Chapter Text
(MB-2625, South Island, Green Hill, Day)
Sonic: Everyone, get behind me! (clutching a Chaos Emerald) CHAOS—
(The Paradox Prism shatters into shards, producing multicolored beams of light which blast everyone nearby backwards. Suddenly, all the light in the area is sucked into where the Paradox Prism once was, leaving the area in total darkness.)
(Scene change: ???)
(An unconscious Sonic appears out of a red rift, followed by several large chunks of the ground. Multicolored energy is pulsating on Sonic's shoes. As Sonic drifts through the unknown space towards a bright light, a white statue resembling Agent Stone appears, causing him to bump into a different direction, a familiar grey and blue suit draping itself around his body, the crimson Prism Shard fusing with the left glove while the Chaos Emerald fuses with the right.)
(Sonic drifts past a ‘statue’ of a slightly smaller Blaze, a statue of a similarly-sized Sonic wearing a hat, a statue of Rouge and a statue of a one-armed Knuckles. Sonic is pulled into an orange light, and everything fades to black.)
(Scene change: MB-2508, New New Yoke)
[In a surge of blue energy, a weakened Sonic is teleported to an area similar to Sunset Heights, in the middle of a street. Painfully, he rises to his feet above a sun that is slightly closer than it should be.)
Sonic: (groans) That's a sonic boom of a headache… where am I? (Sonic tries walking through the city, but is interrupted by a vehicle with a loud horn and bright lights coming his way.) Huh? (Sonic is not hit by the vehicle, seemingly glitching through it.) This doesn’t make any- ow! (Sonic hits the bend of the sidewalk as he tries to run and falls into the street, where he is swept around by a white and black Cubot.) Oh come on! (Sonic is thrown into a wall.) Great, I’m in a strange place with nobody around, no sign of Eggman and my shoes are glowing. How did this even happen? (Sonic sees himself in a window in a modified Phantom Rider outfit.) Aaaaand I’m wearing EggTech. (Sonic walks off to try and talk to a citizen on a moving sidewalk.] Uh, pardon me, what do you call this place?
(The citizen walks right through Sonic.)
Sonic: Please don’t tell me I’m some sort of ghost. (The citizen walks off. Sonic moves to a different sidewalk, and waves his hands in front of a different citizen.) C’mon, someone’s gotta be able to see me. (The other citizen also ignores Sonic and walks away.] And you're busy staring at nothing. Okay.
(A loud horn suddenly sounds out. Sonic covers his ears to block out the noise. The source of the horn is revealed to be a floating circular device with text displaying on it.)
Sonic: ‘Welcome to New New Yoke. You should be thankful, you animals.’
(Denizen 2017 quietly walks past Sonic and stands next to him, while the hedgehog is distracted observing the city.)
Sonic: No mountains, no beaches, no palm trees? (Sonic notices a WANTED poster of a werehog: Blitz The Werehog, Wanted: DEAD, no reward.) This isn’t making any sense.
(Denizen 2017 pulls up his hood, a video camera is watching the situation as the red light flickers blue.)
Sonic: (noticing Denizen 2017) Woah, Buddy! You’re a lot bigger than back home— (Denizen 2017 ignores him.) Right. You can’t see me.
(A spotlight suddenly appears on them. Denizen 2017 puts his hands behind his back, while Sonic looks up to see what is going on.)
Security Drone: Unidentified citizen. Alert! Alert! (The Security Drone plays a siren.)
(Denizen 2017 clutches something behind his back as several highly-weaponised Egg Pawns drop down from above.)
Egg Pawn #5: You are in violation of City Ordinance 17 K/7.
(Denizen 2017 glances around, grip tightening.)
Egg Pawn #2: By the authority of the Chaos Council, stand down or be melted down. (The robot arms its blaster)
Sonic: ‘Chaos Council’, huh? Sounds important.
(Two more Egg Pawns arrive behind Denizen 2017, who attempts to run off. But Sonic initially finds himself unable to run, before his left glove sparks red, solidifying him into reality as he grabs Denizen 2017’s hand, both of them to blasting away at incredible speed, leaving a trail of energy in their wake.)
(Sonic dashes through the city into an alleyway as he is struck with a flashback of looming over a terrified Buddy before Silver appeared behind him as he slams into a wall.)
Sonic: Ugh, I’m not used to all these walls- (Denizen 2017 pulls him up.) Thanks, buddy.
(Two Egg Pawns approach Sonic and begin firing laser blasts. Sonic bounces off of one of them during with an attempted Spin Attack as they are instead burst by Denizen 2017’s Wispon.)
Sonic: What the—
(More Egg Pawns arrive and shoot lasers, narrowly missing Sonic. Sonic dashes off again, dragging Denizen 2017 with him again but is blocked by a transport vehicle. Sonic takes a sharp turn, causing some of the Egg Pawns to slam into the vehicle.)
(Sonic dodges another vehicle, but begins slipping towards another one.)
Sonic: Nope nope nope nope nope! (Sonic glitches through the vehicle as Denizen 2017 launches himself above it and continue running while avoiding lasers.) We’ve gotta get off the ground! (Sonic takes a running jump off a vehicle and grabs onto the underside of a monorail while Denizen 2017’s weight nearly drags them down. It brings them to the top of a building, with the Egg Pawns still in pursuit firing lasers. Sonic barely dodges them.)
(Sonic notices a giant machine lowering a new floor onto a building. He jumps off the monorail, and lands on the building, with the new floor lowering above him. His shoes start slipping again. The Egg Pawns follow the duo, chasing them to the edge of the building. Sonic dodges laser fire and nearly glitches through the floor, Denizen 2017 jumping off while grabbing his hand again just before the new floor is added, crushing the Eggforcers.)
(The duo is thrown from the building by the explosion, Sonic performs a Spin Attack to land safely on the streets. A camera watches them, Number Two is watching Sonic through the camera in real-time with a flicker of confusion in his organic eye.)
Sonic: Smog, concrete, Eggman’s creations. It's like everything I hate, all in one place! (Sonic boosts through the city and up a tall building in a confused fashion.) We could use a moment to relax. (Upon reaching the top, Sonic jumps and spins, launching himself in the air and landing on a rooftop, allowing them a view of the city. Sonic looks down to see a checkered loop-de-loop.)
(Denizen 2017 points his Wispon at Sonic, adjusting his glasses.)
Sonic: Hey! I just saved your life, buddy! How about you take a breather before you start pointing that at people? (Sonic freezes when he realises where he is.)
———
(Scene Change, MB-2625, Sunset Heights, past.)
(Tails is trying to repair E-123 Omega.)
Tails: Hmm... that should do it... c’mon, I could really use your help here!
(A Roboticized Sonic appears from a manhole, striking a pose and prepares to throw the manhole cover at Tails.)
Tails: Sonic, I don’t know if you’re in there— (Tails taps the communicator on his left arm, getting no reply from anyone. It dawns on him that Sally isn’t coming. Amy isn’t coming. Nobody is coming. He begins messing with the wiring in Omega’s arm.) But if you can hear me, sorry about this!
(Tails crouches in as Sonic begins to attack with lunging an arm towards him, Omega’s cannon goes off thanks to Tails tampering, blasting Sonic into a wall.)
Tails: (Taking a step closer.) Sonic…?
(Sonic’s neck cracks as he stares down Tails, optics flickering blue as he prepared to charge at him despite his injuries.)
Sonic: (mechanically) FOX, PRIORITY ONE.
(Sonic hesitates upon hearing something off to the side. Suddenly, a blue glow surrounds him as Silver appears from a portal, pointing something at Sonic.)
———
(MB-2625, Tails Lab)
Tails: It’s called the Paradox Prism, and look at these readings, just trying to dent this thing could rupture the planet!
———
(Scene Change: New New Yoke, present)
(Sonic snaps out of the flashback as Denizen 2017 uses his Wispon to heat and open a tin of beans.)
Sonic: Paradox Prism. Right. That’s what Eggman was after. (defeated) And now he’s won? No, that can’t be true, I can still scramble his plans! (Sonic sees a nearby billboard adorned with the Chaos Council's symbol and begins staring at it, looking back at Denizen 2017.) We can’t just stand around, we’ve got work to do.
Denizen 2017: (Confused, tapping a Resistance logo on his glove before gesturing to Sonic.)
Sonic: Right, you’re with the resistance. I was with one like that when Eggman reached my home… trust me, I’m in the same boat you are.
(Denizen 2017 seems to relax slightly.)
Sonic: (thinking) Guess I’ve just been some super fast weirdo to you. The names Rider. (The eyes on the Chaos Council symbol glow bright blue and sound a siren. Several white and black arrive, and fire lasers.) And that’s our cue to exit!
(Sonic offers out his hand, Denizen 2017 grabs it before he dashes off. Another camera is shown watching him.)
(Back in a lab where Number Two is again watching Sonic through the camera in real-time. A light flashes on in the lab's hallway, and the shadow of Emperor Doctor Robotnik (MB-2508) is projected onto the scene. Number Two begins watching footage of ‘Rider’’s earlier actions in New Yoke City.)
Number Two: …familiar.
Emperor Doctor Robotnik: More ungrateful rebels?! It’s bad enough what they did to the ruby, and now they dare to rise against us!
Number Two: No. Something new. Not in the initial databanks. (Number Two types on the control panel in front of him, and a visual of Sonic's energy profile is brought up.) Its energy profile is... intriguing. The Unidentified Blitz Variant has outrun the Egg Pawns, saved a member of the resistance and is heading towards the corpses area. (A decayed Eggman logo is shown of a screen of the panel.)
Emperor Doctor Robotnik: …fine, relay the information to that AI that calls him father.
(Sonic is dashing through an area of the city. He runs straight by a citizen being threatened by a white and black Metal Sonic. Denizen 2017 nearly freezes up before blasting it.)
Sonic: Finding our way back the others would be a lot easier if everything wasn’t all Eggman-y. (A his mech hovers down right in front of Sonic, forcing him to skid to a halt.) Whoa!
(The mech drops to the ground with a thud, the glass dome fogging up over Eggman.)
Sonic: Eggman, great. I don't know what you did, and I don't know how, but I'm gonna kick your butt!
Eggman (MB-2505): Hedge…hog…
(The zombie laughs and presses the button on the door of his mech suit, a mace appears out of the funnel of the mech suit's arm as he shakes it.)
(The zombie uses his mech suit to uppercut Denizen 2017, sending him flying into a wall as it continues laughing. The purple icon on the mech starts ringing as the mace-arm retracts as it abruptly drops to the floor and crawls towards Sonic. The mech leaps at Sonic, barely missing. Sonic jumps above it and tris to run up the mech's arm, rolling off as spikes emerge from the shoulders. He unfurls himself up and continues dodging, then runs up a building, allowing him to slam down on the zombie’s mech, Knocking the mech on its back helpless. Sonic circles the mech at high speed, creating a tornado which spins it around into the air. Then Sonic glitches again, causing him to veer off into a wall.)
(The mech drops to the ground, the cockpit cockpit flies open, revealing a zombified Eggman with a lead pipe jammed into his head.)
Eggman (MB-2505): Hedgehog! I hate! I hate!
Sonic: (Running up to the mech.) Whoa! You— this doesn’t make any sense… and it’s gross.
(Denizen 2017 points his Wispon at the zombie Eggman, only for the internal lights to flash blue and red as the cockpit on the zombified Eggman’s mech closes again, springing into action again, pursuing Denizen 2017 and Sonic through the city, slamming into twelve walls along the way.)
Sonic: Ugh! We can deal with that rotten egg later. (Sonic looks in front of him, and sees several Security Drones dragging citizens into a large pipe.) We can deal with him later. Right now, we’ve got friends to find! (Sonic quickly changes direction, running into the pipe… but Denizen 2017 lets go of his hand.)
Sage (MB-2505): (Elsewhere, remote-controlling the mech) He is getting away, I advise-
Eggman (MB-2505): I hate! I hate! Hate hate hate)
(The mech attempts to follow, but doesn't fit in due to the size of his mech, and is instead stuck in the opening. The zombified Eggman reaches the mech's hand through, but fails to grab anything. He screams as several Eggforcers arrive to pull him out. From a ledge above, Axey and Gloom witness the situation.)
Axey: He's faster than Blitz, powerful, and hates the bloated buffoon. We’ve gotta follow this guy.
Gloom: It lines up too well with what’s happening. First we lose Blitz and Glide, then the council forms after Heavy Metal, now mysterious cracks start appearing in the sky and now that appears. It doesn’t feel right.
Axey: (Resting the head of her axe on top of the ledge.) We’re short on people and whoever he is just saved one of ours. (short pause) Doesn’t that remind you of someone?
(Scene change: New New Yoke, Subway tunnel)
(Sentry Drones fly past, carrying captured citizens. Sonic follows close behind. Soon, they arrive at the Roboport, and Sonic jumps off the tracks onto a platform, a hand over the left side of the mask due to the visor cracking.)
PA Voice: Departing trainsport from Circle Station arriving in the Roboport...
(Several monorails are present nearby, as well as tubes leading to other parts of the city.)
Sonic: Great, that wolf stayed behind… which means I’m alone in a city with a zombie in it, in a world where Eggman’s won. I could really use a familiar face right about now. (Sonic looks around, and notices a citizen resembling Silver with stormy eyes, who shoves his way into a tube before Sonic can reach him.) Silver? Buddy? (Sonic dashes off after ‘Silver’ before a badger bashes past him.)
???: Hey! Get outta my way, So— spiky thing! (She runs into the nearest tube.)
Sonic: Sticks? (Sonic weaves through the crowd in an attempt to keep up.) Sticks! Paranoid badger! (‘Sticks’ moves around a corner into a tunnel. Sonic follows, but finds no sign of her.) Wait, what? Huh. (Sonic slowly walks through the tunnel, until he notices a door and keypad resembling those on Tails' Lab.) Huh! If Blitz had his own little buddy… Please be the same. Mmm...
(Sonic types ‘1992’ into the keypad. The door clanks and doesn’t slide open.)
Sonic: Great, the locks changed. (Sonic begins inputting random combinations at super speed until the door slides open: ‘2016’. Sonic walks into the room.) Finally something around here makes sense. (Sonic notices the devices and equipment in the room and the Resistance logo on the wall.) So, I guess you’re also with the resistance? (Sonic looks at ‘Sticks’ typing away on a control panel.)
(The badger gasps, raises her metal boomerang aggressively, and growls.)
Sonic: And something tells me you’re not from around here either.
???: (walks forwards slowly and aggressively) How did you get in?! (presses a button on her belt, clutching her boomerang. The door slams shut again.) Who are you?!
Sonic: (hesitating) Uh... would your name happen to be Sticks the Badger?
Striker: The name's... (yelling) Striker! (Striker jumps into the air and pounces at Sonic, who barely dodges. Striker begins climbing the wall.) What do you want?! Who sent you?! (Striker climbs to the ceiling, and redirects the lamp to shine on Sonic brightly. Sonic is momentarily blinded, allowing for Sticks to drop down and dropkick Sonic across the room.)
(Sonic falls onto some cylindrical containers. He picks one off himself, and begins dodging Striker’s rapid throws and blows.)
Sonic: Whoa! Heck! How many boomerangs do you have?
Striker: Shut up, you blue-haired familiar idiot!
(Sonic gets to his feat, and kicks Striker away. Striker dashes back, and grabs Sonic's left glove with her free hand. She then swings Sonic around, tossing him out of the room and over the subway tracks. A monorail speeds by at that exact moment, catching Sonic on the roof of its cars. Striker quickly grabs on. As the monorail speeds through the Tunnel, Striker continues fighting Sonic, chasing him across cars.)
Sonic: You, stop! I’m on your side! Amigos! (Sonic spins off the monorail and onto the beam it runs along, noticing his gloves.) You could probably use a friend in a place like this!
Striker: (jumps off the monorail onto the beam and charges at Sonic.) I don’t need friends, I have knives!
Sonic: (dodging Striker’s knife while speed-walking backwards) Looks like you’re out of knives.
(Another monorail speeds by, and Sonic and Striker jump onto it. At a platform below, an unknown Denizen is seen recording the situation through her mask while aiming her Wispon.)
Denizen 2018: (whispering) Target located. We're at the Roboport.
(Over in another a building in New Yoke City. Gloom and Axey are operating from on top of it.)
Gloom: Loud and clear. On our way. (Gloom spreads his damaged wings and flies off. Axey follows close behind.)
(Back to Sonic and ‘Striker’, fighting on the monorail. Striker suddenly hops in front of Sonic, and continues attacking, hitting him in the head with a random trash bag.)
Sonic: (groaning) That’s it! Time to calm things down a little! (Sonic throws his left hand into the air.) Chaos— (Sonic lets out a pained sound as he starts glitching again, nearly going through the roof of the monorail as the damaged half of his mask restores itself.)
Striker: (taking a breath) Y’know, you remind me of someone I knew once… (suddenly yelling) loud, blue and annoying!
Sonic: I’d say the same to you! (Sonic ducks below her fist, dives at her and dodging into her before swiping at her legs) Strange, paranoid and a good person under it all!
Striker: You’re wearing EggTech, you idiot! Why I oughta-
(Striker hops off the monorail and onto another one passing by on the second track, speeding in the opposite direction. Sonic follows. Sonic continues dodging by jumping around the monorail. Soon, they both jump off onto the beam the second monorail runs along. Sonic slowly backs up as Striker crawls forwards.)
(Another rebel is seen recording the incident from a platform below. Another monorail speeds by, and Sonic and Striker jump on it.)
Striker: I don't know what kind of mind games you're playing, but it won't work! My mind is inopena- not acce- you won’t get into my head! (Striker lunges at Sonic, suddenly glitching, causing her to slip and topple off the monorail. Striker manages to grab on by stabbing her boomerang into the roof, leaving her dangling from the side.) Not like this, not like this!!
(A horn blares, headlight shining directly at her signifying another monorail approaching swiftly on the other track. Just before the other monorail would hit Striker, Sonic spins into action, and grabs Striker out of harm's way, leaping though the air to a platform, which they land on and tumble across, before coming to a halt.)
Striker: (panting) You saved me? I just tried to kill you!
Sonic: If you’re with the resistance, then we’re on the same side!
Striker: Okay, okay… but you could easily be an alien in disguise! (muttering) Definitely an idiot.
Striker: Could you stand still a minute? You’re giving off energy like Axey when Blitz was around. Follow me.
(Scene Change: Glide’s Lab)
(Sonic is examining Striker’s inventions, while the badger types away at a computer.)
Sonic: I, uh, like your weapon by the way. Haven’t had a boomerang thrown at me in months.
Striker: Obviously.
Sonic: So, how did you end up here?
Striker: That’s personal, nobody’s getting that outta me. (Striker swivels her chair around to face Sonic.) But everyone’s got a backstory, don’t they? I lost everything, everyone I know. Next thing I know, I woke up to a world ruled by Lord Metal Butt and everyone’s bigger than me. (tapping the Regulator on Sonic’s glove) Fell in with Axey’s resistance and she gave me Glide’s lab, said I might be able to do something good with it.
Sonic: (looking at a picture of a Sonic-like figure with a Tails-like figure on the wall: ‘Blitz and Glide’.) Guess we have something in common then… (looking down) it’s like being thrown right back into some of the worsts days of your life, isn’t it?
Striker: (sighing) I guess so. Still not sorry for attacking you, you followed me. (checking a chart) Woah, these energy readings are off the charts… (throws the chart away, pulling out a a larger one) thankfully, I have a bigger chart. (Striker kicks Sonic in the leg.)
Sonic: Hey, that hurt— (The regulator on Sonics left boot flashes red as the right one flashes green.)
Striker: Eh, those two weren’t workin’, half this energy is still a mystery but you’re giving off more chaos energy than Gloom does on a bad day.
Sonic: In that case, it’s time for a test drive!
Striker: No, wait, you dope! It's not safe. The council are like aliens, they have eyes everywhere!
Sonic: We had a big fight on the monorails, they probably saw that already. (dashes out of the lab)
(Sonic emerges from a pipe in the streets of New New Yoke. Striker follows close behind. Suddenly, both Sonic and Striker are grabbed by the fist of the zombie’s mech, which emerges from behind a corner. Several Egg Pawns arrive.)
Eggman (MB-2505): HEDGEHOG! That I hate! (He mindlessly yanks at the controls as the mech holds Sonic and Striker threateningly near the cockpit.)
Sonic: Ugh, not the rotten egg.
(Striker begins biting at the hand as the mech blasts off, with Sonic and Striker still in its left fist. The Egg Pawns follow. From atop a building, Gloom and Axey watch.)
Gloom: Looks like they found Striker. (clenches fist) Now we’re down another—
Axey: (clutches axe) Don’t say that. We took care of the Phantom Ruby, we almost had Robotnik beaten back before it went wrong, so let’s get moving.
(Inside a giant building in New New Yoke, adorned with the logo of the Chaos Council. Inside, Sonic's limbs are restrained by electronic shackles from a restraining device. The room is in total darkness. Footsteps are heard.)
Sonic: Who's there? Hello? (A bright light suddenly shines directly at Sonic.) Ow! A little warning! Man, that's bright. (forcing his eyes shut)
(A door opens, and in walk two Egg Pawns, along with a captured Striker.)
Striker: Told you not to run off.
Sonic: Striker, is that you? (Number Two walks by) Tail... (gasps) I mean Glide! C’mon, lemme loose!
Number Two: (types at a computer) Negative. My identification is... Number Two.
Striker: I knew it! You're a robot!
Sonic: He’s been roboticized…
Number Two: They would prefer I call myself mechanically enhanced. Survival requires adaptation, mistakes must be corrected.
Sonic: (seeing Number Two’s semi-roboticized form) Glide—
Number Two: Number Two! Now be quiet. You will need all the breath you can muster if you want to survive.
(The door opens, and four figures on hovering chairs enter, obscured by the shadows as a fifth follows on their own pedestal.)
Sonic: More silhouettes? Who does your lighting?!
Number Two: The Chaos Council. (presses a key, turning on a spotlight on above one Eggman.)
Doctor Eggman (MB-2625): (grumbles) So, what do we do with this Sonic, oh so glorious alternate dimension Robotnik?
Number Two: (presses a key, turning on a spotlight on above a younger-looking Eggman.)
Doctor Robotnik (MB-2523): I say we eviscerate him, my oh so brilliant counterpart.
Number Two: (presses a key, turning on a spotlight on above a red and blue Sage.) Sage.
Sage (MB-2505): (looking over to the figure on her left before focusing her gaze on Sonic.) Hedgehog.
Number Two: And you have already met the walking corpse. (Presses a key, turning on a spotlight on above the zombie.)
Doctor Eggman (MB-2505): I.. hate! I hate!
Number Two: And finally, our emperor. (Presses a key, turning on a spotlight on above a scrawnier cyborg with a bushy mustache.)
Emperor Robotnik: By the dumbfounded look in your eyes, I gather you've finally come to grips with the gravity of your situation, rrrodent.
Sonic: ‘The Council’? Looks like an Eggman clone reunion. I’ve heard about relying on yourself, but this is ridiculous. (looking to his right) Oh, hi Sage.
Emperor Robotnik: Silence, Rodent! We are The Council. You’re as annoying as Blitz and half his size.
Sonic: (groans) So many Robotniks, so many questions. Does anyone have an aspirin? C’mon, I recognise one of you, could use a rundown on what happened.
Doctor Eggman (MB-2625): And give you knowledge, information? Get a load of that!
Sage (MB-2505): Your attempts at bargaining are not working.
Emperor Robotnik: I don’t see why we don’t just have him disintegrated.
Doctor Eggman (MB-2625): And spoil the fun of watching him realise everyone he cares about is lost?
Sonic: (wide-eyed before scowling) Oh, like your husband? I don’t see Agent Stone or our Sage anywhere.
Doctor Eggman (MB-2505): (points at Sonic repeatedly, yelling until his jaw nearly falls off)
Sage (MB-2505): (starts operating her console, causing a robotic arm to come out of her chair to re-attach her creators jaw.)
Emperor Robotnik: What I really want to know is how this low-level lifeform got here?
Sonic: (deadpan) Wow, if that isn’t an unoriginal insult.
Sage (MB-2505): Perhaps our answer lies in the energy signature he is emitting. There is a mix of both Chaos Energy and something similar to the Prism.
Number Two: (Number Two presses a key, and footage from earlier of Sonic outrunning Egg Pawns plays on a TV screen in the room.) May I suggest a series of grueling life-endangering diagnostic tests?
Sonic: Not helping, Glide! I bet Blitz didn’t do well on tests.
Doctor Eggman (MB-2625): Those in favor of stress-testing my world’s Sonic until his suit breaks and he’s reduced to a glitching mess, raise your hand.
(All of the Chaos Council members except for Sage raise their hands.)
Emperor Robotnik: Delightfully devilish!
Doctor Eggman (MB-2505): (claps wildly)
(Instead of raising her hand, Sage presses a ‘yes’ button on her device. The device restraining Sonic is lifted off from its base, and placed in a sealed chamber with a glass wall for the Chaos Council to watch through.)
Sonic: Hey, hey!
Emperor Robotnik: Number Two, put him through the paces. Let's see how powerful he really is.
(Sage presses a key on the access panel. Sonic grunts, and struggles against the electronic shackles binding him.)
Number Two: Do not fight them. It will only end badly! For her. (Number Two points to Striker. An Egg Paan prods her with an electric weapon, electrocuting her.)
Striker: Bring it on, you rust pile!
Sonic: Striker! (Number Two presses a key, and the shackles deactivate, causing Sonic to drop to the floor of the chamber.) Okay, let's start the test. The sooner we do this, the sooner Striker and I can get out of here. (Number Two presses another key, and two laser turrets emerge from opposite walls. One fires at Sonic, and he barely dodges out of the way.) Lasers! I hate lasers. (Both turrets begin firing rapidly, and Sonic continues running to dodge.)
(Sonic runs up a wall, and rapidly circles the turret there, causing it to lose focus on him. The other turret prepares to fire. Sonic then jumps in the space between the two turrets, causing both to fire. A slow motion shot of Sonic dodging at the last minute is shown, which leads to the laser cannons shooting each other. Emperor Robotnik snaps his fingers, and Number Two presses a button to re-capture Sonic. The entire chamber then moves upwards, while Sonic is forced to the one below through a hole in the floor. In the new chamber is a curved conveyor belt. After being released, Sonic runs on the belt, avoiding moving laser beams while the belt ripples and bends.)
Sonic: This little experiment’s getting boring already, eggheads! (throwing his right hand outwards) CHAOS CONTROL!
(The world is encompassed in grey, green outlines over almost everything. Sonic begins charging up a Peel Out, clenching his left fist as he nearly glitches through the floor.)
Sonic: C’mon, need to think of something to say…
(Sonic sets up a fan to launch into the crusher, running faster and faster until a mix of blue, red and green energy start building up around him.)
Sonic: You want to test me, Eggheads? Question: How do you tick off a hedgehog? Answer: Mess with his friends! (Sonic performs a Spin Attack as time unfreezes, landing inside a clear glass sphere but continuing to run.)
(The computer shows Sonic's energy level rising. A repeated beeping is heard. The Chaos Council (except for Sage) watches on in interest. The computer shows Sonic's energy reaching dangerous levels. The building begins shaking.)
Sage (MB-2505): Prism energy confirmed, similar to white shard.
Emperor Robotnik: That dorkupine’s energy field is supercharging our systems.
(The computer begins to spark. Number Two backs away. The energy generates a great white light. Sonic, who is still running can only see the mass of energy around him. Suddenly, a vision of a Shadow with black pupils throwing himself into a multi-coloured crack appears.)
Shadow (MB-2523): I’ll find them, I promise.
(Several visions clash: Blaze warping out of the Sol Dimension in a pillar of flame, a cyborg version of Antoine with his sword as part of his arm, a world overcome in glitches, an Eggman dressed like a bee, a mechanical version of Knuckles placing an emerald in a grave, a zombified Sonic speed-dragging himself across the world, a hazy flashback of Sticks and Amy, a bright blue blur, then a white flash and a darker blur, a multi-coloured flash and ‘Rider’ standing in front of Striker.)
(Flashback: South Island, Green Hill, Day. Every piece of the recollection is scattered, out of order.)
Amy: (bouncing) Happy birthday, S——! You got here before most of the guests!
Knuckles: (Angry) Nothing flusters me, Egghead... (grabbing a Buzz Bomber before slamming it into a wall.) …except when you're around!
Sage: Extraction complete, Prism obtained father.
Eggman: You won’t be laughing when I blast you into the next universe!