Sonic the Hedgehog

First Mission

"It's just up ahead!" Rouge calls out to her two fellow emerald hunters, her eyes glued to the high-tech energy scanner.

Getting in was easy. Surprisingly easy in fact. With two of the three Team Dark members having the ability of flight, they were able to fly right out of the Egg Carrier and onto the ground of this smelly chemical plant. The addition of GUN's surveillance helicopters didn't make things easy though. However, with E-123 Omega's cloaking ability, he was able to cover the two small Mobians in his bulky, metallic arms and shroud the group in total invisibility. From there, the treasure hunters simply just walked into the plant's lower level with no issue.

Not bad. Rouge thinks to herself as she glances at her two new teammates. For years, I haven't given partners in crime a second thought. And now at this rate, this might be my easiest and BIGGEST score yet! I wonder, could it have always been this easy? Or is this merely a result of that mad egg's ingenuity and planning? Whichever, it is, I should avoid thinking about it and keep my head in the game. Besides, things always have a chance of going south.

The group has been running through a tight, dark hallway for close to a minute now. Rouge just barely falls behind as E-123 Omega blasts forward with his thrusters and Shadow seemingly skates at high speed. Though, his feet aren't even touching the floor.

Who is this hedgehog? Rouge can't help but ask herself for the millionth time today. And why is he so fast? I understand the giant hulk of metal to my right, but not him. Ugh, I need to catch up.

Rouge's wings spread open on her back and the agitated spy lifts into the air. A relaxed smile spreads on her face as she effortlessly blasts forward, ahead of her team. She turns to Shadow to give him a taunting grin, but instead, her eyes widen as the hedgehog below her moves even faster to match her speed.

Wait, are we competing?! Rouge thinks with an annoyed frown before making a realization. No... no he doesn't even seem to notice me. Was he slowing down so I can keep up? How fast is he?

Rouge begins second-guessing if this isn't Mobius's war hero in a new get-up. Regular Mobians don't have a prayer to keep up with her flight. That's one reason she's so good at her job. There has to be something special about this guy...

Whatever it is, it'll have to wait as the team reaches the automated doors ahead. The giant circular entrance slides open and the group arrive on a bridge suspended over the river the plant was built on. A river that has devolved into an extension of the plant itself with its bright, violet color. But the river isn't what has stopped Rouge's flight. No, it's the glowing dot on the scanner she has in her hands. Shadow notices this and he stops in his tracks, along with Omega.

"Got something?" he asks.

Rouge descends onto the bridge as she views the stagnant body of polluted water. She then points to the half of it that's to her and her team's left.

"There," she says confidently. "Somewhere in the water is what we're looking for."

"Is that so?" Shadow says, overlooking the water. "In that case, who's volunteering?"

"Um, I'M not going," Rouge says as she folds her arms. "Just touching that water can be fatal. And NO amount of jewels is worth death."

"I WILL GO," E-123-Omega says as he nears the railing of the bridge. "THIS IS NO JOB FOR WEAK ORGANIC FLESHLINGS."

"Gee, thanks," Rouge says sarcastically as the robot dives into the water.

The resulting splash creates a watery explosion that rises into the air and nearly drenches Rouge with chemicals. But before she can process what's going on, she is all of a sudden standing in a different spot than the one she was in before which is now soaking wet. Shadow releases his grip on Rouge's shoulders and stares at her for a moment before saying:

"You need to be more vigilant."

"Um... thanks?" she says, but Shadow has already turned away.

Did... did I just teleport or did this brooding mystery save my life with speed too fast for my eyes to register?

"ITEM SECURED," Omega announces, holding a tightly clenched fist in the air.

His metallic fingers are holding something. Something that makes Rouge's heart skip two beats. Her eyes begin nearly swelling with tears. A small pocket of drool runs down the edge of her lip. In Omega's hand is a purple, diamond-shaped gem that glistens with immortal beauty. The bat thought she had hit a home run with the rewards of this job but no other jewels can compare to such perfection.

After this, I'll beg Eggman for a thousand jobs if he lets me keep just one of these 'chaos emeralds.'

Her admiration of the emerald is interrupted by a subtle but still audible buzzing. As she and Shadow turn around, two GUN drones descend into view.

"Crap, how'd they find us?" Rouge says, taking a cautious step back.

"These are Sky Hawks," Shadow answers. "A new model created primarily for recon. Now that we're spotted, others will follow suit..."

A glow emits from Shadow's right hand.

"CHAOS..." he begins as he reels his hand back. "...SPEAR!!!"

In a flash, multiple energy-like beams shoot from his gloved hand and obliterate the drones on impact. Rouge doesn't have time to be confused since immediately after, she feels the cold metal of Omega's left arm wrap around her. Shadow is held in his right.

"TIME TO GO," Omega says before he and his teammates blast off.

Team Dark quickly ascends into the sky and toward the invisible mass above them that is the Egg Carrier. Even while blasting off in the air at high speeds, Rouge can't tear her eyes off the purple gem Omega holds tightly in his left hand. She almost reaches for it when she sees something in its reflection.

"WE GOT COMPANY!" she yells.

The other two look down and spot multiple smaller GUN drones pursuing them.

"Those are Bomb and Rocket Beetles," Shadow says. "They're about to fire. Omega, make evasive maneuvers!"

"DO NOT INSULT ME WITH YOUR COWARDLY ORDERS," Omega says as two rectangular extensions materialize on his shoulders. Cannons.

"I DON'T RUN... I WIN."

From them, a barrage of missiles shoot out and as quickly as they appear, they fly to their targets within milliseconds. The result is multiple explosions that light up the dark, brownish sky like fireworks. As Rouge watches, she let's out a sigh.

"This is not how I expected my Saturday night to go," she mumbles.

...