| abstract | - Sally is shown sitting on the side of her comatose father's bed, mourning his unconscious state and all that he has suffered through his difficult life. She then considers how Dr. Quack and Sir Charles Hedgehog have built a machine that should revive him, but that requires a Chaos Emerald power source. Sonic and Tails then walk in, Sonic offering Sally the comforting news that Rotor and Tails have figured out a way to get them an Emerald, while Tails promises that they won't let her down. Activating his hologram projector watch-his only gift from his lost parents-he remarks that he knows what it's like to miss loved ones and be unable to act. Later, in the Brain Trust Laboratory, Rotor powers up his new Star Posts in order to transport the two to the Zone of Silence. Entering the strange dimension, the two are surprised to find drastically changed from its previous appearance, and question how they might locate the Chaos Emeralds. Tails suggests that Knuckles might have been able to sense the jewels, when a booming voice addresses them, its source revealed as the massive Feist, who announces that he is to judge them. Tails and Sonic are both startled, Sonic recognizing Feist from a memory of King Max's and warning Tails that they should be ready to flee. Feist assuages their worries by claiming that he has judged positively, having witnessed their battles with his hated master Ixis Naugus and knowing that Tails sent the Chaos Emeralds into the zone, granting him his newfound power. Feist then reveals that he has combined the many Chaos Emeralds into seven, one of each color of the originals, and that he is able to use their power to reshape the Zone at will. The still off balance heroes then ask if he will give them one, asking in behalf of the comatose Max Acorn. Feist agrees, presenting them with the gray Chaos Emerald, but informing them as well that if they should return seeking another Emerald, they will have to face his challenges. The two then head back through the Star Post portal, hurriedly making sure that Rotor closes it behind them. Not much later, the two heroes join Uncle Chuck, Dr. Quack, and the Acorn royal family in Max's bedchamber, where they use the Chaos Emerald to activate Chuck and Quack's machine. At long last Max awakens, to the joy of his family, and quickly learns to his surprise that Elias has assumed the throne in his absence. As the family reunites, Sonic and Tails leave them to their moment, but are quickly pursued by Sally, who hands them the Chaos Emerald and asks that they take it to Merlin Prower. Sally replies "I'm just returning the favor" in answer to Tails' query, and the two later arrive at Freedom HQ at the same time as Knuckles, who has the Guiding Star Gem with him. The wizard reveals that he intends to use the Emerald and the Guiding Star Gem to take them to Argentium so that they can rescue Tails' parents. All four are transported successfully, but arrive to find Argentium in war torn condition, leading a worried Tails to go looking for his parents while Merlin chases after him. Noticing alien ships fighting in orbit, Sonic and Knuckles identify some of them as belonging to the Xorda, but are unaware of the identities of the others. Amadeus Prower then appears, revealing that the other aliens are a vicious race known as the Black Arms who have been fighting the Xorda for some time. His wife Rosemary welcomes Sonic back to Argentium, and the Hedgehog immediately rushes off, bringing back Tails and Merlin. The couple embrace Merlin, glad to see him again and sharing their confidence in his eventually coming to save them, while Merlin is quick to credit Tails for the rescue. Sonic then pushes Tails towards his parents, both Tails and his mother shedding tears at the reunion, and the trio embrace joyfully as the other three look on happily. All six then transport back to Mobius, where the Prowers are received by a thrilled King Elias, who invites Amadeus to join the new Court of Acorn. Amadeus agrees that he wishes to take part in Knothole's future, saying that his time with the Bem has given him new ideas that he hopes will benefit the Kingdom. Meanwhile, at the Knothole Cemetery, Sonic is seated by the graves of Sir Connery and Tommy Turtle, and seeing a shadow turns expecting Fiona. It turns out to be Knuckles, who questions Fiona's continued absence and then remarks that Sonic picked a bad place for a date. The two banter briefly, but Knuckles then asks why Sonic is out here, the Hedgehog revealing that it still pains him to have lost two of their friends so quickly. Knuckles agrees, gritting his teeth at the apparent loss of the Brotherhood of Guardians while Sonic muses about the rising number of enemies for them to deal with. Knuckles then questions whether Sonic is wanting to quit, which Sonic is quick to deny. The two then depart, Knuckles promising that their fallen comrades will not have perished for nothing, and that they will defeat Robotnik. Their conversation then turns, surprisingly, to Shadow, whom Sonic considers a friend, though Knuckles reminds him that the black Hedgehog is currently working with Eggman. Sonic then reveals that he doesn't believe Shadow to be evil, but simply confused, and that once he comes to grips with his situation he'll make the right choice. Unbeknownst to the duo, Shadow is confronting Robotnik and Snively in New Megaopolis, demanding that they hand over Gerald Robotnik's diary.
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