Y/N couldn't believe it. She doesn't want to but everything is real and she wished it was a dream. Knuckles/Enerjak look over them with a smile.

"My dear friends of New Mobotropolis! I come to you as Enerjak, a living God to show you all how to live in the better tomorrow! A tomorrow free of pain and suffering! A tomorrow free of technology! A tomorrow built by my unmatched power!"

"Knuckles..." Y/N whispered in sadness.

"Knuckles, stop this!" Sally demanded, pointing at him. "'Unmatched power' brought devastation to Angel Island!"

"I know your relationship with technology has been poor, but it can bring great things! It has given me a chance at life!" Nicole added.

Y/N approaches Knuckles with tears in her eyes.

"Knuckles, you know power would only bring pain and suffer. You're not Enerjak. Please... stop this before it gets worse. Come back to us. Come back to me..."

Knuckles/Enerjak had a disgusted look and placed his helmet back on.

"I am very disappointed in all of you. I will show you I am right by example if I must."

Knuckles/Enerjak surrounded Y/N in green glow as she floats in the air.

"Knuckles! What are you-?!"

He pulled her towards him.

"I will make you the most powerful one where we can fix the world together. I've seen what you're capable of! You can't deny it!"

"Knuckles... don't...!"

"Then you will see that I-ERHN!"

Sonic dropped in and bounced off Enerjak from the head in spin dash and carried Y/N away in bridal style.

"Whatever you were villainously monologging about forget it, Enerjerk!"

Sonic passed Y/N to Mighty as he carried her in bridal style. Y/N couldn't move as she was still sad.

"Sorry I'm late. Heard from Knuckles?"

"N-yes, but..." Sally started.

"Cool. Any back-up coming?"

"Yes, but-!"

"Cool. All that's left-"

Y/N snapped out of her sadness and exclaimed.

"Wait! Sonic! That's-"

"-is to take care of this Enerjoke!"

Sonic spin dash at Knuckles/Enerjak when he blocked it with his fists.

"Eh?"

"Your speed was never enough to trump my raw power!"

Suddenly, a familiar hedgehog teleported into the fight and punched Knuckles/Enerjak in the face.

"AUGH!"

"Shadow!" Y/N exclaimed in surprise.

Shadow gave her a quick smile and turned to Knuckles/Enerjak.

"Then he will need my power as well. Shadow, Agent of G.U.N., reporting as requested."

"Nice entrance, Faker. All I got out of him was an 'ERHN.'" Sonic gave him thumbs up. "Now let's squish this Energerm-"

Then, the blast of Chaos Energy punched Shadow away as he crash into the library.

"Whoa! Hey!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Shadow!" Y/N gasped as Mighty let her down.

Knuckles/Enerjak wrapped Sonic up in Chaos rope energy as he lifted him up.

"Are you quite finished?!"

"Actually, JumpingJak. Enertube. Flapjak. Enerstate. Ener-jack-in-the-box. And come to think of it, 'Enerjak' sounds like some kind of sports drink."

Knuckles/Enerjak angrily tossed him away towards the library as well. Shadow was piled up in books as he got up.

"The amount of Chaos Enery he commands... it's as if he were a living Chaos Emerald. Clear the area! I am removing my inhibitor rings and tapping fully into the Chaos Force!" Shadow said, taking off his limiters from his wrists while starting to walk towards Knuckles/Enerjak and started to glow red.

"Chaos... Blast!"

Y/N quickly duck behind the tree with Sally and Nicole as Shadow hit Knuckles/Enerjak with huge beam of red light.

"Darn it, Shadow! At this rate, they're going to tear the city apart!" Sally cursed.

"I am diverting all the power i can to keeping things intact, Sally. But even if I fully shut down my body, I don't have enough power to raise the energy shield. If Dr. Eggman were to attack, we'd be defenseless." Nicole said.

Y/N watched as Shadow duke out with Knuckles/Enerjak as he attempt to punch him when Knuckles/Enerjak ducked from it and punched him square in the face. Shadow landed flat on the ground.

"Alright, 'Ultimate Light Show,' we're all very impressed. Now, how about we work together on this guy?" Sonic suggested.

"N-No! I will not be defeated!"

"Oh, boy..."

"Chaos Spear!"

Shadow fired out red spears at Knuckles/Enerjak, but they bounced it off. Knuckles/Enerjak lifted his hand as it glows green.

"Thunder Arrow."

Shadow was zapped by the green light. Sonic immediately charged Knuckles/Enerjak and spin dashed him in the head again, knocking his helmet off.

"Boom! Head shot! Any more silly attack names you guys want to- Whoa."

Sonic was shocked to see who it was under the helmet.

"When did you...? How did you...? Why are...?"

"As always, your 'smart mouth' only counts for so much." Knuckles/Enerjak said.

Y/N runs over and helps Shadow up who looks beaten up as he held his arm in pain.

"Don't lose your resolve now, Blue Hedgehog."

"I-I'm not. A threat's a threat. But..."

"You're not alone, Sonic. Freedom Fighters! Chaotix! Citizens of New Mobotropolis! We fight for our city and our freedom as one!" Sally shouted as everyone in the city are behind her.

They all went to jump on him except for Y/N who stood there not knowing what to do as she clearly doesn't want to hurt Knuckles. Knuckles/Enerjak stood there with his eyes closed and it glowed green.

"Enough!"

Everyone froze in place as Y/N had managed to create a bubble shield before it gets her. Knuckles/Enerjak placed his helmet back on.

"I am profoundly disappointed by all of you. You've known me to be your friend, as a hero, and yet you turned on me. I thought my friends would accept my offer. I will set everything right. I was going to be gentle with you and this city. As my benefactor Dr. Finitevus has shown me, this world must be purged with fire. I was going to spare you all that. But now..."

Y/N unshielded herself and ran over to Knuckles/Enerjak.

"Please! Knuckles! Stop this!"

He turned to her.

"I didn't forget about you. I'm surprised you didn't try and hurt me."

"That's because you're my friend! Snap out of it! Where's the Knuckles I know? Whatever Finitevus told you, he's poisoning your mind!"

Knuckles/Enerjak slowly approached her and brought out his hand.

"The world is undeniably corrupt. I have the power to change it. There is nothing that can sway me."

"Knuckles, stop. I don't want to fight you. Just stop where you are."

He didn't listen as he comes closer. Y/N felt her body shake and she clenched her fist.

"I said... I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT!"

Suddenly, her arm glowed pink as it brought out something that knocked Knuckles/Enerjak away as he skid to the stop quickly. Y/N looked to see that she had activated another new weapon. The spiraled pink shield.

The spiral is decorated with light pink thorns and its center symbol is shaped like a rose. Everyone who are still frozen are in awe as the shield disappeared from her arm. Y/N was speechless that she just do that and look down to see her ruby was the one that did this as it glows.

"I beg to differ!"

Y/N and Knuckles/Enerjak looked up to see the Egg Fleets above them.

"Good afternoon, Enerjak! This is Dr. Eggman. Relax and leave everything to me."

The ships starts shooting out lasers at Knuckles/Enerjak as he puts up a shield, but they went through it.

"I've perfected this tactic to an art. My teleporting beams will wear away your futile and inevitable resistance until you're finally sent to my Egg Vineyard where my newly refurbished Egg Grapes will drain you of every ounce of power!"

One of the lasers hit him and he disappeared as he's teleported to the Egg Grapes that was remade. Eggman appeared in front of the Mobians as a hologram with a smirk on his face.

"You see, rodent? I kept my end of the bargain. Thank you, citizens of New Mobotropolis! Your effort as decoys made my plan so much easier!"

"Kidnapping Knuckles wasn't part of the deal!" Sonic pointed out as Y/N gently push her way through the crowd to face Eggman.

"Knuckles, or Enerjak, it's all the same! I rescued your city from oblivion. In return, I get the best battery a genius could hope for! Now hurry up and rebuilt. I want this place spic and span when I erase it from the map! Mwahahahaha!"

Hologram Eggman disappeared as all the Egg Fleet fly away.

"Huh. Well, he didn't directly double-cross us, I guess."

Y/N stayed silent as she's clearly worried for Knuckles. Shadow pats her shoulder to tell her that everything is okay. She nodded at him appreciation.

"Okay, Sally. What's the plan to rescue Knuckles?"

Y/N looked up at her brother hopefully. Sally though looks unsure.

"Sonic... I don't know I'm not even sure if we should."

"W-What?!"

"Care to run that by me again?"

"It sounds terrible, I know. But rescuing him right now means unleashing Enerjak on the world again."

"But he's not Enerjak!"

"He is, and he isn't. I know leaving him captured isn't an option, but..."

"I think..." Antoine started.

All of the sudden, the warp ring appeared behind Sonic and Y/N and a pair of hands grabbed both of them and pulled them in.

"Aah!"

"Now what?!"

They landed on the grassy ground.

"I've had enough surprises and being jerked around today!"

Y/N got up to see it was Locke as the ring shrunk and flipped over to him as he caught it.

"I'm truly sorry, Sonic... But we have very little time, and I needed the two of you."

"Locke! Boy, am I glad to see you! You need to do something about your son."

"I know, Sonic! I know everything. Dr. Finitevus has gone to great pains to transform Knuckles. He has even blocked my abilities to harness the Master Emerald."

"If you can't use its power, then..." Y/N started.

"I cannot undo Finitevus' spell. I doubt that anyone can access its power now."

"I'd be willing to give it a shot, but I'm not a wizardly sort. What can we do?" Sonic asked.

"Not too long ago, the Brotherhood of Guardians prepared for the possibility of Enerjak's return. Dr. Finitevus had sent the Destructix to guard the device, though."

"And without the Master Emerald, you need some extra muscle. No problem."

Sonic turned to Y/N.

"See? No worries, sis! We'll get this Gizmo and have Knuckles back to normal in no time!"

"No, Sonic... My forefathers and I crafted a weapon. You will help me destroy Enerjak!"

Y/N's eyes went wide in shock of what he just said and started to get angry as she march up to Locke and yell at him in the face. Sonic watches on with worry.

"What do you mean you're going to destroy Knuckles?!"

"He is no longer Knuckles! Now he is only Enerjak!" Locke fired back. "Shortly after Enerjak's last appearance, the Brotherhood of Guardians crafted a weapon that would destroy him if he ever returned. You've seen what this Enerjak is capable of, Y/N. Nothing that powerful should be allowed to exist."

"I don't care what almost happened to me! Knuckles obviously isn't in control of himself. We should be helping him, not destroying him! We're talking about your son here! Your son!!"

Y/N barely noticed Sonic was in deep thought.

"The weapon is a perfectly humane way to..."

"No, it's-! Sonic! Back me up here!"

"I dunno, sis. I think I want to take a look at Locke's weapon."

"What?!"

Locke smirked and flipped the warp ring and enlarged it.

"Very good, then. I will try to put us as close to the ruins of the Grand Conservatory as possible."

Locke went first into the Warp Ring.

"I won't let you do this, bro." Y/N glared, jabbing his chest.

"Oh, I think you will." Sonic winked, confusing her.

"The weapon is hidden there. I pray we don't run into any-"

Locke spoke too soon as he, Sonic, and Y/N saw the Destructix standing over them with smirks on their faces.

"—resistance."

"Welcome back, old man. What do you want said in your eulogy?" Scourge greeted.

"Ugh! We have to meet again, huh." Y/N groaned and glared to see Fiona. "Especially, you, Fiona."

"Why, hello, Y/N. Missed me?"

"Not even since you betrayed me! Your new outfit looks ridiculous!"

Y/N immediately charged Fiona with her whip raised as everyone began to fight.

"I should have known better when Dr. Finitevus said you were reformed mercenaries!" Locke exclaimed, ducking the punch from Sergeant and he ended up hitting Drago instead.

"We've taken you Destructix down before!" Y/N exclaimed, dodging the kick from Fiona and wrapped her whip around her leg and threw her aside, making Fiona yelp.

"Yeah? Was there a time when we weren't outnumbered or under orders to let you win?"

She couldn't believe Fiona would say that after all this time.

"You're a disgrace to the Freedom Fighters and to me! I thought you were better than this! I thought you are my friend! How could you betray me? You're just as short-sighted and obsessed as Scourge!"

"We are friends! You just don't understand! I tried, but I believe my path is here!"

"You're lying!"

Y/N punched her in the gut, causing her to cough out her spit.

"Well to me, we are no longer friends! You want a feud?"

She spins her whip, hitting the ground and pointed it at Fiona.

"You've got one!"

Fiona sighed and glared back, bringing out her fists. Y/N was back-to-back with Locke who's facing Sergeant.

"You're a Guardian like Knuckles, right? Why don't you use your Chaos powers on these guys?"

"I can't."

"Why not?" she asked, still facing Fiona.

Locke blocked the punch from Sergeant.

"Dr. Finitevus has blocked my link to the Master Emerald, and I'm not able to pull from the Chaos Force like Knuckles."

Y/N turned to him.

"And just how did that creep get that close to the Master Emerald?"

"I had to find my forefathers! If Knuckles had only performed his duty—!"

"And that excuses you from abandoning yours?!"

Y/N's ear twitched and immediately cartwheeled away from the incoming kick that came from Predator as he kicked Locke instead.

"AUGH!"

"You missed." Y/N stated.

"I didn't attend to hurt you anyway." Predator smirked.

"Okay, guys! Seriously, back off!" Sonic shouted as he was being ganged up by Lightning and Flying Frog.

Scourge spin dashed towards Sonic and knocked him off in the back of his head.

"HRK!"

"Ha! Feeling the heat, Blue?"

Sonic landed right in front of Y/N and Locke with his face on the ground like he just ate the dirt.

"Hey, guys. Having fun yet?"

Y/N couldn't take it and brought out her pink shield from her arm.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!"

"Whoa! That's new!" Scourge exclaimed in shock along with the Destructix.

Just before Y/N could attack them, the stream of fire went right between them and the Destructix.

"Whoa! How...?" Sonic questioned.

"I'll lay down another wall of fire! You all get inside!"

It was Archimedes. Sonic, Y/N, and Locke nodded and ran into the tunnel.

"Remind me— The fire-breathing ant is...?"

"Archimedes. A former mentor of mine..." Locke answered.

"And Knuckles!" Y/N added.

Archimedes teleported into Locke's hand.

"And a recurring voice of reason, I'd like to think."

"Hello, old friend. Is the weapon safe?"

Archimedes glared at him harshly, surprising him.

"Yes, but we won't be using it. Locke, Knuckles' transformation is our fault, not his. It was your genetic and chaos-energy experiments that gave Knuckles his powers. We put the world on his shoulders and told him to bear it. We're as guilty for creating this new Enerjak as Dr. Finitevus."

Locke looked away and begrudgingly handed him to Y/N who held out a hand for Archimedes to go on as she couldn't agree more with that ant.

"The Destructix will be on top of us any minute now. We should..."

"Find the weapon?"

They turned to see Sonic holding a silver staff.

"'Cause I did that. What? You guys were busy talking, so I grabbed it."

Just then, the Destructix came on the scene.

"Hold it, Sonic. Dr. Finitevus hired us to keep you from using that weapon on his precious Enerjak." Sleuth said, stopping him.

"Ooooooooh! Well, if that's the case..."

Sonic gave the weapon to Y/N as she doesn't hesitate to smash it into pieces as she slammed it to the ground hard and stomping on it.

"Well, you all are wasting your time! Because we don't plan on using it anyways! Are we done here?"

"I—I suppose so." Sleuth stuttered, not expecting this turn of events. "...Destructix, fall back."

"Pssht! It was my idea to smash it in the first place." Scourge scoffed.

"Tch! As if. No one even asked you to."

As the Destructix walk away, Scourge stopped right next to Y/N and whispered in her ear with a chuckle.

"You're always so cute and feisty. We'll meet again soon enough~"

He then flicked her chin and left as Y/N flinched away with a small blush. Locke came over and grabbed her by the arm.

"You idiot! That was the only option we had left!!"

Y/N shoved her arm away.

"I never plan on destroying Knuckles who's been my friend for a long time."

"I agree with sis here. I never signed on to your plan. So I came up with my own plan."

"Wait. What plan? Let me come and help."

"No, sis, you stay here. I know fighting him will only hurt you more emotionally. I'll get rid of Enerjak and get Knuckles back. But if my plan doesn't end well and anyone who can save Knuckles is you."

Y/N wanted to argue, but feel like he's right and nod in understanding. She never attend to fight Knuckles who turned evil anyway and rather find some other ways to save him from that wretched Enerjak curse. Sonic smiles, pats her head, and zooms off.