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saphstories · 1 month ago

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Chapter Three: Defenders of the Emerald

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Relief so great it threatened to knock him off his feet seized Sonic’s chest at the sight of his house still standing in one piece, seemingly untouched by the invasion. A grin stretched across his muzzle when he spotted familiar red and yellow blurs zooming towards home, but quickly fell once he saw just who had accompanied his brothers. “What are you guys doing? Get out of here!” Sonic yelped, green eyes wide with disbelief while skidding to a stop directly before the front porch, where Tom and Maddie stood with Knuckles and Tails. “You gotta get to the ranch!”

“No way, blueberry.” Maddie shook her head. “If Tails says that those…those things are coming for the Master Emerald at our house, then we’re going to do our part to defend it.”

“Your mom’s right.” Tom cocked the shotgun in his grip and smirked at his middle son. “Part of being a hero, kiddo. Now that the town has been evacuated, protecting the house and the rock is the priority. Comprende?”

Sonic looked between his parents and brothers, his family. Tom raised a brow, Maddie put her hands on her hips, Tails swished his namesakes with a thumbs-up, and Knuckles raised his large fists. “Comprende.”

Tails whipped out his Miles Electric and closely studied the holographic screen. “I don’t think they realize yet that the Master Emerald is here, but its energy signature…will be…oh boy.” The twin-tailed fox gulped. “If these readings are right, and I know they are, they’re coordinating in the town square now.”

“Which means they just realized the Emerald is here.” Sonic groaned.

“What Emerald?”

Sonic let out a shriek and bounced a foot in the air, quills and fur poofed out in fright, then whirled around and glared at Shadow, who was smirking devilishly. “Don’t do that!” He commanded, forcing his fur and spines to lay flat and pointedly ignoring the barely concealed titters behind him. Traitors. “What are you even doing here? Did you follow me? I told you to go to the ranch!”

“I don’t take orders from kids.” Shadow retorted, disregarding Sonic’s huff of protest. “And, from what I’ve heard, you’re going to need all the help you can get to defend this ‘Master Emerald’ from the invaders. You may be fast, Hedgehog, but is your speed enough to take down an army on your own?”

“So, you’re offering to help.” Maddie clarified.

Shadow nodded. “I’m quite fast as well, and proficient in combat. These monsters leveled the entire town in less than two hours. I doubt I’d want to see what they could do if they have this Emerald of yours.”

The Wachowskis glanced at one another uncertainly. After a moment, Knuckles strode forward until he was toe to toe with Shadow. His magenta eyes critically examined the black hedgehog, and Shadow met his gaze steadily. “The black hedgehog is correct.” Knuckles confirmed. “The Master Emerald is too powerful to be stolen, and against an army, we may not be enough. It is a poor strategy to refuse a warrior when he volunteers for battle, and given what destruction these monsters have already done to Green Hills, we shall need every able warrior that will.”

Tom slung the strap of his shotgun over his shoulder and leveled a steely gaze over his family and new ally. “We’d best get ready, then. If Tails is right as he normally is, then we don’t have much time.”

For the first time in three years, it was deathly silent at the Wachowski household. The silence before battle was almost deafening, but even Sonic knew better than to try and break it with mindless chatter. The blue devil glanced at Shadow, who stood a few paces away in the center of the front yard, garnet eyes narrowed and combing the tree line opposite the house for any movement. If Sonic listened close, he could hear Tails mumbling to himself on the roof—a scout in a makeshift crow’s nest—, and Sonic knew if he looked back, he would find the barrel of his father’s shotgun just barely visible through the upstairs window, the best position for a master marksman. Sonic’s fur prickled with unease at the thought of Knuckles alone on the back porch, but the echidna had assured him that—as the Wachowski Tribe’s strongest warrior—he would be more than capable of defending the back of their home on his own.

The Miles Electric shrieked and vibrated in Tails’s hands, and the twin-tailed fox’s stomach dropped through his shoes at the vast army encroaching his home on all sides. “They’re here!” Sonic squeezed his hands into fists, Shadow curled his lip, Tom pumped his shotgun, and Knuckles lowered into a crouch, each locked onto the monstrous figures hovering just inside the trees surrounding the house, their eyes glinting hungrily towards the defenders of the Master Emerald.

Shadow squinted as the army at the front of the house parted, and he blinked in surprise, then shot a deadpan expression at Sonic. “And you were going to mention an evil twin brother when?”

“Wha-?” Sonic’s gaze flashed to the assembled legion of monsters, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Nah, baby.” The pale green hedgehog shook his head with glinting ice blue eyes hidden behind a pair of scarlet sunglasses. “Evil twin? Please.” He scoffed and gestured to himself and his glossy leather jacket, bare chest riddled with jagged scars, ripped jeans, and black combat boots. “This hotness is a real Scourge.” He cackled and flashed a vicious smirk full of sharp fangs.

Sonic wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Another hedgehog? Seriously, how many fakers are there?” He complained.

Scourge put a hand over his chest and winced dramatically. “Ouch. Now that hurts, see?” He objected, the wounded expression fooling absolutely no one. “And here I was thinkin’ you folks were the friendly types.”

“Forgive us for not being so friendly when an army of ugly led by a faker who doesn’t own a shirt destroys our home.” Sonic deadpanned.

“That’s fair, I s’pose.” Scourge linked his arms behind his head, an easy grin of fangs splitting his muzzle, the picture of nonchalance. “And I’d apologize for that, ‘cept me and my associates here had orders to search the town, see. I mean, yeah, my comrades got a bit eager, I can admit that, but still. Orders is orders, so if you gots a problem, you can take it up with the Big Boss.”

“I’ll make sure to lodge the complaint with your HR department.” Sonic rolled his eyes.

“And clearly, whatever you’re searching for isn’t here.” Shadow added, his tone almost conversational, countering his stiff posture, like a cobra awaiting the opportunity to strike.

“Yeah.” Sonic bobbed his head. “So, you and your ‘associates’ can vamoose, report that and our complaint to your boss, and search elsewhere.” He sneered. “Preferably somewhere off-world.”

“Could do that, could do that.” Scourge mockingly tapped his chin. “Except, there is one place me and my gang haven’t checked yet.” His icy gaze pointedly slithered past Sonic and Shadow towards the house beyond them. “So, if you boys’ll allow my boys through, we’ll take a little look, and then we’ll be outta your quills. Whaddaya say?”

“Just what exactly do you expect to find in a suburban house in Middle-of-Nowhere Montana?” Shadow scoffed.

“Oh, not much, really. Few issues of Better Homes and Gardens, maybe a platter of chocolate chip cookies for the road…and a huge green rock capable of rewriting reality.” Scourge shrugged. “You know, the usual.”

“You’re insane.” Sonic retorted. “The only rocks are my mom’s wedding ring, and even though it rewrote Dad’s reality, I don’t think she’d let you make off with it. So, why don’t you leave Green Hills and never come back, because there’s nothing here for you.”

Scourge sniffed and strode forward until he was nose to nose with Sonic; all at once, the friendly nonchalance was gone, replaced with a sneer so frigid it would put the Arctic Circle to shame. “We’ve burned planets to get what we want, little blue. Razing your backwater town was nothing—nothing but a romp for the fun of it. So, let’s cut the chatter and get serious, hmm? Gimme what we want, the Master Emerald, and nobody has to die.”

BANG!

Sonic grinned smugly as Scourge’s attention snapped towards the house with a raised brow. “That was a warning.” Tom’s voice boomed over the yard, along with the thunderous click-clack of another round loading into the chamber of his shotgun. “The next one won’t be. Now, do as my son says and get the hell off my property.”

Scourge narrowed his eyes over the rims of his glasses and raised his hand, thumb and middle finger pressed tight together. “Wrong answer.”

Snap!

Sonic dove for Scourge, snarl on his muzzle and blaze in his eyes, but the green hedgehog side-stepped him and caught the blue blur in the back with his elbow. Sonic slammed to the grass but managed to roll away from the spikes of Scourge’s combats that aimed for his ribcage and onto his feet, raising his fists. Out of the corner of his eye, Sonic took stock of the utter chaos that had descended upon his home: Shadow was a black and red blur, using his speed as a counter to the large beast trying to flatten him with a gruesome war hammer, and while Sonic heard the distinct pops of Tom’s shotgun discharge, there were no bodies or blood spatter that accompanied bullets. Sonic ducked out of the way of a rebounding shell and used the momentum to try and sweep Scourge’s legs from under him. “Dad’s shots are useless!” Sonic shouted to Shadow, narrowly avoiding Scourge’s uppercut. “Watch for the ricochets!”

“Tell the Sheriff to aim for their heads and not their armor, then!” Shadow bellowed back and backflipped, swinging his leg hard for the monster’s face, and blanched when it caught his ankle in a rough grip and raised him to face it. “Oh, son of a-,” Shadow muttered and hurried to block the beast’s hammer that aimed at his face. “Chaos spear!” He snarled. The scarlet bolt obliterated the hammer into scraps. He kicked out at the beast’s dumbfounded hideous face and twisted out of its grip, landing ungracefully on the ground. “Chaos spear!” Shadow yelled, and the storm of energy projectiles knocked the monster into the trees.

The Wachowski front lawn soon became awash in black blood and scaled bodies from the invading army, but it hardly made a difference. While the numbers slowly dwindled, there were still far too many, and the Wachowskis and Shadow were already worn from defending Green Hills. Tom’s bullets only continued to ricochet even as he aimed for their heads as much as possible, but the tough scales were near impenetrable armor. Even Tails’s weaponry, lasers and grenades and projectiles, encountered the same issues as Tom’s shotgun. Slowly yet steadily, Shadow, Sonic, and Knuckles were driven back onto the porches by the progressing enemies, battered and exhausted but stubbornly refusing to admit defeat.

Inside the house, Tom raced down the stairs with Maddie on his heels, tossing his useless shotgun away from him and checking the ammunition of his sidearm. “Wait, Mads.” He pulled his wife away from the front door and into the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” She demanded as Tom lifted his pant leg and revealed a small revolver holstered to his ankle. “Tom!” She protested when he shoved the weapon into her hands.

“Mads, listen to me.” Tom cupped her cheek, eyes soft but expression firm. “I’ve gotta help the boys, but I need you safe. Get down to the basement,”

“Don’t even think for a second that I’m going to-,” Maddie snapped.

“Madeline!” Maddie snapped her mouth shut and Tom smirked lightly. “Listen, okay? Get down to the basement and take cover there. We can’t leave the rock unprotected. If they get past us and into the house, get out of sight. Take whatever shot you can if they come down the stairs. Just remember they’re all armored up heavier than a juggernaut. I’ll come get you when we drive them off, okay?”

“You’d better, Thomas Michael Wachowski.” Maddie ordered. “Or I’m coming after you.” Tom huffed a laugh, kissing her quickly, then Maddie was alone, and the back door slammed shut. She cleared her throat, checked the revolver’s rounds just as her husband had taught her, and hurried down the basement staircase.

“Father!” Knuckles kept his gaze forward on the advancing legion as Tom fired off a shot upon joining his eldest on the back deck. The round struck one of the alien’s eyes with a nasty squelch of black blood, and with a singular shriek, the invader fell and didn’t rise. “Is Mother-,”

“Guarding the rock, Knux.” Tom interrupted. “She’s fine. It’s us I’m worried about.”

Knuckles punched an alien in the chest, knocking it down the steps, and the domino effect it had on the aliens behind it would have been comical if the situation weren’t so dire. Then, the army halted their advance. Tom cocked his pistol but frowned, sharing a bemused glance with his eldest out the corner of his eye.

“Come on, losers.” Scourge scoffed, ice blue eyes glinting scornfully behind his shades as he climbed the front porch steps. “Give up now and gimme the rock, and I may put in a good word with the Big Boss to spare your lives. Who knows, he might see your power and make you honorary Insurgents for the cause.” The green hedgehog cajoled with a toothy smirk.

Sonic wiped his mouth on the back of his glove, ignoring the scarlet streak left behind on the stained white fabric, and glowered at Scourge. “Pass.”

“I’d rather die than become scum like you.” Shadow spat, eyes gleaming with disgust even as his right swelled black and violet.

“It would be an insult to my genius to ally myself with beings of such low intelligence.” Tails sneered, lashing his namesakes as he landed on Sonic’s other side.

“You dare invite me to dishonor my mission and my tribe?!” Knuckles roared from the back porch.

“I think that’s a ‘no’ on all sides.” Tom mocked.

Scourge shrugged. “Have it your way. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” He raised his arm and made a chopping motion.

Shadow’s ears twitched. “DOWN!!” He tackled Sonic and Tails to the porch floor, narrowly avoiding the searing volt of dark violet energy that shot over their heads and vaporized not only the front door, but the surrounding wall, leaving a perfect smoldering circle behind.

“No!” Sonic shot forward, fists raised and dancing with blue lightning, but Scourge was ready for him. The green hedgehog ducked under Sonic’s blows and roundhouse kicked him in the gut, and Sonic sailed through the hole and slammed into the staircase, the wooden steps shattering to splinters beneath him. Tails and Shadow each rushed Scourge, but were batted away just as Sonic had been, Shadow crashing into one of the kitchen cabinets and Tails into the living room coffee table.

Sonic groaned, his body throbbing, but forced himself up on shaky legs. Until a hand curled around his throat and lifted him off the floor. Sonic gasped and clawed at Scourge’s vice grip on his neck, and the green hedgehog smirked maliciously at him. “Shoulda taken my offer, little blue.” He sneered.

BANG!

Scourge yowled and dropped Sonic in favor of grasping his head, rivets of blood seeping through his fingers. Sonic scrambled backward, hacking and sputtering and gulping air—sweet, sweet air—, until a familiar hand snatched the hood of his ruined hoodie and hauled him up. “You okay, champ?” Tom demanded, eyes and pistol still aimed for Scourge’s snarling face.

“Yeah.” Sonic coughed. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Scourge seethed with rage, glancing up with murderous eyes away from his scarlet-stained glove and hissing at the defenders that stubbornly refused to admit defeat or die. But no matter what they did to drive back Scourge’s army, it wasn’t enough. Inch by inch, the invaders pushed forward, and Scourge’s lips pulled back into a sickening smile.

Until a golden glimmer in the foyer distracted them all.

“What the-?” Shadow gaped, astonished, at the spinning golden Ring in the center of the wrecked foyer…and paid for his inattention with a sucker punch to the jaw.

“Oh, come on! What now?!” Sonic indignantly shouted.

“Don’t tell me you’ve started the party without me! Now that is just poor taste.” Tsked a slender female bat adorned in a shiny plum bodysuit decorated with pink hearts at the collar, belt, and chest that perfectly contrasted the pristine white of her fur. She placed a hand on her hip and winked at Tom, who was swapping aim between Scourge, her, and the gigantic bulky red and black robot at her left. “Now, now, hun,” She purred. “Is that any way to greet your reinforcements?”

The robot’s glowing red eyes focused on Scourge and raised its arms, the shining razor-sharp claws spinning and transforming into two massive canons, pointed at the green hedgehog. “YOU ARE BLACK ARMS INSURGENT SCOURGE THE HEDGEHOG.” It proclaimed in a thunderous mechanical voice. “YOU WILL SURRENDER AND CALL OFF YOUR ARMY, OR I WILL SHOOT.” Tails shared an appalled look with Sonic and Knuckles, then his aqua eyes bulged out of his head when the canons glowed white hot at Scourge’s lack of response. “GO AHEAD. MAKE MY DAY.”

“Who the hell are you guys?” Sonic exclaimed.

“Language.” Tom reflexively chastised him. Sonic ducked his head with an embarrassed grumble and a tinge of pink on his muzzle.

The bat smirked and brandished a golden glaive ornamented with a rainbow of precious gemstones. “Like I said, hon: reinforcements. Dame Rouge and her second-in-command, Officer E-123 Omega, of the Elysian Knights, how ya doin’?”

The term Elysian Knights was not lost on Scourge like it was on the Wachowskis or Shadow, as the so-called Insurgent’s muzzle twisted into an ugly sneer that smoothed into a sickly-sweet smirk instantly. “Is Elysia so desperate for fresh meat that it can only send a hunk of junk and a bloodsucker?”

Dame Rouge’s green eyes flashed, and Omega’s canons blasted two new holes into the wall on either side of Scourge, missing the green hedgehog’s smirking face by millimeters. “I DO NOT MISS. DO NOT BE MISTAKEN, MEATSACK, WHILE DAME ROUGE AND I ARE HERE, OUR ARMY IS PURGING THE TOWN OF BLACK ARMS SCUM AND CLOSING THE RIFT. SURRENDER NOW, AND YOU SHALL BE GRANTED A SWIFT AND MERCIFUL EXECUTION BY THE DECREE OF OUR SUPERIORS. DO NOT, AND I SHALL FINALLY LEARN WHAT MY RECENTLY UPGRADED ARTILLERY IS CAPABLE OF ON MOBIAN FLESH.”

“And you’re our reinforcements?” Shadow drawled.

Rouge shrugged and patted Omega’s upper arm. “Omega’s a bit trigger happy, but a damn good Officer. He won’t shoot unless A, I give the order, or B, Scourge gives him reason to.”

“You mean like this?” Scourge whistled.

A beast—Black Arm?—that equaled Omega’s size crashed through the wall with a roar and slammed into the Elysian officer, the bot’s blaster fire raining plaster and sheetrock down on the raging fight that had once again recommenced. Dame Rouge was a whirl of violet and white, back-to-back with Shadow, her glaive a golden rainbow streak of deadly beauty while his Chaos Spears struck their marks with pinpoint precision.

Overwhelmed by the number of beasts, no one noticed Scourge slip through the basement door and descend the stairs into the darkness. Scourge’s icy eyes gleamed behind his scarlet shades; with a wicked grin, he regarded the massive green gemstone glittering innocuously within its large cubic glass and steel case. “Hello, beautiful.” Scourge purred and pulled a smaller but similar jewel of shining scarlet out of his quills, which began glowing brightly within his hand.

CRACK!

Scourge flinched away from the ricocheting bullet and whipped around with a scowl. “Ya know, I’m gettin’ real annoyed with constantly being ‘warned’.” He sneered as Maddie stepped out of the shadows, expertly aiming her tiny pistol at his head. “So, the next time you pull that trigger, sweetheart, you’d best have damn good aim, ‘cause you won’t be gettin’ another shot.”

Maddie calmly glared at Scourge. “Noted.” She replied. “But you seem like a sensible hedgehog. What’s worth more to you? Some stupid rock or your life? Because I won’t just let you take it.”

“Ah, sweetheart,” Scourge chuckled humorlessly. “It’s not that I don’t value my life. Gotta look out for numero uno, after all. That’s why I gotta take your pretty rock. ‘Cause if it gets back to the Big Boss that I failed, it’s game over. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 rings.”

“Then run.” Maddie suggested. “Don’t go back to the boss. Take off. We won’t say anything if he comes knocking.”

“Is this the part where I get down on my knees and grovel my thanks, then skip merrily into the sunset?” Scourge scoffed. His lips curled back into a snarl, and Maddie’s fingers minutely trembled around the pistol. “See, here’s what ya don’t get, babe: I don’t work for the Big Boss because I’m afraid for my life or got no choice. I work for the Big Boss because he gives me power to cause all the mayhem and destruction I want. Gets boring after a while, wreaking havoc with all the same methods and tricks. But with the Boss? Oh,” Scourge shuddered with delight, and Maddie sneered in disgust. “It’s almost better than a long night with a hot gal. All this power,” He waved the small scarlet Emerald with a visceral grin. “Just to cause some anarchy? And if I bring him this?” He hooked his thumb over his shoulder towards the Master Emerald.

“You seem to be forgetting something, Scourge.” Maddie cocked the revolver and raised her brow. “I still have five shots, and the second you turn to get the Master Emerald, I’ll only need one.”

“Ooh, feisty.” Scourge purred. “You know, if you were Mobian, you’d probably be a lot of fun, sweetheart.” Maddie wrinkled her nose in disgust; Scourge snickered.

“Mother!” Maddie, reflexively, mistakenly, flashed her gaze towards the staircase at her eldest’s shout, and Scourge lunged for her. Her finger squeezed the trigger, but none of her five remaining shots landed their marks. Scourge knocked the revolver out of her hand and tossed the woman to the floor, towering over her with an unimpressed sneer, his boot resting at her throat.

“These are the great Guardians of the Master Emerald?” Scourge scoffed. Maddie clawed at his ankle, and Scourge tsked and applied a modicum of pressure, baring his fangs in a sadistic smile when she gagged.

“Mother! Get away from her!” Knuckles roared and lunged off the staircase, murderous rage glinting in his magenta eyes.

Scourge boredly half-turned and fired a shot of scarlet energy from the stone in his grip, batting the enraged echidna away as if he were an insect. Knuckles crashed into the shelving on the opposite brick wall and sunk to the concrete floor, sputtering and dazed. Scourge snapped his fingers, and solid ice blue light tinged with scarlet encased and paralyzed Knuckles and Maddie; mother and son unable to move, speak, or scream for help. “I had hoped for more of a challenge, but s’pose beggars can’t be choosers.” The Insurgent lamented, shaking his head as he walked to the Master Emerald. He didn’t bother with the numerical keypad on the steel below the case. Instead, using the power of the stone, Scourge simply punched through the impenetrable case as if it were fragile china and heaved the Master Emerald out. He turned to his captives and smirked, waggling his brow at Sonic as the blue hedgehog appeared at the basement doorway, then gave the blue blur a two-fingered salute and flipped a Ring into the air.

“No!” Sonic bellowed and curled into a Spin Dash, vaulting for the green hedgehog, but he was too late. Scourge vanished through the portal, and the Ring instantly closed behind him, Sonic rebounding off the back brick wall. The energy trapping Knuckles and Maddie shattered and faded, the two shooting up into sitting positions with gasps, but Sonic was already up the stairs. “No, no, nononono!” He bolted through the house and out the door, eyes wide and fur standing on end, watching as the last of the monsters vanished into the rift above Green Hills. “No!” The rift snapped shut behind the last beast, and at once, the storm ceased, the red thunderclouds and lightning fading from the skies. “No!” Sonic howled. “Damn it!”

“Sonic!” Tom rushed towards the blue hedgehog and caught him by the shoulders. “What happened? Where’s—Mads, Knux, Tails!” Keeping one arm around Sonic, he reached for his family with the other, each of them burrowing into his chest. Tom ducked his head and breathed them in, pressing kisses to his wife’s lips and his sons’ heads, inwardly thanking God that each of them were safe and mostly unharmed. “What the hell happened down there?” He demanded, pulling away to see their faces. Sonic’s ears drooped, Maddie bit her lip, and Knuckles scowled at his shoes. “What’s with the sudden retreat?”

“They got it.” Sonic reluctantly mumbled. “They got the Master Emerald.” Sharp intakes of breath and dismayed glances pivoted around until a slow nod from Knuckles and Maddie halted them. “I-I wasn’t fast enough to stop him-,”

“You fought well, brother.” Knuckles gently clapped Sonic’s shoulder and peered firmly into his eyes. “You have nothing to be ashamed of, nor to be disappointed in yourself over.”

Sonic scowled at his brother. “I let them get away with a gigantic rock that can rewrite reality, Knucklehead.” The blue hedgehog insisted. “I think I have plenty to be ashamed of.”

Knuckles shook his head. “No, there is not. Listen to me, Sonic. It was the duty of our Tribe to protect the Master Emerald, and while we are a Tribe of fierce and capable warriors, our enemies had power that we were unprepared for, and it was that power that led to our defeat. But we will learn and prepare, and come our next battle, we will be victorious and reclaim what is ours.”

“Big Red is right, Blue.” Rouge agreed, a compassionate gleam in her green eyes. “The Black Arms are ruthless conquerors. You should be proud that you held your own so well against them. I’ve seen entire battalions of skilled and seasoned Knights crumble against the Black Arms.” She frowned, her gaze travelling over the battered Wachowskis and Shadow. “The Master Emerald’s theft is cause for concern, but what’s important right now is getting you all to a safer place. Allow us to escort you.”

“My parents’ ranch is just outside of town; we evacuated everyone there.” Tom informed her.

But Rouge shook her head. “No. Too obvious and too unprotected. If the Black Arms believes you to be a further threat or bounty to their cause, they won’t hesitate to send the army back to finish the job.”

“Where else can we go?” Maddie cocked a brow. “Out of state to a safehouse?”

Rouge smirked, casually resting her hand on her hip and her glaive over her shoulder. “I was thinking more ‘out of dimension to a safe kingdom’, actually.” Her smirk widened, eyes glittering in amusement at the blank stares she received.

“Pardon?” Shadow finally asked.

Omega lumbered from the edge of the property to stand at Rouge’s side. “YOU ARE THE GUARDIANS OF THE MASTER EMERALD.” He pointed out. “REMAINING ON EARTH WOULD BE AN UNWISE COURSE OF ACTION, AS DAME ROUGE HAS STATED. THE ONLY REMOTELY SAFE PLACE FOR YOU IS THE KINGDOM OF ELYSIA.”

“Remotely?” Tom protested.

Rouge waved a hand. “I wouldn’t even suggest it if I thought—even for a second—that you wouldn’t be safe in Elysia. It’s a completely hidden pocket dimension, sequestered away at the universal nexus, and the only ones that can enter or exit are those with specialized Portal Rings,” She held up a glinting golden Ring engraved with odd markings and flipped it like a quarter. “So, the Black Arms can’t find it, even if they parked their ships right in front of the gates. Now, obviously, we can’t force you to come with us. We aren’t our enemies, and you aren’t our prisoners. But I will say this: Elysia is stretched thin enough already, and if you choose to stay on Earth, all I can offer you is a flare to alert us if and or when the Black Arms return.” Rouge glanced down at her wrist, furrowing her brow at the heart-shaped silver bracelet strapped there. “I’ll give you a few moments to decide but make it speedy. Omega and I need to return to Elysia and give the Court our report of what happened here.” The bat and bot walked several paces away, where the driveway met the street, and began talking with a red panda with stained-black fur and a singed tail.

For a moment, the Wachowskis stared at one another, perplexed and uncertain, until Shadow huffed. “Something to say, Faker?” Sonic sniped.

Shadow glowered back at him. “Only that you are all morons if you decide to stay here.” He retorted, then raised his voice before anyone could contradict him. “You heard Dame Rouge. You saw the damage those monsters did, to both your house and to your town. If Elysia is as safe as they claim, why would you even take the risk?”

Tom’s shoulders sagged. “He has a point.” He conceded. “And, if we go to Elysia, we might gain allies to get the Master Emerald back. We can always come back home once we do.”

“Wait, what about Green Hills?” Sonic protested. “The town was destroyed—we can’t just abandon everyone! And what if the Black Arms do come back and we aren’t here? We’ll be leaving our home vulnerable! There won’t be anything to come back to if we don’t stay and defend it!”

“Being a hero is recognizing and addressing the priorities, boy.” A gruff bark startled and drew the attention away from the debate and to the driveway, where a group of three humans—one Wade, the second a much older male with close-cropped silver hair and Ozzy’s leash in hand, and the third a thin woman with a shock of bouncy ginger curls—quickly approached Shadow and the Wachowskis.

The redheaded woman threw her arms around Tom’s shoulders, squeezing tight, before releasing the sheriff and scooping Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails into her arms. “Thank God you’re alright!” She cried. “Your Papa Jack and I were worried sick!”

“We’re okay, Ninny.” Sonic choked out.

“What are you guys doing here?” Tom demanded, frowning at Wade, who shrunk back.

“Ah, lay off, Thomas.” Jack passed his son Ozzy’s leash and clapped him on the shoulder, and the golden retriever pounced on Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails to cover them all with enthusiastic licks. “We could see the whole shebang from the ranch, kinda hard to miss a giant red hole in the sky, and we saw those aliens take off. Hadta make sure y’all were alright. Mags about lost her marbles worryin’.” Maggie shot a glare that Jack resolutely ignored. “Now, which of ya’s gonna start explainin’ just what in God’s name happened here, and what’s this about defendin’ Green Hills?”

It took several minutes, with Tom leading the tale accompanied by routine interjections from the others, to briefly explain the events of the invasion and Dame Rouge’s offer of sanctuary. Once the Sheriff quieted, his parents stared, stupefied, and Wade looked woozy. After several long moments of stunned silence, Jack cleared his throat. “Well, it’s obvious, ain’t it? Take the bat’s offer and go to Elysia.”

“But, Green Hills-,” Sonic objected.

“-Will still be here when you get back.” Jack firmly interrupted. “Didn’t you hear me, boy? A hero recognizes and addresses the priorities, and Green Hills ain’t the priority. Keepin’ your family safe and gettin’ that Master Emerald back from these Dark Arms-,”

“-Black Arms, Papa.” Tails corrected.

“Black Arms,” Jack appeased his youngest grandson with a sigh. “Is the priority. Ya’ll can’t do that from here. So, go with the bat. If Whipple and me have anything to say about it, Green Hills’ll still be here when you get back.”

Tom raised a brow at his deputy. “Think you’re up for this, Wade? You won’t be able to reach me if we go to Elysia. It’ll be up to you to call all the shots to protect and serve Green Hills. I won’t be able to help.”

Wade’s complexion drained sickly white, but he swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded hesitantly. “I-I’ll do my best, T-Tom.”

Rouge approached the group and raised her brow expectantly. “Well?” She prompted.

“I will go to Elysia.” Shadow immediately stated.

Rouge nodded, unsurprised, then looked at the Wachowski family. “You swear Elysia is safe?” Maddie pressed.

“Safest place in the universe, cross my heart.” Rouge promised. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes.” The vote was unanimous, punctuated by Ozzy barking.

Rouge grinned. “Excellent.” She checked her heart bracelet again. “Once the army reconvenes here, we’ll depart for Elysia. I only have one authorized Portal Ring, so take these last few minutes to say your goodbyes and make your arrangements; if there’s any necessary things you wish to bring, I suggest you pack them now. For obvious reasons, we won’t be returning here until the war is over.”

Tom pulled Wade and his father aside while Maddie, Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails made a beeline for the destroyed house. Shadow watched, curious, as Tom passed his badge and keys to the newly promoted and misty-eyed sheriff, who proceeded to throw his arms around his former boss. Tom awkwardly patted Wade’s back and Jack tugged him off so Tom could hurry into the house. Shadow crossed his arms with a sigh, then flicked an ear when Rouge stepped beside him. “Nothing to fetch?” She inquired with a tilt of her head.

“No.” Shadow shook his head.

Rouge wrinkled his nose at his tarnished clothes, dirty quills, and dusty fur. “Not even a spare change of clothes or a bag of toiletries?”

Shadow grit his teeth. “No.”

Rouge raised a brow at him. Discomfort at her searching green gaze prickled Shadow’s fur, and he forced his spines to remain flat and unbothered. “Well, thankfully, Elysia is no stranger to refugees. We’ll be able to provide you with the essentials when we arrive.” She commented. Her eyes raked over him again, and Shadow grumbled at the revulsion he spotted when she studied his t-shirt, jacket, and jeans. They weren’t that bad! A bit baggy and stained, and maybe there were more than a few holes and frayed hems, but what else was he to do? Run around in just his gloves and skates? Shadow shuddered in disgust at the mere idea of it.

Thankfully, Shadow was spared from Rouge’s critical eyes against his clothes by the Wachowskis’ approach. Each of them sported backpacks with bulging zippers, and Tom carried a large duffel in one hand. “We are ready to leave, Dame Rouge.” Knuckles informed her.

“Omega,” Rouge called. “Have the units arrived?”

“AFFIRMATIVE.” Omega confirmed. “THEY ARE WAITING AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PROPERTY FOR DEPARTURE.”

Rouge strode down the gravel driveway and spoke again to the red panda stationed there, then nodded once and tossed the Portal Ring to the middle of the street, where it expanded in a burst of golden light. The bat beckoned to her refugees with a wave and a smirk. “VIPs first.” Sonic glanced over his shoulder. Jack and Maggie stood together, Jack’s arm around Maggie’s shoulders, and they waved with soft smiles on their faces. Wade’s expression was pinched tight, tear tracks glistening on his cheeks, but the new sheriff straightened and saluted. Familiar fingers scratched through Sonic’s quills, and Sonic looked up to catch his father giving him a half-smile. “We’ll come back, bud.” Tom promised. “This isn’t forever.” Sonic forced himself to nod and tore his gaze away from the wrecked remains of his first true home, holding his head high as he followed his family through the Portal Ring.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Three Sovereigns! See you next Wednesday, 1/22, for Chapter Four: Elysia!

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