Sonic the Hedgehog

Prison Island

One of the advantages of piloting such a small plane is the freedom to land about anywhere. Such a privilege saved Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy the walk from the helipad to the prison's front entrance. Though, the blue hedgehog leading the pact wouldn't have minded the extra steps.

Upon entering, the presence of Eggman's army was made clear on the spot. Destroyed walls, unconscious soldiers scattered amongst rooms filled with debris and dust, and burn marks filling most of the interior- the obvious result of stray SwatBot and badniks beams.

Seeing the state of the invaded prison, Sonic is unsure if getting the emeralds to Station Square would've been as much of a guaranteed solution as he thought. At the very least, a city's worth of GUN defenses would've given Robotnik a harder fight than that of a singular facility.

Now entering the holding area, everything is in disarray. In places where the walls aren't riddled with bullets, they're completely blown off. The three vacant rooms on both sides of the hall have half of their doors completely missing.

"I was under the impression your Guardian Units of Nations were made up of unstoppable warriors!" Knuckles says, eyeing the destruction around him.

"So was I," Sonic mumbles. "Either we caught them on an off-day, or Robotnik really means business. I'm more inclined to believe the latter."

"Come on, guys, this way!" Tails says, waving Miles Electric in front of them. On it, a green dot is at a Northwest angle. "We're coming up on the last chaos emerald!"

"Let's move!" Sonic yells, wasting no time and continuing his sprint down the hall.

The others just barely keep up with their hedgehog friend, following him into a massive cell room. After a single moment, it erupts in a mix of boos and insults from the jailed inmates on either side of the Mobian group.

"YOU BLUE RAT!"

"PUTRID RODENT!"

"FRAUD!"

The insults continue with no sign of stopping, much to Sonic's amusement.

"Just how many enemies have you made?" Amy whispers to the grinning blue hedgehog beside her.

"Enemies? Please, just look at them! They love me!"

The boos intensify.

"Anyways," he continues. "Let's get a move-"

Sonic stops his sentence, returning a glare from the three familiar faces across the corridor, with the metallic one having just finished severing the head of a GUN Hunter. Around them, unconscious and seriously wounded GUN soldiers lie on the floor, for differing reasons, unable to get up. Littered beside them are deactivated SWATbots and badniks, with not a single one online.

"No no, we don't have time for this!" Shadow grunts.

Before any meaningful words can be exchanged, Knuckles is the first to charge forward. Like a warrior preparing to pierce an enemy with a spear, he puts his fist forward, gearing to charge the black hedgehog.

E-123 Omega prepares his Gatling guns, but instead, it's Rouge who counters him, swooping from mid-air to catch his large fist in her palm. Either driven by confusion, surprise, or both, the echidna draws his punch. Rouge's heels skid across the floor as she and Knuckles slide to a halt.

"Long time no see," she says, suppressing a tempting grin. "You might want to hold off."

"And why's that?" Sonic asks, slumped against Omega's big right arm.

His speed is something that slightly startled the robot's two other teammates. Though, they don't show it.

"Because we're on the same side, Blue," Rouge answers. "Eggman is on his way to the seventh emerald as we speak."

Sonic's heart drops. In a flash, he's gone, leaving a blue trail that dissipates behind the same corner Eggman disappeared through.

"Wait... Eggman is here?!" Tails realizes, his eyes widening.

"We're trying to stop him," Shadow clarifies.

"Really?" Amy says, gripping her hammer. "Because so far, you've had a funny way of showing it!"

"Things have changed," Shadow relays. "I'm not going to waste valuable time bickering with children. Believe what you want, just stay out of our way."

As the black hedgehog turns to leave, a blow from behind sends him tumbling a few feet across the hallway, getting multiple cheers and hoots from the surrounding inmates. Baffled, Rouge frowns.

"So much for believing in the good of others, huh?" she says, getting ready to retaliate.

"Whether or not you're telling the truth... I can't risk another betrayal," he says. "Not with so much at stake."

"VIOLENCE IT IS," E-123 Omega announces happily, readying its Gatling guns.

Down but not out, Shadow rises from the floor- his fists shaking. He steadies them as he turns around, facing the three heroes.

"You're making a grave mistake."

"Surely not one as big as working for Eggman," Tails retorts, placing Miles Electric on the floor. "Like Knuckles said, I can't be sure if you're genuine. But I know one thing. If there's even a small chance this is a ruse to help your boss..."

Tails balls his fists and imitates his echidna friend's battle stance.

"Then we're going to stop you!"

As the two sides brace for a fight, Amy gets her hammer ready, having something else on her mind.

It's all up to you now, Sonic.

With both sides now charging the other, neither of them would have ever noticed the Jackal eyeing them from the cell room's exit, peering behind the corner to check out the commotion. Seeing who it is, he loses interest, only noting his missing ex-boss and the war hero nowhere in sight.

He runs through the empty hallway to his left, certain this is where the others went. Secured in his palm is the red ruby, which gives off only the faintest glow. He's getting close.

...