The sky had been clear that day. The wind rushed through the shattered cityscape as if unaware that history was about to change. Sonic the Hedgehog, hero of Mobius, symbol of freedom, had run headlong into battle once again, confident as ever, blue streak blazing across the broken skyline.
But this time, something was different.
From the shadows of a collapsing tower, a figure stepped forward, tall, jackal-like, his mask glinting red in the light of the fires below. Infinite. His voice cut through the chaos, smooth and venomous. "You're too slow... to see the end coming."
The battle that followed was short, brutal, and unlike any the world had seen. Infinite moved with impossible power, bending reality itself as red cubes warped the air. Sonic fought back with every ounce of speed and spirit he had, but it wasn't enough. With a final, blinding surge of light, the hero of Mobius fell.
Tails reached him too late. The moment the realization hit, his knees gave out. His cries echoed through the ruined streets, the sound of grief that no one could bear to hear twice. The world's brightest hope had been extinguished.
Word spread like wildfire. Sonic the Hedgehog was dead.
And with that, fear took root, deeper and faster than any army could march.
Doctor Eggman seized the moment. His machines rolled across continents, tearing down cities and raising metallic fortresses in their place. Infinite led the charge, his army sweeping through resistance lines as if they were paper. Within months, nearly the entire world belonged to Eggman.
And then came the final betrayal, Shadow, the Ultimate Life Form, seen once again standing at the Doctor's side.
The heroes of old were broken. Tails vanished for a time. Knuckles tried to rally the survivors, Amy refused to give up hope, and together they built what little they could, a secret refuge buried deep beneath the mountains. The Resistance.
Two years passed. Supplies dwindled. Morale fell.
Then, a miracle.
From the skies above their hidden base came a flash of silver light. Silver the Hedgehog and his younger sister Krystal had arrived from the future, with Blaze the Cat at their side. Their strength rekindled the flame of rebellion, if only slightly.
But five long years after Sonic's death, Eggman's empire still stretched across the globe. Infinite and his allies, Metal Sonic, Zavok, and Shadow, crushed every attempt to reclaim the planet.
Now, the Resistance holds only ten percent of the world ... and even that is slipping. Their numbers are few. Their hearts are weary. But deep underground, beneath the weight of defeat, a spark still burns.
Because legends never truly die... and somewhere, somehow, hope waits to rise again.
The hum of machinery echoed faintly through the underground hallways. Dim lights flickered above rows of old monitors and scattered tools, the low thrum of generators pulsing like a heartbeat beneath the base. Outside, rain beat against the surface world, but down here, there was only the sound of work... and the quiet ache of memory.
At the center of the main operations room, a massive holographic map flickered, a fractured image of the world, most of it washed in crimson. Only a few small patches of green and blue remained, tiny symbols marking the last strongholds of the Resistance.
Knuckles stood before it, fists clenched, eyes burning with frustration.
"This is it," he muttered, slamming his fist against the console. "Five years of fighting... and we've still only got ten percent of the world back. Ten percent!" [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver reached to him and put his hand on the echidna's shoulder. "And we're holding it at ten percent, which is more than enough to keep our spirits up." he tried to encourage him.
Knuckles grit his teeth, his fist still closed on the console. "I know, but still...five years...it's a long time, I...can barely remember when was the last time my shoulders didn't feel so tense..." he sighed, closing his eyes.
"I know...but there is still hope, we will get our world back, whatever the cost might be." Silver promised.
He then glanced over at Tails, siting quietly in the corner of the room, typing away on the keyboard. He looked exhausted, angry, and determined...but he was also clearly hurt.
Tails and Amy were the two persons who took Sonic's death the most harshly. Tails became angrier and aggressive in a way, determined to no longer be weak. He had learned to fight, both with his body and weapons. [[USER_A]] said the following:
"Silver is right," Blaze she said, her golden eyes flicking from the map to Knuckles. "The world isn't lost. Not yet."
She stepped closer to the console, her reflection wavering in the red glow. "Hope isn't something we find, it's something we keep burning, even when everything else goes dark."
Her tail flicked slightly, a telltale sign that her composure was fraying. "I've seen kingdoms fall. I've watched flames consume everything I swore to protect. But every time, it was belief that rekindled the fire, not despair."
Blaze rested a hand briefly on Knuckles' arm, just enough to ground him. "You're tired. We all are. But that's why we fight together. If we give in now..." she glanced at Tails, her expression softening, "then Sonic's sacrifice means nothing."
She straightened, eyes narrowing at the red sea on the map. "We'll make this ten percent count. And when the time comes, we'll take back the rest." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Tails either ignored them, or just didn't hear them talk, but he kept typing away on the keyboard.
Knuckles sighed, his eyes closed as he brought his hand up to rub his eyes, his other hand still on the console, although no longer clenched.
"You're both right..." he whispered.
Silver got closer to Knuckles. "Amy's not been doing well either...Not only did Sonic...die...but Shadow's betrayal didn't help her feel any better...she's hurt and angry at the world..." he whispered.
Knuckles grit his teeth. "I'm aware of that...but there's nothing we can do about it..." he replied, before looking at one of the screens, which was a camera surveillance pointed in one of the main training rooms.
Amy was seen there with Krystal, with Krystal watching Amy destroying wooden dummies with her bare hands or her hammer, with wide eyes. The two had become best friends along with Blaze, but they needed more training than her at the moment.
Amy is seen smashing a wooden dummy with fury, then trembling with anguish as she grit her teeth and clamped her eyes shut, her ears pinned back. [[USER_A]] said the following:
The sound of splintering wood echoed faintly through the speakers before room fell silent again, only the soft clicking of Tails' keyboard filled the space.
Then a shrill, stuttering beep cut through the quiet. Once. Twice. Then again, faster.
Espio's eyes snapped toward the console. "That's the perimeter alert."
Charmy buzzed nervously in midair. "Uh-oh... that's not one of ours, right?"
Vector spun his chair around, his voice gruff. "Not unless Tails built himself a teleporting toaster in the last five minutes."
Back on the main display a single blinking dot pulsed on the edge of their radar, moving erratically, almost limping through the storm outside.
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Tails winced at the noice. "Argh! What the hell?!" he exclaimed.
Knuckles quickly started typing away on the console. "It's moving fast! What could it be?!"
Silver exchanged glances with Blaze. "I'm on it!" he exclaimed, and then rushed out of the room, intending to stop whoever that was to come any closer.
"NO!" Knuckles shouted, making Silver turn around with wide eyes. "I'll go, you stay here to help everyone if I don't return!" he then added, before rushing out of the room.
"Got it!" Silver replied, although frowning.
Why did Knuckles shout at him like that? It's as if he had realized something and didn't want Silver to get involved.
---
Meanwhile, Knuckles was rushing outside of HQ. He had recognized the erratic flight pattern on the monitor, and it only meant one person.
Someone he trusted after all these 5 years...and even before.
Knuckles made his way outside and quickly made his way to the same rendez-vous point he would go to, knowing that she would have gone away after attracting his attention and give everyone a scare.
He took him half an hour, but he got there. A stone tower that seemed to be close to crumbling, but stood strong and high. He climbed up the stairs and entered the sole room of the entiere structure.
And there she was.
Rouge.
"Batty...you give us all a scare." he whispered, but also chuckled softly. [[USER_A]] said the following:
She didn't look too good, like she hadn't sleeps much the past few days. She also looked like she found something.
"I had to get your attention and fast. This couldn't wait for our regular meeting" she replied though regular was not quite the word fort. They had to keep changing when they would meet in order to not make anyone suspicious on either side.
Rouge didn't wast any more time. "He's alive!" She blurted out. I was snooping though the doctors files again and I discovers the old death egg files had but updated recently. It took a while for me to get into the system but when I did I found what he's been bidding. "Sonic is alive and he is up on the death Egg right now!" [[USER_B]] said the following:
Knuckles was concerned about her exhaustion, but then he widened his eyes.
"Wait, what?! How is he alive?!" he blurted out, shocked and in disbelief. "Tails said he saw Infinite give the final blow, he saw Sonic dead!" he then added, raising a hand to rest it on his head.
He was in no way saying that she was lying, he was simply in disbelief. [[USER_A]] said the following:
"I still don't understand the jackal's powers completely but the gem on his chest, the phantom ruby, give him the ability to alter perception. He made tails believe he killed Sonic in order for Eggman to capture him." Rouge explained.
"Sonic has been Egman's prisoner the last 5 years." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Knuckles grit his teeth and clenched his hands into fists. "I can't believe this...we have to get him out of there..." he muttered.
He took a deep breath. "...We will need to save him, but...when would be the right window of time to do so?" [[USER_A]] said the following:
"I don't know, I didn't want to dig so deep that I might be detected. Have Tails try to scan the systems remotely. He might be able to find a weakness." Rouge replied.
She then takes a deep breath finally able to catch her breath. She had flowed that all way non stop as fast as she could.
"Sorry I missed out last meeting, I was starting to draw suspicions." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Knuckles softly shook his head. "It's not your fault, you did well to skip it." he replied, then made a rare sheepish smile. "But I was starting to worry...not going to lie about it." he then quietly admitted. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Rouge smirked, "oh, we're You worried about little old me," she lightly teased moving closer to him.
Rouge then sighed, this was the part were they would normally ether fight or fleet to the point of... getting physical but the her disappointment there was not enough time. "I should let you go, the sooner you get back the sooner Sonic gets freed."
"Oh, but I should also give you this," she said polling a computer shop out from between her boobs. "You can tell Tails you got this off one of Eggman's bots. It will have the information that will point Tails into finding out about Sonic on his own." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Knuckles was always startled by where she hid things on her person. He chuckled a bit and took the chip.
"I will go with that story." he replied. "But before you go..."
Knuckles pulled her to him and kissed her passionately on the lips, closing his eyes as his hands were on her waist and on the back of her head. His kiss was also gentle, which was surprising given his tough reputation. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Rouge was a little startled but went with it kissing him back. She couldn't help herself and let one of her hands go and and polled on his tails a little. There wasent much time for that but she was going to have fun messing with him at lest. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Knuckles was startled too and broke the kissm chuckling softly. He then sighed and rest his forehead against hers.
"...Please, stay alert, and be careful." he whispered, his hand around her waist clenching lightly. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Rouge chuckled a little, "aren't I always."
I replied. "It's been 4 years and they still haven't caught me" she replied on a light hearted way. Rouge started working for Eggman about a year into the war flaming that she just wanted to be on the wining side. Many of their friends we angry and hurt by it just like with Shadow. Knuckles was the only one who knew the truth. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Knuckles merely smiled a bit. "Still, don't push it too much..." he replied.
He kissed her again, then pulled away. "Thank you." he whispered, knowing she had to go. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Rouge nodded and took off into the air knowing the longer she stayed the harder it would be to leave and he had something rather important to do.
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Knuckles watched her until she was out of sight, then he made his way back to the HQ.
He soon walked into the surveillance and communication room, where Blaze, Silver and Tails had remained.
Without a word, Knuckles went over to Tails and handed him the chip that Rouge had brought him.
"I found it on one of Eggman's robots that ventured too close. See if you can find any information that could be useful to us." he told the fox.
"...Right." Tails simply replied and took the chip. He rolled his chair over to a different computer and inserted the chip into it, and started typing away on the keyboard immediately.
Silver frowned. "What was that thing that we detected?" he asked Knuckles as he approached him and Blaze.
"I couldn't find it, but it's gone." Knuckles assured. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Vector let out a long breath and slumped back into his chair. "Man, I hate ghost signals. One minute it's all ...danger, danger,' and the next it's ...oops, false alarm.' You'd think Eggman would at least send us a thank-you card for all the heart attacks."
Charmy zipped around his head nervously. "Maybe it was a ghost!"
Vector groaned. "Kid, if Eggman's makin' ghosts now, I quit."
Espio, ever composed, didn't even look up from the map projection he'd been monitoring. "Perhaps you should wait until you have a valid resignation letter before making dramatic statements."
Vector shot him a look. "Yeah, yeah, Mr. Zen Ninja. You're just mad ...cause my jokes keep you from turning into a statue."
But Espio's eyes narrowed, focused on the live feed flickering across one of the side monitors. "Still," he murmured, his tone low enough that only Blaze and Knuckles might catch it, "if it was a false signal... why did the outer sensors register organic energy?"
The question hung in the air for a second before Vector broke it with a snort. "Buddy, maybe it was a raccoon with an attitude. Let the fox work his tech magic first, then we'll see if we need to panic."
He leaned back, folding his arms behind his head. "'Til then, I'm gonna pretend we ain't doomed for five whole minutes. Gotta enjoy the little things, y'know?" [[USER_B]] said the following:
Espio's remarks and question made sense. He was a old friend of Knuckles and the echidna hated to lie to his friends...but he had no choice, to protect both everyone and Rouge.
"I will need time to go through the files." Tails merely replied. "Let everyone stay alert in the meantime."
He then glanced at the camera screens and saw Amy crying after having just smashed a wooden dummy to bits. Krystal was trying to comfort her, but clearly without success.
It was also clear why Amy was hurt, and nobody could blame her.
Silver frowned and looked at Knuckles. "Are you sure you didn't find something more than a robot?" he asked him.
"Nothing more than a robot, yes." Knuckles affirmed, then saw what Tails had just seen on the screen. Amy really needs to let go...about Shadow and Rouge, at least... he thought to himself with a light sigh. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Vector gave a long, toothy sigh, leaning back in his chair until it creaked under his weight. "Man, this place's got more gloom than a funeral in a thunderstorm. We gotta do somethin' before everyone turns into a puddle of sad."
Charmy buzzed beside him, wings flicking nervously. "Maybe we could make cookies again?"
Vector smirked. "Last time you ...made cookies,' kid, we had to rebuild the oven and half the kitchen."
Charmy frowned. "That was one explosion!"
"Yeah, and I still find chocolate chips in my headphones," Vector grumbled, folding his arms.
He looked over at the monitor where Amy's image still lingered, then quietly added, "And somebody make sure Cream don't see that footage. That kid's been through enough." His voice softened slightly, but only for a moment before he straightened up again. "Alright, Tails, you work your genius magic on that chip. If there's somethin' in there worth hittin', we'll hit it. Hard."
Espio glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "You do realize stealth, not brute force, will likely be required?"
Vector grinned. "Yeah, yeah, Mr. Ninja. You sneak. I smash. Teamwork, baby."
Blaze had been watching the screen quietly the whole time, her tail twitching just slightly. When Amy's trembling form appeared again, she turned to Silver. "I'll go check on them," she said softly, her tone leaving no room for debate. "Amy doesn't need to be alone right now, and Krystal could use some support too. We both know how she looked up to Shadow."'
Blaze gave him a small, reassuring look before heading toward the door, the soft click of her boots echoing down the hall as she disappeared into the dimly lit corridor.
The room fell back into its low hum ... rain, machines, and the quiet tension of people waiting for bad news. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Tails did work on the chip, but the information he would find would take a while to find.
Silver didn't stop Blaze, but he nodded in agreement. He then looked at the screen and watched his sister's face fall when Amy mentioned Sonic and Shadow again, gesturing around as she paced.
I will talk to her later...see how she's handling all of this, too. he thought to himself.
Knuckles looked at Espio. "Vanilla tries her best to keep Cream out of danger, too." he said.
---
Meanwhile, in the training room, Amy was pacing and wiping away tears of frustration.
"...and then they expect us to just move on and forget!" she was saying, clearly frustrated.
Krystal pinned her ears, sadened. "Amy...we can't forget, even if we wanted to...they just...want you to close your heart to it, not to forget about it." she tried to comfort her.
"I can't...I can't forget...I can't close my heart to it...h-how do you do it...?" Amy asked, her voice choking on the last part.
Krystal looked down at her hands, still sad. "...I don't know...but I also refuse to believe Shadow and Rouge would betray us just like that..." she quietly replied. [[USER_A]] said the following:
The sound of footsteps echoed softly from the corridor, steady and deliberate. The door slid open with a faint hiss, and Blaze stepped inside. The scent of splintered wood and ozone hung heavy in the air ... several training dummies lay shattered across the floor.
Blaze's golden eyes swept over the room before landing on Amy and Krystal. She didn't say anything at first, just took in the sight, Amy's trembling hands still clutching her hammer, Krystal's downcast eyes.
"You'll exhaust yourselves before you heal anything," Blaze said gently, stepping forward. Her tone wasn't scolding,
just quiet truth, the kind that made people listen.
Blaze's expression softened. She placed a hand on Amy's shoulder, the faint warmth of her fire aura comforting rather than burning. "You don't have to pretend it's fine," she said. "You just have to remember who you are... and who they are. Until we know the truth, don't let grief tell you what to believe."
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Amy teared up, gritting her teeth as she clamped her eyes shut, her trembling hands still gripping around her hammer's handle.
"I-I want answers...not this silence!" she replied, her voice shaking. "T-This silence from them is torture! Why did they betray us?!" she then blurted out and walked to another wooden dummy, dropping her hammer to the ground and hiting it with a fist, but not hard enough to break it.
Krystal was just looking quite sadened, her ears pinned. "We don't know that for sure, Amy."
Amy just grit her teeth and clamped her eyes shit, her fist still on the dummy.
Sonic's death had been traumatic enough for her, but Shadow's and Rouge's betrayal cut just as deeper.
None of the two had said a word to them ever since they just...abandoned them. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze stood quietly for a moment, letting Amy's words echo through the training room. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm but steady, like the low crackle of fire holding its shape against the wind.
"Shadow has always been... complicated," she said. "He carries his past like a weapon, sharp, but heavy. The world rarely sees what that kind of burden costs him."
She walked a few steps closer, her gaze unfocused as if looking through the walls themselves. "If he truly meant to betray us, he would've made it clear. He was always a man of few words, but he still found a way to make his intentions, clear. Shadow doesn't hide behind someone else's will, not Eggman's, not anyone's."
Blaze paused, the faintest flicker of heat dancing at the edge of her gloves. "That's why I can't believe what we've seen is the full story. There's more to this... there has to be. And when the truth comes out, we'll need to be ready for it, whatever it looks like."
Blaze paused, the faintest flicker of heat dancing at the edge of her gloves. "He might be against us now," she said quietly, "but this wouldn't be the first time he's appeared to be our enemy. Shadow's always walked a line between sides when the rest of us only see black and white."
Her gaze drifted toward the floor, thoughtful but unwavering. "Still... he's far too stubborn to follow anyone's orders for long, least of all Eggman's."
Her words lingered in the still air, quiet, but certain. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal nodded in agreement with Blaze. "You are right...Shadow not even telling us a word...feels suspicious. We've been fighting him for years and...he never said a word to us on each encounter." she replied, before glancing at Amy's back. "We must not give up on him so easily...or Rouge."
Amy remained silent, her forehead against the wooden dummy with her fist still on it, her eyes closed and her ears pinned. She weighted what Blaze had said, and it was all just so...true.
She partly opened her eyes, staring into nothing in particular, the image of Shadow flickering into her mind. And then Rouge...her betrayal just cut as deep, she had seemed to easily switch sides...
Amy's fist started trembling. "...You are right..." she murmured, taking a deep breathe as she pulled away from the wooden dummy and rub a hand down on her face.
"...But that doesn't take away the fact it hurts..." she then quietly added, then turned around to face Blaze and Krystal, but she caught a glance of all the dummies she just destroyed and widened her eyes. "...Uh..."
Krystal laughed nervously. "The people making the dummies will have their hands full." she laughed.
Amy just sweat dropped, not having realized that she had gotten so worked up. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze's lips curved into the faintest smile, a soft exhale slipping past her composure. "You certainly gave them a workout," she said, her tone somewhere between amusement and sympathy. "But... I'd say they served their purpose."
Her expression settled back into quiet focus. "While you were both here, Knuckles found something outside the base. A damaged Eggman unit carrying an intact data chip." She glanced toward the door, the golden glow from the hall lights reflecting faintly in her eyes. "He gave it to Tails to analyze. If there's even a scrap of intel on it, it could be the first real lead we've had in months."
She turned back toward Amy and Krystal, her voice calm but with that subtle urgency that always meant she was thinking three steps ahead. "Come on. Let's see if he's found anything yet."
Without waiting for a reply, Blaze started for the exit, steady, purposeful, and quietly hopeful that the chip might finally hold an answer to everything they'd been fighting for. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal looked at Amy and tilted her head to indicate her to follow, then she followed Blaze herself.
Amy took a deep breathe, made her hammer disappear, and slowly followed them out of the training room and towards the surveillance and communication room.
When the three of them reached it, Tails was frantic and Knuckles and Silver were all over him, frantic as well.
"Is that true, Tails?!" Silver exclaimed. "Are you 100% sure of what that file is saying?!"
"It...It can't be! I saw it happen with my own eyes!" Tails stuttered, wide eyed.
"What happened?" Krystal asked with wide eyes.
Silver looked at the girls. "Sonic...Sonic's alive!" he exclaimed.
Amy froze, the world stopping for her.
Alive...Sonic's alive...
While the others were getting excited and more frantic about the news, Amy stood there, frozen, shocked, unable to move...unable to process yet what she had just heard and learned.
Her skin was paler, the world tuned out as she stood there, silent, her mind stuck between now and elsewhere. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze froze at Silver's words, her usual calm giving way to shock. "Alive...?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the monitors. The fire within her flickered, not from anger this time, but disbelief.
Espio's gaze sharpened immediately. He stepped closer, eyes narrowing on the screens. "If that's true," he said quietly, "then everything changes. Eggman's deception runs deeper than we thought."
Charmy hovered behind Vector, his wings beating nervously. "He's really alive? For real this time?" His voice cracked slightly. "Not, like, a trick or a robot or something?"
Vector didn't answer right away. He just stared at the data feed, his jaw tight. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, steady, and stripped of all humor. "After five years of thinkin' he was gone... I don't care what it takes. We're gettin' him back."
Espio, ever the astute observer pondered. "If Sonic truly has been imprisoned all this time," he said quietly, "then he may believe we gave up on him. That we stopped searching." His tone didn't waver, but there was a flicker of guilt behind his eyes. "Five years in isolation... even the strongest mind can begin to doubt."
Charmy's wings drooped as he looked down at the floor. "You mean... he thinks we just forgot about him?" he whispered.
Vector exhaled slowly, his voice gruff but quiet. "Then we better get up there and get him out. Nobody gets left behind again, not this time."
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Tails was frantically typing away on the keyboard. "According to these files, The Death Egg is programmed to pass by, in the area nearby, in a week." he said, his voice shaky.
"A week..." Knuckles muttered. "...We need a plan."
"The Death Egg is flying...You need someone able to fly up there undetected." Silver pointed out.
"And a distraction." Krystal pointed out as well, frowning as she pinned her ears, remembering just how gigantic the Death Egg was.
Amy was still frozen on the spot that she was standing at, her hands slowly curling into shaky fists, as she grit her teeth, her ears pinned, still zoned out.
A week...to have a chance to save Sonic...who probably thought that hey had given up on him...What state would he be in...? Would he still be the same hedgehog she still harbored strong feelings for, or...only the shadow of himself...?
"This is going to be our most dangerous and complex mission yet." Knuckles said, the look on his face hardening.
"Then we will make it count...just like any mission before." Silver said, also hardening his gaze.
"I...is it real...?" Tails stuttered, his ears pinned. "Is...Is it really happening...?" he asked, his voice choking.
Knuckles gently pulled the fox to him into a side hug. "It's real, Sonic's alive, and we'll get him back, no matter what."
Tears streamed down on Tails' cheeks, his old self slowly cracking back to the surface. Krystal silently watched as Silver also tried to comfort Tails. She then glanced at Amy, and...she was no longer here.
Where did Amy go? Krystal wondered, frowning with concern.
They didn't know, but Amy had gone to her room, most likely to process the news in private. [[USER_A]] said the following:
The base had grown quiet again.
The excited voices from the communications room were now just echoes down the corridor, hope rediscovered, but heavy and uncertain.
Down one of the dim hallways, a small figure walked slowly, clutching the hem of her dress. Cream's long ears trailed behind her as she hesitated outside one of the doors. She could hear faint movement inside, then silence.
She swallowed, lifted a hand, and knocked softly.
"Amy...? It's me."
No answer.
She waited, ears drooping, then tried again. "Miss Amy? Can I come in?" [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silence, but then...a click.
Amy opened the door, wiping away tears from her face.
"O-Of course, Cream...you are always welcome to come in." she softly said, letting the young female rabbit coming in.
Amy then closed the door behind her and turned to Cream, looking at her with concern, now.
"Are you ok? You seem troubled." Amy asked Cream, momentarily focusing more on her friend than herself. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Cream hesitated a moment after Amy closed the door. Her little hands fidgeted with the edge of her dress before she finally looked up, her eyes glistening.
"I... I'm trying to be brave like everyone else," she said softly, her voice trembling. "But I'm scared, Miss Amy. I thought Mister Sonic was gone forever... and now he's alive, but he's trapped, and what if Eggman's hurting him?"
Her words came faster, her ears lowering as she spoke. "Everyone's talking about plans and battles and the Death Egg, but..." her voice cracked, "...what if something happens to you too? Or to Miss Blaze, or Mister Silver? What if... what if we lose someone again?"
She pressed her hands together tightly, looking down at the floor. "I don't want anyone else to disappear. I don't want to be brave anymore." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Amy put her hands on Cream's shoulders. "We have to be brave...it's the only thing keeping us sane, along with hope." she replied.
She then sighed and started pacing, her ears pinned.
"...They tricked us into believing that he was dead...because they knew he was the main obstacle to ruin their plans..." she replied.
Amy's hands then clenched as she grabbed into the fabrics of her arms.
"...I don't want to lose anyone else, too...but...it'll be our only chance at getting Sonic out of the Death Egg..." she whispered, pinning her ears. [[USER_A]] said the following:
"Maybe... Maybe mr. shadow might help?" Cream and quietly looking over at Amy. "Maybe he dosent know Sonic is alive?" [[USER_B]] said the following:
Amy stoped pacing and pinned her ears more, before to look at Cream. "...Shadow sided with Infinite and Eggman, remember...?" she reminded her, before to look away. "...Or it appears so, at least..." [[USER_A]] said the following:
"I know I just thought... he might come back if he knew we were trying to save mr. Sonic," Cream added though that was not bath Lilly.
"Ether way... do you mind if I stay with you? At lest for a little while?" She asked both out of consern for Amy but also to be with her friend. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Amy's gaze softened, and she silently nodded. "Of course." she whispered, and went to seat on a couch nearby, inviting Cream to do the same.
Amy then sighed and just put her hands on her face, as she leaned on her elbows on her knees, pinning her ears.
She felt guilt, anger, confusion, and...a tiny spark of hope...but it didn't prevented her pain from making her cry silent tears again. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Cream sits down and puts her arms around Amy doing her best to try and comfort her.
The next morning came slowly to the Resistance base ... if it could be called morning at all. The sun never truly reached the valley anymore; Eggman's sky fortresses left the air hazy and dim. The hum of generators was the only sign that the bunker was awake.
One by one, communicators across the compound crackled to life.
Knuckles (over comm): "All squad leaders, report to the war room. Urgent meeting. Five minutes."
The message repeated twice before cutting off.
Doors began opening up and down the corridor, Vector's low grumbling and Charmey's sleepy buzzing.
Silver, Krystal, Tails and Amy's communicators also bussed. Across the base, Blaze's calm voice could be heard confirming the summons, her tone as composed as ever despite the long night.
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver, Amy, and Krystal confirmed their summons as well, even Tails even if he technically wasn't a field soldier.
The four of them made their way to the war room, where they reunited with Knuckles, Team Chaotix, and Blaze.
Amy and Krystal went to stand by Blaze, while Silver stood near Knuckles.
"What's going on, Knuckles?" Silver asked, frowning. [[USER_A]] said the following:
When they entered the war room, the lights were dimmed except for the massive holographic map that hovered in the center of the table. The Death Egg's slow orbit traced across the projection in a faint crimson arc, its path drifting perilously close to the Resistance's sector.
Knuckles, Blaze, and Espio were already there, waiting. None of them looked like they'd slept. Knuckles' gloves were still dusted with dried dirt from the tunnel floor. Espio stood off to the side, arms folded, eyes sharp and unreadable. Blaze had a data pad tucked under one arm, her expression composed but grave.
When the others gathered, Knuckles met their eyes and gave a curt nod.
"We stayed up last night," he said, voice steady but heavy. "And we've got a plan."
The holographic projection zoomed in on the Death Egg's flight path, and for a moment, everyone just stared, realizing that this wasn't another mission briefing. This was the mission. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver, Amy, Krystal and Tails all four stood to attention, now.
"What is the plan?" Tails asked, analyzing the flight path of the Death Egg.
Amy put her hands on the table that held the holographic map, and leaned onto it, listening with great interest.
Krystal also stood alert, ready for what was going to be said. Silver too stood more alert and watching the holographic map. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Knuckles rested both hands on the table, the red light from the holographic map reflecting in his eyes. "Alright, listen up. The mission's been designated Operation Blue Starfall. This is our one shot to get Sonic out of that thing alive."
He tapped the projection, zooming in on the Death Egg's orbit. "We've only got a small window, two days from now, when it passes closest to our airspace. After that, it's gone for another month."
Blaze took a step forward, her usual calm laced with quiet determination. "We've split the mission into two teams. The first is the Ground Assault Team. Your job is to create enough chaos on the surface to pull Eggman's forces away from the Death Egg's lower hemisphere."
The map shifted, highlighting a series of red icons representing Eggman's communication towers. "These relays link directly to the Death Egg's sensor grid," Blaze continued. "If we hit them hard and fast, we can blind their scanners long enough for the infiltration team to get inside."
Knuckles nodded toward Amy. "You'll lead one of the strike units with Vector and Charmy. You know how to handle a fight, and the troops follow you. Keep the pressure on, but don't overextend."
Then he gestured to another section of the map, the Death Egg's underside, a faint blue circle marking an entry point. "The second team is the Infiltration Unit. Blaze, Silver, Krystal, and Espio. You four will board the Death Egg while the distraction's underway."
Espio, standing at Blaze's side, folded his arms. "Tails' data suggests a maintenance port here, low activity, minimal defenses. I'll lead the entry. My job is to keep us invisible." His voice was quiet but certain. "Once inside, Blaze will take point."
Blaze nodded once. "Silver and Krystal will assist with containment access using their telekinesis. I'll handle any energy interference from the reactor. We extract Sonic, gather whatever intel we can, and get out before the Death Egg stabilizes."
Knuckles' tone hardened. "This isn't a rescue run, it's a full operation. Everyone here has a part to play, and every second's going to count."
He looked around the table, meeting each set of eyes in turn. "This is for Sonic, and for everyone we've lost. We do this right... and the Resistance finally takes back some ground." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal looked surprised to be part of the infiltration team, but she had gotten good with being stealthy, so this would be a good way to prove her training's worth.
"Do we know where Sonic is held captive?" she asked, looking at the Egg Death holographic map. "We know where to enter, but not where to go get him." she then simply pointed out.
"The dungeon/prison cells." Amy growled under her breath. "Difficult of access, most likely well guarded, too, especially if he is there." she added, her hands clenching slightly onto the table, as if trying to dig her fingers into it.
Silver looked at Amy with concern. They all could tell that she was clearly boiling with contained anger, her ears were pinned and she was glaring at the Death Egg holographic map.
"Espio is a master of invisibility, and with Silver, Blaze and Krystal's help, their chances of success are high, Amy." Tails frowned, although keeping a normal composure, trying not to get too excited about all of that.
Amy growled under her breath again. "Then we'll make sure they success." she muttered, clearly planning something. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Knuckles leaned forward and drew a thin blue line on the holographic diagram, tracing the Death Egg's underside from the maintenance port to the central ring. "We know where we'll come in," he said. "Now here's how we get in, find him, and get out."
Blaze took the pad from him and spoke slowly, each step measured so there was no confusion. "First: quiet approach. Tails will have a retrofitted Eggman drone ready, a stealth shuttle. It'll ride under the Death Egg and lock onto a maintenance hatch. Espio will guide us in; his cloak and movement will get us to the hatch without lighting up their patrols."
Espio stepped forward, voice low and precise. "I'll take point. The shuttle docks and we make no unnecessary noise. We move single-file through the service tunnels. At every junction, Tails' scanner, the one he built for Krystal, will ping the hallways and mark the path with safe/unsafe markers. Krystal will carry that device and call the route as we go."
Knuckles tapped the map, showing a narrow corridor leading toward the stabilizer ring. "From the maintenance tunnels there's a conduit that leads toward the reactor area. That's where Eggman keeps his high-security cells. The conduit is tight, so speed and silence matter. Once we're inside the central levels, the plan changes from stealth to speed."
Blaze explained the next, most dangerous step: the breach. "Sonic will almost certainly be in a containment cell tied into the reactor's power. If we cut that field too fast, the core will spike and the whole stabilizer could go unstable. So I will be the one working the field. I'll damp the local energy gradient, not rip it out. Silver and Krystal will be right behind me, clearing debris and opening the cell doors with their telekinesis."
Espio nodded. "While Blaze controls the field, I keep watch and move the team through safe corridors. If we run into automated guards, I'll pull us into shadows, avoid fighting unless there's no other choice. Our priority is Sonic. Engage only to create an escape route."
Blaze added the extraction specifics. "Once the field drops enough for the cell to open, Silver will lift the lid and move Sonic to the shuttle. The shuttle has a small isolation compartment and a basic med rig Tails installed. If Sonic's coherent, we move him straight into the compartment and go. If he's unstable, fighting or in shock, we secure him and pull out immediately. Do not try to reason with him in the reactor bay."
Knuckles drew a thick red line from the central ring back to the shuttle. "Timing is everything. From dock to lift-off, we expect a clean run to be five to seven minutes. Any longer and Eggman re-routes power and locks the exits. Tails will be watching every second and giving us an exact count. When the shuttle breaks away, Knuckles' ground teams will pull out their diversion and meet us at the extraction point."
Espio outlined the fail-safes in the smallest, calm steps. "If we get detected on ingress: go dark, hide, and wait for the diversion to increase. If the reactor shows instability while we're breaching: abort. Get Sonic to the shuttle and evacuate. If the shuttle can't hold: leave the shuttle and get to the fallback spire for pickup. Don't gamble on holding the core."
Blaze folded her hands, finishing the brief with a quiet, iron certainty. "We will move fast, stay precise, and protect the person we came for. Krystal's scanner will keep us from walking into traps. Espio keeps us invisible. Silver and Krystal open the path. I manage the field. Tails manages the drone. Knuckles and Amy keep the ground loud enough that they never see where we're coming from."
The holo-map glowed between them, the path bright and fragile as a thread. Everyone felt it, a single plan, carefully measured, and the one chance they could take. Blaze let the silence sit for a heartbeat, then said softly, "We won't leave him behind."
[[USER_B]] said the following:
"Damn right, we don't." Amy replied, staring at the path like a fragile thread.
"...We just need to wait a little longer, until we can put our plan into action." Krystal said, determination sparkling in her eyes.
"This is going to be incredibly tense, but we will succeed." Silver said, optimistic and determined as well.
Tails looked at the glowing blue path, hope slowly settling in.
"Hang on, Sonic." he muttered. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Vector leaned back in his chair with a grin, the sharp glint in his eyes returning for the first time in years. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about. A real plan, real hope. Feels good to finally hit back instead of just hangin' on."
Charmy buzzed excitedly around the table, his wings humming like a heartbeat. "We're gonna get him back! Mister Sonic's gonna see everyone again!"
Vector chuckled, shaking his head but unable to hide his own grin. "Yeah, kid. We are. And when this is all over, I'm gonna make that hedgehog buy the first round of chili dogs for the whole team."
Charmy laughed, pumping a tiny fist in the air. "Deal!"
For the first time in years, the air in the war room felt lighter, not because the danger was gone, but because the spark of hope had finally come back to life. [[USER_B]] said the following:
It was a fragile hope, but it was big enough to spark everyone's determination to bring the blue blur back home.
"Everyone will need to be ready. This will be our only chance." Knuckles reminded everyone.
"We won't fail." Amy said with a stiff tone.
Krystal silently stared at the holographic map of the Death Egg.
...If only Shadow was not on their side...Shadow, I wished you were on our side, are you truly gone against us...? she thought to herself.
Silver clenched a hand into a fist, looking determined as he rose it in front of him.
"Be ready, Sonic...we're coming for you." he said with big optimism. [[USER_A]] said the following:
"Actually, Vector makes a good point," Blaze said.
"I do?" Vector asked and scratched his head, "when did I do that?"
Blaze makes a small little laughed before continuing, "I think it would be a great idea to have some chilly dogs ready for Sonic when he gets here. After all I doubt Eggman has been supplying Sonic with any. " [[USER_B]] said the following:
They all looked at Amy, who was the best at making chili dogs.
Amy finally noticed all of the stares and blink in slight confusion.
"What?" she asked.
"Do you think you can make a batch of chili dogs for Sonic?" Knuckles asked her. "Maybe eating his comfort food will help him feel more at home quickly."
"I...can see if we have the ingredients..." Amy replied, her tone becoming quieter.
"I think that is a wonderful idea." Krystal smile sheepishly.
"We are here to help if you need any." Tails added.
Silver smiled and nodded in agreement.
The shadow of a smile flashed on Amy's mouth. "I will see what I can do." she replied softly. [[USER_A]] said the following:
The Resistance base had been a machine of motion for the last three days, drills in the tunnels, silent rehearsals in the dark, emergency protocols practiced until muscle memory replaced fear. Maps were memorized. Gear was calibrated. Tails triple-checked every circuit in the stealth shuttle.
By dawn on the fourth day, the base fell quiet.
The kind of quiet that meant everything was finally in place.
The sky above the relay outpost was washed with early light, Eggman's tower casting a long metal shadow across the cracked terrain. The air smelled of dust and ozone, a storm on the horizon.
Vector crouched behind a broken steel barricade, tightening the straps on his comm headset. "Alright, kid," he muttered, keeping his voice low. "This is it. You stick close, you follow my lead, and you don't go buzzin' off into a laser grid. Got it?"
Charmy's wings buzzed nervously, but he nodded with determination. "Got it! I won't mess up, I promise! We're gonna help save Mister Sonic, we have to!"
Vector allowed himself one small nod. "Yeah. We do. And we will."
He peeked over the barricade at the outpost's patrol bots then over at we're Amy and Knuckles were waiting nearby as well. "We go loud the second Tails gives the word."
Charmy hovered closer, his tiny fists clenched in anxious excitement. "I'm ready... I'm really ready..."
The storm clouds thickened overhead.
The signal could come at any second.
On the opposite side of the base, deep in a hidden hangar alcove, the modified Eggman drone sat humming softly, its metal panels dull and matte to avoid detection, engines whisper-quiet.
Blaze stepped up the ramp first, her posture steady, movements controlled. The air inside the shuttle was cool and still, lights dimmed to preserve energy. She checked the power regulators with a practiced hand.
"Everything's stable," she said quietly. "Tails tuned the output perfectly. We'll maintain a low thermal signature until docking."
Espio followed her in silence, slipping aboard like a shadow. He moved through the cabin with the same precision he used on the battlefield, checking the cloaking generator and the emergency smoke seals.
He glanced toward Blaze. "Once we launch, we speak only when necessary," he said in a low voice. "Silence will be our strongest weapon."
Blaze met his gaze and nodded. "Agreed. The others will join us momentarily. When they do... we leave as soon as we are cloaked."
Espio positioned himself by the hatch controls, standing perfectly still, perfectly balanced.
Blaze took her seat, hands resting lightly on the armrests, her eyes forward. She exhaled once, controlled and quiet. "Today," she murmured, "we take our world back, one life at a time."
The shuttle's engines began their silent warm-up...
And far away, Vector and Charmy waited for the signal that would shake the sky.
[[USER_B]] said the following:
Amy summoned her Piko Piko hammer and slapped its handle into the palm of her opposite hand, snarling under her breathe.
"We'll make each blow count." she stated quite coldly.
The soldiers around her and Knuckles sweat dropped and got uncomfortable seeing her so...prone to aggressivity already.
Silver and Krystal were with Espio and Blaze, and they both nodded in agreement to what they both said.
"One life at the time." Silver repeated.
Krystal clenched her hand around a stun baton she has in hand, meant to be used as a last resort.
"One life at the time." she also repeated.
They were all waiting for Tails' signal, to put this ingenious, yet daring plan into action. [[USER_A]] said the following:
The wind shifted over the relay outpost, carrying the scent of metal and smoke.
Vector felt the tension rise like static.
"Yeesh..." he muttered under his breath, watching Amy crack her hammer into her palm hard enough to make the nearby soldiers flinch. "Remind me never to get on her bad side."
Charmy whispered up at him, wings twitching. "She's kinda scary right now... but, um... really cool-scary."
Vector huffed, eyes narrowing on the first wave of Eggman's sentries marching their pattern. "Cool or not, we stay sharp. Once Tails gives the go, we hit 'em fast. No hesitating."
Charmy nodded and swallowed. "Fast. No hesitating. Okay..."
In the stealth shuttle, Espio stood like a statue beside the hatch, eyes half-lidded, breathing steady.
Every muscle ready.
Every thought silent.
Blaze rested her hands on her knees, eyes closed in centered focus. The hum of the cloaking generator gave the air a subtle vibration.
Espio closed the door and secured it so they would be ready, "We move the moment he calls it."
Blaze didn't look away from the front console.
Her voice was soft, certain, and unwavering.
"Be ready."
Tails' voice crackled through every communicator, sharp with urgency.
"Alright people, we go life in Five."
Charmy tensed, wings snapping still in mid-air.
"Four."
Espio slipped into his seat in one smooth, soundless motion, already fastening the harness.
"Three."
Vector rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck with a crack, a predator moments from springing.
"Two."
Blaze drew in a slow, steady breath, fire settling behind her eyes.
"One."
Everything in the world held still.
"Go!"
The mission ignited.
[[USER_B]] said the following:
The Ground Assault Team instantly rushed into action, and crated enough chaos to attract all the attention them.
Amy crushed structures with her hammer and some even fell down under the force of her assaults. Then she focused her attention on the robots that came their way.
Meanwhile, Silver and Krystal had also buckled up and the cloaked shuttle was now flying to its target position so they could infiltrate the Death Egg, knowing that their friends on the ground had their back. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Charmy shot upward like a yellow blur, dropping a flash charge straight into the nearest relay panel.
"SURPRISE, TIN-CANS!" he squeaked as the device detonated in a shower of sparks.
Vector burst from cover a heartbeat later, roaring as he slammed both fists into an Eggman barricade. The metal crumpled like foil, alarms blaring across the outpost.
"HELLO, EVERYBODY!" Vector yelled, grabbing a patrolling Egg Bot by the head and swinging it into its buddy like a baseball bat. "THE CROC IS BACK!"
Charmy zipped by overhead, giggling and terrified all at once. "We're being loud, right?! This is loud enough?!"
"KEEP GOING!" Vector shouted, kicking another bot so hard its parts rained down like confetti. "LOUDER THE BETTER!"
Across the battlefield, Eggman's forces scrambled, red lights flaring across towers. The sky filled with the mechanical howl of alert systems.
And through the chaos, their comms buzzed faintly and Blaze's voice "Ground Team, your distraction is working. We're ascending now."
The stealth shuttle burst upward through the cloud layer like a silent shadow, its engines whisper-quiet. The world below vanished beneath thick gray smoke and flashes of the Ground Team's diversion.
Inside, the lights dimmed to deep blue.
The cloaking field hummed around them like a heartbeat.
Espio leaned forward in his seat, already studying the hull schematics Tails had uploaded. "Altitude stable. Cloak at full efficiency." His voice was barely more than a breath. "Maintain minimal movement. The Death Egg's scanners sweep every few seconds."
Blaze kept her gaze fixed on the small forward viewport. At first, there was nothing but darkness.
Then a massive silhouette emerged above them, swallowing the sky.
The Death Egg.
Its underside was plated in cold, angled metal, glowing faintly with red circuitry. Massive vents pulsed in rhythmic bursts, each one a bright wound in the structure.
The shuttle drifted closer, nearly invisible.
"Scanner sweep beginning," one of them whispered, eyes darting. "Ten o'clock... wide arc. Wait..."
Espio lifted a hand quietly, signaling the others to stillness.
The sweep passed like a curtain of red light just above them.
The shuttle didn't even breathe.
Blaze's hands tightened on the armrests. "Hold steady. Next sweep will create a blind spot. When it passes, Espio, guide us in."
"Already prepared," Espio answered, voice calm enough to cool steel.
The Death Egg loomed larger, its metal plates stretching endlessly overhead.
Static flickered across the shuttle's hull as the cloaking field adjusted.
Krystal's scanner pinged softly.
"Blind spot approaching... now!" Some one said.
Espio tapped the console once. The shuttle tilted upward and glided into the shadow of a massive vent, riding the turbulence like a leaf in a storm.
Silver sucked in a breath.
Blaze didn't move.
"There," Espio said, pointing to a circular hatch recessed into the plating. "Maintenance Port C-17. Minimal patrols. No active heat signatures."
Blaze narrowed her eyes. "Bring us in."
The shuttle drifted toward the hatch, magnets priming with a soft hum.
Espio hovered over the controls.
The hull vibrated as the shuttle aligned...
CLUNK.
A soft, perfect lock.
The shuttle dimmed to pitch black as the cloaking field cycled down.
Espio unfastened his harness in one silent motion. "Docking successful. Hatch integrity stable."
Blaze stood, her voice low and steady. "Good. Then we begin Phase Two."
The infiltration had officially begun. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Amy and Knuckles were also dealing a great amount of damage to the robotic army and kept going along the rest of the Resistance that was there to help them distract the enemy from the infiltration team.
Meanwhile, Silver and Krystal nodded, ready to go into action. Their cloaking devices offered little comfort however to the seriousness of their situation: they were now into enemy turf...every second counted, and the silence was going to be their best weapon.
They soon got out of the shuttle, and proceeded with their mission: finding Sonic, and extracting him.
I hope he's okay...hang on Sonic, we are coming. Silver thought to himself.
Krystal looked wary, but she was not afraid. [[USER_A]] said the following:
The stealth shuttle sealed behind them with a muted hiss, its matte hull blending into the darkness of the lower maintenance bay. No alarms. No footsteps. Just the low mechanical hum of the Death Egg's internal systems pulsing like a giant metallic heartbeat.
Espio moved first.
Silent. Precise. His motions were so smooth they barely disturbed the air.
"Activate your camouflage devices," he said before disappearing himself.
Blaze tapped her wrist device once, a flicker of purple shimmered over her as it fully activated.
"These corridors are narrow," he whispered without turning, voice calm as a blade's edge. "We stay close. No sudden movement. If a patrol passes, hold your breath and do not react."
Blaze stepped behind him, her posture straight, her movements controlled. The sterile light from overhead flickered across her fur, but her fire stayed contained, no heat signature, no glow. She checked the small energy regulator strapped to her waist, the device she would use to weaken Sonic's containment field.
"It's stable," she murmured. "We can lower a Class-Four barrier for approximately thirty seconds before the system recalibrates. We get Sonic out in that window... or not at all." Her voice was quiet enough that only her team could hear her. "Remember... the moment we reach the stabilizer ring, the security density will double. If we encounter Shadow..."
Espio cut in gently. "We do not engage. We reroute."
Blaze nodded, jaw tight. "He is too dangerous to confront without full support... Even for us."
Espio nodded once then turned to Krystal, "Tails showed you how to calibrate the scanner to search for Sonic, guide our path." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal nodded silently and professionally fumbled with the scanner, setting it up just like Tails had showed her.
And then...a path appeared, shining blue.
Krystal walked to the front of their line, then she motionned for Silver, Espio and Blaze to follow het in silence.
She lead them through many left and right turbs. They did encounter a few enemies on the way, but they all four remained still and silent evrerytime, and they remained undetected.
It went on for almost half an hour and then Krystal stopped, confused as she stared at...a wall.
The scanner was showing the path going right through it. Frowning, Krystal looked over her shoulder at Espio, and showed him the scanner, then silently pointed at the wall.
They didn't know if this was a mirage, or a real wall, but Krystal was clearly being cautious about it.
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Espio stepped forward without a word.
He didn't touch the wall at first.
He just studied it, eyes narrowing, breathing quiet and controlled. The kind of look that meant he was already dismantling three different possibilities in his head.
A solid steel bulkhead would reflect sound differently...
A hologram would produce a faint shimmer in low light...
A disguised door would have micro-seams along the frame...
Blaze moved up beside Krystal, keeping her voice as soft as the air around them.
"Good call stopping," she whispered. "Charging in blind is how we get caught."
Espio finally lifted a hand.
He pressed two fingertips to the "wall."
Not enough to push, just enough pressure to test the surface.
It didn't feel like metal.
It didn't feel like a hologram either.
It felt... thin.
Artificial. Wrong.
Espio's eyes sharpened.
"A false panel," he whispered. "Not a hologram. Physical... but intentionally weakened."
He turned the scanner slightly in Krystal's hands, checking the angle of the projection.
"The signal's not confused," he confirmed. "It's accurate. The path leads beyond this point."
Blaze took one slow breath, her eyes glowing faintly with focus, not heat.
"If Eggman hid something behind here," she murmured, "it's important."
She touched the panel lightly, just the tips of her claws, careful not to melt or scorch it. "It's cold," she whispered. "No power lines behind it. No alarms wired into the frame."
Espio nodded once.
"That means we open it manually."
Blaze then turned to Silver, "this is where Silver comes in. Your will with your powers can easily determine which parts of this wall move and how to open it." Place suggested. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver nodded and moved closer, raising his hands.
"Let me work on it." he said.
His rings on both wrists and boots suddenly parted, revealing the blue center, signaling the use of his powers.
Silver narrowed his eyes, staring at the false panel wall, his hands raised as he worked on finding weaknesses. The false panel wall soon started glowing in different areas and soon an incredible amount of screws started to come out of it
"Krystal." Silver simply said, not even moving his eyes away from the false panel wall.
Krystal nodded and put the device that she was holding away, and rose both hands. Soon, the false panel started glowing with Krystal's own psychokinesis powers, while the screws slowly flew down to Silver as he put them away inside Blaze's backpack to avoid making too much noise. Krystal slowly moved her hands and the false panel wall slowly moved like a door opening, quietly. She moved it until it was completely turned, clearing the path, and then let it lean against the real wall.
Krystal let out a shaky breathe, having focused hard to not make a noise. She pulled the scanner device out again, and checked at the path, confirming again that it was the right path.
"...Almost there..." she whispered, taking back the head of their line, and opening the way once more.
Silver felt very proud of his sister, but remained silent as they made their way further towards where Sonic was held captive. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Krystal led them through the narrow opening where the false panel had been removed. The passage beyond was dark and cramped, barely more than a maintenance crawlspace. The walls pressed in too close, pipes dripping condensation overhead, metal groaning under the weight of machinery far above.
Espio slipped in first, vanishing into the tight shadows with practiced ease. Blaze followed behind Silver and Krystal, keeping her movements controlled, though even she had to duck her head as the corridor narrowed.
"This wasn't meant for people," she whispered, voice low as a coal ember. "Stay close. Don't get separated."
The passage twisted sharply, forcing them to turn sideways to squeeze through. Blaze exhaled slowly as her shoulders brushed cold steel.
Espio paused at the next junction, examining a vertical shaft barely wide enough for one person at a time.
"We go up," he murmured. "One at a time. Quietly."
He scaled it silently, using barely a fingertip's pressure on the walls. Blaze followed once Silver and Krystal were secure, gripping a pipe overhead to pull herself through. Her breathing stayed steady despite the cramped climb, she'd been through worse.
The shaft opened into a final horizontal tunnel, even smaller, tighter, and they belly-crawled the last few feet.
Then Espio pushed a hand forward, stopping them.
He eased a vent grate aside, and a faint glow poured in.
Blaze crawled up beside him and stared.
Below them stretched a massive cell block, built like something out of a prison documentary, cold metal floors, rows upon rows of thick steel doors, each with a flickering red status light. Three levels of cells ringed a central open void, connected by narrow walkways and reinforced rails.
The air smelled like electricity and stale metal.
Blaze's jaw tightened.
"This is... far bigger than Tails' schematics showed."
Espio scanned the walkways, his eyes narrowing, pupils shrinking to slits.
Footsteps.
Steady.
Measured.
Too familiar.
A sharp click echoed off the walls.
Then another.
Blaze eased back into the shadows of the vent, her breath catching.
Espio's entire body went still.
Down on the walkway below, emerging from the darkness of the far corner, Shadow stepped into view.
Cold.
Silent.
Patrolling with perfect, mechanical precision.
His eyes glowed faintly in the dim light as he turned... and began walking directly toward their position.
Blaze's whisper was barely a breath. "...Espio."
Espio didn't turn, didn't blink. "He's coming this way."
And the team froze, hidden above the prison block, as Shadow's footsteps drew closer,
and closer,
and closer. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver slowly put a arm in front of both Blaze and Krystal, his eyes narrowing as he slowly got into a silent fighting stance.
Krystal widened her eyes and her face went pale, as she froze.
Shadow.
Shadow was here.
Her heart wanted to believe in him not being an enemy, that he was not here to hurt them, if he even knew that they were here.
But the way he walked straight for then, so...menacingly, so decisive...
Krystal started trembling despite holding on to her optimism that Shadow was still their friend, despite those five past years.
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Shadow's footsteps echoed across the metal walkway, slow, deliberate, the sound of someone who never hesitated.
Silver's arm stayed firmly out in front of Blaze and Krystal, holding them back without making a sound.
Espio didn't move a single muscle.
Blaze kept her eyes fixed on the walkway as Shadow drew closer... closer... until he passed directly beneath the vent where they hid.
Shadow never looked up.
Never paused.
Never faltered.
He simply walked by.
Blaze's breath caught in her throat. His energy,
normally so sharp and hot it felt like standing near a generator, was muted. Dim. Wrong. She could feel the faintest flicker of Chaos pressure rolling off him, but...
Why didn't he sense us? she thought to her self.
Shadow was many things, reckless, stubborn, infuriating, but never unaware. He should've felt them the moment they entered the chamber.
Blaze swallowed the thought.
This wasn't the time to question it, not out loud.
Shadow reached the end of the walkway, paused, then descended a stairwell to the lower level, disappearing behind a curve of metal railing. His footsteps continued downward, fading into the hum of the prison block.
Only when the last echo vanished did Espio finally move.
He turned his head just enough to whisper, "Down. Quiet."
He slipped out of the vent like a shadow flowing downward, landing on the walkway below without a sound. Blaze followed after Silver and Krystal, landing softly beside him.
The cell block loomed around them, doors, dim red lights, the low thrum of energy. Espio lifted a hand again.
"No voices," he breathed. "No hesitation. We find Sonic before he returns to this level."
Blaze nodded, her voice barely a whisper.
"Let's move. Quickly."
And with Shadow now out of sight but not out of mind, the retrieval team began searching the cells,
one silent step at a time. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Indeed, something was wrong...the Shadow they all knew would have sensed them in a heartbeat, no matter how well hidden they were.
Krystal let out a quiet breathe. It had been a quiet but tense and brief moment, but now the mission resumed its course, as they searched the cells for Sonic.
The scanner had showed them how to get there, not Sonic's very precise location. They searched the cells individually, silently but efficiently.
And then...Krystal finally found him.
She widened her eyes. "S-Sonic...?" she quietly muttered, shocked and in disbelief. [[USER_A]] said the following:
The cell door slid open with a strained metallic hiss, and a cold draft swept past them, the kind that didn't belong in any place meant for living things. Blaze felt it in her bones.
Sonic was there.
Or at least... what was left of him.
He sat slumped on the far side of the cell, shackled by thick restraining cuffs that glowed faintly with energy. His quills, once bright, proud, and sharp, hung limp and uneven, some broken, others dulled to a washed-out blue. His fur was thinner in places, singed in others, and his normally confident posture curled inward like he was trying to make himself small.
He was trembling.
Not from cold, from exhaustion so deep it looked carved into his bones.
His ears didn't even twitch when they entered.
It was his eyes that hurt the most.
Half-lidded, unfocused, dull, like someone who'd lossy all hope for life.
Blaze felt her breath catch, a quiet sound of horror she had to swallow before it escaped.
Espio stepped forward silently, but even he wasn't prepared for the voice that came from Sonic's cracked lips, too small, too hoarse, too empty. "...not again."
Sonic didn't look at them. Didn't lift his head.
He stared at the floor as though it were the only thing that wouldn't disappear on him.
"...go away," he whispered, shaking his head weakly. "Im not... not falling for it this time."
His fingers curled slightly, the chains rattling softly.
Blaze took a slow step inside, her voice barely more than breath, gentle, careful, terrified of breaking him further. "Sonic... it's us."
Sonic flinched like a wounded animal, squeezing his eyes shut. "No," he rasped, voice cracking. "No... it's not. You... you already tried this one." His breathing hitched. "You always... change something. Makes it wrong. You thinks I don't notice... I do"
Espio froze in place, what had they been doing to Sonic all this time to get him like this were he didn't even recognize his own friends, that he couldn't trust anything anymore, not even his own senses.
Blaze's heart twisted painfully.
This wasn't the Sonic who cracked jokes in danger.
This wasn't the Sonic who laughed in the face of impossible odds.
This was someone who had been broken slowly, cruelly, and thoroughly.
Blaze lowered herself to one knee, far enough away not to startle him, but close enough that her voice would reach."Sonic," she whispered, "we have come to get you out of here, to take you home."
He shook his head again, harder this time, breath trembling. "It always hurts when I reach for you," he said. "And you always vanish."
Blaze swallowed hard.
Espio bowed his head slightly, voice soft for the first time in years. "...Sonic," he said, "we're real."
Sonic didn't look up.
He didn't dare.
He was too afraid the world would disappear again. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Krystal felt her heartbroken hearing him speak with such denial and detachment from reality.
"We don't have time." Silver muttered and waved his hand.
Soon, they hear clicks and the restraining cuffs opened up and freed Sonic's wrists and ankles. Krystal quickly approached the blue blur and grabbed one of his arms, passed it over her shoulders, and helped him up to his feet, as she held him up by his waist.
"We are here, weither you believe it or not." Krystal firmly said, her ears pinned and looking at his face. "Just hang on Sonic, we're getting you out of here." she then added and helped him walk out of that cell.
Silver looked at Blaze and Espio. "How do we get him out of here, now? He's in no shape to crawl his way out." he whispered, pointing out the shape the blue blur was in.
Krystal let go of Sonic's waist to grab the scanner and fumbled with it using her free hand. She was trying to find the better exit path.
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze was about to answer Silver when Espio suddenly froze. The kind of stillness that meant danger was already here.
Blaze didn't ask. She followed his gaze. At the far end of the walkway, stepping out from behind a support beam as silently as a nightmare, Shadow appeared. He was now blocking the only clear exit out of the cell black.
His eyes locked onto Sonic's as he was nearly limp in Krystal's arms, and something sharp and unnatural flickered through them.
Then he surged forward.
A blur of black and red.
Fast.
Too fast.
Sonic flinched violently, his breath catching in a mixture of fear and exhaustion. His head lifted just enough to see the approaching figure. "Oh great," he muttered weakly through gritted teeth, "it's the faker..."
Blaze immediately moved in front of Silver and Krystal, hands rising, fire coiling under her skin in a tight, controlled burn.
They needed stealth until the last possible second.
Espio stepped forward at the same time, sliding into Shadow's path with a fluid, precise motion. His stance was low, silent, prepared, a living barrier.
Shadow didn't stop.
He came in fast, striking like a blade, a fierce, sweeping kick aimed to knock Espio aside.
Espio barely twisted in time, the attack slicing through the air where his head had been half a second earlier.
Blaze's eyes narrowed.
"We don't have time for this," she hissed under her breath, heat rippling around her fists.
Shadow pivoted instantly, boots skidding on metal, and launched himself again, a red streak aimed straight for Krystal.
Espio intercepted him mid-charge, kunai flashing as he blocked the strike with a clang of metal.
"Move!" Espio snapped, voice sharp for the first time. "Get Sonic out of reach!"
Blaze stepped in beside him, sliding into a mirrored stance, calm, balanced, fire simmering beneath the surface.
Shadow's glowing eyes snapped toward her.
He lunged. This time he didn't go strate for them but instead up to the rough then spun dashed into the ground between the groom sending them all flying in ridèrent directions.
The dust had barely settled and as Krystal looked up she saw Shadow coming strate for her. Then suddenly a blue blue came slamming into Shadow's side knocking him down through the center of the cell black.
Sonic chuckled standing on bath wobbly legs, "real or not that never gets old." He said just before collapsing to the ground.
Blaze got up to her feet. "Quickly while the path his clear."
"Forget about stealth now," Espio said, "we have to move!" [[USER_B]] said the following:
"I got an exit path!" Krystal announced, after recovering from being startled by Shadow dashing straight for her only to be protected by Sonic.
She then rushed to Sonic and helped him up to his feet with her psychokinesis and pulled his arm over her shoulder again.
"Let's move!" Silver announced.
The four intruders dragged Sonic through an unplanned escape path and they encountered robots that were easily destroyed.
Silver, Blaze and Espio covered Krystal, who was helping Sonic run by supporting him. [[USER_A]] said the following:
As they were working on escaping sonic looked at Krystal, "your new, he dosent send you much" Sonic said and chuckled.
"He's delusional" Espio said as they were escaping.
Just then they hear Shadow coming up behind them. "Some one needs to slow down Shadow!" Blaze said.
Sonic just laughed, "why, that racket is slow enough alredy" [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver turned around without a warning and dashed at Shadow, colliding with him as they ran into each other. Silver basically violently kicked him in the stomach and sent Shadow flying, all of that without a warning.
Krystal widened her eyes, but Silver motioned for her to keep going with Sonic, his eyes narrowed at Shadow as he hit the wall nearby.
"What are you talking about?!" she blurted out at Sonic. "Come on, Sonic! We've got chili dogs waiting for you, Amy worked hard on them!"
[[USER_A]] said the following:
Sonic just laughed but it dents an exited laugh, "really, chilly dogs," he replied a little sarcastically. He then looked up, "I'm not falling for it, not this time. Next time make it less obvias "
Blaze shakes her head, "let's just get him out of here, worry about convincing him latter" she said as they kept running.
Espio was a little father head using his I vida UIKit to scout for them. Evey once in a while he would reappear and tell them a directions to go. [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver made sure to keep Shadow away, as they made their way towards the nearest escape possible.
Once they reached the destination, Krystal kicked a metal door open and suddenly the wind engulfed into the space they were in.
"We have to jump!" she shouted.
"Do it!" Silver shouted back, kicking Shadow away again.
Krystal jumped out without hesitation, followed by Blaze, Espio and Silver.
Krystal used her psychokinesis to make herself fly while still holding onto Sonic. Blaze used her fire powers to slow her descent and control it at the same time. Silver grabbed onto Espio and used his psychokinesis as well to make himself fly while holding onto Espio.
After a rather long descent, they safely landed near allied ranks, and dashed away towards HQ.
"Knuckles! We did it!" Silver called over into the communicator device on his wrist.
"Great job! Keep him away from this mess!"
Knuckles smashed two robots together and got near Amy, who was smashing a robot with her hammer, Vector and Espio also near her.
"They got him!" he announced.
Amy flinched, widening her eyes as she froze.
They got him.
They got Sonic back. [[USER_A]] said the following:
"But, he's not exactly in a good condition," Blaze said calmly. "It would be better if not everyone rushes him all at once." Blaze informs Ed everyone.
"Amy, I think it would be best if you meet us at HQ" Espio pointed out. [[USER_B]] said the following:
They jumped hearing something fly over their heads and loudly land in front of them, and when the cloaking came off, it was the shuttle they had used. Tails must've called it back, but made it land safely some place instead of HQ to not attract attention to their location.
Silver rushed to it and kicked the door open, only to find it empty. They had successfully completed their mission.
The four of them resumed running towards HQ, Silver now using his psychokinesis to make Sonic float, while Krystal, Blaze and Espio kept an eye on the blue blur.
Amy felt conflicted about leaving everyone to finishing the fight without her, but Knuckles told her to go and that he and the Resistance got everything covered.
Amy then ran towards HQ and once she got there, she ran straight for the Med Bay. Once she got to it, she was intercepted by Silver and she started struggling.
"I need to see him!" she almost shrieked, ears pinned and trying to get out of Silver's grip.
She could see Espio and Blaze talking to one of the doctors and only saw Sonic's shoes on a table nearby, but no signs of the blue blur.
"A-Amy, he needs medical attention...!" Krystal blurted out, ears pinned and worried.
"I need to see him!" Amy loudly exclaimed and repeated again.
Silver grunted, trying to hold her back as she was frantic.
"You need to calm down, Amy! They took him into an emergency room! He's in a rough shape!" he exclaimed too.
Amy started crying, ears pinned and still struggling. "I need to see him!" she cried out loudly. "I need to touch him, make sure he's not just an illusion!" she then cried out again, the tears streaming down her cheeks.
Krystal teared up as well and looked away, the tears streaming down her cheeks as she remained silent.
She too was shaken up by the shape in which they had found the blue blur in. He had been dillusional the entire time, and used what little strength he had left to fight a bit at first, but he had only been a shell of his old self ever since they dragged him out of there.
Krystal held her hands together up at her heart, staring down at the floor, just hoping that Sonic was going to be okay. Silver was still holding back Amy as she struggled and sobbed loudly. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze walked over and put a hand on her shoulder,
"If you really want to help him I think the best thing you could do is bring those chilly dogs you made." She said trying to give Amy something to do but also a way that she could see him.
"You know how much he loves them, I think it will be a grate step at helping him recover." [[USER_B]] said the following:
Silver could feel Amy still trembling as she finally calmed down, the tears still streaming down her cheeks as her ears remained pinned.
"I...I can't leave him..." she replied, her voice quiet but shaky.
"There is nothing that we can do for now, Amy." Silver reminded her. "Trust the medical staff to do their job, go for a walk and get those chilly dogs ready, he's going to need a taste of reality." he then added, finally slowly unwrapping his arms from around her.
Krystal approached, wipping away her own tears, and slowly put an arm around Amy, slowly starting to pull her away towards the exit.
"Come, let's go together." she told Amy, her voice steady but still worried herself about the blue blur.
Amy remained quiet, still unable to stop her tears and ears pinned, but didn't fight Krystal as she was pulling her towards the exit. Both girls soon disappeared from view and Silver let out a deep sigh of relief, as he sat down on a chair and rubbed his eyes with a hand.
"Damn...I knew she would have some reaction, but...that was...quite intense..." he murmured, referring to how much Amy had been fighting to get out of his grip earlier. [[USER_A]] said the following:
Blaze takes a deep breath and let it out, "I don't know what we are going to do if the chilly dogs don't help him. I just don't understand why he is so adamite that all of this isn't real" [[USER_B]] said the following:
"We will have to wait and see." Silver replied, taking another deep breathe. If chilly dogs don't convince him this is all real...then we will have truly lost him. he then thought to himself.
Hours passed, and they still didn't get news from the doctors about Sonic.
Amy had no choice but to bring a small microwave to heat up the chilly dogs once they would be allowed to see Sonic. She stared at the ground the whole time, her hands tightened around the microwave on her knees as she sat on a chair.
Krystal was also siting next to her, holding a thermo bottle with honey tea. It was her idea after remembering how raspy Sonic's voice had been, and she hoped he would appreciate the gesture.
Silver was pacing silently, waiting for any kind of news about the blue blur.
Knuckles was too busy yet to join them, but Tails was siting next to Amy as well like Krystal was. He was anxious and his ears were pinned.