A tired and dry voice called over the loudspeakers, Amy, recalling heroes to the control room. "Sonic, we need you back out in the field. Tails also told me about his plan, could you get that speed data asap?" There was a popping sound when the speaker turned off.

The blue hedgehog sighed and started to make his way towards the exit of Tail's tab, "Alright, I'm on it. See you guys later." He waved back, unable to catch a break. As Sonic stepped out of the room, it was just you, Tails, and Silver.

Omega as well but- Tails had muted his systems. You all'd laugh whenever his speakers glowed with volume but nothing came out. Poor robot, but he needed to calm down.

You and Silver left Tails shortly after to work on the Omega and the cure, chatting as you walked down the hallway.

The white hedgehog appeared very curious of your abilities, as compared to his psychic powers, "so, you were once a Freedom Fighter enemy?"

You inhaled in a hiss, thinking, "Yeah- but it was a serious mistake. Thankfully, I was turned to the right side."

"Sorry for thinking it was you that caused my future, by the way-"

You tilted your head to the side, "It's fine, honestly I wouldn't be surprised that would be the world if I had won. I'm seriously glad I didn't. It sounds like hell out there. Must be nice having a quick vacation here."

Silver looked unamused at your passively insulting his world. "Sure." He nodded.

You snickered, "Sorry man, but seriously. We'll figure out what's going on so it doesn't happen here at least. You said you came back to investigate after all right?"

"True enough, and I do think it's this Metal Virus."

By this time, you two had made it to the hangar, across from the hallway to the control room. All the new survivors were packed close inside, crammed and stressed. Cream was flying above with her strange helicopter ears, trying to provide for anyone with a big smile on her face.

She noticed you and waved, "(Y/n)! Silver!" The survivors below perked up at hearing that some of their heroes were present. Murmurs erupted into the crowd, refugees saying your name and trying to smile up at you and your hedgehog friend from the future.

Until one shrieked, pointed and shaking towards something behind you. You and Silver turned around, startled at the motion and looked to see the dangerous cause-

Silver spoke softly, "Oh no-"

Espio and Vector marched into the room, the alligator holding up an item bubble on his shoulder. Inside, was a shiny, rose golden infected Charmy. Vector padded through anyone that tried to stop him, snapping at soldiers, and yelling at the robot that followed in pursuit. Gemrel, behind them, "𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚌 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝! 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎!"

"The Chaotix do NOT abandon their own! BACK OFF ROBOT!" Vector launched forwards, almost about to bite Gemrel until Cream flew into the way.

"Stop it you guys!"

The protective robot was quick to grab his little rabbit out of the way instead, keeping her as far away from the infected Charmy as he could.

You and Silver also ran forwards to the commotion, skidding to a halt. Silver readied his hands to restraign anyone with his psychic powers, while you stood in front of Vector. Despite the alligator's overwhelming size, you were one of the only people who could stand up to him. Gante, as the soldier's commander, came running in as well to confront his friend.

"The small rabbit is correct. Calm yourself Vector. You're the Team Chaotix leader, one of the smartest and fastest acting people I know. THink about what you're doing here."

The two reptiles stood up to each other, you between them awkwardly. Pushing the two away, you squeezed out from between the two large boys, walking back over to Silver who waited anxiously for who would lash out again.

Now it was a circle of heroes, arguing before you. Vector, Espio, Silver, You, Gante, and Gemrel standing by. The robot added to his clause... "𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝙸𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎..."

Vector stood back up straight and clutched Charmy's item bubble tighter as the bug instead started to knaw and claw at the reinforced glass, "Listen, we're going to store Charmy in Tail's lab with Omega until he's got a cure. Now move."

"No." You spoke up, standing on a crate and standing above the stoick alligator. "Listen to Gante, Vector. You want to put an unstable, compromised, threat INSIDE the lab that's creating the cure and if it gets out, we'll lose everything."

Vector looked to you but said nothing, Espio looked back and forth from his best friend to you, saying that, "Charmy is safe in this item bubble-"

"You don't know that." Silver yelled back, pressing the stubborn reptiles. He was ready to use his powers to steal the item bubble, but hesitated at starting a conflict, or worse, accidentally breaking Charmy's prison.

Charmy began to screech and claw at the noise, stimulated at the arguing and seeing all the biomass that could be infected. His flailing was so frantic he looked like a corrupt symbiote, a horrible creature hellbent on destruction. It made you twitch anxiously, and your ears flicked back behind you, back to the crowd.

Your head turned, your nose sniffing something horrid, and your sharp (e/c) snapped to a rustic red monkey huddled in a blanket sitting in the corner. They hyperventilated in fear, fear in their eyes as your eerie ghost of a supervillain stared daggers at them.

"I- I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ALONE!"

With a shriek, the monkey became corroded. Eyes turning to a subtle red glow as he became covered in metal. There was another infected inside.

"RUN!" The crowd started to panic, racing through the crammed hangar. Gemrel flew forwards and grabbed Cream, narrowly escaping as the innocent girl began to panic, relapsing in her brain what happened in her home village.

You jumped towards the infected, drawing your weapon while yelling at Vector behind you. "GHA! I told you!"

You flailed your (w/c) weapon around to block the infected monkey back. The crowd raced passed passed the gathered heroes, pushing past and grabbed at them to save them. ONe, knocked into Vector, hard, causing him to loosen his grip on Charmy...

The item bubble fell to the floor, glass impacting the rough concrete below. Shattering.

Vector looked shocked, how could he have done this... "-This was a bad idea."

Charmy. A flying infected, was free.

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Na na nana nnna nna na na nana naaaa We're completely fucked completely fucked. When re-reading this volume I think Vector was a little stupid for bringing Charmy when he knew how dangerous he was but oh well.

Chapter Length @1150 Words