Jayde the Hedgehog • By Your Side [3]

21: Tails✔️

Music: Nova - Ahrix

22:42: Tails' workshop

The young fox was talking to the blue hedgehog when the Protector flew through the door, "Tails!" As he turned, Jayde jumped off her board and wrapped her arms around him, concealing him in a tight hug, "I thought he had you." She whispered, her ears pinning back.

The twin tailed inventor was slightly confused, not completely understand what Jayde meant, but he wrapped his arms around her anyway and returned the embrace. Shadow chaos controlled into the room at this moment, raising an eye rig. Sonic shrugged, a small smile on his muzzle at the scene.

"Jayde, I'm still confused. Why did you think that bat had me? You knew I was at Mystic Ruins." Tails asked as she pulled back.

Before the grey hedgehog spoke up, Shadow answered for her, "Torrent had a Phantom Cube, one of the few that are remaining, and he used it to process the image of you through Jayde's mind that you were with him."

Tails looked even more perplexed, "But Jayde has a Psychic Shield?"

Sonic shook his head, "Apparently, the Phantom Cube was more powerful and able to sneak past that to give the illusion that Torrent had you. With you in Mystic Ruins, it could've been believable."

Jayde crossed her arms and looked at the blue hedgehog, "I see someone's been doing his research." The blue blur poked his tongue out at her in a playful manner.

Tails place a hand on his chin, thinking deeply, "That doesn't make any sense. Unless the Phantom Cube has Mental Shield Penetration, or a form of Consciousness Shattering, it would be able to affect Jayde. It could also be that her focus was off, but it should be an involuntary thing that happens."

"So, you're saying she shouldn't have been affected?" Sonic asked, placing a hand on his hip. It was Jayde's turn to look confused at the young scientist nodded.

"So, what does that mean?" she asked.

Tails walked over to his computer, typing a few things before speaking, "Either it really is more superior compared to the Riots Shards, or the Phantom Cubes don't have interior illusion abilities but instead shows them as reality in front of us."

"That would explain why you saw Tails to begin with." Shadow said, the young fox nodding slightly in response.

Jayde growled, "Ooh, when I get my hands on that sneaky, lying rat..." she clenched he fists by her sides before her orbs widened and she suddenly turned to the Ultimate Lifeform, "If that device really was important, wouldn't GUN put a tracker on it?"

Shadow thought for a moment, "I don't know. Tails, try to hack into GUN and see if that device does."

"Already on it." He muttered, his tongue sticking out in concentration.

Jayde looked towards Sonic, "If it does, we can use it to track Torrent down and ambush him. It would be better not to tell everyone, it would only cause more chaos." The blue hedgehog nodded towards her, but the Ultimate Lifeform fought with himself. If Jayde came along, she would be in serious danger. Torrent had already made it clear he wanted her gone, and by now, that bat would know Shadow's weakness...

Her

And he couldn't risk her again.

24:51

He was fighting with himself.

He could lock her here, keep her safe and hold the weight of her anger on his shoulders or she could come along as originally planned and take on Torrent with them – either way was a lose, lose situation. Shadow knew that the best option was keeping her here, but the only way to do that was trapping her because he already knew she wouldn't stay as told.