Sonic woke up on the ground of the same grassy hill, the storm looming in the distance. Looking around, frantically, he saw Sonja, Pico, and Buck by his side on the wet, cold grass. Tails was there too, fast asleep. Looking back towards the door, it was wide open. Fake Tails had escaped and left a trail of Tatters' oil behind him, but had skipped past them for some reason. He very well could have killed them in their sleep. But he didn't. Why?
Sonic checked to see if Pico was hurt. He shook the little baby in his sleep, trying to get him to wake up. When he did, he yawned and looked up at Sonic. Pico slowly got up and sat down. His little mammoth tail wagged as he faceplanted gently with a short cry, and took a bite out of the grass. Sonic had gotten time to look at his head where he had fallen. Not a scratch. Sonic sighed in relief and looked down at the woolly mammoth. Sonic smiled weakly. Then, Pico crawled over to Sonja and woke her up while cooing.
Sonja groaned. She got up, and the first thing she saw was Pico right up in her face, looking at her adoringly. She smiled weakly. She looked up at Sonic, a smile still on her tired face. She sat down and let Pico curl up in her lap and cuddle her. Buck woke up. He looked at Sonja and Sonic so close to each other and slowly walked away to another hill, where he sat down and stared up at the storm.
Sonja's smile faltered. She looked to the ground, and then back to Sonic. Sonic maintained eye contact with her for a while. What had happened to her was horrible. Sonic had begun to piece it all together with the information he had.
Sonja had met a girl her age named Marilyssa when she was a young lady. They moved in together, possibly married. The two must have adopted a baby whom they named Ramona. Marilyssa was a scientist, a mad one. She conducted experiments on people, ones that hurt them. Killed them. The Marlanic Followers... they must have been created by Marilyssa. Miles must have worked under her. Did she create the hourglass? The monsters? Regardless of what they were, any rogue experiments went down to the tunnel from the carnival to this place.
Then, something happened. Somebody had come to take Sonja and Ramona. And by Marilyssa's wording, it may have been partially her fault. They were using people to create... Primordials? This is where Sonic's information began to fall apart. He realized, he still didn't have everything.
Sonic then felt a presence behind him. Sonja noticed, too. She turned her head to the source of the presence. Sonic spun around. Pico looked up at the presence as well before resting his eyes in Sonja's lap.
There she was. Ramona. "Ramona..." Sonja gasped. "I--"
"Save your words, mother..." Ramona interrupted. "I too, know exactly what happened. I haven't forgotten what Marilyssa did to us." Ramona looked towards Sonic. "Now that you know our story, it's time for you to leave."
Ramona pointed forward, and Sonic looked in the direction she was pointing. "Go that way. If you keep on running, you'll come across a city. There, the next step towards the end of your quest awaits."
"Thanks..." Sonic said, surprised. He walked forward, but then turned around to face Ramona. But nobody was there.
Sonic looked back at Sonja, and then the storm overhead. In the distance, he could see entire mountains being sucked up into the void above. Like a snake, the trail of destruction made its way towards them. Sonic, knowing it was time to leave, dashed over to Buck after waking up Tails.
"Hey, c'mon!" Sonic exclaimed, waving his arm forward to gesture Buck to move. "The storm's-a-comin'!"
"Oh... WHAT?!" Buck shouted, as Sonic dashed forward. Good timing, as well. Lightning struck right where they were just a second ago. But Sonic was always faster than lightning.
So they ran past the rolling hills. Ground was swept up from under them. Entire chunks of roots and trees, mountains... even the air felt like it was being sucked from their lungs the longer they were in a dangerous area. Sonic realized... this was probably happening around all of Mobius right now. This wasn't just about saving Knuckles anymore. This was about protecting his world.
Who could be behind this? Why would they seek to destroy the world? Sonic had to think this all through. But he didn't have time. Eventually, in the distance, under a veil of red and purple, Sonic saw... buildings! They had reached a city!
Sonic barely had time to read the street sign as they ran past it. It read...
Welcome to Genocide City.
Continue to Chapter 73