted to the Guardian, who lowered his hand and looked to be paying more attention now, “but, he and the Emperor were the ones that led me to believe they’d taken my friends and siblings from me. I used the Emeralds out of grief and desperation, and I know now that that’s what led to this whole mess.” When the other Animal’s curiosity showed a bit more, he went on. “Look, what you call the ‘Dragon’s Egg’ is, in fact, an artificial colony and super-weapon that’s truly known as the Battle Moon. It was constructed by the Battle Kukku Empire under Dr. Fukurokov’s direction, and it requires a lot of power to function at its fullest. Power like that of the Chaos Emeralds...or the Master Emerald.

“I knocked it back down to the planet while I was transformed,” he concluded, “and it just so happened to crash into Angel Island. I didn’t know until several days after the fact.”

Knuckles grit his teeth and let them audibly grind. That the fox admitted to his abuse of the Emeralds was one thing, but this potential deception by a man he thought he could trust was another. That revelation about the Dragon’s Egg disturbed him most of all. If it was true, then it would mean that the doctor and the Emperor had been using and deceiving him all along. He didn’t believe Miles outright, but the sincerity in his voice had the Guardian considering that there was weight to his words.

He used his senses to read the actions of the Chaos Energy in the fox, trying to spot any sort of anomaly. Nothing. Miles had delivered all of his points with a calm and measured flow, even as he passively received greater concentrations from the Emeralds. If he really was telling the truth, then...

“You mean to say that the event my ancestors predicted millennia ago came about as the result of a coincidence!?” the echidna roared, “that's ridiculous!”

“Ridiculous as it is,” Miles agreed, though kept his conviction firm, “it’s true. Dr. Fukurokov and the Great Battle Kukku have been using you to get close to the Master Emerald while making me out to be the villain. I never meant for this to happen, but–”

“The fact remains that it is your fault!” Knuckles interrupted him, raising his fists, “and if the Battle Kukku Empire has been deceiving me, then they will answer for it after I make you pay for your recklessness!”

The hero couldn’t say that he hadn’t been expecting this, but he really thought he could get through this without a fight. The echidna was right, though, that he was at least partly responsible for this whole situation. And if cleaning it up included having to knock some sense into Knuckles, then so be it.

He removed his utility belt with one hand and placed the six Emeralds aside from the cyan into their pouches. The fox tossed it over to the wolf, then turned around to face the echidna, grasping his personal gem tightly.

“It’s not going to go the same way it did the first time, Knuckles,” he declared, pointing at the Guardian with his free glove, “you only had the upper hand because I didn’t know what to expect.”

Knuckles scoffed at the claim. “You think you can defeat me after only a day? I will believe it when it happens.”

“Don’t underestimate the strength of the mind,” the fox retorted, tapping at the side of his noggin, “after our first encounter, and from what my sister told me about her run-in with you, I have a pretty good idea of how you fight and what you’re capable of. I’ve had a lot on my plate, but coming up with an effective method of beating you hasn’t been an afterthought.” 

His fingers pressed into the Emerald, and his coat spiked up a bit, as though static was running through it, while his cyan-blue eyes took on an electric appearance. In response, Knuckles slammed his two fists together, his own purple eyes taking on a neon red shade as similarly-colored bolts arced through his spines. He then stood back and put up his dukes, punching lightly at the air as if to goad Miles into coming at him. The fox shook his head, putting the Emerald against his hip as his other hand wagged a finger at the echidna.

“One more thing,” he remarked, “it occurred to me that I’ve been too narrow-minded when it comes to using this energy. Sure, I’ve experimented a little here and there, but I’ve mostly been applying it as a performance enhancer and a means to treat injuries.”

Knuckles growled impatiently. “What is your point?”

“My point is that it would do me some good to try new things, like my folks often tell me to,” Miles replied as a smirk spread across his muzzle, “if the Emeralds give power to our thoughts, then I’ve just got to use my imagination more creatively.”

He directed his index and middle fingers at the Guardian with his thumb cocked up and his other two fingers curled in, then brought his thumb down against his outstretched digits. The instant he did, a condensed orb of cyan energy shot from his fingertips at blistering speed. A brief look of shock flashed across Knuckles’ face before he dodged to the side, grunting as the projectile grazed his cheek. It flew into one of the smaller purple pillars in the area and burst apart, taking enough of a chunk out of it to make it collapse.

That was enough to get the Guardian going. Knuckles curled up and launched himself at Miles with a Spin Dash, but the teen saw it coming and leapt right over him. Before the echidna could correct his course and come back for another go, the fox fired off a second “bullet” just ahead of the red sphere. The divot it made in the ground caused Knuckles to unfurl and tumble across the ground, though he managed to stop himself just short of slamming into a wall.

He bolted at Miles with his head down and mitts primed, closing the distance in a blink. He threw punch after punch at the fox, but merely succeeded in striking at the air as his opponent weaved through his attacks, those electric blue eyes watching him closely. The Guardian mixed it up by throwing an explosive straight at Miles’ chest, only for the vulpine to smack his arm away and follow up with a Tail Attack to the legs. Knuckles was knocked off his feet from the strike, though he easily caught himself and vaulted a short distance away. The moment he landed, he Jumped up and went into an offensive glide, keen on ramming his fists right into the other fellow.

Not willing to just stand there, Miles zoomed under and past the echidna with his own Spin Dash, then spun on his heel and cupped his free hand as though he were holding a ball. A larger sphere of energy formed in his palm, which he then tossed at Knuckles like a grenade. The Guardian shielded himself with his arms as it struck the ground near him and exploded in a brilliant flash, the concussive force behind it pushing him back a few meters. He was about to go in for a counterattack, when Miles suddenly zipped into melee range and slugged him in the Adam's apple with a Chaos-charged punch. Knuckles flew back from the hit and let out a gasp as his back smacked into a pillar, but he wasn’t down for long. He got down and dusted himself off before readjusting his stance and staring down Miles.

“Not bad, fox,” he complimented his adversary, “but a decent start does not decide the battle.” He raised one hand as red light flared out from him, then brought it down in Miles’ direction. “Lightning Arrow!”

Just as those words came out, the teen lifted both of his hands and narrowed his eyes, his Emerald shining brightly. When it seemed that the echidna’s attack was about to strike him, it was stopped by a translucent cyan barrier. The bolt crackled and struggled against the fox’s protection, but ultimately fizzled out. Miles dropped the shield and sprinted headlong at Knuckles, going into a Rolling Jump at the last second to avoid an oncoming punch. He crashed down onto the back of the Guardian’s head, making him stumble forward and fall to the floor as he was momentarily stunned. 

The fox took the opportunity to Spin Dash once again, though Knuckles didn’t stay down as long as he’d expected. The echidna crouched down and held his palms out, stopping the amber sphere in place before chucking it across the chamber. Miles struck a three-point landing, then charged forward as he let loose a few more energy rounds from his finger “gun” in a short burst. While Knuckles was able to dodge the majority of them, he let out a snarl as one of the shots beaned him in the shin, causing his leg to buckle. He aimed an explosive punch at an upward angle when the fox got close, grinning when he felt his fist connect with fur. Miles flew backwards from the blow, but quickly righted himself in mid-air and hovered back down, letting out a breath he’d been holding in and relaxing his muscles. It seemed that the fox had used the Emerald to reinforce his body’s durability at the last second, as he looked hardly any worse for wear after taking the attack.

Miles pressed the offense and sprayed a few more blasts at the echidna. Knuckles pivoted in spite of his injury, gliding over to try and tackle the fox to the ground. He was stopped by the fox’s tails coming up in front of him, the monotreme wincing at the slight shock up his arms from what felt like hitting solid iron. The teen tried to follow up with a jab, but Knuckles redirected his strike and put distance between them again. A second Lightning Arrow came crashing down, only to be deflected by Miles’ Chaos-powered shield. The instant it deactivated, the echidna slammed one foot down to break a piece of tile from the floor, knocking it up and giving it a good deck after winding back a fist.

Miles cried out and fell back a few steps as the shattered marble peppered him, but maintained his balance. Knuckles took the chance to Spin Dash, managing to land a solid hit to the fox’s gut and send him sprawling. The hero flipped himself around so that he skidded to a halt using his free hand and feet, then took to the air to evade another volley of rubble sent his way. He jetted across the room and went into a Drop Attack, clocking the echidna across the face and making him fall back onto the ground.

Growling, Knuckles wreathed himself in more red light and hopped to his feet, proceeding to let loose an even more ballistic barrage of blows. Miles gradually backed away as the echidna came at him, his available arm and his two posterior limbs doing what they could to nullify the incoming strikes. However, not only was Knuckles throwing faster punches, but stronger ones as well, and the fox was starting to feel it. He weathered a few more hits, then skipped backwards onto the balls of his feet, drawing his arm back like he was holding a weapon. A likeness of the Pikkon Hammer flickered into view, and with a short, but loud yell, Miles swung it down just as Knuckles got within reach.

“Guh!” Knuckles let out as it forced him into a crouch, cradling his head with one hand.

He saw stars for a second, but shook it off fast enough to sidestep a second swing. Knuckles went in for an uppercut, surprising Miles by causing his projected weapon to dissipate, then socked the fox across the jaw. Spun around by the hit, Miles found his own vision spinning even more as the echidna grabbed his two tails and began spinning him around like an Olympic hammer. He hurtled out of control when he was finally released, smacking belly-first into the wall above the mural and feeling a sharp pain in his abs, along with a subtle crack. The fox pried himself out of the hole he’d made and swore under his breath as a shock went through his ribs upon landing. He pressed his Emerald hand against his torso and gave it a brief jolt as though using a defibrillator, and after a moment of pain, he felt right as rain.

“Your affinity with Chaos Energy is more impressive than I expected,” Knuckles said to him, backing off for a moment, “such level of control could only come from years of training and practice.”

Miles flashed him a wry grin. “Nothing formal, but like I said, I’ve messed around here and there when I’m not using it to fight for my life. I’ve had a lot of time to test some things.”

“I see,” the echidna acknowledged, “then we shall see which triumphs in this fight: your ingenuity or my experience!”

Both of them went into a Spin Dash and peeled out towards one another. There was a brief struggle that ultimately caused Miles to be knocked away, though he braced himself against a pillar before he could break another bone. He sprang off of the column and dropped behind the Guardian, then put the cyan gem between his teeth as he lunged at the echidna. Knuckles let out a grunt of surprise as his arms were forced behind his back, the fox lifting him into the air using his tails. He flung the Guardian in front of him, who tried to right himself by using his gliding ability. However, he was cut off from doing so by a mid-air axe kick to the small of his back, forcing him to return to the ground.

Miles joined him shortly, grabbing onto his right wrist with his left hand as he thrusted his palm forward. A much larger, more electrical-looking energy ball than the one he used for his “gun” was sent Knuckles’ way, moving at something of a slow pace. Thinking he could tank the attack, the echidna rushed forward, cloaking himself in his Chaos Energy once again and letting out a loud bellow. He ended up immediately regretting it, as his whole body felt as though it had been struck by lightning, causing him to lose momentum and spasm from the shock. It only lasted a moment, but that was all Miles needed to close in and deliver a rising knee to Knuckles’ chin.

The echidna was not liking the way the battle was going. The fox wasn’t necessarily physically stronger than him, but he was aiming for sensitive spots on the body when he could. As much as he prided himself in his own abilities, Knuckles was finding it difficult to keep up with Miles’ speed. And while he knew it was unavoidable, the damage to the Hidden Palace was making his heart ache a little each time more was done. He was thankful that Miles had decided to keep things to a duel, because now, he wasn’t certain that he’d be able to contend with the both of them if Gadget joined in.

Speaking of the wolf, he had crept around the edge of the chamber during the scuffle, then slipped into the Master Emerald’s shrine without Knuckles noticing. Unfortunately, it seemed that the others hadn’t arrived there yet, but he did notice something else that should have alerted everyone. Rocks were beginning to fall from the ceiling far above the altar, suggesting that it was about to collapse, or that someone was trying to tunnel through.

“Um, guys,” he tried calling out to the other two, “we’ve got a problem!”

Miles leapt out of the way as Knuckles punched a deep hole into the floor, cocking his head his brother’s way as he dropped his gem back into one hand. “What’s going on, Gad?”

“You! Get away from the Master Emerald!” Knuckles shouted.

He attempted to move past the fox, only to get blasted in the back of the legs by more Chaos “Bullets”. “This is our fight, Knuckles!”

The echidna let out an irritated noise and wheeled about to pounce at his opponent, who ducked and caught him between his tails, then drove him head-first into the ground. Knuckles broke free and roared, tearing off a huge chunk of tile and tossing it at the fox, who brought up his Shield. Although it was enough to repel the debris, the barrier broke apart violently, making him slide back a few meters. Knuckles called down a third Lightning Arrow, smiling when he finally managed to connect. But, to his continued astonishment, Miles stood his ground and powered through the agonizing bolt.

Knuckles grinded his teeth in annoyance, using a one-two punch that wasn’t aimed at anything in particular. The third jab, though, sent him streaking at the fox as a whirlwind of red energy temporarily enveloped the space around him. Miles hardened his body and braced for the impact, but even with such preparation, he felt that hit. He clicked his tongue and sucked in some breath as he skidded back, rubbing over and healing the arm he used to block the attack. Knuckles saw this as his chance to step on the gas and fly at the fox with a superman punch, and he almost landed it when Miles punched upward when they were a couple of meters apart. A larger, ethereal cyan copy of the teen’s arm and fist popped up from the ground like a jack-in-the-box, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to flip over in the air several times. Miles soared up after him and swiveled his body around so that his tails were poised above him.

“This is for what you did to Gizmo!” he shouted as the two limbs seemed to merge together before slamming down onto the echidna.

Knuckles cried out as he was struck with what felt like one of the pillars holding up the Palace. He barely had time to get up off the ground when the amber form of a Drop Attack knocked him prone once again. The echidna rolled out of the way of a stomp, getting to his feet and throwing another explosive punch the fox’s way. Miles bent backwards and moved his arms in a cartwheel-type motion, his shoes clipping the Guardian’s chest and belly as he smoothly put some room between them. Both continued to stare each other down, breathing a bit heavily from the exertion of the fight, though it was Knuckles who seemed worse for wear.

“I do not understand,” Knuckles said as he panted, “you were not this formidable during our first fight. Were you holding back then?”

Miles chuckled a little weakly. “Only some. But you were too, weren’t you?”

“My attention was divided then, and so I could not give it my all,” the Guardian replied, though it sounded like a convenient excuse to the fox. He stuck a fist out in a challenging manner and narrowed his eyes at the teen. “But I will with this next attack! Prepare yourself!”

The echidna bumped his fists together, two magenta spheres forming around his torso. They slowly grew in size as they orbited about him, until they finally overlapped with his form and created an aura different from his earlier one. Miles hadn’t just been sitting there, though. The fox figured that if Knuckles was going to give it a hundred percent, he would as well, and had been drawing a rather exorbitant amount of energy from the cyan Emerald. Much of his body was wrapped up in matching light, though it was his two tails especially that took on a powerful sheen. Both Animals dug their feet into the ground, their bodies as tense as coiled springs as they locked eyes.

“Maximum Heat...” Knuckles rumbled, his muscles trembling.

“Typhoon Tails...” Miles growled in kind as his tails twitched.

“Attack!”

The echidna glided toward the fox at breakneck speed, a streak of red light trailing behind him along with magenta energy balls. Miles became a whirling dervish, spinning and “break dancing” with his hands and feet as his two tails sliced through the air, going so fast that he was like a cartoonish tornado. A massive boom broke out as the sound barrier was shattered at two different ends of the chamber, and the two Animals met with a thunderous bang. There was a sound like steel grinding against stone as tails and knuckles clashed, small shock waves coming off of the pair each time one of them budged a bit. The chamber rumbled and quaked under the energy being exuded from their deadlock, with small fragments of the stalactites far above sprinkling down onto them.

When it appeared there would be no clear victor, one of Miles’ myriad slashes managed to break through Knuckles’ advancing guard, slicing him across the muzzle. He grunted and lost his focus, the aura around him dropping while his momentum came to a screeching halt. His vision was filled with cyan, amber, and a little white and tawny brown as he was pummeled with those two tails several times per second, each hit that connected feeling like a well-aimed punch or kick. It was then that he realized, squinting through the assault, that the fox was indeed using his fists and feet every so often, though it was more often the latter given the greater ease of chaining them into combos with his rear limbs. He was soon in the eye of the furry storm, unable to defend from every bit of damage as he took a beating from all sides and was soon lifted into the air. A cyan vortex howled about his body, making the view of the Hidden Palace above him swirl at a dizzying pace, until...

KRA-KOOM!

A massive lightning bolt that matched the mini-tornado in color streaked down seemingly out of nowhere and struck the spinning fox and echidna. The brilliant flare of light blinded Knuckles for a couple of seconds, and the crash that followed was deafening. But what he felt most of all was the searing, sharp, and tingling pain that coursed through his body, finally producing a genuine scream from the Guardian. A few seconds later, Knuckles fell onto the heavily damaged floor of the chamber with a thud, flat on his back with his eyes shut and his arms and legs spread. Miles took several more for himself to slow his rotation and eventually come to a stop, swaying back and forth drunkenly on his feet.

“Oof,” he groaned, one hand on his stomach while the other rubbed his eyes, “almost lost my breakfast.”

After a couple of moments, his vision and his head stopped spinning, and the churning in his gut ceased. Miles glanced over the unconscious form of Knuckles and then to the Emerald in his hand. It reminded him a little of that time not so long ago, where he’d given Speedy quite a beating during their fight. And that in spite of all the things the former Kukku prince had done, the fox had healed him. While the threat to his life and the lives of his friends and family had been very real, Knuckles had not affronted him nearly as much as Speedy had. Not only that, but the fox knew that the echidna hadn’t done anything out of actual malice, and that he had understandable reasons for his actions. 

Thus, he was much less hesitant to use the power of the Emerald to mend the Guardian’s injuries. It seemed that Knuckles was a fast healer as well, for his eyes opened and he felt stable enough to sit up after only about ten seconds. After another half of a minute, he held up a hand to signal that he was good, and then got to his feet. He briefly looked over at Gadget, then stared at Miles and maintained an awkward silence before eventually bowing his head and heaving a sigh.

“You have defeated me,” he admitted to the fox with his fists clenched tightly, though in a way that was more conflicted than aggressive, “yet rather than finish me and take the Master Emerald for yourself, you healed my wounds and have made no move to seize it.” 

The fox shrugged and smiled. “I keep telling you that we aren’t here for the Master Emerald. And as for healing you, it’s not like you’re a bad guy yourself. You were just doing your duty and protecting your home, which I can empathize with and relate to pretty well. Now, can we please just stop and talk?”

Knuckles hesitated at the other’s words. But, after a few moments, he lifted his face so that his purple eyes could meet those cyan-blue ones. 

“It appears I have misjudged you,” the echidna said. He glanced away for a moment and folded his arms, letting out a long breath from his nose. “I feel like such a fool. I had been often told during my youth that the fall of the Dragon’s Egg signified the beginning of the end for Angel Island, and that the arrival of the two-tailed fox was what would seal its fate. Even after I lost my parents, and only had Big left as far as company, their words remained with me. It was...easy for me to believe the doctor, even more so when he started saying similar things.”

Miles nodded in understanding. He could see that Knuckles wasn’t unintelligent, but he was naive. Having had no one else on the island for company aside from the large cat for what sounded like a fairly long time, he must have been quite curious when the Kukkus showed up. And given how manipulative the doctor could be when he put his mind to it, an echidna with barely any social experience or knowledge of the outside world would have been easy prey. It made the fox feel bad for the Guardian, and even more ire towards the owl. But, he would have a chance to deal with the latter soon enough. Right now, things between him and Knuckles looked to be finally getting off on the right foot.

“How about we start over, without any third-party rumors and gossip?” he offered, holding out his free hand to the other Animal, “I’m Miles Prower, a two-tailed fox that enjoys both adventure and inventing, and some people see as a hero.”

Knuckles looked between the glove and Miles’ face a few times, then tentatively extended his own and grasped the fox’s hand firmly. “Then, I am Knuckles the Echidna, Guardian of the Master Emerald and protector of Angel Island.”

Their amicable interaction was cut short as a shudder and a boom echoed above the shrine, with everyone spinning around to see what the commotion was. Gadget grappled up onto the platform next to the Master Emerald, sliding a finger over the side of his specs to zoom them in on the disturbance. When he caught sight of the source, a deep and furious snarl rose from his throat. There was Dr. Fukurokov, sitting inside a hoverpod similar to the one that Dr. Robotnik had been using, but sporting the colors of the Empire, and with decidedly more raptor-like wing fins. It was diving straight for the shrine, although the old owl either didn’t notice any of them yet, or he did and wasn’t showing it.

“You!” Gadget yelled up at the engineer, firing his grappling wire into the headlamp of the vehicle.

The doctor squawked in confusion as he felt his ride tilt from the added weight, then let out a more frightful screech as he suddenly found Gadget straddling his windshield. The owl moved to shake him off, but the wolf was faster, seizing his hands and shoving him hard against the back of his seat. Gadget fetched his Lightning Baton from its place and snapped the device around to its sword form, then stabbed the console with it. The hoverpod shorted out and spiraled down towards the altar, where the wolf jumped ship with the doctor the moment prior to hitting the ground. It bounced several times, like a stone skipping over water, before coming to a stop at the opposite end of the shrine chamber from where the two fighters were.

“Get off of me, you flea-bitten–!” Dr. Fukurokov protested, only to get lifted up and thrown into the side of one of the flower platforms. 

The impact was so severe, he felt pain spread all over his back and the air was forced from his lungs. He tried to get to his feet as he gasped for breath, then the wolf’s glove grabbed his collar and lifted him above the taller Animal’s head.

“What did you do to Fuchsia!?” Gadget demanded of him, moving his thumbs so that they pressed into the bird’s neck, “where is she!?”

Miles and Knuckles both rushed into the area, though they kept a couple of body lengths away from the action. Neither of them wanted to accidentally goad Gadget into being even rougher with the owl, so they kept still and thought about what to do. Being close with the wolf, the fox spoke up after a few moments.

“Gad, I know you’re extremely upset right now, and I don’t blame you!” he said as he held up his hands defensively in response to a glare from his brother, “but, old Foolkurokov has to be able to breathe to give us answers.”

“It’s Fukurokov, you disrespectful freak of–gah!” the doctor choked out as those digits put more pressure on his windpipe.

Gadget let up after a few seconds of feeling the owl flail around pathetically in his grip, then brought him down to level with his orange eyes. His fingers loosened their hold just enough so that the doctor was no longer choking, but still kept him feeling uncomfortable.

“Now, once again,” he growled at the bird, “where is Fuchsia, and what have you done with her?”

Dr. Fukurokov didn’t answer him, but instead looked to the echidna with a pleading expression. “Knuckles, why are you just standing there? Help me and deal with these wretches!”

The Guardian briefly regarded the fox and the wolf, but he didn’t budge. It was then that the engineer concluded that his ally had become a former ally since the time of their last meeting. That certainly did not bode well.

“I think not, doctor,” Knuckles told him, noisily working out the kinks in his fingers, “I have concerns of my own that need clarification.”

“Sorry, but we don’t have time for an interview, Guardian!”

A deep green energy blast streaked down from above and struck the space between the four Animals. They all cried out and went flying from the resulting explosion, Gadget losing hold of Dr. Fukurokov as he and everyone else was sent sprawling. The grating sound of gemstone against marble and other minerals filled the air for a couple of seconds, then was followed by a heavy clanging thud. After regaining his bearings, Miles gasped as he laid his eyes on the Master Emerald’s shrine, for the gem wasn’t there! Instead, it was on one of its sides, laying at the feet of a figure that, although markedly different from their last encounter, he recognized all the same.

“Fifteenth,” the fox spoke tersely. He eyed up his enemy’s mechanical components, and couldn’t help but flash a smirk at him. “Looks like the doctor wasn’t kidding when he said I left you in bad shape.”

The Emperor smiled back, though there was nothing but malice behind it. “Much as I’d love to wipe that grin off your face, Prower, there are other matters to attend to.”

“What is going on!?” Knuckles demanded of the Kukkus. 

Seeing the doctor flinching at his tone, he started over towards the owl, only to stop when the GBK fired a smaller beam at his feet.

“So, Miles was telling the truth,” he growled at the birds, appearing angrier than the fox or anyone else had seen him so far, “earning my trust was a plot to steal the Master Emerald all along!”

Now free from Gadget, and fearing the wrath of another new foe, the owl rushed over to his master’s side and pressed a button on the watch beneath one of his gloves. “I need you two down here now, Mecha, Private Pink!”

Miles’ ears perked at the mention of those names. So Mecha had been rebuilt, huh? And had the Empire trained a new up and coming ace to replace Speedy? Or was it the code name to another one of his silly inventions? They were soon given their answer as the same blue falcon jet that had stolen Fuchsia away flew down through the hole in the cavern ceiling that the doctor had made. It dove in a spiral around the shrine’s walls before coming to a stop just above the Master Emerald, its talons locking on to the giant gem. 

The three guys, Knuckles especially, were all ready to jump forward and tear that thing off, but they were interrupted by a metallic amber buzz saw crashing down in front of them. It unfurled and stood upright to reveal itself as Mecha Miles, which had been repaired relatively decently. There were still quite a few signs of its last scuffle with Miles, such as peeled paint, some missing plates, and a number of exposed wires, but it appeared to be functioning well enough, and also had a few amendments to its design. Most notably, its core was structured differently, being more of a solid coating with a pattern similar to the fluff on the real deal, and having nothing sensitive or critical exposed. Miles figured that the Kukkus must have traded power for practicality, as he couldn’t sense the traces of Chaos Energy that Drives would give off like he did when he last fought the robot duplicate.

The canopy of the falcon popped open and a figure leaped out, landing next to Dr. Fukurokov and the GBK. It then turned around to reveal itself to Miles and the others, getting varying reactions from each of them. Knuckles was confused, but he only let that distract him for a moment before refocusing on the falcon that had its talons on the Master Emerald. The fox felt his heart sink, but he knew that it was probably more buoyant than Gadget’s was right now. He was proven right when he looked over at the red wolf, who had fallen to his knees with all the fire in his eyes fizzling into disbelief and despair.

“No...” he moaned sorrowfully.

Standing in front of them, wearing a red jacket like the Kukku combatants with the Empire’s insignia on the left breast, black goggles, black gloves, and rust brown combat fatigue pants with matching boots, was Fuchsia.

“Private Pink reporting,” she stated with her usual bubbly attitude.

The GBK snapped one finger, then pointed at Dr. Fukurokov. 

“Be a dear, Private Pink,” he ordered her, “and use your ride to escort the doctor and haul the Master Emerald back to the Battle Moon.” He then swiveled his head over to the robot next. “Mecha, join me in providing the two some cover.”

“Acknowledged, Lord Kukku,” the replica answered, retraining its sights on its organic counterpart.

“I’m thankful for your generosity and bravery, My Liege,” Fuchsia replied in a slightly delirious tone, giving the big bird a salute, “I’ll get right on that!”

Seeing his girlfriend in this state, chirpily obeying the people that had nearly destroyed their home twice, Gadget couldn’t take it anymore. He threw Miles’ utility belt back to him as he rose up, clenched his fists so tightly that they trembled, then yelled as he ran at the doctor with everything he had. Seeing the wolf going in, Knuckles decided to charge as well, heading straight for the Master Emerald. Both the robot and the cyborg took up stances and examined their opponents, waiting for the right time to counterattack.

When Gadget got within a few meters of the falcon craft, Mecha moved in to block him, but was tackled out of the way by a Spin Dash from Miles. While the fox kept up the pressure and drew his lookalike away from the others, Knuckles leapt over and ducked under several shots from the GBK, who had deemed the echidna as the bigger threat among the two red Animals. The Emperor summoned a couple of bombs in his other hand and lobbed them between blasts, one of them landing behind the echidna and knocking him off his feet. He chuckled darkly, using the boosters in his legs to rush in and grab Knuckles by the scruff, then hurled him at Gadget. Too blinded by fury to see the oncoming Guardian, the wolf was bowled over as the other Animal crashed into him, leaving them both in a heap.

Miles flipped back onto the now empty throne that had contained the Master Emerald, summoning a Chaos Shield to deflect a handful of energy balls from his double. Mecha flew up after him with its tails primed, slicing through the metal of the shrine and forcing the other fox to retreat further into the air. Pings and thumps filled the air, along with the roar of engines and the swishing of fur, from the two vulpines trading blows with each other. Miles found his earlier analysis of Mecha to be accurate, though the robot was still quite powerful even without Chaos Drives to amplify its abilities. And even in its somewhat damaged state, it was taking his attacks about as well as it had the first time they fought. Still, he knew he had the advantage thanks to the Emeralds, though he wasn’t sure how much more he could rely on them. He wasn’t showing it, but after having used as much as he did against Knuckles, his body was feeling fairly heavy.

Meanwhile, Gadget and Knuckles had gotten back up, each of them resuming their respective assault. The former drew out the Lightning Baton in its standard form, his other hand raising his grappler and aiming at the escape craft. He came to a stop when the GBK moved in to intercept him, only for the echidna to slip in and go for an uppercut. The bird thwarted the attempt using one of his huge forearms, then answered in kind with a hammer blow from his other fist. Knuckles grunted as he used both of his hands to grab onto the bigger one and hold it up, glazing back at Gadget and jerking his head towards the doctor. 

The wolf took the hint and went around the two of them, once more getting a bead on the falcon mech. Gadget successfully hooked it with his cable and zipped over with a yank of the wrist, ending up next to the owl and the cat before either of them knew it. With a snarl, he swung his weapon down at the doctor’s head, but found it blocked by an identical column of energy that was neon pink instead of electric yellow. He peeked over to see Fuchsia wielding a copy of his personal invention, and a smug grin on the owl’s beak.

“It’s only fair I ‘borrow’ some of your technology after your stunt, boy,” the doctor sneered.

The wolf was distracted, though, by those cyan-blue eyes of hers that were fixed on him pleadingly. The look diffused some of his anger, having caught him off guard due to assuming she wouldn’t be capable of such after being Converted.

“Gad, please,” she mewled with guilt, “you’re not yourself. Let me help you.”

Gadget felt his arm being pushed back by the cat’s efforts as her tone further disarmed him. “I-I don’t want to hurt you, kitten. Stand down so I can deal with the doctor.”

“No!” she cried out, drawing her Baton back and clashing it against his own, “Dr. Fukurokov only wants to help us, Gad!”

Of course she would be spouting something like that after what she had been through. It served to renew his rage against the Kukkus, and reluctant as he was, Gadget started to push back more firmly against the cat. However, he was once again so narrowly focused, he didn’t notice that Dr. Fukurokov slinked away and clambered up the side of the falcon mech. The owl didn’t wait for Fuchsia before he closed the canopy and fired up the engines, catching everybody’s attention. Fuchsia let her arm fall slack so that Gadget would fall forward with the force he was putting in, then Jumped up onto the top of the aircraft.

“No!” Knuckles bellowed desperately, “I will not let you get away!”

The echidna broke off his fight with the GBK and glided over to the fleeing pair, latching onto the Master Emerald with both arms and legs. The Emperor was ready to try and pry him off, but a blue blur blitzed him in the back of the head, causing him to nearly lose his balance. The Kukku leader whirled around to see the fox’s young tag-along sticking his tongue out at him.

“Sonic!” Miles exclaimed, dodging Mecha’s tails and retorting in kind with a slam from his own pair, “glad you could make it! How did you get here if you didn’t come through the front?”

The hedgehog giggled cheekily. “Giz, Big, and I saw the bird jet once we got close to the volcano, so we decided to follow it. I sped on ahead and dropped down after it, so the others should be here soon.” He turned and thumbed his nose at the Emperor. “So this is Big Bird himself, huh? Though I guess it’s Birdbot now, what with the tune-up.”

“Crow while you can, brat,” the GBK remarked, grinning maliciously as several bombs popped into existence in both of his hands, “let’s see you survive this!”

He chucked every last explosive he was holding at the hoglet, cackling as the chamber lit up with fiery orange. The bird ceased when he felt a tap at the back of one of his legs, shifting around to check what it was. There was Sonic, tapping a foot impatiently while pretending to check the time on one of his wrists. Grinding his teeth beneath his bulging beak, the Emperor swiped and shot at the kid, only to see him cartwheel and skip out of the way of each and every blow and blast.

“I thought becoming a cyborg was supposed to make someone faster and stronger,” the kid quipped as he continued to dodge physical, energy, and explosive attacks, “gonna have to try harder, old man, because you’re too slow as it is!”

While the GBK kept trying to shut that mouth of the boy’s, the mech began to lift off, quickly gaining altitude. Gadget barely had enough time to attach his wire to the bottom of the Master Emerald, hitching a ride along with Knuckles. They didn’t get far, however, when Fuchsia hung down over the side of the vehicle with her own elastic cord, changing her Baton to that of a whip. With a flick of her wrist, she lassoed it around the echidna’s neck and pressed a button on the hilt, which caused the electrical arc to swell and intensify. Knuckles let out a scream of agony as he was thoroughly shocked to the bone, and even as he used all of his strength to hold on, his grip involuntarily gave way.

Gadget pocketed his weapon to swing over and catch the Guardian when he fell, glancing up at the end of his cable. Fuchsia had shifted her Baton to its sword state and dropped a bit lower so that she could level it with his anchor. His eyes widened and he began to frantically shake his head at her.

“Fu, love, don’t do it!” he begged, trying to hold tight and keep a grip on Knuckles.

The cat gave him a sad smile. “I know Miles won’t let you die, Gad. You’re too useful to him.” She slowly veered her weapon back. “But I hope you can forgive me, baby, and that you’ll see that the Empire is only trying to help.”

With a quick and efficient slash, the lightning blade went right through the reinforced wire, rendering his grappling line mostly useless. The wolf howled out of both frustration and the fact that gravity had taken hold, watching the falcon get further out of reach even faster. Miles would have gone to his aid, but he couldn’t with Mecha keeping him occupied, and Sonic didn’t exactly have the means to break their fall. Luckily for the both of them, a second cable shot down from above and wrapped around the red wolf’s waist, causing him to jerk to a stop. 

“I’ve got you, Bro!” came a voice he and Miles were glad to also hear.

Gizmo had come to rescue, holding onto the line with one hand while she herself clinged to one of Big’s boots with the other. The cat’s umbrella at the top of the chain allowed them to float down gently, leaving the fox and hedgehog free to contend with the big threats. The GBK, seeing that the doctor had gotten away with their prize, backpedaled from Sonic, which confused the boy.

“Mecha, cease combat!” he barked at the robot, “we’ve gotten what we came for, so we’re withdrawing!” He smirked at the blue hedgehog. “Seems you were too slow to stop us from getting away like bandits!”

The artificial fox immediately disengaged with its organic original and used the thrusters in its heels to fly up towards the hole in the cavern the doctor had made. The GBK soon joined it, letting out a full-bellied, maniacal laugh as a way of letting the heroes know they had failed this time. Miles was tempted to go after them, but he knew it wasn’t wise to face them alone, and he was concerned for Knuckles.

“Sonic, help me make sure they land safely,” he called over to his partner, who didn’t hesitate to lend a hand.

Thankfully, Big’s umbrella was somehow strong enough to hold all their weight long enough for them to reach a point where the two on the ground could cushion their landing. After that, the teen knelt by the echidna and was ready to use the cyan Emerald to heal him once again. 

“Is he gonna be okay?” Big asked the fox anxiously.

Miles regarded the huge cat for more than a brief moment, having never seen such a tall and bulky Animal before. But after he got over his fascination, he gave Big a warm smile.

“Don’t worry, I can patch him up,” he assured the feline.

Repeating what he’d done only a few minutes prior, Miles called upon his charm for assistance. Soon enough, Knuckles was good enough to be back on his feet, though when the fox rose to join him, he felt a wave of dizziness overtake him. Gizmo moved in to catch him under his arms just as his knees buckled and his legs gave out under him.

“Miles is exhausted,” she said in a worried voice, “and even if he wasn’t, we wouldn’t be able to catch up to the Kukkus in time to stop the Battle Moon.”

Still torn up about Fuchsia, and now with even more to fret about, Gadget could only wonder. “Well, what now?”

With their de facto leader down for the count, the other three members of the quartet, even Sonic, were starting to see how grim the situation was. There were the Chaos Emeralds, but those were supposed to be a very last resort, as they didn’t want to risk Miles going berserk again. As hopeless as things were starting to seem, Knuckles stepped in to break up the melancholic mood.

“If stamina is what Miles needs,” he uttered, walking over to lay one of his palms against the fox’s chest, “then allow me to lend him my own for the battle ahead.”

Knuckles closed his eyes and began to mumble under his breath in a tongue unfamiliar to Miles. He figured that it must have been the language of their people, but his curiosity didn’t distract him for long. An aura much like that of the Master Emerald coated the echidna’s form, and it soon moved over to the fox, where he felt a surge of power. In an instant, most of the fatigue that had weighed him down from the day and his use of the stones had vanished. He stood upright and stable, then gently shrugged himself out of his sister’s arms, giving his limbs and joints a few tests. He wasn’t toting a full tank, but he was certain that if he conserved most of what he had now, it would be enough to beat the GBK, Mecha, and whatever else they had in store.

“Wow, that’s really something, Knuckles!” Miles marveled, “I didn’t know you could do that with Chaos Energy, or that you had that much left to–”

Knuckles nearly fell to his hands and knees, but Big managed to catch him with one hand. “Easy there, buddy.”

“Thank you, Big,” the Guardian said appreciatively, “but I will be fine. And that aside, we need to hurry if we are to reach the Dragon’s–excuse me, the Battle Moon.”

The echidna steadied himself and made his way over to a part of the floor just past the collection of platforms that made up the shrine. He tapped at the ground here and there with one foot, his ears paying attention to each clap of his shoe until one of them came back as more of a thunk. With a grunt, Knuckles shoved his shoe down against that spot, the bit of marble sinking into the floor as he did. The ground rumbled, and after a couple of moments, everyone else scooted back as a large section of the shrine slid back to reveal a pit and a passage that went under it. He raised one of his hands in a “follow me” gesture and hopped down into the space, disappearing into wherever it went.

Taking heed of Knuckles’ words and actions, Miles and the rest of the gang went after him. They all ended up in a smaller chamber that contained a similar altar and another one of those tripods with a red spherical gem in it. The echidna was leaning against one of the columns holding up the small structure as they entered. He pushed away from it and went up to the marble-like orb, then looked back at the group.

“This Warp Point will take us to the Sky Sanctuary,” Knuckles explained, “it is a collection of ruins that are suspended far above Angel Island, and they have moved in sync with it for all these years. We should be able to converge on the Kukkus from there.” 

Gadget just looked like he’d received a much-needed pick-me-up after hearing that. “Really? You mean...it’s not too late to get on board and save Fuchsia?”

“Yes, provided we make haste,” the echidna answered as he nodded over to the feline among them, “Big, please watch the shrine while I guide them.”

The cat bowed his head to him and the others firmly. “You’ve got it, Knuckles. I hope you get the Master Emerald back from those mean birds!”

“I do too, my friend. Now,” the Guardian said as he turned back to Miles, “let us go!”

Without waiting for any confirmation that the fox was ready, Knuckles lifted himself onto the ball, which brightened once he put his full weight down. The echidna then curled into a Rolling Attack and gradually floated upward as a pillar of flashing white light lanced from the tip of the gem, spreading outward until it took up the width of the stand. With a noise none of them had ever heard before, save Big and Knuckles, the Guardian dissipated into the light, which then turned solid for a few seconds before returning to how it was.

“Come on, you heard the guy!” Sonic urged them, following after Knuckles without hesitation.

Once the hedgehog had disappeared from sight, Gadget was the next to step up, his determination back in business. “Don’t worry, love, we’ll save you and get you back to normal!”

He Jumped into the column and was gone, leaving his twin sister and younger adoptive brother left. The former of them stepped up to the figurative plate, then cast a glance back at the cat and his frog.

“We’ll be back before you know it, Big,” she promised him, offering a smile, “and maybe we can all go fishing after this is over.”

He chuckled and nodded. “Froggy and I’d like that. You be careful, Giselle.”

“I will, thank you, and take care,” the she-wolf said gratefully before she, too, leapt into the ray of the Warp Point.

Miles stood there for a moment, rubbing the back of his head as he let out a sheepish chuckle. “I wish we’d met under better circumstances, Big.” He then pounded his chest with the hand that held his gem. “But don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to your home! You can count on us!”

Big nodded firmly and fiddled with his free hand for a second, then awkwardly gave the fox a thumbs-up. Miles let out a more genuine laugh and returned the gesture with a winning smile. He then faced the Warp Point, steeled his resolve, and hurtled himself into the light, letting himself be taken wherever it would lead him.

Chapter Text

The group came out of the other end of the Warp Point, all of them aside from Knuckles blown away by the sight that awaited them in the bright blue sky above the clouds. The ruins of the Sky Sanctuary were made of white and lime-green marble, with vegetation such as moss and a few palm trees growing over many of the structures. These were supported by long green pillars evenly spaced out across the path, and topped by thick stone roads that came to glass bridges with strange patterns etched in them. Book-ending many of these isolated platforms were tall and thick verdant columns with rows of small dark windows across them, blue circles along the top, and tapered to a point at the bottom. Silver water fountains and purple stands with clear spheres dotted the landscape here and there, along with plenty more crumbled pillars. There were also some purple posts that occasionally reached up high into the ruins, some of them sporting a green pole that moved up and down between them.

Even though it was apparent that the place had been long abandoned by its creators, and despite being exposed to the elements so openly, it was all rather pristine. However, they weren’t there for sightseeing. The clouds several hundred or so meters below and out from their position began to part as a massive shape pushed its way up through them, none other than the top of the Battle Moon. Through the binocular function that their specs had, the twin wolves could see many more figures dispersing from the colossal craft and heading in their general direction.

“Well, they sure responded fast,” Gizmo commented in a less than thrilled manner.

Gadget returned the focus on his glasses back to normal zoom and retrieved his Baton. “With all the Chaos Emeralds back at full power, we’re like a shining beacon on their Radar. Avoiding their main force won’t be an option once we’re aboard.”

“Unless I draw them away from the rest of you,”  Miles proposed, patting the pouches on his utility belt.

The siblings glanced at one another with uncertainty. They weren’t comfortable with the idea of the fox acting as bait, even if he was the most capable among them. But, as though he could feel their worries, Sonic stepped up to his partner and held out a hand. Miles tilted his head curiously at the gesture, drawing an annoyed sigh from the kid.

“If that’s the plan, I’m not gonna let you do it alone, big guy,” he firmly told the fox, “so gimme one of the Emeralds!”

Miles was momentarily taken aback by the boldness of his young protege and initially, he wanted to refuse. But, after remembering the hordes of Badniks and Kukku creations they’d faced up until now, he chuckled and shook his head. Wordlessly, he reached into one of the pockets and pulled out the green Emerald, then tossed it over to Sonic. The hedgehog caught it with a pleased smirk before slipping the gem into one of his own pouches.

“If you are all prepared,” Knuckles said, turning and pointing to the end of the platform they were currently on, “then follow me. I shall take you as high and as close to the Battle Moon as possible.”

“Hold on a second,” Gizmo spoke up, reaching back and pulling the Pikkon Hammer from one of her pants pockets. She strode up to the fox and held it out handle-first to him. “Here, before either of us forget again.”

Truth be told, Miles had almost let it slip from his mind. He smiled and took back his weapon from his sister, glad to feel the weight in his hand again. He gave it a few swings, spun it around in his fingers a handful of times, then brought it to a stop with his hand around the bottom of the shaft. With a light chuckle, he slipped it into a spot between the pouches and tightened his belt a little.

“Thanks again, Sis. It feels good to have it back,” he told her appreciatively, then nodded at Knuckles, “okay, now we’re ready.”

With that, Knuckles started things off by gliding to the platform across from theirs and hitting a switch, activating a bridge to connect the two. After getting across, all of them except for Miles used one of the pole “elevators” to reach a ledge, where a couple of Robo Kukkus descended to accost the group. The echidna and fox went after the pair of robots, using their fists and tails respectively to clear the way for the others. Everyone dropped down a few outcroppings to a moss-covered bridge, hurrying across when the stones began collapsing behind them. It seemed even ruins as durable and long-lasting as these had their limits when it came to being disturbed.

Knuckles led them past a silver fountain and Jumped on top of one of the buildings on the way, and then glided towards a pair of fluffy clouds. Instead of dropping through them, a strange whump filled the air as the Guardian bounced off of them to reach a higher point than where the path led. The other four did as he did, following him to a second set that propelled them past the lower end of a sloped bridge. A small squad of Kukku fighter planes swooped in to try and gun them down, but the group scattered away from their blaster shots. While his grappler was all but useless now, Gadget’s Baton served as a worthwhile substitute when it came to snagging one of the pilots from his seat, not to mention stunning him. Gizmo went for the more direct approach of using her sidearm to fire through the nose of an aircraft, then used her own wire to get the combatant before he could fall below the clouds. The remaining three planes were handled by an uppercut, a Rolling Jump, and a Tail Attack from Knuckles, Sonic, and Miles, their pilots thrown to ground right after.

Leaving those soldiers stranded for the time being, the quintet continued to a large spinning green platform, riding the rotation around so they could get to the top of a thick marble column. One of the flame thrower-toting walkers that had given Miles some trouble as a kit served as little more than a roadblock for him and the others, though the Kukkus at the controls certainly tried all the same. Once it was dealt with, Knuckles glided across the next gap, while Miles carried Sonic and the twins made use of narrow castle stone platforms that were floating just as mysteriously as the rest of the place. A few smaller walkers got in their way, only to be bowled over by amber, blue, and red spheres coming through with well-synced Rolling Attacks. Thanks to more of those weird clouds, the group made it to a Warp Point that brought them to another slanted bridge that was much higher up than they were previously.

“Man, this really is incredible,” Miles commented to Knuckles as they climbed the collapsing structure. He was capitalizing on all the photo opportunities for the Miles Electric as well, knowing J would be over the moon to get them. “To think that the echidnas had the means to create teleportation devices back then, and this place looks like it used to be a city.”

The echidna led them from one pillar to the next, the lot of them flying past a fountain when they finally touched down on solid ground again. “My parents told me the Sky Sanctuary was a holy place for our people long ago. I am inclined to believe them, as I have noticed some similarities between the ruins here and the Hidden Palace, in some places.”

“I just wonder how it all stays afloat,” Gizmo wondered as she and her twin brother swung from pole elevator to a spinning platform, “is it because of the Master Emerald?”

“Yes,” Knuckles confirmed, guiding them down a decline and over a gap to another rotating circular structure, “with it no longer in its proper place, I do not know how much time we have before the ruins start to fall.”

The group felt like they were in a bouncing castle for a moment from the number of clouds they vaulted off of to reach the next hovering mass. They ducked beneath a swinging spike trap and rushed down a glass bridge to the next Warp Point, coming out in front of yet more Robo Kukkus. Miles brought out the Pikkon Hammer, eager to give it a go again after having thought it lost forever not that long ago. He slipped under a beam from one of the thing’s eyes, grinning in satisfaction as he gave its head a good slug and caused it to collapse. He didn’t let it linger long, though, and helped the other promptly deal with the rest of their company.

“They’re really putting in the effort to slow us down,” Gadget growled irritably as he slashed through one of the bots with his Baton’s sword form.

Sonic Spin Dashed through his own target, then made a U-turn to ram into another. “How much longer ‘til we get to the top, Knux?”

“Are you referring to me?” the echidna asked, getting a look from the hedgehog for his answer. He punched apart a droid, then pointed onward. “If memory serves me right, there should be two more Warp Points before we reach the highest tower in the Sanctuary.”

And from there, they would have the best vantage to try and get on the Battle Moon. Once the Robo Kukkus were scrapped, the Animals leapt from a turning platform to a point between two purple poles, dodging a spike hazard that swung up from below a gap they crossed just past them. They ran down a straightaway and up onto a higher ledge, where things took a decidedly more vertical turn. Knuckles climbed up the sides of the drifting buildings, Gizmo used her grappler to scale them while carrying Sonic on her back and shoulders, and Miles airlifted himself and Gadget doing what he did best.

They eventually came up to a spinning dial that brought them around to a short stretch of land, where they were confronted by Kukku hover pods and a few flying combatants. Miles flew in to grab one of the troops by the scruff, then hurled him into the others, with Sonic coming in to whip around them like a small tornado. This sent them flying into the hover pod pilots, who were left contending with the added weight, and also vulnerable to Knuckles and the twins’ efforts. The group kept up the pace once those guys were no longer a threat, crossing a crumbling pathway to a lone platform with a Warp Point on it. On the other end, they went up further to one of the massive green columns, with this one having an opening in it. Knuckles went in and made use of a red spring within the building to get to the roof, the others soon following. Over a series of bridges and crossings, all of which collapsed behind them, they eventually arrived at what Knuckles had said should be the final Warp Point. When they peered up, they could see a single tall tower atop a relatively small, but thick marble platform. And looking down, they could see that the Battle Moon was getting closer and closer to them, though they couldn’t spot any more soldiers or machines coming out of the vessel. 

Figuring that the worst was behind them, everyone leapt into the light that the Point’s gem produced, ending up at the base of the tower. Before any of them touched down, the receiving Warp Point was suddenly shattered into pieces by a metallic amber blur. They spotted a buzz saw of the same color pass above them and then touch down on the other side of the platform, unfurling to reveal itself as Miles’ artificial double.

“Mecha!” the fox called out angrily, stepping in front of the others as he faced down his copy.

Mecha raised one of its hands in a challenging manner. “I have been ordered to eliminate you, Enemy Number One.”

“No surprise there,” Sonic snarked, “look, Tin Tails, we’re in a hurry, so we don’t have time for a play date.”

Miles could swear that he saw a brief flash of annoyance in his doppelganger’s optics at the remark, which he found somewhat amusing. But, even though his partner had a point, he knew that they would be wrapped up with fighting Mecha regardless, given the bot’s persistence. Or so it seemed until Knuckles took up a position in front of the organic fox.

“Your young friend is right,” the echidna stated, glancing back at the teen, “allow me to handle this one while you all go on ahead.” He flashed a grin. “My warrior’s honor will not allow me to tolerate that blindsiding it gave me before.”

Miles wasn’t certain that Knuckles would be able to handle Mecha, given that he was pretty drained as far as his stamina went. He also knew that by doing this, the Guardian was giving up his chance to go after the Master Emerald himself. But then, that struck the fox pretty strongly when he thought about it, realizing what it meant. With a resolute hum, he clapped Knuckles on the shoulder.

“Thanks, Knuckles. I promise we’ll get the Master Emerald back,” he swore to the echidna, playfully shaking his other fist, “and I’ll be sure to give the doctor and the Emperor your regards.”

Knuckles nodded and jerked his head toward the tower, then rushed at Mecha. The robot locked its claws with his gloves and tried to push him aside, but found it difficult to get the mighty monotreme to budge. The fox didn’t waste any more time, grabbing Gadget and flying up to the lowest part of the outer catwalk that wrapped around the structure all the way to the top. Gizmo followed him with Sonic in tow, and from there, they started up the winding path to the roof, every brick and tile breaking apart in their wake.

When it seemed the others were a safe enough distance away from the two fighters, Knuckles wrenched his hands out of Mecha’s grip and knocked the replica away with a headbutt. The robot skidded back several meters and screeched to a halt with the brakes in its heels, raising one of its arms to retaliate with several energy blasts. The echidna was thankful that he’d gotten some practice in against the real Miles, as the attacks were familiar enough to the Chaos Bullets for him to handily dodge. Flipping and dipping between shots, the Guardian closed in on his target and gave it a good straight between its LED-powered eyes.

Meanwhile, the quartet had just reached the top, gazing out at the sea of clouds below them, along with the steadily rising form of the Battle Moon.

“We’re gonna have to bunch up together if we wanna make the landing,” Sonic said to the others, stroking his chin as he looked over his partner, “think you can carry all of us, big guy?”

Miles mulled it over in his head for a few seconds, then nodded to the boy. “Yeah, I can.”

“Then let’s go,” Gizmo urged them, “we’ve got a cat and giant emerald to save!”

“And a pair of Kukkus in need of a serious kick in the tail-feathers,” Gadget added, cracking his knuckles.

The two wolves came in on either side of the fox and put their arms around him, with the teen doing the same to each of their waists. Sonic hopped up onto his back and held him tight by the neck and shoulders, trying not to cut off his air. Once everyone seemed to be secure, Miles took a deep breath.

“Okay, hang on, everyone!” he announced.

With significantly more effort, the fox twirled his two tails around and slowly lifted the four of them up. He’d never tried toting this many people or this much weight before, but while it did strain him a bit, it wasn’t that bad. With a grunt, he guided the lot of them over the edge and out into the air, letting up on his effort a little bit so that they would slowly hover down towards the Battle Moon.

Mecha’s head whipped back from the blow, but it barely received any damage despite the strength behind the punch. It answered in kind with its own jab to the monotreme’s gut, causing Knuckles’ eyes to widen in pain as the air was forced out of him. The bot followed up by raising its tails up like scorpion stingers, then brought them down in an attempt to skewer its foe. However, the echidna caught them with his mitten-like gloves, grimacing as the limbs’ serrated edges cut into his palms. With some difficulty, he shoved the tails away and delivered a fierce Punch Attack, knocking Mecha back a good bit.

As it recovered from the hard hit, the Kukku creation’s head swiveled to one side and caught sight of Miles and the others flying down and out to the Battle Moon. Mecha engaged the thrusters in its feet and was ready to go after them, only to find itself stuck. It glanced down and saw that Knuckles was holding fast to one of its ankles, the echidna’s other hand having punched a hole into the marble to anchor himself. The droid tried to fire at him with its arm cannon, only for the Guardian to shout and slam it down into the ground. He then chucked Mecha towards the opposite end of the platform, yanking his other arm free from the stone and shaking off the rubble.

“Our battle is not finished, metal fox,” he told his foe, tilting his head back and forth to work out the kinks, “I told Miles that I would deal with you, and I shall do just that!”

Mecha’s hands whirred as they rotated a few times, then clicked back in place with a flex of its fingers. Knuckles was ready to get back to business, only for the robot to just...stand there idly. Uncertain whether or not this was a ploy, the echidna stayed put and kept his eye on Mecha. Several moments passed before it finally moved again, its optics narrowing in on Knuckles more intently. Seconds after it did, the air was filled with a low rumble as the colossal form of the Battle Moon rose past the platform they were on.

“I relayed the complications in fulfilling my stated objective to Dr. Fukurokov,” it informed the echidna once the noise subsided, “and I have received new instructions. Given that your assistance is no longer required for the Empire’s operations to proceed, and you pose a notable threat to it, your elimination has been authorized. Following that, Miles Prower and the rest are to be eradicated, as per my original mission.”

So, the doctor had shifted priorities. In a way, Knuckles felt a sense of pride that the old owl would see him as that much of a threat. But it wasn’t the time for an inflated ego, not with a killer robot that was now completely focused on him.

Mecha resumed its assault using its Buzz Saw Spin Dash, tearing through the marble on a collision course with Knuckles. The Guardian dove to one side and scooped up some of the broken ground to hurl at his enemy. The duplicate of Miles spun around as it returned to its normal state, both of its hands receding so that it could shatter the rubble with its cannons. The shower of stone had merely been a distraction, however, for Knuckles to swoop in with a gliding attack and ram it with both fists. A few sparks flew from its chest plate upon impact, but Mecha dug in its heels and once again tried to skewer him. The echidna flipped back to avoid a gruesome fate, gathering up a bit of energy in one hand and then pointing at the robot.

“Take this! Lightning Arrow!” he bellowed out, directing a stream of electrified Chaos Energy down onto his opponent.

Mecha’s optics notably shifted to a fearful expression, and then to what appeared to be pain once the bolt struck. The robotic vulpine spasmed and twitched, falling to its knees as it tried to keep itself upright. At the same time, Knuckles felt more fatigue start to weigh on him. He’d been holding it together since the Hidden Palace, but the fact was that he had given Miles most of his remaining stamina. Perhaps he could afford to use his abilities a few more times, though pushing himself any further would just add to the soreness he’d feel later. That was, of course, assuming he came out of this alive.

“You were here before, big guy,” Sonic said as they strolled onto one of the numerous catwalks that dotted the perimeter of the Battle Moon’s interior, “does this place seem familiar?”

Miles made a cursory search, then shook his head. “No, this is a completely different area than where I ended up the first time I was aboard.”

“Good thing we downloaded the schematics,” Gizmo mentioned as she pulled them up on her comm, “though it looks like there are a number of ways through this oversized egg.”

The fox did the same with the Miles Electric, already determining which ones would be best. “You and Gad should find where they keep the escape vessels first, then look for Fuchsia after that. Sonic and I will head for the core power station, where the Master Emerald likely is along with the doctor and the Emperor.” He flashed the cyan Emerald at them, then slipped it back into his pocket. “Hopefully, having the Chaos Emeralds on us will keep the pressure off of you two.”

It sounded like a good enough plan, as nobody had any objections. But before they scattered, the siblings each bumped fists with the fox and the hedgehog, with the red one in particular also giving Miles a light punch in the chest fur.

“Give them hell, Bro,” he said in a softer tone than he most likely wanted to use.

Miles nodded at him, gave his multitool a once over, then put it away as he stepped forward and gestured for Sonic to keep close to him. “Alright, let’s split up and take this thing down!”

The fox and hedgehog rushed forward, leaping over a spike projectile thrown from a strange woodpecker Badnik and taking out the robot itself. They came across a bridge that was composed of light beams, which Miles found to be solid after tapping his foot against them. The projection wasn’t constant, however, flickering on and off every few seconds, so the boys had to time it properly in order to cross. Hopping up a high ledge, the two came to an odd structure composed of several turquoise barrels that shifted from the boys’ weight. But, with Miles’ ability to fly, he simply lifted them both past it so that they wouldn’t have to bother.

Continuing down a slope, the two of them came to another light beam bridge that curved upward instead of going straight across the gap in front of them. Given the choice between riding it up to some sort of device or waiting for it to disappear and keep going, the fox figured the latter to be better. They shot through a passage, using their Rolling Attacks to build up momentum and, in Sonic’s case, bounce off of another woodpecker Badnik to soar over a pit. He saw a spike trap on the wall he was headed for, and he was ready to use his Shield Projector until his partner caught him and lowered them to the ground.

It appeared to be a dead end down there, but after taking a second look around, the boys discovered a sort of maintenance access passage high up in the wall. The fox and the hedgehog boosted themselves up there, where they found numerous Kukku combatants either performing minor repairs or supervising the ones working. And upon realizing that they had company, as well as the nature of said company, the dozen or so birds all froze in the middle of their tasks.

“I-it’s the fox,” one of them spluttered. 

He hesitantly reached for a spanner and clumsily wielded it in place of a proper weapon. Some of the other Kukkus followed suit, using whatever they had on them, whether wrenches, wire cutters, welding torches, or anything else. Miles tilted his shades down as he regarded the avians, wagging a finger at the lot of them. 

“Hey now, that’s no way to use your tools,” he admonished them, turning to Sonic, “I think these guys need a lesson on how to properly handle their equipment, don’t you?”

The hoglet snickered and rolled his shoulders. “Yep. Good thing we’re here to teach ‘em!”

The tunnel was filled with the battle cries of Kukkus soldiers as they rushed the pair, only to be replaced by the sounds of pain. One of the grunts that had been reluctant to participate had to shield his eyes from the carnage, until he, too, was dragged into it. A Spin Dash and Rolling Attack here, a Rapid Tails Attack and a few swipes of the Pikkon Hammer there, and within seconds, the team of birds were laid flat. The duo left their handiwork behind, eventually coming to a hatch that covered a narrow tube leading down. They dropped through it, just managing to dodge a missile from a wall panel, and landing onto a large treadmill-like structure. Fighting against it, the pair pulled into a long hall that ended with a rising staircase, putting them in the path of another missile slot, which they ducked away from just as it fired.

Past that, a second set brought them down into a rather tricky tunnel with a pair of spike traps, and some sort of electrical hazard that reminded him of fluorescent lights. Erring on the side of caution as well as practicality, Miles flew Sonic and himself over the obstacles, then up to a high ledge past yet more missile ports. Navigating their way further up into the station, they smashed a spiny Badnik and came to a sliding door, which Sonic eagerly rushed through. He cried out as he discovered there was no floor beneath his feet beyond it, but was fortunately grabbed by the fox before he could tumble down into the darkness.

“Phew! Thanks, Tails!” he exclaimed.

Miles hummed and set him down beside him gently. “You’ve got to watch out for that first step, Sonic. Imagine what would’ve happened if I wasn’t here to save your spiny little butt.”

“I’d be a hedgehog pizza,” the boy replied in a relatively unphased manner.

The teen winced at the image that popped into his head and shook it to try and clear it away. “Anyway, we’ve got to be careful. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few shafts that serve to eject waste from the station. Don’t want to go flying out when we’ve worked this hard to get in.”

The kid nodded and then grabbed hold as his partner brought them up to the top of the pit he’d nearly fallen down. They Jumped up to an outcropping and proceeded through a short hall into a massive room with several glass barrels set up and blue pipes lining the walls. But the most peculiar thing was that the instant they entered, gravity shifted so that they were falling towards the direction they were facing. The boys flipped and bounced off of springs and hard, yet elastic platforms, as well as a cylindrical device with numerous yellow buttons along the outside. The fox noticed that they turned red when he hit one of them, and that the way forward was blocked as well. It wasn’t hard to make the connection between the floating equipment and the door.

Awkward as it was, Miles and Sonic got around to changing every button on the cylinder to red, and as expected, the door at the end of the gravity room opened. The passage they shot through was even more chaotic, causing the two of them to bob up and down as though they were in an elevator that was repeatedly dropping and rising at breakneck speeds. Miles found that using his tails didn’t help much when it came to navigating the irregular gravity. What did, on the other hand, was using his feet to propel himself off of the floor and ceiling as he went along. Sonic did as he did, and the two of them made it out back into an area of normal gravity soon enough. A charged up Spin Dash let them ride up the wall and blast through another door, where they found themselves at the bottom of a wide and deep shaft.

Miles would have used his flight, but his curiosity made him examine a tall turquoise post with a display screen on top. The instant he got close, though, he was forced into a Rolling Attack much like when he traveled through the pipes in the Chemical Plant Complex. The screen on top of the post lit up with red LEDs, counting down from three as a ping accompanied each digit. Once it hit zero, the fox was sent through a tunnel of light rings that snaked through the air in figure-eight patterns towards the top of the pit. He uncurled just when he reached the ledge and put on the brakes with his heels, spinning around to stop the hedgehog that followed after him without fail seconds later.

“Haha, that was pretty neat!” Sonic whooped, “if I see another one of those, I’m getting on!”

The fox rolled his eyes, but allowed himself a smile at his partner’s sense of fun. They took some rising stairs past a pair of missile ports up to a small stretch that had another of those poles they’d just encountered. Just as he said he would, Sonic went ahead and locked himself into the treads that got him spinning, while Miles elected to bypass it. The hedgehog hollered as he went through loops and twists like he was on a roller coaster, while the teen ran across a long catwalk beneath him. The latter skipped over a few rockets that came at him, then flicked his tails so that he could run up the curve of a platform. 

From there, he fluttered after his young protege to where the ring trail was taking him, descending yet more stairs into a narrow hall, where shutters came down behind them. The two entered a roomy chamber that consisted of the wide catwalk they were on, many machines with deep blue and yellow checkerboard patterns that contained massive turbines, and a blue-gray pillar in the center. It certainly seemed like a place where most of the station’s power would be, but just to be sure, Miles brought out his multitool and overlaid the schematics of the Battle Moon with the Emerald Radar.

“From what I can determine, this is the core power station,” he told Sonic, scratching at his ears in confusion with his other hand, “but the Master Emerald isn’t here. According to this, it’s...” He trailed off as he squinted at the reading. “It’s somewhere in the outer layer, possibly on the outside of the Battle Moon, among its orbital platforms.”

Sonic punched the palm of one hand with the other fist. “Then let’s juice on over to it!”

There was no argument there, but before they could make their exit, an alarm blared throughout the room, and they heard a whirring above them. The two looked to see a huge mechanical red eye staring back at them from within the column, startling both of the Animals.

“What the heck is that!?” Sonic shouted.

He got his answer when eight large spheres that were about the same size as him came down and started orbiting around the eye’s position. They then dropped down to the boys’ elevation and spread out from the pillar, forcing them to jump to avoid being bowled over.

“No doubt a defense system for the core,” Miles answered. He brought out the Pikkon Hammer in one hand and the cyan Emerald in the other, gripping them both tightly. “And it looks like it’s not going to let us leave without a fight.”

The hedgehog grinned and stretched his legs. “Fine with me. I was starting to get a little bored with how few robots we were coming across.”

While they geared up to battle the core defense system, Sonic’s comment did give Miles some pause for thought. They hadn’t faced that many Badniks or Kukkus at all on their way here, which made him worry for his two siblings. Had he unknowingly sent them into a trap? He wasn’t given long at all to ponder the possibility before he had to dodge the oncoming spheres once again.

Just looking at the structure, it was easy to determine that the eye had to be the weakness. With its ability to manipulate those orbs, getting close to it or hitting it from afar would both prove to be tricky. However, as the two of them circled around the pillar to try and find an opening, Miles noticed that the range on those things was limited. Furthermore, it seemed that they couldn’t be independently operated, as each time they moved to attack the pair or defend the core, it was always done together. If that was the case, then the fox already had a plan to deal with their opponent.

“Sonic, I’ll draw its attention to get those things out of the way of the eye,” he proposed, “then you give it a good Rolling Jump!”

The hoglet grinned and put some distance between the pillar and himself. “Got it, big guy! Then you do the next one to keep it guessing, right?”

“Exactly,” the fox replied, happy that his partner was quick to catch on, “if my assessment is correct, the A.I. inside that thing is pretty simple. We should be able to run circles around it.”

Miles dashed up to the base of the pillar and gave it a good whack with his Hammer, getting the eye to focus on him. Those metallic spheres dropped down as he expected, skipping back to avoid their initial attack. Sonic made a break for it the moment the orbs expanded their orbit, going into a Rolling Jump just like his partner suggested. The fox gave him a boost with both hands, sending him careening right into the eye of the core. It sparked and flashed for a moment, and then, one of the orbitals exploded into a shower of spiky shrapnel. Both of the boys managed to get away with only a few scratches, though it did give them both a scare.

“I guess it would’ve been a little too easy if there wasn’t something else to the defenses,” Miles remarked as he traded his Hammer for a handful of bombs, “but at least there’s one less obstacle protecting the weak point.” 

Sonic pumped a fist. “Just gotta keep it up, and it’ll be defenseless in no time!”

Just as they’d planned, Sonic distracted the machine with some fancy footwork, leaving it open to getting peppered by Miles’ explosives the instant it tried to smash the kid. A pair of spheres unleashed their prickly payloads, which the boys dodged and then doubled back to set themselves up for their next maneuver. The A.I. brought up its remaining projectiles to try and cover itself, but enough of a gap had been formed for Miles to carry Sonic over to the eye and, with the right timing, let the hedgehog Jump from his hands right into it. The fox dove through the air to slip through the rain of spines while a Spin Dash on his partner’s part got him out of the affected area.

As they kept up their assault, some of the turbines in the chamber were starting to suffer wear and tear from the errant projectiles from the exploding spheres. The whine of machinery shutting down echoed through the room, replaced by the blaring of sirens, while the blinking hazard lights had become a near constant red strobe. Eventually, it came down to the tower having only one of the projectiles left to use against them, and while it would have been simple enough to strike it at the right moment, Miles knew Sonic would prefer that they ended things flashily.

“So, little bud, what should we do this time?” the fox asked his partner.

The hedgehog stroked his chin for a moment, then snapped his fingers. “Let’s go for another one of those game-winning kicks of yours!”

“You’ve got it!” the teen replied with a smirk.

Miles flew into the air and held out his hands, which Sonic Jumped into right after. The flying fox rose up into the air while he juggled his balled-up friend, making him spin faster and faster. The core computer swung its orbital at him, but he tossed the kid up higher while dropping back himself, letting it swing and miss both of them. The fox whirled his tails and cocked one of his legs back, rising up to meet the hoglet just as he came down. Once he judged the angle to be right, he brought his shoe in against the Rolling blue sphere.

“Thunder Shoot!” he yelled out as he punted Sonic with a good, firm strike.

As the hedgehog ricocheted off of the eye of the machine, the last orbital erupted like all the rest, but it didn’t stop there. The central pillar was rocked by numerous blasts, electrical arcs snaking along its form while panels and pieces of circuitry warped and cracked. The surrounding power units, which had already been failing before, were shutting down even more readily, though the alarms hadn’t ceased and the way out hadn’t opened back up. It should have done so when they defeated the core A.I., right?

That was when the heroic duo learned that their fight wasn’t quite over yet. With the groan of twisted metal, the red-eyed machine wrenched itself free from the pillar in a large, silvery drum-shaped body that floated freely through the air. A pair of circular platforms lined with spikes on the undersides hovered in place next to it, but soon began to vertically rotate about it in slow, measured circles. Its optic zoomed in on the boys and the port beneath its main body fired a broad beam of blue energy their way, scorching much of the catwalk as it did.

Sonic leapt onto one of the platforms, and when the opportunity presented itself, drove himself up into the eye from below. The machine responded by unleashing its beam and wildly swinging its improvised weapons, letting out a shrill whine all the while. It allowed Miles to fly up and over the chaotic tantrum the thing was throwing, catch his partner and then fling a few bombs at the robot’s backside. Notable scuffs and dents showed where they exploded, proving to the fox that this body’s casing was less durable than the tower’s. It also caused the thing to wheel around and come after them with even more fervor, though this played right into Miles’ hands.

‘Oh, doctor,’ he thought as he shook his head, ‘you project your angry little heart into everything you make, don’t you? So predictable.’

He hurled Sonic past the machine, now putting it between the two of them, and waved his hands to get its attention. As expected, the A.I. prioritized him and hovered his way, intent on dicing him up and then charring what was left. The hedgehog charged up a Spin Dash and let loose, Jumping up so that he landed on one of the platforms as it rose, leaving him in the perfect position to keep on Rolling right into the spot the fox damaged. The robot wobbled and turned over from the hit, steam shooting from the top of its body. The eye darted back and forth between the two targets, unsure of which one was the greater threat, unable to decide whether it should turn its platforms clockwise or the other way.

With the core component confused, both Animals took the chance to take out their Shield Projectors. Sonic changed the setting to flame, making sure to show Miles, who had been debating a different one. However, he understood what his partner was going for after a few seconds, and then did the same. They activated their devices and were wreathed in fiery red and orange barriers, taking up positions on either side of the flailing robot.

“Alright, on three!” the fox called out as he dug in his heels, “one!”

“Two!” the hedgehog answered after roughly a second had gone by, clenching his fists.

“Three!” the pair shouted at the same time.

They Jumped up high so that they were level with the core machine’s eye and the platforms were out of their way. Miles and Sonic’s Flame Shields became white hot in both intensity and appearance as they streaked into the Kukku creation from each end. The Fireball Spin Dashes slammed into the robot with a pair of metallic thuds, followed up by the whir of such durable material straining to hold together. The speed and power behind their blows only offered it a fleeting moment of resistance, though, and then it was over. Both fox and hedgehog severed its wires and fried its circuits as they punched out of the opposite sides they entered, flipping a few times and sticking a three-point landing. The machine and its platforms fell to the ground, sparked and shuddered a few more times, then erupted into a shower of fire and scraps.

The entrance to the chamber opened back up, but so did a door on the other side. Rather, it had been the covering to a deep blue barrel-shaped pod with a long pipe attached to the top of it, one wide enough for an Animal to fit through. It wasn’t an elevator, as there was no car to take them. Miles wondered if, perhaps, it was like those transporter tubes in the main Metropolitan Industries building, or the system in the Chemical Plant Complex. Using his multitool, he analyzed it and discovered it to be more like the former, and that this one, in particular, would bring them to the outer layer of the Battle Moon.

“So, what’s the verdict?” Sonic inquired as he walked up next to him, hands behind his head.

The fox stowed the Miles Electric away after he got everything he needed. “Well, this should take us where we need to go. I detected artificial gravity and atmospheric conditions on the other end, so we should be good.”

“Alright, let’s speed!”

The hedgehog ran into the opening, then let out a whoop as he suddenly shot into the tube. With a chuckle and a shrug, the teen went in after him, feeling the rush of air on his face once he was sent rocketing upward.

The GBK slammed a fist down on his throne furiously as he watched the footage from three different perspectives. The fox and his friends had boarded his station, thanks to the echidna keeping Mecha at bay. Prower in particular had just destroyed their core defenses, and he and his pincushion of a partner were on their way to him! If the Battle Moon hadn’t been adjusted to take in the Master Emerald’s energy, they would have been going down yet again. But at the rate things were going, it wouldn’t be long before he would have to use its power for the doctor’s newest and truly greatest weapon.

Those wolf twins had also proven to be a rather big thorn in his side. Whatever forces weren’t dealing with Prower were taking them on, but they were having a rough time of things, thanks to those tools and weapons the lupines let loose. Their trajectory was leading them towards the Emergency Bay, and the Conversion Therapy Lab wasn’t far beyond that. No doubt, they were looking to destroy the latter, then find their feline friend and return to the former in order to escape. Well, rather than having them run around, why not send her to them, knowing full well they’d be reluctant to harm her?

“Private Pink,” he hailed the cat through his built-in communications, “cease whatever you are currently doing. I have a mission for you.”

There was a momentary click in his receivers that signified the other line was picked up. “Roger that, Sire. What do you need me to do?”

“I’m certain that you’ve noticed we have intruders,” the Emperor informed her, “the dangerous two-tailed fox and his friends, your poor deluded lover among them. He’s on his way to the doctor’s therapeutic laboratory, where we helped you. If he does what Prower has no doubt ordered, then we won’t be able to afford him the same treatment.”

To his dark delight, Fuchsia let out a worried gasp. “Oh no, then Gad would be stuck under Miles’ control!”

“Precisely,” the big bird crooned to her, “and I know well how much you wish to help him. Therefore, to give you the power you need to get the job done, I am temporarily granting you the same authority as a lieutenant. Take a platoon of combatants and robots to the Lab, then intercept him and his sister. We can work on getting them the aid they need once they’ve been apprehended.”

There was a moment of silence, and then the cat answered. “I understand. I’ll get over there ASAP, My Liege.”

“I expect to hear good news soon, Private Pink,” he said, cutting the line afterward.

With preparations made for two of their three problems, the GBK went back to examining the remaining issue. Knuckles was handily standing up to Mecha despite the injuries he’d sustained from the earlier scuffle. Yes, the synthetic fox had managed to get a few good hits in, but it was clear that the echidna was superior in terms of close-quarters combat. And even as the Guardian started to noticeably tire, the damage that Mecha was taking on just kept piling up. 

The Emperor growled as he witnessed Mecha dash at Knuckles, only to be grabbed in mid-air, spun around like an Olympic hammer, and then thrown into the ground. The echidna flipped forward and delivered a double axe hand to the prone robot, knocking it deeper into the marble. He then yanked the metal vulpine out of the hole and drove an explosive punch into its torso, sending it flying back. Once upright, Mecha grounded itself and used the wheels in its heels to charge at Knuckles, only for the Animal to Jump right into its face. The impact caused it to lose its balance and begin sparking a bit more, its optics glitching out for a brief moment, but it soon recovered.

Mecha went into a Buzz Saw Spin Dash, slicing and bouncing its way across the platform in an attempt to disorient its target, but Knuckles wasn’t falling for it. The echidna kept calm and only moved when he had to, conserving his energy while keeping a close eye on the robot. It uncurled after a moment and opened fire with its twin cannons, forcing Knuckles to run and glide to avoid its energy blasts. The echidna closed the distance and punched down at the ground to make it crack beneath Mecha’s feet, causing it to briefly lose balance. Knuckles took the chance to reach around and grab its tails by the base, where there weren’t any protrusions he could cut himself on. He gave them a fierce tug at the same time that he sprang from the balls of his feet, driving his head into Mecha’s chin. As the bot tumbled over from the hit, the Guardian yelled out and whipped the thing around by its rear limbs to club it right back into the crumbling marble.

Unable to stand seeing such a display any longer, the GBK rang for Dr. Fukurokov. A few moments went by before he heard that creaky old engineer on the other end.

“Yes, Your Grace?” the owl asked him meekly.

The commander snorted at the sniveling tenor in the other bird’s voice. “You know why I’m calling, Dmitri. Isn’t there anything you can do about that failure of yours that’s locked in combat against that vexing echidna?”

He heard the owl’s feathers ruffle at calling his creation a “failure”, as well as a barely audible clench of the beak. Good, it meant he was listening. And given a little more time, he eventually heard the owl let out a labored sigh.

“Well, there is one thing we could still employ,” the doctor notified him uneasily, “but I’ve not had the proper chance to test it yet, and without the Chaos Drives I’d originally installed, it may not work as intended!”

The GBK wasn’t having any of it, though. He’d heard enough excuses from his chief engineer just about this expedition, much less all of their previous endeavors.

“Do you think I care about that when we’ve got our enemies on our doorstep!?” he thundered at his second-in-command, “they intend to throw everything at us, so it would be foolish not to do the same! Activate whatever it is in Mecha that has you so skittish, and then get your final weapon ready! Prower and his sticker brush of a sidekick will be on top of you soon, so prepare for my arrival!”

He closed the link and then stomped over to the back of the room, pressing a panel on the wall. It slid away to reveal a cylinder with a long tube that went up into the station, the same sort he’d just seen Miles use. He hurried into it, tucked his arms and legs close, then allowed himself to be carried away by what felt like reversed gravity. Convenient though it was, he was still getting used to how disorienting the experience could be.

Knuckles panted as he braced himself against a flurry of punches from Mecha, his feet sliding back on the stone closer and closer to the edge of the platform. Just when it seemed as though he’d sail over it, he dropped down and used his namesakes to shuffle along the rim and get behind the bot. He ducked below a slash from the things tails and gave it an uppercut, then grabbed its feet to throw it back into their arena. Mecha righted itself with its jets just in time to take a gliding strike from the echidna. 

Its form flashed and sparked a bit more as yet another dent was added to its collection of scrapes, chips, and bent metal. The replica began to slow down more and take additional time between each of its attacks, which themselves sported notably less impact than a few minutes ago. Knuckles assumed that the damage he’d dealt to it was finally taking effect, which he was quite thankful for, as he wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to keep it up. He took the opportunity to slide past a sluggish tail swipe, then tripped up Mecha with a shot to the shins. The echidna grabbed its shoulders as it fell and gave it a hard headbutt, watching it stumble back for a second before raising one hand into the air.

“Fall already! Lightning Arrow!” he shouted.

As before, a bolt of Chaos Energy crashed down from the heavens and connected with the conductive machine. But unlike the previous time and all the other instances Knuckles had hit hard, Mecha appeared as though it had finally had enough. It shuddered and spasmed, unceremoniously dropping back onto its hands, feet and tails with its head tilted down. The optics had gone entirely dark, and the only bit of commotion from the robot was the occasional bit of electricity arcing over its body every couple of seconds. Knuckles waited for a short while, and when his foe did not move beyond its spot, he breathed out in relief and slumped back against the tower.

“And now I await their return,” he mumbled to himself as his eyes trailed up to the shrinking form of the Battle Moon.

His distracted gaze, however, failed to notice one of the robot fox’s hands twitching, its fingers spasming ever so slightly, until they calmed and closed into a fist. The sparking and shorting from Mecha’s suddenly ceased entirely, a low hum filling the air instead. When the echidna finally noticed that something was up, he witnessed the machine’s head lift up and its optics activating once again. Rather than cyan-blue, though, the LEDs that made up Mecha’s “eyes” were now a menacing red. It slowly rose to its feet, the noise coming from its speakers only growing louder, yet deeper, until it was fully upright. Mecha’s hands folded over its chest plate, and Knuckles began to feel a surge of power welling up from within the machine...one that felt like energy from the Master Emerald!

“Authorization for use of stored Chaos Energy has been granted,” the metal fox droned out, “engaging Overclocked Mode.”

Bolts flew across Mecha’s form once again, but not because of its injuries this time. These were because of what it was doing, and realizing what was about to happen, Knuckles rushed in to try and stop it. He was flung back by the violent power coursing over the robot, however, forced to do little more than sit and watch. Mecha gradually rose into the air, its limbs curling in on itself in a fetal position as the light show proceeded to become ever more chaotic. And when it reached a crescendo, the Miles replica spread its arms and legs, letting a blinding flash engulf the area.

Once Knuckles could see again, he clenched his jaw. Mecha’s paint job had taken on a midnight blue-indigo color that pulsated between lighter and darker shades. Its bulky forearms had shifted so that its cannons sprouted above its wrists, while the engines in its feet now seemed inexhaustible, letting it fly constantly. Its already daunting features had become even more pronounced, with its tails in particular now being razor sharp and barbed all over. The Chaos Energy had created a thin aura of deep purple light that flickered and danced over the robot like fire, lending it an almost otherworldly glow.

“This form was modeled after the bestial transformation exhibited by Miles Prower during the previous Battle Moon incident,” Mecha informed the Guardian, hovering a bit lower so it could better look him in the eye, “its power may not be to scale with the original, but that is irrelevant. Your chances of survival, now that it has been activated, are negligible.”

Knuckles scoffed at the claim as he put up his dukes once more, letting his adversary see that he was grinning. As tired as he was and as dire as the situation seemed, he couldn’t help but be a little excited.

“No one knows the Master Emerald’s power better than me,” he boasted as he fell back into his tried and true stance, “you cannot beat me with borrowed might, impostor!”

Mecha “narrowed” its crimson eyes and floated back up into the air, taking up its own position. Animal and machine, organic and synthetic beings stared one another down, ready for the second and final round between them.

Chapter Text

“So far, so good,” Gizmo said as she and Gadget held onto a red and blue stamp-shaped hovering device.

After being set down past an electrical floor trap, the siblings ran down a narrow hall and hopped onto a light blue platform, which carried them up to a high ledge. They were momentarily frightened when a four-pointed Badnik with a blue body and a red eye zipped their way, attempting to skewer them with its lowest spike. The teal twin rolled out of the way and shot it down with her sidearm, leaving them clear to continue through the pasty white shutters ahead. Like Miles and Sonic had experienced in a different area, they were tossed up and down by the continually shifting gravity, disoriented for more than a few seconds.

Once they got past that headache and back onto solid ground, the wolves sailed over a set of spikes and onto another of those moving platforms. They skipped down on the other side of the ledge it brought them to, traveling a gentle slope that brought them to a flight of stair blocks. Gadget yanked his sister down as a missile fired the moment she reached the top step, then pointed out a second one further up. The duo carefully made their way up and past the hazards, ran across a treadmill section, and came to a fork in the path. They could either continue forward, where they spotted at least one Badnik ahead, or they could use the light beam bridges above them to reach a different route.

Wanting to avoid alerting any more enemies, the two vouched for the high path, timing their jumps right so that they could use the fleeting bridges while they were still up. But just like with the stairs, there were missile ports primed and waiting for them at the top. Gadget and Gizmo made a mad dash to dodge the incoming explosives while hopping up each rise in the terrain, until they came to a second one of those levitating machines they’d recently used. Both of them had to tuck their feet and tails in to avoid the rather large bolts coming off of the electric floor they hovered over, and were relieved when they could get down. A short jaunt brought them to a platform with an odd sort of sign post, one that the red twin felt compelled to investigate.

Once he got close, he was forced into a Rolling Attack, and the display on the monitor counted down from three. Gizmo watched as her brother let out a few cries and shouts as he was flipped and dipped all through the air in the area they were in. After several seconds, Gadget was deposited on a ledge high up and far away from her, holding his head in one hand. The teal wolf decided to skip that excitement, leaping past the strange transporter to grapple onto the platform across from it. From there, she pounced as high as she could and used her cable to zip on over to her brother’s position, just in time for him to get over his dizzy spell. He brought up the interior schematics of the station on his comm, then nodded to himself.

“We’re close to the Lab,” he told his sister as he brought out his Baton, “we should expect at least decent security, given how important a location it is.”

Gizmo rifled through the pouches on her belt to make sure she had everything, then kept her pistol at the ready. “I know you don’t like the idea, but we’ll probably have to knock Fu out so we can help her. Given how strong her brainwashing seems to be, I doubt we can simply talk her into coming with us.”

Gadget folded his ears back and sighed. She was right about him not being a fan of the proposition. But then, what other choices did they realistically have? “Private Pink” was willing to let him fall from a dangerous height, regardless of the fact that she knew Miles or someone else would’ve saved him. What if the GBK actually ordered her to kill him and the others? Would her affections and memories win out against the Conversion Therapy programming, or would she succumb to it? It was a risk that, frankly, he knew he was better off not taking, much as the idea of hurting his girlfriend bothered him.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he mumbled, twisting his weapon so it took on its default blunt state.

The teal twin frowned and put her free hand on the red one’s shoulder. “Gad, if you really can’t bring yourself to hurt her, then I can handle it...”

“I’ll be okay, Giselle,” he assured her as he gently patted her glove, “I just need to remind myself that we’re doing this for her sake.”

They let the conversation drop after that, as neither of them  believed there was anything more to say. They navigated their way through another abnormal gravity section and came to a long, tubular hallway with glass that let them look out at the expanse of the station. In the distance was the core, where they noticed several hazard lights suddenly activate, probably due to Miles and Sonic. But just ahead of them was a section set inside of a globe, which the Battle Moon’s blueprints identified as the Conversion Therapy Lab, and soon enough, they came to a heavily reinforced door with a control panel on the side.

It was easy enough for Gadget to connect his comm to the unit and hack into it, getting them inside without any fuss. But, the moment they stepped in, they were given a reason to worry. There was Fuchsia, brandishing her own Lightning Baton as she stood by one of the consoles in the center of the lab. The cat pressed a button and caused the door to slam shut behind them, followed by several thick steel bars sliding over the barrier in a cross pattern. The same thing happened to an exit on the opposite side of the room, sealing the three Animals in the area with no other way out.

“I’m warning you right now, Fu,” Gizmo told her close friend as she adjusted her energy pistol, “I won’t hesitate to hurt you if I have to, so just make this easy on everyone and come with us.”

The cat pouted at the teal wolf, which caught the taller female a little off guard. “Won’t you hear what I have to say first, Gizzy? I’d rather not play rough if I can help it.”

“I know what it’s gonna be about, but why not?” the she-wolf conceded with a shrug, glancing towards the doors, “any reason in particular you’ve locked us in?”

Fuchsia followed her gaze and then smiled cheekily. “I wanted to keep this a private affair.”

She tapped at the controls and opened up the Pod that was closest to her. The cat then pushed away from the console and then sauntered her way over to the twins, who each took a couple of steps back as they raised their weapons. She kept her own by her side, giving it a couple of twirls before coming to stop a couple of meters away from her friend and her lover.

“You showed me what would happen if Miles loses control,” she said to Gadget, “how he’ll destroy our home and eventually the entire world. Baby...it was you who told me we had to trust the Kukkus, and that we might have to do things we regret for the greater good.”

The red wolf looked at her with a truly perplexed expression, though it was quickly replaced by a vicious scowl. He stepped forward and pointed the tip of his Baton at her. 

“I would never suggest teaming up with those dregs!” he responded crossly, “and I have no idea what you’re talking about with that other nonsense! Besides, Miles has got things under control now that the Chaos Emeralds are all back to normal, and as long as he has us, we won’t let him lose his grip on reality!”

He bit back a snarl as his girlfriend shook her head in a piteous manner, as though he was the deluded one. That the doctor’s methods had gotten to her so completely made him want to strangle the old owl even more. In fact, he was thinking that that was exactly what he was going to do after they managed to subdue Fuchsia and find the escape shuttles.

“His Excellency said that you might say something like that,” the cat responded, letting out a sigh, “I’m not mad, though. As I said before, Gad, you’re not yourself, but I can help you if you’ll let me.”

Gadget regarded her for a moment, then began to slowly walk over to the capsule she had opened for him, deactivating his weapon as he went. 

“Okay, love,” he said in a defeated tone, “if you’re really doing this for me, how can I say no?”

For a second, Gizmo thought that her brother had lost his mind, only for him to subtly gesture at the cat with the bottom of his Baton. Satisfied with his seeming compliance, Fuchsia skipped her way over to the controls and waited for the wolf to lay down in the Pod. He drew in a deep breath as he set the Baton down, climbed inside the capsule, and went prone.

When the cat turned around to initiate the procedure, she found the barrel of Gizmo’s gun against her chest. The teal wolf pulled the trigger and sent Fuchsia flying back with a yowl, leaving her brother free to re-arm himself and get the jump on their brainwashed friend. While he went after her, the she-wolf went around the lab with her grappler, using it to slingshot her Rolling Attack into the CT Pods. She also upped the intensity of her blaster so that its shots could pierce through the numerous consoles in the lab, both to be certain in shutting down the devices and preventing reinforcements from entering. However, she was sure to leave one intact, as they needed a way to be able to open the doors once they were done there.

Fuchsia hissed in frustration, unable to go after the other female due to being dogged by her boyfriend. She brandished her own Baton against his, sparks flying and crackles filling the air as the two plasma weapons collided. When she went for a high or mid-level strike, he blocked, and in the event she tried to go low, he would step back or jump over the attack. However, he was having just as much luck trying to hit her, as despite his longer reach, she was smaller and more agile. He knew that she hadn’t gotten that good after giving her some pointers and experience against the Kukkus, so he knew it was more of the Conversion Therapy’s qualities at work. He and the others had seen it transforming ordinary citizens into trained soldiers, so it wasn’t a stretch for a spirited and fit gal to become this skilled.

“I can’t believe you would pull something like that, Gad!” she shouted in a mixture of anger and hurt. She went for a jab at his chest, only to have her arm redirected by a blow to her wrist, though she didn’t drop her weapon. “Agh! What happened to not wanting to hurt me? I thought you loved me!”

Gadget answered back with a growl, pushing her arm down with his greater strength as his Baton crackled against hers. “I’m doing this because I love you, Fu!” He shrugged her away and went for a blow to the neck, but she managed to block that as well. “You say I’m not the one in my right mind, but it’s you who’s been warped! The cat I cherish wouldn’t be so quick to lose faith in her friend, nor try to get me to side with people like the Empire!”

For a brief moment, there was confusion in the feline’s eyes, like she didn’t know what she was doing. But, she shook it off and went back to glowering at the wolf, then put some distance between them. With a twist of her Baton, she changed it to its whip form, giving it a threatening crack and dropping back into position to pounce. Now that she had the reach advantage, Gadget adopted a more defensive stance, his Baton crossed in front of his torso while his free hand kept close to his belt so he could readily reach his other tools. She may have seemed intent on harming him now, but that instant where she appeared lost told him that perhaps the treatment wasn’t wholly completed. Maybe getting through to her wasn’t entirely a lost cause.

Just as the schematics had shown, the transport tube that Miles and Sonic used had brought them to the outside layer of the Battle Moon. Thankfully, there was a breathable atmosphere and artificial gravity in place, and though the fox wondered how that was possible, it didn’t matter at the moment. The most important thing was to make their way over to Dr. Fukurokov and the Great Battle Kukku so that they could stop them. 

“So, once we get the M.E. back,” Sonic said, amusing his partner with his abbreviation for the giant gemstone, “does that mean this thing’s gonna fall? You know, since we destroyed the core back there.”

Miles hummed at that. “Maybe not right away. Even after the Chaos Generator was disabled the last time I was here, the Battle Moon stayed in orbit under auxiliary power. Although, without the core, the station’s ability to efficiently direct power from those stores is shot. We’ll have very little time to get to an escape shuttle, even as fast as we are.”

“Sounds like the finale a hero and his partner deserve,” the hedgehog remarked with a grin, “tag-teaming the two big bad guys, making an escape by the skin of our teeth, then going back to Angel Island to celebrate with Knux!”

The teen returned the expression and held out a fist, which the boy bumped with his own. “You’re right, partner.” He flipped his shades off and folded them up before putting them into one of his belt pouches. “And if we have to use the Chaos Emeralds, it’ll just be even greater!”

“I have been rubbing off on you, huh?” Sonic commented smugly.

The vulpine chuckled and messed up the kid’s quills. “Maybe a little. I’m at least getting more comfortable with the idea of being seen as a hero.”

“Better get ready to start signing autographs after this, then!”

The two shared a snicker, then went on their way. From the lift that brought them there, they traveled down a short decline and came to a light beam bridge as well as a woodpecker Badnik. They dispatched it and continued across the path to a brief hallway with abnormal gravity. However, when they came out on the other side, Miles noticed that the surrounding force had also shifted, making him and Sonic fall upwards to what would have normally been the ceiling.

“Whoa, this is weird!” Sonic exclaimed as he gazed “up” at the floor, “why’s the gravity all out of whack?”

The fox looked ahead to see another bridge, as well as one of those spiny Badniks, and a second hall beyond them. “Likely to try and disorient any intruders. I’ll admit it’s odd, but just treat it like it’s normal. The blood’s not rushing to our heads or anything like that.”

The hoglet noticed that as well. Despite being “upside-down”, the normal sensations affiliated with that position weren’t present in this instance. After taking a couple of seconds to adjust, the pair continued on, dodging one of the retractable spikes of the robot and answering with a bomb. Going through the passage, gravity returned to how they understood, but only long enough for them to tumble into a deep shaft. They fell until they entered a circular chamber with four different ways out, including the one they just came through. As they hovered in the center, being made to spin from the abnormal forces acting on them, the two considered which way to go.

“Down looks like a dead end!” Sonic shouted as he flipped about, “do we go left or right, Tails?”

Miles attempted to use his back limbs to correct himself and keep stable, but it proved to be no use. “I can’t tell which is left or right when my vision’s constantly spinning!”

“Then let’s just pick one and go!”

The fox waited until he and his partner were lined up, then gave a mighty whip of his two tails. He grabbed the hedgehog and flew through the tube in front of them, and once more walked out onto the “ceiling” of the next area. Some moving stairs brought them down to a ledge that had a bit of transporter tube blocking the way forward, except for one bend in the pipe. The two leapt high over the obstacle and worked their way further up from there, smashing a few Robo Kukkus along the way. A series of stairs led them to a chamber with a pair of moving platforms and several spike traps laid around the next tube.

After mindfully avoiding the hazards laid for them, the duo shot down through the same pipe that they’d passed earlier and came out with gravity back in the direction of the station. Crossing yet another beam bridge, Miles airlifted them both past more spikes and electrical flooring, hurling a Rolling Sonic into a group of combatants on the other side like they were bowling pins. They went around another tube and ended up on some sort of treadmill platform that began to slowly lower itself down like an elevator. In addition to a moving floor, they saw spikes jutting out from the walls, as well as missile ports that let loose the moment they descended to their level, forcing them to keep up the pace while also dodging the explosives. Once at the bottom, they went through a tunnel and an identical experience, only with the gravity in reverse. Past that, they jumped over a gap and smashed through more of the same Badniks they’d encountered so far, proceeding through a shutter and into the top of a shaft lined with springs.

Bouncing their way down, they went further down some stairs and kept low to avoid the bolts of an electrical ceiling. They snuck their way past the lone Badnik above them and went through a shutter into a transporter tube, bringing them right side-up and right by a trio of Badniks. A quick swing of the Pikkon Hammer and a two-for-one Rolling Jump brought them down easily enough, leaving them free to fly up to a ledge. They noticed the ground shifting beneath them when they landed, and to the fox’s fright, there was nothing beneath the bridge but a clear view of the Earth! Not eager to experience atmospheric reentry without the Emeralds’ protection, he boosted them both up to the next outcropping, narrowly swerving out of the way of a missile.

A troop of combatants stood between them and the next piece of the tube network, firing off streams of energy bolts from their blasters. Sonic skipped and danced around the shots on the ground while Miles ducked and dove through the air, slugging each soldier into unconsciousness as they went. Before long, all of them were laid out, and the boys carried on through yet another upside-down section once they made it to the other side of the transporter.

“I guess the doc’s been hurting for good help ever since I brought this down the first time,” Miles remarked, “that, or I’ve just gotten that much stronger since then.”

Sonic followed him through a shutter, grinning as he saw another of those light tunnel devices ahead. “Could be both. Wanna ride this one down?”

The fox figured why not? Unlike the first one he’d encountered aboard the station, this one’s light tunnels spiraled in a straightforward manner, moving counterclockwise downward. They were let out into a place where the gravity shifted once more, riding up a curve in the terrain to the base of a pipe. The patrolling Badniks were put down before they could see the Animals coming, and the boys came to a second pole. Instead of riding this one, Miles grabbed Sonic and went down just past it, sprinting across the ground there and up an incline to where they would have ended up anyway. They went through an area much like the one they found near the start, though fortunately, there was only one clear path through the vexing passages. As with the last device, the two skipped another one as well, coming to the bottom of some rising stairs and climbing them to a transporter tube.

It was a very short distance between that one and the next, only briefly leaving them on the ceiling. Busting up a Badnik that awaited them on the other side, they arrived at a smaller version of the treadmill elevators they rode prior. When they got on, they discovered that it wasn’t attached to the big machine next to it, and rolled over the electrified trap floors beneath them like tank treads. As if that wasn’t enough, there were missiles here as well, and each time they hopped to avoid them, the platform would change direction. Eventually, Sonic spotted an opening ahead, and when the two had the chance, they hurtled themselves from their ride into it.

At that point, there was only a modest hill between them and the transporter tube further up. Miles took out his self-named multitool and checked their progress regarding the location of the Master Emerald. According to the signal it gave off on the Radar, they were very close now, and that meant that Dr. Fukurokov and the GBK most likely were as well. He put it away and took in a deep breath, then turned to his partner.

“Alright, bud, we’re almost there,” he said, holding out a hand to him, “mind giving me the Emerald so I can have it ready, just in case?”

Sonic hesitated for a brief moment, which didn’t go unnoticed by the teen. It wasn’t that he thought the big guy would go crazy again, but the thought was in the back of his mind. Still, the best way to prevent that was to show the fox that he trusted him. The hedgehog reached into his own belt and pulled out the green gem, then handed it over without a fuss, which Miles took from him gingerly.

“I’ll be okay, Sonic,” he told the hoglet reassuringly, “I’ve got you here with me, after all.”

The kid rubbed the underside of his nose and chuckled. “Yeah, you’ve got that right. Ready to do this?”

“I’ve been ready since J showed us those images!” the fox answered as he rolled and popped his knuckles.

They bumped fists and then entered the transporter tube, shooting up to the top.

Mecha flew in and swiped at Knuckles as he ducked low to the ground, then rose high into the air. The echidna was barely able to keep a bead on his opponent as it darted around, moving even faster than the real thing at this point. After several passes overhead, the machine spun around in mid-air and unleashed several energy balls from its cannons that were even bigger than the Guardian himself. Fortunately, they weren’t nearly as speedy as Mecha itself, so their target was able to work his way around them without taking any damage. It did nothing to mitigate the fact that he was still a bit winded from the earlier part of their battle, though.

Not a moment after dodging out of the way of the last one, Knuckles had to jump back from a diving Buzz Saw Spin Dash. The robot tore right through the marble and shot out the bottom of the platform, then rose again with the same technique. The echidna’s keen tremor-sensing abilities let him scramble out of the way of the incoming attack, though he didn’t have time to pat himself on the back. Mecha came at him again and again, punching more and more holes through the arena as it ramped up the pace. It wasn’t long before the platform resembled a big block of Swiss cheese more than it did the ancient city it was once a part of. And as he tried to retain his footing, the echidna felt some of it crumbling beneath his shoes, and a low groan sounded from the base of the tower.

“Stop!” the Guardian protested as he dodged out of the way of the ballistic barrage yet again, “you’re destroying part of my heritage, not to mention our battlefield!”

Mecha erupted from the ground next to him like a geyser and spun like a top to shake off the debris. Rather than answer him, it simply opened fire once again, every blast chipping away at more and more ground. The echidna noticed that several of them weren’t even aimed in his general direction, but rather at the ground around the tall and now teetering structure in the middle of the platform. It appeared that the robot was doing everything in its power to destroy him, regardless of how honorable its methods were. It insulted his pride as a warrior to battle such a foe, but then, he was no longer surprised that the doctor would use such means.

He decided to buckle down and make use of the carnage that the replica had wrought instead. The echidna ripped a chunk of marble and hurled it at the robot, then rushed in beneath Mecha while the stone was still flying. With a roar, he drove both fists into the ground, causing a veritable storm of debris to rise up and meet the other attack. Mecha redirected its weapons to handle the largest chunks, only to get pelted and dragged down by the shower of stone as Knuckles brought his arms together. The robot was soon buried under layers of rubble, though it was only seconds later that it all began to glow like the magma in the Lava Reef Caverns. Knuckles ducked behind the cover of the tower as his handiwork all exploded outward in a red-hot hail, and Mecha emerged with its fiery aura blazing more intensely for a brief moment.

Seizing the chance, Knuckles leapt in and drove an explosive punch right into its torso. Rather than feeling the robot go sailing from his hit, it refused to budge an inch and sent a dull, throbbing pain up the echidna’s arm. Searing heat shot through his fingers an instant later, making him flinch and pull his hand back to see that much of the material on his glove had been burned away. Mecha lunged forward, Knuckles diving to the side just before it could stab him with its tails, but due to their current super-heated nature, they didn’t stay stuck for more than a split second. The Guardian coated his fists in Chaos Energy and went for another go, slugging the thing across the face as hard as he could. Mecha barely budged from the hit, though at least this time, its aura and durability didn’t injure the Guardian’s hand.

It was little consolation when, in the next moment, the synthetic fox grabbed him by the face, took a big step forward, and slammed him through more of the cracked ground. The force of the blow was so great, the echidna actually bounced off of the marble, leaving him open to be kicked away by one of those jet-powered feet. Knuckles corrected himself and braced against the tower with his feet, pushing away and going into another sprint at his foe. Mecha crossed its cannons over each other and raised them above its head, its smoldering energies collecting at the tips. Just when the echidna was about to chance a head-on assault, he saw those arms moving back down to point at him, and he skidded to a halt several meters from the bot. 

With a chest-thrumming whump, a sphere of indigo light bubbled from within those barrels, deformed into an uncertain shape, and then streamed forth in a huge concentrated beam. Knuckles ran as fast as he could while Mecha slowly moved its aim to try and keep up. The chase only lasted for about a few seconds, as that was all the charge that the metal fox had to give before its attack dissipated. But that had been all that it needed, for Knuckles picked up the sound of many tons of stone protesting as too much of its weight shifted one way. 

The shadow of the central column loomed over him, tilting over due to the fact that much of its support had been eaten away by Mecha’s latest attack. All that the copy of Miles had to do was hover to safety, while Knuckles jumped up as high as he could and began to climb onto the “top” side of the tower as it came down. With all the abuse it had taken, the structure toppling down was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The platform shattered into pieces, the mystical power holding it all up dying the moment the tower made impact. The building itself also came apart, leaving Knuckles with no choice but to go into a glide to avoid a nasty fall.

Mecha wasn’t content to allow that, however. It zoomed over with claws extended, ready to tear into the Guardian and leave him an even redder mess on the ground far below. The echidna dropped out of his technique and went into a dive, just avoiding the slashes from those claws. He kept his eyes out for a good spot to land, one that wouldn’t be so easy for the Kukku creation to bust up. He saw the stretch before the last Warp Point, which was one of the largest areas in the Sanctuary, and made his way down to the highest place in that section.

He had barely let his feet touch down when the robot landed across from him, leaving quite a crater in the roof of the building. Even though he’d seen that he could barely cause any harm to Mecha the way it was now, Knuckles still dug his heels in and called upon more energy for himself. His foe cut through the stone using its genuinely edgier version of the Spin Dash, intent on slicing the echidna into mincemeat. In response, the Guardian wrenched one of the small purple posts on the structure out from the ground and gave it a hearty swing. The improvised weapon broke apart the instant it smacked into the robot, but it had the desired effect of sending it off course, letting Knuckles avoid a messy fate.

Mecha wasn’t kept away for long, though, as immediately after it uncurled, it went right for him again. Knuckles backed away and let himself drop from the ledge, digging his spiked joints into the wall after a couple of seconds to come to a stop. As he predicted, the robot pursued went into a dive after him, and he yanked one of his hands from the marble to swing out of the way of the charge. While he still had his momentum, the echidna pounced from his perch and drove both of his energy-cloaked fists into the back of Mecha’s head as hard as he could. The machine went hurtling down, crashing through one of the spinning platforms and tumbling into the stone below it. 

With the moment afforded to him, Knuckles glided back to the building and hurriedly made his way to the top. He just swung himself up over the ledge when the crater that Mecha made erupted with fire and shrapnel, the synthetic fox rocketing out of the hole in his direction. It rammed right through one corner of the roof, then circled back around to zero in on the echidna with a diagonal Buzz Saw Spin Dash. Knuckles pivoted out of the way and grimaced as another section was sliced off and sent tumbling to the ruins below. Mecha dipped lower and cut into the rim of the marble until about three-quarters of it had been left with a deep scar. It flew around to the remaining untarnished side and let its aura flare up as it blasted headfirst into the wall. 

Knocked off balance, the whole roof slid, tilted, and then dropped over the side of the building it was attached to. The Guardian clambered up the now mostly vertical surface, only for the robot to bust through the already crumbling stone and tackle him. The searing pain from before spread through his arms while Mecha held fast, intent on colliding with the ground and making paste out of its target. Knuckles knew that he didn’t have much left in him before there was nothing left to give, but he flicked one of his hands to call down a Lightning Arrow onto his opponent. Mecha took the brunt of the attack, and while it didn’t seem to do any significant damage, the metal vulpine did release its hold on him. The echidna allowed himself to fall until he was only a few meters above the ground, then went into a glide so that he could land safely.

As Mecha came around for another pass, Knuckles tried to call upon his reserves so that he could do something to slow the robot down. However, a wave of dizziness overtook him, followed by a weakness in the legs that made him fall to his knees. It was fortunate that his sudden drop let him dodge a sweep from Mecha’s blazing fast charge, but he couldn’t avoid the facts. He had finally reached the point where all but the most minimal uses of Chaos Energy would encumber him, and he was feeling the feedback for attempting to push it too far. His overall stamina had nearly hit its limit as well, and he wasn’t sure how much further the remainder could carry him.

He rose back to his feet in time for one of Mecha’s hands to grab him by the marking on his chest, groaning as the hot metal scorched his fur. There was a notable squeeze before the robot lifted him above its head and then slammed him down hard into the ground. The echidna knew that if it wasn’t for the toughness he’d built up from years of training and exposure to the Master Emerald’s energy, that blow would’ve maimed him. Still, it hurt something fierce, and he knew that the artificial fox was far from finished. It dragged him across the marble and then threw him into the air, following it up with a quick energy blast from its other barrel.

Knuckles ended up landing on the safe top side of a swinging spike platform, causing its attached chain to violently jerk in the opposite direction it had been going. The links snapped to pieces from the force, sending both the echidna and his impromptu ride crashing into the surrounding ruins. Knuckles bailed out before he could get smashed to pieces along with the platform, but Mecha headed him off and clubbed him with both of its tails. He skidded and slid over the ground until he nearly went careening over the side of a ledge, only just managing to catch the end of it with one hand. The robot reached down to grab his glove and flinged him back onto the stretch of ruins they’d descended to. It let out something that sounded like a scoff when Knuckles faltered after landing, even after picking himself up.

“Cease this futile resistance, Guardian,” Mecha told him as it slowly hovered his way, “and you shall be granted a swift and merciful end.”

Knuckles spat to the side and snarled, bringing up his fists and jabbing a couple of times in the thing’s direction. “I will not give you the satisfaction of seeing me surrender. That would dishonor the memory of my people! If I am to die today, I will do so on my feet!”

Mecha’s optics narrowed and its jets fired up, screeching louder and louder as it prepared to ram Knuckles. But then, the robot’s aura suddenly began to flicker, as though it was a dying flame trying to hold out against a treacherous breeze. Its red eyes shifted from a fearsome expression to one of confusion, and the engines in its feet sputtered out, forcing it to land. Mecha hunched down like he was going to use his wheels to charge, but instead of doing so, a bright flash filled the air. When it cleared, Knuckles saw that the super-charged Kukku creation had regained its original appearance, no longer emitting any of that tainted energy.

“Chaos Energy stores depleted, Overclocked Mode deactivated,” it droned out, jerking a bit as it tried to return to an upright position, “primary priority updated: return to base for maintenance and energy replenishment.”

Before it could even try to get away, however, Mecha found its rear limbs being grabbed on the non-jagged sides, keeping him anchored to the ground. It swiveled its head to see Knuckles clenching onto its tails with an iron grip, a renewed fire in his purple eyes as he seemed to have gained a second wind. He then swung Mecha over his head and drove it into the marble like a sledgehammer.

“Attempting to run because you no longer hold the advantage. How dishonorable!” the echidna spat, giving it another hearty slam before chucking it into a pillar, “our battle is not finished!”

Mecha had barely begun sliding off of the wrecked column when Knuckles rushed in to deliver a one-two combo, then a third, more powerful Punch Attack. While the robot was still rolling from the blow, the echidna went into a glide until he was right about his target, then dove straight down, driving his fists into the chest plate. The machine ricocheted off the ground from the sheer force, which the Guardian used to his advantage by slipping beneath it and knocking it upward with both hands like a volleyball. When Mecha hit the peak of the upward spike, Knuckles took it by the heels and hurled it back into the stone, going into a Rolling Attack right after. The robot was about to get up when the red sphere struck, driving it back onto its hands and feet as it fell back.

As it had done prior to its Overclocked transformation, Mecha was sparking and twitching, struggling to get back to its feet and at the echidna. Knuckles helped it up, but not because he was feeling nice, immediately smacking it across the muzzle and making it stumble back. There were no fancy moves as he went to town on the thing, no surge of energy as he dented the nearly drained creation with every solid slug. Just a good old-fashioned beat-down, and while he’d come to terms with the beef he had against Miles, it still felt somewhat satisfying to lay into something that looked like him. He kept it up until the robot was teetering near the edge of their current location, spasming as it tried to hold itself together. Knuckles gathered all the remaining Chaos Energy that he safely could into his right hand, the white material lighting up with a fiery red glow.

“Get off of my island!” he roared as he drove the flaming fist into his foe’s head.

In the next instant, the empowered Explosive Punch went off with an immense bang. Knuckles barely caught sight of Mecha’s optics going dark as its head went flying from its shoulders, becoming an amber colored speck that soon faded into the horizon. The rest of the artificial fox’s body crumpled to the ground in a heap, smoke and sparks trailing out from where its neck had been severed. With a grunt, the Guardian booted the now unmoving mechanical corpse over the side of the ruins, watching it tumble down into the clouds for a few seconds before turning back and strolling over to a broken column. He put his back to it and slumped down onto his backside with his legs out in front of him, one hand on the ground while the other rubbed over his head for a few moments.

“And now, to wait,” he mumbled, his eyes turning up to the sky and the station he knew was far above, “I pray you are successful, Miles Prower.”

Fuchsia drew her arm back and lashed at Gadget in rapid succession, forcing him to dance around the whip’s movements as it scoured the floor. In turn, he brought out a flash bang and lobbed it high enough so that he and his sibling could adjust their specs and plug their ears. The cat caught on to what they were doing, but as she didn’t have a way to cover both her eyes and ears simultaneously, she chose to shield the former. She fell to her knees and let out a painful screech that she was unable to hear due to the ungodly tinnitus causing her head to ring. But although she was deafened for the time being, she was able to keep her focus on her boyfriend and went after him.

While those two were preoccupied, Gizmo went about connecting her own comm to the remaining console she’d spared from her earlier rampage. She forced her way past the security in place and vigorously searched through the database, trying to find out what she could about the machines and the process. Notes and details came back about the chemicals used in the solution and a mixture of nitrous oxide with another compound for the gas. The Pods sported a full feedback system that displayed the victim’s thoughts and allowed for communication even in their delirious state. Put all of that together, and even with limited time to bring her over to their side, it had been a startlingly effective “treatment”.

‘This new model accomplished in a few hours what used to take a few days,’ she summed up as she read it over, ‘and given more time, the process can now truly become irreversible!’

If they’d waited even another day to mount an assault, then Fuchsia would have been lost to them forever. Then again, if the Chaos Emeralds can do anything when all seven are together, then perhaps the “perfected” method wasn’t permanent after all. She wasn’t eager to test that theory, though, nor did she believe that anyone else deserved to experience what her friend had been put through. It wouldn’t be enough to destroy the laboratory and the equipment. The doctor likely had backups of the blueprints and other crucial information, so if they wanted to rid the world of his mad methods for good, everything in the Empire’s data storage had to be erased. It was unfortunate that it also meant the useful things had to go, but it was for the betterment of everyone.

Gizmo wasn’t certain she would be able to pull that off from here, but much like her brother had done aboard the Battle Fortress, she had to try. And if everything worked out, then there would be a most decisive victory from all of this.

Over in one corner, seeing that he wasn’t getting anywhere just by keeping on his toes, Gadget changed his own Baton to its whip state. He pivoted out of the way of Fuchsia’s lashing and flicked his stream of lightning to try and wrap around one of her ankles. But thanks to her impressive reflexes, she pulled back before that could happen and managed to catch him across one of his legs. The wolf grunted and fell to a knee as he dropped his weapon, his fur standing up on end due to the painful shock. Seeing her boyfriend momentarily stunned from the hit, the cat saw it as her chance to get in another good lick in and switched her Baton to the default setting.

“Sorry, baby, but this is for your own good!” she said in a regrettable tone as she lifted the electrical beam of light over her head.

When she brought it down, however, her arm trembled and ached as though she’d struck solid steel. And when she looked to see why that was the case, the guilty expression on her face was washed away with anger. Like he’d done against the Kukku Walker, Gadget had reached into his belt and activated the Shield Projector at the last moment, using the Lightning setting to render her attack useless. Even so, she hissed and slammed the Baton against the barrier, the translucent neon blue bubble sparking and lighting up wherever she hit, but not budging one bit. It went on for a few moments until she felt the wind knocked out of her by a blunt jab to the gut, causing her to take a few steps back and rub where she was hit.

“Ow, Gaddy, that’s not fair!” she whined, sounding more like the sore loser of an engineering owl than the cat that he knew, “you can hit me with your Baton, but I can’t hit you with mine!”

She guarded against another strike, but with one hand nursing the minor wound she received, that left Gadget’s own free limb unopposed. The wolf shoved his forearm up against her neck and firmly backed her into a wall, pressing into her throat just enough to cut off her air. Fuchsia struggled, trying to kick and scratch at him as she momentarily put the pain of her aching abs on hold, but he was too close for her feet to effectively hurt him. That, and his Lightning Shield was preventing her claws from doing any significant damage to him, not to mention filling her fur with an uncomfortable amount of static. It soon got to the point where she dropped her weapon, and Gadget did so as well in order to seize her wrist and better pin her to the wall.

“You know what’s not fair?” he asked her, his voice low and sad, “that we were just living our quiet lives until the people you say want to help us came along. That we even have to fight against forces like these to keep on living with some semblance of peace. But what’s most unfair...”

He trailed off to let her addled brain wonder what it could be, seeing her eyes half-lidded while she battled to maintain consciousness. Gadget frowned and moved his forearm away from her throat, watching her gasp for air and look up at him in confusion. It was followed by a thud and a strangled retching as he drove that same fist right into the center of her chest with a fairly restrained but still notable punch. The wolf sighed and wrapped his arms around the cat as her eyes rolled back and she slumped against him, knocked out from the blow to such a precarious pressure point.

“Is having to hurt you to help you,” he whispered, gingerly lifting her into a bridal carry and nuzzling apologetically at her forehead, “forgive me, kitten.”

Gizmo glanced over at the scene and let out a sigh of her own before turning back to her task. Aside from the surprise attack earlier, she was glad that she didn’t have to do anything else to contain her friend. At the same time, she knew it must have been difficult for her brother, and she felt a pang of sympathy seeing his lover in such a state. At the very least, they would make sure that this would never happen again.

After what seemed an eternity, the readout on the remaining console gave the teal she-wolf what she’d been searching for. It showed her the blueprints for the current CT Pods, the full details of the Battle Moon, and the designs for that mechanical replica of Miles, among many other things. And as much as Gizmo wanted to take some of these for the team to study and make use of themselves, she knew she couldn’t. Unless they were deleted here and never reproduced, even in good hands, then if the doctor lived to see another day after this, he would have something to fall back on. She wouldn’t let that happen.

‘You tried to ruin our lives, even take them,’ she thought, gritting her teeth as her fingers picked up the pace on the console, ‘but I know so many others weren’t as fortunate as we were. All those people you killed and enslaved...never again, old man!’

With a decisive smack of the confirmation key, she watched as everything Dr. Fukurokov had created and “made” begin to unravel before her. File after file was purged from the Kukku database, the process beginning with the smallest bits of information and working its way up. It had reached the schematics for the newest Conversion Therapy models when Gadget came over to join her, seeing what she was up to. He gave a silent nod of approval, then turned his attention to the sealed door at the back of the lab.

“We’ve still got a bunch of troops waiting for us on the other side,” he told his sister, “shouldn’t be too tough, but I’ve got my hands full.”

Gizmo reached into one of her belt pouches and brought out a little golden spherical ball. “Good thing I brought something along for groups.”

Eventually, every last trace of the doctor’s work was eliminated from the Empire’s storage, both physical and cloud. Gizmo found the controls for the doors and the locks in place, letting one hand hover over the keys while the other readied the object. The moment the bars began to slide back, she lobbed the ball in a wide arc. It bounced twice before the doors opened, well over a dozen Kukku combatants rushing inside to apprehend the wolf twins on Fuchsia’s order. They’d only just gotten inside, however, when with the third bounce, the sphere exploded outward into a huge dome of electricity. Every one of the birds caught in its range let out a screech and fell to the ground, convulsing as though they were being zapped with a high intensity taser.

The teal wolf ran ahead of her brother, laying down suppressive fire with her blaster as she closed in on those few that hadn’t been stunned by the micro bolt bomb. That gave Gadget enough room to haul himself and the unconscious cat through the fray, a few energy bolts pinging off of his shield. Once they were clear, Gizmo sent one last shot through the console in the lab, shutting the doors behind them and leaving the Kukkus inside trapped for the time being. She pulled up the map of the Battle Moon on her comm, now one of the only copies of it left, and took the lead once again to guide them through the numerous passages towards the Emergency Bay. Provided they could keep her under control, everything else was up to Miles and Sonic now...

The blue and amber duo came out to a wide and massive expanse of nothing but gunmetal gray floor and a wonderful view of the planet. And, just as the fox had expected, there stood the GBK, both of his arms folded behind his back as he leered at them with a broad grin on that chiseled beak.

“Ah, Prower,” he said as though greeting an old friend, which irritated the fox all the more, “I see that you and your sidekick arrived relatively unmolested.”

“That’s partner, Birdbot,” Sonic fired back, stepping up and pointing at him, “and your tricks are getting old, just like you!”

The Emperor’s expression shifted to a frown, and he noisily grinded his teeth together. “Your partner has quite the mouth on him, fox boy. He could use a muzzle!”

“Meanwhile, you could use a reality check, Fifteenth,” Miles retorted in turn, “no matter how many times you and the doctor try, you’ll never beat me and my friends! And this time, I’m going to put an end to your schemes for good!”

“Oh? That’s certainly a bold proclamation,” the big bird chuckled darkly, his grin from before returning, “are you saying that you’re going to kill me, Prower?”

The fox snarled as he clenched his fists and took up a fighting stance, his partner doing the same. “No, but don’t expect me to stick my neck out for you once this place comes down!”

“‘I won’t kill you, but I won’t save you’, hm?” the GBK summed up, tilting his shades down so that his arch-nemesis could see his red eyes, “how foolish. Don’t think that I will offer you that same courtesy once your neck is beneath my boot!” He then pushed his glasses back into place and took a step back. “But that being said, I would prefer a fair fight. Both times that we previously confronted one another, it was just you and me, Prower.” His arms rose up in a grand gesture. “Since you’ve brought along your second fiddle for the occasion, let mine join in the fun, too! Dmitri!”

“I hear you loud and clear, My Liege!” came the owl’s voice from some hidden speakers.

The ground beneath them rumbled and the sound of immense engines starting up filled the air. Much of the metallic flooring as far as they could see opened up and retracted into the station, and a titanic shadow rose from within. It was revealed to be a colossal, yet indistinct bird of prey, with long and powerful arms in place of proper wings. Miles had no idea of the thing’s true size, as only its breast upwards was visible. Most of its body that was visible was layered with royal purple paint, with the head sporting a primarily golden palette with splashes of green in the beak and “feathers” on the head. The limbs were dark blue with details and highlights of the other three colors, forming patterns that Miles could swear were actual linguistic characters. Most unnerving were the eyes, which were as dark as the void of space, and purposely slanted to make them appear all the more fierce. And in the center of its chest, framed by a gaudy network of prongs and attachments, and behind a thick layer of presumably tempered glass, was the Master Emerald.

“King Kukku Colossus, engaged!” Dr. Fukurokov crowed from within the behemoth of a bot, “all systems, full power!”

Sonic let out a whistle as he looked it over, then turned to Miles. “Is this as big as the one you fought?”

“This thing’s hands are more than half as large as the previous mecha was overall!” Miles responded with alarm. 

He was thinking that it was likely he’d have to use the Chaos Emeralds against the KKC, especially with the Master Emerald acting as its power source. But before he could act on that, the bot’s head swiveled to regard the GBK, and one of its huge hands lowered down to the deck. The old bird was up to something, but the fox wasn’t sure what.

“Sire, now is the time!” the engineer cried out to his commander.

The Emperor smirked and hopped into its palm, his own mechanical feet getting locked into the frame of the hand. The KKC then closed its fist gently around him and lifted it up so that it was level with the chest. The chamber containing the Master Emerald filled with a sickly green glow as it drew energy from the giant gem. Moments later, that same luminescence traveled down the arm to the hand that was holding the GBK, causing the limb to almost appear radioactive. The fist started to shake as deep green bolts crackled around it, and darkness like smoke began to seep from between its fingers.

Finally, a deep roar echoed through the breathable atmosphere as the hand opened to reveal the Emperor’s new look. He had ditched his glasses to show off his red eyes in full, which were now completely crimson from the sclera to the pupils and flaring ominously. The bits of his feathers that were brown were now a dark blue like the mecha’s, and the green had shifted to a malevolent shade of magenta. An aura much like the one that Miles had in his monstrous state surrounded him, though it was tinged with more purple than the fox’s had been. As for his metallic parts, they’d become just as flashy and shiny as the kingly color he loved so much, though the outline of his energy gave it a more tarnished appearance.

“Yes, this power,” the GBK rumbled, letting himself hover out of the machine’s hand and glare down at his nemesis, “so this is what you felt then, fox boy. How exhilarating, truly beyond anything I’ve ever experienced! Crushing you as you are now would be all too easy!” He let out a cackle and pointed down at the teen’s belt. “ So, in the spirit of fairness, go ahead and let your beast free, Prower! I want to crush you at your mightiest!”

Miles was annoyed at the bravado, but at this point, they had forced his hand. If he was to be able to compete with a super-powered being, then he had to become one himself. He still had doubts about his ability to keep it together, and it must have shown on his face. Sonic gave one of his hands a tight squeeze and nodded wordlessly at him, giving him one of his trademark confident smiles. That was the last bit of encouragement that the fox needed as he let one hand dip into the cyan stone’s pouch and clasp it tightly. As before, he silently wished for the power to defeat his enemies and bring down the Battle Moon, but this time, he didn’t let his feelings of ire towards the Empire rule him. He also pleaded internally that the might they gave him would be enough to save everyone else, both those he cared for and the rest of the people of the world. 

The whole set of seven rose from his pockets, stopping at waist level and starting to orbit around him. Miles shut his eyes and clenched his fists as he felt himself rising into the air without his tails, his heart pounding at the familiar scene. He had to remind himself that everything was okay, that Sonic was there with him, and that his siblings were going to make it out alright with Fuchsia. Even so, he couldn’t completely shut out the feelings of hate that he held for the GBK and the rest of his ilk. But where there was despair before, he now felt a surging hope instead, and as angry as the bird’s actions made him, the thought of what came after their victory here made him happy. Maybe he couldn’t eliminate his negativity, but there was plenty of positivity to balance it out, and he had a feeling that was all that mattered.

The Emeralds didn’t fly off course this time, but maintained their ring-like formation around him, revolving faster and faster until they became a prismatic blur. And slowly, but surely, they closed in around Miles while the fox curled up with his knees close to his chest and his elbows atop them, fists covering his face. Once the minerals melded into his form, the hero threw his arms, legs, and head back, his muzzle tilted to the stars as white light enveloped him.

“HYAAA!!”

Sonic and Dr. Fukurokov had to shield their eyes from the light show, not to mention anchor themselves from the gale that resulted from the transformation. The GBK merely looked on smugly, comfortably floating in place thanks to his own borrowed energy.

“This is different from the last time he used their power,” he said with intrigue, moving a bit closer to get a better gander.

And when the glint around the fox dissipated, everyone could see for themselves that this was not the same Miles that had wrecked the Grand Kukku Mobile Suit. His fur was more spiked up, but it wasn’t scraggly or unkempt, with his muzzle and ears notably sharper and more intimidating. His coat had also changed to a shade of blue akin to flames produced by burning natural gas, while his tawny markings were now a deep cyan-blue. His irises had shifted to a shade of red similar in color to Gadget’s fur, though the sclera and pupils remained unaltered. And like the mural in the Hidden Palace had depicted, there was a capris-blue aura twisting and billowing around his form like a tornado.

“Tails?” Sonic said softly, a little bit afraid in spite of the confidence he had in his partner, “you okay?”

Miles let out a sigh and lowered himself down to the ground. After a moment, he peered over at Sonic and flashed him a peace sign along with a happy grin.

“Yeah, I’m okay, Sonic,” he replied with a relatively calm tone, “unlike last time, I’m in full control!” He then dropped the cheerful demeanor and glared at the GBK. “Alright, Fifteenth, time for the sun to set on your ambitions for good!”

The Emperor let his huge hands audibly clench as he settled himself down as well, taking up a stance suitable for those that practiced old-fashioned fisticuffs. “I will never let you destroy my dream of rightfully seeing my kind rule over this ball of dirt and water, you damned brat! I’ll teach you and the rest of you earthbound louts your proper place once and for all!”

Chapter Text

Sonic weaved through the fingers of the King Kukku Colossus as one of its arms came down, giving each digit a good bash before it pulled back up. The void-black eyes shifted to a stark white, firing pinpoint lasers down at the boy, but the hoglet Jumped and Dashed past each and every one of them. He cheered as he leaped high over a sweeping blow and dove to the ground to avoid a gout of fire from the thing’s beak. He was about to give that overgrown maw a good Rolling Jump, but its other arm came around and hit him aside before that could happen.

His whole body flared up with almost excruciating pain, and he wondered if this was what Miles felt when he’d been battling against the GKMS. Despite the agony, he twisted himself around and landed on his feet, nearly losing his balance as he ran at the gargantuan construct. Dr. Fukurokov directed the mecha to try and cut him off from both sides, but Sonic wasn’t focused on attempting to get away. Instead, he went into a Spin Dash, working his way around the limbs that attempted to crush him and driving his lightning fast spherical self into the colossal Kukku mech’s face. The owl cried out and cradled the thing’s face, growling out through the speakers as he tried and failed to swat the speedy kid.

“Bah, hold still, you azure annoyance!” the engineer demanded, growling as the hoglet cleared another attempt to try and snatch him up.

Sonic stuck out his tongue and drove himself into one of the fingers’ joints, causing it to spark for a second. “How about you get a better prescription? I’m not even going at half of my full speed and you’re moving in slow motion for me!”

“Ooh, how I hate that attitude!” Dr. Fukurokov seethed, slamming one of those enormous fists into the deck, “stop making me and my wonderful creation look like fools!”

“You’re doing that just fine yourself, doc!” the hedgehog countered, blowing a raspberry at the number two Kukku while dodging the attempts to squash him, “maybe you’re not as smart as you think you are!”

The owl ruffled his feathers. Dealing with this brat was about as frustrating as it had been the one time he’d contended with and temporarily captured Miles. The taunts, the insults to his intelligence, the fancy footwork and moves that made his machines look like molasses when they were meant to outperform any unaided individual. By all accounts, he should’ve beaten the fox then, and this mangy hedgehog shouldn’t have been giving him that much trouble. There was nothing wrong with his inventions, and he was going to prove to this reprobate that he and that troublesome teenager had only gotten lucky up to now!

“Wrong, whelp,” he growled down at Sonic, his hands flying over the controls, “I still have plenty of options, and you’ve only just begun to see what my masterpiece can do!”

The KKC, which had been mostly stationary from the waist down, started stomping its way towards Sonic. The ground shook with every step it took, and its body crashed and tore through the outer deck like paper. The mech itself was no worse for wear from the reckless action, and it showed no signs of stopping as it bore down on the hoglet.

“Uh-oh, time for some hit-and-run fun, emphasis on the running part!” the kid quipped.

He tumbled out of the way of one hand coming down, hopping up between its digits and giving a few of them a whack with a Rolling Jump. No sooner had he landed when he felt the metal under his shoes heat up, checking behind him to see the mecha belching more fire at his heels. He leapt high to keep his kicks from getting scorched, only to be sent sailing by a flick from one of the KKC’s fingers. Sonic went into a Roll to break his fall, but he didn’t stick the landing as well as he’d hoped, taking a few more bumps and bruises before coming to a stop several meters ahead of the doctor’s mecha.

Now getting a bit irritated, the hedgehog got back to his feet and spun about to face his opponent, tilting his neck to get a few kinks out. Sonic used a Spin Dash to close the distance, clearing the flamethrower breath with a timely hop, while the owl swung at him with one of the machine’s arms. However, just as the owl had claimed, he also had a few tricks left up his sleeve. Namely the Bounce Attack, which he used to stop his mid-air momentum and force himself to the ground just before that hand could swat him. Coming back up, he whipped out the Shield Projector and activated the Flame setting, immediately going into a Fireball Spin Dash once the barrier had encompassed him.

The KKC’s head bent down a little from the strike, but it shrugged the boy off easily enough, and it wasn’t showing any signs of stopping its pursuit. Seeing as one of its weapons was now useless against Sonic’s protection, Dr. Fukurokov went for a different tactic. The mecha’s arms pumped as though it was flexing, and the covering around the Master Emerald slid down, soon replaced by what appeared to be a focusing lens. Just as it had done when giving the GBK energy, the gem’s chamber was flooded with a radioactive glow, but this time, it was being directed to the chest. And as it kept up, a low thrumming sound gradually rose into a screeching pitch, until it was too high for the kid to pick up.

“That’s no good,” the boy mumbled, ramping up his speed so that he could get clear of what was coming.

He felt the spines on his back tingle, as though they were trying to warn him, and he dove to the ground. This turned out to be the right decision as the KKC thrust its breast forward, a gargantuan green and white beam blasting forth and roaring over the kid’s head. The firing process lasted only a fraction of a second, and it was barely more than that when the concentrated Chaos Energy struck one of the massive orbital platforms hovering near the outer deck. It was reduced to scrap in an instant, and for a short time, Sonic had to dodge both the rain of rubble and the robot on his tail. The lens withdrew after a couple of seconds, and he noticed that the core was unprotected for a brief window prior to the reinforced wall returning. A grin formed on his peachy muzzle, a simple but effective plan forming in his head.

“Whoa, kinda overkill for little old me!” he exclaimed, briefly swiveling on his heels so he could run backwards, folding his arms disapprovingly at the doctor, “and you’re making such a mess. Didn’t your folks teach you how to play properly?”

The owl emitted another growl from those speakers, punching at the backpedaling punk and dinging the platform. He failed to land any actual hits, though, due to the hedgehog keeping just ahead of each and every blow. The boy just couldn’t help messing with him, it seemed. He’d supposedly fooled around during their battle in the Mystic Cave Network, as well as their showdown at the Battle Moon’s launch base. Well, the engineer wasn’t about to let him get away with it yet again!

He monitored the youth’s movements, using those same optics to send down a few shots here and there while he gathered the necessary energy for another beam. Once the storage was full, the owl made sure to aim lower so that he would be able to hit the hedgehog when he ducked. Certain that the kid had no escape, Dr. Fukurokov annihilated everything directly in front of him for many meters, satisfied to see no meddling twerp left when it faded. Except, he had missed entirely, not having accounted for Sonic running off to one side instead of hitting the deck, and so he was unprepared for a follow-up attack. Using the Fireball Spin Dash to get a quick boost, the hedgehog zoomed over and balled himself up to give the device holding the Master Emerald a solid hit while its guard was down.

An alarm blared in the old bird’s ears, making him turn his attention to the condition of his mecha’s core. Fortunately, the damage wasn’t extensive, but it was more concerning than what the kid had managed so far. He wasn’t about to let the fact that the brat knew the thing’s weak point get to him, though. All he had to do was use that weapon more conservatively, when he was certain that he’d be able to connect with it, or at least make it difficult for the rat to scurry around. And if things got really hairy...there was always the prospect of ganging up on the hoglet.

Meanwhile, vibrant blue and deep purple lights streaked through the space far above the Battle Moon, traveling the field of cosmic debris that revolved between the planet and its own natural satellite. The two encircled one another for a few times, then clashed together in a brilliant boom that echoed off the drifting matter. Again and again, they drew back and rammed into the other, sending shock waves outward each time. The force from their impact alone shattered many of the nearby rocks, which were further disintegrated by successive blows exchanged between the two powers. After a few seconds, they broke away and began a back-and-forth game of chase, both seeking to evade and counter each other’s assaults. At one point, the now azure-coated Miles delivered a powerful whip with both of his tails, sending the super-powered GBK hurtling through a fair-sized asteroid. The massive rock exploded into fragments but a moment later, and the Emperor of the Kukkus cackled as he dusted himself off casually.

Unperturbed, the fox flew in to punch that smug beak, only to find his blow blocked by the bigger fellow’s forearm, the chunks of asteroid behind the GBK breaking into smaller fragments from the force the teen’s fist generated. The Emperor answered with a roundhouse kick, which was staved off by Miles’ tails taking the brunt of the swing. It sent him back a fair way and shattered the rubble around him, but the hero was feeling fine, and righted himself so that he could be ready for whatever came next. 

He didn’t have to wait long for the GBK to rub his fingers together and motion as though he was about to throw a bomb. But instead of explosives popping into existence, a firestorm swept through the area around the fox, coercing him into a hasty retreat to avoid getting swept up. The Kukku lord did a double-take, looking between his hand and what had occurred, and a wicked grin graced his beak.

“Well now, this form has elevated my natural ability to a level I had never considered,” he told his young nemesis, sparks flickering across the same hand he’d been gesturing with, “I wonder if you can handle it, boy?”

Miles wasted no time in going for a second attack, tiny white stars forming in the wake of his flight. “No matter how strong you’ve become, I’ll beat you!”

“Not if I blow you up first!” the big bird retorted and snapped his fingers.

A concussive curtain of fire blanketed much of what the GBK could see in front of him. He didn’t even need to summon bombs anymore; he could simply skip straight to detonation, and he could make the blast pop up wherever! The bird watched with glee as he saw the fox fall through the bottom of it. His smirk was wiped off his face in a blink when Miles shot towards him and gave him a mean right hook. The punch sent him flying back and did momentarily stun him, but he noticed that he felt no actual pain from the hit. In fact, nothing he’d taken from his nemesis so far had so much as grazed him, and that in of itself gave him a feeling of superiority.

“What’s wrong, brat?” he taunted, “I thought you’d have more oomph behind your blows than that!”

He unleashed a veritable shower of  dark purple rays, which filled the surrounding debris full of holes, if not outright destroyed it. Miles simply charged forward in response, his cyclonic aura condensing around him to deflect the incoming hail of energy. It carried him on through to the point he knocked the Emperor off balance and then locked fingers with him as he attempted to drive him back down to the station.

“Speak for yourself, old man!” the fox retorted, “I’ve barely felt anything you’ve thrown at me so far, and none of it’s been painful!”

The GBK wrestled with Miles and, with several seconds of struggling, broke free from his grip and shoved him several meters away. His arms made a few spiral motions, and within moments, a massive minefield popped into place around him in a wide spherical area. With his eyes keener than ever, Miles slipped through the explosives even as they homed in on him with the GBK’s influence, smirking when he tricked more than a few into running into each other. As he zeroed in on his target, he dropped below a kick meant for his face, and rose with an uppercut to the jaw. The Emperor flipped over a few times, with a notable crack sounding out as he adjusted his head back into place and flew at the fox with renewed determination.

Miles dropped down when he saw the GBK move to ignite part of their battlefield, but discovered too late that it had been a ruse. The Kukku commander flew in and seized him by the neck, putting as much pressure as he possibly could on the fox’s throat. The teen grunted at the tightness, but given that he didn’t currently need to breathe in the vacuum of space, he wasn’t struggling for breath from the attempt to choke him. He drove both feet into the GBK’s chest and coerced him into letting go, taking a moment to assess what he could do.

With some consideration, he focused as both of his own hands lit up with a blue and white scintillation. Ethereal arm cannons formed around his wrists, much like he’d done back in Metropolis, and he took aim with them. The Emperor flitted about to make him lose his mark, but the fox’s dogged persistence prevented him from being shaken. Like the old gun placements aboard the Battle Fortress, he let loose a rapid and concentrated volley. Many of them missed their mark due to the sheer speed the Kukku lord now possessed, but the fox wasn’t entirely unsuccessful.

It became clear soon enough, though, that regardless of how many shots he was peppered with, the Emperor wasn’t taking any significant damage. Whether it was true invulnerability, or merely an insane level of durability that the Emeralds afforded them, Miles concluded that neither he nor the GBK could hurt each other as they were now. Stun and daze, perhaps, but nothing he’d taken had caused any pain whatsoever, and he suspected it was the same for his foe. He knew, however, that there were more ways to win a fight than through brute force.

While the power of the Emeralds may have been potentially unlimited, the time he could use it was not. With every second that passed, the fox could feel the exhilarating energy very slowly, but surely diminishing. Miles knew that it was possibly even more draining for the Emperor due to the fact that he’d obtained that might vicariously, instead of directly from the Master Emerald. The KKC needed its own share, after all, and he suspected that part of the giant mecha’s power was being fed into the station to keep it in orbit. With such division, he hypothesized that there would soon come a point where the GBK would need a recharge to maintain that form. All he had to do was run out the clock and keep the lead Kukku from seizing that opportunity, while his partner worked on diverting and dealing with the doctor.

To that end, Miles soared at his enemy, making like he was about to tackle him. Instead, he pulled up at the last second and kept going, peering over his shoulder to see if the GBK had taken the bait. Sure enough, the bird was hot on his tails, but he wasn’t going to merely chase after him. With wide and sweeping gestures from his arms, as though conducting an orchestra, the Emperor summoned more energy-based mines and bombs to clutter the fox’s path. Miles gave his tails a whirl to reroute his trajectory, dropping under the wall of obstacles and looping back behind his nemesis to slam into his back, all within a fraction of a second. The GBK hurtled into his own trap, grazing one of the explosives and setting off a chain reaction that bathed the Battle Moon in orange light. Just as quickly as it had spread, it was snuffed out and the flames imploded back into where they’d started, leaving the Emperor floating there and flashing an arrogant smile.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten, Prower!” he rumbled with amusement, “I am unaffected by my own explosives, even outside of my currently invincible state!”

Miles, of course, had not missed that detail, but he wasn’t about to tell the GBK that. It was better to keep him guessing on what he was up to, or even throw his perception of the fox’s competence into doubt. And to help befuddle his greatest foe even more, he simply did an about face and hightailed it in the opposite direction. Now more agitated than entertained, the avian gave chase, determined to bring down his young adversary regardless of whatever protection the Emeralds had afforded him.

“Come on, doc, step it up!” Sonic jeered as he Rolled out of the way of an enormous punch.

Despite his best efforts to beat the hedgehog to a pulp, Dr. Fukurokov was having no success in that regard. As big as the Colossus was, and how wide its attack range was by extension, Sonic was a tiny and extremely fast moving target. That blasted Flame Shield prevented his fire breath from doing anything, and the digits on the mecha’s hands were getting more and more banged up. Using the core’s beam emitter left it vulnerable to counterattacks, not to mention it was obvious for the kid to see coming. However, if he didn’t think up something quick, then there wouldn’t be any other option except to try and run the hoglet down while destroying the ground he was standing on.

It was maddening. He’d assumed that because he’d employed Badniks and other designs of that one human, it had led to their failure and current predicament. That as convenient as they were, he had allowed their colorful paint jobs and impressive numbers blind him to their shoddy construction, and so had taken care with the KKC. He’d gone out of his way to ensure that it didn’t copy anything of Ivo’s, to make something more original like he used to. The only thing he’d borrowed this time was the appearance of that raptor from the mural, which certainly looked like something the Kukkus’ ancestors would have made. They had once controlled the world, after all, so this latest invention of his should have been perfect.

He couldn’t conceive that there were any faults with him or his work, but here it was, failing to perform as well as he’d projected. No, it must have been that Sonic was using something to give him that speed, as hedgehogs simply didn’t get as fast as that. Maybe Prower had whipped something up to grant him an edge, an item aside from that infernal Shield Projector. He would do that if it meant messing with him, because he was a loathsome and rebellious teenager.

‘Just like the prince was,’ he thought, feeling his head start to heat up at the memories.

All the times Speedy failed to show him the proper respect played back in his head, from their first formal introduction to the bitter way the former heir had walked out on their final meeting together. He’d always been insufferable, but after deeming Miles as a worthy opponent, he’d only gotten worse from there. Mocking his creations’ effectiveness, becoming fixated on the fox whenever he was brought up in conversation, or indeed when he was there to spoil their plans, and engaging in increasingly reckless behavior. A part of the owl was disappointed that his errant attack had merely disabled Speedy instead of killing him, though he knew the GBK would have never forgiven him if he had, no matter how successful the mission turned out.

‘At least he wouldn’t have been able to betray us!’ that same section of his mind reasoned.

Yes, that was where everything had truly gone wrong. Too late had the doctor realized that Ivo was the only other person with intimate knowledge of the Battle Moon, and thus the means to cripple it. To think that after all the years of comfortable living and devout servitude to his father and the Empire’s goals, Speedy would turn traitor. The human may have given the ace the copy of the ESD and the motivation to use it, but the true one to blame was, of course, the fox. If only he had just left well enough alone, or better yet, laid down and died, then things would be better. The prince wouldn’t have become obsessed with him, the owl would still have an untarnished record, and the Emperor would have become the supreme ruler of the world years ago. 

As he let his loosening grip on both reality and his emotions overtake him, Dr. Fukurokov’s actions in the Colossus became more chaotic and haphazard. The giant hands flailed over the deck, not really aiming at Sonic anymore, but just seeking to tear things apart so he had less room to run. The flamethrower in its beak might not have been able to harm the kid directly, but its fire was more than hot enough to melt the metal around him into slag and make his footing treacherous. He even directed the mecha to take chunks of the rapidly cooling material and hurl them like boulders, almost scoring a hit with a few of them.

“Wow, doc, you must be really pissed off!” Sonic jeered, though he was a tad concerned about how much more unpredictable the engineer now was, “too bad gettin’ mad doesn’t help your aim!”

‘He always has to get a damn word in!’ the owl screamed internally, ‘I hate this hedgehog almost as much as I hate that vile vulpine! He wouldn’t be so smug if he was facing off against His Majesty!’

After a few moments of letting that linger in his mind, Dr. Fukurokov brought the KKC to a stop. Yes, it would be simple for the GBK to dispose of this whelp and then, with two foes to contend with, Prower would follow. It didn’t matter if he had the Chaos Emeralds when they held power that was equal to them, if not greater. With that in mind, he switched off the speakers to the mecha, made a few adjustments on the console, and hailed the communications system that he had built into the GBK himself.

“Sire, a change of plan is in order!” he announced.

Up in the debris field, the Emperor traded several more blows with Miles in the blink of an eye when he received the message from his second-in-command. He dodged a few more swings and blew the fox back with a point-blank explosion, then answered the call.

“If you have an idea for how to deal with Prower’s own invulnerable state, I’d love to hear it, Dmitri,” he replied, frowning a bit, “but so help me, if you’re really asking me for assistance against a stupid child...”

“Ah, but there’s the rub, My Liege,” the engineer assured him, though his deranged tone was worrying, “if we eliminate that pest first, we can work together to take down the fox! He cannot possibly contend with your power and the might of the Master Beam Emitter at the same time!”

It seemed like it could work, though the GBK was uncertain about the owl’s mental state. Perhaps being in close proximity to an object such as the Master Emerald was too much for his old and still fully organic mind and body. The Emperor momentarily wondered if his cybernetic replacements were even more of a blessing when it came to that.

Regardless, he could admit that he was getting nowhere fast against Miles with how he was currently doing things. If anything, it felt more like the fox was the one leading him by a rope. The reason soon became apparent to him when he looked down, seeing that they had gotten progressively further away from the Battle Moon as their battle waged on. Prower was trying to keep him from interfering with the fight between the doctor and that hedgehog, looking out for his partner like he had during their last skirmish. And then the owl’s rambling about quashing the boy first clicked with him.

‘He’s the only one without any Chaos Energy to protect him!’ he summed up as he grinned to himself, ‘Forget blasting him to pieces; I can just fling him out into the void or back down to the planet, then stop the fox from getting to him!’

With a sweeping gesture, the area in front of him lit up and provided cover for him to make his escape. Barely a few seconds went by, however, before he let out a grunt from the teen’s feet slamming into the small of his back. The GBK righted himself after hurtling through space for a moment, resuming his mad dash towards the station while leaving a multitude of mines in his wake that were even more densely compacted. He chuckled as he took a second to see the teen unable to weave through it and set off a chain that served to slow him down even more.

“What are you up to, Fifteenth? Get back here!” Miles demanded of him.

As they got closer to the Battle Moon, the bird turned around to face him and folded his arms while still flying in that general direction. “It’s simple, Prower. You cannot fight me at your fullest while you’re worrying about that little blue pincushion on the ground. I’m going to remove that distraction so that we can have a proper battle, and also so that Dmitri can stop embarrassing himself!”

Miles snarled. Of course the guy would go after his friends and family when it seemed like things weren’t going his way. He’d so blatantly done so the last time they’d clashed, and even in their first encounter, he’d threatened to do so after taking him down. The GBK may have put on an act like he was doing him a favor, but he knew that this was just to try and get under his skin, possibly even make him lose control of his power.

The fox changed tactics, going from attempting to slow down his adversary to racing him back to the station. The form afforded him speed beyond anything he’d been capable of previously, and he vaguely recalled when he’d descended back to the planet the first time, and how brief the trip had been. He spun his two tails like he normally would as he went wide from the GBK, aiming for the bottom of the orbiting super-weapon. In nearly an instant, he arrived at that point, then began to circle around the massive oblong spheroid towards the commotion that Dr. Fukurokov’s mecha made.

His vision was filled with orange and red, and quite a lot of gray, as the GBK ignited the air above him and sent him crashing through the outer platforms and into the surface. Rather than get back up from there, he used it as a chance to keep going, punching out the other side of the Battle Moon and approaching the other fight from a different angle. Soon enough, the KKC showed up on the horizon, though it was strangely standing stock still. He spotted the blue dot that was Sonic, also just sitting there, and when he got closer, the fox saw that the kid was gazing up at the robot with a bored expression. The hedgehog, however, didn’t seem to notice the deep purple light streaking his way, which looked like it was going to beat Miles to the punch!

“Sonic, look out!” the fox tried to warn his young partner as he put the figurative pedal to the metal.

But he was too late to keep the Kukku Emperor from swooping in and grabbing his partner by the neck. Sonic gagged and swung his arms and legs at his assailant, which thumped uselessly against his chest and brought the bigger Animal some amusement. Just before Miles was on top of them, the GBK chucked the hoglet past the Colossus and out beyond the artificial gravity and atmosphere. The teen panicked and altered his course, only to be smacked down once more, feeling the full weight of his enemy on his back and forced to look on as his little buddy flew further and further into the darkness of space.

“Now, Dmitri!” the GBK ordered, endeavoring to hold the vulpine down as best he could.

As he saw the chest of the KKC reconfigure itself to fire its most powerful, the fox reminded himself of everything that was at stake. Not only was his partner in peril, but his siblings and Fuchsia were in danger as well. Angel Island would sink if he didn’t get the Master Emerald back in time, and the world at large was once again in the balance. One way or another, he had to stop this.

Miles focused on the energy he’d been conserving and decided to let it out. With a powerful shout, his aura expanded into an enormous cyclone, ripping up the flooring and platforms around him to create a steely blue tornado. The pressure and the constant pelting soon forced the GBK to release him, and he wasted no time in soaring upward. Dr. Fukurokov chose that moment to unleash the power of the Master Beam Emitter, watching intently as it struck true and enveloped Miles...and then the fox flew out the other side.

“No, impossible!” he cawed, hammering at the console like a child throwing a tantrum, “that dirt-flinging anteater told me the Master Emerald’s power could negate that of the Chaos Emeralds! Why isn’t the Beam affecting him!?”

Having counted on that to have done something to the fox, the GBK was livid. However, Miles was too far ahead for him to be able to catch up and overtake him, so he settled for giving his subordinate an earful. Fortunately, the hero caught sight of his partner, though he wasn’t looking good. There were countless things that could’ve been affecting him, given the nature of the cosmos, but he looked to be suffocating and just about freezing to death. Even though he’d reach him soon enough, Miles summoned an ethereal projection of his arm and grabbed Sonic to keep from drifting any farther.

“I’ve got you, kid!” he told the hedgehog as he swept him into a fireman’s carry, pouring his power into him to try and keep him alive, “just hang on, you’re going to be okay!”

To his relief, Miles felt Sonic start to shiver less against him and start to breathe within the space of his aura. However, the hedgehog wasn’t merely recovering from yet another near-death experience, as they both soon found out. The wind that the fox was generating began to swirl around them even more fiercely, and the kid’s green eyes suddenly shot wide open. Bolts of Chaos Energy crackled about the hoglet’s body, prompting the teen to let him go. His form was encased in blinding light just as Miles had been prior to his own transformation, and he curled in on himself as he crossed his arms over his face. Mimicking his partner’s action, he threw his limbs out and raised his head to the stars as the power he’d been given erupted outward.

“YAAAH!”

Miles rubbed his eyes after the light show, and when he laid them back on his protege, he felt his jaw open in awe. Sonic’s quills now stood up and fanned out a little, making him appear bigger and more dangerous, and his eyes definitely had more of an “edge” to them. Not only that, but his cool blue fur had shifted to a glimmering golden yellow, while his eyes were a similar shade of red to the fox’s. The flesh tone, accessories, and other details remained unchanged, while a spherical aura that matched his new coat pulsated and flashed from intense to dim and back again roughly every second.

“Whoa,” Sonic murmured as he took a good look at himself, spinning around in mid-air and hovering this way and that for a moment, “this feels awesome! And all the aches from earlier are gone!”

While he wasn’t sure how it all worked, the fox couldn’t help but smile. Somehow, the combined energy he was using from the Chaos Emeralds allowed him to bestow the same super-powered state upon others, similar to how the Colossus had enabled the Emperor to transform. He wasn’t certain of its duration, but he assumed that since Sonic was borrowing from his own limited reserve, then it wouldn’t be long.

“Hey, kid,” Miles said to him, a grin slowly forming on his muzzle, “remember how you didn’t get a front-row seat the first time you saw me kick that buzzard’s butt?”

His partner seemed to get where he was going, as the expression on his face soon mirrored his own. “Yeah?”

“How’d you like to actually help with the butt-kicking this time?” he proposed, raising up a fist.

Sonic bumped it back almost as soon as those fingers curled to form it. “You know I would!”

“Then let’s show them what we’re made of, Super Sonic!”

“Right beside ya, Mighty Miles!”

‘Eh, we’ll think of a better one later,’ the teen mused, not exactly taken with that moniker.

The duo blasted back down to the Battle Moon, spiraling around one another in a blue and yellow helix. While Dr. Fukurokov was stunned by this new development, the GBK rose to meet the challenge, letting out a war cry as he charged the two. Miles went in first and darted beneath a trail of energy blasts, then whipped back up to lock fingers with the Emperor. The momentary diversion was enough for Sonic to blitz the bird in the face with a Super Spin Dash, sending him reeling from the blow. Irate as all get out, he flung a few boat-sized bombs in the kid’s direction, but ended up triggering them himself when the teen shoulder-checked him into his own attack.

From there, Miles and Sonic traded places between distracting and decking the GBK, though made sure not to alternate every time so as to keep themselves from being too predictable. All the while, Dr. Fukurokov was losing his mind over how horribly his plan had backfired. Not only did they fail to kill the hedgehog and keep the fox down, or even hurt him with what was assumed to be the best weapon against him, but now they had two nigh-invincible threats bearing down on them!

“Don’t just stand there, do something, Dmi–” the Emperor roared at the owl before he was cut off by a Drop Attack courtesy of Miles.

Dr. Fukurokov went to try and swat him out of the air, but it was all too easy for the fox to dodge. “Stop it! Stop defying the laws of...of everything! The Master Emerald should be letting me overpower you! You’re not supposed to be able to just shrug it off!”

“I’ve heard of sore losers, but you’re ridiculous, doc!” Sonic quipped as he landed in front of the mecha, folding his arms like a disappointed parent, “the way Tails talked about you before, you sounded like some kinda big shot. Now, though, I know you’re just a big bag of hot air!”

The owl screeched with fury, bringing one of the KKC’s hands down to try and squash him. Sonic slipped between a few of the fingers and proceeded to bounce off of them like a pinball, each hit critically damaging the thick-plated steel. While he hadn’t wired this creation to give him painful feedback like he had with the GKMS, the engineer still reared back when two of those digits were blown to bits. The kid followed up by soaring head-first at the shoulder on the same side, spinning himself like a drill and punching right through the armor. With a couple more quick “snips”, Sonic separated the limb from the main body, leaving it to collapse on the ever-crumbling deck.

The GBK tackled Miles through the outer layer, then chucked him in the direction of a transport tube. The fox rolled with it, using his tails to slingshot around the pipe and head back the way he came. He thrust both of his palms out in front of him, producing a significantly stronger version of the paralyzing energy ball he’d used against Knuckles, and taking the Emperor along for a ride this time. They collapsed more than a couple of walkways before Miles detonated the sphere, flinging his foe into the dormant engines of the Battle Moon’s core. 

As those went up in flames, the whole station visibly lurched, and Miles began fearing for the safety of the others. He used the momentary break in action to zoom around the inside of the massive vessel, making his way to where he remembered the Emergency Bay was supposed to be. It didn’t take him long to find it, spotting Gadget and Gizmo running to one of the few remaining escape shuttles. He was relieved to see that they’d gotten Fuchsia as well, though he wondered if they’d managed to find a way to get her back to normal. It would be rather troubling if she were to attack them while they were dropping back towards the Earth.

The GBK emerged through the bottom of the tunnel near the Bay, startling both of the wolves as he hovered their way, one hand raised with two fingers against his thumb. Miles crashed through the other side and put himself in front of his siblings, spreading his arms wide. The whole area erupted in concussive flames, glass shattering and blowing out as metal was bent and melted. Only two shuttles were left after the blast, and one of them wasn’t in the best condition, but the non-avian Animals were unharmed, thanks to a barrier that the fox had formed with his aura.

“Go! Don’t worry about me and Sonic!” he told the twins, rushing forward to uppercut the GBK in his big beak and force him back into the passage, “as long as we have a few seconds to spare, we can make it back ourselves with the Master Emerald!”

Gizmo shook herself from her stupor at her younger brother’s new form, running on ahead to open the more intact of the two crafts. Gadget went in and strapped Fuchsia into one of the seats, making sure that her arms were bound well enough in case she was still in an unfriendly mood. The siblings hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, they did as the fox directed and sealed the hatch. Miles went on to use his strength to give them an exit, smashing down the Bay doors and then giving their shuttle a push. Once its engines had fired up and it was clear of the opening he’d made, Miles rocketed straight up to where he’d sent the GBK.

The bird in question was repeatedly attempting to pull away so that he could pursue the escaping trio, but Sonic kept cutting him off at every turn. Even when the doctor tried to give him an opening, the hedgehog was simply too fast for the Emperor to get far. And matters only got worse for them when the cavalry showed up in the form of the fox shooting through the deck like a comet and striking the KKC in the back of the head. Dr. Fukurokov was flung from his seat and crashed against the back of the thing’s optics, grumbling as he scrambled to get them both back up. A second series of alarms blared in his ears, and a horrid metal groaning came after as the systems alerted him to the mecha’s other arm being unceremoniously amputated.

The Colossus then skidded backward as the GBK was overtaken by a two-pronged Dash. As he sat there, stewing over everything that's happening now and in the past several years, he removed his glasses and gazed at the readouts with his faded yellow eyes. Even as it played out before him, he refused to believe what he was seeing. He may not have agreed with everything that his ruler did, but the end goal was something they both wanted. The dream of the Battle Kukku Empire could not be broken by a pair of petulant boys!

“Strip them of their might, you good-for-nothing gemstone!” he cried out as he pressed the Master Beam Emitter’s settings to their maximum.

But that had been precisely the moment that the duo had been waiting for. When the focusing lens rose up in front of the Master Emerald, Sonic revved up a Spin Dash, with Miles then lobbing him into the air like a soccer ball.

“Super...” he murmured, smacking Sonic past the rear of the Colossus with a pointed punt. 

He dodged several shots from the GBK’s cannons with an aileron roll, moving ahead of the kid, cupping his hands and bouncing him high up.

“Thunder...” the fox growled a bit louder. 

He blitzed his way over and curled his tails so that he could direct Sonic into his hands, spinning him ever faster. He weaved through more of the GBK’s mines with a satisfied smirk and cocked one leg back as he flew towards the golden sphere.

“Shoot!” Miles howled out as he swung his foot with all its might at Sonic.

For a split second, it was almost as though a crack had formed in space-time itself from the impact. In an imperceptible instant, Sonic was sent hurtling straight through the center of the King Kukku Colossus. With such speed came a force that Dr. Fukurokov had been unable to account for, even with the seemingly infinite power of the Master Emerald. The workings of the mecha itself didn’t seem to realize the damage until after the prongs holding the stone in place had vaporized. A gout of fire and sparks burst from the core, and the legendary mineral was knocked loose, clattering to the deck and falling onto one of its sides.

Not only did the Colossus itself start to fall to pieces, but the whole Battle Moon shook and tilted. Now that the Master Emerald couldn’t power the station, even indirectly, everything was beginning to fail. The stored Chaos Energy that had been serving as auxiliary power could no longer be properly filtered and directed, and that would lead to a critical meltdown. Miles knew that this time, the Kukkus’ greatest weapon was truly finished.

“It’s over, Fifteenth!” the fox proclaimed as he landed next to the “Stone of Power” along with Sonic, “give it up!”

The GBK bellowed with deranged laughter. Who did this kid think he was, acting as though he was the one in control of the situation? So what if he’d beaten the doctor’s weapon? All he had to do was get a quick tap, and with a more direct link to that energy, it would surely be enough to beat the fox and his sidekick!

“I am no quitter, runt!” he shot back, making a mad dash for them both, “it’s in my blood to face my enemies to the last!”

As if to put real finality in that statement, the GBK suddenly stopped in his tracks and clutched at his chest. His vision was devoid of color for a few seconds, and he fell to his knees as the black wisp ceased rising from his body. His features returned to their regular proportions, and his feathers reverted to their original hues. A feeling of fatigue washed over him, as though all the long years he’d spent waging his battles had finally caught up to him. And when he tilted his eyes up, he felt a shiver run down his back as Miles glared at him with an uncomfortably toothy frown.

“How can this be?” he snarled at the fox, “my power has run dry, but you’re still in that state!”

The teen shut his eyes and shook his head, letting out a long sigh. “I used the Chaos Emeralds’ power directly and fully, while you only got a small portion from the Master Emerald.” He opened his eyes and folded his arms. “The King Kukku Colossus needed some for itself, not to mention a minimal amount to keep the Battle Moon in orbit.” The fury in the Kukku’s eyes was evident after taking that in, and truth be told, the super fox did feel a tad cathartic seeing it. “That’s right, Fifteenth, old Foolkurokov screwed you over yet again, all because he didn’t think things entirely through.” His lips curled into an obviously faux-cheerful grin. “Don’t worry, though, I’m not cruel like he is.”

Miles hovered toward the GBK much like the avian had done only moments ago with his siblings, taking some pleasure in seeing him involuntarily back away. With what little time they had left, though, he couldn’t relish it as much as he would have liked. He zipped in and grabbed the Emperor by the collar, then dove through one of the many holes in the exterior, descending until they were a fair bit above the Emergency Bay. The fox simply let go of his old arch-nemesis and let him fall flat on his back next to the damaged craft.

“I suggest you take the shuttle, if you want to live to fight another day,” he proposed to the Kukku commander, shrugging his shoulders, “but personally, I’d rather you leave me, my friends, and my family alone for good.”

Miles left him to his fate, returning to his partner’s side and grabbing the Master Emerald by its lower pavilion. Sonic hovered on the opposite side, peeking down at where the GBK was, and then back to his partner.

“You’re really okay with leaving him, big guy?” he couldn’t help asking.

The teen began flying with the gem in his arms, sparing a moment to peer at the bird, who was still on his back. A tiny part of him did feel guilty for doing this, but he was able to easily suppress it. The Emperor would never offer him the same sort of mercy, or any at all, really.

“He wouldn’t survive re-entry without proper shielding, and he’d just attack us if I gave him enough to recharge,” Miles reasoned, picking up the pace and no longer sparing a glance at the collapsing space station, “he’s done too much to me, you, and so many others for me to forgive him, but I at least gave him a chance to escape and survive. Whether or not he accepts, or succeeds, is up to him.”

While Sonic didn’t entirely agree with that approach, he could respect that the fox gave the Emperor the freedom to choose his fate. Would he swallow his pride and run away for now with his tail-feathers tucked between his legs? Or was the bird so stubborn that he would rather die than accept help from his greatest enemy? Only time would tell which of those he ended up going with.

And for the GBK, that time was short. He was fuming internally at this defeat, feeling his cybernetic parts actually growing hot from his anger. Beaten once again at the height of their success, with the final hurdle all the Empire had to clear before the world was theirs. They had even prepared for Prower’s enhanced form this time and threw absolutely everything they had at them...and they still lost! 

And then Prower had the audacity to leave him here and give him the opportunity to slip away. He wasn’t foolish, though. As much as it wounded his spirit to do so, the GBK recognized that he would only be able to enact revenge on the fox if he survived this ordeal. He would make certain that Prower would regret letting him live, just as he had at West Side Island. And while he was at it, he’d scour the globe for that sorry son of his, drag him back to the Empire, and give him the punishment of a lifetime. Not before giving Dr. Fukurokov one first, though, after everything that had happened in part due to him.

The GBK let out a huff as he shakily got to his feet, almost stumbling his way over to the shuttle. He managed to get the hatch open, when a huge shadow came tumbling down from right above the Bay. The Emperor barely had enough time to get himself clear, watching with unbridled rage as the head of the King Kukku Colossus crashed into his only hope of escape. With a seeming second wind, he flew over to the thing’s cranium and tore the access hatch off its hinges. He was intent on getting himself inside to try and shield himself from the blast, and give his number two one serious scolding.

But when he peered inside, he didn’t see Dr. Fukurokov cowering in fear. The old owl was lying limp against the battered controls of his creation, his body unmoving and his chest showing no signs of respiration. Whatever light was left in those pale eyes had vanished, and after a momentary scan with his optics, the Emperor confirmed what he already knew. Dr. Fukurokov, his chief engineer and a veteran of the Empire since the days of his own father, Battle Kukku the Fourteenth, was now a casualty. Despite this simultaneously infuriating and disheartening development, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Your old heart just couldn’t take it anymore, could it, Dmitri?” he rhetorically asked the corpse, an unhinged smile on his beak, “don’t worry, old friend.” His eyes just about bulged out of his head as he lifted his hands up high, calling forth as many bombs as the last vestiges of his ability could muster. “I shan’t keep you waiting long before I join you!”

The roars of the Great Battle Kukku echoed over the sirens and creaking metal, the gold, purple, and gunmetal gray walls bathed in flashing crimson lights. As his bombs started to go off, they were joined by countless other explosions that rocked what was left of the Battle Moon. With nothing left to lose, he let everything out.

“Curse you, Miles Prower!” he swore as the dull crimson glow became bright orange and yellow. He was too far gone to care anymore, though. “You took everything from me! My dream, my empire, my son, and soon my life as well! No words can describe the sheer and utter hate I have for you!” He locked his eyes on the Earth, visible just beyond the widening holes in the station, and let one last malicious smirk grace his features. “May you be plagued for the rest of your miserable life by many more enemies! Never to know real reprieve or happiness, nor accomplish your own dreams!”

If there was anything more the GBK had to say, it was drowned out by a deafening BOOM as everything went white. A visible shock wave billowed out from the equator of the Battle Moon, and in the next instant, the satellite became a great, expanding ball of fire. Everyone on that side of the world saw the figurative fireworks in the sky, though almost none of them knew what had caused it, nor what it symbolized.

While he was still sore from his battle with Mecha Miles, Knuckles had regained enough energy to make his way back down from the Sky Sanctuary. He’d gotten back to the Hidden Palace and met up with Big, though he’d only been back for a few minutes when something had crashed through the edge of the crater rim and landed near the foot of the stronghold. It’d been a shuttle that was barely holding itself together after such a landing, though it was good enough for the door on the side to still be capable of opening. The Guardian had seen Gizmo stumble out of the door, followed by Gadget with an unconscious Fuchsia in his arms.

The twins had briefed him on the situation up to the point that they made their getaway. How they’d split up from the other two, making their way to the Conversion Therapy Lab, where they’d confronted the cat and subdued her. They’d almost been unable to escape when the GBK had tried to cut off their ticket out of there. He’d harnessed the Master Emerald’s power to attain a new form, but Miles had used the Chaos Emeralds to match him and allow the others to leave safely.

By the time they finished, the four Animals were alerted to an earth-shaking kaboom from up in the sky. A yellow-white sphere momentarily flared up in the sunset sky, then just as quickly dissipated. A few seconds after that, three bright lights rapidly descended towards the island, one blue, one yellow, and one green. Once they were close enough for the quartet to discern properly, the teal wolf and the bulky purple cat began cheering and waving them down, while the two red guys wore relieved smiles. 

“Thank the gods,” Gadget said for the both of them, “they did it!”

The two super-powered Animals set the Master Emerald down on the ground, and not a moment after they did, the golden glow surrounding Sonic faded. Knowing that he only had a few moments left before he reverted as well, Miles flitted over to Gadget, who seemed to realize his intentions and gently put his lover on the ground. The fox laid his hands on Fuchsia’s head, focusing on healing her entirely and watching as the superficial wounds she’d been dealt faded from sight. At the same time, he also felt something else leave her system, as though he was purging a poison, and what he sensed felt “right” again.

“She should be okay now, Gad,” he told his brother.

As if on cue, the feline lady’s eyes gently fluttered open and she peered up at both the wolf and the fox. She was initially surprised at the latter’s appearance, but after seeing the reassuring smile on his face, she mirrored it. It faded into a disappointed frown seconds later, and Fuchsia pulled herself to sit upright, only to hang her head.

“Miles, I’m–”

She gasped when the fox pressed a finger to her lips and shook his head. “It’s not your fault, Fu. You weren’t in control of yourself. I’m sorry you went through that, but you’ll never have to worry about it ever again. I promise.”

The cat’s eyes glistened a bit at the kind and forgiving nature of her friend, even as he seemed more intimidating. She felt terrible for having doubted that he would be able to control the Emeralds’ power, letting that fear feed into how the Kukkus controlled her. Gadget knelt down and hugged her tightly against him, resting his chin between her ears and nuzzling at the top of her head. The fox turned away to give them their moment, folding his ears a little as he heard Fuchsia start quietly sobbing apologies into her boyfriend’s neck.

And with that, Miles’ second instance as a nigh-invulnerable entity came to an end, his appearance returning to normal and the Chaos Emeralds scattering around him. They encircled him for a few seconds, then began to drift further away from him. Not wanting to lose his charm, Miles snatched the cyan gem out of the air and struggled with it for a moment, though he ultimately got it under control. The other six flew up to the top of the crater, and after clearing the edge of it, streaked off in separate directions across the sky.

“Miles Prower,” Knuckles addressed him with his head bowed in respect, “I am most grateful for what you have done today.” He rested a hand on the giant gemstone and regarded it, then let out a sigh. “Let us get the Master Emerald back to its proper place.”

Miles went about assisting the Guardian in doing just that, and once it was returned to the altar, everyone felt the ground start to rumble. The echidna led them to a different exit from the shrine, which brought them out to high cliffs overlooking the northeastern quadrant of the island.

“Check it out!” Sonic shouted, pointing at the sea.

The shoreline bubbled and expanded as water washed away from land that had apparently been submerged, though this was no typical tidal movement. Soon, all water except that which was inland was rolling off the sides of Angel Island in torrential falls, which the group could hear over the quaking earth. The ascension was slow at first, but soon accelerated to where everyone could visibly see the horizon starting to slip beneath the edge of the island. It tapered off sometime after passing the majority of clouds that had been above them, leaving much of their view of the world below blanketed in grays and whites that were colored by the approaching dusk.

“Wow,” Miles breathed out in wonder, smiling when he heard the others doing much the same.

After enjoying the scene for a short while, the seven Animals (and one Critter) headed back inside to mill about near the Master Emerald’s altar. Even though it had only been a couple of days, to the fox, it felt like forever since he had landed on Angel Island. He was glad that in that space of time, he’d managed to do everything he set out to do when he arrived, plus more. The Chaos Emeralds were back to normal, the Empire was beaten, Angel Island was back in the sky where it belonged, and he’d even made a couple of new friends. And after a quick check to see if the Miles Electric was still functioning, he grinned when he saw that it was. All those photographs of the various locales on the island were going to make J very happy.

Later, the gang settled down for some fish and fresh fruit, which Big and Knuckles had supplied, respectively. It may not have been like the party they held after the West Side Incident, but it suited everyone well enough. And once all involved were satiated, the idea of heading to bed started to sound better with each passing minute.

“Better get a good night’s rest so we can start repairs on the Tornado,” the fox reminded the others.

Gizmo yawned and gave him a thumbs-up. “I’ll get right on that first one. The last couple of days have left me exhausted.”

“You and the rest of us,” Fuchsia added, already slumped against Gadget.

It wasn’t long before most of the others had turned in for the night. Miles elected to stay up just a bit longer, scrolling through the gallery of photos he’d taken on his multitool. He took the liberty of adding the mural in the Hidden Palace to the collection, as well as a good screenshot of the Master Emerald’s shrine. He managed to capture Knuckles in the image as well, who was diligently keeping an eye on the stone. The teen put away the Miles Electric and flew up to join him, sitting on the rim of the altar.

“So, what are you going to do now, Knuckles?” he inquired of the Guardian.

Knuckles spared him a glance, then shut his eyes. “I will continue to protect the Master Emerald, as I always have. But, I will admit that I do not know beyond that.”

“Well, if you ever wanted to come down to the surface and see what it’s like, I’d be happy to show you,” Miles offered with a bright smile, “there are so many sights to see and things you can do.”

The monotreme hummed contemplatively. “I will consider it. And you are welcome to return to Angel Island in the future, so long as you do not impose yourself too often.”

It was a reasonable enough agreement, and if there was anything more to discuss, they could do so in the morning. For now, both of their eyes felt heavy, the gentle pulsations of the Master Emerald helping to lull them into relaxation. Moments later, Knuckles was sleeping with his back up against the stone, while Miles was curled up next to the opposite side of the crown. They had earned this rest.

Hidden deep beneath a remote location, unknown to all but the world’s highest authorities, was the headquarters for the global organization known as the Guardian Units of Nations, or G.U.N. for short. Though it was primarily staffed and overseen by humans, there were a number of Animal agents and operatives as well. And in the central chamber of the base, the commander of the entire outfit was watching events unfold on the numerous display monitors while also keeping an eye on the engineers, analysts, and other workers glued to the three massive mother computers.

He was an aging, but not quite elderly human male with peach skin and short, well-trimmed gray hair. He had complete heterochromia, sporting a green left eye and a brown right eye, which made him stand out all the more due to the condition’s rarity. He wore a gray service dress uniform with four gold stars on red backings that were pinned to his shoulder boards and jacket collar, as well as white gloves and black combat boots. There were red and blue stripes on the lower sleeves, his pants, and on the left side of his jacket, with that section having a gold detailing over the center red band. The organization’s logo, which consisted of a white “G” against a blue background, a segmented red ring around those, and a white outer circle with three points that matched where the ring was broken up, was printed on his jacket’s upper left sleeve.

Despite how tidy everything appeared to be, there were quite a few messes on the commander’s plate. West Side Island was still rebuilding from the Battle Kukku Empire’s invasion, so some resources had gone towards expediting the process. He’d also been informed that Ivo Robotnik, the grandson of the renowned Gerald Robotnik, was being detained in Metropolis for having aided the nefarious birds, as well as attempting to seize the city’s main production facilities. The former operation would be completed soon enough, but the matter of the doctor would not be so simple. Sure, he could use his authority to simply extract the man and take him into G.U.N.’s custody, but that was how the old guard did things. He did not and would not employ such methods, not unless the fate of the world was at stake and Ivo’s expertise was needed. As of now, that man’s importance wasn’t quite that great, and the situation didn’t call for him...not yet.

Then there was that whole debacle with the Kukkus’ so-called “Battle Moon” space station. It had shown up too quickly and suddenly for the organization to really do anything, much to their embarrassment. The commander wasn’t one to believe in miracles, but he was thankful that that fox, Miles Prower, had stepped in. The matter of the teen’s mutation was intriguing, not to mention his manipulation of the Chaos Emeralds, including that admittedly terrifying transformation he’d undergone. 

But, the man had been more interested in the apparent and hostile relationship between Prower and the Great Battle Kukku himself. He recalled that some years ago, the Empire had attacked Cocoa Island with the same goal as the one during their more recent campaign. The details on the event were sparse, as he had no agents stationed there, and the region’s citizens tended to be tight-lipped about goings on. However, he had caught wind that the efforts of a local hero had beaten back and ultimately driven the birds away. The fact that Cocoa Island was the Empire’s first target for the Battle Moon’s main cannon made it obvious that there was a deep-seated grudge on their leader’s part. And given the interactions between him and the fox, it was safe to conclude that Prower had been the one to foil their plans back then.

But even though he had managed to stop the Kukkus once again, the falling station had opened up a new can of worms. For the first time in many years, Angel Island had been made visible to the world at large, all because the Battle Moon just so happened to crash into it when it fell back to the planet. G.U.N. and those connected to them had known of its existence for quite some time, well over half a century by this point. However, with the island currently stranded at sea, and with news about it having spread like wildfire, they expected an influx of explorers and treasure hunters to go after it. After all, who would pass up the opportunity of a lifetime to discover, and possibly take, some historical items?

The only thing that was keeping such scavengers and opportunists from immediately descending on the place was the fact that the Kukkus were there. Nobody wanted to mess with them, aside from Prower and his allies, and he’d received news that the fox had been doing just that. Early yesterday morning, their satellites had detected Prower and four of his friends heading for and arriving at the island, though they couldn’t immediately determine anything more after the group landed. Several hours later, near the end of the day, the Battle Moon had reactivated and lifted off, though it didn’t get further than the upper atmosphere before it fell and crashed into Angel Island once again. And for the rest of the previous evening and much of the current day, all had been quiet on that front.

Up until about half an hour ago, when their satellites relayed that the deadly satellite had successfully entered orbit for the second time. The Empire had made no grandiose announcement like they had during the West Side Incident, but fortunately, the “Grand Kukku Cannon” had also remained dormant. Images that came in minutes later, though, revealed that it wasn’t the only catastrophic weapon the birds had in reserve. They now had a giant mecha that made even their largest warships look like bath toys, and the GBK himself appeared to have gotten a cybernetic makeover. 

Sending their relatively under-powered space force out to deal with that was something other members of the brass had pressured him to do, but the commander didn’t buckle. It would be a senseless waste of lives and talent, and if worse came to worst, their own strongest weapon was still incomplete. Even if it was ready, he wouldn’t have gambled all their odds on it, not in the face of what the Empire had managed to produce in a mere couple of weeks compared to the years G.U.N. had spent on research and development. He supposed that they had the secrets of Babylonian technology to thank for such feats, which the organization had been seeking to reproduce for their own purposes, though they’d yet to do so.

And while a part of him was relieved that Prower had answered their prayers and taken the Battle Moon down for good this time, the commander was concerned about the fact he’d once again used the Chaos Emeralds. Sure, he’d had a different look and appeared to be lucid this time, but that didn’t take away from his potentially destructive capabilities. Having watched the explosive fight between him and the GBK, and the havoc they wrecked above the Earth, he knew that it was a matter that they couldn’t afford to leave alone.

‘Suppose that Prower was forced into a situation where he had to call on that energy,’ he contemplated grimly, ‘and like the first time, he can’t control it. We have nothing in our arsenal that could bring him down or even pacify him, if what I saw is to be believed.’

Therefore, the only actions that could be taken against such a threat were ones that would prevent it in the first place. A few voices within the organization had proposed detaining the fox, but that had been shot down. If Prower could evade and thwart measures taken by foes with superior technology to theirs, then G.U.N. likely wouldn’t be able to hold him for long. Not only might he turn against them for it, but public opinion would have his back due to the perceived injustice of imprisoning their savior. 

The next plan was to induct him into their ranks once he was of age. His skills and abilities did have potential to make him a top-tier agent, but bringing him aboard would mostly be in order to keep a closer eye on him. It wouldn’t be the first time that an Animal that young joined them, but the last person that met such criteria wasn’t much like him. And while he’d already read up on quite a bit, he still needed more information before considering that option. Even in light of the teen’s noble heroics, he had to be certain that there weren’t any unpleasant skeletons that Prower could be hiding.

“Print me all available documentation on Miles Prower, as well as any significant information regarding the organization’s history with the Chaos Emeralds,” he ordered his assistants, who went about scouring their archives.

As they did that, he thought about a third course of action. It would require the least effort, and unlike the other two, did offer some guarantee. In order to make full use of the Chaos Emeralds’ power, all seven of them were required, just as the stories had told. Prower had shown that to be the case twice now, and so the solution was simple. G.U.N. just had to obtain one of the Emeralds for themselves, and the fox would be unable to transform. The only issue was finding a reliable way to track them, something that their scientists still hadn’t managed to create. There was that one agent that claimed to have a knack for treasure hunting, and precious gems were the easiest way to get her attention. Reluctant though he was to hand off such a responsibility to her, she did get results whenever anything that caught her eye was involved. He would send another operative along with her just to be safe, perhaps that recent recruit they’d picked up.

The commander folded one of the sleeves of his jacket back to reveal a silver communicator on his right wrist. With a couple of adjustments, he then pressed a button on the side and brought the mic up in front of him.

“Agent Rouge, report to Central Command,” he said in a firm and authoritative baritone, “I have a mission that requires your particular set of skills, one that I know will pique your interest.”

A somewhat sultry laugh came through the speaker, followed by a smooth alto voice. “Just give me a minute to finish my morning cup and I’ll be right there, sir.”

The commander let out a grunt, but said nothing more, cutting off the call. It was a few minutes later when Agent Rouge stepped through the doors, stifling a yawn as she waved to everyone in the room. She was a bat with a rather curvy figure, having tan skin, white fur, and teal eyes with long and curly lashes. Her head, face excluded, appeared to be the only place that had fur growing, which flared out into six points at the back. Her ears were suitably large and pointed for her species, and though they were hidden behind a pink lipstick-covered smile, she also had small fangs. Aside from that, she had a short tail, a small black nose, and a pair of dark purple wings on her back. Rouge wore a tight-fitting, dark purple outfit with a pink and white bodice-like garment, a white belt with a purple and pink heart-shaped buckle around the waist, white gloves with thick pink cuffs, and dark purple boots with thick pink cuffs, white buckles, and pink and white soles.

“So, what’s this job you have for me, commander?” she addressed the man in a casual, but still respectful tone, “you made it sound like I’d be dying to take it, so I hope it pays well.”

Having worked with more than a few of her kind over his long career, the human got straight to the point. “The objective will serve as more than enough compensation, Agent Rouge.”

Rouge perked her ears a bit more attentively at that. One of the staff silently handed off a folder to him, and he began studiously reviewing its contents. There were a few moments where his stolid face showed minor hints of surprise or interest, which made the bat all the more curious. After that, he passed it to Rouge, who raised her brow when she saw the name on it.

“Miles Prower, huh? That’s the fox boy that’s fighting those crazy birds trying to take over the world,” the bat lady remarked as she looked his profile over, “kind of handsome for a kid.” She hummed as she skimmed over the text. “Purported genius-level intellect, access to weapons and technology of comparable or greater levels than the organization, super-Animal agility, possible super-Animal strength, and helicopter-like flight using his twin tails.” She flipped a page. “A few days short of sixteen, adopted, frequently travels, and no criminal or delinquent history.” She glanced up and gave her superior a wry smile. “Sounds like he’d make one hell of an agent. Bringing in new blood isn’t exactly my thing, but a job’s a job.”

The commander returned her expression with an unamused one, which made her smirk fall a little. “While I have considered that option, that isn’t the objective.” He leaned in and pointed out the Chaos Emerald that Prower was holding in one of the photos they had. “The gem he has is your target.”

“Oh? Now you’ve got my attention,” Rouge said with greater intrigue, her eyes focusing on the cyan jewel, “mmm, it’s a wonderful color, and the way it’s so flawlessly cut is just gorgeous!” She giggled a bit. “You usually frown on me taking such things, boss, so I have to ask: what does G.U.N. want with that pretty little stone?”

The man folded his hands behind his back. “That, Agent Rouge, is one of the seven Chaos Emeralds. I assume you are familiar with them, given your enthusiasm for precious gems.”

“My father used to tell me stories about them,” she answered, tracing a finger over the pictured Emerald. She then stared up at the commander with a coquettish grin. “If they’re the real deal, then you picked the right lady for the job.”

“They are, Agent Rouge,” he replied, “and it appears that the rumors of their abilities are as well.” He briskly flipped a few pages for her, showing her the one image they had of Prower’s monstrous state from the first Battle Moon brawl. “That is what happened when Prower used their collective energy during the West Side Incident.” The sight of it caused her to let out a gasp, which made the man quirk his brow. “Have you not seen this before, agent?”

Rouge played off her initial shock with a shrug, putting a hand on her hip. “No, I never got around to watching the Kukkus’ broadcast. I’ve been too focused on other things to really worry about it.”

The commander had a pretty good idea of exactly what those “other things” involved, but he kept quiet about that. There were more important matters to discuss.

“In any event, that is why you are being assigned this important task,” he informed her. He then nodded his head at the playback they had of the decisive battle between Prower and the GBK. “He once again used their power, but took on a different form, and unlike the previous instance, he appeared to be in full control of his actions. However, we cannot risk the possibility of him becoming like he did before at a future date.”

“So, in order to keep that from happening,” the bat added, getting where he was going with his plan, “you need me to make sure he’s one gem short of the full set.” She smiled and handed the folder back to him. “And you said that the Emerald would be compensation?”

The commander let out a tired sigh. “Make no mistake, the Chaos Emerald is G.U.N. property once you retrieve it. I’m merely letting you keep it secure except for when the organization needs it for study.”

“And I would have made a mint selling it,” Rouge said in a mostly facetious tone, “but then again, I don’t think I could ever bring myself to part with such a beautiful thing! It’s quite a trophy, too, one that any self-respecting treasure hunter would love to have in their collection!” She tilted her head as a thought occurred to her. “Not that I don’t enjoy putting my skills as the world’s greatest thief to the test, but why take the one from the kid who’s making some of our work easier?”

“That’s classified information,” he answered her, getting a “hmph” of disgust in response, “all you need to know is that the organization has a keen interest in the cyan Emerald specifically.” With that, he set the folder on his desk and then fiddled with his comm. “Report to the command center, Operative Ace.”

The bat let out a light groan. “Don’t tell me you don’t trust me to do the job myself?”

“I’m not concerned about your ability to accomplish your primary objective,” the human explained, “just your tendency to get distracted by your greed.”

“You call it greed, I call it love,” the flying mammal said without any shame.

The commander ignored her, his attention shifting to the doors opening once more. In walked a green-feathered bird Animal that stood nearly a head taller than Rouge, with red eyes and a yellow beak. He had a white sleeveless jumpsuit with red striped patterns on the sides, a red neckerchief, brown gloves, brown goggles with red lenses, and brown boots with lighter brown cuffs, stripes and soles. On the left breast of his suit was the G.U.N. logo, clearly stitched on to cover up what had been there before.

“Hold on a second,” Rouge mumbled, walking up to the bird and squinting her eyes, “you’re Battle Kukku the Sixteenth! You mean to tell me you’re the newbie we picked up a couple of days ago?”

“Don’t call me that,” the former prince warned her with an edge in his voice, returning her gaze with his own steely glare, “I cut all ties with the Empire after the skirmish on West Side Island. I’m simply Speedy the Ace now.” He nodded to the man in charge and stood at attention. “What’s my task today, sir?”

The commander gave Speedy a summary of what the mission would entail, which made the bird quirk his brow. He didn’t expect to be seeing Miles again so soon after parting each other’s company the way they did. After proclaiming that he would never give up until he won one day only a couple of weeks ago, this felt too soon. The man picked up on the unspoken words pacing through the ace’s mind and cleared his throat.

“Operative Ace,” he said, getting the bird’s attention, “I understand that you have a unique relationship with Miles Prower, and that you are indebted to him for granting you another lease on life.” His usual stony expression returned. “That having been said, regardless of your feelings on the operation, you will follow all orders given as directed. Do not forget that your position is one that has been granted out of clemency. Were it up to most anyone else, you would have been imprisoned for your crimes instead of being given a legitimate chance to make reparations.”

Speedy growled, but he couldn’t argue against the truth. He hadn’t gotten far before he’d been recognized by authorities, and while he’d evaded them for a short stretch, G.U.N. had tracked him down and cornered him. The commander had extended an offer to join the organization, understandably under heavy scrutiny, in place of serving time behind bars. So long as he did what was expected, there would be no issues.

“Understood, Commander Bullock,” he replied as neutrally as he could, even though he was still a bit bothered by the idea.

“Good. You have 72 hours to prepare for the mission,” the human notified them, “until then, you are both dismissed.”

Rouge and Speedy saluted him, the former doing so casually while the latter was more respectful, then headed for the exit. Once they were out of the room, Bullock went over to his desk and took a seat, flipping Miles’ folder back open. He sifted through several papers until he came to a picture of the cyan Emerald in the hands of a fox that bore more than a passing resemblance to the teen. 

More specifically, it was a two-tailed vixen with sunny blonde and snow white fur in most of the same patterns as Miles. Rather than tawny brown, her vulpine socks, ear tips, and tail markings were sky blue, and her eyes were a much deeper shade of the same color. Like Prower, her “hair” was long in the back, though significantly more than his, which she held in place with a blue hair band behind her ears. She wore a long-sleeved t-shirt that matched her eyes, a knee-length skirt that went with her markings, and a pair of slippers that went along with her top clothing.

It was clipped to a few pages that had intricate details of an event that occurred a long time ago...during a period that the man sometimes wished he could forget.

On the western coastline of the sprawling human metropolis known as Station Square, the sun had long since set, leaving the beach to be illuminated by the vibrant city lights. It was a big hot spot during the day, but at night, almost nobody was around, making it relatively peaceful. Tonight, however, one figure was wandering around, indistinguishable due to a heavy cloak obscuring it. From the height, one could have assumed it to be an Animal, but it also could have been a very short human, and the clothing gave no hint as to its true weight and mass. All that an observer could tell if they saw it was that it had human or human-like proportions, judging from the way it walked.

After a couple minutes of seemingly aimless meandering, a clang echoed out as the figure’s foot struck something. It stopped and looked down, tilting its head at what it found. There was a tarnished amber object that resembled a fox’s head, with gray around its muzzle in what was meant to be an imitation of cheek fluff, and tawny brown markings on its ears. Black voids were where its eyes would be, and a trio of spikes stuck out from above its forehead like they were bangs.

“¿Qué es esto?” came a deep and craggy male voice as genuinely skeletal fingers reached down to grab it. A pair of ghostly blue orbs examined the object closely, then slipped it into his coat once he was satisfied. “Padre querra ver esto...”

The mysterious figure looked up and down the coast, making sure that nobody else was around or had seen him. After confirming that to be the case, he slipped away into the dark of night.