Rocha's POV:
Life was just getting thêm and thêm eventful as time lingered on. I wondered if it would still be calm in the alley where I used to live. I thought back to the times when I was truly alone and had no one, but when I looked around and thought about how Sonic and Shadow and everyone cared for me and loved me as one of their own, I felt comforted and knew that no matter how hectic things got here, I would never want to go back to the cold, sea of lonliness, and the fact that I would never have to go back. I looked at Shadow who had a somewhat apprehensive temperment to him. "Shadow, tell me what's bothering you?" I cooed, leaning across the đi văng and resting my head on his lap. He took in a long shaky breath and sighed heavily, "promise bạn wont tell anyone?"
"Promise."
"That robot was sending me these subliminal messages..."
"What was it telling you?"
"I barely made any of it out, but what I did hear was 'silver rings; kill Rocha; betrayers of the Doctor will fall at his feet and eat dust until the ngày they die; bạn have untill tomorrow...' I dont know what it meant, but it somehow made sense, as if I have to go to this place... now!" Shadow leaped up from his seat, sending me to the floor, "the battle, we must play out our plan, now hoặc never! We need to go now! EVERYONE!" he called loudly and I looked up at him, "Shadow! You're insane!"
"No Rocha, I am very much sane. It's just that, the Doctor... he is taking his plan out early... if we want to succeed, we need to stop him immediately, the fate of the world is now in our hands. We need to save it, just as Maria always wanted..." I was about to grab him and pull him down to the ground beside me to talk some sense into him, but it was too late... Espio, Blaze, Knuckles, Sonic, Tails, Rouge, Amy and Faron were already crowding into the living-room. "The plan. The doctor's plan has commenced and unless we act now, there will be no way to stop him and our world will be destroyed. And since Silver is no longer with us," he looked away sadly and continued, "then we will have to switch the teams up. So we will only have on e battle phase, consisting of Knuckles, Amy, Tails and Blaze. Sonic will take Silver's spot in the infilteration and Rocha, Rouge and Espio will be the backup. Now, does everyone remember the plan?"
"Yes." everyone sang in unison. "Good, now, we will prepare for the battle of our lifetime." Shadow đã đưa ý kiến gravely and looked me in the eyes, "I am sane." he insisted and I laughed, "I know bạn are silly!"
                    ~*~
It was almost time for Knuckles' team to leave. He looked at Rouge and emotions were exchanged. Then he leaned in for a kiss, into which she gladly melted. "I'll never forget bạn Knuxie."
"I will always tình yêu you, even if I am not living bởi your side anymore and breathing the same air as you..."
"Good luck Knuxie... I just know you'll come back alive!"
"We all will." Knuckles delivered one last Kiss to Rouge and left to wait at the door. As Blaze đã đưa ý kiến her goodbyes to Espio, kissing and hugging him; and Amy bid farewell to Sonic, wishing him all of her luck which he returned the wish along with a kiss. I smiled as they left and silently prayed thet they would succeed. It was now only Shadow, Sonic, Espio, Faron, Rouge and I left. Soon Rouge would take Espio and I to begin taking down Eggman's defenses. Sonic looked out the window, "you'll have to go soon. It's almost sunset."
"We're leaving in five minutes, then bạn will wait for another five phút and leave."
"Exactly." Shadow backed me up and I looked fondly into his hardened crimson eyes. Then I thought about the awful loss that could await any of us. Any one of us could be killed in this battle, leaving someone they tình yêu behind... What would I do without one of my friends. I thought for amoment, what would life be like... without Rouges flirty taunts and fashion advice... without Knuckles' friendly hot-headedness and protection of the emerald... without Amy's cute obsessions with Sonic and her sweet active self... without Espio's ninja skills and secrecy... without Tails' cuteness and innocence... without Blaze's wisdom and care... without Sonic's courage and 'kick all enemies asses' attitude... without Faron's sister-like friendship bond... without Shadow's love... "-to go!" I turned around, dazed, "huh?"
"I đã đưa ý kiến it's time to go." Rouge and Espio were already heading out the door as they called me over. I shuddered... thinking about what was about to happen. "Goodbye, Shadow and good luck, I tình yêu you!"
"I tình yêu bạn too Rocha... remember that." Shadow waved at me as the door closed... and I stepped out into the cold, almost-winter air.

Shadow's POV:
The time finally arrived for our wave to leave. "You all ready for this?"
"You bet faker!" I hugged Sonic playfully and he gasped, "-air-please!" then started laughing. I backed off and looked at Faron, "are bạn ready dear?"
"Yes. I am." her green eyes shone ambiently with determination. "We will crush the doctor... no mercy, this time he's going straight to hell..." I đã đưa ý kiến as our wave exited. This was it... the final battle. The fate of the world and I was leading everyone to what would thêm than likely be their deaths. I felt heavy and sad to think of the consequences. We all stepped out into the cold wintery air and I hugged Faron as she shivered. Soon we were headed for the area of which I knew nothing of, but instinct just led me there. We finally reached a tall, white-brick, cylindrical building. It was massive and the window had to be atleast 100 feet off the ground... if not more. I measured the distance I would need to spring up there. Then I looked at Faron and she nodded. Sonic gave me the thumbs up and I flew straight up and smashed through the window. Little did I know, the drop down would be much steeper. I squeezed my eyes shut as I fell to my death, but when I opened them, I saw the white tiled floor, just inches below me. Why wasn't I falling anymore? I looked up to see Faron holding me in her arms. She lit down on the ground and released me, "you almost died..."
"You saved me."
"I couldn't let it happen, I already had to watch Mephiles die, I wasn't going to see bạn slip away too."
"Thank you...now I'm alive and ready to fight with my life."
"Dad-"
"Remember how special bạn and Rocha are to me..."
"Special my ass! Get on with the lovey dovey stuff and die already, I need to see some action here!" Faron and I both turned around as we heard the Doctor's voice. I stood over her, "where are bạn Doctor?"
"Im not gonna hiển thị myself... but what I am gonna hiển thị is your worst nightmare." Soon enough, two doors opened and I gasped as I felt Faron shaking beside me. Tho my dismay, Metal Sonic came out but what was worse was the robot that came out behind him. Mecha Knuckles stood taller and stronger than ever before and he had 6 chaos emeralds inside designated places on back. Beneath those places where two slots and I instantly knew what was needed there... Rocha's Rings. I also knew that if those slots weren't destroyed, Rocha wouldn't be able to fight Mecha Knuckles. I looked at Faron, "Run! Get out of here! Get Sonic!"
"No dad! I'm not leaving bạn here to fight alone!"
"Faron go! I need Sonic!"
"Fine!" she đã đưa ý kiến through tears of fear, "I'll go. Please dont die!"
"I wont. Get Sonic, send him in here, then go get Rocha, and dont come back in!" I shouted as Mecha Knuckles focused his attack zone on me. "Must-destroy-Shadow-Hedgehog..." he said, bringing his fist towards me, almost catching my leg as I hopped into the air, avoiding the blow. I continued dodging punches from Mecha Knuckles and shots from Metal Sonic, until the real blue hedgehog came and swiftly destroyed his metal twin. Then he turned to help me. "Shadow, we cand destroy it! It's too strong! We need those chaos emeralds!"
"Never fear faker." I pulled the chaos ngọc lục bảo from my quills, "CHAOS SPEAR!" I screamed in a fury and blasted the raw chaos energy at my foe who freakishly absorbed it, "what was that?" I cried in disbelief, only to be caught off-guard as the spears were hurled back at me. In my confusion I had dropped the 7th chaos emerald. "Noooo!" I yelled as it floated in the air and inserted itself into the empty slot for the last chaos emerald. Mecha Knuckles surged with new energy. "Sonic, It was nice knowing you..."
"You to, thanks for not calling me faker for once."
"Your welcome..."


All Sonic related names belong to Sega.
Faron belongs to shaylyn.
Rocha is mine.