In the Crimson Egg Cockpit, two alternating blips appear on Eggman's radar.

"Haha! Looks like I hit the jewel jackpot. I found two Chaos Emeralds!" Eggman laughed.

Decoe counts on his fingers.

"Hmm, let me think... We already have two Emeralds, and Sonic has three more..."

"Plus these two equals seven. All the Chaos Emeralds have been found! You are brilliant, Doctor!" Bocoe added.

"Yes, I know."

"Don't pat yourself on your back yet."

Eggman immediately covers the radar screen.

"Rouge! What are you doing here?"

"Just having a little look-see around."

Rouge slowly moves Eggman's hands, revealing the radar.

"Hold on!"

"Doctor, have you found some Emeralds?"

"I hope she doesn't tell Dr. Eggman my secret..." Bokkun quietly said, feeling scared.

"I wasn't attempting to keep my discovery from you. I meant to call you up to the bridge. It's just that in all the excitement, I forgot that you were interested in the Chaos Emeralds too. You know how absent-mind we geniuses can be."

Shadow looks on impassively.

"So... where are they?" Rouge asked again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a giant asteroid-shaped Metarex space station floating in the midst of an asteroid field. The Crimson Egg hides behind an asteroid.

"There are two Chaos Emeralds inside that Space fortress. We've got to seize them!" Eggman suggested.

"But how Doctor?" Decoe asked.

"That is a Metarex base. It will have a heavy-duty security system!" Bocoe said.

"How do you plan to get in there? It's not like you can go up and knock on the door. If they spot us, we'll be space toast." Rouge pointed out.

"Let's see." Eggman said.

A claw extends out of the Crimson Egg and grabs a loose rock from the asteroid the ship is hiding behind. The claw throws the rock toward the Metarex base. Several laser batteries blast at and destroy the rock. Decoe and Bocoe huddle in fear.

"The defense system is perfect."

"Yeah, so what are you going to do?" Rouge asked.

"What am I going to do? I'm going to give up."

Decoe and Bocoe stop huddling.

"You must be kidding! You're giving up when the treasure is right before your eyes? You have an I.Q. of 300! Think of something!" Rouge exclaimed.

"I know you're trying to get the better of me, but I won't let you!"

Rouge turns to Decoe and Bocoe.

"You too! Instead of doing nothing, think of something!"

"Thought you say that..." Bocoe said.

"We can't think of anything!" Decoe exclaimed.

They look warily out the window.

"Don't try to change the subject!" Rouge glared.

"That's now what we're doing! Dr. Eggman!" Decoe said, pointing at something ahead.

"Look!" Bocoe said.

Eggman looks out the window, and sees the Blue Typhoon also hiding behind an asteroid.

"What's the Blue Typhoon doing here? They must have come looking for the Chaos Emeralds."

"You slowpoke! Sonic and Y/N are gonna beat ya to them." Rouge scolded.

"Rouge drives me bats, especially when she's right. What'll I do?" Eggman asked himself in thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Blue Typhoon Bridge

"How do you know you can't break in unless you try?" Knuckles asked.

"You saw what happened to that meteorite! It's too dangerous!" Tails exclaimed.

"Hey, guys. We need to come up with a plan here." Sonic spoke.

"Don't worry about that, Sonic. I've got it all figured out."

Eggman appears on the view screen, causing everyone to look up.

"I have a proposal for you."

"I've gotta hear this." Sonic said.

"This better be good, Egghead." Y/N glared at Eggman.

"Why don't we join our forces and work together?"

"What's that?"

"What?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Crimson Egg Cockpit

"I see. You're planning to double-cross them, aren't you?" Rouge asked, realizing what Eggman was doing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The crew of the Typhoon, minus Cosmo, are standing in a circle, discussing Eggman's message.

"We shouldn't work with Dr. Eggman. He's trying to trick us!" Cream said.

"Chao chao!" Cheese agreed.

"I 100% agree with Cream. No way are we going to fall for this one again." Y/N said with a huff and her arms crossed, shaking her head.

"Yeah, don't even think about it, Knuckles!" Amy said, glaring at him.

"I didn't say anything." Knuckles sweatdropped. "I'm not stupid enough to trust Eggman already."

"I think we should work with Eggman. Our chances are better that way." Sonic said.

"I agree." Tails said.

The others except Y/N nod.

"Are you guys crazy? We're walking into a trap of Eggman! You know if we do this, he's just going to backstab us again and again! We can't trust him!"

"What choice do we have? We have no other option but to do this if we're ever going to enter Metarex base." Sonic said.

"No offense, but we kinda have to." Tails added.

Y/N looked to see no one is changing their mind and sighed in frustration.

"Fine. But if anything happens to you guys, that's on you. Not me."

They all nodded and Sonic turned to Eggman.

"Alright. Let's go for it, Eggman."

"So, how are we gonna get in the base?" Chris asked.

"We can sneak in without getting caught by using Chaos Control." Eggman explained.

The screen cuts to Shadow. Y/N felt her heart stop to see him again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Of course! How brilliant!" Decoe smiled.

"This is your most ingenious plan ever, Doctor!" Bocoe complimented.

"This plan is the pits. Why do we need Sonic's help for this scheme? We have Shadow on our side!" Rouge asked.

"Our side? Don't make me laugh! If you ever get a hold of those Emeralds, you'll skip ship in a flash!" Eggman thought with a scoff.

He went back to the video.

"Here's what we'll do: The first group in will head for the computer that controls the security system. They're responsible for shutting it down. Then the rest of us can sneak into the base undetected!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sounds good." Sonic nodded.

"Whatever!" Y/N rolled her eyes.

"What'll we do when we find the Emeralds, though? Will we share them fifty-fifty?" Knuckles asked.

"Whoever gets to them first can keep them." Eggman said over the video.

"It's a deal!" Sonic gave him thumbs-up.

"To make sure it's a fair contest, both sides will supply members for the entry team. I've selected Shadow and Rouge to represent our side."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wait, why should I go?" Rouge asked.

"Because when it comes to break-ins, you're a real smash. You not afraid to go in there, are you?"

"Of course I'm not afraid! Ugh..."

"He's putting me on the entry team because then I can't get to the Emeralds first... or so he thinks." She thought.

Her face had a smirk on her own.

"I'd be thrilled to join the team!"

"I knew that I could count on you, Rouge. Thank you!" Eggman said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The crew discusses who should go with Shadow and Rouge. Cosmo is now present.

"Count me out. I refuse to join any team with Shadow and Rouge because I don't like them." Amy declined, remembering the Prison Island incident.

"It's not like you're going on a picnic with them, Amy." Tails sweatdropped.

"I'm not goin' either. I won't work with that burglaring bat anymore!" Knuckles said still not liking Rouge.

"Maybe we should pick a name out of a hat." Cream offered.

Y/N sighs and steps forward.

"I'll go."

"What?" Knuckles asked.

"Are you sure?" Amy asked.

"Yes."

Y/N turns to her brother.

"You approve?"

"Absolutely not." Sonic shook his head.

"Sonic, I can do this alone with Shadow and Rouge. I know them."

"It's Shadow we're talking about. What if he hurts you again? He clearly doesn't remember anyone. Plus, I don't trust him around you."

"I'm still going whether you like it or not. Shadow will never hurt me. I can take care of myself. Do you trust me?"

Sonic gave her the staring contest as if to dare her to challenge him. Y/N never blink as she just gave him a deadpan stare until he sighed.

"Fine, sis."

"Please promise us you'll be very careful and stay close to the others." Cosmo pleaded, looking at her. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I will." Y/N nodded with a smile.

She looks back up at the viewscreen - and Shadow.

"Shadow..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two ships are pulled next to each other. Y/N walks in. Rouge smiles and waves.

"Hiya, cutie."

"Hey, Rouge."

Y/N turned to Shadow who stares. She removes Shadow's limiters from her wrists and extends them to him.

"Huh? What's this?" Shadow asked, looking down at her hands.

"I'm giving these limiters back to you."

Shadow looks confused.

"You don't remember? ... Your power goes out-of-control, so you need these limiters to control it. But you removed them during the battle at Space Colony ARK."

A flashback shows Shadow casting his limiters off.

"I'm Shadow! Shadow the Hedgehog!"

Shadow's eyes widen.

"I removed them?"

Y/N nods. There is a flashback of herself crying over the limiter. Her (F/C) eyes clash with red ones and she could have sworn she saw a flick of rainbow

"With these, you won't lose consciousness during battle."

"I see. In that case, I'll take them."

Y/N watches as Shadow takes the limiters from her and slips them on.

"Let's go."

He holds up the red Chaos Emerald.

"Chaos Control!"

The Chaos Emerald teleports them out of the ship.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sonic and Knuckles are doing work on the X-Tornado. Tails approaches them.

"I got somethin' to help us increase our speed!"

He hands the blue Chaos Emerald to Sonic, and the green Chaos Emerald to Amy.

"Thanks, Tails! We have real advantage over Eggman now."

"You'll need all the help you can get."

They turn to see Eggman, Decoe, and Bocoe approaching.

"Why have you come to our ship?" Cream questioned.

"Now now, Cream. Remember, we're on the same team."

Eggman looks over Amy's brand new personal spaceship.

"From here on, what's mine is yours and what's yours is all mine."

"Back off! I'm not sharing my stuff with you!" Amy growled.

"I'm just looking."

As he inspects the ship, Decoe and Bocoe secretly attach a device to the belly of the X-Tornado and dart off before anyone can see them. Eggman turns to the others.

"Very impressive. Your machines are well-maintained, and clean, too."

Decoe and Bocoe also attach a device onto Amy's spaceship while Eggman inspects the X-Tornado.

"Thumbs-up, gang! Goodbye!"

He and his robots leave.

"That certainly was a strange visit." Amy watched them leave in confusion.

"At least it was short." Sonic shrugged.

"This is Y/N. We just arrived inside the fortress via Chaos Control." Y/N communicated over the comlink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N, Shadow, and Rouge are located in the Metarex station.

"We're gonna start looking for the security system controls."

"We copy. Be careful, Y/N." Sonic warned. "We're counting on you."

"Don't worry, bro. I will."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later, Shadow, Rouge, and Y/N watch as a giant Metarex Pinchershead stomps past them down a hallway.

"All clear." Rouge said.

Rouge and Y/N break cover and run to the other side of the hall. Shadow teleports in front of them, startling Y/N. She almost forgot that he does that.

"I have to think up some excuse to ditch these two so I can look for the Chaos Emeralds." Rouge thought, knowing Y/N she's not that stupid to help her out and could see the lie through her very eyes.

"Say, why don't we split up to look for that control room?"

"No." Shadow said.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to look for you if you get lost."

He glances over to Y/N who notices and blushes.

"The doctor wants us to stay together."

"Oh really?"

"Looks like Eggman was one step ahead of me. I'll have to change tactics. ... He knows I'm up to something. My only chance is to get him to let his guard down. I'll have to turn on the charm."                                                                                                                                                                                                                Rouge turned to Y/N.

"Remember the last time the three of us used Chaos Control? As I recall, the circumstances were rather explosive."

"You mean Prison Island?"

Shadow looks up in realization.

"I was afraid Shadow would leave me there. But you reassured me that you'll rescue me. And do you remember what happened next?"

"Of course I do. Shadow transported us to Space Colony ARK." Y/N said, unknowingly that Rouge set a trap.

"That's right. Shadow, wasn't that the home of your friend Maria?"

Y/N's eyes widen in realization on what Rouge was doing and turned to Shadow.

"Maria!"

Shadow covers his head in agony and drops to his knees as the memories come flooding back.

"Shadow!"

Y/N runs over to his aid. Her ruse having worked, Rouge takes off down the hall.

"Rouge! Get back here!"

"Sorry, cutie, I have to go find those Chaos Emeralds."

Y/N looks down at Shadow who's still clutching his head. Her crystal glows along with her hand. She looks at her hand then to Shadow and took a deep breath and placed it on his head. Shadow's pain finally stopped. He looked up to thank her when his eyes widen with just one look into her eyes, his memories flashed before him but this time it didn't give him pain. The memory shows the first time he met Y/N until they stopped flashing. Shadow shook his head, feeling like he remembers her just only step by step.

"You okay, Shadow? Feeling better?"

Shadow stood up and nodded. Y/N smiled and rocket roller skates after Rouge with him following her. Meanwhile, Rouge rounds the corner, only to see a Metarex Pinchershead in her way.

"Move it, creep!"

She Screw Kicks the neck of the Pinchershead, destroying it. Three more stand in her way. She tries to dodge them, but one of them scoops her up in its mouth. Suddenly Shadow and Y/N comes to the rescue, spinning through the Pinchersheads. As the base's alarm sounds, Rouge collapses to her knees as Shadow and Y/N lands in front of her.

"Stay out of trouble." he said.

"Since you put it that way..." Rouge rolled her eyes.

Y/N helps her up, receiving a 'thank you'. Just then she notices the room on the other side of one of the destroyed walls.

"Hey look! We may have found the control room!"

She enters the control room.

"Hey!"

Shadow and Rouge run to the entrance of the control room to see Y/N at work with one of the computers.

"We're in luck. This computer runs the security system."

As Shadow and Rouge attack several canisters to create lots of explosions, Y/N presses a few buttons to turn off the defense mechanism. Y/N lifted the comlink from her wrist.

"Do you read me? The computer's shut down!"

"Good work, sis!" Sonic replied back on comlink with a grin.

"Okay, it's done. Let's go!"

Y/N takes off with Rouge and Shadow following her closely. As the trio race through the Metarex station, unaware of the coming fight between Sonic and Dark Oak, leader of the Metarex.

https://youtu.be/rvqqp8vH0ok