One Year Ago...

[Egg Battle Fleet - Skies Over Holoska]

A bright yellow streak could be seen blasting through the barrage of cannon fire from the various Egg Battleships as Super Sonic made a beeline for the doctor's mech, flying clean through the power core before stopping and turning in mid air. "Sorry I had to put your plans on ice again, Eggman. How about you just give it up already, you're never gonna win." He'd say with a smirk, the enraged doctor turning his pod towards his nemesis.

"You think you've won, hedgehog? This battle's barely even begun!" He'd call out in retort, a larger mech rising from below. The golden hedgehog would roll his eyes. "Oh come on now, that really the best you've got? You're losing your touch- GAH!" His taunt would be cut off, his form flying into the deck of a nearby battleship as the mech lowered its cannon. "Surprise, rodent! This is the most powerful mech the Eggman Empire has ever constructed! You don't stand a chance!"

Standing back up, Super Sonic would smirk once more. "Looks like I was wrong, this is gonna be fun. Alright, Eggman... Let's Go!"

The battle would be long and intense, able to be viewed from miles away as explosions began to envelop the Egg Battle Fleet...

...

Present Day...

[The City - South Island]

"Good evening folks, this is your Metropolis News at Five! Our Top Story: A Year of Peace! It's been almost a whole year since the last reported sighting of Doctor Ivo Robotnik, more commonly known as Doctor Eggman. After a massive battle against World Renowned Hero Sonic the Hedgehog over Holoska, his fleet and his empire were left in ruins, with no trace of the doctor himself. Many believe he may have perished, though no body was ever recovered."

"In an interview with G.U.N. Commander Abraham Tower, he believed the doctor to still be at large, but assured the public that the organization's best agents were on the case. Though since that announcement, the world seems to be rejoicing, and celebrations are already planned for the one year anniversary coming next week. Music World Idol Mina Mongoose has announced an open Music Festival to be held in Metropolis for the entire week, with many major music legends to be in attendance. Of course, we'll be bringing you live coverage as the event gets underway. This is Bill Barker, signing off. Now, onto the weather with-"

The TV broadcasting the report would continue as a familiar two tailed fox was hard at work over his workbench, wiping some sweat from his brow as he looked over his finished product. "Yo, Tails! You here?" A familiar voice would call out from above, the canid smiling as he turned to his best friend. "Hey, Sonic! Long time no see! Glad you could make it!" He'd greet his friend, the two exchanging a fist bump.

"I've always got time for my best bud. But... what is this place, anyways?" The hedgehog asked, looking around the unfamiliar surroundings. "Well, it used to be one of my old workshops... but I've been working on turning it into a little command center. I call it, The Hub!" He'd reveal, causing his friend to tilt his head.

"Command Center? What for, buddy?" He'd ask, Tails sighing. "You and I both know Eggman's still out there. And with it being this long since he vanished... it's kinda scary. He's gotta be planning something big, and I want to be ready. We need to be ready... don't you think?"

The hedgehog smirks. "You're overthinking it, pal... who knows, maybe the big guy finally decided to throw in the towel-" His gaze met his friends unammused stare, rubbing the back of his head. "Okay... okay... I can't say it's not been on my mind... but I'm keeping a sharp eye out too. I'll be ready whenever he decides to show his mustached face again. You know that."

The fox's expression finally turns more jovial. "Right, but to be sure..." He'd turn to his workbench and grab the invention he was working on, handing it to his friend. "Here, I just finished it. It's a tactical visor I've been working on. It'll show you your vitals, location, multi-channel communication, even has a little AI I've been working on!"

Looking it over for a moment, the blue blur smirks as he tries it on, finding it to be a perfect fit as the device comes online. "Not too shabby, bud. This'll come in handy for sure! Come on, let's go test it out!" He'd wave his friend along, Tails smiling. "I'll be right behind ya!"

The streaks of blue and yellow would dart through The City, heading for the lush Green Hills in the distance.

South Island, the place that many of Sonic's friends now called home. It had changed a lot since Eggman vanished, everything was just a lot nicer in general. Pollution was down, crime rates had plummeted, it was a place you could feel safe. All due in no small part to the efforts of Sonic and his friends.

But...

There is always a darker side of the world...

[Mystic Jungle - Northern U.Z.A.]

#Agent Shadow, Agent Rouge, report.#

"Rouge here, we're currently tracking a mercenary team through Mystic Jungle. Sources tell me they're gathering some serious tech. Shadow's scouting up ahead. We'll let you boys know if we find anything."

#HQ, Copy. If the target is on site, do not engage. Contact for Reinforcements.#

"I copy, headquarters. Shadow on the other hand... you know him... Rouge, out."

"Do these shoes come in Hedgehog size?" Amy asked, holding up a pair of pink and white sneakers.

"I beg your pardon?" The cashier asked after a moment. Amy frowned. "Ah, forget it. I'll just stick to the Hedgehog clothing stores. But be sure to give my thanks to the shoe maker for me! These are very pretty sneakers."

"I will, ma'am." The cashier replied not wanting to spoil the girls illusion of how shoe stores worked in the modern era.

"Do you like my bracelets?" She reached up and indicated the golden ring around her wrists.

"Sure do." The cashier responded.

"You don't think they're tacky or anything?" She asked. "What's your name?" Another question, before the previous one could be answered. "It's Jane."

"Hi, Jane! Do you want to get your fortune read?" From somewhere, the pink Hedgehog had produced a deck of fortune cards.

"Um..." She chuckled nervously.

"The Moon Reveeersed..." Amy said mystically, placing the card on the table. It was an image of a sad looking moon, looking over a blue-lit grassy field framed by two ancient twoers. "This represents stability, but stagnation. Easy times are ahead for you, Ms. Jane. You're walking down an easy path, but is it the one you want to follow?"

"I don't really-"

"For the middle card- The Knight of Cups- also reversed." An image of a Mobian knight on a horse, holding an empty gauntlet. "Hmm. Are you feeling jealous? This indicates you feel frustrated that you aren't being given the chance you deserve. That, to me, says that the easy path isn't the one you want to walk." Amy mused. Her gloved hand reached for the third and final card of the reading. Jane blinked, mouth falling open a bit.

"The end card: Patience. Seven of Pentacles." An image of a farmer, waiting for a bush full of pentacle symbols to bloom. "This symbolizes, of course, patience! Chillax, take it slow. Your opportunity will come. So, in summary, you're walking down an easy, content road, but maybe you're frustrated about it. The cards say your moment to shine will come soon, you just have to wait."

Jane blinked at Amy. "But...I'm tired of waiting. I really think I could open my own fashion line! I want to do something with my life!"

"They don't call it a test of patience for nothin'. Jane, Jane. My new friend Jane! Take it easy! You're got a good job, you've got good friends: but I and the cards think you should wait on opening up that fashion shop." Amy collected the tarot cards, shuffled them, and placed them vaguely behind her back where they vanished for view. Jane shook her head. "I- I don't know..."

"And you wanna know somethin' else? Since we're friends now I'll let you in on something." Amy placed her gloved hands on the counter and stood on her tippy toes. Her large emerald eyes stared deep into Jane's. "I've been having visions."

"...Visions?"

"Visions." Amy said with grave sincertiy. "And omens. I've seen signs in the clouds, in the shape of flowers and in the patterns of toasted bread. Something is coming. A calamity. A stopped flow of magma, ready to burst and become lava. The sun must rise, but so too must it set. And Jane, the light is getting very, very, low." Amy stood up on her tippy toes, eyes wide. Jane instinctively took a step back.

Amy rocked back on her heels. "Well! Anyway! I'll see you around, Jane! You're hair is SO pretty, by the way! I love the color! But have you tried dying it pink instead of blue?" Amy giggled, running a finger through her pink bangs. "That was a joke- blue is definitely your color, sister. Buh-bye!" Amy turned, began humming a little tune, and skipped right out the door, leaving Jane to her crisis.

Amy Rose stepped into the sun and breathed in the air of the City. They'd saved the world a year ago. And Amy knew, in her heart of hearts and heart of cards, they would have to save it again. And they would! Her destiny was already written. The City was a vibrant place, and the shoe store Amy was infront of was ontop of a hill. She looked to the left and saw a blue and a yellow blur cross across an intersection. Amy stomped her foot.

"Wha-! Why don't they ever invite me?!" Amy shouted. It wasn't just a question to the air, she made pointed eye-contact with a random passerby and asked him the question. The man flinched and tried to continue on with his phone conversation.

"Why am I always the third wheel between Sonic and Tails? I'm pretty much his girlfriend basically virtually practically! Tails is just a little kid! Shouldn't he be in school or something?!" Amy crossed her arms, tapping her shoe.

"Tails is really nice though." Amy admitted. "And Sonic is definitely allowed to hang out with his friends! Especially someone who's as positive an influence on him as Tails. I mean, without that genius kid, who knows if Eggman would have been defeated! All right, I'll say it. You were right, and I was wrong. Sonic and Tails do make a pretty good team and I don't have a right to all of his time." Amy nodded, smiling. Who was she talking too? It didn't matter.

Amy sighed. "Still...it's been awhile since I've gotten to hang out with anyone..." She mumbled, scuffing her heel on the sidewalk. A melancholic moment passed.

Amy gasped, spotting something. "Hey! You! What kind of dog is that? They're so cuuute! Can I pet it?" She zoomed across the street.

---

It'd been a pretty quiet year.

Vector, Espio, and Charmy were sitting in a booth inside a local South City diner close to the detective agency, called The Hungry Frog. Vector would always treat the group to a hearty early dinner after a job well done (Before splitting the reward money, of course) and today was no different. They had just closed a case, a bit of a manhunt more than a real investigation, but the guy was in the slammer now and they got paid. You could get away with a lot of things in this city, but if you endangered the wealth of someone, that person was willing to spend just as much as they'd lose just to secure what they lost back. Vector, being a man of the people, obviously couldn't turn down some prime-time jewel seller who was livid at a robbery the police hadn't managed to stop. He gladly took that bounty, and now was enjoying the fruits of said labor without much of a care.

Or at least he would, if he didn't hear the news from a TV positioned up in the corner of the diner. A year of peace... True enough, but the topic of Eggman left a sour taste in Vector's mouth. No body was ever found, and while it was easy to argue that there was just that much ground to cover that it might be a lost cause, he wasn't so sure. It was easy for the common individual to put it aside and appreciate the peace his potential end would cause, but anyone who'd dealt with Eggman knew not to doubt his tenacity. That being said, his crew had been searching for the better part of the year, and came up with nothing. It was frustrating, but also calming in a way. There was a part of him that didn't want to find Eggman; To think he was truly gone. But that was childish to think, in his opinion. Vector would be suspicious even if there WAS a body, let alone without one. They needed a plan.

Vector raised his coffee mug, comically small considering his size, and took a polite sip from it as he stared at the television. Where did they need to look? Did they need to look into governments? Someone so far off the grid that nobody would think a person was out there? Maybe he was in plain sight, and it was so obvious that they were just overthinking it--

"Uh, you okay, Boss?"

Charmy's concerned voice caused Vector's gaze to fall on him. The crocodile realizing he'd been spacing out, blinking and setting his mug down. "'Course I'm okay! We just got paid for a job well done." Vector responded with enthusiasm, trying to hide his negative thoughts from Charmy and Espio for the moment. He knew they were stressed too, and didn't like bringing up the topic while they were supposed to be relaxing after a day's work. There wasn't much more they could be doing, anyhow, right?

"He's thinking about Eggman again." Espio added, cutting through Vector's attempt to keep the topic at bay. The ninja pointed back at the TV with his thumb, causing Charmy to avert his gaze, then look back at Vector with an annoyed expression. "Why don't ya just drop it, Vector? We've spent way too much time looking for that fat tinkerer! Being paranoid is exactly what he'd want." Charmy spoke in a somewhat aggressive manner, challenging Vector's thoughts on the matter. Eggman wasn't one to be found until he was ready, and the Bee figured they could just smack him silly if he ever popped out with a scheme again.

Vector took a moment to think on Charmy's words, chewing on a fried frog leg, the diner's specialty. He appreciated the willingness his team had to comment on or discourage his actions at times, their disagreements were what helped them work through situations faster at times, or help one-another when they were stuck on something like Vector was now. As he swallowed his food, the croc responded with a bit quieter of a tone: "You're right." He admitted, adding: "But I can't stop thinkin' about it. Things have been too quiet, you gotta feel like something could happen anytime, right?" He questioned, looking between the two expecting agreement this time.

"I just told you, that's called being paranoid!" Charmy replied, sitting back in his seat and picking up the grilled cheese on his plate. He took a large bite out of it, before commenting with his mouth full: "Even if Eggman did come back, can't Sonic just handle it? He's usually the one that handles that 'egghead'." He took that nickname Sonic coined on the Doctor, and used it happily.

"Maybe the Doctor himself, but there's usually a lot of ground to cover with his schemes." Espio chimed in, being real about Charmy's statement. "The Doctor himself is a threat, but then you have to take into account his machines, then whoever else he's pulled into the fight to push his agenda." He explained, before returning to his soup.

Vector scratched his head, slightly annoyed but at the same time, glad the conversation hadn't gone too far south. "Let's just leave it at we gotta be ready, just in case!" He said, trying to end this discussion. "If he's gone, then the world's a safer place. If he ain't, we'll wrangle him in for reward money. Sound good?"

Espio offered a simple hum of acknowledgement, while Charmy let out a "Uuuh-huh!" With his mouth full again, spitting crumbs all over the table, to which Vector was, to put it lightly, miffed.

"You spat crumbs onto my plate, CHARMY!"

Charmy swallowed, offering a nervous laugh as Vector had his hands up as if he'd strangle him, waving his hands in front of him as he tried to get out of being in trouble. "Ahahah, s-sorry Boss!"

Metropolis Music Festival

“One carrot juice and vodka, coming right up!”

“Thank you very much.” The young Mobian rabbit turned from the outdoor bar to survey all before her. Today was the beginning of the much anticipated music festival. The “Festival of Peace” or so they were calling it. One year of freedom, one year of one dead rotten egg.

Fools.

Prolific men like Eggman did not up and die quietly. There were contingency plans on contingency plans, back-ups and traps and- well, suffice to say she did not believe that the Eggman was dead at all. No, that crazy human was holed up somewhere, biding his time for the most opportune moment to reveal himself. It would happen. The only real questions were when and where.

Origami had been doing research since the day he ‘died’, trying to puzzle out just that. All sorts of people had contacted her persona; from the military to some more shadier aspects. All of them wanted to know one thing: Where was Eggman?

Sadly, that was money lost. Origami didn’t know, though Kijani had as many crack theories as the next person. What she wouldn’t give to actually know…

Still, a party was a party, and Kijani loved a party. She accepted her drink from the Mobian bear running the bar, and took a careful sip through the straw. It was good; they didn’t skimp on the liquor. She paid, tipped heavily and waded into the crowds, wondering just what this day was going to bring to the table.

[Music Festival - Metropolis] @Mistress Dizzy

The festivities had barely even begun, but the streets of downtown Metropolis would be bustling with life. Hundreds of thousands of people, Mobians and Humans alike, all come together to celebrate what some believed and many hoped to be the anniversary of the end of Eggman.

While most would be in quite good and joyous spirits, many of the festival security would appear to be keeping a watchful eye on the crowds. And making his own way through the crowds would be a rather unassuming figure, though people in the know would likely be able to recognize him as Mina Mongoose's manager.

"She still hasn't checked in at any of the gates?" He'd mutter on his phone, clearly agitated. "Great, she's set for the starting speech in two hours, nowhere to be found, and of course she doesn't answer her cell as usual..."

[South City - South Island] @Zoey Boey @Potemking

"I'm sure he's around here somewhere, miss." A sweet and innocent voice would speak up, belonging to a certain Cream the Rabbit as she walked through the streets of South City, at her side a yellow mongoose. "Thanks a lot for helping, I know he can be a bit of trouble to actually find."

The aforementioned Mongoose would be none other than the famous music star Mina Mongoose, who... was supposed to be in Metropolis right about now. She'd look back to her phone for a moment. Two hours... that's plenty of time to get back... as long as she found who she was looking for...

As they continued forward, the small chao atop the young rabbit's head would perk up, before darting to the side and stopping before a familiar pink hedgehog. "Cheese! Don't wander off like that on your own!" The girl would call out, rushing up before looking at the figure before her. "Oh, hello Miss Amy!" She'd greet with a courteous bow, the chao mimicking her as the mongoose walked up beside them.

---

After time spent on their respective meals and bantering, the Chaotix as a whole exited the diner. Vector in particular seemed a tad embarrassed, with Charmy smug as could be. Their small commotion had met with their usual waitress getting peeved at Vector for even raising his voice at sweet little Charmy, the woman clearly not understanding the little devil that lived under HIS roof. But as the respectful type, Vector had no choice but to calm himself and accept the verbal beating, as much as the Bee's amusement caused him grief.

"Don't get such an attitude, boss, y'might get banned from the place!" Charmy said, half as a joke, but also a threat to Vector's antics. The confidence in him at the moment showed his childish side, for sure.

"If she heard you now, I'm sure she'd have a few harsh words for you." Espio remarked to burst Charmy's bubble, but also put him in line a little. If they both couldn't come back, maybe a meal would be peaceful for once. But if Vector wasn't around, he wouldn't be paying for the meals. Trying to find a middle ground seemed to be the best bet.

It seemed to work, a bead of sweat going down Charmy's forehead. "Ahah, you wouldn't rat me out, right, Espio?" His question was met with silent looks, which proved to be effective, the Bee quickly breaking. "Alright, alright! We'll drop it. No more using the Charmy Charm to get Vector in trouble." He stated, with a slight sadness to his tone.

"If that's settled, then let's get going already!" Vector barged into the two-way conversation, before marching down the sidewalk. Espio and Charmy followed, figuring they were heading back to the office for some R&R or at least to look at their next job. This changed as Charmy spotted a sight across the street: A few familiar faces in Amy Rose and Cream the Rabbit, but another individual, not familiar in the 'friend' kind of sense, but rather a popular individual that caused the Bee to jolt up, frantically poking Vector's shoulder. "What?" The croc questioned, turning his head.

"That's Mina Mongoose!" He exclaimed to his boss, a stupid grin on his face. "I wanted to hurry home to see her during the Metropolis Music Festival, the heck's she doing here?"

Vector responded to this rather quickly, though not for the reasons one might expect. (Or maybe, some would expect it.) Grabbing up Charmy, he scolded the little guy momentarily. "What's the first rule of the Chaotix Detective Agency, Charmy?" He questioned, glaring at his small co-worker.

Charmy seemed to snap from his trance, blinking at Vector before answering. "Don't act obnoxious around ladies, boss."

"Thatta boy!" Vector complimented, releasing Charmy and giving him a pat on the head with a big grin. Vector's reaction to a celebrity was more calm than most, but that was simply because Vector knew a lot of folks from picking up jobs for the Agency, and celebrities weren't a thing to phase him when some of the people he's interacted with. "I can afford to do a little freeform investigation on company time, might as well see what the deal is." He added, before beginning to cross the street. A voice stopped him momentarily, though when he saw an excited Charmy following him, that only left one suspect...

"I'd rather not, Vector." Espio made his point quick, the usual method on his end.

"Don't get cold feet, being together is good for the company image!" Vector retorted, grabbing the Ninja and dragging him along. Espio, usually the nimble sort, stumbled behind him momentarily before shaking free of the half-hearted grip, simply choosing to stand slightly behind Vector, letting his large form sort of overshadow him to keep the conversation from coming his way.

"Evening, ladies." Vector greeted, his full professionalism and politeness on display. Charmy sat on his shoulder, offering a hearty wave to Amy and Cream as he grinned at the opportunity in front of him. Vector continued to speak however, carrying them into the conversation rather heartily. "Out and about to celebrate the anniversary?" He offered as a question, being quite a busy worker, so taking a moment to say hello to a few friends wasn't gonna hurt. And the way his group was acting in this scenario internally left him in stitches, so all was well and good with him.

"Gimme back my dog, you freak!"

"Alright already, geez!" Amy complained as she let the unhappy dog be taken from her hands by a very frustrated owner.

"You're lucky I don't call the cops!"

"You're unlucky that you don't know true love when you see it! I'm a very compassionate person!" Amy shouted after the retreating couple.

Amy sighed. "How come the tighter I hug something, the more it wants to leave me?" She asked, voice breaking and dejected. As she turned and began to walk toward the festivities, she was surprised to see Cream, Chao, and some other mongoose lady.

"Hey! Hey, Cream. Chao." Amy greeted the little creature stoically. She looked over at Mina. "Nice to meet you! I'm Amy, Amy Rose."

Just then three crazy characters arrived. As Vector asked his question, Amy took a moment to stare at him, utterly blank.

Her face lit up. "...Oh, it's the Chaotix! Yes! Hi! Hello! I remember. Sorry, I've been on my own for a bit!" Amy nodded, hopping up and down. "I'm definitely here for the festivities. The city really comes alive at parties like this! This anniversary is a huuuge event! Plus, when it inevitably goes belly up I have to be here to stop the bad guys!" Amy struck a pose. Casually, excitedly even, predicting the downfall of the party.

"And, you know, to have fun before the end. It'll be fun! I love your outfit by the way!" Amy slapped her knees and bent over at Mina Mongoose, studying her outfit. "Super flashy! Leave some attention for the rest of us, amiright?" Amy nudged Cream on the shoulder and then wrapped her arm around the Rabbit's shoulder, hugging her in close and then leaning on her.

"Mind if I hang out with you guys? I know a great spa! The kind where they put fruits on your eyes! For some reason they never know how many slices to give me..." Amy trailed off and then snapped back into reality. "You can even eat them when they aren't looking! So it's like a snack day, too."

[South City - South Island] @Potemking @Zoey Boey

Cream was quick to turn towards the Chaotix as they approached, giving another courteous bow. "Hello, mister Vector. Mister Espio. Hi Charmy." The rabbet greeted with a smile. "My mother and I were in town just doing a little shopping, everyone's celebrating back home too!" She'd explain.

The mongoose at her side with smile. "Yeah, it's great to see people all coming out and having a good time." She'd state, turning to Amy as she complimented her attire. "Thanks, Honey the Cat made it. She's an absolute master at making these, I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't around for my shows... right! My name's Mina, Mina Mongoose. Nice to meet you all."

At the hedgehog's idea of a spa day, she'd shake her head. "Sounds like fun, but I can't... I'm actually in town here looking for Sonic." The music star explained, Cream nodding. "We were trying to help her, but mister Sonic can be hard to find sometimes..."

Mina would chuckle. "Some things never change... he's an old friend of mine. I've got my festival up in Metropolis, so I was hoping he might show up and say a few words. He is the one who finally beat Eggman after all. Any chance you guys have seen him around?"

---

[Music Festival - Metropolis] @Mistress Dizzy

As the festivities continued to ramp up, a massive shadow would begin to loom over the crowds. Many onlookers turned their gazes to the sky as a massive G.U.N. Battleship passed overhead, appearing to move from its position over the city as it headed Northwest.

This quickly caught the attention of the frustrated tour manager. "Oh now what?! We were told they were going to be keeping the skies clear, not blocking out the sun! Someone get them on the line, now!" He'd growl. It was clear this was not part of the show.

It was not often a G.U.N. Battleship would depart from its designated sector. This particular battleship was key in guarding Metropolis from potential attacks from the Eggman Empire. To those with this knowledge, it was clear something was going on. But to the average citizen, it seemed the move was barely paid any mind.

---

[Mystic Jungle - Northern U.Z.A.]

"#Extermination of Eggman Robots proceeding with extreme prejudice!#

"Omega, you bolt brain! I told you to wait, this was supposed to be a recon op!"

"#Primary Directive: Destroy All Eggman Robots!#"

"Well, there's no use in skulking around now. Let's go see if the doctor is in."

"You boys do that, I'll update headquarters on the situation. Don't trash too many before the calvary gets here now, you'll spoil their fun."

Kijani lowered her sunglasses and turned her face up with the rest, as the G.U.N. battleship moved overhead. “...weird.” She muttered to herself, taking a sip of her drink. She wondered what it was doing, moving out of sector. Digging into her purse, she pulled out a teeny earpiece and put it on. On her phone, she dug up one of the black-ops apps she had stolen and repurposed for herself.

“What do you have for me, rabbit ears?” She turned it on, quickly canceling out the frequencies of the electronics in the crowd. That just left the airship above. The “rabbit ears” worked wonders, and she’d had the military’s frequency memorized for years. Idiots kept using the same channels.

Making a meandering line through the crowd, she followed the shadow of the ship. So maybe she was picking up a little extra work on a day off. Money didn’t sleep, after all.

"Honey the Cat, Mina Mongoose, Cream the Rabbit." Amy muttered to herself as Mina introduced herself. She looked over at the Chaotix. "Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon, Charmy the Bee!" She pointed to each of them in turn, as if she was just remembering their names.

"Wha-." She ran a hand through her pink hair. "Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails the Fox." She points at her heart. "Amy the- Rose?" A long pause, her eyes glaze over as if in the midst of an existential crisis. She snaps out of it, literally snapping her fingers.

"Oh, that's right! I chose my last name because I like Roses. And their meaning on the tarot cards. I guess your guys' parents must have given you your names or something, haha!" Amy declared, a bit shrill.

"Anyway! Honey the Cat! Cool outfits. Nice to meet you, Ms. Mina Mongoose." Amy curtsied.

Amy's face fell as Cream denied her offer of a spa day but, lit right back up again as she mentioned Sonic.

"You're looking for Sonic, too?! That'll give me the perfect excuse- I mean yes, I've seen him!" Amy hopped up and down. She pointed off in a direction. The place where she'd seen the blue and orange blue speed past. "He's hanging out with Tails somewhere that way. Sonic can be so hard to find sometimes, I know. Sometimes it feels like he's just straight up running away from me! But he'd never do that, really. Anyway, lets go! There's no time to lose. Sonic'll have to show up to give his speech, he'll just have too. Everyone has to hear how much of a brave hero he is! From the man himself!" Amy nodded rapidly.

"Come on, Mina, Cream, Charmy, Espie, Vector! We gotta find Sonic. We don't want him to miss out!" She looks at Mina, covering one side of her mouth. "I've heard there's gonna be music." With that she started into a run. She worked her legs as hard as she could, like she was on a treadmill underwater. But soon she was picking up speed, and the faster she went, the easter it was to run.

---

The trio went quiet for a moment, Amy's silence and difficulty remembering them causing a moment of embarrassment at the mere thought of them being forgettable. Or, forsake the thought, side characters! Vector was quick to shrug it off as Cream greeted them, also helped when Amy managed to recall them, a toothy grin being followed by a nod from him. "Don't blame ya. Feels like things have only been busier this last year." He thought back to the time and how it seemed to fly by. Plenty of jobs secure, but maybe nothing as major as what they'd had in the past.

Amy's... Enthusiasm about something going wrong was a bit out there, but Vector couldn't act like he didn't feel the same way. Charmy butted in at this, snarking: "Vector's been paranoid about something happening all day!" He laughed atop Vector, though with one of his large hands Vector brushed him off, growing irritable at the bee continuing to say that. "It's just intuition! A good detective trusts his gut." He defended himself, words firm as he crossed his arms.

Vector perked a little, though, at the idea of a spa day. He was a croc proud of his complexion, but he usually used such time to escape people rather than spend time with them. Thankfully they weren't getting pulled into that, instead Mina seemed to be looking for Sonic. With no luck, by the sound of it.

"Heh, Sonic? A speech? Doesn't sound like 'em!" Charmy commented, the idea amusing him though he wouldn't knock the star for trying! Especially if this was why she wasn't at the festival; If she was looking for Sonic before heading back, then there only seemed to be one sound solution: Lend a hand, so there'd be good TV when they get home.

Thankfully, Amy seemed to have an idea of where he was, or at least the direction he went. Vector figured this would work out with her around; She essentially had a built-in Sonic radar, so she'd find him one way or another eventually. But right now, they were running short on time. The music festival would start soon; Mina would have to get back, right? The croc nodded firmly at the idea of hunting the hedgehog down. "S'pose we could help out. Consider it a holiday freebie on the house from the Chaotix Agency!" He declared, truly trying to make it sound like something gracious and worthwhile... Even if the job was fairly small. Finding Sonic wasn't bad, given some time. But in a hurry? Could be more difficult, but at least they had a lead. "Sonic ain't much of a city guy, so I'd assume he ran out of town with Tails in tow. Only thing that way within a reasonable distance are those old, speedy green hills."

Charmy coughed, momentarily landing in the street to observe the ground a little. "Heh, who thought a detective's intuition also included common sense?" He smarted off, eyes scanning the intersection Amy had pointed towards. Bleh, he didn't expect much, but Sonic really wasn't leaving any actual trace in streets like these, at least footprint-wise. Looking up the street, though, Charmy could notice a few small objects knocked over here and there. Judging from the way they fell, and the fact some of them were being picked up by people, it was easy to assume a large wind of sorts came through. Sonic's speed when in close proximity fit the bill just fine. "Those speedy types are so simple." He lamented, before getting startled by a car honking at him to get out of the road. Espio promptly pulled him back to the sidewalk, the bee laughing as he hadn't even realized he was in the way.

"You've got to watch your surroundings." Espio lectured.

"Yeah, yeah. It's obvious he went that way. Let's find Sonic and make the Music Festival even more awesome!" Charmy responded as he flew after Amy, following her initiative with gusto.

Espio followed suit, and Vector looked back at Mina and Cream for a moment, noting how big of a search party they had. "No worries, we'll have 'em tracked down in no time! My boy Charmy has never lost a mark!" It made Sonic sound more like a criminal than a simple person to keep an eye out for, but a mark was a mark when on the job! His feet carried a lot more heft as they hit the ground, but being bigger didn't mean he couldn't keep up with his boys. If they started going too far though, he'd have to ask Espio for a Sling Ring assist.

[South City - South Island] @Zoey Boey @Potemking

As the pink hedgehog led the way, Mina would smile before looking to the Chaotix. "She's sure got some spunk, huh?" She'd comment, looking out towards the lush green hills outside of town. "Yeah... yeah that sounds like Sonic for sure. And I can't let ya do this for nothing, after all... how about some free back stage passes for the festival? That's the least I can do."

Whether they accepted or not, she turned back towards the hedgehog as she had gotten quite a lead. "She's got a head start, better hurry or she might scare him off." She'd joke with a giggle, before getting into a sprinting position... and taking off like a shot. Sure, music was her talent. But she wasn't a one trick pony by any means.

Within moments she'd have caught up with the hedgehog. "You're pretty fast, I'll race ya there!" She'd offer, the streak of yellow taking the lead as they headed for the hills.

[Music Festival - Metropolis] @Mistress Dizzy

It would take a moment as the device synced with the military frequency, with quite a bit of static before it became more clear.

"Command to 'Hammer of Justice', come in, over."

"'Hammer of Justice', read you command. Proceed, over."

"Command to 'Hammer of Justice', proceed to marked coordinates over Mystic Jungle. Condition Red. Field Team Dark has located and engaged Priority Target. Provide emergency combat support and prevent Priority Target from escaping. Over."

"'Hammer of Justice' acknowledges, Command. Battleship mobile, all hands moving to combat stations. Proceeding to marked coordinates immediately. Over and out."

The chatter would begin to light up as units across the area were mobilizing, but this much was clear. Something big was going down. Those versed in military chatter would likely recall that a 'Condition Red' was one of their highest alerts, and there were very few threats that could bring about such a response on Mobius. All the while, the unsuspecting public was blissfully unaware that such an operation was even taking place.

Mystic Jungle was far out of the way, deep in the heart of former Eggman Empire territory. Covered in extremely dense foliage, no one with a healthy dose of common sense would find themselves that far out there. But if someone wanted to stay out of sight... there were few better places to hide.

---

Vector's eyes widened a little bit at the offer, a smile curving onto his crocodile face. Living the backstage MVP life for a simple job like this? He liked the sound of that, even if he hadn't planned on going to the festival prior. That'd be a good reason, most certainly, and he was pretty sure it'd motivate the boys too. "Ain't one to decline a gift like that! We'll take it." This brought Vector to putting a hand near his mouth, trying to 'amplify' his already extremely loud voice. "Y'hear that, boys? You get this job done and it's backstage passes for the festival!"

Charmy looked back for a moment, the offer hyping him up big time. "For real?!" He questioned, wind of Mina passing him up to catch up with Amy causing him to flip in the air, as his excitement grew. It was cool enough not only being able to watch it, or heck, meet Mina Mongoose on the streets like this, but now backstage passes for finding Sonic?! Oh, you bet the little guy was revved up and ready to go. Except, Mina and Amy were speeding ahead. And that meant they could find Sonic first; What if he didn't get the pass if they went ahead and got sight of him?

Thinking fast, Charmy latched onto Espio's back. "Step on the gas, we gotta get those passes!" He demanded, pointing forward.

Espio glared up at Charmy with mild annoyance. "If you want it so badly, you ought to catch up to them."

"I don't need to do that! 'Cause I know how to get a burst of speed outta you!"

Espio was confused by this response, up until he felt a sharp sting on his backside. His eyes nearly shot out of his head from the sudden attack from Charmy's stinger, his legs quickly moving forward and picking up a lot of speed. The Ninja's agility was being put to embarrassing use, the adrenalin from the attack causing him to easily bypass both Amy and Mina as they sped towards those hills. All they could hear was some disgruntled pain from Espio as he went by, with Charmy waving a hand in the air, laughing: "Yeah! High-ho, Espio!"

A sweatdrop of embarrassment from the display, and the fact all the speedsters left him behind, Vector paused for a moment as he was now too far for the Sling Rings to make a connection. He looked back at Cream, nervously laughing. "Guess I'm taking the slow route! Tell your mother I said hello, yeah?" A small chortle escaping him, Vector began to make his way towards Green Hill, now trailing quite a ways behind, but just because he was a big guy with a big brain didn't mean he couldn't gain some decent speed. He just wasn't much compared to most frontrunners.

I can't believe they DITCHED me! He would complain to himself, noting to not buy their meals on the company dime next time, if they were just going to ditch their boss.

Amy ran along, searching for her beloved. "Race me where?" Amy asked Mina as she sped past, raising an eyebrow. Then Espio and Charmy zoomed past the both of them.

"Where are you going?" Amy asked, not speeding up. She had 'slowed down' to a comfortable pace. About as fast as the trailing Vector. "This isn't how you search for people!" Amy called out. Silly billies. It's not like you could actually 'catch' Sonic the Hedgehog. Not if he was running full speed. He's the fastest guy on the planet! You had to catch sight of him first, and then stalk- er, follow him, and waited until he slowed down. Then you snuck up on him until you could snatch him by the wrist and he'd feel bad if he sped off as fast as possible! There was a science to this kind of thing!

Amy slowed down into a reverse jog, following a footpath in the grassy hills. She waited until she was by Vector and then turned around to keep pace with him. Now she skipped girlishly beside the crocidle.

"So, you're a detective right?" Amy said. She did a high speed cart wheel and then went right back to skipping. "You know how to get a blue hedgehog?" Amy pivoted and almost slammed into a tree. She ended up climbing it instead, her momentum spinning her around the top before she slowed down. She shielded her eyes against the sun and surveyed the environment with upmost severity.

"When in doubt!" She shouted. "Find a loop-de-loop. Sonic can never resist one!" While some of the others went off to race, Amy travelled from high point to high point, hopping from tall tree to towering boulder. Looking for a sign of a blue blur or a hovering orange fox. Or maybe one of his buildings or hideouts.

"Or! You can just do something really stupid and get into trouble and he'll come save you!" Amy said cheerily. "Works everytime for me as a last resort! Or a first resort if I get lucky!"

Kijani weighed her options as she listened to the radio chatter. On the one hand, she was on vacation. On the other, this could be major - and she could be the first non-military to know about it. That, above all else, piqued her interest. Since she made a living out of knowing things, she could make bank off of what she already had now.

But no - just some military jargon wasn't enough. She had to see and know for herself.

"Mystic Jungle it is." She tossed the rest of her drink and made a quick beeline for her vehicle. Several minutes later, she was driving down the highway, with her destination in mind and plugged into the GPS. Always present in the trunk was her work kit. A few disguises, clothing for all occasions, and all sorts of recording equipment. This rabbit was always ready to get to work.

Her red eyes narrowed as she spotted the gunship cutting diagonally across the highway, just ahead. They had the easy route. She could feel her temperament changing, like flipping a switch. Kijani was out - Origami was in.

[Green Hill - South Island] @Zoey Boey @Potemking

"There's more to him than just that, ya know!" Mina's voice would call out, before the mongoose would flip onto the branch just below Amy. "It's his nature to want to help people, it's the whole reason he helped start the Freedom Fighters way back when."

Crossing her arms, she'd give the area a gaze herself before sitting down for a moment. "I gave the place a once over, but knowing him he'd probably be on the move, a fast one at that."

She'd turn her attention back to the pink hedgehog. "How'd you meet him anyways? Let me guess, you got in trouble and he saved you, right?"

[East Metropolitan Highway] @Mistress Dizzy

The GUN Battleship was easy enough to keep track of. But despite its aerial superiority, the behemoth of an aircraft was quite slow as it lumbered towards the jungle. It was entirely possible that the car Kijani was driving could easily beat it to its destination... if it had off-road capability at least. The few logged paths leading to Mystic Jungle were not exactly well kept, many one wouldn't even consider to be a road...

[Mystic Jungle - Northern UZA]

Lights would be flashing and alarm tones blaring as numerous Badnik groups were mobilizing, a familiar face seated at a central terminal. "The Perimeter Alarm's been triggered. Shadow and his team have entered the facility!" Eggman would growl, looking to the figure shrouded in shadow next to him. "You told me your team was the best. Well prove it. Handle them. Now." He'd bark.

"GUN Grunts are one thing, but that's THE Shadow the Hedgehog. We won't be able to hold him back for long-" "Perhaps your team simply isn't up to the task. Is that what I'm hearing?" The doctor would cut him off, causing the figure to jump. "We'll deal with him. How much time do you need?"

Eggman smirks. "That's more like it. I'm copying the research data and flushing the system now. The prototypes are being moved for transport. As much time as you can. Go!"

The figure steps into the light, a jackal by the looks of him. He nods, before dashing out the door, leaving the doctor with his terminal. "Perhaps this will make an excellent test..."

"Oh, I know, he's such a sap, isn't he?" Amy said, whimsically staring off into the horizon. "It's just in his nature. I wonder if some people are just born good? Is that fate?"

Amy giggled, nodding at Mina. Amy sat on the branch and started to explain, her legs swinging underneath her. "You're dead on, sister. I was wandering away from my village when we first met. I got bored easily and well, I was convinced there was a big wide world out there."

"I must have gone pretty far away. I was kidnapped by an evil robot version of Sonic! At that moment I thought 'wow, I've never seen a boy hedgehog before. Are they all this mean and shiny?'" Amy said. "I also had a different hair style, and my favorite color was green instead of red and pink." The hedgehog added for some reason.

"Aaanyway. So there I was, kicking and screaming and then trying to strike up a friendly conversation with my kidnapper. I'm pretty sure this was back when Dr. Robotnik wanted to power his robots by putting creatures like me into his machines. And turning us into robots? Putting us in robots? Just copying us and keeping us imprisoned while our robot dopplegangers wreak havoc? Something like that, I can never remember." Amy said dismissively.

"So this was robot was all like: 'YOU'RE GOING TO BE A ROBO-SLAVE OR SOMETHING.' And I was like: 'Noooo please I'm just a little girl!'" Amy made a convincing robot face and voice, before switching back to being a damsel in distress.

"And then," Amy shot to her feet, balancing precariously on the extended branch. She slashed her arm through the air like a knife.

"In comes that handsome boy I would come to know as Sonic the Hedgehog! He's all: SWOOSH, VOOSH! It was the most epic battle I've ever seen. The two almost seemed evenly matched, but of course it was like he said: 'No tin can is a match for the original! Give it up!'" Amy took a Sonic-like pose and did a shockingly accurate impression of Sonic, despite the two being of the opposite gender.

"Then he saved me and took me back to my village! Oh, my hero!" Amy sighed, placed her hand against her forehead and swooned. Swooned so hard she fell right off the branch. Mina Mongoose would have to catch her to prevent the pink hedgehog from falling thirty feet onto the ground.

Once caught, Amy looked at Mina. She slung her arm over the Mongoose's neck. "So yeah. Afterwards he was like: 'Hey, you're cute! Can we be boyfriend and girlfriend forever and ever?' Who was I to say no! Besides, I was about to ask him the same thing. Yeah, it was pretty much true love at first sight..." Trailing off, she laughed nervously, twirling a strand of her hair in her finger. Amy just stared past Mina for a moment, biting her lower lip. After a moment she shook her head and seemed to snap back into reality.

"...Anway, I'm his girlfriend, not yours. Could you set me down, please?"

[Green Hill - South Island] @Zoey Boey @Potemking

The mongoose would chuckle as she began her tale, barely catching the hedgehog as she performed her dramatic fall. Her gaze would show a bit of concern before slipping back to a friendly smile. "You've got a flair for the dramatic, huh?" She'd jokingly ask, easing her back down onto the branch.

"I met him kind of the same way... Robotnik had taken over Metropolis when he first started taking over the planet. I got separated from my parents, and eventually got trapped by his badniks. I thought that was it... until he showed up." Her story would be much less physically dramatic, closing her eyes as she recalled the details. "Speed like I'd never seen before... and whether it was just plain bravery or he was looking for the thrill... it inspired me."

She'd pull out her phone once again, she really didn't have much time left. "We should probably keep trying to look for him..." Mina would propose...

"Looking for who?" A familiar voice called out, and with a gaze over their shoulders the pair would find a certain two tailed fox. "Tails! It's good to see you again, but man... don't sneak up on a girl like that!" The singer would greet, the fox cub rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry, just noticed you guys here..." Looking down he'd also spot the lead detective of the Chaotix. "Hey Vector! Long time no see!"

"Hey, Tails... sorry to interrupt but we were looking for Sonic." Mina cuts in, the fox cub turning his gaze back to her, then to Amy with an unsure gaze. "Not like that... I've got a favor to ask him. Know where he is?"

The flying fox pulled out his PDA as he looked at its screen. "He's helping me test out a new device I made, which also happens to have a GPS Tracker. Looks like he's... just off to the East of here. Probably over by the falls, come on!" He'd motion, taking flight as the mongoose reached out a hand. "Wait- I swear sometimes he forgets the rest of us can't fly."

She parkours down the tree swiftly and gracefully, landing with ease as she prepared to dash off in pursuit. "Sorry your team kinda took off on ya, need a hand?" She'd offer the crocodile, a hand outstretched as she offered a boost of speed.

[Metropolitan Highway -> Mystic Jungle] @Mistress Dizzy

The radio would continue to blow up as the ground team reported in once again.

#Field Team Dark, report status.#

#Rouge here, heavy badnik resistance down here. Omega's taking care of most of them. Shadow says he's been ambushed by some kind of mercenary team. No sign of the doctor yet, but he's definitely here.#

#Field Team Dark, copy. Reinforcements inbound. Time to target, 45 minutes.#

The fatal flaw of the massive GUN Battleship was its speed. By now, it would be far in Kijani's rear view, the edge of Mystic Jungle beginning to appear over the horizon. From her point of view, it may appear peaceful, but within it was far from it.

---

A disgruntled Vector had slowed to a halt beneath the tree, not exactly due to a form of exhaustion but because Charmy and Espio had left him so far in the dust that he might as well just let them scout ahead. They'd call back if they found anything, after all. Had to keep up some professionalism and make this look at least a little purposeful, like his boys weren't dysfunctional and instead dedicated to the cause. Maybe telling them about the passes was a bad idea, considering how they darted off, they weren't exactly being precise, which Amy pointed out to them prior.

If he could've turned anymore green from them making a joke of themselves in their excitement, he would've. Instead a sigh of uncertainty escaped him, scratching the top of his head as he considered getting back on the move. The girls seemed to finish their conversation, which while time was supposedly of the essence he wasn't doing any better so there was no place to comment.

As he began to stomp forward a voice caught the croc off guard: A turn of his head allowed him to see Tails, a welcomed result given their current search, though as great as it was Sonic was nowhere in sight, which was unfortunate. the Fox was somewhat fresh in his mind as Charmy used him in arguments for why they could have 'All sorts of cool gadgets', as he'd put it. What Charmy didn't realize was Vector saved potential favors for dire situations (Not that Tails owed him anything,) And their budget didn't exactly scream 'grappling hooks'. Why did he need one, anyways? He could fly. "Hey there! This anniversary is starting to feel like a reunion," He noted as he responded with his greeting. Mina was on the case about their task at hand, ahead of Vector in that regard, which Tails was able to provide ample answers about.

He could only imagine that Sonic wouldn't be in one place for long, so Tails' initiative made sense to him. Tails taking to the sky wasn't as much of an issue for Vector, navigating east wasn't difficult. Green Hill wasn't exactly a regular locale he visited, but it was much less exotic to him than most places he'd been. A waterfall for sure wasn't about to be the most difficult thing to spot.

Mina's offer upon lowering from the tree wasn't bad, per say, but given the circumstances they were just a little awkward for the crocodile. "Just shows how eager my boys are to get a job done." Yeah, that'd save a little face. If anyone bought it. Not wanting thoughts to linger on that, he instead pulled out his trusty Sling Rings. Given Vector's own size, especially his massive fists, it only made sense in his mind to use the rings to carry on Mina's offer of a speed boost instead. "That'd be appreciated though! Jus' take one of these, and the speed'll carry over with ease!" Sounded like some sort of marketing jingle, which the Sling Rings definitely weren't for sale. But their uniqueness made Vector wonder how valuable they were. If anything were to go under with the Agency...

---

Meanwhile, Charmy and Espio had slowed down somewhat. Or, moreso, switched roles. Now in the air, Espio was dangling by a Sling Ring with an annoyed expression as Charmy flew, scanning the area for any sign of Hedgehog movement. Growing a little tired, or perhaps just cramping from his recent meal, the Bee parked on top of a loop for a moment to scout over the area below, hand above his eyes to block the sun as he squinted. "He's bright blue! Oughta stick out in this terrain!" A snicker escaped him at the idea of getting those passes. Oh, it sounded like fun. Unfortunately in his excitement he'd driven himself forward without much regard, and with a peeved Espio in tow.

"You made an assumption about trash and brought us out here." The ninja chimed in, still dealing with Charmy's sting.

Charmy didn't lower his hand or even widen his eyes as he turned to look at Espio. "Eheheh, just means we're out in the field fastest! Not much to track him by out here, so this is the best we've got!" Charmy turned to resume his scouting, managing to catch a yellow individual within his view. Wings buzzing with excitement, he exclaimed: "Y'see? Look at that! Tails is over there!" Without a moment's hesitation, the Bee Mobian buzzed off after the fox, eager to find his mark so he sped forward through the air with a few twists and audible Vroom!'s.

A moment of silence passed, until Espio noticed that Charmy was, in fact, leaving him behind. He called out the boy's name, but it was already too late. He was long gone. Part frustrated and part speechless from what just happened to him, he crossed his arms and lowered his head in a moment of silent judgement against the Bee's actions, now utterly alone and stranded atop a Green Hill loop.

"Seeing a live Mina Mongoose performance is worth it," He quietly spoke to himself, smallest of smiles on his face. With ease his feet traverses the steep angle of the loop's outer layer, rushing downward until he was met with flat ground, rushing along an old but sturdy enough wooden bridge while keeping an eye in the sky to track Charmy. There wasn't any sense in standing about, especially with those backstage passes on the line. And he wasn't about to let Charmy take all the credit for this, either. Though beyond his knowledge, Tails was already leading everyone else to where they needed to go, anyways.

---

Back in the sky, Charmy's eccentric self buzzed up to Tails in a very audible manner. 'Scuse me!" The bee's words were loud, and he wasn't looking down below, either: A tad oblivious in his excitement, most could assume. "Boss has me lookin' for Sonic, ya seen him around here?" Charmy's childish method of assuming he'd be remembered struck true with his age, though was mostly a spawn of his excitement to follow a trail quick, not realizing his boss and the others were probably within ear shot anyways.

Origami looked at the mass green scenery of the Mystic Jungle coming into view. She’d thought about having her own hideout in it, but the atmosphere and lack of internet access had deterred her. Once she was at the very edges of the jungle, she parked her Jeep under a massive plant.

Then she went to the trunk and got a change of clothes. Thick soled boots, khaki pants, and a tank top (red of course). She tied her hair back with a band, and looked over her weapon display. A stun gun for short range, and her favorite sword for hacking through the underbrush. Brute work for such an elegant weapon, but it would have to do the trick for now.

Making a mental note to add a proper machete to her arsenal just in case, she hoisted the rest of her gear into a backpack and started trekking for the coordinates.