In the Stormtop Village -- Dragon Kingdom, Sonic and Y/N kicked and punched off the Spider Ninjas of the Gossamer Clan that are attacking them. Kirby helped by tickling them inside their ninja outfit after he went inside before popping out and gave them a couple punches in the eyes.

"You guys really know how to make a tourist feel welcome!"

"Sonic! Y/N! To the Temple of the Golden Lotus!" Li Yuen -- Village Elder said.

Sonic, Y/N, and Kirby immediately went inside the temple, surpising Li Yuen.

"--Hurry?"

"Sorry, pal. 'Hurry' is too slow for us."

"The temple is meant for welcoming people, but for now it might keep the Gossamer Clan out long enough for us to formulate a plan."

~ FLASHBACK ~

Hours ago, after they landed in the Dragon Kingdom, Li Yuen started giving Sonic, Y/N, Kirby, and Tails a tour like he said earlier.

"...And this is the Temple of the Golden Lotus."

"Cool."

"Beautiful."

"Pooteetah."

"I'll say! What's the story of this place, Mr. Li?" Tails asked.

"It dates back before recorded time, my young friend. It is said this land was the birthplace of the dragons. They were a young race, and they misused their immense power. They warred with each other horribly for generations. In time they saw the ruination that their fighting brought. Ashamed, they vowed to leave the land in peace and settle throughout the world. Before they departed, the left the prophecy of a time when turmoil would return to divide the land, and the Great Golden Lotus King would bring peace and unity to the Dragon Kingdom."

"Sonic! Y/N! That's--!" Tails gasped.

"No way..."

"Is that... Ken??"

Y/N is right as the golden statue looked like Monkey Khan.

~ FLASHBACK ENDS ~

Sonic and Y/N are looking back at the golden monkey statue.

"While we are safe for noe, I am afraid the others have been captured. I apologize I hve been a poor steward." Li Yuen said.

"Don't sweat it, pops. We'll think of a way to make this work."

Y/N immediately elbowed him at the nickname he gave him.

"I envy your confidence, young man."

She and Kirby turned to see two Gossamer Clan ninjas in the window above them.

"Thanks, but the windows were cleaned yesterday. Come back next week, okay?"

One of the ninjas jumped down.

"This is a sacred place! You cannot desecrate it with violence!"

Y/N charged the ninja and slammed him against the wall with a pink hand fan pointing at his neck.

"I just said--!"

"Don't worry. She's not fighting, though. They're just having a friendly conversation, right?"

"Yes, bro. We are. I've tangled with some of you guys in the past, and I'm noting a serious lack of weaponry, or webbing. You're pulling your punches. Why?"

"The master learned of your arrvial and decreed you would meet her. There was no guarantee you two would come willingly or peacefully. We were sent to make assurances."

Y/N let him go as he rubbed his neck while she put away her fan.

"So attacking and kidnapping my friends was the best you could come up with to get our cooperation? You couldn't just import a chili dog recipe?" Sonic asked.

"It is not our place to question the master."

"Then take us your master." Y/N said.

They headed out for the door with Kirby hanging on her shoulder.

"We'll see you later, old man!" Sonic waved.

"You're simply going with them? Just like that?" Li Yuen asked in surprise.

"Sure! At this rate, what's the worst that can happen?"

"Don't jinx it, bro. You know what will happen."

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

Later, they followed the ninjas through the forest until they reached another temple.

"Wow! Nice place you've got here."

They soon found their friends tied up in the courtyard.

"Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to get back to you."

"Sonic! Y/N! Kirby!" Tails exclaimed in happiness and relief.

"You have agreed to meet the master with obedience and humility?" Spider Ninja said.

"Yeah, because those are totally our key traits. Let our friends go and we'll hear what she has to say without a fuss."

"Very well."

The Spider Ninja cut their friends free.

"You guys okay? Are you hurt?" Y/N asked in concern.

"Yeah and no, we're fine." Tails nodded.

"Speak for yourself. Being beaten so easily is only half as embarrassng as having to be rescue by Sonic." Ken grumpily said.

"Get over yourself, Monkey Boy. You okay, Sal? ...Sally?"

They looked to see Sally sad, looking down.

"I'll talk to her. You guys go on ahead." Y/N said.

They nodded and went inside the temple.

"Sally, are you okay? We need you at the top of your game right now."

"I don't think I've been at the 'top of my game' for months, Y/N. I didn't arrest Robotnik when I had the chance. It didn't even occur to me, and I rationalized it for myself later as showing mercy. I've lost New Mobotropolis to the Iron Dominion and now I've spent my first few hours of this mission as a stupid hostage!"

"Sally..."

Y/N tried to approach her when Sally snapped her face towards her in tears.

"No! I used to handle Swatbots, Y/N! Swatbots! I staged a winning campaign against Robotnik's Empire before I even came of age! And now look at this mess we're in. I'm only free because I ran away from the fight! I feel like I'm at the end of my rope here!"

Sally looked down, crying. Y/N turned her and grabbed her shoulders to make her look straight into her eyes.

"Sally, listen to me. You are better than this. No one's perfect. You came up with the plan to weaken the Iron Dominion from within their homeland. You were the one who rescued Nicole. The only reason we have hope right now is because of you. You've lead the team so many victories and there's nobody else I would rather have as a leader. And I'm glad."

"Pooteetah, pooteetah." Kirby said, nodding in agreement.

Sally looked at Y/N surprised by her speech and smiled, wiping away her tears and pulling her into a hug. Y/N gladly hugged her back along with Kirby.

"Thanks, Y/N. You're a true friend."

"I know."

"Alright. Let's go. Let's go see the woman in charge."

They then went inside to meet up with the boys.

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

Inside the temple, they met a red female spider with red eyes and wearing a black robe with red lining who's sitting on a throne in a lotus position.

"I am the Bride of the Endless Reach. Bride to the House of the Gossamer Clan. She who knows the course of fate. She who can obtain all things."

Sally, Y/N, and Ken bow to her.

"I am Princess Sallly Alicia Acorn, daughter of King Maxmillian and leader of the Freedom Fighters."

"I am Monkey Khan."

Sally elbowed him and whispered.

"Oh no, you don't. We need you at the top of your game, too."

"...The King of the Free People. Appointed defender of the people of the Dragon Kingdom without a clan to call their own."

Y/N went next.

"I am Y/N the Hedgehog, daughter of Jules and Bernadette and the member of the Freedom Fighters. I who can wield the power of the gem and crystal to protect and save those who cannot protect themselves. Along with my pal, Kirby, unknown alien species and member of the Freedom Fighters. It's an honor to meet you."

On cue, Kirby bowed to Endless Reach respectfully, impressing her.

"Pooteetah..."

"Wow, nice intro." Sally said, feeling impressed.

"Yo, I'm Sonic." Sonic greeted.

"My name is Tails, I'm with him." Tails greeted.

Sally and Y/N glared at them both.

"Guys! Would you please--!"

"Ah, the acorn princess. We would very much like to hear your account of our dearest daughter, Uma Arachnis." Endless Reach said.

"She was one of yours?" Sally asked in shock.

"Wait, I thought you'd never been to the Dragon Kingdom?" Ken asked in confusion.

"She was a minion of the evil wizard Ixis Naugus and escaped from the Zone of Silence with him a long while ago. She later worked with the former warlord Kodos to steal the Sword of Acorns. But she ended up turning on him and helped me retrieve it."

"And then?"

"I'm sorry to say she died from radiation poisoning. She had laid a clutch of eggs, and her children eventually took the Sword of Acorns from us... But they were captured by Dr, Robotnik and sent to his Egg Grapes. I'm very sorry to say we could not rescue them before they... They worked in such secrecy... If we had known, we could have..."

Endless Reach held her hand out to stop her.

"Enough. What was the ultimate fate of the Sword of Acorns?"

"It was destroyed before it could fall into the wrong hands."

Endless Reach stood up from her throne.

"As it was spun, so it was been done! Our heart breaks for the loss of our daughter and her children, but it is mended anew with news of their fates fulfilled!"

Tails and Sonic looked at each other in confusion and shrugged.

"This is all very fascinating, really, but could you maybe have it make some sense into the uninitiated?" Sonic asked.

"Uma, and indeed, all of the Arachne have always been our most gifted readers."

She began leading them down a hallway.

"She saw that the last relics of the Source of All would fall into the hands of evil and ensured they were destroyed, even after her own death."

"Yuh-huh. About making this all make sense...?"

They gasped to see a biggest spider web they'd ever seen from the ceiling to the floor with three spider ninjas hanging on it.

"You are the first outsiders to look upon the Web of Fate. Woven by our first bride, its strands foretell of what is to come--if you know how to read it. It tells of our future prosperity it set Uma on her mission. It even foretold of your coming here."

"Now wait just a minute!" Ken cut her off. "If you can foresee all this, why have you been fighting?! Why have my people been made to suffer if you're already so well informed?! Why aren't you sharing your wisdom wiht the rest of the Dragon Kingdom?!"

"Er... Khan? Maybe now isn't the best time to..."

"It is our web, woven by our bride and reach by our chosen. It is not something for the rest of the Dragon Kingdom. The Web of Fate tells of the key moments to come, but not the road to take. We cannot use it so base as day-to-day tactics. Furthermore, we believe this 'king,' born in another land, powered by Robotnik's gifts, and given title only by clanless peoples is forgetting he is talking to the Gossamer Clans Bride!"

Endless and Ken glare at each other.

"If you think that I'm just going to--!"

"Ahem!"

Sally cleared her throat to get their attention.

"If I may...? The Dragon Kingdom is a massive land. The unorganized 'Free People' can live alongside the other clans comfortably, right?"

"Of course. All they want is to live in peace." Ken said, agreeing her.

"And you just said that the web doesn't show you the way to each point ahead. If that's the case, couldn't there always be a peaceful option?"

"Perhaps." Endless Reach said.

"Wouldn't it be worth the effort, even if it isn't the fastest route? Your clan has already lost Uma and six young members who never got to see their homeland."

"That... That is very true..."

Endless Reach turn back to Ken.

"But would the King of the Free People recognize the Gossamer Clan and its land? Or would we be opening ourselves up to a new 'King of the Four Houses'?"

"The people only want peace. As... As King of the Free People, I would be sure to honor your clan and its claims. You have my word of honor." Ken declared.

"You think she's going to just buy 'your word'?" Sonic whispered.

"Sonic!" Y/N sneered.

She was about to hit her brother when Ken snapped his face and turned to him with a glare.

"I don't know how you do things over there, but in the Dragon Kingdom one's 'word of honor' is sacred."

"Alright! Alright! Consider me culturally enlightened now."

Ken turned back to the Bride of Endless Reach.

"I'm all there is to fight for these lands. There are no Freedom Fighters here. If there's going to be peace, your clan is going to have the make the first gesture."

Endless Reach turned to the web.

"We shall consult the web and see what it directs."

Ken whispered to Sonic.

"We're in the heart of their fortress. If she says no, we're in deep trouble."

"In that case, we'll keep the hundred lumb brigade at bay while Tails gets Sally to safety."

This made Tails gulp in nervousness.

"Sonic!" Y/N whisper yelled while Kirby sighed.

"If it comes to that, we stick together to the end." Sally whispered with her arms crossed.

"The path you ask of us is fraught with peril, and I see dark days to come if we choose it..."

Endless Reach looked back at them.

"...But it should ensure peace and prosperity for all clans and all people in the end. We shall reject the Iron Dominion and you will have our support. You have my word of honor."

Sally, Y/N, Kirby, and Ken bowed to her while Sonic and Tails cheered, high fiving each other.

"Thank you, on behalf of the Republic of Acorn." Sally said.

Endless Reach bowed back at them.

"We will be watching you with great interest, King of the Free People."

"Score one for the good guys!"

"Yeah!"

They were about to leave when Endless Reach stopped them.

"Wait!"

They stopped and turned back to her.

"Before you leave, there is one more thing we must discuss."

She pointed at Y/N.

"You said your name was Y/N the Hedgehog, right?"

"Yes." she nodded.

"There is something we must discuss... Alone."

They all looked surprised and Sonic was about to open his mouth to argue with her, but Y/N already made her decision.

"Sure. We shall."

She gave her brother a smile in reassurance that she'll be okay. He sighed in defeat and nodded. Satisfied, Y/N gave Kirby to Tails before they left, leaving her with the Bride.

"Come. We have much to discuss."

Bride of Endless Reach walked down another hallway with Y/N following after her.

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

She lead Y/N to the tatami room with a table as they each sat on a pillow across the other. One ninja came into the room, holding a tray of white teapot with a blue flower design and two white tea cups as they set the tray down and poured the tea in each cups before bowing them and left the room. Endless Reach picked up her cup and sipped it. Y/N did the same, staring at it for a bit before taking a sip. Surprisingly, it taste good.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Endless Reach placed her cup down.

"About the gem around your neck."

"I kinda figured."

"The Web of Fate foretold a girl who wears a red ruby that grants unlimited power to the one who wears it. When I saw the gem around your neck, I knew you were the one. The web also told me that after you were born before getting the gem, you were gifted with something by the four unknown creatures. It did not tell me who they are, but they are a graceful, peaceful creatures that sought to protect and fight the evil. The web also warned of great evil that would try to get you."

Y/N looked at her in surprise, placing her cup down after finishing her tea.

"You're saying that..."

"You must be very careful, Y/N. Someone is out there to make you do something evil against your will and destroy everything. Not just here, but the other world."

This made her feel scared of what her fate will become.

"How do I control myself?"

"You can't. But your friends will save you as the web has foretold."

"Really? What exactly am I gifted with before I found the gem?"

"That I don't know. That was all the information it had told me. But just remember, whatever happens will happen one day."

Y/N was silent for a moment and stood up from the pillow.

"I understand. Thank you for the tea. It was nice talking with you."

She then bowed to her and left the room.

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

That night, they were all back at Stormtop Village having dinner with Li Yuen and his granddaughter Li Moon, who's the fox. She has red fur and a yellow muzzle and had long black hair and blue eyes. She wears a purple and white suit with black boots. Sonic and Sally are sitting next to each other with Ken and Y/N sitting across from them.

"...And then Khan gets all in her face, and I'm thinking--'Great. Way to get us into another big fight, Monkey Boy!'"

Most of them laughed, except for Ken who just glared at Sonic. Y/N looked at Sally.

"So after all that talk about losing your touch, you just ended hundreds of years of hostility. Feel better about yourself now?"

"Pooteetah?" Kirby asked who's covered with the powder of moochis he's eating after having dinner first before dessert.

Y/N giggled and wiped him with a napkin.

"I did alright, I suppose."

Sally turned to Ken.

"It seems like you've just accepted yourself as the King of the Free People."

"Yeah, yeah... I suppose I have to."

"Do you think everyone is doing okay back home?" Tails asked in concern.

"Sure! Don't worry about them. I'm sure Amy Rose and everyone have everything under control with Nicole's help."

Li Moon came up to them, holding a teapot.

"More tea?"

Y/N turned and smiled, bringing out her empty cup as Li Moon poured her more tea.

"Yes, please. Thank you, Li Moon."

"My pleasure. It's so good to see you, Sonic, and Tails again."

Suddenly, a kunai with a piece of paper attached to it came flying through the window and destroyed the teapot, catching everyone off-guard.

"AAH!"

"WHOA!"

"WHAT THE?!"

Li Yuen came up to Li Moon.

"Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, grandfather. Just very wet."

Tails shook himself dry, causing Y/N to cover herself and Kirby with her sheild.

"Gah! Tails! Cut it out!"

"Hurry, Sonic and Y/N! Maybe we cana still catch whoever that was before--!"

Sally cut Ken off as she grabbed the kunai out of the wall that was stabbed and took out a paper.

"They'd be long gone by now, Ken. If they meant to hurt us, they'd do more than destroy the kettle."

Tails used his twin tails to dry Li Moon.

"Well, they ticked me off.  That was good tea. What's the note say?" Sonic asked.

They huddled together to see the note.

"It's from the leader of Loal Yagyu Enclampment. He wants to meet with us." Ken informed.

"Word travels fast around here." Sally commented.

"That suits me just fine! We've already gotten one clan to break away. Tomorrow, we'll take on the Yagyu Clan!" Sonic declared with a grin.

"Sounds good to me!" Y/N agreed.