(Amy Rose's POV)
I quickly rushed back to the gym where Oana was. I didn't want her to wait on me with a dry throat and a finished sandwich. I mean sammich! This is going to be annoying to remember. I knocked on the door before entering, holding a water bottle in my hand.
"Hey, Oana! I'm back! I got you-" I stopped as I didn't see her anywhere. What was left was a half-eaten sandwich on the white plate. I tapped my bracelet.
"Amy-"
"Oana's gone!"
"Gone? What do you mean gone!?"
-
(Oana's POV)
My body glowed green as I ran through the trees. I had to hurry. Mother needs me. My people need me. They need me. I cannot fail them. As I ran, my earpiece connected me to a conversation.
"Sonic, there's an attack in the Mystic Jungle! Silver is fighting him...or it, whatever!" Rose said in a panic.
"I'm on my way! I'm looking forward to a second round with this guy!" The blue hedgehog replied.
"And Oana's gone! Disappeared without a trance!"
A sudden hurt feeling hit my chest. I should have written her a letter or something. Not leave a good leftover sammich. Before I could hear Sonic's response, I turned off my earpiece and ran faster. I soon saw fire ahead. I slid to a stop, my bow at the ready. Trees were burning to the blazes. I heard someone struggle to lift something. I quickly turned to see Kali trying to lift a fallen tree. I rushed toward him and helped him.
"Chieftess?" He said in shock but I interrupted him from saying anything else.
"Use your gift, Kali! On three!" I yelled out before counting. "One. Two. Three!" We both lifted the tree slowly but held it high enough to where some citizens and soldiers of the resistance crawled out. Once they were out, I pointed their way out of the chaos. I turned to Kali. "Kali! Where is my mother? Are there others?"
"Chief went north to fight off the machines! The others are helping the innocent escape the flames!"
I nodded. "Go help the others! I'm finding my mother!"
Kali nodded before running in the other direction. Before he went too far, he turned around to face me and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "May the goddess guide you, Chieftess!"
I crossed my arms like him, "May the goddess guide you and others!" I turned away, slid my mask on, and ran. I dodged away from many falling burning trees. I then found Mother with the jackal defending Silver. I slid over to Silver and helped him get away from danger. "Thanks, Oana," he said.
"Do not thank me yet," I replied before hiding him behind a large rock. I looked around and saw Kali once more. I whistled for him and he followed quickly. "Kali, watch over him until you see help. Try to care for him as best as you can."
"Yes, Chieftess," he nodded, beginning to pull out his bag of medical supplies. Siler looked up at me with a black eye with confusion before making a connection. Surprise on his face. "Wait! Chieftess!? You! You're a-"
I left without hearing another word out of him and ran to Mother's side. "I'm here, Mother." She glanced at me, turning her scowl into a grin. She held her sword high as I held my bow tight.
"Ah, the Chief and the Chieftess reunited. What a pleasure to see you two still standing," the jackal said with small hints of amusement. I growled under my breath. "Watch your words, jackal! Before you regret it!" I spat. The jackal only chuckled at my words. "Such confident words, but I can taste your fear, girl."
I took a step forward as Mother stopped me from going any further. "Call me a girl one more time, jackal! I-" "Oana!" Mother said, stopping me. "You are better than this," she whispered before turning her attention to Infinite. "You have caused enough harm to everyone! Call off your attack at once! Or pay the price!" The jackal only flew higher in the sky, his figure glowing brighter. Just then, the blue hedgehog ran in.
"Sorry, I'm late to the party! What did I miss?" He said with a cheery attitude.
"Well, look who's back from the dead. The little blue savior. But what's that I smell? You reek of fear. Glad to see I left an impression," Infinite said, holding his chin high. I could imagine a smirk on his face if he had a mouth. Sonic lifted his arm and sniffed his armpit. "That's not fear. I ran all the way over here," Sonic responded as he shrugged his shoulders. Mother turned to me with a look.
"Him?" I nodded. "Why him?" I shrugged. She shook her head but went along. I then heard Sonic did not know the jackal's name. I gave him a look. He turned to me. "What?"
"Over six months, you have known him attacking the earth and you do not know his name?"
"Yeah. So?" I blinked a few times before sighing again. I shook it off before I lost it. As Mother has said, do not let anger take over your mind. Sonic continued talking, "So, what's the name, new guy?"
"You may call me "Infinite" in the brief moments that remain to you," the jackal answered, crossing his arms. "Great! So, what's your favorite color? Do you like long, romantic walks on the beach? What's the source of your power? You can skip the first two questions if you like," Sonic asked like he was talking to a friend.
How can he be so calm about this? And was he flirting with the enemy? And lastly, what is a beach?
"The source of my power is none of your concern," Infinite answered, uncrossing his arms, ready for anything to be thrown at him. That is when I noticed the gem in his chest. It looked very similar to a ruby. I remembered the file I collected a day ago. Phantom Ruby, correct? Is that his power?
"Sorry, but you've just GOT to share the secret of your power with me. I insist!" The blue fool pushed. I am about to smack to the floor if he keeps talking. Just then, he ran toward the jackal. I dashed to get him away. "Sonic!" I called, jumping to grab his foot but I missed. I pulled out my bow, ready to shoot.
"Your insistence is futile!" Infinite says as he uses his ruby to cause a powerful wave to make us float in the air. Nothing that I am not used to. I pulled back my arrow, aimed for the jackal but moved a bit to the left and released the arrow. The jackal grunted in pain as my arrow shot him in his shoulder. I landed on my feet and held my stance as strong as I held my bow. The jackal's only visible eye glared into mine. "You arrogant child! Strong with skill, but can you last long enough to see your world burn!"
He dashes toward me and pushes me away from Sonic and Mother. He pushes me through the air by the throat, trying to choke me. My hands held onto his before I wrapped my leg around his arm and spun us around. He was taken by surprise. I took my chance and pulled away from him before holding his arms back as we came close to a nearby tree. We crashed into a tree but he took most of the damage. I quickly leaped away from him and replaced my bow with my spear. Infinite slowly pulled himself from the tree and flew in the air. "Clever, but that's nothing."
I used my gift and glowed a bright green. "We will see about that."
-
(Sonic's POV)
I watched as Infinite took Oana. I started to run after them but something tripped me and I fell. I looked back to see the green hedgehog woman who was with Oana. "Hey, nice to meet you, but I got to go help Oana real quick," I said as I got up to my feet. The woman poked her staff in my chest. I backed away a bit and rubbed my chest. "Ow! That hurt."
"Are you the hero the resistance has been talking about? The hedgehog who has defeated the human doctor more times than anyone could count?" She asked, still poking her staff at me. "Yeah, why? Are you a fan?"
Her face dropped from serious to worry. "Watch over my daughter. She will need help fighting that man. Go to her," she said like it was a soft demand. Hearing her worried tone for Oana, I had a weird sense that something bad was going to happen. I nodded before running away.
-
(Oana's POV)
I held my ground strong as Infinite pants for air.
"You're good, I'll give you that," he mentions as he adjusts his mask. "But you are near the end, little rat." He dashes toward me. I easily dodged him as he ran himself in the dirt. I felt the sweat roll down to my brow under my mask. I held up my spear before swinging down at him. I moved out of the way. He threw a punch. I blocked. I swung my spear. He dodged. This pattern continued at different times like a dance. Soon, it got personal. He would drag me closer before kicking me away. It started to feel like a dance. Sooner or later, Sonic arrived. "Wow! I've been gone for 2 minutes and you two look like you had a fun time."
"I'm done fooling around," Infinite said with annoyance as he used the ruby to push Sonic and me back and into the ground. "Time is a delicate matter. Your time is not needed anymore, hedgehogs." Infinite reached out his hand as a red ball grew from his palm. I pulled myself from the ground and jumped to the attack. He released it and I hit it away. It blasted a tree into flames. I stood my ground again. "I will not fall under you! Not ever! And never will! I will stand to fight you till this war is done and you yield!" I shouted.
"Is that a threat?" "It's a damn promise!"
I jumped toward him and took a swing at him. He dodged and grabbed the back of my armor, pulling me back and holding a claw against my throat. He turned us to face Sonic. Sonic froze, not knowing what to do to help me. The jackal chuckled as he tranced his sharp claw along my jawline. "A strong warrior with the strength of a bull, and the speed of a small hummingbird. But I have always wondered what's under the mask."
As his hand slowly reached for my mask, I was frozen. I need to get out of this. Think of something quick. I used my gift as I wrapped my legs around one of his legs, and pulled him down. I kicked him down into the earth, creating a border into the earth. As I landed safely on the ground again, my ear flicked at the sound of my mother. I looked over to see her ripping the machine's wires out of its metal body. I smiled at her bravery.
Then I heard something build up power and heat from behind me. I see my shadow as clear as the night stars as the red light behind me grows brighter. I wanted to move. But I could not. I was frozen. My feet were trapped within the weight of the earth. I tried to push myself to move, but I did not move a muscle. I looked up at Sonic, and for the first time in his life, I think he grew fear at the sight in front of him. I looked down at the fallen jackal to see his eyes widen in shock, waiting for whatever to happen, happen.
"Oana!" I heard my mother cry out. Then I finally moved. But not by me. By someone else. A blast was released. I felt the heat behind my back burn but not enough to harm me. I fell into the dirt, some fell inside my mask. I ignored it as I looked behind me to see my mother. But my eyes widened in fear as I saw her torso and arm gone. Burned away. I ran to her as she fell back. I quickly caught her in my arms and gently set her on the ground.
I kneeled to her, holding her head and squeezing her hand. "Mother! Stay with me, Mother!" I threw my mask off, not caring where it went. All I cared was to be with my mother. "We will help you heal, Mother. Please stay here with me!" I looked up, trying to spot Kali or another medical person. Mother reached her one hand to my face, making me look at her. Her eyes were filled with water. Sweat rolled down the side of her face.
"My daughter. My little blade. Oana," she began. "Break this war." I blinked over and over. What is she doing? "Summon the strength of your gift." "Mother? What are you saying?" I looked down to see her glowing a warm light. I shook my head, not wanting this reality to be real. She held my cheek with her warm touch, brushing away the tears that fell from my eyes. "May the goddess guide you to victory. I will always watch over you, Oana."
She slowly closed her eyes as the warm light started to separate from each other. Her figure turned into small balls of light. Slowly flying up toward the dark sky. The only thing she left behind was her weapons and her crown. A beautiful piece of jewelry with the beauty of nature in it. My hands curled into fists, digging into the dirt. I closed my eyes shut, releasing the tears to drop into the soil.
I failed.