Each member of the resistance opened their eyes, either stretching or yawning, everyone having been woken up by the morning flickies chirping cheerfully outside the living room window. Sonic sat up, scratching his back, and saw Tails still sound asleep. He smiled, until something dark caught his eye.
"Hey guys, I think the diffuser's working again." He said, his voice devoid of humor.
Everyone saw what he meant.
"You know, I was kind of growing used to him being the ruby..." Knuckles commented, rubbing the back of his head.
They collectively chuckled and picked up their blankets or pillows off the floor. Sonic gently picked up Tails and laid him on the other sofa across the room, tucking him in and making sure he faced away from the morning light. The blue hedgehog's pink lover smiled admiringly from behind. Everyone either went into the hallway and lined up to use the restroom or went to the kitchen to see if breakfast had arrived yet.
Shadow walked into the room, dumping his own blanket on top of Infinite. The jackal didn't react at all, but Shadow didn't seem to care. He roughly poked the jackal in the face, and still had no response. Then he grabbed him by his ankles and flipped him off the couch.
"Ugh!" The jackal sat up, rubbing his head. "I'm not sure I'm quite awake yet, would you mind punching me?"
When Shadow took a menacing step forward, the jackal grabbed the hedgehog's ankle.
"I'm up, jerk. Leave me alone."
"Sorry, can't do that. I'm under strict orders to keep you safe from Eggman."
"Okay, and does that require throwing me off couches?"
"No, that's just something I like to do for fun. Get up."
When Infinite refused to move, Shadow snatched him up by the arm. They stood still, wrestling each other in a mad rage, until suddenly the front door opened.
Gadget stood there, holding the handle of a wagon. Surrounding him was a group of jackals, who all stopped whatever conversation they had been having and stared. Shadow roughly let go of Infinite and stood in front of him, arms crossed.
"Uh-uh. No. Not another step."
"Uh, what's going on?" Gadget asked with a confused frown.
Infinite eyeballed the jackals from behind the black hedgehog. Their faces burned holes into the back of his mind, filling him with fear and dread.
"Boss!" The youngest jackal stepped forward excitedly, and Gadget did a double take.
"Why on earth would you lie about something like that?" He exclaimed, suddenly looking angry.
Mathilda grabbed the young jackal and pulled him back gently. "Guys, we need to leave."
"No! Infinite!" The young jackal looked confused. "Why are you hiding behind him?"
Infinite's mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Mathilda pulled her younger comrade back, this time more forcefully.
"Let's go..." She muttered, her eyes suddenly filling with anger and hurt. "He's not coming."
The jackals fled the door, quietly and without argument. Gadget pushed the wagon inside and shut the door hastily. He turned back around and pulled the wagon into the kitchen without another word. Sonic stepped out, looking around.
"What happened?"
Shadow just shook his head. "A few old enemies paid us a visit. They won't be coming back anytime soon."
"What's wrong with Infinite?"
The jackal was sitting on the couch, his hands covering his mouth and his eyes wide and bewildered, staring at the floor.
"He just saw a few ghosts, that's all." The dark hedgehog replied without a hint of sarcasm, looking away.
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Spirit of the Phantom Ruby
قصص الهواةMonths after the Sonic Forces war, Team Sonic comes to realize that their enemy has not yet been fully neutralized. Knowing Infinite the jackal still has the Phantom Ruby, our adventures battle to separate the masked clown from his weapon in a plan...
