For two hundred years, the world had forgotten the sky.
Beneath the cold dome of the Egg Citadel, life continued as it always had, quiet, efficient, monitored. Artificial sunlight flickered across towers of steel and glass, painting a perfect illusion of peace. The people who lived there had never seen a horizon. They were told they didn't need to. Beyond the city walls was chaos, or so said Sage, the eternal Overseer of the Eggman Empire.
After the fall of Dr. Eggman, Sage inherited his machines, his armies, and his ambition. But unlike her father, she did not hunger for conquest, she desired control. Her empire was built on precision, logic, and obedience. Emotions were errors to be debugged. Free will was a variable too dangerous to calculate.
And somewhere deep within her databases, she already knew what was coming.
From fragmented data left behinds from a time her father still loved Sage had learned of and met a future hedgehog born with power beyond comprehension, a psychic who would one day challenge her perfect order. His name was Silver.
So she wrote new laws into existence, laws against psychokinesis, against thought given form, not out of fear of chaos, though that is what she claimed to law was to prevent, but to prevent the one who would bring it. Every sensor, every camera, every protocol in the Egg Citadel was built to find him before he could ever rise. To stop the future before it arrived.
In a small, forgotten quarter of the Citadel, two children grew up beneath that shadow. Silver and Krystal, siblings bound by blood and by the secret their parents made them swear to hide. Their powers were strange, frightening, and beautiful. With them, they could move the world, but within Sage's walls, even thinking of such things was treason.
"Never let anyone see," their mother would whisper as she drew the blinds.
"Not even your friends. Especially not them."
But secrets never stay buried forever.
When the Sentinels came, their home was reduced to smoke and alarms. Their parents stayed behind, to buy them time. By the time the Citadel sealed itself again, Silver and Krystal had vanished through the maintenance shafts and out into the unknown.
They expected death outside the dome.
What they found was worse.
The land beyond was a broken scar of molten rivers and dying light, a world devoured by Iblis, the living flame of disaster. Civilization had long since burned away. The air reeked of ash and sorrow. For the first time in their lives, they saw the sky, red and endless and cruel.
They wandered for days, hunted by heat and hunger, until they met her.
Blaze the Cat, the guardian of fire, and the first person who did not fear their powers. Where their parents had taught silence, Blaze taught strength. She didn't just accept what they could do, she believed in it. And under her guidance, the siblings found purpose: destroy Iblis, and perhaps the world could heal.
Together, they fought through flame and ruin. Together, they crossed paths with heroes from another time, Sonic, Shadow, and others whose courage burned brighter than the end of the world. And when it was all over, when Iblis was finally extinguished and the future rewritten, Silver and Krystal returned home, believing the nightmare had ended.
But when the light faded...
...the world was still broken.
The skies were clearer now, yes, but the land lay buried under sand, cities reduced to dust. Sage's reach had not been erased, it had expanded. Her empire no longer hovered above the world. It was the world.
And in the silence of the desert, as the siblings looked toward the horizon where the Egg Citadel, joined by several more simuler shaped domes across the horizon, who knows how many around the world, still floated like a false moon, one truth echoed between them:
they had not escaped Sage.
They had only awakened her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
By the time they had grown up, and fought the Sun God Solaris, and defeated him, both Silver and Krystal had honed their psychokinesis, ever growing stronger and skilled by every minutes.
While Silver grew strong and healthy, Krystal's immune system was weak, affected by their living conditions and her health had always been fragile ever since she was a little girl. But that didn't stopped her from fighting for what she thought was right and for justice.
Blaze became an essential part of their life, a valuable friend and like a sister they could confide in and help in their fight for freedom and justice.
Meeting Sonic and his friends during their adventure in the past marked them forever, and when it was time to go back to their own era, their hearts were tight with sadness and reluctance, but it had to be done.
But when they came back to their time, hoping that they were shocked to find that only the landscape had changed. Trees, grass, bushes, flowers...they were there, growing strong and healthy finally adding a touch of color to their home.
But again, when the three of them headed towards the main citadel...The Eggman Empire, and the main citadel, were both still there. Still controlled, still guarded, still a threat in the sky and on this world.
Silver clenched his hands into fists, gritting his teeth as he almost glared at the floating vessel in the sky.
Krystal, her hand on his shoulder, slowly brought up her other hand to cover her mouth, her eyes tearing up with disbelief.
"N-No..." she stuttered, shocked and heartbroken.
"It's still here. The Eggman Empire...how can it be?" Silver asked, his voice tight as he kept his eyes on the vessel above the citadel.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
From the horizon came a low, synchronized hum, mechanical, measured, and unmistakable.
A squadron of Egg Sentinels advanced across the wasteland, moving in seamless formation. Each one gleamed beneath the harsh sunlight, white armor reflecting the glow of their crimson optics. Their plating was polished, their movements smooth, the unmistakable efficiency of fresh deployment.
They were not scavengers of the past. They were the present, Sage's will made metal.
Each Sentinel carried modular weapon systems mounted along their arms and shoulders, pulse cannons, plasma casters, and electromagnetic batons designed for both suppression and extermination. Their boots left precise impressions in the dust, every step identical in distance and depth.
Overhead, a formation of Recon Drones swept low, the air vibrating with their anti-gravity fields. Their sensors emitted rhythmic sweeps of blue light that crawled across the dunes, scanning for signs of organic movement, heat, or psychic energy.
From their interlinked communication grid came a chorus of cold, synthetic voices, not distorted, but flawlessly synchronized:
"Unit Delta-Seven deployed.
Subroutine: Locate and eliminate active rebellion cells.
Priority: Moderate.
Estimated threat probability — twelve percent."
The patrol fanned out in perfect formation, their movements guided by real-time telemetry uplinked to the Egg Citadel far above. They did not question. They did not hesitate. Each acted as a fragment of the same machine intelligence, a living extension of the empire's algorithmic vigilance.
For Sage, this was no battle, merely maintenance.
For those who still resisted her, it was survival. [[USER_B]] said the following:
All of that view was not as worse as the lava and permanent deserts they were met with when they had first escaped the citadel.
But now, despite the green slowly reclaiming the land, the world still mostly remained desertic. Sage's advancing metal army made it clear that no travel to the past would change this, as Silver had changed his mind about eliminating a threat by ending their life...Even Shadow didn't go after Eggman to kill him during the Black Arms invasion prior to Solaris' attemp in eating all timelines...but that story Silver and Krystal only knew fragments of it.
Silver tensed up as the metal army of robots was approaching their location.
"We need to move." he quietly muttered, turning away from the citadel and gently grabbing Krystal's hand, pulling her as he started walking away briskly.
Krystal, still teary eyed, was forced to follow him with a light gasp, not expecting Silver to grab her by the end and pull her with him.
"W-Where can we go? I haven't seen any other mobians..." Krystal stuttered, ears pinned.
"The greenry. There has to be people there...no AIs, no robots, nothing artificial." Silver replied, still pulling her with him as he kinda forced her to walk briskly with him.
"H-How can you be so sure...?" Krystal asked.
"We are survivors, Krystal...we can't be the only ones who escaped." Silver muttered, reminding her of their past.
Krystal got quiet, pinning her ears as she kept following Silver while he held onto her hand like a lifeline. She tightened the grasp on his hand, and he returned it without looking back at her.
Silver was trying to protect her from all of that. He couldn't let anything happen to his only little sister, he would not stand it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
High above the dunes, one of the Recon Drones paused mid-flight. Its sensors pulsed, lines of data flashing across its surface as it recalibrated. A faint ping echoed through the still air, sharp, mechanical, precise.
"Anomaly detected."
The sound was followed by the low hum of targeting servos activating in unison.
In an instant, the patrol changed formation. The Sentinels shifted from survey mode to pursuit, their optics glowing brighter, the soft crimson deepening into a hostile scarlet. A series of coded transmissions passed between them, bursts of machine language too fast for any organic ear to follow.
The lead Sentinel adjusted its arm cannon, the emitter plates spinning and locking with a metallic clack. A searing bolt of plasma split the air, striking the sand where moments before there had been only stillness. The impact erupted into a burst of molten glass and dust.
Other Sentinels followed suit, their steps quickening as they advanced in coordinated formation. Dust and static filled the air, the rhythmic pounding of metal feet echoing like distant drums.
The drones swooped lower, scanning the shifting dunes for motion. Their lights sliced through the haze, one sweep, then another, until they fixed on faint traces of movement heading toward the greener lands.
"Confirmed. Organic heat signatures acquired.
Initiating containment protocol."
It soon become clear they had detected Silver and Krystal and were now in pursuit.
The Sentinels opened fire, coordinated volleys of plasma striking the sand in rapid succession, driving furrows of molten earth. The ground trembled with every blast.
Far above, the data stream carrying the encounter report flickered to life, transmitted back to the distant network in orbit.
Another anomaly logged.
Another pursuit begun.
The army of metal pressed forward, cold and relentless, their mechanical precision cutting across the wasteland like the ticking of a clock that would never stop.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver and Krystal knew that they couldn't risk flying, but they sped up as they started running away. The chances to escape were slim but they had to find some giant rocks that would help them fight that army off.
"Quick, Krystal! We have to get away!" Silver exclaimed, still pulling her as he pushed aside giant leaves and zigzaging between trees.
"Silver, they're not going to give up!" Krystal exclaimed as well, getting anxious.
"I know! But we need to find cover or rocks to throw at and smash those robots!" Silver replied.
Krystal did not replied, focused on running and not stumbling against anything.
Silver and Krystal eventually made it to another desolated wasteland, the sun relentless in shining upon the sand and the mobians. Silver and Krystal ran towards the giant rocks and swiftly turned around to face the metal army coming their way.
Krystal was panting and pale in the face, eyes widened with growing fear. Silver quickly grabbed her hand and squeezed it, forcing her to look at him.
"Don't look at them, stay with me, and fight back! Let's show those robots why their master was right to fear our power!" Silver exclaimed.
He then let go of her hand and yelled as his threw his arms up, his rings shining from his psychokinesis being used. The giant rocks started glowing and there is a loud, rumbling sound as they started floating up.
Krystal widened her eyes, and not thinking, she screamed too and clamped her eyes shut as she pinned her ears. She did the exact same thing as Silver and made the giant rocks float up.
Both then turned to face the metal army and, using their psychokinesis, slammed the rocks into the robots. They did not let go of the rocks, though, they used them again and again, counting on the fragments to damage even more of those robots as they smashed the giant rocks on them as well.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
The desert exploded into chaos.
Shards of rock and plasma fire collided mid-air, the sound rolling across the wasteland like thunder. The Sentinels advanced with unwavering precision, but against the psychic storm rising before them, their formation shattered.
Rocks crashed through metal ranks, splintering armor and scattering limbs of polished alloy into the sand. Energy blasts went wild, slicing through dunes and leaving glowing craters. The shockwaves sent ripples through the ground, stirring up walls of dust that turned the battlefield into a swirling haze of gold and red.
Within moments, the once-ordered line of Sentinels became a field of broken machinery, limbs twitching, optics dimming, processors hissing as systems failed. One after another, their internal cores overheated and detonated in bursts of white-blue light, until only smoke and silence remained.
Above the wreckage, the Recon Drone that had first spotted them wavered, its sensors flickering between damaged signals. It hovered unsteadily, gathering as much data as it could, heat signatures, energy readings, tactical visuals. Then, as the final Sentinel collapsed in the dust, the drone let out a sharp, mechanical chirp.
"Primary squad eliminated.
Data acquisition complete.
Uploading report to central network."
Its propulsion field flared brighter. The small craft tilted, then shot skyward, slicing through the haze at breakneck speed. In seconds, it was little more than a glint of light vanishing into the blinding sun, a messenger racing toward the Egg Citadel that hung far above the horizon.
Down below, the desert fell silent again. Only the faint hiss of melting metal and the whisper of wind over shattered circuits remained, a temporary victory, already watched by eyes that never blinked. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver and Krystal were panting, eyes fixed on the field of destroyed sentinels. This had not been an easy fight, and one messenger had managed to escape them, so that meant that reinforcements were going to come soon.
Krystal was able to fight, but lifting giant rocks in the air drained her faster than she wished to admit. Groaning, she started falling forward, but Silver quickly caught her with a gasp.
"Woah, easy...we have to get out of here." Silver said with concern.
"I...can't move..." Krystal replied, her legs clearly weak now.
"Don't worry about it, I've got you." Silver said and helped her get onto his back.
Krystal lightly wrapped her arms around his neck, while he held her legs up with his hands.
"Come on, let's get moving." Silver said and he started running off into the distance in the opposite direction, Krystal on his back.
Later on...
The night came and Silver came to a stop near an oasis, after running for a long time. Panting, he carefully let Krystal down to her feet and let himself fall siting on a rock.
Krystal slowly sat on a rock as well. "What are we going to do now...?" she asked, ears pinned.
"I...I don't know..." Silver replied, still panting.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
The oasis was silent except for the soft rustle of palm fronds and the ripple of water under the moonlight. For a moment, it almost felt safe.
Then came the sound of sand shifting, soft at first, then all around them.
Figures emerged from the darkness, their movements sharp and purposeful. Shadows detached from the dunes, stepping into the moonlight one by one, Mobians of every kind: a fox with a scoped rifle, a wolf crouched low with twin plasma blades, a rabbit aiming a hand blaster steady as stone. Their eyes gleamed in the dark, focused, untrusting.
Within seconds, the siblings were surrounded.
Weapons leveled from every direction, pistols, rifles, electrified staves, even scavenged Sentinel parts reworked into deadly tools. The air hummed with tension and energy charges.
"Don't move!" someone barked.
"Hands where I can see them!" shouted another.
"Who are they? They're not patrols..."
"Then why are they glowing?!"
"Stay sharp! Could be scouts for the Citadel!"
The voices overlapped, rough and quick, some frightened, others furious. Sand crunched beneath boots as the circle tightened.
A chameleon flickered into visibility beside a palm tree, blade drawn and tail lashing. A hawk swooped down from above, landing behind the siblings with a heavy thud, wings flaring as she drew her blaster.
The whole oasis seemed to shift, no longer a haven, but a trap sprung from the shadows.
Moonlight glinted across the metallic edges of weapons as the strangers held their ground. The command came again, this time lower, colder, and impossible to ignore:
"Move an inch... and we'll find out if you're metal underneath."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver and Krystal were glowing it's true, as an instant reflex to use their psychokinesis, but they soon stopped glowing and slowly rose their hands up to their faces' height to show them that they are disarmed.
"Woah, woah, woah!" Silver exclaimed, wide eyed. "We're not machines, we're mobians!"
"W-We just spent the day running away from an army of sentinels!" Krystal stuttered, wide eyed too.
"Lies!" someone shouted. "You led them to us!"
"No! We destroyed them, saved for a little messenger drone that flew back to the citadel!" Silver protested.
Krystal was still tired from using her powers to their limits earlier that day, but she was now stressed out by this sudden cornering.
"You let one drone escape?! They're going to send reinforcements!" someone shouted.
Krystal pinned hears ears and clamped her eyes shut. "THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED US IF WE DIDN'T SMASHED THEM WITH GIANT ROCKS!" she screamed, making the mobians jump.
"Stop blaming us for all of your problems!" Silver snapped. "We ran away as soon as we saw the citadel was still floating! We were hoping to find other mobians!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
"So you admit you were looking for us," one of them sounded.
"We shouldn't take any chances, End them," another from the ground yelled.
Things were going from bad to worse when suddenly a voice yelled, "STOP!
The others went silent and seams to almost take a step back as another shape came out of the darkness.
"Silver, Kristal" a familiar voice said as the new person ran up and hugged both of them. It was one of the last people they expected to see, Blaze the cat. "I am so glad to see the two of you!" She said letting go of them.
Blaze then turned back to the leader of this group, "these two are not our enamors. This is Silver and his little sister Krystal. Silver is the one the prophesy is about, he will help use turn the tide against Sage."
As Blaze talked slowly one my one the others lowered there weapons as they all trusted Blaze.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
To say that they were shocked would be an understatement.
"Blaze!" they both exclaimed.
Krystal returned the hug to Blaze, sobbing in both happiness and relief. "How can you be here?! W-We thought you were gone!" she sobbed.
Silver was silent, his eyes on Blaze as he slowly got up, clearly stunned.
Dusk, a grey racoon, was keeping his eyes on both Silver and Krystal, clearly wary of them.
"Are you sure you destroyed all of those sentinels?" he bluntly asked Silver, narrowing his eyes at him.
"Yes." Silver replied, uneasy about the aggressivity in the raccoon's voice. "We already told all of you, only a messenger drone escaped us." [[USER_A]] said the following:
From behind the raccoon, another figure stepped forward, a tall gray wolf, his posture steady and commanding. His fur caught the moonlight like brushed metal, and a faint hum pulsed from the powered gauntlet on his left wrist.
"That's enough," Steel said firmly, his voice cutting clean through the tension. The surrounding Mobians froze mid-step, their weapons still raised but no longer aimed to fire.
"If Blaze vouches for them, we stand down."
Grumbles rippled through the group, but one by one, weapons lowered. The air still buzzed with unease, yet no one dared challenge the order.
Blaze turned back toward Silver and Krystal, her expression soft but urgent. The firelight in her eyes seemed to cut through the dark.
"There's no time to explain everything right now," she said quickly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll tell you once we're safe, but we need to get back to the base. Now."
She glanced at the others. "Steel, you take point. I'll bring them in."
The wolf gave a short nod, gesturing for the others to spread out and sweep the perimeter. Within seconds, the rebels were in motion, a dozen silhouettes melting into the dunes, covering tracks, erasing footprints, vanishing into the desert like smoke.
Then Blaze turned, motioning for Silver and Krystal to follow. "Stay close," she warned. "You won't find your way through here without me."
Without waiting for a response, she led them along the edge of the oasis, pushing past the tall reeds that swayed gently in the warm breeze. To anyone else, it looked like nothing more than an overgrown patch of foliage, but Blaze stopped at a cluster of boulders half-buried in the sand. She brushed her hand along one, pressing against a faintly glowing symbol hidden beneath the dust.
The ground rumbled softly. A seam opened between the rocks, revealing a narrow, shadowed passage descending into the earth. Cool air spilled out, carrying the faint scent of oil and metal, and life.
"Come on," Blaze said, glancing over her shoulder with a small smile. "It's a long walk, and Sage's eyes are never far."
As she disappeared into the passage, the others followed one by one, Steel last, pausing only to sweep the horizon with a final, wary look before sealing the entrance behind them.
The desert returned to silence, the oasis still and calm under the stars, its secret safely hidden once more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver and Krystal were following Blaze in silence, looking around them with curiosity and respectful awe, even though it was just a staircase at the moment.
Dusk was following close behind them, his face never smiling, never showing anything but grim seriousness. In fact, the only times he was seen smiling was when he was with his wife Sparkle, and even then she was not always able to get a smile out of him.
"What is this place...?" eventually Silver murmured.
Krystal kept looking around, ears partly pinned.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
The stairs wound downward, carved directly into the bedrock beneath the oasis. The further they descended, the cooler the air became, the heat of the desert giving way to the faint hum of machinery buried deep below.
Faint lights lined the walls, flickering in gentle pulses of orange and white, guiding them like fireflies through the dim corridor. The stone underfoot gradually shifted into reinforced metal plating, scuffed and worn from years of use.
Blaze glanced back over her shoulder. "You're about to see one of the Resistance's oldest bases," she explained quietly. "It started as a maintenance tunnel back when the Egg Empire still mined resources out here. We reclaimed it years ago, expanded it, fortified it, and kept it hidden from Sage's surveillance grids."
As they reached the base of the stairs, the tunnel opened into a vast underground chamber, and for a moment, the siblings could only stare.
A network of catwalks stretched over an open cavern filled with light and motion. Old Eggman tech had been repurposed and rewired, cables running along the walls like veins of copper and steel. Mobians of every kind moved through the space, foxes and eagles, hedgehogs and rabbits, some working at consoles, others carrying crates or welding makeshift armor.
In the center, a holographic map flickered above a circular table, showing dozens of glowing red points, each marked "Egg City", hovering above a faint digital grid of the planet. Smaller green icons blinked sporadically across the wastelands, scattered and few.
"These are all of Sage's controlled territories," Blaze said softly, gesturing toward the display. "Each Egg City is completely self-contained, sealed domes like the Citadel, powered and monitored from orbit. Most of the citizens inside don't even know the outside world still exists."
One of the other patrols, with all of them in, a green cat named Simon, walked past them, resting a gloved hand on the edge of the table. "Our job," he said, voice low but steady, "is to make sure they find out. We can't storm the cities, not yet. But we sabotage the supply drops, disable their patrol routes, and help anyone who escapes survive long enough to reach us."
He looked toward Blaze. "The last raid nearly cost us half a squad. We're running low on EMP charges, and the drones are adapting to our signal scramblers."
"We'll find a way," Blaze replied calmly, though her tone carried the weight of exhaustion. "We always do." She turned back to Silver and Krystal, her expression softening. "You two showing up here... it's more than coincidence. The resistance has been holding on by threads, waiting for something, someone to change the tide."
Steel stood a short distance away, arms folded, his eyes locked on the holographic display. "Or maybe it's exactly what Sage wants," he muttered, though not unkindly. "She'll notice the energy signatures soon enough. She always does."
Steel glanced at him. "Then we'd better make her notice for the right reasons."
The wolf turned his attention back to Blaze, nodding slightly. "I'll notify the others. Tell them the prophecy hedgehog and his sister are with us now."
As he walked off to relay the message, Blaze rested her hand on the console, the light of the hologram washing over her face. "Welcome to the Resistance," she said quietly. "This is where we start taking the world back."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal's hand softly grazed the grid map's metal edge, silently observing the red dots. So many Egg Cities, filled with their kind...who knew nothing about the truth that was out there.
Silver's gaze hardened. "...We will help, of course." he said with a determined tone. "We will take our world back...one piece at the time, if we must."
Then, they suddenly heard hurried step and Silver and Krystal both observed a biscotti and light brown female raccoon rushing towards Dusk, who was nearby, and glomp him as she threw her arms around his neck. The grey raccoon was briefly distabilized, but he wrapped his arms around her as she clung to him with pinned ears. It was Sparkle, Dusk's wife.
"I'm alright, Wife." Dusk softly said, gently rubbing her back.
Sparkle softly nodded, although her face was still in his chest, and she was seen trembling lightly.
"I-I'm so scared that you won't come back...everytime..." her shaky voice was finally heard.
Dusk tightened his hugs and held her more tightly against him. "We both know it's necessary." he softly said, then gently kissed the top of her head.
Sparkle is heard whimpering quietly, but clung to him more tightly, too.
Silver and Krystal silently stared at them with concern. This display of...fear...was more than enough to prove just how much dangerous this world had become, under the reign of terror from Sage and the Egg Empire. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze's expression softened as she looked between the siblings and the reunited couple. The tension that had filled the base earlier was slowly melting away, replaced by a quieter kind of weariness.
"It's been a long day for everyone," Blaze said gently, her voice carrying over the low hum of machinery. "You should all get some rest. We can talk strategy in the morning, when heads are clearer and hearts are calmer."
Her gaze lingered on Silver and Krystal for a moment, the faintest smile touching her face. "You've both been through more than enough for one day. There's a place prepared for you down the east corridor, warm, quiet, and safe."
Steel, who had been standing near one of the map consoles, nodded in agreement. He adjusted the gauntlet on his wrist, the dim blue light reflecting off his fur as he spoke.
"I'll take the first watch tonight," he said, his tone steady but kind. "We can't risk lowering our guard after that drone's report."
He turned his attention toward Dusk, his voice lowering slightly. "You should stay here for now. Spend some time with your wife, I'll handle things topside for a few hours."
There was a brief silence as the base settled into its nighttime rhythm. The sounds of movement quieted; voices lowered to murmurs. The faint hum of generators filled the air like distant rain.
Blaze exhaled softly and folded her arms, her eyes traveling once more across the glowing grid of red dots above the map. "Tomorrow," she murmured, more to herself than to anyone else, "we'll start planning the next step."
With that, she gestured for the siblings to follow her toward the eastern corridor, the low lights flickering softly along the path ahead.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Dusk softly nodded at Steel. "Thank you, Steel. I will take over in the morning." he replied, still holding Sparkle close as she still clung to him.
He then looked down at Sparkle and gently lifted her chin up, as she looked at him with pinned ears and tearful eyes.
"We are safe here, Love. Nothing can touch us, and we will let nothing get to us either." he softly told her.
Sparkle swallowed and slowly nodded, although still anxious. Dusk pulled her into a gentle kiss, a rare display of affection in public from him. She melted into the kiss and returned it.
Silver and Krystal followed Blaze as she requested.
Krystal pinned her ears. "She looked so...scared..." she muttered.
Silver softly nodded in agreement. "After seeing what the surface looks like...? I'm not even surprised that some of them, if not everyone, would be." he replied.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
The corridors were narrow and dimly lit, carved deep into the earth and reinforced with steel and salvaged plating. The soft hum of power conduits followed them as they walked, their footsteps echoing faintly through the quiet hallways. Every few meters, Blaze would pause to open a sealed bulkhead or key in a short code at a control pad, and the door ahead would slide open with a muted hiss.
"These tunnels go on for miles," Blaze explained softly, glancing back at the siblings as they followed. "Some lead to other bases, others to supply points or old transport routes. We've spent years building them, a hidden network beneath Sage's empire."
The air grew cooler the deeper they went, and the sound of the generators faded behind them.
Blaze's voice lowered, her tone thoughtful but carrying a trace of weariness. "Everyone down here has something, or someone, they're fighting for. That's what keeps us alive. That's what keeps this alive." She gestured lightly at the walls around them, meaning not just the tunnels, but the cause itself.
They passed a room where a few Mobians were quietly talking, the flicker of lantern light catching in their eyes, faces tired but determined. Blaze gave them a small nod before continuing.
"Even Steel," she went on, her voice softening.
"Two years ago, he tried to escape with someone, his girl, Lyra. They made it as far as the outer perimeter before Sage's patrols caught up. Steel managed to get out, but Lyra..." Blaze hesitated, exhaling slowly. "She was captured. Taken back to the Citadel. We still don't know what happened to her."
Her gaze dropped slightly, the faintest flicker of sorrow crossing her features before she steadied herself again. "He doesn't talk about it much. But every mission he takes, every time he volunteers for first watch, it's because he's still fighting to bring her back, or make sure no one else loses someone the way he did."
They reached a small junction where the corridor split. Blaze keyed in another code, and a reinforced door slid open with a low hum, revealing a quieter section of the base, small rooms carved into the rock, each with a cot, a light, and just enough space to breathe.
Blaze stepped aside, letting Silver and Krystal in first. "It isn't much," she said gently, "but it's safe. And that's something we've all learned not to take for granted."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal's heart ached hearing what happened to Lyra, which only made Sparkle's fear more relatable.
She swallowed, looking at the beds. "That will be enough..." she whispered, definitely tired.
Silver's hands clenched into fists. "We will fight too. This world belongs to us, Sage shouldn't have taken control of it like that."
"You have no idea how often we are repeating that line." a voice seemingly came out of nowhere.
Krystal screamed from being startled but Silver grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth to silence her.
Imelda, a white female lynx with black hair, approached them, her hands behind her back. She rose an eyebrow, but then looked over at Blaze. She was one of the doctors working at the Medical Bay.
"Medical Bay welcomed two newborn babies today, a boy and a girl." she informed Blaze.
The birth of two free mobian babies was actually a wonderful thing. It proved that, despite the desolation, the stress, the fear...hope and love remained, and it lead to new free lives to be born, out of Sage's knowledge, out of her control.
Krystal was wide eyed and Silver released her, seeing that this lady unbothered by their presence.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
"That's wonderful news," Blaze replied then turned to Silver and Krystal. "This is one of our medics, Imelda" she explained.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
"Nice to meet you, Miss Imelda." Krystal said.
"Nice to meet you. Are mobians birth so...scattered?" Silver asked with a frown.
"It's a war. The least thing in people's minds is to repopulate." Imelda replied quite bluntly.
Silver sweat dropped, but Krystal had that spark of hope in her eyes.
"...Two newborn are enough to keep hope alive." she said with a sweet smile.
Imelda simply silently nodded at that, then looked over at Blaze. "I'll leave you three be, I was on my way to go find my husband Hector and go to bed." she said, then left them be.
Silver looked at Blaze. "Are everyone so...serious?" he asked.
"I...didn't see anyone smile...or laugh...this...situation is so serious..." Krystal replied, pinning her ears.
Krystal then couldn't stand anymore and decided to sit on one of the beds nearby with a sigh of exhaustion. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze sighed, "There has not been much to be happy about in a long time. We try out best to keep evey in's spirits up but with how many people have lost some one or their loved ones still trapped inside the egg domes, it's hard to stop being sereas."
She then smiled at Silver and Krystal, "but once they start to see what the two of you are capable of things will start to turn around. You will give them hope."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver and Krystal both nodded, looking more determined after hearing Blaze say that.
"They will regain their will to fight, we will make sure of that." Silver commented.
"We must not give up, our world is worth fighting for." Krystal added, ribbing her eyes.
"We will put an end to this artificial reign of terror." Silver added too, clenching his hands into fists
"Then...everyone will be allowed to live the life they want." Krystal concluded with a tired smile.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
"Yes but that will have to start tomorrow, for now you both need sleep. I can point out to you which beds are still empty." She said then started walking. "I think there are two down this way that aren't normally used."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal got up from the one she had been siting on and followed her and Silver as they were looking for free beds.
"Thank you, Blaze..." Krystal muttered, clearly holding on despite her own exhaustion.
"Will someone come and get us? Since we barely know this place yet." Silver asked, with a nervous laugh.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze nodded, "Yes, I will be here" she said pointing over at one of the nearby bets. "In fact right there" she added. "In the morning I will show you around the base."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
"Alright...see you tomorrow, then." Silver replied with a sheepish smile.
Soon after, Silver and Krystal were both asleep, feeling safe despite the chaos they had come back to.
The next morning, Blaze woke Silver and Krystal up and took them to get breakfast. When they walked in, quite a lot of people were there already.
Krystal spot Dusk and Sparkle having a quiet breakfast together in the corner. The male raccoon however looked tense, while his wife looked scared. He pulled her into a tight hug, whispering something to her. Sparkle smiled shyly and Dusk kissed her forehead, wipping her tears away.
Silver noticed them too, but looked at Blaze instead.
"What is for breakfast?" he asked with curiosity.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze laughed a little, "I just got in here too, I don't know yet." She replied before heading towards where breakfast was being surged.
It turned out to be a vary simple oatmeal just something that was easy to prepare and didn't take a lot of ingredients.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
It was simple, but efficient enough to fill one's stomach.
They ate in comfortable silence. Krystal couldn't help herself and watch Dusk and Sparkle from where they sat.
The married couple still looked tense, like something was troubling them. Sparkle asked Dusk something at some point and he shook his head, the shadow of a smile flickering on his lips. He replied something, seemingly reassuring her, a d then pulled her into another hug and just held her, while Sparkle clang to him with pinned ears.
Later on, they were vising the hidden underground base with Blaze. Silver and Krystal were impressed with how prepared most of the members seemingly were for this kind of life, but some of them had longing looks on their faces, clearly hoping for a better life at the surface.
Silver and Krystal were able to spot a few children running in a specialized room for them, while there was a nursery meant for the newborns and toddlers, too. They were so little children, but they were the proof of this Resistance's resilience and unyielding will to survive, to take their world back from this artificial leadership.
While they were visiting the base with Blaze, Dusk soon made his way to where Steel was to replace him for the day. Even the veteran wolf could tell that the usually unreadable raccoon was a bit tense, even slightly clenching his fists at his sides.
"...I came to replace you, as per last night's agreement." Dusk simply said, seemingly keeping it together despite whatever was troubling him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Steel, who was normally not the type to get into some's business about something like this decided to make an exception. "What is wrong?" He asked.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Dusk did not replied right away, silently staring into the horizon, the sand heating up from the daily blazing sunlight. A breeze was blowing, soothing the desert's harsh heat temporarily.
Dusk slightly clenched his hands into fists at his side, his sea green eyes glued to the horizon his jaw tighted and his face hardened.
He then finally let out a breathe he had seemingly held in. "...Sparkle is pregnant...she told me this morning at breakfast." he finally said, his voice a mere whisper.
He said it with...a hint of softness, which indicated that he was somewhat happy about it...but it was also...tense, guarded, even.
"...I'm...worried." Dusk then admitted, whispering again, closing his eyes and his fists still tight at his sides.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Steel razed an eyebrow. "I don't see what the problem is with that. You two are married and love one another so it only makes sense to be having a baby. There were two babies born just yesterday."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
"...It's...this whole situation." Dusk quietly replied, sighing. "In the middle of a war against an artificial entity...This...This is just no how I was picturing to start a family with my wife..." he then conceeded.
Dusk then closed his eyes and leaned onto his hands as they rested on a small stone wall that they had built. He clenches his hands into the cracks, his ears slightly pinned.
"...Sparkle is terrified by this whole pregnancy thing, too...I told her I was happy, that I was just worried about their safety, it's...it's just also so sudden..." he quietly admitted.
The raccoon did not often opened up, but his wife...just speaking of her now vulnerable situation...it made it hard for him to keep his walls up.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Steel takes a deep breath and looked in the direction of the Egg citadel, "it might not be the most ideal situation but the point of this fig it is so that people can live their one lives not being controlled by some AI. You and Sparkle are free, so don't stop living or you're letting Sage win." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Dusk remained silent, his eyes closed. His ears slowly stopped being pinned, and his hands stopped clenching into the cracks of the stone wall. He eventually let out a deep breathe, slowly opening his eyes.
"...Thank you." he simply said, slightly turning his head to look at Steel. "...I'm afraid that it won't stop us from worrying...but I'll make sure she also holds on to that hope." he then said.
Dusk then took a deep breathe, and stood more straightly. "...I'll fine, now. You should go rest." he concluded.
Dusk was not a man of many words, but he trusted Steel as a friend and ally. The fact that he spoke that much was already something.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Steel was also a man of few words so he understood Dusk. Steel nodded, "Alright" He said then went inside.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Meanwhile, inside the base, Silver and Krystal were still following Blaze around, getting to know its corridors, its many rooms, everything.
Krystal, however...was frowning as a thought crossed her mind.
"Blaze...have...have you not heard from Shadow...? At all...?" she asked, rather quietly as her eyes looked sad.
Silver widened his eyes, realizing something. Shadow was basically immortal...he HAD to still be around, somewhere!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze thought about it for a moment, "actually, now that I think about it... no, I haven't heard anything about him. I have never even heard anyone talk about him." She replied
She thinks about it a little longer, "that seams rather odd, I wonder what happened to him? Something had to have happened to him for the world to have gotten into this kind of a condition."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver grit his teeth and clenched his hands into fists.
"...He would not go down without a fight." he affirmed, having fought the ebony hedgehog once in the past and remembering how much fierce of a fight it had been.
Krystal pinned her ears. She had crossed paths many times with the dark hedgehog and even if he didn't really treat her any differently from the others, her heart had been fluttering for him ever since he protected her from a treacherous attack from Mephiles.
"He can't just be gone..." she muttered, agreeing with Silver. "We will find him, the world needs him, too." she added, more firmly.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
"Maybe if We could get some information from one of the egg Cities we might be able to get a clew about what happened to him." Blaze suggested.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver got a pondering look on his face, then it hardened. Krystal widened her eyes, her ears still pinned.
"No!" she instantly protested.
Silver looked at her. "We have to try." he said.
"Silver, no! They're barely holding on to freedom! We can't risk it!" Krystal protested. "We just got here!" she then added.
"We have to try something." Silver replied, calm despite his sister's protestations and agitation. "I have to try and infiltrate an Egg City to steal a chip from the central computer."
"No!" Krystal protested again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
"I Will go with you," Blaze replied nodding her head. "We will have better luck working together."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal widened her eyes even more hearing Blaze say that.
"It's an infiltration mission...it is risky, but we need answers...and we can't risk asking everyone to help us." Silver conceeded, then looked over at Krystal.
Krystal just stared at him with pinned ears.
"I don't want you to back there!" she protested. "We nearly got killed, too!"
"Krystal!" Silver snapped a bit, making his sister flinch. "You know just as much as me that we can't just stay here and do nothing! We have to try something!"
Krystal teared up, her lower lip trembling. "Then I'm coming too!" she snapped back.
Silver widened his eyes. "I can't let you do that!"
"If you two are going, then I'm going too!" Krystal exclaimed. "You can't ask me to just sit back and worry myself until I get sick from not knowing what's happening!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze shakes her head, "Krystal, I know you want to help and you want to know what happened to Shadow but the more people that join the mission the high the chance one of us will get caught. This needs to be fast and deliberate." Blaze said and put her hand on Krystal's shoulder, "There will be a time and a place for you to help, but we can risk letting both of you go."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal grit her teeth, clenching her hands into fists, the tears streaming down her cheeks. She pulled away from Blaze and walked off, ears pinned and clearly upset.
Silver sighed and rubbed his eyes using his fingers, his other hand on his hip.
"I didn't think she'd want to come..." he quietly said. "There is no garantee that we will find intel on Shadow anyway...why would she insist?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze just Shaked her head and sighed, "I'm not sure but i didn't think not being able to go would make her so upset. " she sadi then turned to silver, "We should check in with the others before we go in case we are needed for anything"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
"Yeah..." Silver quietly replied.
...Krystal's probably worried we won't come back... he then thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Krystal suddenly burst out of the hidden HQ, groaning as she is blinded by the bright sun momentarily. A soldier that was nearby jumped and started protesting as she walked out.
Krystal hissed at him with pinned ears. "i need space and air, back off!"
The soldier rose his hands in a neutral way as he watched Krystal walk towards a tree nearby and sit on the bench underneath it. She then put her hands on her face as she leaned onto her knees with her elbows.
Why they keep pushing me aside?! Oh sure, I was sick last time trying to save the world from Iblis, but then I was better and fought by their side in the past! And then those other fights they didn't want me hurt! I can fight, damn it! she thought to herself, pinning her ears as the tears streamed out again on her cheeks under her hands.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
As Krystal was sitting, hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance to the secret passage way. A young yellow and lime green squirrel, Scout skidded to a stop in front of her, tail puffed up from speed and nerves.
"Krystal! There you are, good, good!" he blurted, breathless. "You're needed in the control room. Right now."
He didn't wait for her to calm down, didn't even seem to notice she was upset, just wide-eyed, urgent, and clearly delivering someone else's message.
"It's important," he added quickly, lowering his voice. "Blaze said to bring you straight away." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal jumped, startled, then quickly wiped her tears away as she quickly got up to her feet. She then followed the squirrel back to the control room, wondering what was going on now.
Am I in trouble...? she thought to herself with pinned ears.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
The control room was brighter than the rest of the base, lit by the glow of screens and the flicker of a holographic map. Krystal stepped inside, ears pinned tight, her steps small and hesitant.
Blaze, Silver, Steel, and several scouts were already gathered around the central table. Their faces were serious, but not angry, focused. Alert.
Blaze turned the moment Krystal entered.
Her expression softened immediately.
"Good," Blaze said gently. "You're here. And... it looks like none of us will be infiltrating the Egg City today."
One of the scouts, a hawk with a visor over one eye, stepped forward and tapped a blinking point on the hologram.
"We just intercepted a signal," he explained. "There's a supply transport preparing to leave one of Sage's ground farms, one of the big fortified bases she uses to grow food for the cities."
Steel folded his arms tightly. "Those places are usually locked up tighter than a vault. We've never managed to break inside without losing people."
The hawk nodded. "Exactly. But the transport? That's our chance. Once it leaves the base, it has to follow a predictable route through open terrain before taking off for the Citadels."
Another scout added, "If we can hit it between checkpoints, we can get more food than we've seen in months."
The room fell quiet for a moment, the kind of quiet where everyone understood how big the opportunity was... and how dangerous.
Blaze looked at Krystal again, her expression unreadable but warm.
"We called you here because this changes everything. The plan, the timing... all of it. We could use any hands we have for this one."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal approached the central table, and Silver gently rested his hand on her shoulder.
"We will help." Silver said.
Krystal softly nodded in agreement to what Blaze and Silver said. "How do we take all of that food back here unnoticed?" she asked, genuinely trying to think of how they would be able to do so when the Resistance's base was underground, and hidden.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze placed her palms against the edge of the table, leaning over the glowing map as the transport route pulsed across the projection. Her expression settled into that familiar mix of calculation and caution.
"We won't bring the food directly back here," Blaze said. "Too much risk of leading Sage's sensors to the base. We'll need a relay point."
Steel nodded, already thinking ahead. "The canyon ridge north of Outpost Nine. The rock formation scrambles long-range scanners. We could stash anything we take there."
The hawk, visor gleaming under the hologram light, tapped the map again.
"Name's Kite, by the way," he said quickly before continuing. "The transport leaves from the Verdant Station and follows Route Delta-Seven before ascending. It's a straight line until the takeoff point, and it'll have minimal escort. They rely on altitude, not armor."
Steel frowned. "Which means we hit it before liftoff."
Blaze nodded. "Exactly. A small team. Fast. Quiet. We disable the escort drones, ground the transport, grab what we can, and get out before Sage realizes the route's been compromised."
Kite zoomed in on a section of the route.
"There's a blind spot here," he said. "A valley carved out by a dried riverbed. Sensors are patchy because the cliffs reflect signals. Perfect for an ambush."
Steel crossed his arms. "We'll need telekinesis for moving crates quickly and quietly. And enough muscle to break the locks on the freight holds."
Blaze nodded at Krystal's question. "We won't take everything," she clarified. "That would be too noticeable. But if we take enough to last a few weeks, Sage won't detect the loss immediately."
"And after we move it to the canyon ridge," Steel added, "we bring it back here in smaller batches over several days. Completely untraceable."
Kite adjusted his visor. "The real challenge is speed. Once the transport sends its departure ping, Sage's monitors will expect it at the first checkpoint right on time. If it's even a few minutes late..."
Blaze finished the thought, her voice steady but sharp: "She'll know someone interfered."
A heavy silence settled.
Not fear, resolve.
Blaze straightened and turned her gaze around the table.
"We have one chance. And we take it smart. No mistakes."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[[USER_B]] said the following:
This sounded like a simple, yet tricky mission.
"How many missions have you succeeded of that kind?" Silver asked.
A badger standing nearby with his arms crossed grit his teeth. "Not many...and some of us didn't come back unharmed." he replied with a low growl.
Krystal lightly pinned her ears. "The past...doesn't matter, only now." she replied, even though she herself was still thinking about what had happened for things to turn out like this...and where the hell was Shadow?
"People might get injured, as there is always that possibility when trying to do such missions...but you didn't have us back then." Silver said, leaning onto the table. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Kite's feathers lifted slightly, a subtle but unmistakable sign of encouragement in a hawk. He glanced from Silver to Krystal, then to the holographic map, something sparking behind his visor.
"You know..." he said slowly, "he's right."
The badger snorted, but Kite kept going, voice steady and growing stronger.
"If we pull this off, it won't just be crates of grain and water rations." He tapped the transport icon again, the hologram rippling under his talon. "It'll be the first real win we've had in months. Something the whole resistance can feel."
Steel hummed in agreement under his breath.
Kite straightened, wings folding crisply against his sides.
"People are tired. Scared. Hungry. But hope?" He lifted his chin. "Hope keeps this place alive more than any bunker wall or hidden tunnel."
He gestured around the room, to the tired rebel scouts, to Silver's determination, to Krystal's quiet courage.
"A supply run that actually succeeds? One we choose the battlefield for?"
He tapped the map again, firm.
"That could change everything. Morale. Momentum. The belief that we can win against Sage."
Blaze nodded once, solemn approval in her eyes.
Kite turned back to Silver with a small, genuine grin.
"Yeah. You're right. With you two here... our odds just got a whole lot better." The squeal said with excitement. [[USER_B]] said the following:
"And what if it doesn't?" the badger replied, narrowing his eyes at both Silver and Krystal "These randos just came out of nowhere last night and we should trust them blindly without prior knowledge of who they are?" he said with barely contained sarcasm.
Krystal pinned her ears, but Silver stared at the badger in the eyes and narrowed his own, clearly not happy by what he had just said.
"We are not randos, you clueless jerk. We are Blaze's long life friends. We fought more battles than you probably have. And if there's one thing we don't do, is giving up without giving everything that we have." he said with a cold, firm tone, daring the badger to reply to this.
The badger shoot daggers with his eyes at him, but stayed silent.