Rated: Fiction T (Teen) (PG-13) - English - Romance/Adventure - Sonic & Amy

Chapter Three – Hostile Takeover

Club Rouge was considered one of the hottest night clubs in downtown Westopolis. It was well known for its live entertainment, lounge, full bar, and had some of the best exotic dancers any money could buy. The night club was two stories high with the exception of the top third floor which served as Rouge's apartment. Neon lights flooded the club and served as its primary lighting aside from red, green, and blue strobe lights which illuminated the club from the dance floor. The large dance floor was already crowded with people dancing in front of a large stage with a DJ mixing the latest hit songs for the evening. Around the dance stage and nearest to the bar were the exotic dancers entertaining male patrons as they danced seductively around the poles they dominated. Working at the bar that evening was none other than Rouge herself. She was in the midst of mixing her latest customer's drink but it was obvious her mind was clearly elsewhere. The events that took place just a couple of hours earlier were continuing to replay in her mind. After the shocking news from Amy in the bathroom, Rouge decided to let Amy spend the evening at her place. She didn't feel right having her go back home by herself and she took this as an opportunity to help Amy out and see if she really was pregnant.

Rouge had gone out and bought Amy a pregnancy test to confirm their suspicions and to her surprise it was really true. Amy Rose was indeed baring the unborn child of Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge was still having a hard time believing that Sonic and Amy had become sexually active with each other. When the Hell did this happen and why was she of all people unable to notice it? There was no denying it though as her gaze fell on the test that read positive in her sobbing companions' hands. Usually she wouldn't be so concerned in other people's troubles and would be concentrating more on herself but she found that she had a soft spot for Amy like that of an older sister. After the devastating news regarding Sonic's untimely demise she found herself growing softer especially since his death greatly affected her too. She hoped that Amy was doing alright by herself. She felt a little guilty leaving the despondent hedgehog all alone but she had a club to run. Rouge found herself bombarding Amy with questions regarding her and Sonic's relationship but Amy was very secretive and private about it giving her very little information and details. She always imagined Amy would tell everybody every single detail regarding her and Sonic but apparently she was very wrong.

Rouge was so wrapped up in her thoughts she failed to notice the new customer who sat down at the bar right in front of her. "How's Rose doing?" A dark, husky voice asked.

Startled from her thoughts, Rouge looked up to meet Shadow's striking crimson orbs. "You always like to show up when people least expect it don't you?" She asked him with slight irritation in her voice.

Shadow merely glared at her but patiently waited for her answer to his question. Rouge sighed while grabbing him a glass and poured it with his usual alcoholic beverage. "She managed to stop crying if that's what you mean." She stated while handing him his drink.

Shadow eagerly took the glass and took a quick sip before putting the glass down. "So, she's okay now?" He asked again.

"Why the sudden interest in Amy's welfare?" She asked him curiously. Just a couple of hours ago he was only concerned with the Chaos Emeralds and Dr. Eggman.

Shadow just shrugged his shoulders and took another sip of his drink. His expression remained mysterious and unreadable. "I was just wondering…that's all." He said calmly. Rouge raised her eyebrow and looked at him quizzically but said nothing. "Whatever you say…" She said knowing full well he wasn't being completely honest with her.

The truth was Shadow was feeling a bit guilty for making Amy even more upset today than she already was. He wasn't exactly sure why her unhappiness really bothered him but it did. What was really weighing heavy on his mind, however, was the conversation Rouge and Amy were having in the diner's bathroom that he accidentally overheard. Was she really pregnant with Sonic's child? He was hoping Rouge would elaborate and give him some details regarding this matter. Neither spoke for a couple of minutes as Shadow sat deep in thought and Rouge continued pouring drinks for various customers. She looked over in his direction again and noticed something was clearly bothering him. "What's really bothering you Shadow?" She asked him suddenly. He looked into her eyes and at first wasn't sure what he should say.

"I went back to G.U.N headquarters after what happened at the diner and we are unable to locate the doctor's current whereabouts. I have a feeling he's planning something big which is why I was so adamant about Rose cooperating with me and telling me any information that could tell me just what the Hell's going on." His grip tightened on his drink as he growled in slight frustration and continued. "Rouge, I have a feeling something is going to happen tomorrow."

Rouge looked at him seriously, suddenly feeling worried. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure exactly…but I can just sense it. When you finish work tonight, I suggest you get yourself prepared." He stated to her before finishing off his drink and setting the glass onto the bar table.

Amy laid in bed staring at the ceiling lost in deep thought. She could faintly hear the music blasting from the club downstairs and heard the busy noises of the streets through the apartment window. She pulled the foreign blanket up close to herself and snuggled as she tried to make herself comfortable. She wasn't used to the night life of the city and was having a difficult time falling asleep. Even if she was lying in her own comfy bed back at home she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Her thoughts were on Sonic and everything that has transpired over the past two weeks. Amy's jade eyes glistened and a light blush filled her cheeks as her hand subconsciously rubbed her flat stomach in a circular motion. She couldn't believe she was really pregnant. She and Sonic only made love together once. She didn't even think it was possible to become pregnant the first time. She found herself wondering what Sonic's reaction would have been if he were here. Would he be happy and excited to hear the news? Or would he feel upset and disappointed? Her mind continued to fill her with questions that will never have answers. A soft, muffled whimper escaped her lips as tears involuntarily began to well in her eyes and she hugged the blanket desperately yearning for warmth and comfort. How could things have turned out so badly? It wasn't supposed to be this way. Tears mercilessly soaked her pillow as she quietly wept to herself feeling her heart breaking all over again.

"Sonic…" She whimpered in utter despair. "Why did you have to leave me…?" She sobbed. Tears continued to spill from her eyes as she desperately tried wiping them away. "I'm scared…I don't want to be all alone…" She whispered, sounding like a vulnerable child. She wished her words could reach him and he would somehow return to her and wipe her tears away, telling her everything was going to be okay and that he loved her. She continued to sob inconsolably as she clutched the blanket and hugged it wishing she was in her cobalt hero's loving embrace. Ever since she was a little girl she dreamt of the day she would marry Sonic and have a family with him. She never would have imagined that he would end up leaving her pregnant, scared, and all alone. Everything felt like a horrible nightmare she could not awake from. As time passed, Amy eventually cried herself to sleep. Her face was wet and cold from her excessive crying and every so often she would whimper in her slumber resulting in a few loose tears escaping from her closed eyes.

It was already late in the evening as Sonic stepped quietly inside Amy Rose's home. He knew by now she was either worried about him or furious with him. He began to blindly walk through the dark and silent living room and tried his best to avoid any furniture to quietly turn on the light. His gloved hand searched the wall slowly until he felt the light switch and flicked it on. He blinked a few times as his vision began to adjust to the newfound brightness that suddenly filled the room and began to look around. His emerald eyes quickly fell on the couch where he found Amy sleeping softly. Sonic couldn't resist a smile and slowly began approaching her. He quietly knelt down beside her so he was at her face level and began caressing her cheek softly. She looked so beautiful even when she was sleeping. Sonic contemplated on whether or not he should wake her. He had been dying to see her all day today and knew she felt the same way with him. He was pretty sure once she wakes up she'll be upset with him for not showing up to their special dinner. He couldn't help but inwardly chuckle. He always did find it really cute when she was angry at him.

After coming up with a decision, Sonic carefully placed his hands underneath her body trying his best not to wake her and lifted her up bridal style. Amy stirred slightly as she readjusted herself in his strong yet gentle arms and laid her head against his chest. Sonic smiled to himself happily as he began to quietly ascend the staircase and towards Amy's bedroom. He walked blindly through the dark hallway going only by memory to find his way before finding her room. He carried her to her bed and placed her down gently before tucking her in and stopped for a moment to watch over her. He intertwined her hand with his and squeezed gently before bending down and giving her a soft peck on the lips. "Goodnight Amy…" He whispered into her ear softly. He let his hand slip away from hers as he quietly backed away from the bed and began to walk back towards the hallway. Just as he was about to pass through the bedroom threshold to leave for the evening her soft and beautiful voice filled his sensitive ears, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"…Sonic…? Is that you…?" Amy whispered sleepily as she slowly sat up in bed. She let out a low yawn and rubbed her eyes before looking up at his dark, shadowy form. Sonic quickly turned around to face her. "Yeah, Ames…It's me." He whispered as he rushed back over to her. He couldn't help but feel a little happy that she awoke; he had been missing her all day. Amy crossed her arms and began to pout. "You're late." Sonic couldn't hold back a laugh as he leaned in to peck her on the lips once more. "I'm sorry. I got a little held up but I'm here now, right?" He whispered with a chuckle. Amy couldn't suppress a smile and giggled as she looked up into his gleaming emerald orbs. "You really missed out because tonight I made you your favorite." She teased. Sonic's eyes suddenly grew wide and he could feel his mouth beginning to water at the very thought of a chilidog. "R-Really…?" He asked, already wishing he wasn't late. "Mmhm." Sonic groaned.

"You did save it for me….right Ames…?" He asked, hoping she'd say yes. "Maybe." She continued playfully. "Amy…" Sonic whined. Amy couldn't control her laughter. He was always so cute when he whined and acted like a child over something as silly as a chilidog. Sonic bent back down and quickly captured her lips with his own. Amy's eyes instantly fluttered shut as his lips molded hers softly and she began to quickly kiss him back with just as much affection. It's been so long since the two of them got to be alone like this and they relished every moment of it. Lately, with every kiss they shared, it has become increasingly more difficult for the two of them to part ways with one another. Amy felt herself getting lost in his sweet kiss and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Sonic's body suddenly stiffened and he winced in great pain. Noticing something was wrong Amy pulled away and looked up at him in confusion. "What's wrong?" She asked, beginning to worry. Sonic shook his head and faked a smile. "Nothing…I'm fine…" He said in a calm, smooth voice.

Amy looked deep into his emerald orbs that showed a small hint of vulnerability and knew immediately that he was lying. She pulled away from him and leaned over to turn on the lamp which sat on her night stand. Sonic closed his eyes the moment the light filled the room and waited for them to adjust. He heard Amy gasp softly and her hand went up to cover her mouth. Sonic sighed in defeat as he reopened his eyes knowing full well he'd been caught red handed. "Sonic! You're hurt!" Amy exclaimed with deep concern. "It's nothing Amy…It's just a scratch." He tried to reassure her.

Amy shook her head as tears began to brim her jade colored eyes. "It's not nothing…Look at you!" She cried. She couldn't take her eyes off of all the cuts, scratches, and bruises that covered the left side of his torso and his left arm. Sonic took both her hands in his and knelt down in front of her. "Amy…Let me explain…I…" Amy looked away from him feeling hurt. "You promised! You promised you wouldn't be so reckless!" A visible tear began rolling down her cheek and Sonic wiped it away with his thumb. He gently pulled her face towards him so she would look at him. "Amy…I'm sorry…" He whispered, his eyes becoming soft. Amy pulled herself away from him and crawled out of bed. "Let me get the first aid kit…" She whispered in a quiet, sad voice. Sonic frowned and ran a hand through his unruly quills. He knew she would be upset with him but this was something that he just couldn't control.

Sonic fell backwards onto Amy's bed and took in a deep breath of air. He hated making her cry. It was the very last thing he ever wanted to do and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty whenever he unintentionally did. His ears twitched as he heard Amy reentering the room and sat up slightly. Amy walked silently up to him with a first aid kit in hand and sat down on the bed beside him. An awkward silence then filled the room as she opened the kit and began taking out medical supplies. Another thing Sonic hated besides making her cry was her giving him the silent treatment. He'd much rather have her yell at him or just like when they were kids smack him around with her Piko Piko Hammer. Sonic winced as she began wiping his wounds with an alcoholic cloth. "If you're hungry…I wrapped your chilidog and put it in the fridge…" She said quietly as she continued to dab the moist cloth on his exposed skin. "I can't eat now when you're mad at me…" He said in a low voice.

Amy sighed and finally looked up at him. "I'm not mad…I'm just upset. I worry about you Sonic…and…you promised me you wouldn't be so careless." She removed the gauze and bandages from their packages and began to dress his chest wounds. "It was just a few robots Amy…nothing I can't handle." Sonic assured her as he gave her a small peck on the forehead. "If that was true then how come you're hurt?" She asked sadly as she began wrapping bandages around his left arm. Sonic looked away and was silent for a moment. "Heh...Okay…so maybe I slipped up a little this time." He chuckled lightly as he rubbed the back of his head feeling slightly embarrassed. "It's not funny…" Amy said softly as tears began to fill her eyes once more. "If something ever happened to you…I-I wouldn't know what I'd do…" Amy looked down as a few loose tears slipped down her cheeks. "Amy…" Sonic said softly as he lifted her chin up. "Nothing bad is gonna happen…I'm just fine. Do you honestly think that that old Egghead is going to stop me?" Amy slowly shook her head. "No…I guess not…" She couldn't even imagine the mere thought of that. Sonic was her cocky, confident, and loving hero who never lost to anyone. No matter how bad a situation got he always managed to save the day and come out unscathed. Regardless, she can't help herself but worry about him…She loved him and she just couldn't help it.

The two hedgehogs grew silent as their eyes deeply searched one another's. Amy hardly noticed that she had finished wrapping the bandages around Sonic's arm and became hypnotized by Sonic's emerald orbs. His face grew soft and she could see all the love, passion, yearning, and affection he held for her in his expression. He gently cupped her face in his hands and began wiping her wet cheeks with his thumbs. Amy felt her heart pounding heavily into her chest as his very touch warmed her entire body. She felt herself becoming weak as overwhelming emotions began to take control of her. Sonic will never realize just how much power he had over her.

"Sonic…" Amy whispered softly as she tried to control her rapidly beating heart.

"Yeah, Ames…?" Sonic asked huskily as his thumbs continued to dry her wet face.

"I love you…" She told him honestly. "I love you so much." Amy could feel her eyes moistening as she spoke how she felt.

Sonic smiled at her tenderly. "I love you too Amy…" He said to her softly.

His eyes continued to search her own as he tried his hardest to control his raging emotions. There was no doubt about it. He wanted her. And as he looked deeply into her beautiful jade colored eyes he could see she felt the same. Without further hesitation, Sonic leaned forward and crashed his lips upon hers. The two began kissing one another passionately as though neither have seen nor kissed one another in years. Amy slowly wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands moved from her face and down to her shoulders. Sonic gently and slowly pushed her down against the mattress as his body hovered over her, his lips still attacking hers hungrily. After a while they reluctantly broke from their heated kiss for some much needed air and looked deep into each other's eyes. Their eyes were both filled with love and desire for one another.

Sonic kissed Amy on the forehead before moving down and kissing her on the cheek. Amy moved her arms down to his waist and hugged him tightly as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. Her sweet, intoxicating scent of strawberries filled his nose as he began giving her neck small, soft kisses. Amy sighed in contentment as her fingers ran through his cobalt colored fur and tugged lightly on his back quills. His soft, warm lips found hers once more and it wasn't long until she felt his tongue tracing slowly along her lips asking for entrance. She opened her mouth slightly giving him permission and his tongue slipped eagerly inside. Their tongues danced around one another's as Sonic's hands began to slowly roam around Amy's body. A soft, muffled moan escaped her lips as she felt his hot breath against her face.

Sonic's hands continued their exploration until they eventually reached the bottom trim of her red dress. He broke their sensual kiss and held himself up slightly and began to slowly lift her dress up. His emerald eyes never left her jade ones as he attempted to undress her wanting to make sure she was comfortable with his advances. Amy sat herself up and began giving Sonic small kisses as she helped him pull her dress over her head. Sonic tossed her dress to the bedroom floor and wrapped his arms around her nearly bare body. The two of them could feel their hearts beating heavily against one another's chests as they kissed passionately and it wasn't long before all of their clothing and garments were removed and laying carelessly on the bedroom floor. Sonic placed his hands back onto Amy's shoulders and gently pushed her back down against the mattress. He started giving her soft, loving kisses as his hands began to feel around her soft, bare skin. Amy felt breathless and wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Her whole body felt as though it were on fire with every sensual touch he gave her. "Sonic…" She managed breathlessly. He broke away from their heavy kiss and started adjusting himself above her. Sonic looked down at Amy's bare form and couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she was. He gave her a sheepish smile followed by a peck on the lips. "You're so beautiful Amy…" He whispered to her softly. Amy felt her cheeks flush and smiled up at him.

With one single motion the two suddenly took their relationship to a whole new level and became as one. Amy sunk her hands deep into Sonic's back and moaned softly. He quickly bent down and captured her lips with his own giving her tender, sweet kisses and trying to alleviate any discomfort she may be feeling. Amy didn't think it was possible to love Sonic any more than she already did but as they made love, she found herself falling more and more in love with him. He was so gentle…so loving, and sweet. He took things slow and kissed and touched her in all the right places. He treated her as though she were made of porcelain glass that could easily shatter at any moment. As they finished, Sonic collapsed on top of her in a heap of exhaustion. Both he and Amy were panting out of breath feeling hot and sweaty. He kissed her lips softly and caressed her cheek before slowly pulling away. "I-I love you…" He whispered breathlessly. Amy smiled as tears welled in her eyes. "I love you too!" She exclaimed as she hugged him tightly. They continued to share sweet, tender kisses together as they tried catching their breaths. Eventually, Sonic moved from on top of her to lie down on his side. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her in a tight embrace. Amy couldn't control the tears of pure joy that continued to spill from her eyes. She never felt so happy in her entire life. "Don't cry…" Sonic whispered as he gave her gentle kisses and wiped her tears away. "I-I'm just so happy!" Amy sobbed as she snuggled into his chest.

Sonic brushed her messy bangs out of her face and kissed the top of her head. He cradled her tightly in his arms and continued to kiss and caress her affectionately as the two of them began to relax in each other's arms. Sonic played with her quills and continued to wipe stray tears away whenever he saw any. Amy giggled softly and kissed the tip of his nose lovingly. He took her hand in his and intertwined his fingers with hers as the two of them continued to look happily into one another's eyes. It was unbelievable how far their relationship has gone and how much it's grown over the years. Ever since Sonic was no more than eleven years old he secretly harbored affections for Amy but he never let her know that. Their early relationship mostly dealt with him running away from her and her chasing after him pleading for just one date. Now look where they were. When Sonic looked into Amy's eyes he no longer saw the little twelve year old girl who used to chase him around all the time. Now when he looked at her he saw a beautiful, mature, young woman. He saw the love of his life. After a while Sonic was beginning to find it difficult to keep his eyes open. When he looked over at Amy he noticed her eyes had already closed and she was nearly asleep herself. He smiled sleepily and held her tightly in his arms. "I promise I'll always protect you Amy…" He whispered wearily. As exhaustion took its toll on him, Sonic no longer had the strength to stay awake and slowly closed his eyes.

The sounds of loud explosions startled Amy from her deep slumber. She shot up in bed in a fright and looked around the room as she began hearing people screaming from outside. She felt the apartment beginning to shake as a couple more explosions suddenly went off sounding closer than the first batch she had heard. Amy stumbled out of bed and quickly put on her boots and grabbed her hammer that was leaning against the nightstand. Another powerful explosion went off causing her to be knocked to the bedroom floor. The building began to shake fiercely and she could see flying debris and smoke appearing in front of the window. Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open and Rouge came running inside towards the dazed hedgehog.

"Rouge, what's happening?" Amy asked her in a panic.

"Come on! We have to get out of here right now!" Rouge shouted as she quickly grabbed the disoriented pink hedgehog's wrist and ran out of the room.

"W-Wait!" Amy cried in confusion as Rouge continued to pull her.

When they exited her apartment and entered the main hallway they noticed the power beginning to fail in the building. The electricity began to dim and fade and the elevator was no longer functioning. Rouge's eyes quickly fell on the emergency exit door. "This way!" Rouge yelled as she tugged Amy towards the door. They began to quickly race down the stairs as fast as they could. Another explosion suddenly went off causing the whole building to heavily shake. The sound was loud, deafening, and too close for comfort. Both girls were knocked mercilessly to the hard floor. Amy winced in pain and she nearly fell down the rest of the stairs.

"Amy!" Rouge gasped as she quickly pulled her back to her feet.

As the two girls escaped the ruined building that had once been Rouge's flourishing business and home they witnessed what looked like an apocalyptic version of Westopolis. Amy gasped in horror as her jade colored eyes saw the utter chaos that was unfolding right in front of her. Half the city was already in complete ruins and debris littered the ground. People were running and screaming as they ran off in different directions desperate to find safety and shelter. Smoke and dust from the explosions and destroyed buildings heavily filled the air causing Amy and Rouge to both violently cough. When Amy looked up into the darkening sky she could see what looked like hundreds of air fleets flying in formation baring the Eggman insignia on their side. Her eyes widened in horror. Eggman was attacking the city. Rouge quickly grabbed Amy's wrist and began running amongst the other terrified Westopolis citizens to find cover.

"W-Where are we going?" Amy panted as she struggled to keep up with Rouge.

"We have to find Shadow and get out of here!" Rouge yelled to her as she kept a firm grip on her wrist.

Amy was beginning to feel sick and tired. Her stomach was in knots and the urge to get sick was growing greater. She was trying to desperately keep up with Rouge but wasn't sure how much more running she could possibly handle. An ear piercing noise suddenly filled their sensitive ears as a homing missile collided with an unsuspecting building a few feet ahead. The powerful blast knocked Amy, Rouge, and all the terrified people around them several feet back to the hard ground. Debris began to fall like rain and a large cloud of dust and smoke began to fill the air obscuring everybody's vision. All Amy could see were people running and screaming in various directions amongst the thick layer of smoke.

"Rouge!" She cried out, desperately looking for her friend.

"Rouge, where are you?" She yelled fearfully.

She was suddenly knocked to the ground as a terrified citizen rushed past her blindly. Amy could barely hear herself amongst all the chaos happening around her. She began to choke as her lungs involuntarily inhaled the smoke and her face and pajamas were now covered in dust.

"Amy!" She faintly heard a familiar voice yell. When Amy looked up she saw a terrified Cream desperately trying to get through the crowds of terrified people who were running in the opposite direction. "Cream!" Amy shouted weakly as she managed to get herself back off the ground. The two girls ran towards one another and embraced in a strong hug. "I'm so happy to see you!" Amy cried as she hugged her best friend tightly. Cream looked up at Amy with tears in her eyes. "Amy! I can't find my mom!" She cried. Amy looked around their desolated surroundings feeling her heart pounding heavily in her chest. She had a sense of foreboding and knew they needed to get out of this area as fast as they can. "Cream, we can't stay here!" She told her in a panic as she tugged the young rabbit's hand and began to run.

"What about my mother?" Cream cried fearfully.

"We'll find her!" Amy tried to reassure her as she tried to find a safe place to go.

They ran through the abandoned, debris littered street, running past a couple of people who were running to where they just were. Amy felt lost and disoriented. She didn't know her way around Westopolis too well only having been there a couple of times. That feeling of dread continued to build in the pit of her stomach and the only thing on her mind at that moment was keeping Cream safe. She could only hope that Rouge and the rest of their friends were alright. Eggman's air fleets began to slowly descend from the sky, spreading out into formation, and getting dangerously low to the half destroyed city. A barrage of explosions began to go off as the fleets mercilessly dropped several bombs one after another blowing up buildings left and right. Amy quickly wrapped her arms around Cream to shield her as the two were thrown backwards when they barely escaped a bomb that had gone off only a couple of feet behind them. Amy shut her eyes tight and held Cream close to her protectively. When Amy reopened her jade colored eyes she wished she hadn't. Lying motionless in a small crater ahead of her were the bodies of innocent people who were unable to escape from Eggman's wrath. Tears filled her eyes as she held Cream close not wanting her to see the horrors behind her.

Sonic…Please! Everybody needs you!

Amy crawled slowly backwards feeling paralyzed by fear. Eggman had finally done it. He had just crossed the fine line between sane and insanity. Amy sat frozen as she watched their world completely falling apart. Now that Sonic was not there to protect them, the entire world was at Eggman's mercy.

"Amy! Please get up! We have to get out of here!" She heard Cream cry, pulling her out of her temporary state of shock. Amy shakily took Cream's hand and pulled herself back up. She wasn't sure what to do or where to go. Now they were standing alone in an abandoned wasteland that was once a street and she was completely terrified. It had gotten ominously dark as storm clouds billowed in the sky. Thunder began to rival with the sounds of destruction and bright streaks of lightning began to appear sporadically in the sky. A strange humming sound filled the girls' sensitive ears and they looked around them in confusion.

"W-What's that noise?" Cream whispered fearfully as she clung to Amy's arm.

"I-I don't know…" Amy replied nervously.

Their eyes continued to dart from one direction to another trying to find the source of the sound. All they could see was large amounts of dust floating dramatically throughout the streets obscuring their line of sight. Suddenly emerging through the shadowy smoke, was a red ominous light staring menacingly at the two helpless victims. The two girls gasped in fear as a massive robot walking on four long legs and clawed feet appeared eerily from the smoke, its red slit for an eye on the top of its head staring at them as though they were prey.

"Cream! Run!" Amy shouted as the robot began targeting them. It quickly shot a red laser at Amy and missed by a few inches hitting a ruined building instead. The two girls spread out running in opposite directions and hid behind ruins that were once skyscrapers. The mechanical monstrosity began to walk slowly, its evil glowing eye searching for them hungrily. Cream whimpered in fear as she huddled as quietly as she could behind a burnt vehicle. She poked her head out slightly to see the robot heading right in her direction. Amy's eyes widened as she hid behind a wall. She watched as the robot began to pass her and she leaned over to see it heading right for Cream. "Please don't find her!" She mentally pleaded. She no longer had her hammer to protect them with. She had lost it when she got separated from Rouge. The robot turned the corner and scanned the area for any signs of life. It suddenly fell quiet and the girls found themselves holding their breaths.

A large claw suddenly picked up the vehicle Cream had been hiding behind like a toy and crushed it with its claws. Cream screamed in terror as its red eye began to glow an ominous bright red. Amy panicked and did the only thing she could think of. She ran from her hiding place, grabbed a fairly large piece of concrete rubble, and chucked it right at the robot's head. "Leave her alone you metal creep!" She yelled, fueled with determination and bravery. The robot turned its head eerily towards her as its slit for an eye targeted on her. "Amy! Watch out!" Cream yelled as the robot began heading towards her best friend. Amy backed up nervously as she stared at the soulless machine making its way towards her. She had no weapon and also ran out of ideas.

"Cream! Get out of here while you still can!" Amy shouted as she turned and began to run away. Cream shook her head as tears filled in her eyes. "I won't leave you!" The ten year old rabbit refused.

Amy ran away terrified as fast as she could. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest and tears threatened her eyes. The robot suddenly picked up its speed and was quickly gaining on her. When it got close enough to her it lifted its claw like hand off the ground and swatted her like a fly. Amy was sent flying into a concrete wall where she collapsed to the ground barely conscious.

"AMY!" Cream screamed at the top of her lungs.

The robot hovered over its victim and entrapped her in its claws as its eye once again began to glow a brighter hue of red. Cream covered her eyes in fear, too afraid to see what was going to happen next. Everything felt like some horrible, twisted nightmare she couldn't awake from. Just as the robot was about to finish Amy off, two large spiked fists suddenly smashed its head in. The robot staggered backwards as it quickly began to malfunction. Knuckles quickly penetrated its mid-section, pummeling it with a barrage of hits and smashed through its metallic surface like a knife through butter. The monstrous robot collapsed to the ground as its power source began to lightly dim. Electrical currents surged as sparks emanated from its exposed areas before it ceased all movement and sound.

A sigh of relief escaped the echidna's lips as he turned his attention to the dazed pink hedgehog lying on the ground. He knelt down beside her and shook her shoulders lightly. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked her in concern. Amy let out a low groan and slowly opened her eyes. The obscurity in her vision began to clear to make out a red echidna with amethyst orbs staring back at her intently. "Kn-Knuckles…?" She asked in a daze. "Yeah, come on. You gotta pull yourself together." He told her as he helped her sit up. Amy held her head in her hand as she tried to gather her wits. Meanwhile, Cream opened up her eyes timidly when it suddenly became quiet to see Knuckles helping Amy up. She smiled tearfully in relief and quickly ran over to them and surprised Knuckles with a tight hug.

"Mr. Knuckles, I'm so happy you're here!" She cried as she tightened her hold on him. He looked down at her with wide, awkward eyes, unsure what to really say. "If it weren't for you…Amy would have been…" She trailed off not wanting to finish the sentence. A frown tugged at Knuckles lips. He already lost someone close to him and he wasn't planning on losing anymore of his friends, not while he was around to stop it.

"It's alright Cream, I'm fine." Amy said with a weak smile, trying to keep her friend calm. Cream pulled away from Knuckles only to run and give Amy another hug.

"Hey, Vanilla! It's alright to come out now!" Knuckles shouted with a faint smile as he turned to look behind him. Cream's eyes suddenly grew wide and a soft, relieved smile played at Amy's lips. Vanilla slowly emerged from the rubble a few feet away with moistened eyes as she saw her daughter looking back at her. She was so afraid when they were separated. She was afraid she might not ever see her only daughter again.

"Mom!" Cream cried as she quickly got to her feet and ran towards her tearful mother.

"Oh, Cream! I'm so glad you're alright!" Vanilla cried as she embraced her daughter and held her tightly in her arms. The two stayed like that for a while almost afraid to let go of one another.

Knuckles watched the heartwarming scene until he was pulled into yet another warm embrace. "Thanks Knuckles…I was so afraid…" Amy said in a soft voice as tears threatened her eyes.

A light blush formed on Knuckles muzzle. He wasn't very used to all of the hugs and attention he was suddenly receiving. "Don't mention it Amy." He told her as he lightly patted her back.

An air raid siren started to go off ruining the temporary calm and happy moment they were all sharing. Everyone gasped and looked around at the desolated and half destroyed Westopolis with fear and uncertainty. They could see Eggman's air fleets in the near distance circling the city and getting ready to do a second round of attacks.

"That bastard just doesn't know when to quit." Knuckles said with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth.

Cream looked up at the sky fearfully as she quickly recalled what had happened with her and Amy not too long before. "W-What's going on?" She asked innocently. Vanilla held her daughter closer as apprehension filled her heart.

"Listen, we all need to get out of here. There's a shelter not too far from here on the outskirts of the city. G.U.N has already started to evacuate as many people as possible." Knuckles informed them as he quickly began walking up ahead. Vanilla quickly followed but Amy stood in place with her eyes wide. "Knuckles, wait!" She cried. "I was with Rouge earlier but we got separated right before the bombs went off. We have to find her!"

Knuckles suddenly stopped the moment he heard Rouge's name. He turned to face her wearing a solemn expression. "S-She was with you?" He asked with worry. Amy nodded with glistening eyes. He clenched his fists tightly and closed his eyes for a moment. He looked at Vanilla, Cream, and then Amy. Knuckles was having an internal battle with himself. He wanted to drop everything he was doing to go look for Rouge but he had to think about the girls' well-being and safety.

Knuckles sighed in frustration. "After I get you guys out of here I'll go back and look for her." He told them.

"I want to help." Amy said with determination, walking by his side.

He shook his head. "No." He told her firmly.

"Why not? She's my friend too you know!" Amy exclaimed, feeling slightly hurt.

"In case you haven't noticed, you almost got yourself killed back there." He stated.

Amy huffed and stomped her foot. "It doesn't matter! I can't just abandon her!"

"Amy, this isn't your responsibility…it's mine." He told her in a serious tone. "If Sonic was still here…you and I both know he wouldn't let you put yourself in potential danger either."

Knuckles started to walk once more with a quickened pace forcing Amy and Vanilla to follow close behind. His words and tone of voice told Amy to drop the subject. What he said was true and she couldn't argue with him. Sonic would do anything to ensure her safety…even if it meant…his life. Tears threatened her jade colored eyes against her will as her mind fell on the hedgehog she loved and the horrible memory of the day he left her life. She wanted nothing more than to be in his warm, loving embrace and hear him tell her that he loved her and that everything would be alright.

They had been walking towards the outskirts of the ruined city for a while when a large shadow suddenly darkened the area around them. Everyone looked up apprehensively to see an immense air fleet that made the Egg Carrier from years ago look small in comparison flying steadily over Westopolis. Hundreds of smaller air fleets flew in formation close beside Eggman's flying fortress as it quickly soared right above them. Knuckles lightly pushed the girls back against the wall to stay hidden.

"Look out!" He yelled as he leaned himself up against the wall.

They all stood and watched the fortress and smaller fleets in awe and fear. "What's he planning to do?" Vanilla asked in a hushed whisper. She held Cream tighter in her arms and her eyes began to moisten against her will. She was frightened and feared for her daughter's life.

"I don't know but we're not staying to find out." Knuckles told her simply.

"Look!" Cream cried as she pointed up to the sky. Everyone looked up to see a familiar biplane in its attack mode not too far from them flying straight for Eggman's flying fortress. Tails skillfully maneuvered his plane to dodge an incoming missile from one of the smaller air crafts attempting to shoot him down and continued to accelerate towards his main objective: Eggman's main fleet. A green force field appeared around Eggman's flying fortress every time Tails attempted to shoot at it.

Knuckles eyes widened in realization. "That has to be the Master Emerald!" He yelled angrily. "That bastard must be using it as a shield!" Knuckles hands balled up into tight fists and at that moment all he wanted to do was pursue Eggman and get the Master Emerald back. It was his responsibility to guard and protect it from getting in the wrong hands. He was already feeling like he had failed his duty and ancestors by letting Eggman take it so easily.

Tails had shot down multiple small air crafts that were attempting to bomb Westopolis a second time and continued shooting at Eggman's main fleet relentlessly. Eggman's fleet suddenly shot a homing missile in Tails' direction. Tails began to quickly maneuver his plane to try and escape it but to no avail. His plane was hit spot on and it began to spiral out of control towards the hard ground far below.

Amy's eyes widened fearfully as she watched the Tornado II crash to the ground in the near distance. "TAILS!" She screamed as tears formed in her eyes. Without thinking she bolted from where they were hiding to run and help her friend.

"Amy, come back! It's dangerous!" Knuckles cried as he tried to grab the pink hedgehog. Amy kept running in the direction she saw Tails crash hoping he was okay. It wasn't long when Knuckles, Cream, and Vanilla were out of earshot and line of sight and she found herself running into an area that had received the most devastation she's seen so far. It was eerily silent and Amy found herself having to dodge flames that danced around ruins of buildings and burning vehicles. The smoke was thick and it was hard to see and it hurt to breath.

"Tails!" Amy coughed as smoke involuntarily filled her lungs.

"Tails, where are you?" She cried fearfully.

"Please Tails….Please be alright." She mentally pleaded to herself. Her jade eyes glistened as tears threatened to escape and roll down her cheeks. She already lost the person she loved. She couldn't handle losing a close friend too.

She walked past the ruins of a skyscraper and suddenly saw the Tornado II come into view. It had been badly damaged and both the wings had been blown off.

"Tails!" She gasped as she ran towards the destroyed plane.

A low groan filled her sensitive ears as Tails began to become conscious. He pulled his pilot helmet off his head slowly and looked up at Amy in a daze. "A-Amy…?" He asked her feeling a bit confused.

"Oh, Tails! Thank goodness you're alright!" Amy cried as she pulled him into a tight hug. "When I saw you go down I was so afraid that…" She trailed off not wanting to finish her sentence.

Tails returned her hug as tears filled his cerulean eyes. "I tried Amy…I really tried! I want Eggman to pay for what he's done! But I failed!" He whimpered in her embrace. "I failed to do what Sonic would have wanted me to do…"

Amy held him tighter. "No, you didn't Tails. Sonic would have been proud of you if he were here…What you did was really brave. You could've been killed." She told him as she lightly rubbed his back and held him close. The two stayed like that for a while before silently pulling away.

"Tails, we have to get out of here. I was with Knuckles and Cream earlier but got separated when I went to go find you." She told him.

"Are they alright?" Tails asked with worry.

"Yeah, Knuckles was leading us out of the city. G.U.N is evacuating everyone and I have a feeling if we don't hurry we're going to be in the middle of a war zone." She said as she began trying to pry the plane door open. The door swung open with some force that almost made Amy fall backwards. Tails took her hand shakily and began to slowly crawl out of the plane. The moment he stood on both feet he cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

"Ow!" He cried as he held onto his right leg.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked as she knelt down to inspect him. She could see a large gash and blood already trickling steadily down his leg. Amy quickly found a sharp piece of rubble and began tearing a piece of her pajamas off. She wrapped it around his injury and tied it tightly to help stop the bleeding and to prevent it from getting infected.

"Hold on to me." She ordered him softly as she gently stood him up.

He leaned himself against her for support and limped as she began to walk with him slowly. Neither spoke for a while as they worked their way through the dilapidated city. Tails looked over at Amy and frowned.

"Amy…?" He asked in a soft whisper.

"Yeah?" She asked looking at him.

"I'm sorry…about what I said…for calling you a liar and yelling at you…" He told her apologetically.

Amy shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. "It's okay Tails…You were just upset. I don't blame you." She told him honestly and lightly nuzzled her face against his own.

"We're gonna make it through this." She tried to reassure him.

Tails merely nodded with a small frown. "Do you know where to go?" He suddenly asked.

"Not really…" Amy admitted.

The outskirts of the city were in utter chaos. Hundreds of displaced and terrified people were being grouped together and escorted to safety by the many G.U.N soldiers that filled the area. Tanks, war vehicles, and helicopters began to move into the heart of Westopolis to take out Eggman's fleets and robotic monstrosities that were now flooding the city. Vanilla held Cream closely in her arms as she followed Knuckles through the crowds of soldiers and frightened civilians. He led her to a war truck that was being filled with innocent people that were going to be driven away from the city. She boarded the truck with the help of a soldier and looked at Knuckles with frightened eyes.

"What about the others?" She cried.

"Don't worry! I'm going to find them!" Knuckles tried to reassure her.

"Mother, where are we going?" Cream asked feeling frightened. "What about Amy! She's still out there!" She exclaimed with teary eyes.

"I'll find her Cream, I promise." Knuckles told her in a serious tone.

"How will we find everyone again?" Vanilla asked him in worry.

"Everyone is being relocated near Station Square. According to G.U.N it's the only city that has received the least amounts of damage." He told her.

The truck's engine started as the last couple of people boarded and began to slowly drive away in the opposite direction. Vanilla and Cream looked back towards Knuckles with sad and frightened eyes unsure of what was going to happen to everyone. When they were no longer visible Knuckles turned and began to desperately search for Rouge. He quickly ran and checked amongst all the frightened people who were waiting to be taken away from the city and still couldn't find her. He cursed under his breath as fear gripped his heart. Not only did he have to quickly find her but he had to also go back and find Amy and Tails. He honestly didn't know how Sonic dealt with all this stress of keeping everybody safe and could still wear a cocky smile on his face at the same time. Desperation filled his heart as he began running as fast as he could back into the ruined city. He had to find her. He didn't know what he'd do if something terrible happened to her. He worked his way through the labyrinth of ruins that was once Westopolis with much haste. He could hear the G.U.N helicopters soaring above him flying towards Eggman's flying fortress and the manned tanks and vehicles on the ground. He had to hurry and find everyone before a full blown war started.

"Rouge!" He yelled as he turned a corner and began running down an abandoned street. "Amy! Tails!" He called. Hoping at least one of them would hear and find him. He was running out of time. He decided to climb up one of the ruined skyscrapers and started to glide to get an aerial view of the city to help his search. After a while when he still found nobody he was searching for he began to panic. A familiar loud scream suddenly filled his ears and he quickly turned and descended from the sky. He ran as fast as he could in the direction of the voice feeling his adrenaline rushing through his veins. He turned another corner and his eyes widened in fear to see Rouge lying on the ground holding her side in pain and another one of those freakish robots hovering above her.

"Rouge!" He yelled as he rushed over to her.

Rouge's eyes fell on Knuckles as he wasted no time in attacking the enlarged, soulless machine standing above her. She was entrapped in its claws and was unable to move. Knuckles pierced right through the robot's mid-section and it staggered away as its power began to fail similarly to when he destroyed the robot that attacked Amy earlier. The robot collapsed to the ground as its power failed and its red ominous eye faded into darkness.

"Knuxie!" Rouge cried happily as he ran to her side.

"Are you hurt?" He asked her in concern as he knelt beside her.

She sat up slightly while holding her side in slight pain. "It's just a scratch…I'll be fine." She tried to reassure him.

Without hesitation, Knuckles pulled Rouge into a tight embrace. "You scared me…Idiot…What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be with G.U.N?"

"I was in my apartment when Eggman started to attack. Nobody knew he was planning on attacking the city…We couldn't even locate his current position at the time." She stated.

"Well, G.U.N is about to attack Eggman straight on and we're about to be right in the middle of it." He helped her up from the ground and she held her hand over her wound in pain.

"Can you walk?" He asked her.

She nodded. "I'll manage Knuxie, thanks though. I have to admit I like seeing this softer side of you." She said flirtatiously.

He blushed as she gave him a soft peck on the cheek. When she pulled away she looked up at him seriously. "Where are the others? Was Amy with you?" She asked him in worry.

"I managed to get Vanilla and Cream out of the city but Amy ran off on her own to find Tails." He told her.

Rouge's eyes widened. "Knuckles, we have to find her! She's not in the greatest state of health right now and won't make it out on her own!"

Knuckles looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you another time." She said as she grabbed his hand and began pulling him along ignoring the pain in her side.

"Tails…Wait…I-I need to stop." Amy said softly as her hand fell on her stomach. She was suddenly feeling very nauseous and dizzy.

"What's wrong?" He asked her in concern.

She fell to her knees and leaned over as she tried her hardest to fight the urge to get sick. Her hand covered her mouth and she shut her eyes tight taking in deep breaths. "Please…not now…" She thought to herself. She rubbed her churning stomach slowly in hopes that it would calm down but to no avail. She felt the bile forming in her throat and knew she was going to get sick. With a burst of energy she got up and ran leaving a confused and worried Tails behind and began throwing up behind a half destroyed wall.

Tails inwardly cringed as he listened to her retching and coughing. After a couple of minutes she finally calmed down taking in deep breaths.

"Amy…?" Tails asked her in worry.

"T-Tails…Do you think you'll be able to fly?" She asked shakily as she reappeared from behind the wall.

"I-I can try…" He told her feeling unsure.

Amy lay on the ground hugging her knees with tears in her eyes. "I-I don't feel so good…I don't think I can go on…" She told him honestly.

She felt her head spinning and her body felt very weak. The urge to sleep was growing stronger despite the danger she and Tails were currently facing. She must have pushed herself to her limit. Panic filled Tails as he looked over at Amy and noticed how tired and sick she looked. Her face had grown pale and she was having difficulty keeping her eyes open.

"Amy…Come on…you have to get up!" He said as he began to lightly shake her.

Amy whimpered weakly as she felt discomfort in her lower abdomen. Her stomach felt as though it was doing somersaults and she felt if she so much as moved the slightest bit she would get sick again.

"I-I can't…" She whispered weakly.

Tails looked down at her fearfully unsure what he should do. He could hear the sounds of helicopters in the near distance and knew if they didn't keep moving they would be caught up in a battle between Eggman and G.U.N.

"I can't leave you…" He told her as she began slipping into unconsciousness.

Tears involuntarily filled Tails' cerulean eyes and he made up his mind. He stood himself up and leaned against a wall for support. He was going to try and fly and carry Amy out of there.

Maniacal laughter echoed throughout the immense air fleet hovering over Westopolis. Dr. Eggman was truly enjoying his moment of uninterrupted glory. This was the first time he has ever succeeded and had his way without having Sonic spoil his plans. He continued to laugh as he shot down multiple G.U.N helicopters and aircrafts sent out to try and stop him. They couldn't even touch him as long as he had the power of the Master Emerald shielding his fleet. His fleet was heading for the heart of Westopolis where he planned to finish the city off for good. He had already devastated several major cities nationwide with his fool proof plan for global domination. Robotic minions attacked each city along with his aircraft drones while he took down Station Square and Westopolis himself. On the ruins of each city he decimated, he planned to build a glorious mechanical nightmare. He already decided to make Station Square his main base of operations where he'll turn it into Eggmanland. A wicked smile spread across his face as he looked into his monitor to see he had a visitor. On any other occasion he would feel unnerved and ready to flee the scene but he knew this time he had the upper hand. He didn't mind giving the Master Emerald another test run before using it to finish off Westopolis and Station Square. He flipped a couple of switches and the Master Emerald emerged from the floor encased in a large laser weapon. He aimed it in the direction his intruder would confront him in and opened the emergency exit doors so the laser wouldn't hit his fleet unintentionally. He kept his back turned continuing to focus on controlling his fleet and shooting down as many G.U.N planes as he possibly could.

"You son of a bitch!" An ebony hedgehog rasped as he narrowed his eyes at the doctor before him. Eggman's wicked smile only grew when he heard Shadow's voice and turned his chair around to greet him.

"Welcome Shadow. Are you enjoying the show down below? I think it's spectacular." The insane doctor laughed darkly.

Eggman's vicious smirk only grew when he noticed how considerably weak Shadow was looking as he stood there panting with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "I'm surprised you managed to break through my barrier but even so there's nothing you can do to stop me now."

Shadow let out a low growl and gritted his teeth. He charged for the insane doctor who only sat calmly in his chair. Eggman quickly pressed a button which caused the Master Emerald to glow a bright ominous light. Electrical charges began emanating from it as it began to charge up the laser weapon. The loud sound of the weapon charging was music to Eggman's ears as he recalled the glorious day he finally killed Sonic the Hedgehog.

"Send my regards to Sonic." Eggman said coldly as the weapon finished charging and quickly shot at Shadow before he could reach the insane doctor. Shadow's crimson eyes widened and he quickly maneuvered his body so he didn't feel the full impact of the Master Emerald's beam. He braced himself as half his torso was hit and he was sent flying out of the fleet.

The sounds of destruction filled Shadow's ears as he slowly opened his crimson eyes. Never had he ever felt so weak and useless. Due to the Chaos Emeralds losing their power, he was unable to use any of his Chaos abilities. He was reduced to being just an ordinary hedgehog at this point with the exception of his speed. The right side of his torso was singed and stung with every jagged breath he took. His crimson eyes looked up at the sky to see Eggman's fleet flying towards the heart of the city and his fist pounded onto the ground in fury. He had failed. He failed to protect everyone in Sonic's place. He sat himself up as he gathered his wits to see G.U.N soldiers fighting the onslaught of robots that had begun to plague the city. He was unable to locate Rouge which made him worry about her and Amy's safety. He quickly got to his feet and began running in the direction he saw Eggman's fleet flying. He had to stop the doctor at all costs otherwise all would be lost. Something suddenly caught his eye that made him stop in his tracks. He saw Tails struggling to keep himself in flight as he held an unconscious Amy Rose in his arms.

Rose…

Tears filled Tails' eyes as he tried to desperately keep himself in the air. He was growing tired and was beginning to descend from the sky against his will. They were hovering over a war zone between G.U.N and Eggman's robots and he was unable to walk freely on his own. He fell to the ground and panted in exhaustion as he laid Amy gently down beside him.

"Please wake up Amy…We can't stay here." He pleaded to her.

"What happened to Rose?" A sudden familiar voice asked.

Tails was startled and looked up to meet sharp crimson orbs staring at him intently. "Shadow!" Tails exclaimed feeling relieved.

"Tails! Amy!" The two of them heard Rouge call in a panic. They both looked behind them to see Rouge and Knuckles running over to them.

Rouge gasped and her eyes widened fearfully when she saw the pink hedgehog lying motionless on the ground. "What happened?" She cried as she knelt down next to Amy.

"She started to feel sick and passed out. I tried to carry her…but I couldn't make it all the way out of the city…" Tails told her feeling a bit ashamed.

"Rouge, weren't you looking after her?" Shadow asked her, feeling a little agitated.

"We got separated right before Eggman started bombing the city." She explained.

Knuckles and Tails both looked at Rouge and Shadow wondering if they knew more about Amy's sudden condition then they were letting on. Shadow bent down and lifted Amy up into his arms bridal style. "We don't have time for this." Shadow grunted in frustration.

"He's right. We need to get out of here." Knuckles said as he grabbed ahold of Tails to help him walk.

Everyone stood in silence as they watched the horrors that were now taking place in the distance of what was once Westopolis. Eggman had used the Master Emerald's power to annihilate what remained of the city killing thousands of young G.U.N soldiers along with his own robotic minions in the process. Ash began to fall like snow as fire continued to engulf everything that remained in the crater that once resembled a flourishing and powerful city. Soft sniffles could be heard as Tails sat on the patch of grass hugging his knees close to his chest. Knuckles stood beside Rouge clenching his fists so tightly he almost drew blood. He always knew what would happen if the Master Emerald fell into the wrong hands but nothing prepared him for what he was now witnessing. He felt he had failed his duty as a guardian and it truly ate away at his heart.

"It's all over for us now…" Rouge said quietly as a few loose tears slipped from her eyes.

Tails' sobs grew louder as he hugged his knees tighter yearning for some form of comfort. "I wish Sonic was here…" He mumbled weakly.

Shadow's grip on Amy tightened as the flames from the ruins below continued to dance in his crimson orbs. He was the only one left who was strong enough to defeat the deranged doctor and even he had failed. Without the power of the Chaos Emeralds all was lost. He would never be at his full potential and as long as the doctor continued to use the Master Emerald to do his bidding he was powerless to stop him. Their world was suddenly cast into darkness and there was nothing that would be able to stop it.