┗━°⌜ 赤い糸 ⌟°━┛

{You all ready for this? ... Grab some snacks. This is a long one}

[Y/N'S POV]

"NOW GO HELP CHRIS AND BIG!" I shout at my boyfriend from another universe, my voice barely cutting through the deafening roar of battle. Without hesitation, he nods sharply, determination flashing in his eyes, and dashes toward the chaotic scene.

Chaos lets out a guttural, inhuman shriek as more writhing tentacles erupt from its amorphous body, lashing out wildly in every direction. One shoots straight for Sonic with terrifying speed. But with his usual quick reflexes, he sidesteps just in time, the slimy appendage narrowly missing him. Seizing the opportunity, he propels himself forward, diving straight into the creature's translucent mass, reaching desperately for Chris.

However, Chaos's form is far thicker and more gelatinous than expected. Instead of breaking through, Sonic is repelled by the overwhelming density, his momentum backfiring against him. Like a slingshot, the living liquid forcefully ejects him, sending him hurtling through the air. He crashes down hard, skidding across the unforgiving ground with a sharp grunt of pain. Dust and debris scatter upon impact, and for a moment, he doesn't move.

My heart pounds in my chest. We're running out of time.

"SONIC!!" I scream, my voice raw with panic as I struggle in Chaos's relentless grip. The monstrous being's gelatinous appendages constrict around me, their slimy texture making my skin crawl. My heart pounds—there's no way I'm letting this thing keep me trapped while Sonic is in danger.

Desperation fuels my mind, and an idea sparks. Gritting my teeth, I angle my rocket boots downward, activating them at full blast. Heat surges from the soles, searing into Chaos's gooey form. I have no idea if this will work, but if I can make its mass more liquid than solid, maybe I can slip free.

To my relief, the intense heat does the trick. Chaos's grip weakens as its body shifts into a more fluid state, and I manage to wrench myself free, tumbling onto the ground. A violent shudder racks my body as I gag at the slimy residue still clinging to my skin. Ugh. That was worse than I thought. But there's no time to dwell on the disgust twisting in my stomach—Sonic needs me.

Shaking off the lingering unease, I sprint toward him, my boots kicking up dust as I skid to a stop beside his sprawled form. "You alright?" I ask, kneeling beside him.

"I'm fine," he mutters, shaking off the impact. Then his eyes flick up to me, concern shadowing his usual confidence. "Are you okay?"

"Who cares?!" I shoot back, my pulse still racing from the chaos—both literal and figurative.

"I do, dummy!" he huffs, his voice softer now.

For a second, the battle around us fades into the background. Without thinking, I lean in and press a quick kiss to his cheek. His face turns slightly red, but I pretend not to notice as I reach for his hand.

"Come on," I say with a smirk, helping him to his feet. "We're not done yet."

"Yuck! How DARE you commit such an act in front of me?!" Dr. Robotnik sneers, his face contorting in exaggerated disgust. He points a gloved finger at us, his mustache twitching with irritation. "Chaos! Let's whip that hedgehog into shape!"

His booming command echoes through the battlefield, and without hesitation, his monstrous creation obeys. Chaos lets out a deep, guttural growl as more writhing tentacles slither from its grotesque, gelatinous form, each one dripping with an eerie, shimmering ooze.

I tighten my arms protectively around Sonic, my heart hammering. I know we need to move, to dodge, but for a brief moment, I hesitate, watching in horror as Chaos's appendages coil like striking vipers, preparing to lash out.

Before I can react, Sonic makes the decision for me.

"Move!" he shouts.

In a flash, he forcefully shoves me out of the way, his strength sending me tumbling onto the rough ground. I barely have time to register what's happening before a sickening THWACK rings out.

The tentacle slams down—hard.

Right on top of Sonic.

A choked gasp escapes me as I scramble to my feet, my pulse spiking in panic. Dust and debris swirl around where he once stood.

"Sonic!" I cry, my stomach twisting in dread.

I have to get to him. I have to do something.

But Chaos isn't done yet.

There has to be a way—some kind of weakness. Cold? Heat? Electricity? Anything that could make this thing vulnerable? My mind races with questions, but the answers remain just out of reach, slipping through my fingers like water.

It's frustrating. No—it's infuriating. If this were a robot, I could break it down, analyze its mechanics, find the flaw in its design. But this? Chaos isn't some machine with wires and circuits. It's a creature of unknown origins, a force I barely understand.

Do I even stand a chance?

The thought creeps in before I can stop it, whispering doubts I don't have time for. Am I really smart enough to figure this out?

I clench my fists, shaking my head. No. I can't let doubt slow me down. Overthinking won't get me anywhere. If I can't find a solution yet, then I'll start with a theory—anything to point me in the right direction.

Because giving up? That's not an option.

Just when things seemed impossible, a surge of hope crashed into the battlefield.

With an impressive display of strength, Knuckles stormed onto the scene, gripping Chaos's massive tentacle and lifting it off Sonic with ease. Muscles tensed, he held the writhing appendage in the air, his sheer power keeping the creature momentarily restrained.

"Knuckles!" I gasped, relief flooding through me as I hurried to Sonic's side, pulling him up. "You knucklehead—I've never been so happy to see you!"

Sonic let out a weak chuckle, dusting himself off. "Took you long enough."

Knuckles smirked but kept his focus locked on Chaos. "Be careful! That thing is full of surprises!" I warned, my heartbeat still erratic from everything that had just happened.

"Don't worry, I got this..." Knuckles shot back confidently, tightening his grip. His crimson fur bristled with determination, and his stance remained solid, unwavering. "And we'll get them out!"

His words carried a promise—a fierce, unshakable resolve.

For the first time in what felt like forever, hope didn't seem so far away.

"Oh yeah? How exactly?" I ask, steadying Sonic as he regains his balance. My eyes flick to Knuckles, curiosity bubbling up.

Knuckles smirks, a glint of confidence flashing in his eyes. "I'll give you a hint." His voice is laced with amusement as he tightens his fist, cracking his knuckles with purpose.

Sonic's expression shifts instantly—his usual cocky demeanor falters, replaced by something that looks dangerously close to concern. That alone makes my stomach twist.

"Awh, Shovel Claw, huh?" Sonic mutters, already sounding exasperated.

Knuckles just grins, unbothered. "What's so bad about it?" I ask, glancing between them.

Sonic leans in, lowering his voice. "It's Knuckles... you'll see."

Unfortunately, Knuckles' sharp ears pick up every word.

"You got a problem with that?" he barks, his voice edged with annoyance.

Sonic immediately throws his hands up in mock surrender, rolling his eyes. "Nope, no problem here," he says casually. But then his tone turns serious. "But if you get too close to that thing, it might just suck that claw right in."

He has a point. Chaos had already absorbed Chris, Froggy, and Big without a second thought. Losing Knuckles too? That's a risk we can't afford.

Knuckles huffs, flexing his fists. "Guess I'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen, then."

His determination is unwavering, but a sliver of doubt creeps into my mind. Is brute force really the best answer against something like this?

Even Knuckles had to admit Sonic had a good point. His brow furrowed as he glanced back at Chaos, its massive, shifting form still pulsing with eerie energy.

"We've got to figure out a way through," he muttered. "There has to be a weak spot in that overgrown jellyfish."

I narrowed my eyes, scanning the creature once more. Despite its fluid, ever-shifting body, I remembered something—something important. Even though Chaos was mostly liquid, certain solid structures within it acted as its core... something Eggman had implanted.

Of course! That's how he's controlling it! That's the key!

My heart raced with excitement as the realization hit me like a lightning bolt.

"I GOT IT!" I shouted.

Sonic and Knuckles both turned to me, startled.

"Guys! Right there! That's the off switch!" I pointed directly at the brain-like mass embedded within Chaos's shifting form. "It's the only logical explanation! If we hit that, we shut it down!"

The two of them locked eyes for a split second before looking back at me, confident grins spreading across their faces.

"Now that's more like it," Sonic smirked.

Knuckles cracked his knuckles, his trademark smirk returning. "Let's take this thing down."

Adrenaline surged through me. I adjusted my goggles, my fingers twitching with anticipation. My rocket boots hummed back to life, flames bursting from the soles as I launched forward. Knuckles swung his fist, smashing aside one of Chaos's writhing tentacles.

Sonic dashed in beside me, his speed keeping perfect pace with mine.

We were all in sync.

This was it.

Time to end this.

"Alright boys! Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Let's go!"

I darted around Chaos's massive form, my speed creating a circular blur that made my body nearly invisible to the human eye. The heat from my rocket boots intensified, generating thick, scalding steam that rose in swirling clouds around us. The vapor formed a suffocating barrier, trapping Chaos within and limiting its movement—exactly what we needed.

"Now's your shot!" I called out, my voice barely cutting through the roaring steam.

Knuckles wasted no time. With a powerful leap, he soared into the air, his fist clenched tightly around the handle of his Shovel Claw. In one swift motion, he hooked the sharp edge onto his knuckles and came slamming down, slicing through the gelatinous surface of Chaos's body. The impact sent a tremor through the creature, and for a brief moment, it writhed violently. But Knuckles' attack did its job—he carved open a gaping wound, revealing the pulsating, pink mass of its exposed brain.

"YOU'RE UP, SONIC! GO!"

In a flash, Sonic was already in motion. With a determined smirk, he curled into a perfect spin dash and launched himself forward. The air cracked with energy as he became a streak of blue light, drilling straight into Chaos's core.

The result was immediate.

The moment Sonic made contact, Chaos let out a shrill, unnatural screech—then BOOM! The creature burst apart like an overfilled water balloon, sending a tidal wave of liquid flying in all directions.

For a split second, everything was drenched in shimmering, crystal-clear water. And then, as the droplets rained down, three familiar figures tumbled onto the hard floor—Chris, Froggy, and Big, finally free.

"CHRIS!" My heart clenched as I dug my heels into the ground, scuffing my boots against the floor to slow myself down. The second I stopped, I sprinted toward him, my pulse pounding in my ears. Without thinking, I tackled him into a tight embrace, ignoring the fact that we were both completely soaked.

"Oh, Chaos... thank goodness you're okay!" My voice trembled with relief, but the worry still clung to my chest. I squeezed him tighter, feeling his body shudder against mine. "Why do you always have to be so reckless?! I don't know what I'd do if I lost you!" My throat burned, but I didn't care. "I'm really glad you're okay, kid. But STOP scaring me!"

Chris coughed a few times, sputtering up some of the water trapped in his lungs—my crushing hug unintentionally helping him clear it. But then, to my surprise, he hugged me back just as tightly.

For that moment, nothing else mattered.

"Sorry...I'm doing good...Thanks for the save."

"Of course!... Don't tell your parents—"

I chuckled, scratching the back of my head as I glanced around. That's when I noticed Big, cradling his amphibious friend in his massive arms. Froggy looked a little shaken but otherwise unharmed.

"How you holding up, big guy? You good?" I asked, tilting my head at him.

Big blinked slowly before his expression softened. Without warning, he reached out and wrapped me in a bear hug, squeezing me tight enough to make my ribs protest.

"Thank you for saving me and Froggy!" he said, his deep voice rumbling with genuine gratitude.

"EEP! N-NO PROBLEM!... CAN'T... BREATHE!" I wheezed, flailing slightly.

Thankfully, he finally let go, and I gasped as sweet, precious oxygen flooded my lungs again. Man, that cat doesn't know his own strength.

Before I could fully recover, Sonic strolled over, wearing that ever-present cocky grin. "Hey, Kid Genius..." he started, reaching for my hand. Before I knew it, he yanked me down to his level, looping an arm around my neck.

"Thanks for the idea. Wouldn't have done it without you," he admitted, his tone sincere despite the playful glint in his eyes.

For a split second, I was caught off guard—then, of course, he had to ruin the moment. He reached up and aggressively ruffled my hair.

"Hey, hey, easy with the hairdo!" I protested, trying to pry his hand off.

"Oh, please," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "It was ruined to begin with."

I gasped, placing a dramatic hand over my chest. "OHHH, you wanna fight?"

Before we could escalate things, Knuckles' voice cut through our banter.

"There should be one more Emerald around here," he said, holding up a white Chaos Emerald in his gloved hand.

That snapped me back to reality. He wasn't wrong. We were still missing one... but after everything we'd just been through, I had a feeling it would turn up sooner or later.

We did it. We actually won.

As the adrenaline began to wear off, exhaustion hit me like a brick wall. My body felt heavier, sluggish—my battery was draining fast, way faster than I expected. Guess that electricity boost only lasted so long before my system started returning to its default state... and at an alarming rate, too.

It's cool. We're good. ...Probably.

Right?

B̸̪̈́͜ä̴̽͜t̶̟͉̕t̵̡̠̒e̸̬͛̔r̷͉͔̄̄ẙ̸͙̱͌ ̶̤̓L̸͖̲̓ȯ̶̡͌w̸͑ͅ

B̸̪̈́͜ä̴̽͜t̶̟͉̕t̵̡̠̒e̸̬͛̔r̷͉͔̄̄ẙ̸͙̱͌ ̶̤̓L̸͖̲̓ȯ̶̡͌w̸͑ͅ

B̸̪̈́͜ä̴̽͜t̶̟͉̕t̵̡̠̒e̸̬͛̔r̷͉͔̄̄ẙ̸͙̱͌ ̶̤̓L̸͖̲̓ȯ̶̡͌w̸͑ͅ

"Um... how do we get off of this thing?" Chris asked, his voice filled with curiosity as he glanced around, clearly just now noticing that we were standing on the remnants of Chaos's splintered form.

Sonic, ever the problem-solver, casually pointed behind us. "We'll just use the X Tornado. It's right there," he said, nodding toward the sleek, familiar aircraft just a few feet away.

I blinked, surprised. How did I miss that?

"Yeah, then we can finally head back," Sonic continued, clearly ready to call it a day.
Until i notice something.

"OI! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, OLD MAN?!"

I whipped around, just in time to see the angry figure of Dr. Robotnik trying to escape. I yell to him. "I GOT A BONE TO BREAK WITH YOU! YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH HURTING MY BOYFRIEND?!"

I took a step forward, my temper flaring at the thought of what he'd done to Sonic. My fists clenched, and a wild rage bubbled up.

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHY MEN CALL WOMEN CRAZY!" I snarled, ready to let him have it.

But before I could take another step, Chris was there, grabbing my hands and holding me back with surprising strength.

"Don't worry, Y/N. Let your handsome hedgehog deal with the in-laws," Sonic said with a cheeky grin, winking at me. "I think it's about time me and your father bond."

Before I could even respond, Sonic took off, running full speed toward Eggman's egg-shaped machine. With a swift leap, he latched onto the side, expertly dodging the mechanical arms trying to swipe him away. He gripped onto one of the flying gears and started wrenching it, causing the entire machine to rock violently back and forth.

It was honestly one of the funniest things I'd ever seen. Sonic was going full throttle, messing up Eggman's precious controls while the mad scientist inside was practically losing his mind.

"WATCH OUT, DOCTOR!" Eggman screamed, his eyes wide with panic as he scrambled inside his machine.

"LET GO OF ME, YOU HIDEOUS HEDGERAT!" he bellowed, flailing helplessly as Sonic just grinned from ear to ear.

It was like watching a cat play with a mouse—except the mouse was very angry and desperate not to be played with. Sonic's playful taunting only made the situation more amusing, and for a moment, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sonic!....Punch him in the nose for me!...Thank you."

"You two were made for each other..." Knuckles sighed, his voice tinged with amusement.

I couldn't help but giggle at his comment. "Don't worry about Sonic. He can take care of himself... Now, let's get you home."

He grabbed my hand firmly, his grip almost too firm—like he was trying to make sure I didn't wander off or something. Was he sensing something I wasn't?

"Yeah, let's... I need a juice box and a big bag of [favorite snacks]," I muttered, feeling the exhaustion creep in. The day's been long enough already.

Then, out of nowhere, Big's enormous purple form appeared in my peripheral vision, and my eyes went wide.

"BIG, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I screamed as the lenses of my goggles cracked from the sudden shock. I grabbed my head, tugging at my hair in disbelief. How was he already inside the X Tornado? And no one noticed?!

"What's he doing?!" Chris shouted, looking equally panicked.

"DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING, BIG!" Knuckles bellowed, rushing forward to try and stop him.

"What if he tries to fly that thing?!" I added, my heart racing.

"BIG, WAIT FOR US!!" Knuckles and I both yelled in unison, but it was already too late.

We didn't have time to waste. With a quick motion, I grabbed Chris and tossed him onto my back. Then I scooped Knuckles up in a bridal carry, my feet barely touching the ground as I sprinted after Big, my eyes locked on the purple cat's massive form inside the cockpit of the X Tornado.

In the blink of an eye, Big pressed a button that sent the plane zipping off of the ship. I didn't have a choice—I had to follow, making sure everyone was secured on me.

"THIS is why I'm NOT a cat person."

☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡

My arms were so heavy. My body felt like it was made of lead. Before I knew it, my face collided with the warm, soft sand beneath me. It was a relief to finally be on solid ground, but it didn't take long for the exhaustion to set in. The rush of adrenaline had worn off, leaving me feeling like I couldn't move if I tried.

The X Tornado had crashed into a cluster of trees, bringing us to a rough landing on an island—Mystic Ruins.

At least we made it out alive...

Somehow, I had managed to land everyone safely. Big was knocked out cold, still holding onto Froggy, who was somehow still alive and breathing. My cousin Chris looked shaken but unharmed. Knuckles, of course, was already up and about, brushing sand off his boots with that usual confident demeanor of his.

We're all okay... for now.

But just as I thought I could relax, it happened.

The millions of pop-up screens flooded my vision like a tidal wave. They stacked up in my field of view, covering everything, showing me warnings, system errors, and critical alerts.

I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the flood of information assaulting my mind. Why now?

The screens felt like they were closing in on me, each one demanding my attention with flashing red text, symbols, and warnings. The stress, the exhaustion, and the overwhelming sense of responsibility all hit me like a ton of bricks. I can't catch a break...

B̸̪̈́͜ä̴̽͜t̶̟͉̕t̵̡̠̒e̸̬͛̔r̷͉͔̄̄ẙ̸͙̱͌ ̶̤̓L̸͖̲̓ȯ̶̡͌w̸͑ͅ

B̸̪̈́͜ä̴̽͜t̶̟͉̕t̵̡̠̒e̸̬͛̔r̷͉͔̄̄ẙ̸͙̱͌ ̶̤̓L̸͖̲̓ȯ̶̡͌w̸͑ͅ

B̸̪̈́͜ä̴̽͜t̶̟͉̕t̵̡̠̒e̸̬͛̔r̷͉͔̄̄ẙ̸͙̱͌ ̶̤̓L̸͖̲̓ȯ̶̡͌w̸͑ͅ

"AHHHHH!! SHUT UP, WILL YOU?!... I'll charge later just bare with me."

I mentally erased the warning screen in my mind, trying to shake off the exhaustion that was creeping in. Standing up, I brushed the sand off my clothes, annoyed but trying to keep it together.

"Alright... Who's not dead? Sound off."

Everyone groaned, and from the sounds of it, they were all in one piece. Good enough for me.

Just as I thought we might be able to relax, I felt my hair yanked—again. I froze for a second before realizing what was happening.

"Wait, what the—?!"

Before I could process it, I was being picked up and held in a bridal-style carry... by Knuckles. Of all people!

"Uh, hey, wait! Where are you two going?" My cousin, Chris, called out, a touch of panic in his voice.

Knuckles didn't even glance back at us as he kept moving toward the forest. "I gotta find a way back to Angel Island, and I'm taking the girl with me. Hope it's no trouble. Good luck, Chris."

"Uh...Bye Chris?...Don't die or else Tanaka will ground me...again."

I blinked in disbelief, not sure what to think about this situation. Part of me wanted to stay and help Chris, but another part of me was too exhausted to argue. Plus, with Big and Froggy already in the mix, I wasn't sure I could trust those two alone without me watching over them. Still... Knuckles wasn't that bad, right?

 ☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡

(Alright, here's how this is going to go. Because your author is lazy, we're skipping episode 31 and jumping straight into episode 32—because let's be honest, that's where all the action is. Don't worry, I promise it'll be worth it.)

"OH MY CHAOS! WE KILLED EGGMAN!!... Fake Father always said I'd wind up as a criminal..."

"Dramatic much? Will you cool it? You know we didn't do this, right? And he isn't dead."

"Okay, but at least let me take the credit! I hate this guy too!"

Yeah, I know. This is probably a weird way to start off a new episode—me, a gorgeous android with a killer hairdo, standing next to a grumpy echidna, both looming over the unconscious body of our sworn enemy.

Unfortunately, Knuckles isn't letting me have any fun. No credit, no dramatic victory speech, nothing.

Not that it matters. Because—plot twist—we didn't actually do this. We were just passing through when we found him sprawled out like this, looking absolutely wrecked.

Did he get jumped? Beaten in a surprise attack? If it were Sonic, Tails, or any of our usual crew, we'd have known about it by now. But this? This was different.

And, honestly? I'm very interested in whoever did it.

We both heard footsteps approaching from behind. My scanners instantly identified the two warm-bodied lifeforms—Sonic and Tails. Perfect.

A super cool idea popped into my head.

"Psst! Knuckles! Sonic and Tails are coming! Let's pretend we killed Eggman! Look scary or something—go!"

Knuckles shot me a skeptical glance, but before he could protest, the footsteps came to an abrupt halt. Showtime.

Slowly, in perfect sync, we turned our heads toward our unsuspecting friends. My goggles slipped slightly down my nose, revealing the eerie glow of my blood-crimson eyes. Knuckles, ever the dramatic one, angled his face just enough to show his side profile, his expression twisted into an uncomfortable, almost sinister smirk.

For extra effect, I let the dim lighting cast deep shadows across my face. Oh yeah, this was gonna be good.

I swear I could hear dramatic music swelling in the background, like some kind of villain reveal in a movie. All we needed now was a thunderclap and a zoom-in shot.

Now, let's see how long it takes them to freak out.

"Eggman!" Sonic shouted, his voice sharp with alarm.

He and Tails sprinted over, stopping just short of the fat and not-so-jolly, very unconscious doctor sprawled out at our feet. Sonic's sharp gaze flickered between me and Knuckles, suspicion clear in his expression.

"What did you both do to him?" he demanded.

I couldn't help but chuckle, casually adjusting my goggles back into place. Oh, if only.

"Relax, we're just messing with you," I said with a smirk. "We found him like this. One second, I'm walking with Knuckles, and the next—BOOM! —Eggman's out cold. Almost feel bad for the guy..."

I paused for dramatic effect, then clapped my hands together.

"Okay, feelings over. Let's bury him."

With a flourish, I whipped out a shovel from absolutely nowhere, ready to start digging.

The reaction was instant.

"WHAT?! NO!"

Tails gasped. Sonic's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. And Knuckles—bless him—snatched the shovel right out of my hands before I could even take my first scoop.

"We're not burying him alive," he stated firmly, like I was the ridiculous one here.

I blinked. "...Why?"

Knuckles pinched the bridge of his nose like he was so done with me.

"Sonic, get your girlfriend."

Sonic just sighed, shaking his head with an amused smirk. "You really are insane, y'know that?"

"Yes, yes I do."

Tails crept closer to Eggman's unmoving body, his expression scrunched up in curiosity and mild disgust. Spotting a random stick on the forest floor, he picked it up and—because of course he did—started poking the doctor's leg.

"Ew, Tails, don't touch it," I grimaced, crossing my arms. "You don't know where it's been."

Before I could elaborate on just how unsanitary that was, Eggman's upper body jerked upright like some horror movie zombie, his mustache twitching with pure irritation.

Tails let out the shrillest scream and immediately latched onto my leg like a terrified child.

"AHH!! HE'S ALIVE!"

"I GOT THIS!" I declared, whipping out yet another shovel from seemingly nowhere.

Just as I was about to whack the man back into unconsciousness, Knuckles intervened—again—grabbing the handle before impact.

"Noooo!!!"

And just like that, we were locked in an intense game of tug-of-war, yanking the shovel back and forth like two stubborn kids fighting over a toy.

Meanwhile, Eggman, who looked about 110% done with life, rubbed his temples and grumbled in the grumpiest tone ever:

"Of course, I am."

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Sonic demanded, his voice sharp with urgency.

Honestly? We all had that same question swirling in our heads. But unlike the others, I had a pretty strong theory about who—or rather, what—was behind this.

After our battle, we were still missing some Chaos Emeralds... and something told me Chaos wasn't entirely out of the picture.

Eggman may have unleashed the creature, but he didn't create it. He never owned it. He merely controlled it. And if that control was broken... then what had we really done? Freed it? Let it loose to act on its own will?

If that was the case, the bigger question wasn't where Chaos was—but what it wanted now.

Was it still an enemy? Or had we unknowingly turned it into something else? An ally? A force of nature with no allegiance?

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. I need to listen. I need to observe. If my hypothesis is right, then I'll turn it into a full theory. But until I had more proof... I wouldn't jump to conclusions.

Not yet.

"Chaos turned against me." Eggman's voice was low, his usual arrogance stripped away, leaving only frustration and something eerily close to fear.

"How come?" Sonic asked, though we all had a feeling we wouldn't like the answer.

Eggman exhaled sharply, eyes narrowing. "Because... it wants to use the power of the Chaos Emeralds for itself."

Silence settled between us, thick and suffocating. It wasn't surprising, not really—but hearing it confirmed changed everything. Chaos wasn't just a tool. It wasn't some mindless creature following orders. It had its own will. And now, it was seeking power for itself.

That meant we weren't just dealing with an experiment gone wrong. We were dealing with something far worse—something ancient, something unstoppable.

Knuckles took a step forward, his expression dark. Without hesitation, he pressed his sharp knuckles against Eggman's throat, just shy of breaking the skin. The doctor stiffened, his breath hitching.

"Tell us where Chaos is," Knuckles ordered, voice like stone. "Now."

Eggman didn't answer right away. Maybe he was weighing his options, or maybe—for the first time—he truly didn't know what to say.

My fists clenched. So that's how it was, huh? I couldn't land a single hit on him without getting scolded, but Knuckles could threaten his life and no one batted an eye?

Sonic, sensing the tension spiraling into something dangerous, stepped in. "Knuckles, that's enough." His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

For a moment, Knuckles didn't move. Then, slowly, he pulled his fist away, his glare never leaving Eggman's face.

But the damage was done. The message was clear.

We weren't just fighting Eggman anymore.

We were fighting something far bigger.

And time was running out.

"Why should we spare him?" My voice was cold, dripping with venom as I glared down at the man who had caused nothing but pain. "That jerk deserves everything that's coming to him. He doesn't even deserve to breathe after all the destruction, the chaos—" my fists clenched, trembling with barely restrained rage, "I want him to suffer where he stands."

The air grew heavy. The weight of my words sent a chill through the group. Sonic's expression shifted—shock, disbelief, maybe even a little fear. "You don't mean that..." he said, his voice quieter than usual.

Eggman, still recovering from the threat at his throat, scoffed loudly. "How dare you threaten me!" His face twisted with outrage, but beneath it, I saw something else. Something deeper. Was it... hesitation? "You dare speak that way to the man responsible for your very existence?"

I froze.

He smirked at my silence, thinking he had landed a blow. "I'd love to teach you all a lesson," he sneered, pushing himself onto his feet, "but unfortunately, I have more important matters to attend to!"

From above, his two lackeys, Bocoe and Decoe, struggled to maneuver a makeshift hot air balloon with Eggman's face, down to retrieve him. The moment they tried to hoist him up, the entire contraption wobbled violently.

"Careful, you fools! Get me on board properly!"

But due to their usual incompetence, they failed. Eggman was left dangling helplessly in mid-air. They soon fly off without a trace.

I crossed my arms, watching the scene unfold with narrowed eyes. A part of me wanted to let my anger take over, to make him pay for everything. But another part—the part that Sonic was looking at—wondered if that kind of hatred was worth it.

Even if he was a monster... was I willing to become one too?

I looked away, forcing myself to breathe. My hands clenched and unclenched at my sides as I tried to suppress the storm of frustration inside me. I was running out of time.

A sharp pang of exhaustion shot through me. My battery was dangerously low, and I kept wasting energy like I had a backup power source just waiting for me. I hated this—I hated being an android. No rest, no second chances. My systems screamed for recharge, but I refused to stop. There was too much at stake.

I will finish this.

I tuned in to Knuckles' voice, forcing myself to focus.

"If Eggman was telling the truth, we have to find Chaos fast and stop it!" His tone was urgent, his crimson eyes burning with determination. "The second it gets all seven Chaos Emeralds, it'll become too powerful to defeat!"

Sonic stood beside him, arms crossed, deep in thought. "You're right..." he muttered, his usual cocky demeanor replaced with serious contemplation.

I stepped closer to them, my legs feeling heavier than before. Every movement drained more energy, but I had no choice. I was about to speak when—

A blinding light erupted out of nowhere.

A massive, swirling force engulfed us, pulling us in with relentless power. My body felt weightless, as if gravity itself had abandoned me. I reached out instinctively, but my fingers met nothing but empty space.

"What's going on!?" Sonic's voice barely reached me before everything dissolved into pure white.

And then—nothing.

For a moment, there was silence. No ground beneath my feet, no air in my lungs. Just an endless void swallowing us whole.

Then—impact.

I gasped as my feet slammed onto solid ground. My systems recalibrated rapidly, adjusting to our sudden relocation. My vision blurred before sharpening again, revealing—

A completely different place.

Everything around us was unfamiliar. The air felt thick with an energy I couldn't comprehend. My sensors were going haywire, unable to process where we were or how we got here.

Sonic, Knuckles, and I exchanged wary glances.

Where the heck were we?

We were standing in the middle of a dense forest—but not just any forest. Something about it felt ancient, untouched by time. The towering trees, the thick vines draping from the canopy, the way the air shimmered with an unfamiliar energy...

I took a cautious step forward, my eyes scanning the surroundings. Then I saw it.

The Master Emerald.

And—a bunch of echidnas?!

My breath hitched. My mind raced to process what I was seeing. Dozens of them, all gathered around the altar, their presence defying everything Knuckles had ever said about being the last of his kind.

Were these... his ancestors?

Before I could blurt out a single question, Knuckles yanked me down to his and Sonic's level, clamping a hand over my mouth. His expression was dead serious.

"Quiet," he whispered. His eyes darted around warily before he muttered, "I've been here before... We're back in the past!"

The past!?

Holy science, I was right!!

I nearly choked on my excitement. I told those so-called scientists that time travel was possible! If I could bring back proof, I was looking at a sweet 500 grand in research grants. Suck it, skeptics!

But before I could dwell on my upcoming Nobel Prize, something else caught my attention.

Near the Master Emerald, a lone figure stood guard.

A girl—an echidna, her fur a warm peach-orange that caught the golden light filtering through the trees. She had a delicate but determined stance, her purple eyes focused intently on the emerald. Her long, dreadlock-like spines framed her face, giving her an air of wisdom far beyond her years.  she wore a white tank top which revealed her midriff and a traditional tribal skirt with beige, green, and red diamond patterns. She also wore a gold armlet on her right arm, a gold necklace and a tiara-like headband atop her forehead, both of which were decorated with triangles and a light blue gemstone in the center. Her white gloves were adorned with thick, cobalt-blue bracelets around her wrists, and she also wore white-strapped sandals. Her dreadlocks and left arm were also wrapped with similar white bandages.

And she wasn't alone.

A group of tiny Chao huddled beside her, their small bodies trembling as if they, too, were ready to defend the massive gem behind them.

Something was very wrong.

Sonic, Knuckles, and I exchanged quick glances. This wasn't just some random vision or a dream. Someone—or something—brought us here.

The group of echidnas stood in tense silence, their eyes locked onto the young girl before them. She stood defiantly in front of the Master Emerald, arms stretched wide, as if her small frame alone could shield it from the advancing warriors.

Was she protesting? Protecting something?

The tribe of men, their bodies marked with intricate patterns, clad in ancient armor and woven fabrics, loomed over her like an unmovable force. Each of them bore a hardened expression, warriors bound by tradition and duty. But one figure stood apart—a much older echidna, his presence commanding authority. The chief.

His voice was deep, unwavering. "Tikal, the clan needs those seven Chaos Emeralds. It is the only way to protect ourselves from our enemies."

His words carried the weight of generations, of battles fought and lost, of a desperate people clinging to power for survival. But Tikal shook her head violently, stepping forward with raw emotion burning in her cobalt eyes.

"But taking the Emeralds isn't the way!" she pleaded, her voice thick with urgency. "Please, stop! You'll regret it forever!"

There was something in her tone—something I recognized.

Desperation.

The kind that comes from knowing you're right but having no one listen.

My hands curled into fists at my sides. I knew that feeling all too well.

But the warriors didn't move. The chief's expression didn't waver.

And somehow, I knew...

This was the moment where everything would go wrong.

"The clan has made its choice, and we will seize these Emeralds now! Warriors... ATTACK!"

The Chief's voice rang out with finality, leaving no room for argument. The warriors obeyed instantly, surging forward like a crimson tide, their heavy footsteps thundering against the stone ground.

Tikal gasped, throwing herself in their path. "No, please!" she cried, her hands outstretched in a desperate attempt to stop them. But they shoved past her as if she were nothing more than a whisper in the wind.

My breath hitched as I watched her struggle, her pleas falling on deaf ears. She knew something—something they refused to listen to.

They ascended the stone platform where the Master Emerald and the seven Chaos Emeralds rested, their jagged forms pulsing with an eerie glow. The warriors hesitated. Their hands hovered inches from the sacred gems, but something unseen held them back.

Then, the glow intensified.

A tremor ran through the ground beneath them. It was subtle at first, like the air itself had grown heavier, thicker—almost suffocating. Then came the movement.

A ripple.

A shift.

And then... it rose.

A towering, liquid-like figure began to emerge from beneath the Master Emerald. Its amorphous body writhed like water defying gravity, swirling with an ominous, unnatural energy.

My blood ran cold. I knew that shape. Those piercing, empty eyes. That unnatural, gelatinous form.

"Chaos..." I whispered, my voice barely audible over the silence that had fallen upon the warriors.

They had reached for power, but they had awakened a nightmare.

And I had a sickening feeling that none of them were walking away from this.

Chaos stood tall, its massive, fluid-like form shimmering beneath the eerie glow of the Master Emerald's altar. It spread its arms wide, its semi-translucent body pulsating with an unnatural energy. And then—before any of the warriors could react—a blinding surge of light erupted from its core.

The flash was so intense that I had to shield my eyes, my sensors struggling to adjust. A deafening sound filled the air—a mix of roaring power and the agonized cries of the warriors. They barely had time to scream before—

They vanished.

Just like that.

One second, they were there. Armed. Ready to seize the Chaos Emeralds. And then—nothing. The clearing was empty now, as if they had never existed at all. No bodies, no traces of battle—just an unnatural silence. The wind whistled through the trees, but it only made the absence of sound more suffocating.

A chill crawled down my spine. My breathing felt uneven, mechanical even.

I didn't want to ask. I didn't want to know.

But deep down, I already did.

I swallowed the growing lump in my throat as Knuckles took a cautious step forward, his crimson eyes scanning the now-empty altar. His expression was unreadable, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his fists clenched at his sides.

"They're gone... all of them," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

I forced myself to take in my surroundings, trying to process what just happened. My thoughts raced, theories forming and unraveling just as quickly. Were they killed? Absorbed? Wiped from existence entirely? What had Chaos done to them?

And then—my eyes caught movement.

My breath hitched.

"Not quite..." My voice was softer now, hesitant.

Hovering just above the ground, I drifted closer to the fallen figure lying on the cold stone. Tikal.

She was motionless, her body curled slightly like she had collapsed mid-struggle. Her long dreadlocked spines spilled across the temple floor, and her once-vibrant orange fur looked dull under the dim glow of the Master Emerald. She looked so small compared to everything around her, so fragile against the devastation that had just occurred.

A part of me hesitated. Was she even still alive?

Slowly, carefully, I lowered myself beside her, kneeling on the stone as I reached out a hand. I barely even noticed Knuckles and Sonic stepping closer behind me.

"Hey," I called softly. "Can you hear me?"

At first, there was nothing.

Then—a soft breath. A faint flutter of her eyelids.

Her violet eyes flickered open, unfocused, dazed. She blinked up at the sky, her expression distant as if she were looking at something beyond this world.

But she didn't see me.

She didn't see any of us.

And in that moment, I realized—she wasn't here anymore. Not fully.

She had just lost everything. And even though she had survived, a part of her had already faded away.

"I knew this would end in disaster..." Tikal whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

She lifted her head, and as her violet eyes took in the empty, lifeless temple, they filled with something raw, something broken. The tribe—her people—were gone. Their voices, their laughter, their stubbornness... erased in an instant. The warriors who had fought so fiercely for power now existed only in memory.

Her lips trembled as she took a shaky step forward, her fingers curling against her chest. Her breathing grew uneven, shallow, her whole body quivering with the weight of it all.

"Why, Father?" her voice cracked, heavy with anguish. "Why didn't you listen to me!?"

Father.

The word hit like a hammer.

I froze, realization settling over me like ice. The chief—the one who led the attack, the one who had ignored her pleas—that was her father? The same man who shoved her aside without hesitation, who chose power over his own daughter's warnings?

Jeez. And I thought I had bad fathers.

Before I could even process it, before any of us could say a word, Tikal pushed herself to her feet.

And then she ran.

"Hey, wait!" Sonic called, his voice urgent, but she didn't stop.

We all rushed after her, but she had only one destination in mind—the Master Emerald.

The massive green jewel stood untouched, radiating a steady glow in the fading light of the ruined altar. It was the last thing left. The only thing left.

When Tikal reached it, her breath hitched. Her body trembled, but she slowly lifted her hands, reaching toward the emerald as if it could somehow hold her together. Her wide, desperate eyes reflected its glow as she whispered,

"...Please, you must understand."

She pressed her palms together, fingers interwoven in a silent prayer. Her voice, though soft, carried a plea that dug deep into the air around us, as if speaking to something beyond our understanding.

"The servers are the seven Chaos... Our hearts intensify their power. The controller serves to unify Chaos..."

Her words rang through the temple, ancient and knowing, as if she had said them a thousand times before.

"The seven Chaos Emeralds take what is in our hearts and turn it into power..." She squeezed her hands tighter, her fingers pale against her skin.

"But if the heart that wields the emerald is filled with nothing but anger and fear..." Her voice faltered, her breath unsteady. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she stared into the gem, pleading for an answer, for a miracle.

"Then that power will bring pain and destruction to the world!"

The emerald glowed brighter, casting a ghostly light over her sorrowful face.

Tikal fell to her knees, her hands still clasped in silent desperation.

"Oh, please..." her voice broke, her forehead nearly touching the emerald's surface.

"You must stop Chaos!"

The Master Emerald pulsed, its glow intensifying until the entire altar was bathed in an almost blinding green light. The energy that surrounded Tikal swirled around us, and just like before, the world itself seemed to shift.

The light engulfed us.

And then, in an instant, we were back.

The ruined altar, the ancient temple, the cries of the past—all of it was gone. The air smelled different here, clearer but heavy with an unshakable tension. The world was still. Too still.

Tails stood just a few feet away, blinking in confusion. His twin tails twitched as he tilted his head.

"Uh... Where were you guys?" he asked, glancing between us.

Knuckles, still staring at the spot where Tikal had been, spoke first. His voice was quiet but firm.

"She's gone."

I furrowed my brows. "What did she mean about Chaos?" My voice was steady, but inside, I was still reeling. That vision—her desperation, her words—they weren't just a warning. They were a prophecy.

Sonic crossed his arms, glancing at Knuckles with the same question in his eyes. "Yeah, Knucklehead. You looked like you understood her. What was she trying to tell us?"

Knuckles' expression hardened. He exhaled through his nose, eyes narrowing as he clenched his fists.

"...We have to stop Chaos before he gets a hold of the last emerald."

The weight of his words settled over us, cold and unforgiving.

And then, as if on cue—

"HEY! I GOT IT! I FOUND THE LAST EMERALD!"

My blood ran cold.

That voice.

My head snapped toward the source, my stomach twisting into a knot.

Chris.

My cousin stood just a short distance away, holding up the final Chaos Emerald with a proud grin on his face. The vibrant gem sparkled under the dimming sky, pulsing with raw, untamed energy. He had no idea what he was holding. No idea what he had just become.

My heart pounded.

"CHRIS!" I shouted, my voice thick with panic. "DON'T MOVE! STAY WHERE YOU—"

Too late.

A low, guttural rumble echoed through the air.

The ground trembled beneath us, and before Chris could even react, the water around him stirred. No—not stirred. It came alive.

A perfect ring of churning, slashing water erupted from the ground, trapping him in an instant. The circle swirled faster, its edges sharp as blades, hissing with an unnatural force.

Chris barely had time to scream before the water rose, twisting and stretching into a spiraling column—a monstrous, towering cyclone of liquid fury.

A tornado.

And at its center—my cousin, his body weightless in the eye of the storm.

My breath hitched. My hands trembled.

Chaos had come for the final emerald.

And it had taken Chris with it.

"CHRIS! I'LL SAVE YOU!"

"Y/N! NO!"

"I HAVE NO SAVE MY COUSIN!"

"I'LL DO IT!" 

With that, Sonic didn't hesitate for a second—his body blurred as he shot forward, charging into the dangerous, swirling body of water that Chaos had now fully controlled. The force of the current was like nothing he'd ever faced before, but he pushed through it, his eyes locked on my cousin, Chris. I moved a little closer, my heart pounding in my chest. The last thing I wanted was for something to happen to either of them. I knew the risks—they were incredibly high right now. My thoughts raced. Chaos still had the final Chaos Emerald, and if it absorbed the last one, we'd be completely at its mercy. We'd be fighting a force far too powerful to stop. I couldn't let that happen.

"Hang on tight, buddy!" Sonic called out to Chris, his voice filled with urgency. He was doing everything he could to get him out of the powerful current.

I watched in helpless desperation as Sonic tried his best to pull Chris from the grasp of the swirling water. His strong hands gripped my cousin, but in the chaos of it all, the emerald slipped right out of Chris's grasp.

"No!" I shouted, my voice cracking as I saw the precious emerald start to drift away.

"Knuckles!" I yelled, panic setting in. Without hesitation, Knuckles sprang into action, his powerful legs propelling him toward the scene.

"I've got it!" he shouted back, moving with the precision of someone who knew what had to be done.

With a swift motion, Knuckles lifted his foot high and brought it down with all his might, slashing through the water-like form of Chaos. The liquid split apart, chaos itself momentarily disrupted. Sonic, now seizing the opportunity, grabbed Chris and pulled him out of the water with a grunt. My cousin was drenched, his body completely soaked, but thankfully he was unharmed.

Relief flooded over me. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but for a moment, I felt a glimmer of hope. At least my cousin was safe. I turned to look at Sonic, who was now helping Chris steady himself, but my relief was short-lived.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the Chaos Emerald. It had fallen from Chris's hand during the struggle and was now sitting perilously close to the cracked ground.

Before I could move, the earth beneath us began to shake violently, deep cracks splintering across the surface. The ground gave way as the crack widened, pulling the emerald in, along with the entire bag of other Chaos Emeralds that had been sucked into Chaos's liquid form!

"No... no no no..." I whispered under my breath, my heart sinking into my stomach. The last emerald, the bag of emeralds—everything was being consumed by Chaos's power. There was no telling how much more control it would gain from the emeralds, but one thing was for sure—it had become unstoppable.

We were running out of time. This wasn't just bad—it was the beginning of something even worse. The realization hit me hard. Chaos had already absorbed too much, and we had no idea how to stop it now.

"So, Chaos has all seven emeralds now," Knuckles said, his voice filled with resignation. The weight of the words hung heavily in the air. Chaos was unstoppable now, its power absolute. We stood there, frozen for a moment, all of us feeling the crushing realization that the battle we were facing was almost too much for us to handle. Chaos had all the power, and we had none.

"I'm so sorry, Knuckles," Chris muttered, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes were downcast, guilt written all over his face. He couldn't hide the shame in his words. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just... I just wanted to help."

Knuckles put a hand on Chris's shoulder. "That creature is stronger than all of us," he said firmly. "It can't be stopped now. But it's not your fault. No one could've known this would happen." His words were meant to soothe, but I could hear the underlying frustration in his tone. We were all caught in this mess together.

Sonic's grip tightened on my hand, the pressure reminding me that he was still there, still with me, no matter what. I could feel him watching me, his eyes seeing right through the tough exterior I was trying to put on. I had already accepted defeat in my mind. Chaos had won.

"Don't you give up on me!" Sonic's voice broke through my thoughts, determination burning in his words. "We at least have to try! You've never given up once! Don't give up on us, N/N..."

He brushed a strand of hair away from my face, and for a split second, I felt a flicker of hope. But it was fleeting, quickly swallowed by the reality of the situation.

"Sigh... fine," I muttered under my breath, but there was no denying the stubborn streak that ran through me. "If I die... I might as well go out in style."

I stood, shaky but resolute. I fixed my hair back into place, adjusting my goggles with a firm hand as if doing so would somehow steady my resolve. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Sonic gave me a look, a small but proud smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That's the spirit," he said, his voice soft but full of reassurance.

I turned toward the others, my mind set. We may have lost this battle, but we weren't going down without a fight. If Chaos was going to destroy everything, then we would fight until our last breath. No one else was going to stand in our way—not while we had each other.

"Let's finish this," I said, my voice firmer now. "Together."

And with that, the fight wasn't over. Not yet.

☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡

STATION SQUARE IS FLOODED!!

"Sonic! We got to get there fast! Or else there might not be a city left!" My voice cracked with panic as I sprinted alongside Sonic. His incredible speed combined with the help of my rocket boots had us racing across the bridge that led into Station Square, but even with all that, time was running out. "We have to hurry! Helen, the other kids—what if they don't make it out in time!? I'm picking up so many distraught signals, it's giving me a headache!" I screamed, my thoughts spiraling out of control as the world around me seemed to crumble.

I lost my balance, stumbling as a surge of anxiety hit me, and for a moment, I felt like I was going to collapse straight into the ground. But before I could, I heard Sonic's voice, sharp and commanding.

"Y/N! Snap out of it!" He barked, gripping my shoulder firmly and forcing me to look him in the eye. "We're going to be okay! YOU will be okay! Everyone will be alright! SO, KNOCK IT OFF!" His words were like a cold splash of water, but the panic was still clawing at me.

"I AM TRYING!" I screamed back, my voice shaking with frustration and fear. "IT'S HARD TO FREAKING CONCENTRATE WHEN I AM ABOUT TO LOSE POWER!" I felt the words leave my lips and immediately regretted them. I had been hiding it, but my energy reserves were dangerously low. The warning signs had been flashing on my screen for a while now, but I couldn't let myself stop, not now.

Sonic's eyes widened in shock as the weight of what I said sank in. "You'll WHAT!?" His voice cracked with disbelief, but before I could respond, we both stopped dead in our tracks. We stood at the edge of what used to be Station Square, and what greeted us now was a city submerged in water, drowning in chaos. The only part that remained above water was the edge of the bridge. My throat tightened.

"...My home..." I whispered, my heart sinking. The world that had been so familiar to me, so full of life, was now being swallowed whole. I couldn't process it—my mind couldn't keep up with the devastation.

Sonic's expression hardened, the anger evident in his eyes as he turned toward me. His voice was low, but fierce. "Your battery has been low! You lied!? YOU LIED TO ME??"

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. His accusation hit me like a freight train, but I couldn't deal with this right now. "We're not doing this! We need to stop Chaos!" I said, my voice trembling as I turned to face the destruction unfolding around us.

Sonic's eyes softened for a brief second, but then something in him snapped. "No... I'm stopping Chaos."

Before I could even react, he jumped up, his body moving faster than I could process. His fist came down sharply, striking the back of my neck. The impact sent a jolt through my system, and my vision blurred as a series of pop-up screens appeared before my eyes. My systems, which had been struggling to stay active, suddenly went haywire.

"Shutting down, charging sequence commence..."

The screen read the ominous message, and I felt the panic rise in my chest. "Sonic! Nooooo!" My voice was weak, my body betraying me as my systems shut down one by one. My eyes fluttered shut as the world around me went dark, and everything went silent.

(Sonic's POV)

Sonic held Y/N's lifeless body gently in his arms, the weight of the moment settling heavily on him. The urgency of their mission, the catastrophe unfolding around them—it all blurred together. He couldn't help but feel a mix of guilt and sorrow. He had done this. He had taken her out of the fight, thinking it was the only way to keep her safe, but now, it felt like he had torn a piece of himself away.

His heart ached as he pressed his forehead to hers, feeling the faint hum of her systems charging beneath his touch. Her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful but distant. "I'm sorry for doing this to you, Y/N..." Sonic whispered, his voice barely audible, laden with regret. "But I can't risk you shutting down mid-way. Not when the fate of everyone is at stake." His voice cracked, emotion seeping into his words as he looked down at her fragile form.

A deep sigh escaped his lips. Sonic had always prided himself on being strong and independent, believing that relationships could only hold him back. He'd thought that love was a weakness, something that could be exploited, something that made people vulnerable. But as he stood there, holding her in his arms, he realized just how wrong he had been.

Love didn't make him weaker—it made him stronger. The connection he shared with Y/N was his anchor, his reason to keep pushing forward, even when the odds seemed insurmountable.

"I love you," he said, his voice a low murmur, the words soft but filled with sincerity. "Don't forget that." His thumb brushed gently across her cheek as he whispered to her, wishing for her to hear him even in the silence of her unconscious state.

His heart raced in a way he wasn't used to. There was so much at stake. But even then, as his fingers brushed her lips, he couldn't help but dream of a simpler moment, one that felt miles away.

"After all this crazy fiasco," he continued, his lips curling into a small, bittersweet smile, "let's grab pizza together."

And then, as if to seal his words, he leaned down and kissed her. It was a deep, desperate kiss, a promise and a plea, a way to remind himself of why he was fighting, of why he couldn't give up—not for himself, but for her.

For the first time in a long while, Sonic felt truly vulnerable, and yet, he knew this vulnerability was what would fuel him to push forward and defeat Chaos, no matter the cost.

Sonic could feel the tension in the air, thick with worry and fear as he sprinted across the devastated cityscape. The sounds of destruction echoed in the distance, but he couldn't allow himself to get distracted. Not now. He had to focus on finding Chaos and stopping it before it tore everything apart.

As he approached a high building, he spotted a group of survivors, huddling together for safety, with Sam Speed standing among them, his eyes wide with concern. The second he saw him, he rushed over, his usual confidence replaced with panic.

"Sonic! Y/N! What happened to her? Is she sleeping?" Sam's voice was laced with disbelief, his eyes flickering between Sonic and the still figure of Y/N, held in his arms just moments ago. "How can she be sleeping at a time like this!? I swear if you did anything to my niece—"

Sonic raised a hand to stop him, his expression serious, the weight of everything pressing on him. "Cool it, Sam..." His voice was low, tinged with sorrow as he looked back at Y/N, still in a deep charging state. "She's just tired from today. She's dealt with a lot." He paused, his gaze softening as he looked at the unconscious android in his arms. "I'm going to take care of that thing. She needs her rest. Make sure no one bothers her while she's charging... her battery's dead..."

His tone was heavy with sadness. It wasn't easy for him to leave her behind, but it was the only choice. He couldn't afford to waste time. Chaos was out there, and he needed to stop it before the world was consumed.

Sam's eyes softened as he looked down at Y/N, his usual tough demeanor replaced by genuine concern. "You got it, Sonic. Just... make sure you come back. We can't afford to lose anyone else."

Sonic didn't respond at first. He simply gave him a quick nod before turning on his heels, determination flooding back into his veins. The city was sinking, and Chaos was growing stronger by the minute. Finding the giant, destructive creature was his only priority now.

He ran, his mind focused and steady, knowing the stakes were higher than ever. "Just find the ugly watery creature," he muttered to himself, the words almost feeling like a mantra. It was a simple task, or so he hoped. The world depended on it.

☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡

(NO Ones POV)

The air around Sonic felt thick with tension as he gritted his teeth, staring down the monstrous form of Chaos. The creature loomed before him, its liquid body swirling and shifting with an unsettling, almost malevolent energy. It was like facing a force of nature itself, but Sonic wasn't backing down. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.

"THAT'S IT, CHAOS!" Sonic roared, his voice carrying across the broken city, filled with pure defiance. "YOUR DESTROYING DAYS ARE OVER!"

With those words, he launched himself into the air, his spin dash a blur of motion as he twisted and spun, aiming to strike Chaos with everything he had. But the creature wasn't going down without a fight. A tentacle, massive and dripping with liquid fury, shot up out of the chaos storm, slamming into Sonic mid-air. The impact was like being hit by a truck, and Sonic crashed into the crumbled road below, his head ringing from the collision.

"Ugh... that was a chaos of a hit," he muttered, shaking his head to clear the dizziness. But it wasn't over yet. Sonic was on his feet in a split second, fueled by a blend of pain and rage. The fight had just begun.

He wasn't about to let Chaos win this. He dashed toward a nearby building that was still standing, pushing himself harder than ever before. In one swift movement, he scaled the structure, using the elevation to gain the momentum he needed. With a burst of speed, Sonic leapt from the rooftop, body aiming straight for Chaos. This time, he rammed straight into the creature's fluid body, hoping the force of his impact would shake the thing to its core.

But Chaos was ready. The moment Sonic made contact, it threw him back, sending him flying through the air like a ragdoll. He crashed hard onto the ground, the shockwave reverberating through his limbs. Anger and frustration boiled inside him, but he quickly pushed them aside. This wasn't about rage; it was about ending this.

Before he could get back on his feet, Chaos responded, unleashing a powerful surge of water that shot into the air. Sonic's heart skipped a beat as he realized just how high the pressure was rising. He was running out of time. But then, fate—or maybe just sheer luck—had a different idea.

A piece of wood, sturdy and flat enough to hold him, floated by in the rising chaos. Sonic, without a second thought, leapt onto the makeshift surfboard, his boots finding balance as he adjusted his stance. The water rose higher around him, but now he was riding the wave, not falling into it. The moment of respite was brief, but it was enough for Sonic to take a breath.

"This isn't over, Chaos," Sonic muttered under his breath as he surfed the rampaging water. The creature was far from defeated, but now, neither was he.

Sonic's eyes narrowed as the X Tornado came into view, its engines roaring as it sliced through the air. The relief that surged through him was instant and undeniable. The plane descended, gliding toward him with precision, and he raised an arm, a silent plea for them to reach him.

Chris, leaning out of the cockpit, waved down at him. "SONIC!" he shouted, his voice barely cutting through the howling winds. In a swift motion, Tails maneuvered the plane lower, expertly scooping Sonic out of the danger zone, the floodwaters surging beneath him.

"Are you alright?" Chris asked, his voice tinged with worry as he grabbed Sonic's arm to steady him. The hedgehog nodded quickly, trying to mask the weariness in his own tone. "Yeah, I'm fine. But Y/N... she's resting at the moment," he said, his voice softening, not wanting to worry Chris any more than he already was. "She's alright though, don't worry."

Chris's expression shifted slightly, a mix of concern and confusion. "What do you mean, resting? She's... she's okay, right?" He looked over at Sonic, as if hoping for a clearer answer.

Sonic hesitated for a moment before nodding. "She's fine. Just... out of power right now," he muttered, not wanting to tell him the full extent of the situation. The last thing Chris needed was to know that Y/N's energy was gone and that they were running on fumes.

Chris's gaze dropped, his shoulders sagging. "Sonic... Do you think we'll win?" His voice was quiet, heavy with the weight of uncertainty. The floodwaters below them seemed endless, and Chaos's presence felt like an unshakable nightmare.

Sonic took a deep breath, turning to Chris with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes but still held a glimmer of confidence. "We've been through worse, right? It'll turn out okay." His words were upbeat, but beneath that facade, Sonic could feel the pressure of everything weighing down on him. Chaos had grown stronger, more unpredictable. But he wasn't about to let that stop him. Not now. Not when everything was at stake.

"Chaos is more powerful than before, so I'm gonna need plenty of help," Sonic said, his voice low but determined. He turned to Chris, meeting his cousin's eyes. "Can I count on you?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chris nodded, a fire igniting in his eyes. "You bet! Let's take this thing down!"

Sonic's heart swelled with pride at the resolve in Chris's voice. Together, they were going to finish this. "Okay! Let's do it!" With a final, decisive shout, Sonic leapt into the plane, landing with ease beside Tails. The look of determination on everyone's faces was unmistakable.

The winds howled around them as the X Tornado soared higher, cutting through the skies with newfound purpose. They were ready. Together, they would face Chaos—and they would stop him.

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{Somewhere Else}

"C'mon, kid, wake up!" Sam's voice was strained, his hand gripping the energy box as if it might somehow force his niece to come back to life.  Sam's heart pounded with frustration; his niece, no matter what the world thought, had become like family to him. He couldn't stand seeing her like this—lifeless, caught between systems that were too powerful for her to handle. He couldn't just let her slip away.

"Crank up the energy more!" shouted one of the men from the crowd, his voice laced with panic. There was no time to waste, and everyone could feel it.

But then, a voice cut through the chaos. "Wait! Let me try something!" A young boy, barely older than Kid Genius, pushed through the crowd. He was dark-skinned with curly hair, wearing a pixelated video game shirt and a pair of ripped-up jeans. His headphones hung loosely around his neck, clearly worn out from the intense energy of the moment. He wasn't afraid; there was something about his focus that told Sam this kid knew exactly what he was doing.

"Do it, kid. Just... please, help her." Sam gave him the go-ahead, trusting him more than he cared to admit.

The boy didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, determination clear in his eyes. "It needs to go inside of her. So, clip them on her ears." His voice was calm but commanding, and Sam watched as the boy carefully attached the jumper cables to her ears, like some sort of strange, futuristic earrings. Sam's heart skipped a beat as he wondered if this was even going to work.

With the cables in place, the boy looked back up at Sam. "Now... crank it up."

With a careful hand, the boy lifted Y/N's head, brushing a lock of hair away from her face as if she were still just a regular person. But the truth was, she wasn't just a person—she was something far more powerful than that, and that power was now threatening to consume her. Sam's breath caught in his throat as the air around them seemed to hum, electricity coursing through her body like a flood.

And then it happened.

Y/N's body began to glow—at first, it was subtle, like a faint shimmer of light. But as the energy surged through her, it grew brighter. The blue light enveloped her, lighting up the space around her in an almost blinding display. Her eyes snapped open, the white glow of her irises burning with intensity. Her hair stood straight up, frizzing wildly, as if charged with a static energy that couldn't be contained.

But that wasn't all. Her body, previously still and lifeless, began to float. It wasn't a gentle rise, either—she shot up like a rocket, hovering above the ground as sparks danced off her body. Her systems were overloaded, pushing beyond their limits, and it was clear to everyone there that she was entering a state of overdrive. The bright electric blue was nothing like they'd ever seen before, the energy spilling out from every corner of her form. The air around her crackled like a live wire.

Everyone watched in stunned silence. The spectacle was both breathtaking and terrifying. Sam clenched his fists, his anxiety bubbling into something more urgent. This was too much power. Too much for her.

Her voice came out, distorted and glitching, each word echoing unnaturally, as if more than one version of her was speaking at once. "Where's... Sonic?" Her tone was barely recognizable, the glitching sound of her systems overloading filling the air. It was as though she was struggling to keep herself together, her very being torn between two realities.

One of the onlookers pointed in the distance, toward the chaos that was wreaking havoc on the city. "There! Look! Sonic's fighting Chaos! He's gonna need help!"

And just like that, it happened. In an instant, Y/N's form flickered. Her body shook violently, as if trying to hold on to the energy that had overtaken her. Sparks shot off her body, crackling around her like fireworks. And then—poof—she was gone.

She teleported in a flash, her body vanishing from their sight, leaving nothing but the lingering hum of her power in the air. The crowd stood frozen, their collective breath held as they realized what had just happened. Y/N was no longer just an observer in this battle—she had become part of it. She had gone to join Sonic, to help him face the threat that was Chaos, for better or worse.

Sam's heart sank. He stood there, staring at the empty space where she had been, as the crowd murmured in shock. No one knew what to say.

The young boy who had helped turned to Sam, wide-eyed, his voice filled with awe and concern. "Did... did she just disappear? Is she... is she okay?"

Sam swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper as he stared at the place where Y/N had been. "I don't know. But she's out there now... and we've just got to hope it's enough."

The energy in the air was thick with uncertainty. Would they win? Would Y/N survive this power she had unleashed within herself? Would Sonic?

For a moment, all Sam could do was stare after her, hoping—praying—that they would all make it through this alive.

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{Back with Sonic}

"BACK OFF, SONIC! CHAOS DOUBLED-CROSSED ME!" Eggman's voice was filled with fury, a raw, uncontrolled anger that Sonic had never heard from him before. It was as if all the usual confidence and arrogance had evaporated, leaving nothing but a desperate, almost crazed need for control. He didn't even glance at Sonic as he charged past him, heading straight for Chaos, no plan, no strategy—just blind fury.

Sonic stayed still for a moment, watching him, fully aware that something had shifted. Eggman had lost his edge, and that made him more dangerous than ever. But there was no time to think about that now. They were running out of options.

Then, as if the universe had decided to drop another shock on them, a brilliant flash of light exploded in the air, just inches from Sonic. He staggered, eyes widening, as a figure materialized in front of him, glowing a brilliant, electric blue. Her hair stood on end, crackling with an energy unlike anything he'd ever seen. Her eyes shone pure white, radiating power—and something else. Something he couldn't place.

"Y/N?!" Sonic's voice cracked, disbelief mixing with a flicker of hope. Could it really be her?

The others turned in unison, their gazes locked on the glowing figure. Chris's eyes widened in recognition. "Is... is that her? What happened to her?" Tails, too, stared, unable to comprehend the sight before them.

It was Y/N. But not the Y/N they knew.

Her form was unrecognizable, her body glitching in and out of sync with reality, sparks flying from her like some sort of wild electric storm. She floated, suspended in the air, the raw energy coursing through her, creating an almost dangerous aura around her.

Her voice, when it came, was no longer the warm, familiar tone they'd grown accustomed to. It was distorted, glitchy, and hollow. "Eggman doesn't stand a chance," she said, her voice echoing as if coming from some otherworldly place. "We must defeat him another way. He won't be finished like this."

There was no humor in her words, no sign of the playful, sarcastic girl they all knew. In fact, everything that made her who she was seemed gone—replaced by this strange, intimidating force.

Sonic felt a cold pang in his chest. This wasn't just a new form. This was something else entirely. She wasn't just powered up—she was different. The girl he loved, the girl who had always been by his side, was now standing before him in a state of overwhelming power, and it made him uneasy.

But despite the power surging through her, despite everything about her that had changed, Sonic still saw the same Y/N. His Y/N.

"Right now... she's right," Sonic whispered to himself, staring at her. It hurt to see her like this, but it was the truth. Her voice, though strange and distant, still carried the weight of someone who had always been there. It was still her.

The X Tornado suddenly began to glow—an eerie, pulsing light that bathed everything around it in a strange luminescence. Sonic's eyes widened, his gut twisting with unease. He had seen this glow before. The same glow that had transported them into the past. Not again... Not now, not when they were in the middle of this chaos!

He braced himself for another time jump, but instead, the energy swirled around them, forming a protective sphere. Slowly, carefully, the glowing force guided the plane down, landing it safely on dry ground. Sonic let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Well, that's new.

"What the heck is going on now?" he muttered, his voice laced with exhaustion and disbelief. "This just keeps getting freakier and freakier."

"We're about to get our answer," Y/N spoke, her voice still laced with that eerie, glitching distortion. Her entire body flickered and crackled, her presence both mesmerizing and unsettling. Sonic couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his chest. He hated seeing her like this—unstable, unnatural. It wasn't right.

Before he could dwell on it, the glowing sphere shimmered once more. Then, from its depths, a figure stepped forward. Sonic's breath caught as his eyes locked onto the familiar form.

"You againl?!" He nearly jumped back in shock.

The orange echidna stood before them, her expression heavy with sorrow. "Since the day of my father's invasion, I have journeyed across the seas of Eternal Time with Chaos, trying to keep its power contained," she explained, her voice tinged with sadness. "But some fiend awakened Chaos... with the intent to use its power for evil."

At her words, Y/N's glowing white eyes flickered, shifting toward a single figure in the distance. Sonic followed her gaze, his jaw tightening. He didn't even have to say the name, but the moment it left his lips, it dripped with venom.

"Eggman."

Sonic clenched his fists, the pieces clicking together in his mind. "That lunatic must've figured out a way to revive Chaos... just so he could use it to take over the world!"

As if on cue, a deep, guttural sound rumbled through the air. Chaos suddenly lurched, its massive body convulsing before it hacked up something—a small, glistening objects that tumbled through the air. Sonic's eyes followed its path as one landed near Tikal's feet with a dull thud.

The Chaos Emeralds.

But as Sonic and the others looked at it, their stomachs sank. The once-vibrant gem was now dull, drained of all power. A lifeless husk of what it once was.

Sonic's breath hitched. This was bad. This was really bad.

The girl reached down, her trembling fingers closing around the dimly lit emerald. As she lifted it to her chest, she fell to her knees, holding the drained gem close, as if hoping to somehow restore its lost power. Her expression was one of pure sorrow.

"Chaos has drained all of the emeralds of their power..." she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

Sonic's eyes widened in disbelief. "What!?"

Tikal's gaze remained fixed on the emerald, her voice urgent with desperation. "Ever since my clan attacked the temple, Chaos has known only hate and anger. It will use the power of the seven emeralds to bring ruin to this world! We have to seal Chaos back into the Master Emerald before it's too late!"

A tense silence followed—until Y/N's cold, glitching voice cut through the air.

"...I'm afraid that will not be a likely solution."

Tikal blinked, taken aback. "Pardon me?" she asked gently, tilting her head in confusion.

Y/N's glowing, electric-white eyes bore into her. "All you'll be doing is creating a time loop. Locking Chaos away won't fix the problem... it will only delay it." She spoke with unsettling certainty, her voice tinged with static as her body flickered with unstable energy. "Instead of trapping the threat... you have to eliminate it completely."

Sonic nodded in agreement, his expression serious. He had seen enough cycles of destruction to know she was right.

Tikal hesitated, her fingers tightening around the emerald in her grasp. "...But how?" she asked, lifting her gaze to meet theirs.

Sonic and Tikal both turned to Y/N, searching for an answer.

The girl said nothing at first. Then, with slow deliberation, she reached out, gently taking the drained emerald from Tikal's grasp. Turning to Sonic, she placed it in his hand, her fingers lingering for a moment as her glowing eyes met his.

"I believe you'll find out soon enough," she murmured.

And with that, the fate of the world rested in his hands. 

"Sonic! Sonic!"

A small, familiar voice called out, breaking through the tension in the air. Sonic snapped his gaze away from the emerald in his hands, his ears twitching at the sound.

Turning, his eyes widened in surprise—it was Cream!

The little rabbit stood at the edge of the chaos, somehow untouched by the destruction around them. Her bright, happy smile was a rare comfort in the midst of all this madness. But how had she even gotten here?

"Look! I have something for you!" she chirped excitedly, holding up something in her tiny hands.

Sonic's breath hitched.

A Chaos Emerald—its green glow faint but unmistakable.

"You—You have an emerald?!" he asked, astonished.

"We grabbed it as soon as Chaos let go of it!" another voice chimed in.

Chuck stepped forward, flanked by Ella, Mr. Tanaka, and a few Chao. The group had clearly risked everything to retrieve the emerald, their faces a mix of relief and awe.

But the moment their eyes landed on Y/N, their expressions shifted.

Ella gasped, clutching her chest. "¡Mija! What has happened to you?!" Her voice trembled with concern.

Mr. Tanaka, ever composed, studied the glowing, glitching girl before nodding approvingly. "Ms. Y/N... You look quite—formidable," he said with an air of admiration.

Chuck, on the other hand, nearly keeled over, gripping his head in sheer shock. "Well, I'll be! Kid, you look like you just stepped out of some futuristic sci-fi movie!"

Despite everything—the looming battle, the weight of the world on their shoulders—Sonic couldn't help but smirk at their reactions.

Y/N, however, remained silent, her glowing eyes scanning the emerald in Cream's hands. A small static pulse crackled off her fingertips, her energy still unstable.

One by one, their friends emerged from the chaos, each holding a different emerald in their hands. Even Eggman—grumbling under his breath—reluctantly handed over an emerald, his robotic lackeys scrambling at his heels. It was a sight no one ever expected: hero and villain, standing side by side for the sake of something greater.

Sonic turned to Y/N, their eyes meeting in a silent exchange of understanding.

This is what she meant.

As the emeralds gathered before him, the realization hit—he could fix them. He could restore their power. He was the only one who could stop Chaos.

Y/N's blank, almost unreadable expression softened into a knowing smile. With a gentle touch, she ran her fingers through his quills, causing them to glow faintly with the static energy coursing through her.

But before the moment could linger—

"Wait, we're still missing one!" Tails suddenly called out, scanning their surroundings frantically.

The group tensed. Could they have miscounted? Had one been lost in the flooding city?

And then—

"Sonic! Look what I found!"

A familiar voice rang through the air.

Heads snapped toward the sound just in time to see Chris, holding up the final emerald like a victorious hero—

Only to trip over his own feet and face-plant straight into the ground.

"Chris!" Sonic dashed over in a blur of blue, helping him up while grabbing the emerald from his grasp. Chris groaned, rubbing his sore nose, but still managed a proud smile.

"Look!" He held up the emerald again, as if reassuring himself it was real.

Sonic's grin widened. "I knew you'd come through, buddy!"

Above them, on the broken remains of the city's buildings, their allies erupted into cheers. Their faith in Sonic burned brighter than ever.

And as if responding to that belief, the emeralds—dull and drained just moments before—began to glow.

One by one, they pulsed with vibrant energy.

Hope had returned.

"The true person who can defeat Chaos..."

Y/N's voice rang out, clear and resonant, as if carried by the very power of the emeralds themselves. Her glowing eyes mirrored the radiance of the gems as they floated into the air, surrounding Sonic in a breathtaking display of light and energy.

The emeralds pulsed—once, twice—before their brilliance surged into him, the raw force of their power flowing into his very being.

Gasps of awe filled the air as Sonic's blue quills shimmered, shifting into a dazzling gold. His emerald-green eyes bled into a striking crimson, his entire form ascending, weightless, as golden energy crackled around him. His quills stood on end, the transformation complete.

"It is Sonic the Hedgehog," Y/N declared, her voice echoing with an almost celestial weight, as if the heavens themselves had spoken.

Tikal's breath caught in her throat. "I thought the power of the emeralds could only be awakened by hate and anger!" she cried, eyes wide with disbelief.

Knuckles, watching with quiet understanding, shook his head. "There are other forces far stronger than hate," he told her, his voice steady.

Tikal turned just in time to see Sonic descend, his glowing form stopping just before Y/N. Their eyes met—his burning red against her electric whites.

And then, without hesitation, Sonic reached forward, his fingers grazing her cheek before pulling her closer.

Their lips met.

It wasn't just a kiss—it was a force, a connection, a silent declaration that rang louder than any words could. Energy sparked between them, swirling with an intensity that seemed to rival the emeralds themselves.

Knuckles finished his thought, watching the spectacle before him.

"The strongest force of all... is love."

This is where it all stops. This is where it ends.

Sonic pulled away from Y/N, his golden form rising higher into the sky, his gaze locked onto the towering beast before him. The time for hesitation was over. The battle had begun.

Chaos let out a deafening roar, its body writhing with uncontained fury. The entire city trembled beneath its rage. Then, with terrifying speed, it unleashed a massive energy blast straight toward the crowd.

Gasps and screams filled the air, fear gripping everyone as they braced for impact—until, in a flash of golden light, Sonic shot in front of the attack, catching the beam with nothing but his bare hands. The force pushed against him, sparks flying, the sheer power rattling the space around them. But he held firm.

"You can't stop me!" Sonic growled, his voice unwavering, his eyes burning with determination.

The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices rising in hope as they watched their hero stand against the impossible.

Chaos, enraged, lashed out again, a massive tentacle striking toward Sonic with the force of a falling building. But this time, Sonic didn't dodge. He caught it mid-air, his grip tightening like a vice. Slowly, cracks formed along the monstrous limb, glowing with golden energy before disintegrating into nothing but dust.

"Is that the best you can do?" Sonic taunted, smirking as he tossed the remains aside.

Chaos shrieked, its fury reaching a breaking point. It gathered its power once more, a brilliant, destructive energy forming in its gaping maw before it unleashed another devastating beam straight at Sonic.

But the hedgehog was ready.

With a fierce battle cry, he deflected the attack with a single strike, reversing its direction. The energy blasted back toward Chaos, slamming into its chest before being sucked into its own core.

The beast's glowing eyes widened in shock.

Then—BOOM!

Light exploded from within Chaos, beams of energy bursting from its body in every direction. The sky lit up as its monstrous form twisted and contorted, its very essence unraveling.

And then, in a final, blinding eruption of light—Chaos was gone.

As the dust settled, Sonic landed gracefully on the ground, his golden form still glowing as he stood victorious.

The city erupted into cheers, the echoes of victory ringing through the air. The people chanted his name—over and over, their voices filled with gratitude, admiration, and sheer relief. Sonic stood among them, breathless, taking it all in.

The battle was over. Chaos was defeated.

As he turned, he felt the golden energy drain from his body, his quills falling back into place as he returned to his usual blue form. The fight may have ended, but something else—something even more important—caught his attention.

"Nice job, Blue Blur."

That voice.

Sonic spun around, eyes wide, only to see her—Y/N—standing there, completely back to normal. No glitches. No eerie glow. Just her.

"You're okay!" Without a second thought, he dashed straight into her, sending them both tumbling to the ground. He clung to her tightly, his arms wrapped around her as if she might disappear again.

Y/N chuckled, leaning her head back against the cracked pavement. "I'm okay? Boy, I'm always okay!" She pulled back slightly, grinning up at him. "But did you see how freaking cool I looked!? I was like something straight out of a sci-fi movie!"

Sonic laughed, his heart lighter than it had been in what felt like forever. "You did look awesome!" He took her hands in his own, squeezing gently. "But, uh... I kinda prefer looking at you when you're actually you."

Her cheeks flushed, and she playfully shoved his face away. "Ugh, you're such a sap. I'm so glad there's only one of you."

Sonic smirked. "Hah! Yeah, could you imagine if there was another me? The world would end."

They burst into laughter, their voices blending into the chorus of celebration around them. And for the first time in what felt like ages, everything was right again.

The teens whipped their heads around at the sudden commotion.

Chaos was back!?

Their breath caught in their throats. How? They were sure Sonic had destroyed him for good. The tension crackled in the air as they braced themselves for another fight.

But then... something was different.

The towering, watery figure no longer seethed with rage. There was no malice in his movements. Instead, a soft ripple coursed through his body, calm and serene. His piercing eyes, once filled with fury and sorrow, now shimmered with something else—peace.

A gentle chime of tiny voices drew their attention downward.

A cluster of Chao—tiny, round, and full of life—waddled toward the great creature. Among them was Cheese, happily fluttering toward Chaos without fear.

"They... they know him," Amy whispered in realization, placing a hand over her heart.

Sonic watched in awe as the small creatures surrounded Chaos, nuzzling against him, chirping happily. What once was a being consumed by anger was now embraced by the very creatures he had sworn to protect.

Tikal stepped forward, her expression filled with warmth. "These are the Chao you cared for all this time," she said gently. "They've come to see you. To let you know that you are not alone. That you never were."

Chaos remained still for a long moment before slowly lowering his head in understanding. Even without words, even without a face, they all could feel it—he was at peace.

A golden light began to surround Tikal and Chaos. She turned to face the group one last time, smiling. "The Chao will live here now, in harmony with this world. And now... it is time for us to go."

As she stretched out her hands, Chaos rose beside her. Their forms lifted higher, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, until they vanished into the sky like a fleeting dream.

For a moment, no one spoke. No one moved.

Then, Sonic exhaled, watching the last shimmer of their presence fade into the clouds.

"They're finally free," he murmured, a small, knowing smile on his face. Holding the hand of his Y/N.

The others simply stood there, watching the sunset, hearts full of something indescribable.

(Y/N's POV)

"Hey, Y/N..."

I turned at the soft tone in his voice, tilting my head slightly. "Yeah?"

Sonic hesitated for a moment, rubbing the back of his head before flashing one of his signature grins. "Happy early birthday. I was gonna wait until tomorrow, but... I don't think I can hold out that long."

I blinked in surprise. "Wait, what?"

Before I could say anything else, he moved behind me, his touch gentle as he placed something in my hand. The object was smooth and light, but its meaning felt so much heavier.

"Uh, Sonic... what is it?" I asked, still confused.

Instead of answering right away, he pulled out a small mirror and held it up so I could see. My eyes widened in shock.

Resting perfectly atop my head was a blue headband. Not just any blue—it was a deep, rich shade, vibrant yet soft, just like the color of his fur. It fit perfectly.

"Holy Chaos!" I gasped, reaching up to touch it. "It's amazing!" My heart swelled with warmth, and without hesitation, I spun around and threw my arms around him, hugging him tight.

Sonic chuckled, his arms wrapping around me just as firmly.

"Heh... happy birthday, Kid Genius," he murmured. "From the hedgehog that loves you most."

I buried my face into his shoulder, smiling against his fur. This—this was the best gift I could have ever asked for.

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{15,000 WORDS! THAT IS A NEW RECORD FOR ME! I have been writing since 7:00 am and it is now 8:38 pm... This shows how much I love y'all... Now whose ready for Shadow the hedgehog?)