Scarlett's P.O.V

We had enough time to regroup & find some more food and then Tails spoke up.

"We failed Sonic & Mystery. Well, I mean this world's Sonic & Mystery. And Eggman's monsters got them." He looked down as if he was losing hope altogether. I then decided to cheer him up. It may be a war but I don't want him to be moping around. It wouldn't help either of us.

"But you two are here now." I added, "It's like the world needs a Sonic & Mystery...any Sonic & Mystery to keep things in balance."

"If we defeat Eggman, this war will be over." Tails added on and I had to make a hypothesis.

"And if we figure out the secret of his power, maybe we can get you two home."

We stayed silent for a while while I drank some water. Then all of a sudden. I saw something on my sensor. "Hey, the sensor is picking up Eggman!"

"Let's hurry." Tails used his tails and I used my drone I had and we flew away. Classic Sonic & Mystery racing behind. They had to race through a lot of stuff.

"We've got to find Eggman quick. Let's see..." I gave Tails my device. "The reading Scarlett picked up was through this way."

"This area is still relatively undamaged but the enemy is here somewhere."

"You better keep on your guard, Sonic!"

"Same with you, Mystery. Who knows what there might be in store!"

After we flew around for a while...we saw...desert. Okay. Not good.

"Strange, I see desert over there," I told Tails as he looked over there as well.

"This is Green Hill, right?"

"Yes, indeed it is, Tails. Something is wrong. I wonder what it is." Then....we got even closer.

"Eggman's signal is close! Be careful you two."

"We probably should join them," I told him as I flew down to the pair as Tails flew close behind. We saw the jackal like man destroy something and Romeo responded by saying to the jackal "And with that, the disposal of the Phantom Ruby Prototypes is complete."

"It was a defective model. It could only record the DNA of the one who triggered it!"

"Only beings with our strength of will could ever activate it." I think the guy's name is Infinite.

"It doesn't matter now with the lab locked down in Mystic Jungle. Which reminds me. Didn't you two run into Sonic & Mystery there, after they escaped?"

Wait...WHAT?! Either I have hearing problems or Sonic & Sarah are not dead. I hope it's the latter.

"Yes. But they were powerless against us." Infinite told him, as I felt him smirk under his mask. I did not like him.

"There is no need for concern," Romeo added on to his statement.

"You let the hedgehogs LIVE?! That is a great source of concern!" Eggmam yelled.

Wait...he said hedgehogs. Plural. What did they do to Mystery?

"For you, perhaps. They have beaten you for decades." Romeo scoffed in his sickeningly accurate impression of Xander. Why did he have to use that form? Jesse would have scared me more.

"And we defeated them on our first encounter." Infinite finished.

"Phantom Ruby Prototypes? And Mystery & Sonic are alive?"

"And Mystery is supposedly a hedgehog too?" 

Romeo looked in our direction and we all ducked down.

"What is it?" Infinite & Eggman asked him.

"Nothing. We move forward with the plan?" He asked as he smirked a bit. The more he moved, the more I realised he wasn't in another form. The facade of Xander was a costume with a mask. Even creepier. Why a mask? Did he forget how to control his powers?

"Of course! When it's complete, the resistance will be erased. The world will be nothing but ashes, from which a glorious Eggman empire shall rise!"

"And the Resistance will yield to the Phantom Rubys' Power."

"Indeed. All will submit." 

Romeo & Infinite flew away. Sonic & Sarah jumped out of our hiding place. Well crap!

"WHAT?! YOU!" Sonic hit his Eggmobile.

"I don't have time for this." They chased each other until they got to a clearing. And they began to fight. I just decided to stay quiet and take this time to eat some stew I had stuffed away. Once I saw Eggman crashing down. I decided to follow the others.

"Yeah! We did it!"

"Hohoho! Look at you! Fighting as if you have a chance to win! It's adorable! Almost makes me feel bad that we're never going to do this little dance again."

Huh? What does he mean? What is he planning? As if he had heard me, he continued his little speech. And what he said next was quite concerning.

"In just 3 short days, my plan will eliminate the bothersome lot of you." Oh no...what plan?

"Wait. Three days?" Tails asked.

"And what plan?" I added. It better not be anything too complicated because if it is, that won't be a good plan to foil.

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise! You know what they say, the anticipation of the end is worse than the end itself. Maybe not in this case though."

Well so much for undoing his plans...

He then flew away in his egg mobile, leaving us to ponder what the heck he just said. But there is one thing.  I hope the end...doesn't happen. We'd be able to stop it by then...

...Right?

(Y/n)'s P.O.V

We had enough time to refuel ourselves until we heard an alarm. Oh no, what is it now?!

"Eggman's army has broken through!" Raven yelled, she was starting to panic internally and she continued to speak "They're in the city. We need to get these people out of here!"

"Who could we send?" Knuckles asked as Olivia interrupted him, "Sonic, Mystery, Silver & Petra need time to heal."

Then Espio called us through his radio.

"We've engaged with enemy forces at Seaside Hill. We can't spare anyone!"

"This is the 8th unit! We're pinned down under heavy enemy fire!"

Olivia then whispered something into Knuckles' ear. He nodded slowly and then looked not at Nora, not at Jesse. Me.

He looked at me. What?

"Man, it looks like we've got no choice. Okay, rookie. I've got a tough one for you. I need you to head back to the city and save those civilians!"

"On it!" I accepted his order.

I raced to the city and put on my earpiece, it would be vital. I heard Amy on the earpiece as I began to run throughout the city.

"Raven & I need a status update on the people who couldn't evacuate in time!"

"Espio & Ivor here." Ivor announced as Espio took control.

"We're engaging enemy forces, and can't search for civilians right now!"

"The fighting is too fierce for us to help out as well." This isn't good! NOT GOOD AT ALL!

"Sounds like you're our only hope, rookie! The rescue is in your hands!" Knuckles told me.

I had to destroy tins of robots and in the corner of my eye, I saw Death Egg Robots destroying the city. I had to save the civilians. Now! I had known there was a camera in my earpiece but I didn't mind since it would aid in more intel. This is when I heard.

"Those are Death Egg Robots! They're being massed produced now?" Silver asked. I could tell he was shocked and confused. I can tell why. I thought we destroyed his factory.

Guess he made more than one.

"Uh, oh, this ain't good. Might be too much for the rookie to handle!" I didn't reply to Vector's response but I was slightly offended by the line. I have done way more than robots.

"Still, we can't just ignore them. You got this, right rookie?" Knuckles asked. I nodded and continue to distract the robots so the civilians could escape to any safe zone they can find. It took me a while but then I heard Ivor say to me.

"Nice work! A fine display of skill."

"Wow! You really showed them who's boss!" Lukas added. Aw...he always knew how to flatter me. I really wanted to kiss him for the compliments...but that had to wait.

"Come on, how am I gonna top that?" Axel asked. Ha. Always wanting to be on top. Sorry bud. But then I heard a voice from the 8th unit. With good news too!

"We have broken through enemy lines! The rescue is underway!"

"We secured an escape route, so there is a safe way out."

"Thanks to the rookie, things are turning around! Let's keep this momentum going!"

Encouraged by Knuckles' compliment, I raced even faster, destroying robots every step of the way to help the civilians escape. Then I heard the best news of the mission!

"Update from HQ. The enemy's on the run!"

 "Mission Complete. Well done, everyone!" 

As soon as I got to the bridge I sighed.

"Phew...that was tiring." But then... I heard a voice.

I looked around to see a boy a bit far away. Huh. He must have got left behind during the escape. I walked closer and he had...a llama? But not just any llama.

That was Talilah. 

And the glasses, the suit...a bit torn but...could it be?

"Radar?!"

"(Y/N)!" He raced to me and hugged me tight. "I am so glad to find you! Where are the others? Are you okay? What's with the gear?"

"Woah...hold up. Ease the questions, pal."

"Sorry...I just got caught up with Xander. He didn't seem very happy to see me. Even though he's already dead... He was with another dude and before they had any chance to hit me, I had a swiftness potion that raced me away. And now we're here."

"Radar, that wasn't Xander."

"What?" He was very confused.

"I'll tell you on the way back. Raven is gonna be so delighted to see you." I added.

"Yeah...I missed her so much. I really wanna hug her tight."

"Radar...you're rambling again," I told him.

"Oh, sorry." He chuckled.

We then hopped onto Talilah and I guided her back to the base, where everyone was waiting.

"RADAR?!"

"CUPCAKE!"

Raven tackled Radar off of Talilah and when I hopped off her, Talilah raced to Petra. I was glad they were happy. Knuckles looked at me with a hint of pride as he said to me,

"That was impressive! But we've still got a lot to do!"

"Great job! I knew you could do it if you believed in yourself!" Aw shucks, Sonic. I'm flattered.

"Nice moves. But if you hog all the glory, how am I gonna look good?" Vector asked jokingly.

I looked at him and then at Radar, he was slowly walking to me.

"Hey."

"Radar. Are you okay?"

"Yup, how about you, my friend?"

My friend? Ugh...that reminds me of...him...when he first woke up.

"Uh...not much, not much. I mean I'm not too bad myself."

I walked over to a corner and just started to recollect my thoughts. That night...it wasn't the best of nights. Might as well go over it again.

7 and 1/2 months ago.

I was racing with Nora over to Eggman's base. Our friends had been on an adventure there, well her friend & my brother, Romeo. It has been a few days since we had seen them so we decided to check the base out.

I ordered my friend to stay hidden while I'll would try to enter. But at the entrance, I saw...Xander?

The brown, oak-like eyes, the burnt jacket, the blond hair! It was him! I thought he was dead!

I raced over to him and hugged him tightly. He paused for a bit before looking at me.

"Dad! I'm so glad you're safe. Are you okay? Did Eggman get you? How are you alive?!"

But...he ignored the last question.

"Huh? No...I'm okay. How about you dear friend?"

I paused. Xander doesn't call me a dear friend. He usually calls me by my name or 'my starfire'. Not dear friend.

"Why did you call me that? You don't call me that at all."

He paused and started to laugh softly, but that increased into maniacal laughter.

"Dad? P-P-Papa? Can you snap out of it? You're scaring me."

Only then did I notice a ruby of some sort on his chest. His eyes turned into a blood-red, with yellow pupils. Well, call me an idiot.

"You're not my dad...are you?" I asked.

"I say, who is this man you keep asking of? I have no idea who you're talking about." He asked me, his smile widening at my scared expression.

"Romeo cut that out! If this is a prank of yours, you better stop!"

Then he tried to shoot at me. I dodged but part of the blast hit my leg. Making my escape near impossible.

"Hahaha. He was right. You ARE the perfect target practice. Just wait. Once I'm done with you, my powers will be enough to defeat the blue blur himself! And his human companion."

Before he could hit me again, a force pushed me to the side. It was Jesse. What? HOW?!

"Jesse, what?--"

He shushed me. And gave me a drink of invisibility.

"Drink it."

"But what about my friend?"

"What do they look like?"

"Well, they are an (A/t)."

"Don't worry. I told them to meet us at the bridge once I get you out of here. Now drink the potion."

I did as told and we rushed away. I just have one question.

What the hell has happened to Romeo?

Back to the present.

I looked at a picture of Romeo, Nora, her friend & me posing quite sweetly. I clutched in my hands and Six walked to me and place a hand on my shoulder. We both looked at each other and sighed.

This is not gonna be easy for us if we ever have to fight them. And I hope we don't have to.

At least not yet.