Tails eyes slowly open and he sluggishly gets up and pulls up his goggles and looks around and sees he managed to land safely on solid ground.
Tails: How did I-
Nicole: Good, you're awake.
Tails turns and sees Nicole floats towards him. Tails lets out a sigh of relief and smiles.
Tails: You're alright. Did you save me?
Nicole: Correct. I summoned a shield around before you fell.
Tails: Thank you.
Nicole: Not needed, we are a team. It is only logical that we would help each other.
Tails looks around and sees the smoke, fire, and rubble all around them.
Tails: So much damage. All for a stupid rock.
Nicole: A rock that can control the winds.
Tails: I don't hear any blasts or jets. Did they leave?
Nicole: Affirmative.
Tails: But why? Why would they leave without the em.....
Tails' eyes go wide with panic.
Tails: We have to find the others, now!!!
Tails spins his tails and flies into the sky and Nicole follows behind.
(Knuckles and Shadow)
Shadow pushes off a piece and stumbles as he stands up and looks around, fear in his eyes.
Shadow: KNUCKLES?! DREADS?! COME ON, ANSWER ME!!!
Shadow suddenly hears something move behind him. Shadow turns and sees Knuckles push a piece of rubble off of himself with one arm. Shadow sighs in relief and quickly heads that way. Shadow reaches a hand towards Knuckles.
Shadow: Are you alright Dreads?
Knuckles stares daggers at Shadow and stands up without taking Shadow's hand and grips his injured arm. Shadow lowers his hand in guilt.
Shadow: Is it b-
Knuckles: What the hell is wrong with you?!
Shadow: What?
Knuckles: You didn't listen to me! We could've taken him down if we worked together but instead you let you're ego take control and now look at me!!!!
Knuckles points at his injured arm.
Knuckles: YOU HURT ME BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LISTEN!!
Shadow grips his fists in anger.
Shadow: AND YOU DIDN'T LISTEN EITHER!!!! I SAID I HAD IT HANDLED AND YOU STILL STUCK YO-
Knuckles: HANDLED?! YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING HANDLED!!! ALL YOU HAD WAS YOUR HEAD FULL OF PRIDE!!!
Knuckles scoffs and stomps away from Shadow but Shadow follows behind.
Shadow: You don't know that I didn't had it. You think you're stronger than me and have more say but you don't know me!!
Knuckles stops and turns around and snarls at Shadow.
Knuckles: Of course I don't know you, YOU DON'T LET ANYONE IN!!! You just train and train, fight and fight and nothing else!!! How am I supposed to know you if you won't let us know you?! All I know is that you couldn't save your first friend and you're a good fighter, that's it!!! And if that's all you want me to know, if that's all we'll ever get to know, then maybe it was mistake to let you join.
Shadow stares at Knuckles for a moment and then turns away. Knuckles let's out a sigh and calms down a bit and is about to say something else when he sees Tails and Nicole flying in the sky. Knuckles looks at Shadow and sighs and looks back at Tails and Nicole.
Knuckles: HEY GUYS!!! OVER HERE!!!
Tails and Nicole look down and ses the two and fly towards the two and lands infront of Knuckles and Tails hugs Knuckles.
Tails: Thank Chaos you're ok.
Knuckles: Relatively so yeah.
Tails let's go and then sees the injured arm and Tails gives a look of worry.
Tails: What happened?
Knuckles gives a quick glance at Shadow and looks back at Tails.
Knuckles: The big bird, got me and Stripes good. I'll be fine though, don't worry about me.
Tails reluctantly nods and turns to Shadow.
Tails: Are you alright Shadow?
Shadow barely nods, not looking at any of them.
Knuckles: Hey, where's Sonic?
Nicole: We thought he might be with you two.
Knuckles: Haven't seen him since the beginning, before we split up.
Tails: Then we need to find him. He could be hurt or worse. Let's go.
The four proceed to go around the city and try to find Sonic. Tails is in the sky looking around when he sees Sonic laying on the ground motionless.
Tails: I FOUND HIM!!!
Tails quickly flies down towards Sonic as the others run up towards them. Tails turns over Sonic's body and shakes his body.
Tails: Wake up Sonic, come on!!
Sonic slowly begins to stir and slowly opens his eyes.
Sonic: Tails? Is that you?
Tails let's out a sigh of relief and the others smile and look relieved.
Tails: Thank Chaos you're alive. We were worried that something bad happened. Are you ok?
Sonic slowly stands up and shakes his head.
Sonic: No... they took it from me.
Tails: Took it?
Sonic pulls up his scarf to cover his face.
Sonic: They have the Chaos Emerald.
(Jet the Hawk)
Speedy, Jet, Storm, Wave, and a bunch of soldiers walk down a corridor and hear cheering their names. Wave pulls on Jet's arm and smiles at him.
Wave: Look, you finally did it!
Jet smiles brightly and nods.
Jet: I can't believe it.
Storm puts an arm around Jet and smiles widely.
Storm: You're so gonna get praised for this, I promise you!!
Jet smiles and looks down at the emerald, seeing the emerald swirl with blue wind energy.
Jet: Yeah, yeah I will.
The four enter a huge room where Grand Kukku, Sophocles, and Fukurokov are standing in the center of the room with huge grins on their faces. Jet turns and sees Tekno looking at him with a huge smile and waves. Jet nods at her as the the four walk towards the 3 in the center. Grand Kukku steps forward and hugs his son.
Grand Kukku: I always knew you would succeed in this mission. There was no doubt in my mind.
Speedy: Um thank you father, but I didn't succeed in this mission.
Grand Kukku lets go of Speedy and stares at him in confusion.
Grand Kukku: You didn't? Then who?
Speedy: Jet did sir, he succeeded where I failed.
Grand Kukku looked towards Jet, who bows and stretches out his arm with the emerald and hands it to Grand Kukku. Grand Kukku steps towards Jet and grabs the emerald.
Grand Kukku: Well, look at that. You didn't fail Jet. I'm impressed.
Jet: T-thank you sir.
Grand Kukku: And now, with this emerald my son will be the king of the skies, and the Babylonians will rule Mobius!!!
Jet's eyes widen and all noise goes silent in his mind besides the words "my son" echoing in his mind. Jet looks up at Grand Kukku.
Jet: What did you say?
Grand Kukku looks at Jet with a confused look.
Grand Kukku: I said I'm giving the emerald to my son.
Jet gets off his knee and stands up, his fists tightening.
Jet: But I succeeded with the mission. I beat Eggman's strongest, I got the emerald, I did what your son could not.
Grand Kukku: And? So what?
Jet stares at Grand Kukku with pure hatred in his eyes.
Jet: Your son doesn't deserve that emerald. That emerald is rightfully mine!!!
Grand Kukku stares at Jet and hands off the emerald to Speedy.
Grand Kukku: You really think that huh?
Jet: I deserve that-
Jet suddenly feels a fist hit his gut as he sent flying into the air. Grand Kukku looks up and in a flash appears from behind Jet in the sky, raises both fists in the air and swings them both down at Jet and sends him flying towards the ground. Wave screams as Storm holds her back from trying to go to Jet, his body shaking in anger. Grand Kukku floats down towards the ground and towers over Jet as Jet staggers to his feet.
Grand Kukku: My wife filled you head with so many hopes and dreams that would never be.
Jet looks up at Grand Kukku and is about to throw a punch but Grand Kukku quickly grabs the fist and raises Jet into the air and stares him dead in the eyes.
Grand Kukku: I should've left you in those ruins when we found you.
Grand Kukku squeezes his fist around Jet's hand, causing Jet to scream in pain.
Grand Kukku: You're only alive because my wife cared about you and I do find some use out of you, but don't you dare get it in your head that you are anything more then a lowly soldier, ready to die for the empire.
Grand Kukku tosses Jet away and turns around.
Grand Kukku: I'll overlook this outburst, but never forget your place again.
Grand Kukku walks out of the room, with Speedy, Fukurokov and Sophocles follow from behind. Storm and Wave run up to Jet and lift him up.
Wave: Jet? Are you al-
Jet yanks out of their grasps and walks away.
Jet: Leave me.
Storm and Wave look at each other with worry as Jet storms off, anger fueling him.