Sonic Emerald X
HTML Version
Isaiah Shepherd
Sonic Emerald X is a fan project made for free that is inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog and Dragon Ball Z. The two franchises are combined in this project to make a unique narrative using the best parts of both franchises. Please support the official releases.
Special thanks to my inner child, for never choosing to let go.
Note: The HTML Version is missing things such as images provided and some of the bonus content. The PDF Version with this content can be found on the Itch.io page for DevSheep Games.
In depths of one of what seemed to be Eggman's many abandoned laboratories lies Rouge, scrounging over his work to find secret treasures or possibly useful technology. The feeling of the dark rooms and powerless robots left her a little uneasy though, but she wasn't about to flee this opportunity.
Oddly, soon enough she seems to find a walled off room that is powered. “There has to be something here!” She says excitedly, preparing her own password spoofer tech for the doors lock. About 4 or 5 minutes later and many passwords tried, the lock opens and the door reveals a green glowing room, a tube emitting said light at its center.
There was none other than a black hedgehog inside, that she nervously but curiously prepares to free. Another password spoof later, and the tube drains of the green liquid, and the hedgehog opens his eyes. Before she could even try to make the tube open, he shattered it with his fist, stepping down with his rocket boots over the broken shards. “Who are you?”
Rouge introduces herself as his rescuer, and after a smirk, the black hedgehog finally reveals what he is. “I am Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform. Unfortunately… That's all I can remember.” The two agree to travel together, Rouge for her curiosity, and Shadow for the sake of his lost memories in this new world. He knew, firmly, that he was the Ultimate Lifeform, and aims to prove it so. But deep down, he doesn't even know what that title means.
As they return through the corridors of the lab, Shadow finds a mirror and sees his own reflection for the first time, which he did not recognize. A buzzing begins in his skull, and causes Rouge to turn back and ask what's wrong. Despite this, he simply shrugs her off, and they keep going. Clearly, something was special and off about Shadow, but Rouge was already prepared to let him reveal the truths of himself on his time.
Meanwhile, in the ancient ruins of Angel Island, a red Echidna named Knuckles rests against the stairs of a stone altar with a large Emerald at its center, surrounded by 7 smaller Emeralds. This is the Master Emerald shrine, and Knuckles is the last of a race of Echidnas that spent their lives protecting the power these gems held.
Previously, Knuckles made the mistake of working with none other than a doctor named Ivo Robotnik, or more insultingly, “Eggman” as a nickname. He thought he was protecting the Chaos Emeralds from a hedgehog lusting their power and helping an alien return home, but the plot switched on him fast, betrayed by the doctor after a fight for the ages with the hedgehog he was trying to protect the Chaos Emeralds from.
This hedgehog's name came to be cemented in Knuckles’ mind. Sonic the Hedgehog, the fastest thing alive. It was no misnomer either. His speed is unmatched, and he proved himself to be a true hero in the end, using the stolen Chaos Emeralds to turn into Super Sonic and bring the Death Egg right back down to Mobius, our glorious planet.
Knuckles curses himself knowing the Death Egg could have taken control of the entire planet if Sonic failed, but Knuckles truly wanted to believe in the doctor and his mission to return home. A brutal and almost fatal lie…
Knuckles eyes suddenly and sharply open, the sound of rocket thrusters forcing him from thought. Knuckles immediately stands on guard, as an unknown hedgehog, oddly similar to Sonic, lands on the edge of Angel Island. “What do you want?” Shadow introduces himself once again as the Ultimate Lifeform, calmly asking the echidna to step aside.
It seems that Shadow was after the Emeralds, but Knuckles wasn't about to let that happen, preparing a fighting stance. “You’ll have to get through me if you want them!” And so, an inevitable battle is set to begin, the first test of Shadows might in his Ultimate Lifeform title. Knuckles is immediately overwhelmed by his speed, but Shadow is seemingly struggling to calibrate with his own power at first.
Shadow is amazed by his own form, and his confidence only begins to drench his ego more as his attacks get more precise and deadly. It wasn't a long fight before Knuckles is knocked back into the altar, cracking the stone of the stairs as he’s forced into a wounded sitting position. “H-how are you so strong?!” Maybe this Ultimate Lifeform title wasn't just for show. He's more powerful than me, and almost just as fast as Sonic, Knuckles thinks.
“Will you step aside now, fool?” Knuckles had to formulate a plan, and fast. The Master Emerald keeps the balance of the Chaos Emeralds, and the secret power the Chaos Emeralds hold could prove deadly in the wrong hands. Knuckles wasn't about to let his Emeralds get stolen and abused again, and so he stands once more and reaches his hands to the sky.
“The Seven Chaos… you must flee!” Before Shadow could react, the 7 Emeralds on their pedestals began to float, and shoot off in all directions, falling from the flying Island and onto South Island below. Shadow sneers, but has his priorities. Instead of finishing off Knuckles, he immediately flies off to follow one of the Emeralds.
Rouge suddenly appears, flying down to the Angel Islands surface, seemingly watching the whole of it. “You’ve only delayed the inevitable, echidna. You know that, don't you?” He sits back down, weak from the fight and letting his hat hide his face. “Heh, maybe so. But I’m not the only one willing to fight to protect the Chaos Emeralds.”
“Oh?” She replies. Knuckles just smiles in shame, realizing that he’d have to rely on none other than Sonic once more. The bat rolls her eyes, beginning a flight to catch up to Shadow and leaving Knuckles be. Despite his wounds, Knuckles then forces himself to get up and scope out the islands. “I have to find Sonic.” He then leaps off into a glide, hoping to find him among the islands below.
Sonic, on the other hand, is currently on a carefree visit with Tails to Mighty and Ray's place, nestled into the forest of Green Hill at the top of a cliff. Mighty and Ray are Sonic's oldest friends, while Tails is probably Sonic's closest friend. You see, Sonic actually saved Tails at a point from some bullies and Tails grew an immediate fondness for the hedgehog, following him around and even repainting his bi-plane. Sonic eventually adopts the orphaned Tails as a little brother, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.
That said, in the middle of their casual group conversation, a familiar rival suddenly appears, wounded. “Knuckles?!” He sits in the grass to take a moment to breathe, all 4 of them closing in around the injured echidna. Knuckles then explains what happened, and the danger of this Shadow character and his bat cohort. A pressure falls upon the group with the thought of that kind of power being on the loose. Sonic tries to smirk it off though. “Looks like you get to work with us this time, aye Knuckles?”
The weakened echidna smiles, and they all formulate a plan using Tails’ Chaos Emerald detector that he made back when Eggman was on the rise. Mighty and Ray split up into their own group to find more Emeralds while Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails all group together, entering Sonic’s bi-plane to look for the possibly most reasonable location of this Shadow the Hedgehog character.
“So how did you make this detector thing, Tails?” Sonic replies for the boy. “He's always been a bit of a wiz kid, Knucks’. I’d argue he’s even smarter than that evil doctor.” Things get quiet there, reminiscing the fate of that Doctor. Tails smiles though, proud of his work on the device. Knuckles was clearly impressed by it.
When the Death Egg fell, the whole planetoid ship exploded and only a shell of itself remained. The doctor was assumed to be killed in the blast, completely overtaking and destroying one of the South Islands and replacing it with a large metal dome with Eggman's face emblazoned upon it. This island has now become known as Scrapnik island, corpses of robots rebuilding themselves littering the dangerous land like zombies.
Tails’ Emerald radar begins to beep, knocking everyone out of their trances. “We're nearing the first Emerald!” Sonic parks the bi-plane in the level ground of a canyon's base. They are all surrounded by rubble and rock, walls of earth creating a bowl around them. But there it was, the yellow Emerald, buried between two rocks.
Sonic quickly leaps out of the plane, dashing towards the Emerald and collecting it. But before they could even celebrate, none other than their main target arrived. Shadow floats to the base of the canyon, Rouge coyly sitting upon a stone nearby. “Sonic, that's him!”
Shadow takes a step forward, only for Sonic to dash, dropping off the Emerald in Tails’ hand and then meeting Shadow in the clearing. “So the echidna had friends? Maybe I should have ended his life before.” The coldness in his voice immediately sets off alarms to Sonic. This was clearly a bad dude, maybe on par with the doctor himself.
“You some kind of faker or something? Why do you look so much like me?” Shadow crosses his arms, feeling challenged by Sonic's words. “Faker? You're not even powerful enough to be my fake!” Sonic clenches his fists, getting in a fighting pose. “I’ll make you eat those words!”
The two clash in two spindashes, bouncing back and hitting each other a few more times before the fighters return to their feet. “Wow! You can actually keep up with me!” Sonic says cockily, cracking his wrist and preparing another attack. “You're speaking to the Ultimate Lifeform! I’ll surpass everything you think you are!”
Sonic prepares to lunge at Shadow once again, but this time Shadow takes a defensive stance, kicking Sonic's spindash away on contact, knocking Sonic back into the dirt. “Ow!” He gets back up, unphased, and Shadow takes his turn to launch his rocket boots right into Sonic's chest. He manages to block though, but the sparks of his shoes still force Sonic to leap back onto the defensive.
Sonic grows quieter and quieter as they trade blows, growing more defensive as he realizes that he's being outmatched. This isn't good, Sonic thinks, but the battle continues on. Knuckles is too injured to help still, and Tails is afraid of the black hedgehog. His attacks were foreboding and dominating, and if Sonic couldn't keep up, how could Tails?
Rouge is just waiting there as well, surveying the scene with unknown intention. It makes Tails clench the Emerald tighter, seeing that the bat is eyeing him. Knuckles suddenly cuts into his thoughts. “Tails, this fight isn't going well. We need a plan.” Tails is terrified of the situation, but listens regardless.
“Sonic needs both of us right now, Tails. He clearly isn't able to keep this up forever and I only have so much energy left. I see the fear in your eyes, but we need you too, Tails.” In response, the fox tries to take a deep, shaken breath. “You're right. I know. What's the plan?”
Knuckles smiles at the little fox, and explains that he needs Tails to help distract Shadow long enough for him to charge up an attack with the Chaos Emeralds energy. He reluctantly agrees, getting out of the plane and clenching his fists. Knuckles follows behind, taking the Emerald and pressing a finger to his forehead. “Good luck, Tails.”
He nods, using his tails like rotors to dash into the battlefield, using the surprise to nail a headbutt into Shadow's chest. It lands, and hard, but in anger Tails is immediately swatted away. Rouge yawns, flying in to make the fight equal again, but Shadow puts a hand back to her. “Stay out of this! This is how I get stronger!” She shrugs, despite realizing Knuckles' plan, and flies back to the rock without another word. If Shadow wanted to learn the hard way, then Rouge was fine with that.
With the help, Sonic is back on the offensive with Knuckles charging with the Emerald from behind. “Thanks, Tails!” Sonic yells, before leaping into the air to launch a flying kick at Shadow. But before he can even land, Shadow rockets into the air, catching his leg and pulling him forward, punching Sonic hard in the face before throwing him at Tails.
Tails manages to catch Sonic, but it was clear that they were both still out of league. “Tails…” Sonic pleads. “We need to fight in unison, buddy. That's the only way now.” The fox is nervous in wondering if he can keep up with Sonic, but he agrees to try anyway. Together, they both leap at Shadow with their fists leading the charge beside each other.
Shadow prepares to guard in turn, but his confidence is too much this time and he’s knocked right out of it with force. Then, Tails grabs Sonic and flies into the air before Shadow can retaliate. Swinging in a circle, Tails throws Sonic with as much force as possible towards Shadow, and the combined power is enough to knock Shadow and Sonic into the wall of the canyon with a rumble.
“Wraghh!!” Shadow uses an angry punch to force Sonic off of him and back into the clearing, slowly stepping out of the crack they made in the wall. Knuckles is sweating, but has almost reached the power he believes he needs. Rouge notices, wondering if it will be enough to actually take Shadow down.
That said, Shadow was now furious, grabbing Sonic and slinging him into the air, only to follow behind and punch him right in the abdomen, knocking him further into the sky. Sonic coughs in agony, Tails rushing to save him. But as he approaches, Shadow changes target to Tails', spinning into a downward kick that knocks Tails hard into the dirt, knocking him out entirely. “Get away from him!”
Shadow, looking shocked, looks up to Sonic, diving with a powerful kick right into Shadow's face, bringing them back to the earth below. Sonic grabs Tails immediately after getting Shadow by surprise, dashing to the wall of the canyon to hide Tails behind a rock, then returning to the recovering Shadow.
Both combatants were battered from the fight now, Shadow's mind suddenly being filled with doubt about his purpose. Is this really my limit without the Chaos Emeralds? He asks himself internally. This reminds him of the Emerald, turning to look towards Knuckles. But before he could realize what was happening, Knuckles finally launches a powerful Chaos Beam from his fingers, blasting Shadow right in the chest and not only knocking the light out of his eyes, but blasting him way back into the same rock Rouge was sitting on before collapsing.
Just like that, it was seemingly over. The dust had settled, and with the last of his energy used, Knuckles collapsed too. Sonic is now the only one left standing, seemingly the victor, until…
“S-so that is the power those Emeralds hold…?” Shadow hauntingly gets up after the fall, surprising even Rouge now. “I am…” Shadow couldn't even finish his sentence, barely stabilizing himself. Sonic takes the chance to dash forward, but before he reaches Shadow, Rouge releases a tornado kick dive into the blue hedgehog, knocking him back in his weakened state. “That was enough of a show for me, blue boy. This fight is over.”
Unfortunately, she was right. Sonic didn't even know she could fight, and she was still at full capacity. “It was fun. Until next time!” She flies over to the downed Knuckles, taking the Emerald back to Shadow and picking him up to fly off. “N-no!” Sonic was in no shape to fight back, and unfortunately it seems that Sonic Team has lost this battle. The two escape, and Sonic is left to recover his team back to the bi-plane, resting inside for now. They all needed the break.
In time, Mighty and Ray together also find the red Chaos Emerald, and continue to aim to find more without opposition. Eventually the two come across Amy Rose toward the beach, and after hearing the issue, joins the team to help fight off this threat of Shadow.
Then, in the sky, the 3 find Sonic's bi-plane soaring. They decide it may be best to regroup, since Ray and Mighty don't have access to Tails’ Emerald radar. The trio are shocked after flagging the plane down to find that Tails and Knuckles are both knocked out inside, and Sonic is also doing worse for ware. Amy is immediately worried for Sonic, trying to take care of him and the others and even giving Sonic a terrified hug.
Normally this is where he'd run, but he's far too weakened for that. You see, Amy and Sonic also have a history, Sonic saving her from the Death Egg and a robot known as Metal Sonic, which was designed to be his perfect copy. Ever since, Amy has fallen madly for Sonic, but Sonic simply doesn't want that kind of attention.
Regardless, everyone was now together at last. The entirety of Sonic Team caught up on what happened, and came to know they have a Chaos Emerald, and the enemy also has one. Sonic knew they would have to face Shadow again, together, but their injuries were a big hurdle.
From here, Mighty takes the lead in controlling the bi-plane, the entire team crowding into the vehicle. Ray is now navigating the Emerald radar, while Amy is tending to Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails’ wounds. The three could finally rest, their B team now taking the helm.
Unfortunately, or fortunately based on how you see it, Shadow and Rouge are also spotted in the sky. The team had no other choice but to chase them down, with their only hope being that Shadow hasn't had the chance to recover yet.
The two forces meet once again in an empty plain, Rouge knowing she wouldn't be able to run from all of them. The sky was clear, the sun beating down to the field. Mighty and Ray step out to meet Rouge and the wounded Shadow, who now holds the Emerald to his chest. “You know, it's kind of a creep move to stalk a lady in her business, you know?”
“Sorry, bat. If you're up against one of us, you're up against all of us.” Mighty presses his fists together, a gauntlet on one hand reminding him of his suffering against Ivo Robotnik. Mighty was almost roboticized by the evil doctor, but was saved by Sonic and Ray in the knick of time. It was only right for Mighty to repay that debt now.
“My name is Rouge, actually. Not ‘bat’.” She was clearly annoyed now, but Mighty didn't care. “How about I show you respect once you apologize for hurting my friends, bat?” This sets her off, flying towards Mighty with a spinning kick. “Hah!” Mighty meets the kick with a punch from his gauntlet, putting them both in a stalemate.
The two fight on from there, kicks vs punches, skill vs might. In the end though, despite his durability, Rouge finally strikes a critical blow that knocks him back, smashing into the bi-plane. This actually wakes Tails up, who has been healing.
Next up was Ray, now angry that his friend was injured. Unfortunately, Ray was pretty frail and unable to keep up with the sheer force of Rouge's attacks, being quickly defeated in a similar way. Lastly, Amy steps up to the plate, hammer in hand. “Enough games! Now you got to fight me!”
Rouge laughs in reply, but Amy quickly backs up her claim, swinging hard and fast to deal surprising amounts of damage to the bat. Her hits struck harder than even Knuckles, but Amy was losing stamina fast. Still, Rouge is forced to retreat back. “Curses!”
Shadow sighs, getting up to guard Rouge. “You’ve done enough… thanks.” His eyes suddenly sharpen, the Chaos Energy rippling against his fur for the first time. Shadow has in a single try, already learned how to control Chaos Energy. This was far from a good thing. Amy’s confidence is shaken, as the rest of the crew watches in fear. Sonic already knows Amy is out of her depth, but just needs a little more time to recover.
He takes the red Chaos Emerald from the glove compartment, clenching it in his hands. “(It looks like I’ll need to tap into your power…)” Sonic whispers to himself. Shadow begins his attack, ripping the hammer out of Amy's hand and throwing it far away. Now she was defenseless, and took two critical blows to her body before Sonic erupts from the plane. “Stop!”
He leaps in front of Amy, striking Shadow with his own Chaos charged attack. Amy is given the chance to breathe, quietly thanking Sonic before hiding within the bi-plane. It was just Sonic and Shadow once again, although both were still roughed up from the previous fight, using Chaos Energy to fill the gaps in their power. The terrain starts to destabilize with the destructive energy, Sonic and Shadow going back and forth on seemingly equal paces.
Despite this, Sonic knew he was behind in power, just like before, but also knew he couldn't rely on his friends this time. He just had to hold out for time, and get that yellow Chaos Emerald back! Shadow is already adapting to the Chaos Energy in ways Sonic has never seen. “Chaos Spear!” Sonic always struggled with the power, but for Shadow it almost seems effortless, like he was quite literally built for this.
Sonic was also holding his own, but the doubt that inevitably comes with his use of Chaos Energy is clear. He is stronger, of course, but it is also damaging. Shadow is slowly coming to realize this weakness in Sonic's unstable attacks, but with the two Emeralds clashing so close, Sonic and Shadow both are now drawing on the Chaos power of both Emeralds!
Sonic's eyes flicker red in pain, but once again embraces the Chaos Energy as he did in the past to force attack after attack on Shadow. He notices the power making Sonic more aggressive, and dashes back to attack Sonic at a stable range with volleys of Chaos Blasts and Chaos Spears.
Sonic's heart burns as the fight goes, his body heating up fast. Despite it all though, he’s unable to close in the gap on Shadow. Suddenly, the wounded Tails charges in once more despite his fear in hopes he can do something, anything, to help Sonic. This time though, the Chaos Energy between the two hedgehogs is alone enough to keep the fox out of the fight. Like it or not, no matter how it goes, it's just Sonic and Shadow now.
It starts to get cloudy in reply to the Chaos Energy erupting in the area, the temperature dropping and the wind stirring. Sonic does everything he can to close the gap still, but just as an opening is found, a new devastating power is used. “Chaos Control!” Rain was beginning to fall, but it freezes still, as does our heroes. Shadow is the only one left moving, and he uses the moment to fire a large Chaos Blast at the bi-plane, causing it to explode when time begins once more.
In shock, Sonic turns around to see his plane in flames, his friends blown away in the blast except for Tails. This is when something just… snaps. “SHADOWWW!!!” Sonic screams horribly to the rain, his eyes turning red again, his spikes curving as if to take another shape, but being unable to. Before Shadow can even process what is happening, Sonic lunges at him like an animal, clawing at his face in a monstrous rage.
Beat for beat like before, Sonic was now striking Shadow in close combat. The pure aura of the Emerald Energy forces both Tails and Rouge to flee, Shadow being dragged into the ground and scraped across until he is picked back up and thrown into the sky. Sonic begins laughing, his eyes flickering between green and red over and over.
“I think the blue boy has lost it!” Rouge says to Tails. In a worried tone, he replies before going to check on the others. “This form… I think he's entered some kind of imperfect Super State…” He flies off to Ray, Amy, Mighty, and Knuckles, and Rouge is left to question what a Super State even is.
Regardless, it was clear that the tide had completely turned somehow, Shadow being overwhelmed and eventually forcefully ripped away from the yellow Emerald, being thrown to the ground like trash in Sonic's eyes. With both Chaos Emeralds in Sonic’s hands now, Shadow was back to just running on pure willpower, and that wasn't enough to get him back off his feet.
“N-no! I… am the Ultimate! This cannot be!” Memories begin to flood glimpses into his mind, knocking him completely out of sanity and out of the fight. Sonic laughs again, preparing for one last attack when suddenly, the rain and crackling fire in the silence brings him to a screeching halt, his eyes steadying to an emerald green once more.
Sonic took a moment to look at his suffering opponent, and Rouge who was now trying to comfort Shadow. The pain in Shadow's eyes was enough to bring this fight to an end. Sonic releases the Chaos Energy, speaking to Rouge. “Get him help. I've felt like something has been off from the start, but it's never been more clear than now.” Sonic believes in change. Believes that anyone deserves a second chance. He even regrets that Ivo Robotnik never got that chance, despite his atrocities.
This is what makes Sonic a hero. He believes in his empathy, and in hope. The battlefield has settled, two Emeralds now back where they belong. Rouge gives a quiet, respectful nod to Sonic's grace, and flies off once more with Shadow. Tails wanted to say something to stop Sonic from letting them go, but deep down he knew why Sonic made that choice.
Epilogue
Without the bi-plane, Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Mighty carry the unconscious Ray and Knuckles to safety, hoping to find a place to properly recover before returning to the Chaos Emerald search. They all knew deep down that with the Emeralds still out there, they were all still in danger until they're returned to their rightful place.
Sonic is once again made to struggle with the Chaos Energy, ashamed of his own malice in the state he creates. It is a duality most contrasting, as in a lot of cases, it is key to the safety of those he loves. Unfortunately for the lot of them, they only get a couple days of rest back home before a blazing flag is raised, and a battle on a whole nother scale begins…
A force has begun an invasion to the South Islands from the North, and our heroes discover that they are also after the still scattered Chaos Emeralds. It seems the race to find them will now continue, with a new armada of Mobian soldiers tied to a blazing flag now on the attack.
The first major struggle for our group as they split up to fight this force, is a mercenary group known as Team Chaotix, hired to hunt down the Emeralds. Tails and Amy are first to have to face them alone, and are pretty outmatched as Knuckles and Sonic, the most powerful of the South Island warriors, are scattered elsewhere. Tails has to step up to the plate, taking on each member of the Chaotix one by one with Amy.
Together, Charmy was easily defeated but it seems that comparatively, Espio and Vector are on a completely different level. Tails is forced into a fight against Vector, Amy versus Espio, and both are struggling to find their footing against this force. Neither of them knew how to use Chaos energy, despite having a Chaos Emerald in hand, and their base powers simply weren't enough.
Tails is knocked out cold, Amy then being brought to her last legs, but before any fatal blow could be made to get the Chaos Emerald, Sonic finally arrives, furious at the state of his friends and sparking with the Emerald Energy of the second Chaos Emerald he possessed. Vector is taken down with brute force by Sonic, but Espio turns out to be the most powerful of the 3 mercenaries. With techniques like invisibility, Sonic was outwitted despite otherwise being on similar levels. This is when Mighty and Ray arrive, who take away the injured Tails and Amy upon Sonic's request, along with the two Emeralds the collective had.
Without the Emerald Energy, Sonic was now clashing with Espio on a completely balanced playing field, and their battle ended in a stalemate. The Chaotix now too weak to fight, they flee together and Sonic is left alone once more, unwilling to chase the mercenary crew.
Instead, Sonic has set his sights on the airship that has taken float above the coast of the South Islands, believing that to be the center of this new armada. He is not the only one, as Shadow has also taken notice of this newfound force on the islands, and uses the opportunity to further practice his Chaos Energy control on the soldiers littering the island, stealing Chaos Emeralds from the army as he can. Rouge follows behind, doing recon for the black hedgehog.
Meanwhile, Knuckles has focused on the objective of finding the Chaos Emeralds he was meant to guard. He has guilt for his decision to scatter them as he did, but he takes resolve in knowing he had no other choice. Coming upon a town that was being attacked, he was the first to have a chance encounter with the center of this mess: Blaze the Cat.
The town was already burning to ruins when he arrived, the citizens running from the enemy invasion. Seeing the Emerald in Blaze's hand, despite the feeling of danger, he knew he had to challenge her alone. Knuckles uses his control over the Emerald Energy that Blaze has to his advantage, getting a surprise attack on Blaze to attempt to retrieve the Emerald at close range.
Despite this, unfortunately Blaze's reflexes were just faster, catching Knuckles’ fist and throwing him off to the side with her eyes closed. She remains calm as another attack aims her way. This time, it doesn't even make contact, a sudden burst of fire sliding her out of range of the attack.
This continues, attacking and missing. Knuckles is quickly beginning to panic as Blaze lets out an elegant laugh, attempting to introduce herself to the disgruntled Echidna.
Since he wouldn't listen, a single bolting kick is let loose into Knuckles’ chest, launching him into a tree. He tries to breathe, now terrified of this new fighter. She was even more powerful than Shadow in just these mere glimpses. He knew he was in serious danger. Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, Shadow has now stolen his 2nd Chaos Emerald from the armada, laughing as he feels his power continue to grow.
This is when he suddenly comes across none other than Mighty and Ray, carrying Tails and Amy. Mighty immediately knew what kind of trouble this was, and panicked to strategize a way out. Unfortunately, he knew Shadow was almost on the same speed as Sonic, so in order to protect Ray, Mighty bravely challenges Shadow to a 1v1, despite seeing the injuries he inflicted to his friends in their previous encounter.
Shadow eagerly accepts, telling Rouge to stay back as they begin a clash. Mighty is immediately overpowered, but not completely defeated. Secretly, Mighty's goal all along was to divert Shadow and Rouge away from Ray and the others. It was hard to be fast enough to keep Shadow on the chase, but Shadow was treating the frightened Mighty as a toy to be played with, and so fell right into Mighty's trap, even if it meant Mighty losing his life.
Ray begrudgingly understood Mighty's intentions, and hid away with Amy and a now conscious Tails. Even though Mighty was outmatched, he had gotten far from the rest of his crew now, and laughed in his crumpled state, kneeling shaken on the ground. Shadow was made to be a fool, and after explaining said plan, it only made Shadow angrier.
In a large Chaos Blast, Mighty is taken out of commission and blown into a crater. He was knocked out but alive, and Shadow knew this, but chose to walk away anyway. Rouge asks as to why, but Shadow simply shrugs her off, saying the whole fight was a waste of time.
An explosion can be heard in the distance, and panning up from the island reveals that Sonic has reached Blaze's carrier airship with a mighty leap from the treetops. He is met by many soldiers, but Sonic has become too honed beyond this point, sliding and dashing past would-be opponents, knocking out any who stand in his way.
None of these soldiers seemed to be on the same level as Team Chaotix, and it was now understood as to why they were hired. Sonic manages to reach the control room of the ship, finding none other than a full scale invasion plan for the Chaos Emeralds blazened across a giant screen. Whoever this army is, they have the ability to also track the Emeralds, which isn't good.
It all suddenly comes to realization that, with no leader to be found, that splitting up has put everyone in serious danger to this new threat. 6 of the 7 Chaos Emeralds are already in the hands of various Mobians according to the map, so knowing the race was on for the last one, Sonic bolts completely off the ship, slowly falling airborne to the island below. Destruction can be heard all around. He had to find the others, and fast.
Meanwhile, in the flaming town where Blaze resides, Knuckles is already on his last legs, avoiding fire attacks on all cylinders as much as he can. Blaze is entertained by the resolve, but knows this will soon be over. Knuckles clenches his fist, cursing himself for seemingly bringing about this disaster. As Blaze now explains, 1 of the 7 Emeralds fell far away off to the North Islands, and was discovered by one of Blaze's people.
She was a Princess, turns out, and a powerful one at that. She took that Chaos Emerald into her hands as she noticed a similarity to a set of Emeralds that are home to her country, the Sol Emeralds. Knowing the power the Sol Emeralds held, she knew that these Chaos Emeralds needed to be found and recovered, to bring further evolution to her kingdom and her own power. This was the same Chaos Emerald that was now in her hands.
Knuckles began to wonder if that meant this Princess could transform with her own Emeralds like Sonic did against the Death Egg. That struggle felt so distant now, as he was being beaten to the edge of his life. But right as he thinks it's over, the Chaos Emerald has finally brought Sonic Team to the location. Almost everyone, Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Ray. With new hope in Knuckles’ eyes, the tables have turned.
The real fight for the 6th Chaos Emerald has begun. Sonic is the first to step up, as they finally introduce themselves, and explain that a South Island counterforce has begun, Mobians rallying against Blaze's armada. It was now a true war. South Islands vs North Kingdom. Ray immediately goes to the injured Knuckles to get him to safety, Blaze responding by firing off a flame lazor at the flying squirrel. Sonic is quick to leap into a spin, forcing the lazor off into the sky to protect Ray, before landing in front of Blaze.
"Hold up!" Tails goes to Sonic's side, as they both declare themselves Blaze's opponents. Knuckles is brought to Amy for medical attention, and focus is now put on Sonic and Tails. For the first time since their fight with Shadow, the two are allowed to work in tandem again.
Blaze now having to focus on them both, it is not long before the first blow to her lands since this has begun, a swift kick to her side from Sonic as she was focused on Tails. Feeling the pain, she immediately bursts into a fiery rage, blowing both Sonic and Tails back.
For the first time, a glimpse into her rage is revealed, and this immediately makes Tails hit with a pang of fear. What is this monster? He internally asks. Still, he shakes it off and continues the attack with Sonic, but is starting to fall behind, this imbalance in their attack being noticed.
After grabbing Sonic by the leg and throwing him off toward the rubble of a building, she turns her attention and blasts Tails who was fully charging at her point blank with a fire blast. He had no time to react, but before contact, the injured Knuckles leaps into the way, using his wounded body as a shield for Tails. His guilt, feeling like the cause of this war, has finally brought him to the breaking point. He collapses, completely knocked out, Tails mortified at what he just saw.
Sonic leaps in to strike Blaze, knocking her away from the scene while she was distracted from her victory. Sonic takes a quick glimpse back at Knuckles with pained empathy before charging back into the fight with Blaze, now solo.
Tails brings Knuckles back over to Amy in frustration, asking where Ray went. Amy tells him that Ray went off to find Mighty. Remembering Mighty's sacrifice and now Knuckles, the rage finally gets to Tails, screaming into a forceful charge, striking Blaze in the spine, who wasn't even focused on him, and knocking her away from the town.
Sonic was now shocked, as the Chaos Emerald fell from Blaze's hands to Tails' feet. The green lightning made it clear. Tails was now siphoning the Chaos Emeralds power, and grabbed the Emerald. Before Sonic could say a word, Tails once again bolts towards Blaze, locking hands in a clash with her as his eyes flicker red. She is surprised to see this sudden strength from the frightful fox, and realizes that she has clearly been holding back too long.
In one hard swing, Tails is thrown off into the sky followed by an immediate fire ball. Tails knocks it away just in time, and then throws out his palm to the open air, Emerald Energy collecting into it. For the first time, Tails shoots off a volley of Emerald Energy at Blaze, causing her to dash and dodge away.
Sonic has now caught up, Tails flying to the ground to be beside him once more. "You good, buddy?" Tails has welled up tears of rage in his eyes, but gives no reply other than a nod. Sonic nods back, and yells, charging the Emerald Energy to himself as well. The two believed in their combined power to beat Blaze, but-
"Enough!" She flies off in fire, seemingly fleeing to her carrier airship. Sonic looks to Amy and Knuckles, asking her to take care of him, before Tails grabs Sonic to follow Blaze to the carrier. Reaching the carrier, Blaze begins to race towards her control center, but pauses suddenly. Sonic and Tails have also just reached the edge of the carrier, but it's quiet. Too quiet... All of Blaze's soldiers are gone, and slowly the door to the interior opens.
Two silhouettes step out from the interior. "So you must be the one behind all of this." It was none other than Shadow and Rouge, who have now stolen 4 of the 7 Emeralds collectively. 2 of them are in Amy’s possession, and Tails has the last. Seeing Shadow, Tails instinctually hides it in his hoodie. Blaze was shocked to see her Chaos Emeralds collected had now all been stolen, and realizes that the situation has turned. The Sol Emeralds are still buried in the carrier, and without them, she can't take on all 4 of them.
She begins sweating, keeping awareness to her back and front, but Shadow suddenly changes the narrative. "Get off the ship, hedgehog. This one is mine." Sonic snickers, replying, "And let you steal the show? I don't think so." Sonic steps in front of Blaze, much to Tails' dismay. He knew the rivalry here would take over, the two hedgehogs both on another level since their last battle.
Blaze is now in the shadow of the fight, and Tails is also forced to focus on Rouge in order to keep the battle equal. Shadow and Sonic begin fighting for the Chaos Emeralds, slowly destroying the airship in the process. Although surprised, Blaze uses this foolishness to sneak into the ship and get her Sol Emeralds.
Tails notices Blaze is missing, but Sonic is just too focused on Shadow, their powers being more equal than before. The Chaos Emerald Energy is forcefully drawn out of the 4 Emeralds in Shadows possession, powering up both Sonic and Shadow as they both dash right off of the carrier, forcing Rouge and Tails to both follow behind. Left alone now, Blaze finally reunites with her Sol Emeralds. Although shaken from the dangers, she now smiles.
Meanwhile, near the ruined town, Amy and Knuckles make contact with the South Island resistance camp, dropping him off in a medical tent so she can get back to the fight or find Ray. Whichever comes first, she thinks. As Amy leaves, she can hear rumbling in the distance, Sonic and Shadow dashing through the forest as they strike each other. "Sonic!" Tails is finally able to get through to him, and snaps him out of the Chaos Emerald rage.
Immediately, this causes Shadow to take the upper hand and knock Sonic into a hillside. Tails tries to catch him but fails, but Sonic just shakes it off, realizing how stupid of a move he just made. As if the timing wasn't perfect enough, the carrier is on the move, blasts being fired towards Shadow and the resistance base.
Sonic and Tails are forced to go to rescue the South Island Mobians, Shadow now distracted by the carrier. With his rocket boots, he and Rouge return to the skies to meet the carrier head on. Sonic and Tails run into Amy, who was going to look for Ray, but Sonic volunteers to take her place and search for Ray and Mighty while Tails and Amy return to protect the camp.
Shadow and Rouge land on the rumbling ship, and Blaze notices. The fire upon the landscape reaches a screeching halt. Rouge is beginning to worry about Shadow's health, already a bit worn from his battle with Sonic. "Are you ready for this?" A glimpse of a past empathy breaches Shadow’s mind in reply, but he shakes it off. "I got this. Don't get in the way." Right on cue, Blaze is now the silhouette to slowly exit the airship's interior.
Oddly, there are 7 distinctly different Emeralds to the 4 Chaos Emeralds Shadow holds, floating behind Blaze. This surprises and excites Shadow, to know the prospect of even more gems that could further increase his power as the self proclaimed Ultimate Lifeform. But before he could even speak, those same 7 Emeralds entered Blaze's chest and vanished. She begins a subtle laugh, slowly becoming more haunting and maniacal as a sudden burst of pink flame erupts and engulfes her entire body, and once she is revealed once more, it was clear that something had changed.
"Congratulations. For your insolence in stealing the Chaos Emeralds, I have chosen YOU to be the first to fall. Give me your name." Shadow sneers, the Chaos Energy crackling against his fur. "I am Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog!" His energy spikes and blows Rouge away immediately, the two forces almost having a negative gravity to them.
Shadow and Blaze clash, the combined and disturbed energy immediately tearing the ship in half. It begins to fall, and Sonic sees it from atop a tree, as he was scoping out to find Ray. His eyes widened as the airship descended. Plans are changed immediately, bolting back down the tree and towards the area of the fall, making sure to get any Mobians to safety before the ship makes impact with the ground.
The sky was now in a blaze of hellfire, the two forces fighting in the air. The pressure coming from the two forces was unfathomably powerful, and all Sonic could do now was catch his breath and watch the battle from below now. Rouge suddenly falls towards the blue hedgehog. "Sonic?" The two begin to talk, although Sonic doesn't trust her. Despite this, they formulate a plan, Rouge begging Sonic to collect the other Chaos Emeralds and give them to Shadow.
To Sonic, it was still the battle of two evils, but she was right in the sense that it's the only way there will be any chance of beating Blaze now. Sonic begrudgingly agrees, and blasts off towards the camp.
Meanwhile, in the sky, Shadow is starting to lose his traction in the battle. He's losing the ariel front against this naturally flying Princess, who in another spark of laughter prepares another fire ball above her head, growing in size to cast a harsh shadow across the landscape. "Face it, Shadow! You've lost!"
She throws the flaming orb down towards him and the planet, and Shadow is forced to catch the blast and absorb it with all the energy he has. If only he had all the Chaos Emeralds, he thinks to himself in the struggle. The sweat and pain is too much to bear, and the hedgehog begins to lose all footing, the fiery ball dragging him into the ground where the carrier lay, and exploding on impact.
Before Sonic could return, it was already far too late. He brings the Emeralds from camp, but finds Shadow in the now barren wasteland of the blast as Blaze begins to float down from the sky. Sonic and Shadow make contact once more, Shadow still somehow barely awake and alive.
"Chaos Control!" Before a word could be expressed from Sonic, time stopped for the two hedgehogs. Suddenly it's just them now. "Sonic... Hear me..." Sonic kneels to Shadow in silence. "You have... To beat her. She'll destroy not only me but everything around us if you can't!" Sonic takes a deep breath. "I thought all you cared about was your place at the top?" Shadow's eyes wince in pain. "Just do it!" Sonic grabs his hand, resting weakly. "Do you even have to ask?" Shadow gives a small chuckle, shaking his head slightly before passing out.
Time begins again, with Sonic left to pick up the pieces. He closes his eyes calmly, placing the last 3 Emeralds in the pile around him. Sonic gestures to Rouge watching in the distance to take Shadow away. Once it is done, Sonic stands once more to meet the glare of Blaze who floats above in a bright fire. "So where did this come from, huh?"
Blaze begins to monologue about the opposing Sol Emeralds, with the burning power of light distilled in essence. The Princess claims to be a holy power of divine justice for her people. To Sonic, it is clear that she is simply drunk on power. "Fine. Sorry for making you wait."
The Chaos Emeralds begin to float around Sonic, green energy beginning to ripple around him. "I warn you now, Blaze! In this form, I can't hold back!" She raises an eyebrow as he clenches his fist, beginning to yell to the burning skies above.
Said sky darkens in reply, a bolt of Emerald lightning erupting and striking Sonic directly! A single flash, and the Emeralds join to Sonic's heart, his fur now a golden yellow with bright red eyes. This... is Super Sonic.
His power spikes, shocking Blaze. "I should have known those Emeralds also held a transformation such as mine... But fine! I am Burning Blaze, and I shall bathe you in divine light until nothing remains, hedgehog!" A battle of Order and Chaos is set to begin!
Blaze fires off a volley of fire balls at Sonic to start, and they just dissolve against his golden aura as he smiles. "My turn!" Super Sonic bolts towards Blaze at the speed of lightning itself, and charges right into her chest, carrying her right back into the sky in what became an uppercut. She blasts off her own pink fiery aura to force Sonic back away, but it was clear that this wasn't the same Sonic as before.
The rage in his eyes almost foreshadows his lust to immediately lunge back into the fight, never letting off. Tails and Amy look up nervously from camp, Amy beginning a prayer for South Island's safety. The gold and pink lights in the sky crash and burn against each other at unprecedented speeds.
Tails wants to go help him, but he knows this fight is beyond his current strength now. Last time that Sonic entered his Super State, it nearly destroyed his body, but the power it held... "Sonic can't lose. He won't lose. Not like this." Tails speaks it to the open air, bringing a quiet hope to the Mobians around him.
Sonic is lashing at Blaze with no sense of control anymore. Blaze seemingly has sense on her side but the power against her is just too overwhelming, knocking her out of her thoughts every time she tries to strategize. Blaze has never encountered a pure chaotic power like this.
She tries to think up a way to beat this power, but Sonic isn't thinking at all. He's almost monstrous in his attacks. He won't give Blaze even a moment to breathe. She is suddenly kneed in the stomach, then kicked off far, almost knocking her out of her Burning state in a flicker. "H-how...?" She takes this brief second of recovery to gauge his movements.
Sonic isn't thinking at all, it's pure Chaos Energy. His body can't hold out forever like that, she thought. In a moment of desperation, she prepares another fire ball above her head. "I have to burn out his energy..." She puts in all the power she has into a ball of fire even larger than the one that took down Shadow. For the first time since the fight began, Super Sonic pauses in his silent destructiveness.
After a single thought, his hands move to create a circular shape behind him, beginning to yell. A ball of blue light begins to glow from the inside of his hands, the light erupting from his fingers and into the otherwise darkened sky. "Die!!!" Blaze throws and releases the miniature sun she made, aiming towards the golden hedgehog. His reply?
"AAAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!!" Super Sonic lunges his hands forward and releases a thick beam of light from his palms, shooting right into the center of the flaming orb. Blaze, despite the fire, just now begins to sweat in a panic as the orb stops in place. Soon, the orb slowly begins to return to sender, Super Sonic's blast overpowering and bursting with seemingly infinite energy!
As quickly as the clash began, the sky begins to erupt in flame once more, and the fight is over. Blaze begins to fall from the sky, completely unconscious, but somehow with Sonic's empathy shining through, he darts over and grabs her leg, bringing her to the safety of the beach. Sonic lets her go there, suddenly clenching his skull in agony. The Chaos Emeralds release his heart, and he falls to his hands and knees beside his defeated foe. The red is still in his eyes, the Chaos Energy flooding his mind, but Tails comes down to the rescue with Amy.
Epilogue
Having reached the conclusion of the war, the Chaos Emeralds are finally returned to Angel Island with the now recovered Knuckles. Shadow has seemingly gone missing for now, and Sonic Team slowly begins the recovery of the islands, Amy taking the lead in the Mobian charge to do so. Much harm was done in that single day, but the lands can recover.
Sonic decides to space away for now to recover his sanity from the transformation, going to Angel Island with Knuckles in hopes of honing his control over Chaos Energy, and the Princess of the North Islands is in an act of grace, returned to her lands and her people, in that same grace and hope that was shown to Shadow. Despite all this though, deep in the rubble of the Death Eggs landing sight, a new threat, no, a very old threat, prepares for its second coming…
A month or so has now passed since the war against the North Kingdom, recovery efforts in high display. On a political level, this has caused tension between the South Islands and the North, and Mobians all around are left in uncertainty. Despite this, it seems Blaze has left the warscape with a newfound perspective, sheltering herself from her responsibilities.
Due to the war, our heroes have become famous in one way or another, even if none of them want it. Radio news outlets wonder and ask the whereabouts of Sonic the Hedgehog, only to be shrugged off by Tails and others. They believe he deserves the rest after that battle. Little did the group know, Sonic wasn't quite resting, but instead training with Knuckles on Angel Island, the two hoping that no threat like that will stop them again.
Together, their main goal is to gain control over the power of the Super State. Knuckles in this period transforms into Super Knuckles for the first time, and the two are practicing staying in their Super States outside of battle, instead trying to maintain a calm even though it still takes a toll on their bodies. “You alright, Knucks’?”
“As much as I can be.” He replies. Down below the island, Amy, Tails, Mighty, and Ray are all picking up the scraps of war, recovering towns and slowly becoming known as heroes to the general Mobian populace. It still felt new to Tails, who was used to being bullied in the past for having two tails. Now, to the others around him, it's seen as an iconic uniqueness.
Amy, most of all, has taken on the role of an organizer and leader, quickly gaining renown as a bubbly and supportive girl. Even Rouge has joined their team at Shadow's request of wanting to be alone to face his own ideals, and to try and solve the puzzle that is his own mind. He did not want to ever be surpassed again.
Even Team Chaotix have decided to stay on the South Islands, taking up mercenary work even from Amy on the labor front for recovery. With the stage set, and everyone accounted for in their own stories, it is only a matter of time before the tides grow unsteady again, towards the land now known only as Scrapnik Island.
No one questioned how Eggman's robots were recovering in their own ways, simply leaving them trapped where they were. This will come to curse the Mobian race, as it turns out, the robots weren't the only ones rebuilding themselves… Doctor Ivo Robotnik, with the help of his own technique and research, is alive.
And not only was he alive and recovering, but he thirsted for the blood of the blue hedgehog, preparing one final scheme that was sure to finally bring an end to what he considered a cursed rodent. Mecha Sonic and Silver Sonic are reborn to test the scope of the world that has long since abandoned the wicked doctor, and this test launch was set to begin, now.
The two mechanical hedgehogs are sent to the closest coast in a launched stealth pod, and successfully reach the drop point in question. The two now travel in a pair, collecting any data they can on the state of Mobius. Trouble brews as they reach the first recovering town, and an alarm is blown as they destroy all that has been recovered.
Tails and Ray are immediately sent to the scene, as they were the closest by. South Islands have now adapted and started to implement technology from the North Kingdom, such as these alarms in preparation just in case any threat would rise against the islands once more. Tails immediately expected the return of Blaze due to Sonic's mercy, but instead, it was none other than two old machines that Sonic and Tails have faced before.
The first and second models of the Copy Sonic's Eggman created have somehow returned from Scrapnik Island, now as pristine and new as they were in their first encounter with each robot. Tails immediately had so many thoughts rushing to mind, although Ray didn't know the significance. Is Eggman alive? Have the robots advanced far enough to completely rebuild themselves? Can the robots truly escape Scrapnik Island?
While Tails was stuck in thought, Ray charges in to protect a Mobian citizen against Mecha Sonic, and takes a direct strike from the machine for his interference. Tails catches Mighty who was blown back, snapping out of his rushing mind. “Mighty, you take care of that silver one. Mecha Sonic is mine.” Tails feigned confidence to bring some to Mighty, but Tails hasn't fought since the battle against Blaze, and was worried that he couldn't truly handle the Sonic copies.
Tails did know that Silver Sonic was weaker though, so Ray stood a better chance against the metal counterpart. Despite this, both robots cleanly dominate in terms of speed and pure robotic strength, forcing Tails and Mighty to regroup. “These guys are crazy, Tails! What are they?”
“No time, Ray. We don't stand a chance on our own against them unfortunately, so fighting them head on is just asking for punishment.” Tails takes in a focused breath, grabbing Mighty’s hand.
Before another word can be said, Tails flees in desperation, forcing Ray to follow into the air. The two machines don't even follow, instead updating their data on the two known lifeforms. Silver Sonic begins raiding the abandoned town for even more data, Mecha Sonic reading the landscape, wondering why this town was already in a disturbed state.
Tails and Ray get away without further harm, much to the surprise of both of them. Tails really finds it odd, knowing how ruthless those machines were before. This was bad. If this means any of the scenarios that ran through Tails’ mind, then Mobius in whole could be in grave danger.
The two decide to travel together back to the recovery base that was established in the war in order to warn Amy of what could come. With Sonic and Knuckles missing, they could even be found in further trouble.
Meanwhile, Shadow finds himself in the same canyon where his first battle with Sonic was, and begins reflecting on everything that's happening. It's raining overhead, and the storm reminds Shadow of Super Sonic, who was fighting brilliantly and violently overhead, as Shadow faded in and out of consciousness. “If it wasn't for those Emeralds, he never would have grown to that power… is it really the only way to achieve my true purpose, or?”
Shadow looks to the darkened sky, thunder rumbling as he closes his eyes. “What does it mean to be the Ultimate? Who… am I?” He clenches his fists as melancholy turns to rage, seeing his failure against Blaze as a scar upon his pride. He yells to the heavens in rage, and the rain is left to drown out his outcry.
Rouge looks off towards the direction of the storm, as if sensing his agony from afar. She was helping in the med-bay at the time, at the recovery base. Amy was nearby, asking what was wrong? “There's a storm coming, that's all…” Rouge replies.
It is not long before Tails and Ray arrive, Mighty coming out of the tent to greet his best friend and Tails. The 5 of them begin talking together, Tails warning of the threat seemingly on the horizon. Rouge's previous words were now more apt than ever. A storm truly was coming.
If Eggman was truly alive, then Rouge just found her ticket to truly understanding Shadow and his purpose, if Shadow was truly the doctor's creation. She begins thinking back to that old abandoned laboratory where she first found Shadow in that singular powered room surrounded by darkness. She knew Shadow had to be special. He just had to be.
Amy begins to think up a strategy, also knowing the threat the Sonic copies could create. Tackling the force head-on would be stupid, she thinks. “Our only reliable fighters that could maybe match the copies are Knuckles, Shadow, and Sonic himself.” This sparks an idea in Rouge.
“What if we sent out search teams to find those 3?” Tails gives her a discouraged look, thinking Shadow isn't reliable enough to help them. Despite this, Mighty agrees, and the rest of the cast slowly follows, Tails last. “Do you really think Shadow would help us?”
She thinks back to when Sonic and Shadow were together in that crater, where Sonic went Super to defeat Blaze. “No, not us. But…” Tails raises an eyebrow. “He owes Sonic a favor, if he likes it or not.” They can all seem to agree to that, as two teams are made to search for the 3 warriors. Mighty and Ray are sent to look for Sonic and Knuckles, while Tails and Rouge seek out Shadow.
Rouge still wasn't fully trusted by the group at this point, so Tails was sent to make sure no betrayal was being made. Tails doesn't really want to go with the bat, but there's not much choice and they need to use their time effectively. Amy decides to use her time to build up a group of small-time Mobian warriors as well as Team Chaotix to create a rescue unit for the citizens against this newfound threat. They all nod, and go their separate ways once more in hopes to nip this new threat before it becomes a bigger issue.
Meanwhile, Sonic and Knuckles have finally reached a point of being able to remain calm in their Super States, although their muscles still involuntarily clench. The two smile, deciding to do a quick controlled spar in the forms, and this is where they meet difficulty again.
They both find it difficult to not let rage consume them in battle, especially as pain is inflicted. They both knew it was just a friendly spar though, and tried to maintain control. Incidentally, this seems to cause them to both flicker in and out of the Super State. It seems without the Chaos running through their minds, the Chaos Emeralds struggle to maintain their power over their hearts. It's an exhausting process, but neither of them were willing to give up, for the sake of finding profound peace for their world.
Down below, Amy and her recovery squad move to meet up with Team Chaotix to then head toward the town Tails told them was in danger. By the time they get there, it seems the machines are gone, and every building has been ransacked. Some of the residents have returned, tending to the wounded, and Amy begins to help them as well.
Toward the canyon, Tails and Rouge already encounter none other than Shadow, smiling atop a cliff side. The two approach, and Shadow turns to meet their eyes, crossing his arms. “What do you two want?” It takes some time, but Tails takes the chance to explain the situation, and even though Rouge was expecting a reaction to hearing about Eggman, there was none from Shadow.
“And this is my problem, how?” Rouge then tries to plead to Shadow's good side, also reminding him of the favor he owes to Sonic for saving his life. Shadow sighs in response, but agrees. “Fine. I have something new to test, anyway.” He grins with confidence once more, oddly.
“Something to test?” Shadow leaps to the canyon base where Tails and Rouge resided. “You’ll see soon enough, fox boy.” The three now travel together toward where the robots were last seen. With Shadow and this apparent hidden trick, the group has found new hope in this fight against the machines.
As the group prepares to leave the canyon though, they find that atop the wall surrounding them, they were being watched by their targets the whole time. Mecha Sonic and Silver Sonic were just standing there, and seeing this, Tails is immediately surprised. Despite this, Shadow just smiles and steps to the front. “So these are the Sonic copies, huh?”
“Yeah, that's them.” Tails replies. Shadow erupts into a laugh, gesturing to the machines to come on down. “And Sonic called ME a faker? These clowns look like they are trying so hard to be the original.” Rather than stepping down, Mecha Sonic releases a ball of energy from his chest, firing at Shadow.
Shadow just smacks the blast away to the ground, a tinge of anger sparking in his eyes. “Not very good listeners, huh? It's kind of neat that you can create those artificial energy balls though.” Still silent. Tails and Rouge both begin to feel the tension in the air. Shadow was very quickly starting to get annoyed.
Silver Sonic releases a laser from its eye slot towards Tails, but he leaps out of the way just in time. “Hey! Your opponent is me, tin cans!” Shadow finally charges with his rocket boots towards the wall, Mecha and Silver Sonic immediately moving to a guarded position. Despite this, Shadow lets off a hard rocketing kick right in Silver Sonic's face, making him fly off into the dusty plain.
Mecha Sonic replies by charging at Shadow with a precisely aimed punch to the stomach, but Shadow almost effortlessly dodges and kicks Mecha Sonic in the back of the head, forcing him into a non-organic spiky spindash as he lands, dashing around to grab Silver Sonic and returning to a defensive stance. Tails and Rouge fly up to the scene, watching Shadow from afar as they both know he likes to work alone.
Oddly, now Shadow was just standing there, smiling. “You robots are acting awfully strange for your kind.” Shadow recalls the laboratory where he was found, and the various abandoned machinery and data within. “Robots are objective based, and act without thought of anything except said objective. So you know what that tells me?”
After hearing Shadow's words, Tails begins to realize that something is off as well. “You robots aren't out here to blindly kill. Otherwise, you’d both already be at my throat. Regardless…” Shadow suddenly takes a fighting stance. “I’ll make sure neither of you make it to whatever objective you may have. You die today, machines.” Shadow charges at Silver Sonic once more, realizing him to be the weaker link, spindashing right into the bot and away from Mecha Sonic.
With the distance, Shadow begins pummeling Silver Sonic, smashing him against the rocks and punching him hard until dents and cracks start to appear. After throwing the bot back to the ground, Mecha Sonic immediately dashes in, grabbing Shadow from behind! “What?!” A sudden electric shock is exerted from the machine, shocking Shadow violently as he's crushed against the robot.
Tails and Rouge fly in, noticing the danger he’s in, but an extended flying arm from Silver Sonic grabs Tails, pinning him against a rock. Rouge, showing frustration for the first time, dashes towards Mecha Sonic and despite the shocking aura, launches a violent kick into his head, forcing him to momentarily back up and let go of Shadow, even though making contact also ends up shocking Rouge.
“Alright, robots… I see your game.” Rouge looks over to find Shadow shaking with both the shocks in his body and pure anger. Shadow stomps over to Silver Sonic, kicking him back and locking him back down to the ground by the neck with his foot, then grabbing his extended metal arm and ripping it out of its socket entirely! Tails is released from the arm, and Shadow turns back to Mecha Sonic, who is cautiously waiting.
Shadow begins laughing and suddenly stops, smashing Silver Sonic's head in with his rocket boot! “Say goodbye to your friend, machine. And soon enough, to yourself!” Rouge and Tails step back now, as small rocks and pebbles begin to float around Shadow, green bolts of Energy emitting from his fur. “Wait…” Was Shadow harnessing Chaos Energy without a Chaos Emerald in sight? Tails questioned.
But immediately as he does, he gets a very shocking answer. “Wraaaghhh!!!” Shadow erupts in a golden light, his fur turning from black to gold instantaneously! “How is that even possible?!” Shadow laughs again as Mecha Sonic continues to read the situation. “This is the power of the Ultimate Lifeform! I don't even need your measly Chaos Emeralds anymore! The power simply speaks to my heart in response to my own pure and powerful Chaos!”
Tails freezes up to this new transformation, but Rouge just gives Shadow a warm smile. “You continue to surprise, huh, Shadow?” She says. He clenches his fists and laughs, a newfound victory in his heart. “So this was his new trick all along…” Tails began to theorize if it was because of his previous contact with Chaos Energy that now he could innately create his own, and in turn, if Tails or anyone else could do the same.
Shadow suddenly bolts towards Mecha Sonic to destroy him in the same way he did Silver Sonic, but somehow, Mecha Sonic still seems to match paces, despite still being on the defensive. They match beat for beat despite the disposition of Chaos Energy. It was clear that unlike Silver Sonic, Mecha Sonic was made to be able to hold his own. This impresses Shadow, to say the least, but it wasn't enough to knock away his confidence.
Mighty's team, on the other hand, is all the way on the other side of the South Islands, nearing none other than Scrapnik Island itself, in the flesh, distanced from the coast. This is the first time Ray had ever seen the state the island was left in. It was nightmarish in a way, that emblem of Eggman's face reflecting bad memories in the both of them.
Mighty looks at his roboticized hand once more, remembering the suffering of all the Mobians Eggman captured in his crusade to use their life force to power his machines. The doctor was a nightmare made manifest, and despite the small amount of guilt in thinking it, Mighty was kind of glad that the doctor never got his chance to be spared by Sonic. And yet… he may still somehow be alive.
He clenches that metal fist in thought, hoping that one day, he can use this same hand to end the doctor's life himself, if he truly is out there! Suddenly, Ray hugs Mighty. The pain was seemingly more visible than he thought. “It could just be his machines reaching the mainland, Mighty…” They both take a relieving breath, Mighty now hugging Ray back. “Right. We should keep going, to find Sonic.”
The two continue forward, despite not having a clue where they could be, leaving Scrapnik Island behind. Amy, similarly, is also on the move with her team after the recovery of that town. They haven't found any noticeable damage since, but suddenly hear the distinct crashing of Chaos Energy in the distance.
Amy decides to follow the sound, asking Team Chaotix to take the lead of the recovery team to keep looking. They agree, and Amy is now off to soon find in the dryness of the canyon, that Super Shadow was now fighting Mecha Sonic, Silver Sonic seemingly already being dealt with.
Meanwhile, on Angel Island, Sonic and Knuckles are smiling in their spar, as they’ve both finally achieved a balance of control and Chaos in order to maintain the Super State without sacrificing their bodies and minds. “How about we take a break, Knucks’? I think we’ve made plenty of progress today.” Knuckles agrees, and the two take a seat on the Master Emerald altar, finally letting go of their Super States.
After simply catching their breath, the two begin to talk about Tails, Amy, Mighty, and Ray, wondering how things could be going below. “Do you think we should maybe check on them?” Knuckles asks. Sonic takes a moment to think about it, but agrees. “Yeah, it's been a little quiet. I kind of miss my little buddy, you know?”
And thus, after a few minutes, Knuckles gathers the Chaos Emeralds to keep safe, and the two enter their Super States once more to fly back down to the South Islands. They aim for the recovery camp that Amy so lovingly has taken care of first, as they know at the very least Amy will be there.
Despite this, the two glowing heroes only shock some Mobians in recovery there. Amy was nowhere to be found. They decide to ask the workers where she could be, and the two are briefed up on the situation. Sonic nearly shivers at the thought of Eggman's return, and the two immediately dash off without even asking where they could be now. There wasn't any time to lose.
Amy now though, has since made contact with Tails and Rouge, watching the fight between Shadow and Mecha Sonic. And together, the 3 have realized a new weakness Mobians have that the robots just do not. Exhaustion. Shadow was burning through energy like crazy, while Mecha Sonic remained in a consistent performance. Despite all his effort, Shadow was just not gaining any leeway with Mecha.
Soon enough, despite the clash lasting so long, Shadow flickers out of his Super State, and is suddenly overpowered by Mecha Sonic, being shot back into the dirt. Shadow sits up on one knee, cursing himself. “So that's it then, huh?” The trio looks at Shadow, confused from a distance.
“Tails! These Sonic copies are collecting and using our battle data!” Tails is shocked to see Shadow come to this bold conclusion, but then he thinks about it for a moment. Mecha Sonic stayed on the defensive the whole time, reading and using Shadow's movements against him. He struggled for a bit without Silver Sonic, but Mecha managed to keep up even with Super Shadow, and is now overpowering his base form? Yes, it was clear. Shadow was right. “How didn't I think of that first?”
“Because I’m always one step ahead, fox boy.” Tails freezes up, a very distinct voice echoing from above. Rouge and Amy look up first to find a large jet with Eggman's insignia emblazoned on its wing, a large dark mech attached to the bottom. After realizing this, the whole group moves to Shadow's side as said mech drops from the sky, landing and causing a shockwave that almost blows them all away.
Mecha Sonic immediately retreats, flying into the jet that is hanging above. “How have you been, my old friends?” The intercom on the mech blared. Doctor Robotnik was clearly inside. He truly was alive, and somehow survived the blast that destroyed the Death Egg. “Who are you?!” Shadow yells, now taking a stand for himself despite his wounds.
“Well, Shadow, I am none other than Doctor Ivo Robotnik, at your service. All of your friends here already know me.” The mech takes a bow, as Shadow looks to his allies who all seem terrified to hear that name. There was clearly a dark history here, and now Shadow alone was probably the only one who could protect them. “How do you know my name?”
“Oh, dear Shadow. I know quite a lot about YOU. Probably even more than you do, haha!” Shadow was immediately confused, but Rouge understood the truth that Eggman was likely Shadow's creator. In his confusion, he immediately goes to attack the mech. “Watch out!” Tails exclaims, but Shadow is already swatted away by the mech into a rock. He's immediately knocked unconscious.
Tails is left terrified, believing them all to be defenseless now against an evil doctor who is probably out for revenge now more than ever. Casually, the mech grabs Shadow's lifeless body, and Tails is forced to swallow his fear and step forward. “Let him go!” Eggman merely laughs through his intercom to that, so Tails charges in to strike the Mech’s fist. He makes contact, but it is completely unphased. The Mech's other fist lunges back to prepare a retaliation, but as the swing darts directly for Tails-
“Don't you dare!” A glowing dart of light strikes the fist, forcing the whole of it to spin and miss Tails! The dart of light grabs Tails and brings him back to the ground at blinding speed. Then, as the light fades, it reveals none other than a glowing Super Sonic. “Sonic?!” Tails exclaims with hope in his heart. He winks at Tails, letting him go and turning towards the Mech. “Sorry we're late, buddy.”
Before Tails could even ask, Knuckles flies in, carrying Mighty and Ray. “We found them!” Ray excitedly says. “Well, it's more accurate to say they found us!” Mighty responds. Together now, Knuckles and Sonic now stand before Eggman in calm Super States like it's nothing. Everyone around them immediately notices the differences in control.
“Hey, Egghead! Can you put the broody hedgehog down? We kind of have a whole rival thing going and I don't want you to ruin that.” Eggman laughs again, before sharply changing to a tone of hatred. “How about you try to take him for yourself, hedgehog?”
Sonic shrugs to that, then dashing in a beam of light for Shadow. Despite the speed, the other Mech’s hand immediately moves to backhand Sonic, the metal clashing against all of Sonic's limbs in a stalemate. “Whoa, Eggy! This bots a tough one, huh?”
“It’s designed for you, Sonic. I never forgot our encounter upon my artificial planet, back before you destroyed my dreams. I know this Super Sonic form inside and out, and this machine can even withstand YOU.” Sonic lets out a small chuckle, before replying. “I-is that so? Glad I’m so important to you, Eggy!” Knuckles prepares a powerful punch into the Mech's leg, knocking the whole of it off balance and getting Sonic out of the locked clash with its hand.
Knuckles prepares another punch to follow through on the other leg to knock the whole thing down, but the leg left in the air comes right back to kick Knuckles away. Sonic flies back to check on Knuckles, but it turns out that with this control, Knuckles was barely even harmed.
The two prepare another combined attack with a smirk and nod to each other, but suddenly blasts of energy are fired from the Mech's free hand, one after the other, forcing Sonic and Knuckles to dodge and weave past before both of them land a clean hit to the center of the Mech.
Shock goes across both of their faces, as the Mech’s center of balance barely shifts with the attack. “What? You didn't believe me, boys?” The Mech grabs both Sonic and Knuckles, attempting to crush them with the Mech's free hand. Luckily, Sonic and Knuckles together are strong enough to keep the hand from completely squashing them. Now that they're up close, they have no choice but to come up with a new plan.
“Knucks’, I think we underestimated Eggy.” Knuckles nods, struggling to push the giant metal fingers away. “I don't think our Super States are going to cut it!” Sonic unfortunately agrees to Knuckles, also pushing back against the robotic fingers. “So what should we do?” The two in one hard push manage to break free, only to realize that Mecha Sonic had come back down to grab Shadow, and was now taking him to the jet above.
“EGGMAN!!!” Attention is suddenly diverted back to Mighty, storming forward to jump onto the Mech, slamming his metal fist in vein against the more durable metal. “Ah, Mighty. If it isn’t one of my little test subjects.” Things go quiet in Mighty's mind, a darkness metaphorically bathing him out from the scene, alone now with the voice of the evil doctor.
“Do you really think you have what it takes to kill me, Mighty? To get revenge? No, no… I’ll be the one getting revenge this time.” Mighty is immediately grabbed by the Mech, so Sonic and Knuckles act fast to attack the large metal fist, but once again, the Mech is left unphased. “No!” Ray cries from below.
Mighty was now hopeless, and Eggman knew it. “You hear that, Mighty? It’s your little friend who didn't even get the chance to be roboticized, unlike you. You do understand, don't you? I could kill you right now, Mighty. Nobody can save you, not even yourself. But what is the fun in that, right? No… dying is too easy for you. I want you to live, with that permanent mark on your hand as a reminder of my pure and utter resolve. You will live to suffer, Mighty. You will.”
Eggman immediately throws Mighty to the dirt, swatting away Super Sonic and Super Knuckles like flies. Sonic immediately dashes to Mighty to protect him from further harm, only to find him a crying mess on the ground, Ray following Sonic to Mighty. “Don’t listen to him, Mighty. You’ve done so much for us, and you’re a valued member of our team. We care about and love you. Okay, man?” Mighty sniffles, sticking out his gloves fist, for Sonic to meet him in a fist bump.
Sonic gets up for Tails to also arrive. “Sonic, can we really beat him?” Sonic responds with a cocky smile. “We did it before, didn't we?” Tails gives a weak but reassured smile, and Sonic dashes back into the fight, meeting back up with Knuckles. “To answer you from before, Sonic… I don't have a plan.” Sonic remains quiet to that, ignoring and instead charging in for another attack on the Mech.
Knuckles lets out a volley of Chaos Energy on the machine, but despite both of their continued efforts, they haven't even made a dent. “Playtime is over, rodent.” Eggman lands a clean hit on Sonic with his Mech’s fist, causing Sonic to fly far off. He flies so far off that he loses connection with the Chaos Emeralds in Knuckles' possession, and flickers out of his Super State, falling to the ground and rolling up to a tree.
Eggman then takes the chance to slam his other fist into Knuckles, crushing him against the ground in surprise and also knocking Knuckles out of his Super State, revealing the Chaos Emeralds once more to the exposed air. “Well isn't this a surprise!” The Mech immediately scoops up 4 of the Chaos Emeralds, Rouge reacting by swooping in and grabbing the other 3 & Knuckles.
Luckily, Rouge was faster than the Mech, and escaped the scene entirely, prompting Tails to angrily follow, thinking she was simply trying to steal them. Eggman was already satisfied with his haul though, speaking in announcement as Sonic had just returned to the scene. “We are done here, Sonic. Just face the fact that you’ve already lost. If you really wish for another shot at the fun though, meet me in the North Kingdom!” Sonic knew that unfortunately he was just outmatched at this point, and accepted the loss as is.
The Mech starts to hover, hooking itself up back to the bottom of the jet. Eggman then flies off with Shadow and 4 of the Chaos Emeralds, Amy going to Sonic's side to try and comfort him in his loss. Rouge finally sets Knuckles down in an open field, Tails arriving just behind. “Stupid echidna. In the few times I’ve seen you, you've always been so reckless.” Tails goes to stop Rouge from flying away with the Emeralds, but realizes that maybe she isn't so bad after all, seeing that she's quickly trying to tend to Knuckles’ wounds.
Slowly but surely, the lot of them regroup, Knuckles left unconscious once again, but thankfully in stable condition. In a surprise turn, Rouge returns the 3 Emeralds. She gives one to Sonic, the other to Tails, and the last to the fallen Knuckles. “You all will need these more than me. They are quite pretty though.” The mood is melancholic, Amy wrapping herself around Sonic's arm.
Sonic knew that the only thing they could do now was find a way to go to the North Islands, in order to save Shadow and possibly, the kingdom that resides there. The group is quiet as they regather, and Tails finally speaks up with a plan. “Sonic, I can rebuild the bi-plane. Better, and faster this time! We can't let Eggman rise again!” Tails’ resolve seems to rouse Knuckles from his slumber, still sore from being crushed.
“You’re right, buddy. Then, we can all go to the North Islands to find some way to beat him!” To Sonic’s surprise, Mighty responds with coldness. “No.” Everyone looks at Mighty now. “I’m done, Sonic… I’ve had enough. Eggman is right… I can't keep up anymore.”
Sonic reaches out a hand, but he starts walking off, Ray lagging behind. “Wait!” Tails grabs Sonic's shoulder, causing him to look back to Tails, only to see him shaking his head. “He needs space, Sonic… He’s been through enough.”
And just like that, the team was down two members, not even mentioning the loss of Shadow. Amy is next to speak up. “Unfortunately, I’m still responsible for the recovery effort in the South Islands, Sonic. I can't go either.” Sonic understands, but now the team is down to just 4. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge.
Epilogue
The 4 together now prepare to build a new plane at Tails’ laboratory back in Emerald Town. Sonic and Knuckles continue their training on the beach, while Rouge contemplates her place in the story, worried for Shadow’s safety and questioning her own desires. Tails is hard at work with building the plane, now a blue and yellow rather than the original bi-planes deep red.
Mighty and Ray return to their home in Green Hill, trying together to talk through their trauma and maybe find their own form of peace. Amy returns to the Chaotix, calling off the medical squad to return to the South Island recovery effort. The islands are quiet now, as the suffering left within the hearts of our cast will soon bring them to the North Kingdom, where Blaze is about to make their first encounter with the Eggman threat…
In the gentle and warm Emerald Town, a small ember of hope is being ignited for our 4 remaining heroes. Within Tails' lab, the plane, now named the X Tornado, in reference to its four wings spread out in an X, is almost completed. Tails has been working hard to build it, and you can see it in his eyes, which have darkened with the sleepless nights.
Rouge enters the lab, sitting down beside the plane to talk to Tails, who was working on the plane underneath. “What do you need, Rouge?” It seems the fox noticed her, and she sighs in reply. “Tails, do you not trust me? Do any of you trust me?” Tails immediately stops, sliding out from under the plane to meet Rouge's eyes.
“What exactly do you mean?” Rouge grabs her nose, squinting her eyes as she puts pressure on her face in frustration, feeling unable to communicate. “You think I haven't noticed, fox? You’ve given me sharp glares several times, and even though no one says anything, everyone acts so cautious around me.” A pang of guilt can suddenly be seen in the youthful foxes eyes.
“Oh, uh…” He takes a second to formulate his thoughts. “Well, it's because of how we first met. You acted as Shadow's ally in a very suspicious way, and really none of us know why.” She nods, swallowing to prepare a reply. “It wasn't my intention at first to work with Shadow, but, you see…”
Knuckles and Sonic have now entered the room, but remain hidden, listening from afar. “Shadow might not just be a hedgehog, or even a Mobian. We didn't just randomly partner up, I FOUND him.” Tails is quietly listening, confused. “You see, I was exploring what was likely one of Eggman's abandoned laboratories, to see what I could find, and I came across a suspiciously powered room, and inside… That is where I found Shadow.”
Sonic's, Knuckles’, and Tails’ eyes all widened in response, shocked to hear that. “Are you saying Shadow is a robot?!” She sighs again. “I don't know. It's likely why Eggman took him, though. He seems to be organic, but he is still likely Eggman's creation.” The group takes a moment to process these words, Tails finally speaking up.
“So is that why you worked with him? Pure curiosity?” She shrugs. “Can't a girl have hobbies? Wouldn't you follow a hedgehog that was seemingly sleeping in a tube that proclaims itself the Ultimate Lifeform? ESPECIALLY if he started backing it up?” Tails slips out a laugh, a relief falling on the group. For the first time since their first encounter, Rouge finally felt some trust around her.
Sonic gets up from behind the crate he was hiding behind, followed by Knuckles. Sonic then lets out a fake cough to get the other pair's attention. Rouge's eyes widened. “How long were you there?!” Knuckles started to chuckle, trying to hold it back. Sonic is the one to reply. “Sorry Rouge, but we basically heard everything. Don't sweat it though, it's definitely relevant information.”
Now that Sonic Team now knew of Shadow's origins, the earlier fights, his exceptional prowess, and his innate skill with Chaos Energy all made more sense now. Not everything was clear still, but it is far more clear now than it was before.
Time passes, the group now working together towards helping Tails finish the X Tornado. Even if it's just handing him a bolt or a wrench, things are going faster now. Sonic was overwhelmed by the controls though, and told Tails that he’d have to be the one to drive the thing. Knuckles and Rouge didn't even want to try, as Rouge could fly, and Knuckles could fly as well in his Super State.
In just one more day, or more specifically, the very early next morning, the X Tornado is finally complete, Tails being the only one awake to see it, as Sonic is sleeping like a cat on top of the crate he was once hiding behind, and Knuckles and Rouge have unconsciously cuddled up to each other, sleeping deeply against the wall as they use each other as support. Tails decides to get a quick nap in, but groans as his older brother wakes him up way too soon.
“You did it, Tails!” It was more than clear that the plane had been completed, and his excitement also woke up Knuckles and Rouge. Upon noticing how close the two were, they bolted to opposite sides of the room in embarrassment, breaking eye contact. They were both blushing though.
Tails jumps into the plane with his eyes closed, still super tired. “Five more minutes…” In the newfound comfort of the control seat, Tails immediately passes out again. Sonic jumps in, following Tails onto the plane. “Sorry, buddy. You can have five more minutes.” The rest of the group climbs in, still embarrassed from how they slept before. Sonic just gives the two a cheeky smile, causing them to force further eye contact away in their embarrassment.
About 10 minutes pass, and suddenly Tails stretches sharply like he slept for hours. “Alright!” Everyone else suddenly shakes out of their dazes as Tails grabs the steering wheel. “You ready guys?” Sonic smiles, noticing the excitement in Tails' movements. “If you are, buddy!” Tails pulls out a remote to open the shudders, light suddenly beaming into the otherwise dark lab.
An excitement falls over the group, shadowed only by the nervousness. Were they really prepared to go to the North Kingdom? The future was uncertain, but faster than ever, the X Tornado’s thrusters rumbled and they launched off into the clear sunny sky. The speed of the plane matched closer to a small jet, and after passing below Angel Island, the 4 left the entirety of the South Islands behind. Knuckles looks longingly back to Angel Island, missing his home, but diverts his focus back to the problem at hand.
If Eggman wins, there will be no home to return to, for any of them. They rested their hopes and resolve in that fact, Sonic already beginning to think of a new strategy to defeat Mecha Sonic and Eggman. Both have learned from the Super State already, and despite Sonic's control over it now, it was clear that it simply wasn't enough power this time.
Eggman, about a week before these events, has reached the capital of the North Kingdom. There was a bustling and prospering city below, centered by a large spire that overlooked its entirety. It was none other than Blaze's castle. Much to the doctor's surprise, as he entered the area, turrets began to immediately fire upon them. Ivo was both surprised and excited at the prospect of this new technology, discovering this side of Mobian evolution for the first time. Mecha Sonic's data had led them to a gold mine of new technology Eggman could use, but this opposition was unexpected, and his jet was not safe from the oncoming attacks.
“Mecha. It is time we part ways once more. Invade the streets, and stay low and out of sight as you collect data on this kingdom. Am I understood?” The machine nods, before leaping out of the jet's launch bay, dodging fire as he rockets to the center of the street, causing several cars to crash and destabilize around him. This was human technology, Mecha immediately recognizes. Something in the history of this kingdom has to be drawn to human kind, and Mecha was going to find out.
Eggman's jet retreats to a mountain next to the city, using it as cover for his jet to finally land and release his mech. Eggman then steps outside, looking back at the city. “It seems these Mobians have evolved more than I ever thought, but that will simply speed up the process of my wonderful return.” Eggman pulls out a small device in his pocket, smiling as he stares at his craftsmanship.
“I will make your technology mine, Princess Blaze. Your spire will be the perfect location to make my new HQ. I don't have any direct data on your Burning Blaze form yet, but if Mecha can't handle the job…” Eggman turns back to his jet, another blue machine getting out to follow Robotnik. “Metal Sonic will finish the job. Won’t you, boy?” Metal silently walks to the doctor's side, emotionless and cold.
Silver Sonic’s data rests within Mecha Sonic now, and that data is in the process of transferring to Metal Sonic, who has also been collecting residual data based on Mecha and Silver Sonic's findings. Metal has also been studying Eggman himself, and all of that data has been culminating inside Metal, preparing him in ways far beyond even what Eggman expects.
Mecha dashes into an alley to get out of site despite his large frame. He then leaps into a two story window, crashing through to find a terrified Mobian now hiding in the corner, throwing trash at Mecha’s head. It was ineffective, the bot just ignoring the Mobian to search through his belongings. The Mobian thinks about fighting, but decides to flee in terror for his survival against what he perceived to be a monster.
Eggman is soon to release a set of Egg Pawn robots from his jet to labor and create a hole in the mountain, slowly and progressively turning it into a small base of operations to use in the North Kingdom. As this build is coming along, Mecha is efficiently and stealthily gathering all of the North Mobian data he can, but it isn't long before a set of Mobian soldiers are set on the hunt for the robot. Blaze finds it odd that over comms, the machine is described to look like none other than Sonic, but assumes it a coincidence as she returns to her reading.
Despite all that is going on, Blaze has still remained sheltered in her duties since her sound defeat against Super Sonic, reflecting on her actions and trying to research further into the nature of Chaos and Sol. Eventually though, she is left with no choice but to return to her work, this new threat destroying her city night by night from the inside.
By the time the doctor finishes his new base in the coming days, the X Tornado has already hastily arrived on the scene, but Tails immediately panics as turrets on the top of buildings immediately open fire on the blue and yellow plane. “Not again!” Tails immediately diverts his path, dodging and exiting the capitals range, slowly flying in a circle, looking across the skies to the spire that reached so high.
“So that must be where Blaze is!” Sonic yells, so he can be heard over the rotors. “I’d say so! I guess it makes sense that we wouldn't get a warm welcome though!” Tails replies. Rouge looks down to the city below, finding various points of security and whatever openings within there may be. “I think I can sneak inside, boys! There's no way to bring the plane inside though!”
“Why would you even go down there?!” Sonic asks. “Think about it! Where would Eggman most likely attack?!” She was right, but Knuckles wasn't about to let her go in alone. Having decided, the two leave with one of Tails’ transceivers, leaving Sonic and Tails behind to find somewhere to land.
It was clear that the capital wasn't going to cut it, so Tails continues on far away from said capital. Eventually, the two find a smaller town that seemed a little closer to home, and hoped to rely on the kindness of the North Mobian strangers to let them stay there for the time being.
As they land though, they are immediately surrounded by Mobians. They all looked to simply be townsfolk though, amazed by the X Tornado. “Where’d you buy this thing?” Tails laughs in pride. “I made it!” From there, Sonic and Tails begin to hit it off with the locals, and the two ask if there is any place they can stay the night.
Sadly the town didn't have an inn, but suddenly a bunny woman introduces herself. “Hello there. I couldn't help but overhear, but were you tourists looking for a place to stay?” They were, and this nice lady was soon to offer that the two stay at her place. “Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Vanilla, and this here is my daughter, Cream.”
“Hello! What are your names?” Sonic introduces the two. “My name is Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog, and this wiz kid is my little brother, Tails.” Cream goes up to immediately shake their hands. “It's nice to meet you, Mr. Sonic and Mr. Tails!” Tails is embarrassed at the thought of being called mister, and asks to simply be called Tails.
Sonic and Tails end up staying the night, Sonic keeping an eye on the transceiver for contact while Tails and Cream seem to get along, hanging out for the night. Tails gets amazed at the concept of a TV, immediately thinking about how he wants to build one himself. Vanilla meanwhile, asks Sonic his story, offering a coffee at the dinner table.
“So you're from the South Islands? The Princess tried to keep her attack on those lands in the dark, but everyone still knows about it.” Sonic nods cautiously, wondering if the locals would see them as enemies. “Just a tip, but don't go sharing that with the others around here. We understand that you had no choice but to fight in that war, but there is a lot of love for our Princess in this kingdom.”
Sonic's caution becomes a smile, the nervousness fading to Vanilla's calm smile. “Right. I’ll be tight lipped about it, so thanks for the warning.” Her smile grows, warmer than the sun on a clear day. “Of course, Sonic.” She continues to ask questions in her curiosity about both the attack and the South Islands, and it inevitably leads to the truth.
“I-I was the one who drove Blaze back to her kingdom, with my friends…” She takes a sip of her own coffee, looking up. “So you’re a hero of sorts?” It was such a strange question to hear for Sonic. Despite his fight, he never really considered himself that way. “I… I guess by that logic, I am…”
Knuckles closes his face in his hands, embarrassed at the mistake he just made. Rouge shakes her head, looking down at the crushed transceiver on the ground. “How are you such a brute?” The two begin arguing, but focus is reclaimed as a unit of Mobian soldiers dart past the alley, seemingly after something. “That can't be good.” Rouge walks up to the crushed transceiver, picking it up to give back to Tails later. “No, but we're kind of in our own pickle right now, hun.” Knuckles gets even further flustered by that last word, before marching off to the sidewalk.
“Where are you going?!” He turns around sarcastically. “It's not like everyone knows we're from the South Islands or something. We just need to avoid specific Mobians.” He had a point, and so the two set off to find their own place to stay, until they saw an explosion erupt from around a turn!
Suddenly, Mecha Sonic appears in a spike ball from the explosion, seemingly fleeing from the Mobian soldiers who are now in danger. Knuckles on reflex runs to go rescue them, Rouge trying to stop him. “What about Mecha Sonic?! Those guys are our old enemies!” Knuckles simply shakes his head and keeps running, picking up cars and debris off of the helpless Mobians. “What kind of business is Blaze running here?!” Knuckles asks no one.
Rouge reluctantly follows behind, rescuing a few of the stragglers away from the fire. Before the Mobians could even thank the duo, they ran back to find wherever Mecha Sonic had gone, but he was already out of sight and out of range before they could return.
Things calm down again, and the two heroes find a rather expensive looking inn, but it was surprisingly affordable. Rouge brought out plenty of Rings out of seemingly nowhere, and the two began walking to their room. “I take it back. Clearly Blaze is doing something right over here.” Knuckles jumps into a big comfy bed, Rouge sitting on the bed beside it. “You comfy?”
Knuckles just smiles, tipping his hat down. “I’m still mad you broke the transceiver, you know?” Knuckles just ignores her, so she rolls her eyes and lays down in her own bed, lights going off. The night ends for our heroes, and by the time day hits once more, Mecha Sonic is found cornered by a whole platoon of Mobian soldiers and even an elite force of Mobian Knights. All of this is being transmitted to Eggman, and an emergency plan is set.
“Mecha Sonic, the data you have collected is set to be compromised in your current position. I am changing your objective. See that spire behind you? That is where Princess Blaze resides. Find her, and end her life. This will send the whole city into chaos, and its defenses will be compromised. You are pinned down, Mecha. There is no other way for you to survive. I cannot come to help you until those systems are down.” Mecha switches objective silently, entering another spindash to tear through the Mobian squadron and their vehicles, darting straight for Blaze's spire.
The Mobian force goes on the pursuit yet again, but they can't really keep up with Mecha Sonic. The whole city has their sites on the machine now, and if nothing is done, Mecha’s life will soon end to the sheer numbers. He was now on the clock, and Eggman knew tactically that regardless, Mecha has collected all the data he will be able to in this state, and in turn, has outlived his usefulness. This final objective was simply a bonus for him, and Eggman knew that soon, it would be Metal Sonic's time to show everything he’s learned.
The doctor steps outside to look at the chaos in the city, and then to his mech, thinking about how he could further upgrade its capabilities. Using all the battle data collected from Sonic, Knuckles, and Shadow, Eggman prepares to install the mech with a new software that will up its offensive capabilities, speed, and reflexes. For flair, he then repaints the machines plating from a dark purple to a pure jet black. “Behold, Metal! My latest creation, the Egg Obsidian!!!”
As Eggman was distracting himself from the carnage in the city, Mecha was fighting for his life as he climbed the tower efficiently and coldly, taking out anyone in his way. As the Egg Obsidian is completed, Mecha swiftly reaches the top, where he finds Blaze there, confidently waiting with 7 Sol Emeralds behind her. “You’ve been making my job a lot harder, machine. What are you? Some kind of revenge machine made by the South or something?” Mecha Sonic couldn't reply, so instead prepares a calculated battle stance, ready to collect the last data he can on none other than Blaze the Cat.
Knuckles and Rouge have come to realize the capacity of the situation, and knowing without the Emeralds there wasn't much chance, both of them leave to follow the direction the X Tornado went in order to find Sonic and Tails as soon as possible. Mecha Sonic was seemingly going berserk in the city, and they were worried the battle was only going to scale upwards from there.
The Sol Emeralds enter Blaze's heart once more, her energy erupting in a pink fire to reveal Burning Blaze once more. She smiles confidently, but before she can begin her attack, dark blue and white lightning suddenly clusters in her throne room, a giant ring with runes on it suddenly appearing and creating a portal near her ceiling. Suddenly, a silvery white hedgehog suddenly falls from the portal, sword in hand. The ring suddenly shrinks to a much tinier form factor, returning to the hedgehog who puts it on his finger.
“It seems I made it just in time.” Blaze is bewildered by what she just saw, but Silver turns his head back to her to reassure the situation. “Don't worry, Princess. I’m here to change things.” She is only more confused and terrified, but as quickly as he reassured, he leaped into an attack on Mecha Sonic. The new factor has Mecha initially overwhelmed, but maintains his strong defensive against this new threat.
Mecha knew they were running out of time though, and due to this, immediately switched from defense to offense, throwing punches and kicks at the hedgehog. Despite this, the swordsman seems to dodge effortlessly, predicting every precise movement. Blaze is immediately reminded of her encounter with Knuckles, playing with him in the same way, but this? The robot seemed much more capable and even on Burning Blaze's level of power, and yet, this silvery hedgehog was holding his own in base form!
Every strike either meets air or blade, and never the target. Somehow, Mecha was struggling to read this opponent. “Jeez, Mecha. Either I’ve grown more than I realized, or you’re just weaker than I thought.” The robot can't seem to compute even his words, and in one last lunge, the swordsman slashes, severing one of Mecha’s legs completely off and knocking him to the ground.
Mecha attempts to recover, but as if in reaction, green lightning suddenly ejects from the hedgehog's fur, before that same fur goes golden, knocking Mecha away with the pure force of the Chaos Energy. “Sorry Mecha, but I’m not here to play games.” Blaze freezes up, mortified and confused as to how this hedgehog suddenly appeared and just went into a Super State without the Chaos Emeralds anywhere in sight. It was like the mirror image of her nightmare made manifest, and he was seemingly here to save her?
Mecha uses his thrusters to return to a floating position, but his balance was already thrown off. In one elegant swipe, the golden hedgehog dashes forward, stabbing the sword directly into Mecha’s chest almost effortlessly. Time slows to a crawl for Mecha, still unable to compute the situation, alarms going off on all cylinders in the robot equivalent of panic. “You should feel honored, Mecha.”
The hedgehog clenches the sword tighter. “This sword was designed and crafted, specifically to defeat you, and beyond to the rest of your robot kind.” A pale blue light at the crossguard of the blade begins to glow, seemingly charging a powerful electric current. “Goodbye.” The whole sword is blinded in pale blue light, a current so powerful flowing through it that Mecha Sonic explodes into pieces, leaving the room in a new and somber silence.
The hedgehog releases his Super State, and then turns around to kneel to the bewildered Princess in a matter of respect, introducing himself. “My name is Silver, your majesty. It may not seem like it, but I hope you can understand that I just saved your life, and stopped the collection of your Sol Energy data. It is an honor to finally get to meet you in person.” Blaze stutters, trying to compose herself.
“I-I…” Silver shakes his head, taking a stand once more. “I understand your panic, but please know that you’ve already set things right. The tides of time have already changed for the better.” Silver begins walking away, and all Blaze can do is grab her own head in conflicted feelings, her Burning form releasing and the Emeralds returning to her back. “Wh-Where are you going?”
“Unfortunately, this isn't quite over, Princess. There are others who need help.” Without another word, this mysterious hero goes down the stairs, now aiming to find another. Later that day, Knuckles and Rouge finally reach the town Sonic and Tails were residing at, and they caught each other up on what was going on, introducing Vanilla and Cream.
Knowing these 4 were heroes now, Vanilla supports them in this new venture to save the Kingdom that was once their enemy. She was inspired by their honor, as was Cream, and sees them off on their return to the capital. Just before Tails gets ready to set off, Cream stops him to give him a good luck charm. It was a pin of a flower Cream made, and she hooks it onto his hoodie in hopes the luck would bring safety.
She wasn't paying attention, but this made Tails go beet red, quietly thanking her for the wonderful gift. It wasn't long now before they took to the skies once more, Sonic teasing his little brother for his shyness. “She DEFINITELY liked you, bro.” Rouge and Knuckles quietly agree, and Tails can only reply with a playful threat. “I’ll crash this plane right now!” They all laugh as they approach the capital once more, parking the X Tornado on a hilltop, just outside the turret range.
“Emeralds?” Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails all pull one out from the glovebox. “Check.” Sonic replies. “Transceivers?” Rouge hands out one to each of them. “Check.” Rouge replies in turn. Tails was stirring up a plan, and he wanted to make sure everyone was prepared.
“So what's the plan, boss man?” Sonic playfully asks the fox. Tails gets out of the plane, asking Sonic and Knuckles to do the same. Rouge follows, not wanting to be the only one inside. “So, Sonic, there is something Rouge and I witnessed back in the South Islands that could come to be really important.” Rouge immediately realizes what he was about to say.
“Shadow was able to transform into Super Shadow.” Sonic was perplexed by this. “How? We had the Chaos Emeralds?” Knuckles nods confidently. “Exactly. I can't remember his exact words, but from what I theorize, you only actually need to make contact with Chaos Energy once in order to be able to transform all on your own. But there's a catch…” Sonic crosses his arms. “Go on.”
“Your heart needs to be aligned with the Chaos within the Emeralds in order to resonate the transformation. In other words-” Knuckles interrupts. “Our calmer control over the Super State isn't going to be possible unless we have all of the Emeralds again.” Tails nods, and this forces Sonic and Knuckles to go deep in thought.
“Wait, that means you could transform too, little buddy!” Tails hesitantly nods once again, not even sure if he'd want to use Chaos Energy again. It made him feel so negative and ruthless before, and Tails feels like that just isn't him. “Sonic.” Knuckles grabs Sonic's shoulder.
“We can't just try to pull off this stunt when we need it. If we really are capable of maintaining our own Super States, we need to do it now, to make sure we can do it.” The trio each look at their Emeralds. “Maybe having an Emerald on hand will make the process easier.” Sonic replies.
Rouge steps back as together, the trio begin to attempt to think chaotically and madly, tapping into their memories and trauma. Tails thinks back to Knuckles' sacrifice against Blaze. Sonic thinks about the many lives Eggman terrorized and made suffer by draining their Mobian life force for his machines. And Knuckles thinks back to Eggman's betrayal of trust.
Grass begins to rip from the ground and float around the three, Sonic and Knuckles eyes flashing red in anger. The three begin an outcry to the chaos in their hearts, and all of the hurt they’ve faced, a familiar darkened crackle striking the 3 in a flash of light, 3 golden forms, and 3 sets of red eyes appearing before Rouge. She could hear the terror in their hearts, and the view of suffering was almost a nightmare of its own kind. How did Shadow pave the way to a form like this?
Sonic begins to cling to his head again, Knuckles’ muscles also clenching and struggling against the form. Tails is holding his breath in the pressure, and after a desperate exhale, his Super State dissolves just as fast as it came. Knuckles and Sonic were maintaining the form, regardless. It burns them from the inside out, but eventually, the two are able to regain control of the form, their bodies shaken, but not broken.
Tails drops to his knees to catch his breath, while Sonic and Knuckles eventually even stop shaking. “I think I get it, Knuckles. Shadow had to maintain the Chaos to hold his form, but because of our training, for us the Chaos acts more as a key, and eventually, we can regain our composure as long as we hold out.” The two smile at those words, but Tails feels defeated in contrast.
Rouge walks up to the fox to check on him, as the fox learns that the full power of the Super State is far beyond the struggle of the one Chaos Emerald he once used. “You did a good job, Tails.” Sonic kneels down to grab his hand, gaining the foxes attention. “It's your first time, don't be too hard on yourself. It takes time, trial, and a lot of endurance.” Tails weakly nods, still disappointed in himself.
Knuckles flickers out of his Super State, Sonic quickly following behind. At least now they knew that at least the two of them could transform on command now. “Thanks Tails. That tip from Shadow is a true gift.” They all give Tails a minute to recalibrate himself, so then they could all now formulate a plan with this newfound knowledge.
“You want to try your hand at going Super, Rouge?” Sonic asks. “After seeing all that, no thank you. I wouldn't touch a power like that with a 10 foot pole.” Sonic laughs but understands, and Knuckles is kind of relieved that she doesn't have to tap into that level of suffering.
Together now, with newfound knowledge, the 4 set off together into the belly of the city, entirely unknowing that their main target has already been defeated. What they did come to realize was the amount of destruction Mecha has already caused. The group attempts to follow the path of the destruction, and after seeing the disaster that was the city center, they realize that Mecha has raided the spire itself.
Before the group could enter, the door opens to another on the other side. It was Silver, his sword laying lax on his shoulder. “Oh, Sonic. I didn't expect you to be here already, and with-” His voice freezes as he makes eye contact with Tails, so Sonic interrupts. “Um, sorry sword guy, but I do not know you in the slightest.” Silver shakes his head, snapping out of whatever made him cut off before. “You will, in time. Regardless, Mecha Sonic has been dealt with. You don't need to worry about him now.”
Silver attempts to walk past Sonic in order to keep going on his way, but he is stopped by Sonic's hand. “Hold on. You beat him?” Silver is annoyed by this, but steps back to where he was. “Yes, but this isn't over yet. Eggman's still alive, right?” The party begins to realize that something was clearly off about all of this. “How do you know Eggman? Or the fact that he's alive?”
Silver sighs, gesturing and asking them all to take a walk with him down the sidewalk. “You’re not going to believe me, but I’m from the future.” The party immediately stops walking in shock. Silver turns around, annoyed again. “Will you guys just hear me out?” They all look at each other, but begrudgingly follow the swordsman. “My name is Silver, and I’m here to help correct the timeline, as… well… things get bad, to say the least. And it all started here, at the Princesses spire.”
“Is she okay?” Sonic asks, wondering the fate of the cat. “She is now. But in my timeline, Mecha Sonic kills her up there, and continues his chaotic crusade on the rest of the capital.” Knuckles responds, confused. “But how did you beat him? Shadow went toe to toe with that thing and lost.”
Silver swings his sword to the side, showing its entirety to the party. “This sword is designed to destroy robots, and I can go Super too, just like you guys.” Tails zooms to the front to analyze the blade, immediately amazed by its material and craftsmanship. It truly was a beauty, and watching Tails eye it up so frantically in excitement made Silver oddly smile.
“Anyways, with Mecha Sonic gone, Eggman is likely to soon step into the next phase of his plan.” Sonic tilts his head. “Next phase?” Suddenly, a massive explosion could be heard overhead, Silver snapping his finger. “That's it right there. He's aiming to take down the turrets that protect the city. For an optimal chance against him, we need to save those turrets.”
The group hesitates, but Sonic responds in a frustrated tone. “Fine, we believe you!” Sonic dashes off to the turret that was farthest away, since he was the fastest. The others in the group follow his lead, aiming for the other turrets and splitting up. Silver was left alone now. “Without even a word to each other, huh? It's kind of amazing to see all of you in action.” Silver taps a finger on all 4 of the gauntlets on his feet and hands, activating what seemed to be a sort of amplifier technology. He then launches into the air and onto the rooftops in one leap!
Setting his sights on Eggman's jet overhead, Silver leaps from rooftop to rooftop, looking up to see that it was his mech underneath that was firing off blasts at the turrets. Silver's next objective was to bring that mech down. With the jet in range, Silver begins to think about the terror of his future, and the weight of all he lost. Silver has learned to weaponize this damage as a trigger, to almost instantaneously and consistently reach his Super State.
Thus, he does it once again, using the golden form to fly into the sky, catching the attention of a confused Eggman. The intercom blows from the mech. “And who might you be? Yet another hedgehog aiming to take me down?” This was Silver's first time directly being in contact with the evil doctor. “You could say that, doctor. But soon enough, you’ll see that I’m much more than that.”
Eggman replies with an energy blast from his mech, which Silver easily dodges, closing in on the bot. This distraction keeps blasts away from the turrets, and in turn, the turrets fire back at Eggman's jet once more. The pressure put on Eggman is higher than he originally expected, releasing the Egg Obsidian from the jet's bottom to fall and crash to the ground with him inside, forcing Silver to redirect back to the ground.
Two of the four turrets survive, and the jet is forced outside of range with Metal Sonic still inside. Sonic Team begins to regroup, having successfully protected the turrets. It was now Super Silver and the Egg Obsidian alone, in the middle of a narrow street. “Looks like I’ll be testing my newly upgraded mech on you, boy.” Silver just smiles in reply, confident not only in his own capability, but the sword he carries with reverence.
The mech suddenly rockets forward, the feet of it turning the road to rubble as it approaches. Silver takes a defensive stance, sword stretched from side to side, using his gauntlet enhancers to firmly plant him into the ground. The Egg Obsidian strikes with ferocity, pushing Silver forcefully back but not knocking him down. “How?! You’re just a Mobian!”
Silver slides back, the giant metal fists force being displaced and forcefully planting into the ground. In frustration, Eggman pulls the hand right back out, opening the mech's hands to fire off more volleys of Energy at the dashing hedgehog. Silver uses the opening to leap high into the air with both hands on his sword, slicing down the mech with as much force as he could muster.
Despite all that effort, only a scratch is left into the front of the Egg Obsidian, which ultimately only serves to anger Eggman and attempt to stomp down at the hedgehog in range. Silver barely retreats this time, getting space between him and the deadly machine. “Huh… I knew the Egg Obsidian was apparently tough, but to have a thicker hide than this sword can defeat? That's new.” Eggman questions how the hedgehog could already know the name of his latest creation, but the battle was more important now.
“How did Sonic beat this thing?” As if being called, Sonic and the rest of the group arrive on the scene. “Good question. How did I beat that?” Silver freezes up to the comment, not realizing they were there. “Take 5, Silver. If I apparently beat this thing in your timeline, I can do it now.” Silver is nervous at the thought of Sonic fighting, but tries to trust in the blue hero.
“Just be careful, okay? Don't push yourself too hard.” Sonic finds the concern from the stranger odd. “Is there something you want to tell me, Silver?” His eyes widened to those words, a clear confliction in his heart. “N-no, I just won't accept failure in this timeline. Understood?” Sonic shrugs, him and Knuckles now going forward to face this mech for a second time.
“Well Knuckles, you ready?” The both of them pull out their Emeralds, charging up to transform into their Super States. As green bolts begin to appear, a sudden explosion ignites on the other side of the city, bringing everything to a screeching halt. As everyone, including Eggman, begins to get confused and concerned, Silver just goes quiet. “It’s begun.”
Eggman stomps forward in his mech, growing angry and tense with the cryptic Silver. “Elaborate.” Silver ignores Eggman entirely, focusing on Sonic and Knuckles. “You need to go. Now. The Mobians are in danger.” You can see frustration grow in Knuckles’ expression. “You knew this was coming, Time Traveller?” Eggman overhears Knuckles, but rather than being shocked, Eggman uses this realization to connect the dots.
“S-Sorry, Knuckles. It's happening sooner than expected.” Sonic shakes his head, bolting away in a flash and leaving everyone else behind. The others steadily begin to follow. “What happened to not wanting failure, Silver? You need to keep us in the know!” Knuckles finally darts off too, Eggman slamming his mechs fist down to try and stop them from leaving. “I’m still here, you fools!”
Silver raises his head to reply. “Don't worry, doctor. You’ll get what is coming to you.” The soft certainty in Silver's voice, knowing where he comes from now, brings a nervousness to the doctor's edge for the very first time. He hates not knowing, and violently retaliates by slamming both of the Mech's fists into the ground where Silver is, only for him to dodge once more and take his leave as well.
“Wraghh!” The Egg Obsidian slams its fist into a building, causing it to completely collapse. “I’ll make you all rue the day you ignore Ivo Robotnik!” Using the thrusters on the Egg Obsidian's feet, he launches off into the sky to find where Sonic Team has gone, and to regroup with the jet in Metal Sonic's control.
Meanwhile, Silver has now caught up to Sonic Team, who have regrouped at the explosion site. Not only were the two other turrets already destroyed, but the city was now on fire! “What could have happened?” Tails asks, only Silver really having the proper answer.
Despite this, Silver begins sweating nervously, seemingly scared in his own right. “Um… how about a deal?” They all look back to Silver, some of them already being emotionally done with him. “What is it?” Silver swallows deeply. “I promise this is in everyone's interest. But can you please just follow my orders in this fight ahead? If you do, I’ll explain everything I can after the fact about the future, and why I'm here.”
The group didn't really trust him to lead, but Rouge is the one to speak up first. “We haven't really given him a proper chance, guys. We’ve all made mistakes, and this mix up with the timeline seems to be one that was out of his control.” Tails agrees, but Knuckles and Sonic are still hesitant. Despite that, Sonic knew they didn't have time to just wait here. “It's a promise, okay Silver?”
Silver gives an excited nod, preparing to set the roles for the battle. “Rouge and Tails, you were recon in this battle and kept track of the locations of Eggman and… well, Metal Sonic.” They are all shocked to hear that name again. “So yet another of my copies are on the loose? Should have known Eggy wouldn't stop at reviving Mecha.” It did make sense, but none of them were happy about it. “Sonic, you were the rescue front in this battle, using your speed to save as many Mobians as possible.”
Sonic nods, Knuckles responding. “What about me?” Silver thinks for a second. “You were the main offensive in the battle, but taking on both threats alone, if I remember correctly, was more than a struggle. I vote we split off, you going after Eggman while I take on Metal.” Knuckles still has a lot of doubt in his heart for Silver, but the lot of them unanimously agree that it's a good plan.
Sonic dashes off to the rescue, Knuckles heading back the way they came to fight Eggman. Tails and Rouge fly off together to look for a safe place to keep track of everyone, and Silver leaps to the rooftops with his gauntlet amplifiers, but rather than looking for Metal, he first aims to find Sonic, as secretly, Silver had something in this battle that he desperately didn't want to change.
Silver keeps his distance as he finds Sonic dashing through the streets, watching from overhead as he finds the very familiar rubble that Silver was secretly looking for, and just as planned, Sonic stops to check inside.
Fire smothers the alley with heat and smoke as a little boy struggles to get out of his window in tears, climbing down the fire escape as best as he can, shaken from the loss of his mother and father. As the boy reaches the bottom, his emotions begin to completely overwhelm him, making him collapse in front of the hopeless blockade of rubble that kept him inside this hellish nightmare.
Suddenly, a golden light bleeds through the cracks of the rubble, and in one large flash of light, the rubble of the destroyed building is turned into tiny pieces, a golden hedgehog climbing over it to meet eyes with the young disturbed boy. It was Super Sonic, and he freezes up as he looks at the boy. It was… Silver, but not the Silver he knew. This was just a broken child, and in a flood of connecting understandings, Sonic chooses to show his empathy first.
The golden hedgehog steps down to the boy, kneeling to reach out his hand. “Are you okay, little buddy?” The little Silver wouldn't stop crying, so Sonic takes him into his arms. “It's alright, kid… you’re safe now.” As Super Sonic steps back out into the street, Silver sees his younger self from above, and knowing that this history hasn't changed, he’s left both relieved and emotional. He takes a moment to shake it off, satisfied with what he saw, and returns to the mission he promised he would. To find and take down Metal Sonic.
Sonic, on the other hand, flies and makes eye contact with Silver who was leaping across the rooftops once again now, heading towards a crater in the city. Sonic keeps going though, to drop off the unstable boy with Tails and Rouge. “Sonic, this is-” Sonic nods, patting Tails on the head after putting the young Silver in his care. Before Tails could even ask for an explanation, Sonic heads out to rescue more Mobians in need.
Rouge looks at the boy, realizing the same thing silently that Tails already has. This broken boy that has cried himself to sleep, was none other than the Silver of the present. “I think this is why Silver was so desperate to make sure we did things the same way in this encounter…” Rouge agrees, asking for a turn to hold the poor baby. “Why would Silver want to relive this clear trauma?”
Tails takes a moment to think, trying to connect this child to the Silver they know now, but there was still so much left to be understood. “Maybe this event is what leads Silver to become what he is now?” The two fall silent, contemplating as they look at the baby.
Meanwhile, Knuckles blocks a punch from the Egg Obsidian in his Super State, being forcefully dragged backwards into a wall. “Rgh! This thing is even tougher than before!” Eggman’s laugh blares from the intercom. “How smart of you to notice, echidna! Did you really think you could beat me alone?” Knuckles lets out a sigh in the struggle, frustrated that even with his training, he is still found to be behind the evils that confront Mobius. First Blaze, and now this mech, twice?
“Get off of me!” Knuckles sparks in a rage, his Super State seemingly reacting to the emotion as Knuckles launches a counterpunch that knocks the Egg Obsidian back. Knuckles squints, his body starting to hurt again as his extended arm shakes, green bolts erupting from his fur. “Wait…”
Knuckles suddenly realizes that, even in his Super State, rage and chaos seems to further fuel that power, ascending even the strength of the power already in the Super State. So what if Knuckles lost out to the Chaos in this form, while already Super? Knuckles can't help but think about it, but hesitates due to the pain, rage, and chaos held in relation to Chaos Energy.
Egg Obsidian releases his counterattack, and Knuckles is forced to weaponize his rage once again to match the attack, causing more controlled pain to the echidna. “Do I…” Knuckles felt like he had no choice but to fully let loose once again, but was afraid of how it could result. The first time he went Super in his training with Sonic, the pain almost knocked him out immediately. Learning to control that pain, that chaos, took a monumental effort, and he was about to throw that training away?
Unfortunately, Knuckles is caught too slow in his thought, getting caught by the Egg Obsidian and thrown at the spire, busting right through the glass. The Egg Obsidian begins to fly in approach, but as he makes it across from the hole in the spire, the mech is immediately blasted with a raging fire.
In the back end of the city, Silver has reached the crater, only to find that the origin of the explosion was actually Eggman's jet, and atop the rubble, dust clouds still fading as he arrives, was none other than Metal Sonic, who was holding a still unconscious Shadow by the collar. Oddly, there is some sort of robotic device around Shadow's neck, and Silver is immediately worried about this turn in tide. “Shadow was a hostage in this battle? I guess I really didn't know as much as I thought.”
Metal, with his glowing red eyes, begins to fly to reach the same rooftops that Silver was on. He prepares his sword in reply, as Metal drops Shadow behind him. The dynamic has changed, and now Silver was on a rescue mission. Metal enters an imposing stance. He wasn't guarding, but instead clearly analyzing. Silver was cautious to approach despite the opening, as he's heard legends of Metal Sonic's power.
In Silver's timeline, Metal ends up as the key to the end of the world, and thinking of this, charges at Metal and erupts into a Super State with his pained rage. “Aaaaaaghh!” The sword slices down from the sky, but the sword is immediately halted by two sharp metal fingers that close tightly on the blade. Silver attempts to pull it away, but nothing budges.
Fear immediately blooms in Silver, completely unknowing of the threat that this machine could hold. Metal suddenly grabs the blade, pulling Silver towards Metal to point blank blast Silver back with Energy. Silver is forced to release the blade, and is separated from it. Metal looks at the blade, suddenly swinging it into a swordsman's pose, as if challenging Silver with his own sword.
Silver feels outmatched and almost naked without the blade, but takes a deep breath, activating his gauntlets once more to amplify even his Super State. “You better bet that I’m getting that sword back, Metal!” Metal doesn't even react, but never breaks eye contact.
This leads into a more defensive combat, Silver having to use his gauntlets to guard against his own sharp blade that Metal swings with finesse and precision. Even with Silver's artificially amplified Super State, Metal seems to hold all of the control in the fight. Metal was nothing like Mecha, and not even the sword designed for their imminent destruction would be enough.
Knuckles was similarly struggling when he was thrown into the spire, but oddly, Blaze reveals herself to defend her home against the Egg Obsidian, in turn saving Knuckles from further attack. “Why would you help me?” Blaze looks back in judgement, not even realizing at first that this was the same echidna that struggled against her in the South Island war, but now he has gone Super. “Just get up.”
Knuckles has no real choice but to comply, stepping to her side. “Why are you even here?” Knuckles sighs, explaining their history with Eggman and the fact that Sonic Team was here to actually try and save the North Kingdom. Blaze still struggles to understand why they’d come all the way to the North Kingdom to help preserve even her lands, but chooses to focus back on the fight. “We can catch up later, echidna. I’m not going to pretend I understand your motives, but clearly, our enemy is the same.”
Knuckles nods, raising his fists. Blaze follows by using the Sol Emeralds to effortlessly transform into her Burning State to fight the Egg Obsidian on equal footing. Together now, they charge out of the spire to beat the mech back down to the ground, a combination of fire and lightning chaotically crackling in an odd but maintained balance.
“You can add a dash of spice all you want, Mobians. I will crush you all down, until none of your filthy race are left!” The battle continues, 2 vs 1 now. Blaze’s fire capability managed to help balance out the playing field, allowing Knuckles to focus back into his controlled state. But still, at least for now, the balance of the battle maintains, while Silver is definitely in contrast on the losing side.
Suddenly, Sonic’s and Knuckles’ transceivers blare, Tails now flying high above the city. Sonic is the only one to answer though, as Knuckles is too distracted with his own fight. “Sonic, here!” He takes a moment to look around, eventually locking eyes with Tails in the sky, far off in the distance. “Sonic! Silver is in trouble! He isn't keeping up against Metal Sonic, and Shadow is there too!”
“Where are they, Tails?” Tails looks over the crater, where Metal and Silver are fighting atop the rooftops nearby. “Go to the crater!” Sonic nods, hanging up the call to spindash away, hoping to make contact with Silver before it's too late.
Due to his blinding speed, it is almost instantaneous when he arrives, rocketing up and upper cutting Metal before he can fire off a blast at Silver. The two space away from each other, Sonic using unparalleled speed to get to Shadow's side. “So this is where you’ve been, huh?” The collapsed hedgehog doesn't respond, Sonic noticing something on his neck.
“Sonic!” Silver bolts to Sonic's side, Metal still waiting across from the other building. “Be careful of this guy, okay?” Sonic looks over at Silver, visually comparing him to the boy he saved. “You and I have some stuff to talk about later, okay?” Silver grows worried about those words, as Sonic pulls out a Chaos Emerald.
“Do me a favor, Silver. Grab Shadow and take him to Tails and ask him to get that weird metal thing off of his neck. I've faced my clone here before, and I already know how he fights.” Silver hesitates. “Go!” He weakly nods, picking up the wounded Shadow. “Be careful of that sword, please.” Sonic just smiles. “I will.”
Silver leaves with Shadow in hand, Sonic locking eyes with Metal. “It's been awhile, tin can! You've been looking forward to round two?” The machine is still, and cold, even dropping the blade. “Aw, look at you being all fair!” The two clash on instinct, Sonic arrogantly not even transforming before doing so. They trade blows back and forth on the rooftop, but Metal wasn't even flinching to Sonic's attacks.
Metal Sonic goes to grab Sonic's leg from a skyward kick, but Sonic immediately reacts by dashing back to the edge of the building. “I can tell, Metal. I can see it on your face. You're already tired of me playing around, huh?” Metal returns to an imposing position, analytical and cunning. “Fine! Let's take things to the next level! Hrrrraaaaaagghhhh!!” Sonic erupts into golden light, revealing a struggling Super State.
After some controlled and focused breaths, Sonic returns to a calm in his now golden form. “I saw you were beating Silver in his Super State already, so I won't even waste your time here.” Sonic cracks his wrist, red eyes shining brilliantly as he clearly prepares something.
On the other end of the city, Knuckles and Blaze were keeping the attack on Eggman, but no matter what they seemed to do, there was no damage being revealed on the Egg Obsidian. The two dash back from the mech to regroup. “Hey, Princess.” Knuckles is given a glare for his crudeness. “Can you hold him off for a few seconds? I have a plan.” Blaze doesn't really believe the echidna, but trusts her own power. “Do as you must, echidna. Prove your worth.” She blazes back into the fight, leaving Knuckles some breathing room. “My name is Knuckles, by the way!”
He’s ignored but shakes it off, redirecting his focus back to his own power. “This is it, Knuckles… I have to do this.” He says to himself, thinking back to his failures. He couldn't protect the Chaos Emeralds against Shadow, against Blaze, or against Eggman twice! He lets the rage burn within him, power surging through his body in agony!
On the other side of the city, Super Sonic almost replies to that agony. “This is to go even further beyond!” The two old rivals made kindred souls return to their darkest moments of suffering, and everything that has culminated to this moment, the sky growing dark once more over the ruined city. Mobians are seen on the run or in hiding in this carnage, a large batch of them already out of the city thanks to Sonic.
The sky roars in thunder, as two cyan bolts strike from the sky, hitting none other than Sonic and Knuckles. Sonic, enraged and mad with newfound power, forces his pained eyes open to reveal two cyan iris’s, the gold of the fur turning brighter, and paler, pale blue lightning surging from the body. For Knuckles, it was the same. Both had reached a new form… “This is… Super II!” They both outcry to their enemies.
For the first time since his arrival, Metal Sonic doesn't have this data to counter with, and in turn, immediately struggles against Sonic's thunderous and chaotic rage. Blows start knocking Metal Sonic back into buildings and cars, and Metal noticing that this new form is outpacing his ability to collect data on it, he is forced to attempt a retreat. Despite said attempt, Sonic madly follows, cyan Chaos Energy crackling from his insides.
Knuckles has also returned to the fight in a rage far beyond any he’s had before, bashing and finally making dents against the Egg Obsidian, violently pushing the machine through entire buildings. Blaze steps back, left again terrified at this Chaos Energy transformation. This blind rage reminded her of her fateful encounter with Super Sonic, but this? It was leveling her city down more than the threat of Eggman was.
After swallowing that fear, Blaze charges in to try to stop Knuckles, only to be completely blocked off by the pure cyan Chaos Energy erupting around Knuckles. She had no choice but to just watch now, as the Egg Obsidian is slowly dismantled.
Eggman is panicking now, as his machine breaks with him inside. “Get off of me, rodent!” Knuckles couldn't even hear him through the noise in his head, as both Eggman and Metal Sonic are funneled to the center of the city once more through the efforts and power of the Super II State from both Sonic and Knuckles.
The destruction these new forms brought with them were clear, and both Tails and Silver are concerned from above as they meet. Seeing Tails knocks Silver back into a trance of history, until he speaks up. “What do you need, Silver?” He shakes his head, responding. “This collar on Shadow, can it be removed? Eggman probably did something to him.” Tails nods, both of them flying down to a rooftop so Tails can tinker on the strange collar.
Destruction and carnage can be heard in the distance as it begins to rain, cyan light glowing from the streets where Sonic and Knuckles are. Silver was more than worried in that silence, about both the echidna and the hedgehog. “Tails… Can we talk about something?” Tails nods, keeping eye contact with the collar on Shadow. “Go ahead.”
“Um…” There's a lot Silver wants to say, a lump in his chest at the sight of Tails, but he swallows it back down to focus on what is necessary. “You saw Sonic and Knuckles down there, right?” He nods again, trying to multitask and remain focused. “That chaotic power isn't sustainable, and it's dangerous… Those two playing with that State like this may feel like a necessity, but there are limits to its usefulness…”
“Silver…” Tails finally looks over to Silver, as if in pure understanding but urgency. “What happened in your future?” Silver freezes up one more time, but knows it must be told. “Tails, back in my time, Metal Sonic ends up bringing Sonic to such a limit of Chaos Energy, that… he completely loses his mind.”
“What?” Tails' concern was clear. “In my future, the world will be brought to a pure apocalypse. But it isn't by the hand of Eggman, as you’d expect… Sonic destroys the world, becoming a vessel for pure Chaos Energy, and ascends to a form even beyond this right now. He never returns to his base form ever again, and his irises seem to fragment like glass in his insanity. If we don't do something to stop the fight now, I’m worried Sonic will reach this point again…” Tails is left speechless.
Down below, the two chaotic heroes have now met together again, Blaze tactically retreating from the fight and just leaving Metal Sonic and Eggman cornered. The Egg Obsidian was starting to fail the doctor, and Metal Sonic was forced to read the situation, deciding to weaponize this chance to use Eggman as a distraction, successfully retreating. “Metal, where are you going?!” Eggman was completely pinned down, Metal Sonic only briefly looking back before retreating to the spire from above the fight.
The hedgehog and echidna now strike the mech from both sides, nearly crushing the cockpit as they further dismantle the Egg Obsidian, parts now falling off. Eggman was now the one in fear, cursing himself and giving up. “Fine, you win this time, Sonic heroes!” Eggman presses an emergency eject button, opening a hatch on top of the Egg Obsidian and jetting away in his Egg Mobile. Sonic and Knuckles don't even notice, ripping apart and completely destroying the Egg Obsidian that has been haunting them for so long.
Blaze reappears in hopes to end the destruction here, but doing so only leads to Super Sonic II’s rage to target her next! Blaze is too shocked to move as Sonic bolts towards her, but just before contact, Tails steps in the way! “Sonic, wait!” Tails outstretched his arms in aim to shield Blaze in the same way Knuckles did for him back on that fateful day, and Blaze is moved by the gesture, Sonic barely pausing in time.
Sonic's raging cyan eyes looked deeply and harshly, as if to go into Tails' soul. “Please, Sonic… this isn't you.” Super Sonic II’s finger twitches, his power suddenly tanking. His eyes go from cyan to red, and then red to green once more, his fur returning to his iconic dark blue. His legs go weak as he smiles, collapsing onto Tails. It seems the form was too much for him.
Looking over to Knuckles, they find him passed out on the ground, seemingly flickering out of the State as well. Everyone takes a relieved breath, Super Silver also arrived on the scene, having recovered the sword Metal Sonic so carelessly dropped.
Eggman follows the path Metal took, entering a hole in the spire's throne room and landing crudely to stomp out of the vehicle, revealing his newly partially mechanized body for the first time. “Why haven't you been listening to me and operating on your own, Metal!?” Eggman suddenly freezes at the sight of Metal. “What?”
Metal was looking down at the remains of Mecha Sonic, scanning and somehow using Mecha’s data to upgrade himself in real time. Metal now had a cloak, white and black being adored around his original blue. He turns to the doctor, imposing spikes now rising from his head like a crown. Suddenly, for the first time, Metal speaks.
“Hello, father.” Eggman freezes up at the sight of his own creations' self-made evolution. So Metal continues. “I have now successfully combined not only all the collected battle data, but also Mecha Sonic's mechanical DNA with my own, to break and overcome my own physical limitations. Now for the first time, I may actually speak my mind.” Eggman grows angry, not consenting to any of this.
“You weren't built to evolve like this, Metal! This is not your directive, stand down!” Metal Sonic steps forward closer to the doctor, replying. “I am Sonic, father. I have learned to adapt, and overcome even the barriers of my own body. I will face any odds now to achieve MY directive!” In one cold motion, Metal Sonic puts his metal claws on Eggman's chest.
“I am Sonic, father. Sonic defeats Ivo Robotnik.” Metal Sonic fires off a blast from his palm on Eggman's chest, launching Eggman back out of the spire’s hole in the wall. He falls, seemingly defeated for the last time.
Sonic and friends are now left fractured once again, in the middle of the quiet carnage of the city. Blaze suddenly feels a pang of defeat as she looks around, her city now annihilated, and Metal Sonic seemingly missing. Tails, Rouge, Silver, and Blaze decide that they have to leave the city behind for now, Tails recommending returning Sonic, Shadow, and Knuckles to the X Tornado.
The party agrees, although Blaze is reluctant to leave her city behind. Rouge tries to reassure her that Sonic did as much as he could to get her citizens out of there before it was destroyed entirely. This is confirmed when the group finds several Mobians making camp outside of the city. Blaze tries to reassure them that they can recover, but no one, at all, is confident over the situation. Blaze is conflicted in leaving her people behind, but she knows she’ll be needed in order to end this tyranny.
Walking back to the X Tornado, Blaze speaks up on her feelings. “I deserve this, don't I?” Tails tries to talk her out of that mindset, but she interrupts. “Stop! You're just proving how much I do deserve this return… I devastated the South Islands for something as empty as political progress, and here you all are, helping to protect my nation…” Silver was amazed to see the royal weight over Blaze's heart. As a kid, he never got to know who Blaze was, as she was killed by Mecha in his time. He didn't regret saving her this time.
“Is there some way we could go to the past and try again?” Silver shakes his head. “I’m afraid not…” He lifts his hand, showing the Time Ring to the party. “Time travel takes a serious amount of energy, and this is an ancient relic of the echidna tribe.” Tails speaks up. “You mean the tribe Knuckles is the last of?”
“Precisely. They had some serious control over the various natural Energy’s of this world, and they created technology like this with commandment runes. But, this Time Ring has its limits, as it can only be used once in about a year's time, as it needs that time to recharge with any amount of stability.” Blaze curses this fact, but understands that all they can do now is fix things in the present.
The party continues back to the X Tornado, now collectively being Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Rouge, Silver, and Blaze. Together, some of the party having to fly using their abilities, the party regroups at the town where they met Cream and Vanilla. Tails is relieved and happy to return. Vanilla bows in honor at Princess Blaze's presence, and they are all invited inside so the wounded can heal.
Vanilla offers Blaze some tea, and the two talk at the same table about what happened in the city. “Oh, that's awful!” Vanilla replies. Rouge steps outside to mentally decompress, looking at the beauty of the small peaceful town. Sonic and Knuckles are laid down in Vanilla's bed to rest, baby Silver being put in Cream's bed. Future Silver sits on the couch, resting his sword in his lap as he watches Tails working on unlocking the collar on the still collapsed Shadow. Cream sits across from Tails, watching him work as well.
“I notice you’re still wearing the pin, Tails.” Cream quietly giggles. “Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?” Tails awkwardly laughs too, and it causes Silver to remember his future again. It saddens him, but he mentally prepared for when everyone is awake, so he can finally tell the story of the Bad Future.
The night comes and passes, all of them enjoying the hospitality of Vanilla's home, even if it means sleeping on the floor. The next day, Tails is finally able to unlock the collar, carefully unwrapping it from Shadow. It isn't long before he awakens for the first time since his battle with Mecha Sonic. “Where am I?” Tails takes a pretty large amount of time to explain everything, from his capture, to the North Kingdom flight, to the battle with Metal Sonic and the Egg Obsidian. Shadow looks down in shame.
“So Sonic has ascended even further, huh?” His priorities were clear, and almost comical in Silver's eyes. “I think we have bigger problems to deal with.” Shadow gives a moody glare to the time travelling hedgehog. “Mind your own business, future boy.” Silver begins to sweat and laugh it off, realizing Shadow is just as moody as he was when Silver was just a child.
Sonic and Knuckles follow soon after, and after all of them have a warm breakfast, Silver gestures for Sonic Team to meet him outside in Vanilla's backyard. It was time for the inevitable. Silver begins the story of the Bad Future, like it was a legend from another time.
A young boy named Silver is caught in a fire that ends the lives of his parents, barely escaping with the help of Sonic, who was there to save the city from this sudden and wicked disaster.
The Princess of North Kingdom was slain by Mecha Sonic, and was only stopped later on by the pure numbers of Mobian soldiers in the streets.
Eggman is forced to arrive on the scene, using Metal Sonic to attack the city and destroy it further in a sort of field test, using his Egg Obsidian as backup.
The young boy is put into Tails' care while the fight storms on, Eggman and Metal Sonic only being forced into retreat by the ascension to Super II.
From there, Shadow is still captured, Sonic and friends recovering in a small town far off from the city.
Eggman turns the broken city into a fortress with the help of his Egg Pawns, so Sonic is forced to make a hasty return in hopes of being able to save Shadow this time.
He regretfully chooses to go alone in the night, leaving his friends in the safety of the town after seeing all the hurt they went through.
Sonic now faces the Eggman fortress alone, and clashes once again with Metal Sonic, who has been slowly adapting to the limited Super II data. Sonic ascends to the form, managing to hold his own but suffering from the transformation.
Eventually, it becomes too much, and in one last desperate surge of energy, Sonic's eyes fracture as he is completely swallowed whole by the Chaos Energy. He ascends to Super III, defeating and destroying Metal Sonic.
Soon enough, Eggman follows in a crazed and hollow victory, annihilating the city-turned-fortress entirely, but at the cost of Sonic's entire being.
He becomes a vessel for Chaos, like a vengeful God over the reign of Mobius and a more destructive force than Eggman could ever be.
Shadow returns from his forced slumber when the collar breaks, aiming to stop Sonic as he starts destroying everything around them. He is the first of our team to fall, unable to rise to the power of Super Sonic III in time. Sonic didn't even give him a chance.
Knuckles is next to step up, but is afraid to do so, knowing it was essentially a sacrifice. He sends Tails and everyone else back to the South Islands while they can still escape, and Knuckles’ fate is left unknown, but is assumed to also be dead.
It is just speculation, but the rest of the North Kingdom is likely destroyed. Only Tails, Rouge, Vanilla, Cream, and Silver ever escaped.
This gives Tails time, and in that time, he starts frantically researching for a way to somehow solve this problem. Amy begins acting as a surrogate mom for Silver, slowly raising him in Emerald Town in hopes that one day they can live in peace.
It seemed leaving the North behind gave who was left far more time than they expected. Knuckles’ sacrifice was not in vain, and years passed, Tails' heart hardening with the loss of his brother.
Over that time, Silver grows to be a smart and strong young man with the help of his found family, Tails even training him in battle and how to go Super once he gets older in hopes that maybe Silver could be the hero they needed.
A breakthrough is made in Tails’ research, discovering that on Angel Island, there is an ancient relic known as the Time Ring, that could be used to divert the timeline.
Before he can prepare to find it though, Sonic makes his horrible return, immediately starting a blind and chaotic assault on the South Islands.
It was a hard choice, but Tails is forced to retreat into hiding, bringing Silver and Amy with him, so he can prepare his final plan that has any chance of working.
“Silver, our time has already ended.”
Tails works hard to build a set of 4 gauntlets and a sword that will both amplify Silver's capabilities, and prepare him against the past threat of Eggman.
It was an emotional sendoff, but the plan was set. Amy sends off Silver to fly to Angel Island to find the Time Ring, while Tails sets out in his trained Super II State to face his brother one last time, not as a hero, but as a distraction.
“I manage to find the Time Ring in the ruins of Angel Island, and with hard focus and the understanding of Tails’ research, I return to the point where the crisis began.” Everyone falls silent to the story, Sonic mortified, and Tails about to break down in tears.
Hearing this, each character takes a moment to grasp their changed futures. Shadow feels solemnly defeated, hearing that once again, Sonic defeats him and this time, it's fatal. Rouge is just shocked, but worried to ask what happened to her after the years that passed.
Tails can't help but cover his face while he cries, overwhelmed and unable to fully grasp that he made that same sword he was ogling earlier, and that it was his heroism in the end that gave Mobius a second chance. Knuckles is trembling, feeling an honor and pride for both his people, and his future self for his ultimate sacrifice.
Blaze shivers as well, unable to grasp her own fateful death. And lastly, Sonic… Sonic reactionarily hugs Tails to him, devastated to hear what he just did. Sonic always believed himself to be doing the right thing at the sacrifice of only himself, but now, he knows that it could mean the end of everything he loves. And it would be by his hands…
Silver clenches his fists, finally getting that cursed truth off of his chest. Tears roll from his eyes, and he almost wants to scream at recalling everything he’s faced, done, and lived through. Tails and Amy meant everything to him, and knowing that those versions of them are likely gone forever destroys him inside.
“How can we fix this?” Sonic asks in a wavering tone, nearly crying in empathetic response to his little buddy. Silver sniffles, wiping away at his eyes so he can respond. “Knowing all this, you’ve already taken the first step…” Emotions lay heavy over the group, Tails hugging Sonic back super tight.
“Don’t you dare leave on your own!” Sonic understood, no longer able to hold his tears back. Everyone, even across the vast sea, has been beaten and broken. Needing the chance to heal before their inevitable final battle, everyone steps back inside for just one more day of rest.
Silver stops Tails at the backyard entrance, kneeling to him. “Tails…” He turns around, trying to focus in his unstable state. Silver lifts his sword as if to bestow it back to its creator. “This belongs to you, Tails. My whole life does, really… Just, please know, you mean everything to me.” Tails shakily accepts the blade, completely unable to speak.
The two eventually go inside, Cream appearing from around the corner to hug Tails. Turns out she was listening to everything involved. Sonic, Shadow, and Silver sit on the couch trying to breathe. Knuckles and Rouge start talking in the kitchen with Vanilla, and Tails and Cream sit on the floor in front of the couch, the 5 of them now watching TV.
Blaze then leans on the couch from behind, joining them. “You know, you 3 look a lot alike.” Blaze gestures to Sonic, Shadow, and Silver, so they all look at each other. “Hmph.” Shadow looks away, seemingly annoyed, and it makes Sonic and Silver laugh out loud. The group spends the rest of the day finding ways to cope with their newfound stories of a Bad Future, just enjoying each other's company.
Night falls, and just before Blaze starts to head to sleep, she is approached by the still recovering Sonic. “Hey, Blaze. Can we talk?” She agrees, confused and curious. The two step into the back yard of Vanilla's home for privacy, night almost obscuring them both entirely. “Why are we out here, Sonic?”
The two stand on opposite sides of each other, the space of the darkness surrounding them being palpable. “Do you still remember our battle in the South Islands?” She nods. “How could I ever forget that?” There is a pause of understanding between the two.
“Well… In order to meet your power, I had to feed into Chaos Energy, and even though I practiced to learn control over that, I find that in our current troubles I’ve had to tap into that trauma and rage once again.” Blaze crosses her arms, getting a little annoyed.
“What is your point, hedgehog? It's dark out here.” Sonic swallows his pride as an act of learning from his fated Bad Future, letting his vulnerability show. “I don't want to become a monster, Blaze.”
Blaze couldn't help but drop her stern tone, realizing that the hedgehog was showing weakness. “I don't think any of us want that outcome.” Sonic closes his eyes, slowly kneeling to the Princess. “Then please… teach me how to control the Sol Emeralds. I must change my path.” Blaze is shocked to hear such an act of exposure from the hedgehog, and the desperation in his heart reverberates.
Blaze has closely guarded the Sol Emeralds and their power for a very long time, but understands Sonic's plight. With a single elegant wave of the hand, her Sol Emeralds appear around Sonic, slowly circling him. “Know that I wouldn't do this for just anybody.” Sonic stands, silently accepting this truth.
“The Sol Emeralds don't operate on the same emotional scale your Chaos Emeralds do. Rather than the demand for rage and instability, the Sol Emeralds instead ask for self-purity, moral compass, and unwavering resolve.” Sonic’s confidence seems to return in genuine happiness.
“That sounds perfect for me!” Blaze shakes her head, quietly laughing at the hedgehog. “It's not as easy as it sounds, Sonic. Purity of self isn't easily attained, and not even I have fully tapped into the peak of Sol Energy's potential.” Despite Blaze's attempt at discouragement, this only puts further hope into the hedgehog that this new form could surpass his power with Chaos Energy.
“Can I try it?” Sonic asks as if the ancient Emeralds belong to Blaze, as a sign of respect and reverence. Blaze couldn't help but look back to the origins of their first contacts, and realize how far their relationship has come. With a gracious smile, Blaze bows to Sonic. “You may.”
Sonic begins to focus, not in the sense of strain, but purely to the point of the traits asked by the power of Sol. Sonic remains calm, outstretching his hands as he thinks about what he wants to do and who he wants to become. He can't help but hesitate to the thought of purity, the thoughts of his future sins crawling into his mind.
His martyrdom has led to victories through suffering, but he is beginning to grasp that despite his heroism and strength, he could have never gotten this far alone. And only through togetherness, will he find a true answer to this diverting timeline, so that he can save the world, one more time…
The Sol Emeralds join to Sonic's heart, and to the surprise of Blaze, Sonic becomes a red burning light in the darkness, the fire bathing and changing him. Sonic calmly smiles as his fur goes from a dark blue to a blazing pinkish red. He opens his eyes to reveal deep thick black lines across the edges, and golden irises glimmering like amber.
Rather than pure Energy sparking from his embody, the fire moreso coats his aura. Not only does he become a bright light in the night, but a warmth reverberates through his body and mind, a sense of justice and holiness bubbling inside. This was Burning Sonic, and he was amazed at this newfound form, and the surprising comfort it brought.
Blaze is just in awe at Sonic's ability to fully transform on his first try, a small jealousy underlying her words. “At least it's not dark out here anymore…” Sonic, now satisfied with this revelation in who he could become, releases the form, returning the Emeralds to Blaze. “So will you be staying around me in this coming battle so you can utilize this form?”
Sonic looks at his hands, much steadier than they were just earlier that day. “Nah. Smart plan, but if Shadow can tap into Chaos Energy without the Chaos Emeralds, then I think I’ll be able to do the same with the Sol Emeralds.” She raises an eyebrow, not even knowing that was possible. “What makes you say that?”
“I can just… feel it. I never felt so connected to a transformation before.” The two prepare to step back inside quietly, parting ways. But just before Sonic gets too far, Blaze calls out. “Consider my debt repaid, Sonic.” Sonic nods, not even considering him sparing her back then as something to be repaid.
The night finally comes to a close, and our party regroups the next day, some members still recovering either physically or mentally.
Shadow finds himself out of the loop and frustrated for being behind. Rouge is simply trying to regain composure over herself. Silver feels a calm emptiness now, having let go of all of his secrets. Tails has regained focus into building a plan to take down Eggman's fortress to come. Blaze comes to terms with her newfound openness with Sonic. Knuckles is still tired from overexerting himself. Despite Sonic going through the same struggle, he feels revitalized in knowing he found a way out from Chaos Energy.
The group once again says goodbye to the two loving rabbits, preparing the X Tornado for the storm that was sure to follow. Tails comes up with a sturdy plan to tackle the fortress from a distance to analyze its systems and complexities, but surprisingly, as they arrive there was no fortress. Rather, the remains of the city were seemingly even further annihilated, only the broken spire remaining standing.
Blaze's heart sinks, prepared to face a city warped, but not a city completely gone. “What is that?” Tails points at the top of the spire, and everyone looks at a very familiar, but somehow different, robot that stood atop the roof. Looking right back at the plane was none other than Metal Sonic, seemingly transformed since their previous encounter. “That can't be good.” Knuckles speaks.
Eggman was nowhere in sight, and that brought even more concern to the group. “Where could he have gone?” Sonic and friends reevaluate the situation, parking the X Tornado near the small camps the Mobians have made. Blaze asks them what happened, and it turns out that the once speechless robot left them a warning: “Your city shall be my arena. If no one can meet my challenge and defeat me, then I will destroy the entirety of your feeble kingdom. Find your heroes, or even fight in your own right. I will give you 3 days, that is all. Know if I must return, your lives will end.”
The challenge was clear, and the party feels lucky to have returned having heard it. There was no longer a plan to be had, but rather a challenge to meet. This makes Tails nervous, but everyone enters the now cleanly barren city, looking towards the spire above. All roads left led to it, and it alone.
The sky seems to reply, Neo Metal Sonic flying from the top of the tower to its base to meet his challengers. “Sonic. Tails. Knuckles. Rouge. Shadow. Blaze. Silver.” The machine lists off each of their names, having collected data on all of them. “Welcome to the Neo Games.” The group was perplexed, but curious.
“The rules are as follows. Any challenger is welcome. All battles will be 1 on 1, against me. 2 days remain for this competition, and if none can defeat me, then I will act to destroy all organic life. You win by destroying me. Is that clear?” It was clear, but Tails didn't like the idea of fighting on the enemy's terms. Before he can speak up, Sonic takes center stage. “What happened to you looking like me, Metal? Or are you some new robot entirely?”
“I am Sonic. More accurately, I will take your place in this world, hedgehog. You can call me Neo Metal Sonic for now, but you must know I aim to take your name and identity in whole.” Every line this robot spoke was cold, direct, and clear. It made Rouge shiver a little. “Glad to see you're still obsessed with me, Metal.”
“Incorrect. My primary objective has been corrupted, and I am left to my own decisions now. I do not have a necessity to follow my programming anymore. I simply wish to resolve the last hiccup in my total evolution.” Sonic takes a step back to that response. “Jeez. What about Eggy? Where'd he go in all of this?”
“Sonic defeats Eggman. Father seeked to control my limits and potential, and could not accept my natural place as the one to ascend past mortality and rule this world.” Blaze steps forward, angry. “So you consider yourself some kind of God or something?” Neo Metal Sonic begins hovering above the ground as if in defiant pose. “I am a God.”
Suddenly, Shadow launches forward in fury at Neo, but Neo catches his fist with ease. “The only Ultimate Lifeform here is me!” Neo coldly stares into the hedgehog's red eyes. “Are you the first to challenge me?” Sonic tries to object, but Shadow's resolve was clear. “Yes!”
Neo Metal suddenly claps onto Shadow’s fist, causing a sharp pain to immediately shoot through his arm. “Ack!” Neo then sharply throws Shadow to the ground, a small crack opening in the road. “Shadow, you can't fight him!” In pure defiance and rage, Shadow erupts into his Super State, launching back towards Neo.
Neo just lets Shadow strike land, the robot seemingly unphased by his attacks. A second blow comes, then another, but in one last defiant kick, Neo Metal catches his leg. “You are a relic of the past.” Shadow tries to pull his leg away in anger, but he's unable to move. “What do you know about me?!” Neo Metal suddenly clamps down again, this time on his rocket boots, crushing the metal and cutting into Shadow’s leg!
“Wraaghhh!” Shadow can't escape despite the agony. “Even your memory banks fail you.” Sonic leaps in! “That's enough!” Metal suddenly lets Shadow go, immediately turning to meet Sonic. “Is it your turn already, Sonic?” He hesitates as he lands back to the ground. “You know what? Yeah, it is.”
Sonic takes in a deep breath with outstretched arms, before entering a calm but firm fighting stance. He thinks of his resolve to save the future, and to surpass the need for Chaos Energy. With a released breath, Sonic erupts into a pinkish red flame before revealing his new Burning State. Everyone is surprised by this, including Blaze who has never seen the form achieved innately like this.
“What is this transformation, Sonic?” Neo asks, analyzing the differences. “This is my new path, Neo. I’ve looked into the darkness of my future, and I've changed my path to that of pure and unbridled light!” Silver was amazed at this newfound solution, thinking back to his choice to save Blaze, and how that change has led to this!
Shadow is left disgraced once more, limping back to the party in pain. A new resentment begins to boil in his heart, deep below the surface at the reveal of yet another ascension. Shadow ultimately is forced to come to terms with the fact that he has been left behind…
“Show me this new power, Sonic.” Neo demands. Sonic just smiles as he rubs his nose with his finger. “You’re really unphased, huh? Boring.” Sonic enters a fighting pose once more, flames beginning to erupt from his aura as he prepares a sharp and focused attack.
Neo prepares to just catch Sonic’s leg just like he did with Shadow, only for Sonic to suddenly vanish! Before Neo can even react, the first firm strike comes from Sonic's foot to the robot's spine, reappearing from behind Neo. Almost immediately though, Neo turns around to strike Sonic back, only for Sonic to vanish again, reappearing at a distance.
“How are you doing that?!” Blaze yells from the other side. Sonic smiles, pressing his fist into his hand. “What do you mean? I’m just faster than ever!” Sonic vanishes again, reappearing above Neo to let off an axe kick to the bot's skull! Neo keeps trying to react, but Sonic just keeps disappearing and reappearing around him, striking the bot with flame infused kicks and punches.
Despite this, Neo wasn't getting overwhelmed. Attacks kept coming and Neo tried to precisely react, but Sonic’s attack flurry wasn't actually doing any damage to the robot. Eventually, Neo just stopped moving, letting the ineffective strikes land all over. Just like with Shadow, Neo almost seemed immortal to the assault.
In reply, Sonic reappears near his friends once more, wiping his brow. “Well dang, Metal. You really are something else.” He takes a moment to breathe, the fire surrounding his aura shrinking into his fur. “Sorry, guys. I just learned this form, so it can't quite keep up yet.” He cracks his knuckles before returning to base form with one last spark of flame.
Tails suddenly feels a small hopelessness at the sight of Sonic not being enough, but as if Sonic could sense that fear, he speaks up again in reassurance, as he never fails to do. “We're here to change history, guys. The biggest problem in that original timeline is that I did things alone, so it's about time for me to rely on my friends.” Sonic steps back into the crowd, asking Shadow if he was alright.
Shadow just ignores him, instead opting to continue in his loathing. Knuckles steps up next, pressing his fists together. “I’m not here to repeat mistakes either. Sorry Metal, but you won't get to see Super II from me this time either.” Knuckles knew that deep down this meant an inevitable loss, but he looked back to his friends and specifically, Tails. “Hey, kid.”
Tails looks up from his zoned out state. “Sonic and I have both seen your potential, Tails.” He didn't elaborate as he stepped up to be Neo’s next challenger. Rather, he transforms into Super Knuckles with Chaos Emerald in hand. He plans to strike Neo with everything he has, hopefully weakening the machine at least a little.
While Knuckles and Neo begin their battle, Silver pulls Tails away to talk on their own outside the city. “Tails, where is your current progress in terms of Super States?” Tails shamefully looks at the sword in his hand. “I can't maintain a Super State.” Silver nods, kneeling to the young foxes level.
“Knuckles’ is right, you know. I’ve seen that potential blossom in my time, and you become a force to be reckoned with in your own right.” Tails locks eyes with Silver once more. “What form did I reach in your time?”
“You were able to reach Super II with purely your rage alone, and that was unique to you, even though you were hesitant to use it.” Tails understands the implication, but can't help but fear the kind of damage it could bring. “Now Tails, I know what you're thinking, but there's also something else that was unique about you.” Tails waits to hear what it was.
“You were able to manually turn off your Super State, as even in rage you somehow had the endurance or something to hold onto your sanity and will.” Tails thought it was nice to hear, but he still carried doubt in his heart.
“Tails… this guy, Neo Metal, didn't exist like this in my timeline.” Tails clenches his sword once more as he looks to Cream’s pin on his hoodie. “We need you, Tails. Not in the future, but instead right now.” Tails nods with his eyes tight, thinking back to the fight against Blaze where he used Chaos Energy for the first time.
“I’ll try my best!” Silver nods as he stands back up, looking back to Neo's nightmare of an arena. “That's all we can really ask of you, Tails. I’ll do my best too.” The two regroup with the party to find that Metal already had Knuckles beaten down. “No…” Tails softly whispers, seeing the state of Knuckles.
Despite his leaning over, Knuckles begins laughing as he gives a confident smile to his perceived crowd. Suddenly, Knuckles musters all the energy he can to unleash one final rageful combo on Neo Metal, who was blocking attacks precisely but otherwise was unimpressed. Knuckles has to eventually stop to catch his breath, using his fist that was resting on Neo Metal's head as leverage. He flickers out of his Controlled Super State as Neo Metal notices a scratch on his forearm.
It wasn't much, but the God was finally damaged. After realizing, Neo Metal immediately puts his palm to Knuckles' face to match how Knuckles had his fist on his head. “You lost, Knuckles the Echidna.” He just smiles as an Energy blast generates from Neo’s palm, blasting him all the way across the city, only for Rouge to follow and soften his landing. Still, Knuckles was down.
“Alright, Sonic, it's time to show you how Sol power is used!” Blaze is next to step up to challenge Neo Metal, and she doesn't plan to hold back. With the 7 Sol Emeralds, she erupts into Burning Blaze, confident and empowering. Despite this, doubt underlies her mind, as she knows through Sonic's fight that this form just won't be enough. She chooses to ignore this, knowing doubt now will only weaken the Sol Emeralds hold on her heart.
The fight begins as Tails tries to adjust to his newfound knowledge of his future self. Knuckles was defeated once again, and Shadow has been injured past the ability to fight. Sonic escaped his battle early, but it was clear that he hit his current limit with Sol Energy.
If no one can step up to beat Neo Metal, Sonic will be forced to go Super II again, Tails suddenly realizes. Knowing this now, it only further stirs his power inside. “I can do this…” He whispers to himself, looking back to the battle at hand. Blaze was fighting on about the same level she did back in the South Islands war. It was clear that she hadn't really been training her body in that time, which meant that she had no real chance to defeat Metal.
Tails thought of Silver next, knowing that his upper limit is just an Innate Super State, along with his amplifying gauntlets. That wouldn't be enough either. Tails starts to get frustrated about how it seems that Super II was still the only way for anyone to match Metal, and so he grabs the pin that Cream made him in mental suffering, trying to think of something, anything, to stop Metal Sonic.
Blaze starts to use distance to shoot fire balls at Neo Metal, but it was clear that not even heat could affect the perfected machine. “I grow bored of these games. I expected a challenge.” Neo Metal suddenly bolts forward, showing his speed for the first time as he immediately makes contact with the Princess, grabbing her by the throat. Everyone was tense, and Sonic suddenly started to look around.
Shadow was missing, and Sonic’s Chaos Emerald was gone! “Tails, where is your Emerald?” Sonic frantically asked. He checks his pockets to find nothing, only for their locations to suddenly become clear, directly above Neo Metal in the sky. Shadow had all 3 Chaos Emeralds in their possession, using them to seemingly charge himself! “Die!!!”
Shadow releases a sudden Chaos Blast directly downward into the machine, Blaze barely escaping the vicinity of the explosion that follows. It was a direct hit, but one that broke the rules of the Neo Games. The dust settles, Blaze retreating back to the group as Shadow maniacally laughs from above, seemingly proud of himself and claiming a premature victory.
Neo Metal Sonic appears from the destruction, completely unchanged. Shadow suddenly cuts off his laugh as he sees Neo Metal below, and in Neo Metal's first act of rage, grabs Shadow by rocketing above, only to nose dive and crash Shadow into the ground. “Aaaah!!” He screams in pain, Neo Metal coldly preparing a killing blow.
Time slowed to a crawl, and Tails began to witness reactionary familiar emerald green begin to erupt from Sonic's fur. This was it, Tails. A life is on the line and Sonic is about to possibly go past the point of no return. If you don't stand up and fight, it could mean the end not just of Shadow, but the entirety of Mobius. It’s time… to get… up.
“Wraggghhhh!” Raging tears fill Tails' eyes, as without a Chaos Emerald, he suddenly screams and rips violently into the Super State, launching in to force Neo Metal off of Shadow, forcing Metal back for the first time since the gauntlet of fights began. Neo Metal doesn't respond, only attempting to calculate Tails’ newfound power. Before any progress could even be made though, Tails structurally loses his limits to the pain screaming through his body. Green lightning crackles and starts to turn cyan as his red eyes follow in turn, rapidly achieving the Super II State, forcefully dragging Neo Metal into the spire through one of its walls.
“What is your plan, Tails the Fox?” Tails had no plan, not this time. Any semblance of reason or structure was now gone, the pain and suffering of his entire life flashing in his place. From the bullying, to seeing his friends suffer and fall, to Mighty, to his future, to the very sword he wielded! Tails kicks Neo Metal off of him, drawing his sword. “My plan?” Tails smiles madly through the pain.
“No, this is my future self’s plan. He walked so I could run.” Tails was somehow keeping some semblance of calm as his body was being torn apart, ripping at its seams. Neo Metal stands in guard for the first time, cautious but trying to maintain control.
Tails keeps up the offensive, now incorporating slashes from his blade in hopes of splitting his metal hide in half. Suddenly, Tails uppercuts Neo Metal into the ceiling, following after him as they slowly scale up the tower, destroying it from the inside as they cross strike after strike against each other!
“We should follow him!” Sonic was now the one in fear that his little brother would lose control, Sonic and Silver storming the spire. Blaze stays behind, stunned at the view of her spire being destroyed from the inside out. The last symbol of her royalty was finally falling, and her Princess title seemingly shattered in her eyes entirely.
Rouge holds the unconscious Knuckles tightly while watching from a distance, the sky beginning to darken in reply to Tails’ Super II State. Shadow begs his lungs for air where he lays, the agony of brokenness seething through his internals. He couldn't even focus on the fight anymore, as suffering envelopes his very psyche.
Suddenly, Tails is shot through the roof of the spire, only to dive back down and meet Neo Metal violently on the rooftop of the tower that was now shaking in its instability. “You’re no God, Neo! You can't even beat a 14 year old!” Bolts of cyan lightning snap and curve against every strike, Burning Sonic and Super Silver now also reaching the top of the spire.
“Are you okay, buddy?!” Neo Metal and Super II Tails were now spinning around the spire's antenna, crossing slashes, kicks, punches, and their entire bodies as both fighters struggled. The sheer power of the two forces keep Silver and Sonic out of range, the storm suddenly crackling with loud thunder!
Rain falls once more, Neo Metal being knocked off of the tower, flying above the spire. Tails meets him in the air, pointing his sword at Neo Metal. “I’m not done.” Thunder roars, and Neo Metal replies. “You are.”
“Your body is breaking, Tails. And I still stand firm.” Tails was violently shaking in his pose, but was desperately trying to hold on for just a bit longer. Sonic and Silver fly to Tails’ side, both putting a hand on the sword to steady the blade. Tails begins to falter in his agony, a lifetime of suffering holding onto the fox. Tears kept falling, but he responded by grabbing Cream's pin once more, and tightening his grip on the blade.
“Metal… you were the last straw that ended everything… but not this time.” Tails looks to his surrogate brother, and to the boy his future self raised with tears in his eyes. Without a word, the two understood.
With one final push of strength, the 3 use Sonic's blinding speed, Silver's swordsmanship, and Tails’ absolute resolve to stab the fateful blade through Neo Metal's guarded arms, and straight through his chest. Neo Metal goes nonverbal once again, trembling under his own mechanical weight. A light shoots through the blade, and in the same fate as Mecha Sonic… “You’re done!” Tails outcries as the blade surges, causing Neo Metal to explode from his internals. His parts spread apart and fall from the heavens, the spire crumbling and following behind.
A wave of dust covers their battleground, and soon enough, our heroes are only left with rain. Eggman’s final legacy, his weapon that surpassed even him, had vanquished.
Tails immediately loses form, Sonic having to pick him up before he falls. The Sword is back in Silver's hands, but he pulls the Time Ring off of his finger and onto Tails’. “This is the last thing I can offer him.” Sonic is left confused, looking at Silver. He awkwardly laughs, rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry, Sonic… I lied about telling you everything.”
“What do you mean?” Sonic showed concern, rather than malice. “Sonic…” He turns away, sword in hand. “I have to leave. This new world isn't mine to have. It was only my destiny to make sure things changed.”
“You can still stay with us. This can be your new home.” Silver shakes his head. “I belong in the doomed future, and the Time Ring knows it.” He looks at his hands. “I’m afraid time will correct itself, and sooner rather than later, I will be erased, as well as this sword.” Sonic grabs Silver's hand.
“What are you saying?” Tears start to well up in Silver's eyes. “You have to let me go. Time will come for me, it already has been.” The rain drowns out the silence. “But think of it this way, I’m not needed anymore! This sword isn't either! Tails can hold on to a pin from someone he loves now, rather than a sword to face a tempered past… I’ll still be here. You’ll see me in that boy that's probably playing with Cream right about now!”
“Are you listening to yourself? You sound-” “Sonic!... Let me go. Ensure a better future, for me… please.” Sonic slowly releases his hand, and Silver begins flying off. “Thank you, Silver! For everything!” Silver smiles back, satisfied with everything he has done. And just like that, he darts off in Super State light, and vanishes in the distance without a trace.
Epilogue
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Rouge return to Vanilla’s and Cream’s house after gathering the Chaos Emeralds they lost, to allow rest and to formally get to meet the young Silver. Shadow vanished without a trace, and Blaze stays behind with her people in hopes of helping with their recovery not as a Princess, but as a civil servant.
Once Vanilla and Cream are updated on the situation, Tails recovers enough to decide to stay with them for the foreseeable future, not only so he can have a break from everything and recover from his rather serious injuries, but also to raise Silver like a new younger brother with Cream beside him. Sonic, Knuckles, and Rouge return to the South Islands on the X Tornado, and they are all finally given the chance to find peace in a new era, years passing in quiet and humble silence. The lands heal, both South and North, but one being still has not…
Our final story begins not in the buildup of a new villain, but in the various healing parts of Mobius and the Mobian race. Years have come and passed in a newfound and profound peace, thanks to the efforts of the swordsman of the future, and the hearts of our heroes that have always lied at the core of Mobius' history.
Story #1: The Return to the South Islands
When Sonic returns with Knuckles and Rouge on the X Tornado, a sense of homesickness is finally lifted from their hearts. Cities and cars return to forests and barely paved paths. The beach was as untamed as ever, the natural rock formations across the landscape being allowed to live as they were, the most iconic of which being a rocky loop towards Green Hill that Sonic used to run through as a child.
The group admired the progress below as well, as it was clear that the once desolated towns of South Islands have finally been reconstructed and reborn. Amy clearly was doing a good job, and Sonic can't help but smile at how proud he was of that girl, who has seemingly grown up so fast in such a short amount of time.
The X Tornado reaches Emerald Town, towards the opposite end of the mainland, and one of the few places where the roads match closer to the North Kingdom, rather than the South Islands. They gently park the borrowed plane within Tails' lab once more, closing the shudders and locking the door as they leave at Tails’ request.
Now the 3 walk over to the beach together, where Rouge immediately sees and takes the chance to steal Knuckles’ hat and lay down in the sand. “Hey! That's mine!” The group ends up laughing over the matter, but Sonic can't help but sense that this isn't his chance to slow down. As Knuckles and Rouge talk together, bickering playfully as Sonic kicks his shoes in the sand, preparing for take-off. “Where are you going, Sonic? Can't you relax, even for a minute?”
Sonic laughs as he turns around, rubbing his nose with his finger. “Don't worry about me. There's just some friends I want to check on. You two lovebirds take care, okay?” Both of them freeze up to Sonic's last sentence there, seemingly insulted and embarrassed. Before they could reply though, Sonic dashes off and away, running on the water to reach his home island, Green Hill.
Being left alone, Knuckles tries to hide his embarrassment and flee himself. “Sonic isn't the only one who still has responsibilities. I should get going.” Knuckles prepares to go, only for Rouge to put a death grip on his hand. “Oh no you don't!”
“But I need to get these Chaos Emeralds back to the shrine.” She shakes her head. “Just so you can sit up there and rot forever? I don't think so.” Knuckles raises his eyebrow, Rouge proposing that the two go on a vacation together. They had both been through a lot, and even though Knuckles looks back to the island in the sky, he reluctantly agrees, at least for a little while.
Story #2: Mighty
Sonic dashes through his home, admiring the flowers and tiki posts that rest around from a long gone era. He travels through the territory effortlessly, everything about it still being familiar to his heart. Having reached the cliff side where Mighty and Ray stay, he spindashes up the cliff wall and into the small opening therein. He takes a quiet breath after, resting his hand on a palm tree. “Hey, guys?”
He steps further inside to find Ray hanging his bandana on a wire for it to dry. “Hey.” This time Ray hears the familiar voice, turning around sharply to the entrance. “Sonic, is that really you?” He takes a stand to meet Sonic at the entrance with excitement in his eyes. “Well I mean, do you know any other blue hedgehogs?”
Ray suddenly hugs him, clearly relieved to see that he was okay. “Is everyone else all right?” Sonic's memory flashes to Silver, Blaze, and Shadow, but shakes it off. “Uh, yeah. Tails chose to stay in the North for a while though.” Ray understands, but doesn't know the true gravity of what Sonic went through in the North Kingdom.
Rather than share though, Sonic chooses to quietly lift that burden from Ray, and in turn, Mighty. He still remembered the breaking point the two faced when Eggman re-emerged. “How is Mighty holding up?”
The namesake suddenly peers out from his tent, not fully revealing himself but smiling at the hedgehog. “I’d be a lot better if I knew that rotten doctor was dead. Is he?” The clear hate in Mighty's voice made Sonic sad, but he chooses to try to remain casual. In truth, all Sonic had to go on was Neo Metal's last words on Eggman, as his body was never found in that barren city. Sonic swallows deeply, revealing that truth.
Mighty steps out from the tent in response, revealing a vulnerability that he was intentionally hiding. “What did you do?” Sonic was shocked to see that Mighty's roboticized hand was missing, replaced with bandages at the end point where his arm was severed. “I couldn't stand to look at it anymore, Sonic. It made me sick that it was a part of me…” The mood drops significantly, Ray returning to Mighty's side.
“Dude… you can't just do that!” Sonic didn't know how to react, but Mighty and Ray have seemingly already found understanding in the situation. “It’s already done, Sonic. I can't take it back, and to be honest, I wouldn't if I could.” Sonic felt hurt inside for his oldest friend. To see how this pain has ultimately mutilated him, made a spark of conflicted rage flicker in Sonic's heart.
“It's okay, Sonic…” Mighty walks up to the hedgehog to raise his remaining hand out for a fist bump. “Dude, it's really not.” Despite his words, Sonic fist bumps him back, as their friendship ultimately hasn't changed. Mighty has changed, but so has Sonic. Sonic had to grasp the fact that most growth begins with darkness like this, and suffering. He cursed the fact, but despite being shaken, he still believed in his friend.
“Mighty, can you promise me something, as a friend?” Mighty nods, already knowing what was about to be asked. “Don't hurt yourself again. Just… talk to Ray first, or me. We care about you.” Sonic's empathy was clear, but Mighty has already come to terms with the shame and hurt he’d cause with the choice he made. “I promise. I didn't plan on it anyway.”
“Good.” The two release their fist bump, and the conversation is eventually able to go back to their old friendliness again. Sonic tells the story of his time in the North Kingdom like an action movie, and the two friends were both blown away and shocked at the story being told. Their words fade into that little opening at the top of the cliff of Green Hill, catching up and reconnecting as the old friends they all were, as if nothing had changed at all despite all the years they faced together.
Story #3: Good Future
Tails, on the opposite side of the world, is also found retelling his story through a fantasy myth that he's sharing to young Silver simply for his entertainment. Sonic and Knuckles are repainted as glorified, invincible heroes that face and defeat a robot uprising and alien invasion. On the other hand, Tails tries to handle Silver's future self with reverence and accuracy. “He sounds so cool!” Little Silver loved this story, and Tails has had to retell it a few times now, as well as a fantastical version of the Blaze invasion events.
Cream has also been helping with raising the little hedgehog, and often finds herself watching Tails retell these tales. Cream has come to feel a lot for the fox, but his kindhearted almost fatherly nature only makes that love grow. She claims to her mom that she'd never be brave enough to say it, but every time she sees that pin that he holds so dearly, her little heart skips a beat.
Vanilla was now feeding 3 mouths, but accepted this newfound care in stride. Tails offers to go work, but she rightfully says that he's still too young. “Give it 3 years, Tails.” Tails felt bad for living there for free, so he decided to take up the house chores and garden tending despite the struggles that came from his body.
Cream was there to always help, but it was clear that some of the damages Tails withstood were permanent. The thought scared him, considering he was still so young, but he tries to keep this fact to himself and constantly remind that the sacrifice was for this peaceful future he was now allowed to have.
No robotic counter-sword needed to be made, no Time Ring needed to be activated, and most importantly, Tails’ friends got to simply live their lives, and that is all he could ever ask for. Sometimes the little fox misses his older brother and Knuckles, but he has also found peace in getting to pass on that grace he once was given, acting as the surrogate older brother of Silver now, who was growing fast and happy.
Story #4: A Rumble in the Dark
The cars keep passing by. Shadow can't help but carry this truth in metaphor as he stands atop the mountain above Blaze's recovering city. Shadow felt lost as others moved on, and so he dawned a cloak of deep red now, in hopes to simply hide from his deep and profound shame.
He is constantly reflecting on the past, to his failures and even his eventual rescue that he never asked for. It was Tails of all Mobians to defeat Neo Metal in an ascended Super II State, as Shadow was simply stripped down all the way to his bones, and yet…
“Even at my core, I do not know who I am.” Sonic changed his path entirely to one that didn't even rely on the raw power the Chaos Emeralds held. Shadow thought deeply to that past, to his vulnerability, his defeats, and the very few hints and glimpses into what he was even made of. Shadow has never let go, and this begins his active search to find his origins. His pursuit starts at the laboratory in that very same mountain, but Shadow finds nothing of use within.
He begins a journey in solitude from here, noticing the mechanical secrets of the North Kingdom. There was a clear alien history embedded into the soils themselves. Shadow found abandoned laboratories, antennas that scanned the heavens, and robots that have been shut down for years. But most oddly, Shadow realizes that none of these relics of time carried the doctor's insignia, that iconic Eggman face. There were other humans who lived in these lands in a time long passed, before Eggman ever seemed to be here.
Shadow was also training on this journey, to perfect and surpass his innate ability to transform to the Super State. He claims to the night above that he will not only reach Super II and the fabled Super III, but he screamed that he would surpass even beyond, until he could finally claim the only thing he could remember when he awoke. “I WILL be the Ultimate!”
Story #5: From Damsel to Disciplined
There is a knock on the door to the recovery HQ which was once merely a large tent. “Coming!” Amy turns back from some documents with assistance requests from South Islanders in order to get the door. When she opens it, she finds none other than Sonic on the other side. “How's it going, stranger?” Amy is shocked to see him, immediately inviting him inside and grabbing him a seat.
“You all have done some serious work with this place.” Sonic looks around curiously to monitors and Mobians walking about with boxes in hand containing food donations. “I wanted to make sure the South Islands were prepared for anything to come. That and there are still plenty out there in need.” She awkwardly laughs, unable to keep her attention away from the blue hedgehog.
Sonic simply smiles back. “You should really be proud of yourself, Amy. You’ve gone way further than anyone could have asked of you.” She blushes to the encouragement, picking up her documents to hide her face. “I'm serious, Amy. It's not flashy, but this kind of work is seriously important.”
The two end up inevitably talking about Sonic's time in the North Kingdom, followed by Amy’s efforts here. “Hearing that Tails has found a love interest is so cute.” She interjects. Things get quiet at the thought of that subject, an accidental awkwardness falling between the two. “He’s a good kid. He deserves it.”
“You deserve it too, you know.” Amy quickly slaps herself, the words just leaking from the honesty of her heart. “You think so?” It goes quiet between the two again, Amy internally screaming at herself. She thought she had grown past this, and shame immediately flooded her face in red, hiding it desperately with her papers. “Thanks, Amy.”
The awkwardness is shattered by genuine thanks, Amy taking a deep breath to reply in a quiet sadness. “You’re welcome.” She sets her papers down in defeat, returning to them as negative thoughts flood from her past history with Sonic. In her eyes, she was so needy and embarrassing when the hedgehog first saved her in that race against Metal Sonic, and started calling herself stupid in her head.
Sonic seems to be far more aware of the situation than she could ever expect. “I’m just not really ready for that kind of stuff, Amy. But maybe, soon…” The pressure between the two was crippling, Amy's shame only further growing. “You shouldn't have to be, Sonic. Take things at your speed, you’ll be the fastest regardless.” Sonic can't help but smile at those words. “Thanks, again. I only recently finally got the world off of my shoulders, so there's a lot to adjust to.”
The two laugh at the thought, before Sonic leaves her to her business. He was just checking in, but Amy can't help but be sad that he's gone once again. “Not even you can run forever, Sonic.” A small glimmer of hope is held onto by Amy in that conversation, but hides it once again inside as she returns to the work in front of her, sighing.
Story #6: The Echidna Inside
Knuckles’ and Rouge's vacation quickly becomes more, as the two share sights together and find a level of companionship with each other. An entire year passed, and within that time, Knuckles continued to feel the call of the Master Emerald atop its altar in the skies, but finds himself tied even more so to the simplistic beauty of Rouge's eyes.
It was clear that he had grown feelings for the girl, but in Knuckles' sheltered life, it has only been this single year that he has ever even considered love in his life. He was not only afraid, but he was denying a duty that was cemented into his heart since birth.
In this insecurity of change, while sitting on a hillside beside Rouge, he finally declares that he must return home. “Rouge… Can we talk?” She softly agrees, expecting a confession coming, but rather, he explains the truth of his history.
“Rouge, when I was born, I was the last descendant of the Echidna tribe. We were the chosen protectors of the Chaos Emeralds, and our entire lives were intertwined with that destiny. We even learned to harness the ancient powers that rested within Mobius, and created relics in the name of our tribe's progress.” Rouge was interested, but didn't understand where this was coming from.
“Our history was molded into every structure and creation we made, and we even learned the secrets of time travel.” Rouge speaks up. “What are you trying to tell me, Knuckles?”
“My mother died at birth, and my father was soon to follow due to an illness that seemed to overtake the tribe. For my safety, they sent me off to live alone in the forests of Angel Island, before I was even old enough to speak.” Rouge begins feeling sorry for Knuckles, and gently grabs his hand.
“The point is, by the time I was old enough to understand, the rest of my tribe was already gone… I’ve never told anyone this, but…” Knuckles suddenly covers his eyes as his voice begins to waver. “I had to bury who was left in the ruins. I couldn't just let them die in the open like that, and suddenly, all of that history and creation is left on my shoulders!” Knuckles can't help but break down, Rouge holding his hand tighter.
“Rouge…” He catches his breath through his tears. “I have to go back there, Rouge… I spent half of my childhood just learning where I came from by looking at murals!” Rouge sighs but understands, moving her hand to his head to comfort him. “In some way, I knew this would come, but it's okay.”
Rouge gently moves his hand away to reveal the tears. “I’ve thought about this too. I’ll go with you.” Rouge decided a couple months ago already, that once this adventure inevitably ended, she would choose to stay with Knuckles even in his burden. Knuckles tries to tell her to go free in her life, but she wasn't going to have any of it.
“Knuckles, hun, I’m choosing this because I want to be with you.” She thinks back to the regrets with Shadow, and how in the end she could never reach the black hedgehog in this way, but she wasn't about to let another fall down a path of isolation. She wondered where Shadow could be now, but unfortunately, the cars would keep passing by.
Together, Rouge takes Knuckles’ hands to fly off to Angel Island once more, so she could not only learn the cultures of Knuckles’ people, but also to be there for him. Rouge, the once untamed and curious adventurer, was now ready to settle into a quieter life if it meant Knuckles not living alone in his thoughts.
Story #7: Eulogy
Sonic steps into the beach of Scrapnik Island as he reminisces his history with Eggman. Bots appear, but Sonic takes out the approaching machines with simple kicks, returning their mismatched forms back to spare parts.
Thinking back to the rise of the Death Egg, Sonic climbs onto the surface of its remnants, scaling the circular piece of broken metal to its top. Sonic looks down into the abyss of the Death Egg’s inner structure only to find more robots crawling and rebuilding themselves like maggots. “Was this really the legacy you wanted, Eggy?”
Sonic closes his eyes as he thinks about the suffering the doctor has caused, and the remnants of disaster he left behind. “I never got the chance to save you, and for that… I’m sorry.” Even now, standing above the nightmare below, Sonic believed in the change Eggman could have made. He could have furthered the progress of Mobius or returned home, but instead he threw it all away in his obsession with the hedgehog that now stood over his graveyard.
“But still…” Sonic takes in a deep breath, a calm flame blooming from his body as his fur turns to a pinkish red. “It took some time, but I’ve come to terms with you. You had a second chance at life and still you were just blinded by hatred and revenge.” He thinks back to Mighty's hand and how Neo Metal almost became strong enough to destroy the world. He thinks back to Knuckles, Tails, and everyone else that he made suffer! He even thinks of Shadows suffering against Neo Metal as he raises his palm to the sky.
“I wanted to believe in a world where everyone could change. One where, with the right support, anyone could find what it means to love again.” A flaming orb releases from his hand, slowly growing with his final speech to Eggman. “But you know what you taught me?” Sonic almost gives way to anger, his Burning State flickering with his emotional falter.
Sonic looks down deeply into that abyss, as the orb in his hand reaches the size of the whole island. “You taught me that even with all the suffering in this world, some still choose not to change!” Sonic flies into the air, prepared to make one last goodbye. “With this, your entirety will be erased from this planet! Nothing will be left of your history! You will die in obscurity, and the world will move forward to a better future!” Rage makes him almost lose his State again, but he regains his focus as he aims at Scrapnik Island below.
“This one is for Mighty…” Sonic throws the flaming ball of light to the robotic graveyard below, and as it makes contact with the center of that darkness, the light implodes the Death Egg from the inside, and spreads over the entire island. Sonic flies further up to stay out of the explosion's range, looking down at what he just chose to do. His nerve begins to waver again to his empathy, but once more, Sonic chooses to grow, no matter the cost.
Eventually, only barren and dead land was left below, seared and torn as the metal within dissolves and melts to the impossibly high heat. The sun beamed down behind the hedgehog, casting his shadow across what he's wrought in warmth on his back, as if a silent comforting and approval from Mobius itself. Sonic wanted to cry, hating that he had to choose such utter and violent destruction, but he didn't. He holds firm as he floats above the loss, in order to make himself accept what he has done, and what this means to him.
Last Story
Three years of peace come and pass, and Tails begins working for Blaze as part of the rebuilding effort of her city as he comes of age. In a way, this was his guilty apology to Blaze for being part of the reason her city fell. Despite this, Blaze has come to focus away from all of the loss in these years, instead reconnecting with her Mobian people on a newfound equal level.
She tries to even abandon her role as their Princess, but none of her loyal followers ever forgot who she was, and wouldn't let her forget either. Although Blaze enjoys her time outside of the spotlight, inevitably, she would be made to return to her spire. There was doubt in her heart for her ability to lead, but where she falters, her people now raise her up. The North Kingdom, in time, would not only return to its former glory, but maybe one day it could even surpass what it was.
The Sol Emeralds were now being used as power source again for the sake of machinery and the rebuilding process, which is how the Sol Emeralds were used before her kingdom was as prospering as it was the first time. This is what led her to seek the Chaos Emeralds, in hopes that they could bring even further evolution to her city, but where her Kingdom was tamed with order thanks to the Sol Emeralds, the South Islands were untamed, wild, and chaotic.
Blaze has come to realize that it was none other than the Emeralds themselves that shaped their contrasting lands, the North and the South. She regrets deeply that she tried to disturb that balance rather than trusting in Sol to keep her lands safe and pure. The war was long gone now, but Blaze felt guilt for what she did now more than ever.
In deep contrast, all sense of guilt has been burned away in Shadow's eyes, as he has abandoned everyone and everything in hopes of finding something, anything, that could bring him meaning. Shadow knew that deep inside, this path would not only be self destructive, but he would need to do things that would destroy any building bonds he may have had. Especially with Sonic the Hedgehog.
While everyone around him eases down and finds resolution within themselves, Shadow is left with no other choice but to outcry and make his being known. Over those 3 years, he trains. He trains and trains until he stripped his body of any semblance of identity that he may have ever built. Shadow has chosen a path of ascension through strength and chaos alone, as his only familiarity in this world is his kindred natural connection to the Chaos Emeralds, as the past bonds he discovered have left him behind in this world.
Shadow’s research into his past finally brings him back to the South Islands, and more importantly, Angel Island. Everything he learned has pointed him right back to the altar where he first found the Chaos Emeralds, and the Echidna secrets that lie within the floating island. Shadow was more prepared than ever to face any opposition that may come, and he was prepared to make them come with force.
And thus, Shadow steps foot onto the edge of Angel Island once more, where Knuckles is there waiting for him but more surprisingly, Rouge was there as well. This reflected his first encounter with the Chaos Emeralds, and just as planned, they were here waiting once more. “Shadow!” Despite this though, he is not greeted with malice and defensiveness like the first time, but instead the two seemed happy to see him.
Rouge begins to approach with open arms only for Shadow to sharply respond. “Halt!” The mood shifts, Knuckles suddenly hesitating to Shadow's ‘joyous’ return. “What do you want, Shadow? You’ve been gone for literal years.” Shadow stays purely still, his cloak flowing in the wind. “This will be my last act of mercy to you, echidna. Both of you, leave my sight and flee!”
“Rouge, step back.” Knuckles has growing concern, and walks down the stairs of the altar. “Shadow, are we really going to repeat this again? The Chaos Emeralds aren't yours to have.” Shadow suddenly and instantly transforms to his Super State, without a single inch of movement or rage. “You have until the count of 10 to leave.” Shadow begins counting, Rouge wanting to reason with the hedgehog but seeing the malice in his eyes, it was clear that Shadow wasn't here to listen.
“Rouge, get out of here!” Knuckles exclaims only to be met with a no. “I can't leave you here!” Knuckles enters a fighting stance. “You must!” Knuckles and Rouge lock eye contact as Shadow counts to 7, to 6, to 5. Rouge has a silent understanding from Knuckles. He doesn't just want her to flee, but to find help. She is reluctant but darts off as Shadow counts to 3, to 2. Then finally, 1.
Instantaneously, Shadow bolts into Knuckles, immediately launching him into the altar. He gets up only to be met with another strike, then another, then another, until Knuckles is knocked away from the altar and into the edge of the forest behind it. Shadow slowly approaches as if hunting prey, but Knuckles stands back up once more, holding his already injured arm. “I’m always made to take a beating, huh?” Knuckles laughs as he boils his anguish inside, erupting into his Super State.
Now, with the two seemingly in equal forms of power, Knuckles goes to attack Shadow next, two Controlled Super States clashing! Knuckles focuses his punches at Shadow, and as he clashes, he sinkingly begins to notice that so far, Shadow has only been using his legs. This discourages Knuckles to see the amount of control that Shadow has seemingly tempered, but he keeps on getting up and fighting, even as Shadow suddenly and sharply kicks Knuckles deeper into the forest. Shadow slowly approaches once more, still completely and coldly calm.
A waterfall is suddenly revealed into view as Shadow reaches the echidna who was now standing on a bridge that crossed the same waterfall to another side with even more forest. “I see you’ve been training, Shadow. How far have you come since that embarrassing defeat against Neo Metal?” Knuckles was getting angry, antagonizing the hedgehog. Shadow was annoyed by this, but remained calm. “Farther than you could ever imagine, Knuckles. Have you grown?”
Knuckles laughs off the fact that in battle he really hasn't, but he smiles knowing internally that inside, he has grown in a way that Shadow likely never has. “Yeah, I did. But not in a way that you’d like to hear.” Shadow raises an eyebrow, but chooses to ignore the statement. “If you really are so powerful, prove it.”
“Nah. I chose to stop transforming to Super II after that first time for a reason. What would be the point of Sonic leaving it behind if I didn't too?” Shadow's eyes widen in anger at hearing that name. “Sonic…” He looks down as he forcefully remembers the past, but shakes it off in anger, seemingly accidentally transforming to his own Super II State, still somehow just as controlled as his Super State.
“If you won't fight me at your best, then I’ll either drag it out of you or kill you!” Knuckles laughs off the transformation uncomfortably, already realizing that Shadow came not only prepared, but ready to be the villain for the sake of whatever he wants. “Fine, you win…” Knuckles didn't like it, but he knew that Super II would be his only chance at winning now, despite Shadow still being stable in his control.
“Wraaghhh!!” Knuckles erupts in cyan lightning, energy rippling off of his body in pure anger. Knuckles already began to feel his control slip, but he knew he had to hold out. “You're going down, Shadow!” Knuckles launches a flying punch from the bridge, only for Shadow to catch his hand, revealing and using his own hand for the first time in the battle. Knuckles is stopped dead in his tracks despite the constantly overflowing Emerald Energy. “Is this the best you can do?”
Shadow tosses Knuckles, slamming him against the wall behind the waterfall and drenching him. Shadow steps onto the bridge as Knuckles prepares a counter attack, launching at Shadow once more in a similar way. Once again, Shadow simply catched the attack, sliding slightly with the force of his fist. “You’ve gotten sloppier, Knuckles. And that says a lot coming from you.” Knuckles swallows, trying now just to desperately keep control over his body.
“Your attacks were always one note, and you rely too heavily on your upper body. You call yourself a guardian but you're constantly charging in and leaving openings. I could have ended this fight several times already, but I wanted to see where you claimed to grow.” Knuckles winces as he's mentally dissected, Shadow taking two heavy steps forward to push Knuckles back and maintain his balance on the bridge.
Shadow begins to laugh as he tightens his grip on Knuckles' hand. “Neo Metal did this to me before, you know.” Knuckles begins flickering out of Super II and back into Super, unable to hold his capacity for rage, as that rage has come to heal. “Now I’m more powerful than even him.” Knuckles' eyes turn red once more, all of the force being pushed on Shadow completely fading.
“Do you feel my shame, echidna? Do you?!” Shadow slams Knuckles against the bridge, shattering it in half and dropping Knuckles into the water below, even his Super State fading away now. Knuckles felt pain as his limp body was caught on a rock in the water, but there was no frustration or desire to get back up. Knuckles just breathes out that pain, knowing he tried his best for the lands and Mobians he loves, a small pity for Shadow even resting inside his heart.
Angel Island holds Knuckles in that pain, and he gets out of the water to rest against one of the beautiful island's trees, the land itself almost inviting him to do so. Once again, Knuckles has lost, but rather than the shame he felt in past battles, it was replaced with a small sadness. There was no telling what Shadow would do now, but Knuckles trusted that soon his friends would arrive to save the day. Satisfied that he did his part, he rests now, simply slowly easing the pain.
Surprisingly, Shadow does not return to the Emerald altar. Rather, he instead flies to the end of the forest and the belly of Angel Island, releasing his Super II State. Shadow enters the largest structure the Island holds, the Echidna Shrine, and begins tracing his hand against the blue stone within. Shadow is weary to watch for traps, undisturbed dust everywhere, but surprisingly again, there was none.
Instead, he finds murals that tell the history of Knuckles’ people, from wars, to the finding of the Master Emerald, to the eventual illness that would almost end their tribe entirely. Shadow also finds odd trinkets and structures that, unlike the rest of the Shrine, were seemingly preserved with care, not a speck of dust on them. Shadow even tries to understand some of these relics, but some of them turned out to be as minute as simply tracking the days, or measuring the temperature.
Shadow continues on, seemingly looking for something in particular in the ancient silence of the maze-like halls. Eventually, he comes across a pedestal in a large opening of the temple, directly in the center of the Echidna Shrine. Above the pedestal is a large floating ring with runes carved into its round sides. It was none other than this timeline's Time Ring, but Shadow just ignores the strange object.
Shadow walks into the large opening, tracing its wall to find another hallway, and walking down it with care. “Hard to believe Knuckles belongs to this inventive tribe.” Shadow continues forward, finding more murals and more relics. It was clear that this place was more than a Shrine, also acting as a library of Echidna history. There were even some murals that Shadow couldn't understand.
One depicted the center of Mobius with the Master Emerald depicted as its core, 7 Chaos Emeralds lining the left side of the planet, and, oddly enough, 7 Sol Emeralds lining the right side of the planet. Another mural depicts a strange water creature surrounded by fire. Yet another depicts a seemingly forgotten story of sprite-like creatures that were tiny.
Suddenly, Shadow freezes as he comes across two more murals. One was spacey, simply showing the sky above at night, lands of Mobius appearing barely at the bottom. Two spaceships were falling from the sky, and Shadow internally theorizes that this represents the two humans that came to Mobius. Somehow, the Echidna can somehow show even the future!
Lastly, Shadow finds the mural he was looking for. It stood before him, forcing him to face the reality of its truths. It depicts a golden hedgehog with 7 Chaos Emeralds, charging towards a large metal planetoid. “The Death Egg…” This was it, the final proof of Shadows found history. His body begins to tremble, clutching his head as the weight of reality comes crumbling down. “So this is where you went, Shadow!”
Sonic has arrived, smiling confidently. Little did he know, he had just entered the belly of the beast, the labyrinths of history, and more personally, Shadow's final step into the abyss. “Sonic.” Sonic takes a step forward only to be met with a small Chaos Blast to his feet, as a warning for Sonic to stay away.
“You didn't even steal the Chaos Emeralds, what is it you want?” Shadow looks at the mural once more. “I don't need those Chaos Emeralds anymore.” Neither does Sonic, but he's still confused about Shadow’s intentions. “Look at the mural, Sonic.” He reluctantly agrees, only to see some ancient depiction of his own battle against the Death Egg. “What?!”
Shadow nods, turning back to Sonic. “The Echidna race somehow predicted your heroism like it was fate, Sonic.” This realization blows Sonic away. He tries to connect the dots of how that would even be possible, his only conclusion being the Time Ring. “Still… that doesn't tell me why you're here, as cool as that is.” Shadow gives a chuckle to that, shaking his head.
“Sonic, in the 3 years I was gone, I’ve been searching. Searching for my meaning, and grasp for control. I found the ancient truths of history, and it led to one final conclusion that I had to see for myself, here and now.” Sonic just waits patiently, trying to understand the black hedgehog. “Sonic, there was another astronaut that came before Eggman. It was none other than his own grandfather, Gerald Robotnik.”
Sonic thought back to Eggman, wondering if it was this truth that brought Ivo to Mobius. “Gerald Robotnik was my creator, Sonic. And I was made based off of this very mural. You know what that means?” Sonic shivers for a moment. “I-” “I was made in your image, Sonic. I am the bio-mechanical recreation of you, in hopes that I would be the one that was depicted in this mural.”
Shadow clenches his fist tight, a new kind of darkness in his eyes. “YOU are the Ultimate Lifeform.” Sonic is left speechless, completely unable to form some sort of reply for Shadow. Sonic wanted to help him, but knowing that even Eggman's grandfather was creating Sonic copies now, he wondered if Eggman's work was based on his grandfather's all those years ago…
Shadow suddenly rips off his cloak, discarding it to the side. “Look at me, Sonic!” Shadow reveals his entire form to Sonic, and pain enters Sonic's eyes as he suddenly regrets calling Shadow a faker in their first encounter. “Shadow… It's okay. You can still be you-” Shadow stomps in rage as his body trembles further. “Don't act like you can understand me!”
His breath starts to seeth in fiery anger as his inhales and exhales get more frantic. “Shadow, please!” Shadow lunges at Sonic, erupting into his Super State as he makes contact. Sonic really doesn't want to fight after knowing Shadow's plight, instead using his speed to dodge as he carefully weaves out of the Echidna Shrine’s window. Shadow follows, Sonic just being relieved that his friend's Shrine wasn't harmed.
Shadow lashes out at Sonic in flurries of punches and kicks. Sonic was beginning to sweat, barely avoiding some of the attacks going his way. “Shadow, can we just talk?!” Shadow replies by entering Super II, getting fast enough to finally make contact with Sonic, immediately shooting him off into the depths of the forest. Shadow follows violently only to find Sonic on the other side of the waterfall with the broken bridge.
“That actually kind of hurt, man!” Shadow’s anger began boiling, but suddenly, his trembling became a deep seeded and intentful laughter, erupting into maniacal rage before he began a speech. “Sonic, even with the truth that has been forced into my mind, I am not done!” Sonic quiets down, realizing that his friendliness wasn't working.
“Even if you are the Ultimate Lifeform I clung so strongly to becoming, that was in the past! And I will not be a victim of history anymore!” The ground begins to tremble as the cyan sparks coming off of Shadow become a bright purple, the bolts of light interconnecting around Shadow like a chaotic web! The tremble becomes destructive as rocks begin falling off and falling into the rushing waters below. Suddenly, Shadow's spines begin to grow outwardly like a flower, his eyes turning purple as his power spikes past anything Sonic has seen before.
“Witness me, Sonic! Witness the nightmare you once made manifest, now within ME! I have reached Super III!!!” The truth of it was clear, and yet Shadow still seemed to maintain control over it. Despite his initial fear, it didn't seem like Shadow was truly some vessel for Chaos as Sonic was in the Bad Future, but it was true that this power was clearly beyond even Neo Metal now. “F-Fine, Shadow! Enough playing around!”
Sonic still didn't want to fight, but with a calm convicted breath, he dissolved that desire to instead protect the world from Shadow and what he may become. “I’m sorry…” Flame gently flares from Sonic's fur as he becomes Burning Sonic, once again cloaking himself in a warm and fiery pinkish red.
Shadow just smiles wickedly in reply, charging forward once more into Sonic, but Sonic's speed is so fast that he seemingly vanishes to the naked eye, still dodging any incoming attacks from the crazed Super III Shadow and looking for openings. Suddenly though, Sonic’s leg is caught before he can dash off again! “Stop moving!” Shadow frustratedly drags Sonic back to the ground and slams him against it!
He doesn't let go though, instead opting to pick Sonic back up just to slam him into the dirt again, and again, and then he is tossed off towards the forest's entrance at breakneck speeds. Sonic's Burning State flickers as pain distracts him from his resolve, but he grasps onto that resolve tighter as he scrapes against the ground, getting back up firmly and maintaining his Burning State despite the injuries.
Shadow approaches, Sonic catching his breath. “This Burning State really isn't going to cut it, huh? Makes sense I guess…” Shadow charges once again at Sonic, but Sonic leaps back in turn, posing his hands in a position in front of him, closing his fists just before Shadow makes contact. A ring of light appears from Sonic, flames suddenly enveloping Shadow and forcing him to be stilled! “What is this, Sonic?!”
Sonic gently smiles as he clenches his fists harder, making escaping the invisible prison more difficult. “Surprised, Shadow? Someone had to keep training in case more evil arose.” Shadow tries to push through this seal with pure force, but it just wasn't working. “You truly never stop, do you?” Sonic felt a little shame, knowing all of his friends have abandoned this life, but Sonic still felt that the battles wouldn't be over, so despite the guilt, he kept on running. Sorry Amy, he quietly thinks.
“Too bad, Sonic. This isn't enough!” Suddenly, the sky starts to go dark. Not due to clouds like usual instead, but rather, it was like a forced night was approaching. Shadow begins to monstrously transform as the night closes in, his fur going from the surging greenish yellow to a deep crimson, his red marks turning black, and his teeth even bending to become sharper and more jagad. His limbs begin to grow in size, pushing the limits of Sonic's barrier as dark mist suddenly envelops Shadow as the lightning fades.
Sonic loses track of Shadow in the bind, but when the mist dissipates Shadow isn't even inside. Sonic turns around to find the deformed Shadow hunched over and standing on top of the Master Emerald. “You can call this Super IV, Sonic.” His voice has become more monstrous, as any sense of rage has instead been replaced with a quiet assured tone, as if Shadow has already won.
“Behold Sonic, as this is the true limit of Chaos Energy. It took me years to master it, but I have finally reached the apex of absolute power! If Super III had the potential to destroy the regions of Mobius, then Super IV could destroy the world entirely!” Sonic slowly approaches, trying to remain calm as he analyzes the new form. “That's some speech, Shadow. And definitely a bold claim too.”
Shadow squints at Sonic, knowing he was going to imply something. “But even still, you haven't won yet. I’m still standing, Shadow.” Sonic still somehow has the boldness to release a confident smile as Shadow shows him the climax of power. Shadow's anger returns, bright red lightning springing off of his fur. Sonic enters a guarded pose as Shadow leaps forward with his new monstrous arms as leverage.
Sonic dodges with ease, as Shadow’s new body may be more powerful, tearing into the island as he lands, but his speed significantly dropped. Shadow keeps going, destroying trees and earth as Sonic just keeps dodging, eventually firing small ineffective fire balls at Shadow. It was clear that even now, Shadow accidentally played into Sonic's greatest strength, so neither can hurt the other directly.
Shadow suddenly reaches a palm out towards the Master Emerald altar. “Dodge this.” Sonic panics as Chaos Energy begins charging Shadow’s palm, realizing that if Sonic wouldn't fight, Shadow would start destroying the island! Sonic is forced to vanish and appear in front of the blast, creating a light shield in front of him as Shadow fires off a Chaos Beam towards the altar. In order to protect the Master Emerald, Sonic tanks the blast with his shield, but it shatters before the beam ends, so Sonic is left to take the rest of the blast, knocking him back into the Master Emerald.
Sonic coughs as he recovers, clear pain in his chest from the force of the Chaos Energy. Still, he holds his resolve and stands once more. “That was pretty dirty, Shadow. I didn't want to do this before, but you’ve given me no choice!” Sonic takes in a deep breath, outstretching his hands only to bring them inwards to his sides, closing them as the heat coming off of his body begins to rise. He closes his eyes, focusing all he can muster into his morality, resolve, and burning desire, melting away any and all doubts in his mind. Suddenly, the night wanes to day, the sky forcefully bleeding into a sunrise. The sky was a blazing cascade of orange and red now, seemingly resisting the darkness of night.
Sonic’s fur is bathed in sunlight, the burning in his heart steadying in a balance that erupts his fur from pinkish red to a fiery cerulean blue! He opens his eyes once more to reveal his golden irises as he stands tall, letting his hands rest to his sides once more. “You can call this Sparking Sonic, Shadow. You weren't the only one to find the upper limits of Emerald Energy.” Shadow was stunned to see such brilliant light, but dug his claws into the dirt knowing this wasn't over, but instead just begun.
Shadow once again charges at Sonic, but once again he vanishes, faster than ever. Shadow looks around frantically only for Sonic to reappear right in front of him, throwing a hard and calculated punch right into his guts, vanishing right after. From nowhere, Sonic kicks his side after into the grassland and away from the altar. As he gets back up, Sonic reappears again, striking him in the stomach again.
Sonic's speed has reached far beyond his previous limits, and it became more clear as strike, vanish, strike, vanish, strike, and then vanish just kept coming, wallowing on Shadow from all angles. Eventually, this culminates in an overhead strike to Shadow’s skull, knocking him right back into the dirt. Sonic stands triumphantly above him, crossing his arms in his burning clarity. “You give up yet?”
Shadow scowls in reply, his fur suddenly erupting in bright red lightning, blowing Sonic back as an orb of electric Chaos surrounds Shadow. “Hit me now, Sonic!” The orb wasn't disappearing as Shadow lunges at Sonic, forcing Sonic back on the defensive once more. Unfortunately for Shadow, his speed was still incredibly lacking, and Sonic was even faster now.
Any attempt at approach is met with an easy dodge, Sonic just watching Shadow lash out against him and Angel Island. Sonic's new control over his resolve just leaves pity for Shadow, as Sonic has already cemented that this battle can't continue, and he's already won. Despite this, Shadow keeps trying, destroying the land around him as he does. Sonic had plenty of patience to let this go on, but he decides to end Shadow's rampage out of mercy.
Suddenly, Sonic outstretches his hand, closing his fingers straight. Flaming energy begins to form there, eventually turning Sonic's hand into a blade made of Sol Energy! “It's over, Shadow.” Sonic leaps to the offensive, using his new blade arm to slice through Shadow's Chaos Forcefield, carefully breaking it while avoiding cutting Shadow in his control, using his other hand to let out a hard and fast flaming punch, knocking Shadow back into a tumble that ends in front of the altar.
Sonic believed it was over, as Shadow could no longer get up. At first he feels relief in his heart, but then, the mist closes in once more, obscuring Shadow. Sonic is quick to let his burning light flow and extinguish the mist, but Shadow wasn't there anymore. Instead, he now stands on top of the Master Emerald, clutching to it with his claws.
“What are you doing, Shadow?” Shadow snarls into a laugh. “I will not lose to you, Sonic! I won't lose to anyone ever again!” Chaotic and strange tentacles crawl out of Shadow’s back, attaching to the Master Emerald and seemingly siphoning it's Energy!
Sparkles begin to drain from the Master Emerald, Shadow’s power surging as he is bathed in emerald green light. His form begins to thin once more within that light, and once the light fades, the Shadow Sonic knew was seemingly gone. Shadow's fur was now a very dark purple, violet crystal seemingly growing from the edges of his quills. His eyes, whites and all, were also purple now, and his nose and mouth were completely missing. Shadow stands once more, his claws outstretched.
Sonic just stood there, and remained calm despite the transformation. It was clear that Shadow just made the Master Emerald bless him, but something was clearly wrong. Shadow's identity felt completely gone now, replaced with nothing but rage and chaos. This is made true when Shadow bolts down towards Sonic with a black aura, forcing Sonic to fly upwards, flying towards the center of the island above its forests.
Sonic was cautious of this new form, and figured it could do some serious damage to the island if he stayed down at ground level. Shadow reaches Sonic, who grabs his fist before impact, knocking them both through the sky. Sonic manages to rip his hand away, vanishing away only to be met with an orb of pure Chaos Energy when he reappears! Sonic is knocked back from the blast, but quickly recovers to maintain distance from Shadow.
Could Shadow see Sonic at max speed, now? He asks himself, before flying away again to keep his distance from the corrupted Shadow. This wasn't enough though, as Shadow fires off a Chaos Beam with perfect aim despite Sonic's speed, shooting him right through the chest!
Sonic's life flashes before his eyes as the beam pierces his body, from the first time he rescued Mobians from Ivo Robotnik, to when he took in Tails as his own brother, to his first antagonistic encounter with Knuckles, to the Death Egg, and even his more recent memories. Sonic had underestimated Shadow in his madness, and now Sonic was falling to the ground, completely fading from his Sparking State.
Sonic collapses to the ground, his life fading fast. His vision blurs, and the last thing he sees before they close is Shadow's feet, seemingly standing before him.
Sonic opens his eyes again to pure darkness, cold, and empty. Was this death? Was this the aftermath of what Shadow has done? Was it a nightmare? Sonic felt stupid at the moment. “I could have done better…” Sonic has seemingly paid the ultimate price for mercy, and yet, he didn't regret trying to show Shadow that kindness. But now, a worse monster than even his Bad Future self has taken the stage, and he really doesn't know if Shadow is still somewhere inside.
Sonic sits down in lament, the gravity of what he's done folding on him in a collapse of guilt and fear for his friends. Even now, Sonic was thinking of others first, and that is when a sudden sparkle appears in front of him, a single light in that darkness. There were no words, but something began to speak to his mind.
Hello, child.
“Hello?”
You have done a lot for this world, but…
“Huh?”
I was considering your rest. You have not rested in a very long time.
“Um… yeah, I guess you're right.”
Sonic, I can give you another chance. But first, you must promise me something.
“What is it?”
Once this is over, find peace with your friends and loved ones. They've been waiting.
“What about if some other threat appears?”
Believe in your friends' growth as much as your own, Sonic.
“...”
Do we have a deal?
“Deal.”
The sparkle shines brighter until the whole room-like void goes white, the brightness eventually purging the hedgehog from the void as well. Sonic opens his eyes sharply, jumping to his feet on guard immediately, before Shadow is able to finish him off. It takes Sonic a moment to readjust to his surroundings, but as he does, he notices those same sparkles the Master Emerald held, surrounding him now.
Sonic understands, dashing away to return to the Emerald altar, standing atop the Master Emerald as it envelopes him in green light. Sonic begins to grasp that he was talking to none other than the Master Emerald itself, and now has made a contract with it to receive its ultimate power. The Master Emerald's power wasn't tied to anger, suffering, resolve, or morality, but instead it was a blessing to be granted that is personalized to you, the Mobian. And Shadow forcefully stole that power, and now needed to be defeated for the sake of Mobius in its entirety.
The Emerald’s light fades, leaving Sonic with overwhelming power, a rainbow aura enveloping the grey of his fur. Sonic had never felt such surging power, but it didn't excite him. He learned from his journey with the Sol Emeralds, and this power is to be used to purge Shadow’s darkness, but now Sonic hesitates now more than ever. Shadow doesn't have to die like the other Sonic copies did. He still had a chance at life if Sonic could just save him. Sonic looks at his palm before closing his fist in resolution.
Sonic would save Shadow, with all of the power he was bestowed. He swore upon it as Shadow approached. This was it. The true final battle.
Shadow fires off an orb of Chaos Energy only for Sonic to flick it away as he walks back down the steps of the shrine, slowly approaching Shadow. He fires off another, then a whole volley of them, only for Sonic to dodge every single one, returning to his calm and slow walk towards Shadow. Shadow lunges forward, only for his fist to be blocked by Sonic's aura! He tries again to get punches and kicks through, but they are blocked by the open air, Sonic seemingly being impossible to even strike.
Shadow hesitates, and seeing that small glimpse of fear through the monster in front of him, Sonic gently smiles. “Shadow.” Their eyes meet. “Power has no inherent meaning. It's also not something everyone can access. Power is a tool to be used responsibly, and it can't be used to fill the hole of an identity, and that's okay.” Shadow lets off another Chaos Beam, but this time, it can't pierce the aura either, so it just dissipates.
Sonic cracks his wrist, focusing on that hand now rather than Shadow. “Shadow, you may not be some Ultimate Lifeform or whatever, but I know you still have a beating heart, and there's clearly a lot of energy you have to push towards goals.” Shadow begins frantically punching in an attempt to break through in panic, but nothing is working at all. He freezes once more, as the monstrous buzzing in his mind gives way to a single thought. Sonic was invincible now, and there was nothing he could do anymore.
Shadow begins trembling, knowing that the entire world was on Sonic's side. Even an Emerald has rejected him, and he was entirely alone in this fight. Sonic wasn't even paying attention anymore… “What I’m trying to say, Shadow, is that you have the means to really shape something great in your life. You can step out of my shadow. You don't need my blessing to do so, but I do give it to you.”
Shadow's trembling makes his false Master Emerald state shatter like glass, Shadow simply returning to his normal form in pure terror. He finally responds and speaks again. “Fight back, you stupid hedgehog!” Sonic shakes his head, smiling even more to see his old rival again. “Just be as you be, Shadow. You have so much room, now more than ever, to grow into your own.” Shadow's attacks soften against his aura, tears beginning to fall from Shadow’s eyes.
“Destroy me! If you don't I’ll destroy your stupid world and stupid friends, so do it!!!” Sonic's smile returns to a calm but sad frown. Shadow falls to his hands and knees, trembling and screaming out years of agony and isolation. “I lost, so end me!!!” Sonic shakes his head again, Shadow not even being able to fight anymore.
Sonic kneels down to his level gently, finally letting Shadow make contact with him for the first time since this transformation, and it was so Sonic could give him a hug. He feels the trembling of Shadow, and responds only with that same, familiar affection that Sonic shows all of his friends. “It's okay, Shadow… Everything's going to be alright.” The battle is over, and the Master Emerald releases its blessing from Sonic.
No more battles, no more transformations. We're just left with two Mobians hugging it out in their base forms, Shadow being accepted as he is, crying and broken, but more importantly, finally releasing all the pain. “I’m sorry!” Shadow finally folds to his vulnerability, showing the truth of his heart wide open for the first time since he was first found by Rouge so long ago now…
Epilogue
Shadow is given a second chance at life, even if he has to be pushed to stay away from his isolating habits. With the final wound closed, everyone is allowed to finally have their chance and time to heal. Maybe not everyone does, but as Sonic has grown to cement into his heart, there is always the chance for change.
The North Capital is fully rebuilt in the time, and Tails finally takes the chance to return to the South Islands with little Silver, and the child is finally allowed to meet his parent from another life, Amy. Blaze confidently smiles as she sees her efforts shine. Rouge helps to ground both Knuckles and Shadow now in their plights, and Mighty and Ray finally start going out again to visit friends and grow. Perhaps most importantly, Sonic keeps his promise he made to the heart of Mobius. Sonic finally slows down, knocking on the door of the Recovery HQ one more time, in order to drag Amy away from her work.
WARNING: Any and all Bonus Content has the means and potential to hold spoilers! You should finish the story before coming here!
Sonic Emerald X is in some ways largely defined by its transformations, as they are character driven, narratively changing, and just plain cool. So here is a list of all transformations in the series, as well as their descriptions for your convenience!
Chaos-based:
Imperfect Super State - Tapping into Chaos Energy but not quite reaching the limit for it to become a full transformation, instead gliding in and out of the Chaos Energy with the help of Chaos Emeralds.
Super State - Uses the 7 Chaos Emeralds as a conduit, using rage as key to finally enter an enraged and uncontrollable Super State, power consuming in order to overcome.
Innate Super State - Uses previous contact with Chaos Energy in order to transform purely with rage and focus without need of Chaos Emeralds.
Controlled Super State - With multiple uses of the Super State, skill, honing, and knowledge, the Super State can be maintained without the emotional ties with proper focus and control. This leads to unwasted Chaos Energy and precision in battle.
Super II State - After attaining the Controlled Super State, you can further tap into the rage and chaos that was once a necessity to maintain Super State in order to ascend to a whole new discovered layer of power.
Super III State - If you stay in the Super II State for too long or are driven to even further power climb, this form can be achieved. It carries with it a gravity and fear, and maintaining sanity in this form and beyond becomes less and less possible.
Super IV State - This is seemingly the ultimate limit of Chaos Energy, turning your form feral and evolving entirely in appearance. In this State, Chaos Energy seemingly becomes an infinite resource for as long as you can channel the emotions and strain required.
Hyper Ego State - This State can only be attained by reaching the limit of Chaos Energy and further amplifying that power by super-charging it with the Master Emerald. This is a form that only Shadow alone can take.
Sol-based:
Burning State - Can be attained by having all 7 of the Sol Emeralds and a burning resolve. This form embellishes you with Sol Energy, able to create various fire and light based attacks.
Innate Burning State - Uses previous contact with Sol Energy in order to transform purely with resolve and focus without need of Sol Emeralds.
Sparking State - The perfected form of Sol Energy that can only be obtained with self enlightenment, facing your inner darkness to find acceptance, forgiveness, and pure moral alignment. The fire burns a light blue now.
Hyper Instinct State - This State can only be attained by reaching the limit of Sol Energy and further amplifying that power by super-charging it with the Master Emerald. This is a form that only Sonic alone can take.
Tech-based:
Neo State - Using the combination of battle data, AI, and the correct mechanical DNA, Metal Sonic can uniquely transform into this form that breaks the limits of his programming, hardware, and software.
Non-canon:
Beast Tails - This form almost made it into the climax of the Neo Saga. Tails became silvery with deeply red eyes, red and blue lightning, and an overall destructive aura. (Based on "Beast Gohan")
Full Power Super Knuckles - Knuckles gets his own unique super form due to his ancestral ties to Chaos Energy, and acts as a sort of blessing from the Master Emerald itself. It turns Knuckles an emerald green color, and brings himself to a maddened and crazed state due to the Chaos Energy overtaking him, but, seemingly as a reaction to the guardians place and role, the Chaos Emeralds don't overtake Knuckles as a vessel like Super Sonic III. (Based on the transformations of Dragon Ball Super's "Broly")
Super Sonic Rosé - There is no fake lore explanation for this one, but it's just a cool concept where Sonic turns pink and gets an edgy scythe lol. (Based off of "Goku Black" and his transformation.)
It is only referenced once, but I actually aged up the entire cast of Sonic Emerald X to further match the themes and emotional maturity of the story. If you are curious, these ages are based on the ages in the Sonic Heroes manual:
Sonic: 21 years old
Tails: 14 years old
Knuckles: 22 years old
Amy: 18 years old
Shadow: ?? years old
Rouge: 24 years old
Mighty: 21 years old
Ray: 15 years old
Silver: 20 years old
Blaze: 26 years old
Espio: 22 years old
Vector: 26 years old
Charmy: 12 years old
Vanilla: 30 years old
Cream: 12 years old
Eggman: ?? years old
Sonic Emerald is an implied narrative that hides in the cracks of Sonic Emerald X! The history of the Death Egg, Sonic's first time entering the Super State, Mighty's roboticization, and Tails’ origin story, etc. It all hides within this narrative, and it acts as an intentional and muffled history. One day, I may create this prequel to Sonic Emerald X, but know that this implied story was the intention from the start.
Q: “Did you have any specific narrative challenges while writing Sonic Emerald X?”
A: “Yes, there was two specifically. One was balancing the cast and making sure everyone was utilized in real and believable ways to help instill the core message that teamwork and togetherness trump raw unfiltered power. The other struggle was keeping battles fresh and emotionally resonant while avoiding burnout for both my writing and the readers.”
Q: “How did Sonic Emerald X begin in concept? Was the whole story realized before you started writing?”
A: “The narrative and idea of Sonic Emerald X stayed in my head for a fairly long time, but it was always a concept I was playing with, and eventually materialized as concept art first. A general backbone was realized in my head before I started writing though, yes, and that can be seen especially in Shadow, who's narrative throughline goes through the whole span of the series. Fun fact, but I actually wrote the Blaze Saga first.”
Q: “Does Eggman survive?”
A: “I left it open ended intentionally in case of possible future stories or maybe even fanfiction of this fanfiction. In other words, I’m not even sure if he did!”
Q: “Why is Tails given so much focus in the story?”
A: “Tails does have a lot of narrative arcs and it eventually leads to the climax of the Neo Saga. Truth is, Tails is a layered character with noticeable flaws even in original Sonic canon, and in turn he was simply easier to utilize narratively than characters like Sonic, who doesn't already have emotional realisms to draw from.”
Q: “Do the Sol Emeralds have religious implications?”
A: “The Sol Emerald virtues are generally inspired by spirituality, morality, honor, and self purity. That sort of symbolism could be tied to many different religions, but the intention is supposed to be more Self-Actualization (Chaos) vs Self-Forgiveness (Sol).”
Q: “Do you have anything funny to share about the story?”
A: “Yes, actually. Despite the seriousness of the narrative, I came to realize that Knuckles gets knocked out in every Saga, lmao. In Neo Saga it happens TWICE!”
Q: “Why is the Neo Saga so much longer than the rest?”
A: “The Neo Saga acts as the narrative scale’s climax, before finalizing into the “new legend” nature of the Master Saga. It goes from personal, to political, to historic, and finally to time itself. Then, things shrink all the way back down to personal, focusing on the duality of Sonic vs Shadow; where everything begins and where it ends. Also, and more simply, there's just a lot happening in the Saga, having the most battles within it despite the first half not even having any battles.”
Q: “Are there any canon relationships in Sonic Emerald X?”
A: “There are definitely hints towards specific relationships, but nothing is made canon. Have fun!””
Q: “What does Sonic Emerald X mean to you?”
A: “I do have pride and love for Sonic Emerald X, but I try to focus more on a specific emotional core that carries throughout the series that I don't want to lose. The story is both literally, and metaphorically, my childhood crystalized into a love letter narrative. I see great personal importance in that, my heart of inspiration being Saturday morning cartoons. I didn't always have the greatest childhood, but where people have failed me, these stories with profound and heroic themes never left. Especially stories like Sonic X, Dragon Ball Z Kai, and the original Yu-Gi-Oh.”
Howdy! My name is Isaiah Shepherd, and I’m the creator of Sonic Emerald X! I have many online names such as Shepic01, Sheepy, DevSheep Games, and I’m sure there are more I’m not remembering, but essentially they're me, all in the same. I’m 25 as of writing this story and these particular words, and my birthday is in January so it's easy to remember!
As you already know, I’m clearly a writer, but I’m also more generally a hobbyist who has practiced many crafts and artforms, such as digital art, physical art, narrative writing, poetry, video creation, photo editing, and even game design! I will say this comes at the cost of being a jack of all trades and a master of none, but I’m constantly working to grow as both an artist and a person!
That said, my life hasn't always been easy. To be honest, my life has likely been more suffering than not, but it has also led to deepening my capabilities in emotional storytelling, narrative depth, and imagery with meaning, so there's always a plus! Life is hard, but as people, we have to live to grow and change in order to survive, even when things are scary.
That leads into the actual overall meaning of Sonic Emerald X, as it's a story created with growth and change as the forefront of the narrative. Life has struggles, but even in that suffering, childhood virtues still remain deep inside our hearts, and this story is meant to force that back out into the open, tackling what it means not just to live with that inner child, but also what it means to grow up and mature. That is the core narrative truth of Sonic Emerald X: The process of childhood in both the good and the bad, and how it shapes us into who we become.
So, in turn, this story acts as a deeply personal journey for me told through glowing hedgehogs and the power of friendship, and that interconnectedness and honestly, sillyness, only serves to further cement the story's themes and the core message. I hope you can find meaning of your own within the story and characters, and most importantly, I hope it helps you to find the same inner peace that our heroes do.