Infinite Sadness

Start This War

Meanwhile, back on Seaside Island, Tails and Gadget rush toward the void in the jungle.

"There it is, right there!" Gadget points as they approach the portal leading into Null Space.

They make it to the void and catch their breaths.

"Wow, this looks intense," Tails says, then fidgets with his invention. "Hopefully my transmission device will pick up one of their signals. All we have to do is..."

WAM!

Gadget dives into Tails, forcing him out of the line of fire in the knick of time! They tumble, then look up and realize they almost got shot by... T.W. Barker.

"Greetings, fellow canines," he says, hovering from within one of Eggman's Egg Pods. "I see you're concerned about Zero. I am as well."

"Barker? Why are you attacking us?" Gadget growls, seeing as how Barker is part of the new Jackal Squad.

"Just trying to keep you away from that portal, that's all. Better to suffer a gnarly laser burn, than to drown in infinite darkness. Wouldn't you agree?"

Tails and Gadget exchange peculiar looks.

"You're confused I see. Don't be. All you two need to do is stand guard."

Tails wonders.

"Is that one of Eggman's..."

"Enough chit chat, fox. Yes, I stole this Egg Pod from Doctor Eggman's two lackey-bots some time ago. You see, I've been spying on my cousin ever since he introduced me to his new squad. My observations have led me to conclude, that my help is required in eradicating a lingering family enemy. Therefore, this is not your fight, though I do relish seeing two brave doggos ready to engage. Thank you for your assistance. I'll take it from here on out."

Before they can stop him, Barker flies into the portal.

"Oh my gosh, he went in!" Gadget exclaims, shocked.

To their dismay, the portal then shuts!

"Oh no, now what do we do?!" cries Gadget.

"We use my transmitter," Tails replies. "Hopefully I can still get a signal!"

In Null Space, all the new, red sunlight reveals to the avatar Jackal Squad, many duplicated Mephiles-entities.

"Ew, gross!" groans Jade.

"I know right," Pronto agrees, "it's like turning on a light and seeing a swarm of cockroaches!"

Roxium takes a few down with his arrow blades.

"You all have blades too!" he calls out. "Don't hold back!"

"Do I ever?" Pronto calls back, then goes wild, leaping from here to there and slashing through the monsters with his wavy, Damascus knife.

"Nice action over there, Pronto!" Fetch compliments as he also cuts through the Mephiles mess using his Hawkbill knife.

Jade sweeps through several enemies using only her claws.

"Haha, that felt too good!"

"Yeah, this is a trip but I think there might be too many of them!" yells Fetch

"Ya think?" Pronto yells back. "We're out numbered big time, pooches!"

A red light washes along the ground, burning up the army and sparing the jackals. Infinite lands in the middle of his squad and stands majestically, his mask radiating a deep, red flame.

"Oh hey look, we found Zero!" Pronto laughs.

"Well done, Jackal Squad," Infinite tells them. "Let us find the real Mephiles and snuff out his existence from this universe."