— Abandoned Ship (Playa District) —

  Static- “SONIC?!?! TRICKY?!?! ARE YOU THERE?!?!” -Static. No matter how loud and desperate he’s calling for them, there are no signs of them, and they all are seemingly lost now that they have lost contact with the two. The ship continues to sink due to the massive overload of water rushing into the hull, causing it to tilt; catastrophic news for the team. Static- “Amy! Do you see Sonic or Tricky anywhere?!” -Static.

  Rushing into the bottom deck, Amy stumbles upon the flooded deck, witnessing the water continues fill the area, slowly but surely rising. She experienced sunken ships before, and this alone is no exception. But even if she pointed at the flashlight everywhere, there were no signs of them; no blue hedgehog and black porcupine. Just water everywhere. Static- “No… They’ve got to be alive!” -Static. Amy doesn’t want to believe they’re dead. She feels that they’re alive… somewhere, someplace, she feels it in her heart, no matter what. Static- “I know how strong they are! I know it! We can’t assume that they’re…” -Static.

  Everyone from the intercom agrees; they don’t want to believe that those two are dead. It’s practically impossible. Sonic would have the skill and friendship to make it out alive with Tricky. It’s not new; they’ve seen it before, and they know how well he handles it. Not only that, Amy would’ve noticed their bodies by now, but there’s nothing. Just water everywhere that the hedgehog sees.

  Even then, their time was limited, and they knew they couldn’t force themselves to dive down and find them. It was essentially a matter of believing in them or not, and whatever the case may be… they hope they make it out alive.

  Static- “... I think… we need one person to go on the boat. Not saying we should flee, but considering our safety and our investigation, it’s better to plan this way…” -Static. Although hesitant, Woofa guarantees it could be their best plan, regarding their situation. Static- “... Anyone willing to…?”

  Static- “I’ll hold out… I wanna inspect what’s going on around the ship so I can keep everyone on board.” -Static. Tails responds, continuing to inspect the hull while hovering in the air.

  Static- “Me too, I’ll continue to check how bad the water’s gonna fill up. I can’t let the ship do anything stupid while you guys investigate.” -Static. Despite being close to the danger zone, Amy chose to protect rather than keep a crucial thing unnoticed. Static- “But, thanks for reminding us, Woofa.” -Static.

  Static- “You’re welcome, Amy and Tails… We’ll keep in touch soon.” -Static. Although smiling and focusing on their mission, she asks someone in particular. Static- “Knuckles? Do you want to…? You know…?” -Static.

  Knuckles, who’s still investigating his own area, became a bit too focused on his mission. His name being called out interrupts the echidna, almost like an unexpected callout to his name. Static- “Yeah! Yeah! I’ll continue investigating. It’s my job to go through some stuff.” -Static. Sounding irritated, he stays strong, investigating whatever mess this entire place is.

  The dog’s mood falters; his negative attitude made her a bit dispirited. Still, since no one wanted to really watch out for the boat, she’s the only one to do so. Static- “... Fine… I guess I’ll… guard the boat…” -Static. Eventually, she makes her way there, hopping onto it while untangling the rope. “Besides, I did pay for it… Hopefully, no damage is sustained.”

  Slowly walking throughout his own area, the echidna tries his best to investigate. However, he clenches his fists and teeth, having such regret about being stoic. Although it’s his duty to be the usual mission-driven attitude, within his own feelings, he feels the same for everyone, the need for Sonic and Tricky to live… and he can’t bear them dying. “... Don’t die on me… Sonic… Tricky…”

  — Eggman’s Base (Playa District) —

  “If you’re worrying about all of us being trapped, don’t worry, there is another connection within this base… Not just the sinking ship from above. But since you lovely two are despicable… Only my recruiters and scientists can escape… not you two…” Continuing to tease the two, Dao uses her water powers to move them around, essentially giving them an entire tour of her base. “This is for you… You black needle and blue furball… Get it? If Solid were here, I would definitely make him my boyfriend. But, since he isn’t, I can’t wait for that pink’s reaction.”

  While she transports the two of them, Sonic tries his best to escape from her hold. However, the pressure around his body pushes him inward, seemingly impossible to break free from. “Great, we got another Kit with a personality of Rouge… except if he’s an enemy… even though he was… What am I saying?”

  “I really… don’t know… what kind of friends… You even have…” Tricky’s continuous dizziness worsened their situation. He can’t keep on suffering like this; he imagines himself relaxing at home, at his brother’s place, wishing he would live in the paradise he anticipates after this. Completely in the moment, where, despite being sick, he can at least lie down and rest rather than worry about some mission or death.

  Watching the porcupine’s expression, with his eyes closed and a soft smile, his mind was definitely somewhere else. So much so, the leopard seal taps his nose, forcing him to focus back on the reality he’s currently in. “Boop! Now. Now. Don’t anticipate a better life too soon, you precious porcupine! Soon, there will be a better life… somewhere above where you’re at!”

  “Tch… that’s what you… say…” Despite what she had said, Tricky continues to dream, wishing for a positive outcome in the near future.

  It didn’t help that they remained trapped within this water-surrounded base. Those glasses won’t be holding this entire base for too long. For certain, she probably plans to destroy the base, just like what Alloy had intended earlier. They’re unsure what that’ll achieve here, destroy the base, and then what, sacrifice yourself? Sure, they’re uncertain how powerful the Master Emerald would be as an actual nuclear reactor. Even if it did melt down, city officials would definitely take immediate action.

  Unless…

  “You guys are dumb enough to be here! Although all of you have successfully dealt with this reactor, does it matter? This place was meant to drown you… But don’t worry, you lovebirds got each other!” Mockingly, she pats both of their heads, giving them a memorable time together in their last moments. Her soft smile really ticks off Sonic; the positive vibes covered how she feels inside… pure evil. “Listen, everyone! Leave this place at once! Let me take care of these two right here, right now.”

  Everyone followed her orders, shutting off every control panel and even turning off the reactor, ensuring none of this whole meltdown would even exist in the first place. A mysterious door opens, where tons of minivans are parked inside, awaiting everyone to evacuate. That’s the other connecting pathway to the base that Dao had mentioned, since the one to the ship is now a hazard. The recruiters direct every scientist to safety, transporting them as each departs, one by one.

  Eventually, the entire base remains empty, except for a few recruiters and scientists, who are waiting for one recruiter. The leopard seal, along with her captured hedgehog and porcupine, watched as the recruiter tried to find something while everyone had already evacuated. The last remaining recruiters and scientists impatiently waited, and they’re really at it. “COME ON!!! We gotta evacuate, now! Quit finding whatever you’re finding and move it!”

  “Give me a minute! You don’t force someone to leave without something they need! It’s crucial! Without-”

  One of their teammates grabs their wrist, and their strength overpowers the other’s. Even though the recruiter repeatedly tries their best to find what they need, the other doesn’t waste any more time, dragging them through the base. “Listen to your elders! One more of that, you’re going to get fired soon!” Shoving them inside the minivan, the recruiter finally wipes some sweat from their face, all from that hard work. “We’re ready to leave, leader! You got this!” Finally, the mysterious door closes, leaving the three alone in this now seemingly useless base that’s considered a trap.

  “... Don’t know what they’re blabbering on about, but hey! Looks like we have the chance for some alone time, eh?” Dao leads them to the now-deactivated, empty reactor, giggling menacingly. “Now… imagine what your friends would say once they’ve realized their friends have died… It’s going to be pitiful… hearing their cries and screams… while you drown here alone… And for me… I’m-”

  “Yeah, because you’re a leopard seal. What sense does that make? Dao, the female who tries to flirt with us but fails. Besides… I don’t necessarily need someone like you…” The sick porcupine unexpectedly chuckles, making her and the Blue Blur confused by what the hell he’s even trying to say. “You really think that someone like you is going to trap us… Here in this place? Your beauty ain’t keeping us trapped here… because you look ugly as hell! That’s the real reason why I’m scared of you!”

  An utter disrespect, her heart somewhat shatters from his words, completely tarnished by the insult. She clenches her fists and teeth, ready for a possible altercation between the two. “Feisty, huh? Now you’ve done it… I’m so glad you’re trapped inside. Oh, how glad I am… because you’ll-!”

  PUNCH!!!

  Tricky instantly teleports and punches her right in the face, completely bypassing the powers that she had. “Talking about one of the most useless powers ever… I don’t see why someone would wield such an ability. Heh-heh…” Even though the porcupine is joking, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the leopard seal isn’t angry, because she’s distraught.

  “You’ve done enough…” More water unexpectedly appears out of nowhere and forces the porcupine into a series of control panels, knocking him down while the water traps him to the ground. The only thing not covering him is his face, to which she wants him to breathe for some time. “Don’t think about teleporting. You’re too dizzy to even think about doing one.”

  He lets out a suppressed chuckle, knowing that she’s right. “Yeah… I know… I know… that…” He ultimately gives up his position, even though he can crawl; it isn’t enough for him to fight alongside Sonic. “You got this… Sonic…”

  “Oh? Speaking of the devil… where is he? Where are you, my blue furball?” Dao immediately looks around for the hedgehog, yet there are no sightings. She wonders where he could have gone after the porcupine punched her in the face. Desperately looking around, she uses more water that again came out of nowhere, forcing big waves of water to knock each control panel, thinking he could be hiding behind there. However, even with all the control panels knocked, nothing much for the leopard seal. “Hiding isn’t gonna get you anywhere, Sonic… You'd better learn that wherever you hide… you’re still going to die, no matter-”

  Every light suddenly turned off, alerting her to defend herself from all sides and creating a water barrier. Despite it looking very weak and vulnerable, it’s actually very durable; the water pressure blocks anything from the outside, even a hedgehog. Just like Sonic and Tricky experienced when they’re making their way down into the lower deck of the ship, Dao is now experiencing those feelings: anxiousness and nervousness embedded within her. However, the lights suddenly turned on, most specifically, the reactor’s lights. Then a large, shadowed figure of Sonic appears in the background, covering the entire reactor. Although the hedgehog isn’t seen physically, the shadowed figure completely dominates the mainstage of his speech, forcing the leopard seal to continue to defend herself.

  “Hey, just because I’m hiding doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea! It’s a strategy, y’know?” Sonic’s voice echoes everywhere, ironically sounding optimistic in this eerie environment. “Whatever your plan is, I don’t blame ya! That was a clever plan, and I’ll give credit for whatever that was! Even then, would your water powers be able to win against me?” Dao starts to grunt, slightly backing away from his shadowed figure. “You’re a beauty, don’t let that dumb porcupine get inside your head; he’s playing with you.” Despite what’s happening, he chuckles through this moment, trying to make things at ease. “There are lots of enemies I’ve fought; some are calm, some are the usual ‘I like to destroy the world’ type people, and some are just rivals. But for a few, they’re like you! And I’m always interested to see what kind of fighter you are! Until then… You ready for a fight?”

  The light then turned back on, relieving the leopard seal as she slowly lowered her water barrier, relieved from the eerie environment. Meanwhile, Sonic finally reveals himself, standing afar and on top of the reactor. He presents the usual smirk on his face, ready for their battle to begin. “Hey! Was that a nice presentation?”

  RUMBLEEEEE!!!

  The Blue Blur was immediately shaken from the unexpected rumbling, and it felt like some explosion had happened somewhere. “Oh, that was a SPECTACULAR presentation! How amazing of you! But don’t worry about that, hon. That’s the passageway. I bet that explosion was to wipe out where it leads. Not like it’s a big deal, but… I guess we’re trapped. So you better hurry, Sonic, because time is definitely running out.”

  “Heh-Heh… Challenge accepted.”

  — Abandoned Ship (Playa District) —

  RUMBLE!!!

  Static- “What was that?!” -Static. Woofa immediately asks through the intercoms, feeling a sudden vibration around the area. It was brief, yet an abrupt pause in their investigation.

  Though the ship continued to sink, now forced to a higher level, Amy had to make a crucial decision. Static- “I don’t know what that is, but all I do know is that we’re wasting more time!” -Static.

  Amy’s words are nothing short of true; the more they waste time, the more dangerous their investigation becomes. The ship starts to lean, prompting Tails to know that something horrible will happen if he doesn’t tell the team. Static- “Guys, we really need to escape! Investigating won’t last long! I… I don’t wanna lose anyone here…!” -Static.

  Although it’s Amy’s duty to check on the water level, she can’t bear to let her friends continue this. At the same time, she still feels Sonic’s presence within her, still alive and breathing, even if he’s not there. Something conflicts within her; either do it, or forfeit this entire mission. Static- “I-I know, Tails! I know!” -Static. Yet, she’s still committed to finding him. Therefore, she alters her strategy by going to the outside deck. She’s still on the ship, but she can feel the sun beaming down on her. Static- “... Lemme stay. If… nothing…” -Static. Slightly… she trembles, if there is no response or news about the Blue Blur… it would be detrimental to her. But she tells herself to stay strong; even if he’s not here, all she can do is hope for the best. Static- “... If nothing, I’ll retreat to the boat.” -Static.

  However, for the echidna, things are going differently from what Tails requested everyone to do. Although Woofa had listened and Amy had improvised, Knuckles stubbornly investigates, not wanting any interference within the intercoms and space around him. Still, that doesn’t mean that someone’s going to ignore him, because someone’s constantly calling his name– Static- “Knuckles…!? Knuckles!?” -Static.

  Static- “I’m too busy here! Call me another time, Tails!” -Static. The echidna yells, grunting while he makes his way through the hallways, not giving up on this investigation.

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  Joining in on the chaos, Woofa argues with him, clearly disliking the situation that’s brewing up between the fox and echidna. Static- “Stop being stubborn, Knuckles! I know you’re finishing up your investigation, but what would you do? Stay here or-” -Static.

  Static- “Stay here, of course! I’m risking my life for something I have to finish, and the job isn’t done until we get things resolved!” -Static. The usual Kncukles progresses his investigation, even if the ship continues to tilt, that doesn’t bother him at all. “Why are they always concerned?! They’ve seen me fight. They’ve seen me in life-or-death situations. I don’t need some kind of help! I can do this myself if I must!” Continuing to stay strong, he turns off the intercom, practically disconnecting from them. His main mission is to investigate, and that’s what he’s going to do.

  As time progressively passes by, the ship's tilt becomes an obstacle for the echidna. In fact, it gotten so bad that Amy had to board the boat with Woofa. But going back to Knuckles, nothing seemed to be stopping him. He’s continuing to go through the hallways, still investigating like the redhead. But even with all the investigation, no leads or anything noteworthy for the time being.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Looking at the window, Knuckles watches Tails knocking on it, kindly asking him to open it. To the fox’s credit, the echidna opens the window, allowing him to get inside this place. “Look. Even though what Woofa said about you is right, I’ll help you finish with this place. But, if anything, I don’t want some maritime disaster where our names are listed in a grave, so please… Please, Knuckles… Listen to me when I say we go back to the boat if we don’t find anything noteworthy… Okay?”

  Grumbling… “Really?” Now that his stoic expression was crushed, Knuckles finally allowed Tails to help him, after initially refusing for one. All he could do was groan and shake his head, continuing his investigation with his friend. “You’re about to make things more difficult on me, huh?”

  “Knuckles… I’m not making it difficult. I’m trying to help you out. And you’re pushing me away like this is your own thing!” He doesn’t want to explain this yet again, but it becomes increasingly difficult as the echidna continues to push him away. Knuckles doesn’t want to converse with him at all. Too bad that time is wasted, because the ship continues to tilt. But, to his dissatisfaction, the echidna ignores his words, not caring what he had said earlier. It sucks, but it’s the truth, nevertheless. Knuckles walks away to another room, prompting Tails to investigate on his own.

  Inside one of the rooms, he checks everywhere. The cabinet, chair, desk, anything that piques his interest. Yet, like what Knuckles had been going through earlier, nothing notable and interesting. He understands the frustration that the echidna went through, desperately trying to find any… any major clues to help them proceed with their mission.

  But nothing.

  So much so, in slight frustration, he kicks the cabinet, expressing his- “What the…?” There, a mysterious pop-up compartment opens up from the cabinet. It’s not even the main compartment, but a hidden one. Upon taking a look at it, he finds a blueprint of this entire ship. However, he feels something foldable underneath, something more than just the ship itself. “Knuckles! Knuckles! I found something!”

  Instantly, Knuckles rushes inside the room, although unsure what the fox has to present. “What is this you’re show-” When he finally sees the blueprint, his face turns into genuine shock. “Tails! T-This is…!

  — Eggman’s Base (Playa District) —

  “Stop running, you DAMN BLUE FURBALL!!! You’re making me want to get you even more!” Dao aims her water powers at the hedgehog, who swiftly zooms and dodges all her attacks. She continues her assault, creating darts of water and whatever water powers she has to overpower him.

  Meanwhile, on the opposite end, Sonic is enjoying this moment, making him feel alive once more. The action-packed scenery, along with teasing her by dodging all those water powers, makes the Blue Blur chuckle. “I know you’re better than this! You don’t wanna aim and break the glass while we’re fighting, do you?!”

  The leopard seal clenches her fists and teeth, growling in response. She immediately stops all of her water, letting it splash onto the ground as the hedgehog stalls onto the reactor. Both of them stare at each other, both with opposite feelings. She desperately wants to land an attack on him, but he’s way too fast. He’s practically unpredictable and unbeatable to win against, especially as he’s playing more defense rather than offense. “Come on, Sonic… I know someone’s not a good fighter, constantly dodging my attacks. Where’s the Sonic I know and love, who always picks up a fight and makes combat closer?” She puts her hands on her hips, teasingly leaning forward while retaining her personality and smirk.

  What Sonic was intentionally trying to do was test her fighting skills. All along, she kept playing offense with such aggression, not realizing the hedgehog’s motive. Eventually, he gives in and jumps down into the water, creating a splash, and slowly approaches her with his usual grin. “Here and ready. Sorry about the wait, besides, I’m never the type to be patient, so I understand ya!”

  “He-he… How lovely… I love when you do that…” Dao instantly uses her water powers to grab him from behind, but he’s already gone. “T-That fast…?! Where did he-”

  SPIN! SPIN! SPIN!!!

  Without realizing it, she gets hit by his Spindash, instantly knocking her onto the wet ground. When she slowly gets up, Sonic wastes no time in attacking her from behind by intentionally tripping her, and even if she immediately gets up yet again, he lightly punches her in the stomach. “If this is a fight that I can think of… It’ll be Shadow or Surge. You’re fighting like them, aggressive, wanting to defeat me badly. Now, here’s a thing between you guys that you gotta understand… Even if you have the will to win, are you faster or more aggressive than that-”

  Dao rushes and grabs Sonic’s neck without her water powers, unexpectedly holding him in the air while he tries to fight her off. “I don’t care about that Shadow the Hedgehog or whoever Surge is… I can be better with what I’m capable of, my flirting and stuff.”

  “T-That’s nice…!” Sonic kicks at her stomach, forcing her to release him from her hold. However, the leopard seal quickly recovers from that blow, using her water powers once more. “Hey, I’m glad to see a change! Maybe it’s about time we can have a close fight as you asked for!”

  Casually stretching, Dao can’t wait for the action. This time, she’s learned from what the hedgehog had said. She doesn’t know whether he’s actually telling her to step up her game or if he’s just saying it to upset her. Until then, she’s ready for some more. More fighting. “Make sure to check on my condition, too, my blue furball!”

  This time, Sonic doesn’t immediately spindash, but straight up runs at her. He dodges all the water attacks targeting him from all sides, continuing to frustrate her while making things more aggressive. There, he counterattacks her from all sides, not even a full second to react on time as he deals with her swiftly and easily.

  Every time she gets hit, she becomes more aggressive, using more water to deal with the hedgehog. But she fails in every single exchange, just easy hits for the hedgehog to take on the leopard seal. “I thought he was scared of water… How come he’s dealing with mine THAT easily…?” She tries to remember something, something that embeds her deep in her mind.

  Dao was born on an island, far away from where everyone lived, unlike those from Haven City or even the most rural areas. She lived in a geographically isolated area, away from everyone. Born into a tribe of her own family members, she's grateful to be part of their bloodline, much like Knuckles. Other than being fantastic swimmers and having the unique powers to control water, there isn't really anything important other than living in a cold environment.

  No wonder the island is barely visited.

  Although the place is known for its isolation and limited contact with the outside world, Dao has a vast interest in the world beyond her native land, and her mind continues to intrigue her. Even when her parents unanimously disapproved of her decision to travel, her guts told her otherwise. When the ferry arrives, with a bittersweet note, she says goodbye to her family and fulfills the life she dreamed of.

  Arriving at Haven City, she’s never seen a place that massive and popular. Unlike her hometown island, which was basically full of her family, this place is full of strangers, and communication may be challenging. While fluent in her native language, one of her family members had taught her the standardized language throughout this kingdom, so she’s grateful for that. Although she still retains her flirting attitude, she mainly jokes along and meets people along the way.

  But behind all her adventures came some problems. She could barely make friends and didn’t know where to go. She was a leopard seal who wandered the streets with many other anthropomorphic people along the way, yet she struggled with the life she had dreamed of, and now she’s regretting it.

  The now-empty beach, she looks at the moonlight, fully regretting her decision. She wished she never had this dream of being here, and plans to return to her native home. “... What am I doing…? I shouldn’t have done this… This is… A mistake on my end…” In the end, she feels hopeless; no one is there to help and aid her.

  “Hey. Hey!” Hearing some kind of voice, Dao slowly looks up to find a source, a bald human with a very recognizable mustache. There’s no such thing as humans in this world, but does it matter if they’re ultra-rare? No. Whatever this person wants must mean something to her. “How are you feeling here? Seems you look very lost in this city.”

  “You can say that again. No one seems to take me seriously, the usual flirty person that I am, but whatever. I’m from a distant island, and I left my family to pursue a life here. Wasn’t the best idea now that I’m here…” For once, she rests her chin on her hand, looking at the waves as they hit the shore. “I’m a great swimmer, I bet I can swim to that nearby island over there.”

  The human smirks; he doesn’t need proof that she can endure herself swimming, because it was enough for him to plan something for her. “Slow down. Slow down. There’s no need to show off your skills. Besides, you’re probably the last person I’m recruiting today. So…”

  “You… want me to join so I won’t-”

  “Suffer? Nah. I don’t want to see you suffer out here. You’ll be experiencing new friends along the way! It’s a recruitment and if so… you can get paid as well! Have a life and importance here while you’re at it!” Eggman continues his positive attitude, genuinely optimistic about her potential and her role being recruited under his leadership. “You wanna try it out? It’s better than… this.”

  “... Believe or not… This is the place where I’m at, regardless of whether this is something I have to fight for.” Opening her eyes, she finally uses her water power to grab the lunging hedgehog, smirking as she finally got his grasp. “For my FAMILY!” She slams the Blue Blur down, where, and drags him through the flooded water.

  Breaking free from her grasp, Sonic desperately gasps for some air, coughing out the seawater that he had accidentally consumed. Everything tastes salty and disgusting, and he gags it out, even to the point where he does his best to throw up, but fails to. Gags. “Y-Your family…? What do you mean by that…?”

  “Dear hedgehog… do you need more of an explanation? I was part of a tribe from afar, isolated in a cold and harsh environment where my family lives. I want someone to get me a place to start… and the doctor provided me with so much care… My objective is to get rid of you, your friends, and that damn orange furball after three of my friends became unsuccessful.” She clenches her fists, using the water to grab the already collapsed and weak hedgehog towards her. When she finally comes into close contact with him, she dodges an already expected kick. “Tch. Tch. Tch. Calm down, hon. You’re not authorized to hit someone like me… And if so… maybe I should make you my punching bag…”

  Taking blows from the leopard seal, Sonic's condition worsened in his already weakened, vulnerable state; the evil expression on her face tells him he's witnessing the end of his journey. "Please make her change her choices like Knuckles…"

  She finally reveals where all the water is being sourced from, a random, leaking pipe connected to the seawater itself. It takes a bit of stoppage to actually prevent more of the source from being supplied inside. “Enough of that… I’m tired of letting you and that beautiful, dumb porcupine die at the same time… you’re first.” Creating a ball of seawater around the hedgehog, she encloses all the water, securely drowning him inside. As before, he desperately tries his best to escape, but the pressure around him is way too strong. He’s trapped.

  PUNCH!!!

  Coughing up all the seawater that he had accidentally consumed. He doesn’t know what happened, but Dao was punched by someone mysterious, which was the reason why he escaped from her control. Still, who is this person who saved him from death?

  Seeing the mysterious hand reaching out for the hedgehog to continue their fight, he slowly looks to see who it is. “Hey Sonic, just a reminder, don’t throw up as I did earlier, because it’s gonna smell here!” Tricky smirks, stunningly, no longer looking dizzy, and the urge to vomit every time.

  “Tricky?!” Sonic immediately grabs his hand and gets up, looking excited and shocked simultaneously at the presence of his friend. “How in the world are you not sick?!”

  Casually and mischievously, he takes out a container full of pills, pills that mainly relieve nausea. “The recruiter who was trying to find something, they’re trying to find their pills, and I knew when they failed to get it, I knew that I had to get it. But at the same time, I don’t want to get into it immediately without being obvious, because if I do, Dao would’ve found out by then.” Stuffing the container back inside his glove, he then takes a sigh of relief. “I took two… maybe three pills while you guys were at it.

  “You are one hell of a porcupine, and that’s already expected from you!” Both of them quickly dap each other up. Sonic’s happy to see that the porcupine is fully awake and healthy.

  “Tricky… no wonder you don’t have any girlfriends… Not even I would be your girlfriend…” Dao slowly but surely recovers, groaning in pain as she tries to do something about it. “Truthfully, February hits you hard, huh? Seeing all those couples hanging out on that day. I bet Amy is a Solid and Woofa shipper, I bet someone must’ve called it ‘Solfa’ or something… But enough of that, hon… you’ll regretting every… single… second… of this fight…” Then, she summons a massive wall of water behind her, ready for the action-packed, intense fight.

  Scoffs. “Massive tsunami? I don’t think it is one, but I never experienced a fight like this!” Now embedded in complete excitement, Tricky cracks his knuckles to ready himself for a fight. “Come on, let’s give it our all, Sonic!”

  Seeing this, Sonic’s competitive spirit now fully revived, completely all in on this renewed fight that will take place right here, right now. “Hell yeah! Let’s show her what we got going for!”

  — Abandoned Ship (Playa District) —

  Static- “So you’re telling me I have to dive down and punch whatever is underneath?” -Static. Knuckles clarifies once again that he’s strapped to the tight rope while on the sinking ship, wanting to hear the plan that Tails had explained to the team.

  Static- “Yep! And once you tug the rope three times, that’s an indicator that Amy and Woofa will pull you guys out of the ocean! Eventually, once you make it back to the surface, I’ll drive to the spot you’re at and will pick you guys up! Nothing more than a team effort!” -Static. Tails waves at the three from above, excitedly waiting for them to start whatever the plan he created.

  “You got this, Knuckles! Punch that glass wide open and save those two inside!” Amy’s cheerful about this plan, but is also excited about rescuing Sonic. Her heart beats rapidly, awaiting the person and their friend whom she truly believed were alive.

  Also cheering him on, Woofa finishes tightening the rope, looking secure as ever with the placement. Once that’s out of the way, she happily cheers the echidna on, waving at him as he makes his way to the edge. “Hey, make sure to rescue Sonic and that sick porcupine! I know you hate ‘em because of how many bets they’ve won over you, but give them credit for what they’re doing there!”

  Stubbornly, the echidna mutters angrily about those two. “Yeah. Yeah…” But at the end of the day, he can’t help but chuckle a bit, reminiscing about their friendship together. For a moment, he takes a deep breath, stretching for a bit and readily starting their entire plan to rescue Sonic and Tricky.

  The fight continues with the three, but it might not be considered one because of how much Sonic and Tricky are winning. The combined effort of their speeds, along with the porcupine’s teleportation, overwhelms her by a substantial amount. Dealing with the two is an entire mess; she can’t handle using her water powers and simultaneously focus on both of them, because they’re everywhere in this base. Her water can’t reach them on time. They can appear ahead, on her left, right, and-

  KICK!!!

  “What’s wrong? The leopard seal got tired of the two versus one? I wouldn’t consider it cheating since you are who you are.” The porcupine wipes his mouth after kicking her from behind, smirking in amusement. “Where’s the beauty and the flirting Dao that I know and love?”

  Slowly recovering from the kick, Dao slowly gets up, but the exhaustion continues to wear her down, forcing her to kneel and protect herself from all sides. “Shut up, porcupine… You guys don’t understand how I feel… Why I’m doing this…”

  Tricky doesn’t have the will to listen; he wants to finish this, but Sonic halts him, giving her the chance to speak up. Slowly understanding the Blue Blur, he takes a step back, letting him do what he needs to say. He has experienced this before, first with Doubt and then Alloy; their backstories. If so, he could at least try to convince her. But first… “Tell me. Why exactly are you doing this? Why are you doing this for Eggman?”

  “... Because I didn’t want to suffer. I didn’t want to suffer in the streets of Haven City. I was trying to explore this world. Outside my native homeland was an island, isolated from everyone. I only lived with my family, but I wanted to chase some recognition in this outside world, yet was there any recognition while at it? No. I thought about quitting and returning home, but the doctor offered me help. It felt like someone was guiding me somewhere, and that’s where he helped recruit me. For the first time, I felt lively, some recognition, and this is where I am, right now.”

  Immediately hearing her side of the story, Tricky and Sonic looked at each other. A person from far away, already suffering. After the porcupine thinks about it, all that personality she had shown was a mask for her own reality, and he totally regrets everything he had said to her. Dao slowly releases her barrier, looking very defeated in this state. She knows she can’t handle both of them and calls it quits. “I’m sorry about all of this mess, you lovely two… I shouldn’t-”

  CRASH!!!

  The sound of the glass breaks when Knuckles easily punches through. Not only that, but the implosion around them causes every other glass wall to break, shattering the entire base as they’re immediately in water. Although an implosion, surprisingly, no one is fatally injured. The echidna successfully grabs the two friends and tugs the rope three times as they’re slowly but surely getting pulled up.

  However, Tricky notices Dao slowly falling into the ocean floor, not even attempting to swim to the surface. All that pain and suffering really got into her, so much so that she doesn’t care if she’s going to see her family. This outside world wasn’t meant for her. Out of temptation, he immediately lets go of the echidna’s hand, diving down to get her. Knuckles’s eyes widened in shock, but can’t do anything since Amy and Woofa are oblivious to the situation.

  As the two reached the surface, both the hedgehog and echidna gasped for air. Sonic blocks the sunlight shining on his face since he finally arrived on the surface, but is still concerned about his porcupine friend. “Tricky is still down there! He got that girl of his drowning!”

  Immediately, the rest take notice; although relieved that Sonic is rescued, they still need to take care of the porcupine. The speedboat stops by as Tails quickly explains to Knuckles. “Go take care of them while I help Sonic up here!” With a quick and firm nod, the echidna dives back down while the fox quickly gets a hold of the Blue Blur, successfully saving him as the hedgehog settles down on the seat.

  Quickly drying himself with a towel that he got from Tails, Sonic chuckles at Tricky’s decision, slightly shaking his head. “That porcupine sure has something with the leopard seal.” Though his best friend hugs him tightly, he is glad that he’s alive and healthy. “Hey… Hey… Remember, Tails. This is the Sonic that you know and love! Yeah?”

  Still hugging him, Tails never lets go, already missing the hedgehog. All he’s grateful for is the blueprint that he had miraculously found, a foundation for saving Sonic. “Y-Yeah! You scared everyone when your communicator went dead silent… We didn’t want to believe that you were dead, but… we kept on believing, and here you are… alive!”

  At a distance, Amy sheds a few tears, grateful that she believed her heart meant something to her. She always knew that Sonic would stay alive, and he did. Woofa can only glance at her with a soft smile; she helps wipe her friend’s tears, comforting her and taking in the moment.

  “Dao… if you’re seeing me… I could or could not love you… But damn! You’re so annoying with that attitude! What gives?!” Tricky instantly grabs her hand, not letting go of their wet, conjoined gloves. As hard as he can, he tries his best to swim to the surface, but she’s heavy, and it causes him to get tired easily. Not to mention, he can’t teleport with her, and they’re slowly sinking, worsening his situation. It was at this point that he could either save himself or risk his life to save the person who needed him the most. But the team needs him, and he’s on the verge of potentially letting go of her hand.

  Knuckles suddenly grabs his hand, a stern look, yet a sign of support, helping the porcupine and leopard seal make it onto the surface. With another three tugs to the rope, Amy and Woofa finally sense some relief, pulling them back to the surface as both Tails and Sonic help the three onto the boat.

  “Whoa! Who is this?” Tails curiously asks, looking at the anthropomorphic leopard seal that Tricky had the urge to rescue. “Is this your girlfriend?”

  “Hell nah!” Tricky essentially barks at the fox’s teasing, slightly blushing from the mention of having one. “She ain’t my girlfriend! Besides, I’m too single to have one, unlike someone…” He slowly turns his head as Amy helps Woofa board onto the boat, wrapping up their entire mission in this district.

  Although wet, Woofa grabs a dry towel and covers herself while smirking at the porcupine’s presence. “I don’t know about that. Seems like someone is in love…” She looks at the team, with Amy, Sonic, and Tails giggling from her teasing.

  “Says you…” The porcupine mutters, sitting down as he clutches onto the bottle of pills, in case he becomes nauseous again.

  Nearby, the ship soon starts to collapse, prompting Tails to get everybody ready as they buckle their seatbelts. Once it collapses and splashes into the ocean, the boat immediately speeds away, a scene to take in as they depart. Yet, despite the sunken ship, the combination of the sunset and its radiating colors draws everyone in, including the fox himself, who deliberately slows the boat to take his time memorizing the beauty of the scene.

  At the beach, everyone is looking at the combined sunset and the sunken ship. Some of them mesmerize the scenery; often, they take one of the more memorable photos, which goes viral on the internet.

  Simultaneously, with immediate attention, the forces arrive on the scene with helicopters and speedboats to investigate what's going on. They ride past the speedboat the Safe Haven team is on, mainly focusing on the bigger investigation out there.

  But for the team, it’s nothing short of a mission to memorize… as Tails then speeds the boat back to the beach.

  “I love the sunset…”

  - - ACT 1: Stage 6 (Abandoned Ship) || COMPLETED - -