A/N: Here it is, the final chapter of my Sonic Forces rewrite. This project is shorter than my first story, Hidden Bravery, but the time it took to finish this was much longer due to my outside life. Nonetheless, I appreciate everyone for joining this adventure. I'm also sorry that it took this long for me to push this one out.

Without wasting any more time, let's get right into the finale of Revengeful Resistance!

Disclaimer: SEGA owns the rights to Sonic the Hedgehog as well as all of their games, characters, and property. I only take credit for the OCs and nothing else.

Chapter 40: What Lies Ahead

~Sonic's POV

...

Location: Resistance HQ

It felt like an eternity had passed since the end of the war, but it was only just a few hours as the sun rose over many of the zones. With the warm rays gleaming down from the bright, blue sky, it felt like a sign that things were going to be fine. However, we all knew that it would take a very long time to recover from all the devastation we faced from Eggman's Empire.

Cole and the other fallen soldiers were taken to the burial grounds just outside of Red Gate City. After a proper ceremony and some choice words by the Commander, we gave our prayers to not just them, but to everyone who sacrificed their lives. Just from the fact that we finally achieved our goal, everyone felt proud that their losses were not truly in vain. Nonetheless, it was bittersweet to realize that they would never stand foot on Mobius ever again.

Since the burial, the Revengeful Resistance split up to do whatever they pleased. Some soldiers chose to celebrate their victory by throwing a large party. A fair amount of people went straight home to relax. Chaos gave us a formal departure before he returned to the Master Emerald. The Big Drip was probably back with Tikal, now that I think about it. I hope she's doing fine as well. Hopefully, they're content now that Eggman is no longer in control of Mobius.

Meanwhile, the remainder chose to stick around and dole out necessities such as water, food, toilet paper, and other supplies to every citizen and zone. As for me and my friends, we returned to home base. Per Knuckles' decision, no one started the rebuilding process. We're saving that for tomorrow just so everyone can unwind after all the stress, pain, and tragedy.

At the headquarters' infirmary, some soldiers were taken care of after they sustained some injuries from the clones. But the one who received the most medical attention was none other than the former jackal. A.K.A., my little buddy.

Thanks to the professional medics, Tails was slowly recuperating after he collapsed from fatigue. Greg and Delilah led the charge to make sure he was still alive while tending to his body. Throughout that time, I stood by his bed, keeping a sharp eye on my trustworthy partner. I never left his side as I only prayed for a fast recovery. Besides the eyepatch he retained from the Central Tower, Tails had some bandages wrapped around his arms and legs. Even with this, however, Greg checked his bones and limbs. He didn't detect anything broken. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. Regardless, he determined that Tails will need some time to numb all the pain, to which I reluctantly understood.

The poor kid.

Thoughts of the Phantom Ruby potentially killing him plagued my mind. After all, Raff wasn't exactly certain that the effects would cause the vessel to succumb. It didn't happen when we crushed the ruby in his chest. It didn't happen when we took down Eggman in his Ultimate Death Egg Robot. And it didn't happen after we won the war. I had the littlest amount of faith that Tails was going to prevail.

Yet my confidence was at a new low as I feared for the worst.

You might think that I'd keep telling myself that everything was going to be alright. It was the default response I would say to my friends to keep their hopes high. Ironically, it's what I thought to myself before we left the Empire Fortress.

But the warfare has affected everyone, including me. I don't know what happened to Eggman after we boosted through his freaky robot. I'm unsure if he died from the impact. At this point, I can only accept that as the culmination of our revenge. If he's still out there, I bet he'll lay quiet for a very long time like he does after every other defeat. This one was probably more agonizing for him due to the fact he almost got away with it. Either way, I'll never forgive him for what he did to me, my friends, and the world.

Additionally, all the memories will never leave my head after the torment Eggman inflicted on us. While I originally thought I had it worse, what with the handcuffs, the endless running, the water tank, the scars on my body, and the nonstop cries of the Tails clone, I wasn't the one who got both tortured and possessed.

The one whom I've looked after and loved was the true victim.

Seeing him lie in the hospital bed nearly let out all of my emotions that I've bottled up inside. I hate crying. I despise tears. But I'm a Mobian, not a robot. I have feelings, too. And throughout the war, I've had my fair share of sobs. I'm not ashamed to admit that.

For now, the only thing I cared about was his chest moving ever so slightly, accompanied by the consistent beeps of the heart monitor that was hooked up to him. As long as he was breathing, Tails was alive. If for a second his heart stopped beating, I think my walls would crumble in less time than it takes for someone to snap their fingers.

We've come so far to become victorious and get him back. I can't afford to lose my little bro again.

(***)

...

The sound of the infirmary doors opening caught Sonic out of his trance. Although he was solely focusing on the yellow fox, he was curious to see who came in. He expressed a little grin when he spotted Amy and Knuckles heading towards him.

"How's he doing right now?" the Commander questioned with a hint of concern.

The blue hedgehog gave them a nod. "Greg and Delilah said he's gonna recover for a while, but his injuries aren't too severe."

"I'm relieved to hear that," Amy sighed happily. She went over to give him a hug. Sonic accepted it as he held his arms around her. After they released, Knuckles shook his shoulder and smirked.

"It's funny, honestly. We wouldn't be able to get rid of Eggman and overthrow his empire without you, Tails, or the Rookies. We could've done the job ourselves, but it feels more satisfying how you guys took care of it."

"Now that you mention it, Knux, it is sort of weird to think about it. Still, I was grateful I have some awesome friends to help me. Otherwise, Eggman would've thrown me away as space garbage."

"If he tries to do that to you again, I'll send him a pretty, little message with my hammer," Amy proposed.

"I'll take that into consideration," Sonic chuckled.

"Give him my regards, too."

The three turned over to the bed when they heard a raspy voice. They were ecstatic to see that Tails was awake.

"Hey, little buddy. You doing okay?" Sonic grazed a hand over the kit's bangs.

"Could be a lot worse, not gonna lie. But I'm alright," he gently smiled.

"You did what you could in the end, Tails. Despite what happened throughout the war, we all forgive you," uttered Knuckles.

"We know you never meant to cause harm to Mobius or us. It was Eggman's evil bidding to force you into becoming a villain. We don't blame you for this," insisted Amy.

"Thanks for supporting me, guys. But I don't think the rest of the soldiers or the entire population will forgive me anytime soon."

"I'm sure some of them aren't thinking that way," Knuckles disagreed. "The rest of our friends know you're innocent. Well, what I meant was... Actually... Uh, you see-"

"Don't worry, Knuckles. I know what you're talking about. Or, at least I hope I know."

Sonic snorted. "No matter what, we got your back, Tails. You can always count on us."

"I really appreciate it."

Tails took a moment to sit up from his bed, adjusting his body so that he was leaning against the pillow and the wall behind him. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms and legs without straining the bandages.

"So, what's my diagnosis? Do I have to sit in this bed for weeks?"

"Not really," Sonic answered. "From what Greg and Delilah told me, they said that your legs are fairly stable, but you might feel discomfort if you try to walk right now. It's not like they needed to put a cast on it or anything."

"Are my tails okay? Because I don't feel as much pain from them compared to my legs."

"They're just fatigued from our quadruple boost we deployed on Eggman. The medics expect them to be fine sooner or later."

"At least that's encouraging to hear."

"But if you do want to take a stroll or get some fresh air, they provided a couple of things for you like a walker, crutches, and a cane. It's your preference unless you rather fly."

"I appreciate the thought, thanks. To be on the safe side, I'll let my tails rest until they're good to go."

The four friends remained quiet for a while as the infirmary was filled with awkward silence. Eventually, Sonic broke the ice.

"Hey, buddy?"

"Yes, Sonic?"

"I'm kinda curious. About the Phantom Ruby..."

His smile vanished. "What about it?"

Sonic scratched his quills, looking down at the tiled floor. As much as he was anxious, he wanted to know. "Well, I was wondering... I feel you would know more about it than me or anyone else. You see, prior to our fight near the Central Tower, Raff told me how the ruby was weakened when he and Savage got rid of the sun. But he also explained that destroying the gem would cause the person controlling it to... cease to exist. Do you know if that's true?"

"Where did he get that information?" the fox raised an eyebrow, pushing the question aside.

Amy was quick to respond. "Raff, Savage, and I went over to the Chemical Plant not too long ago and searched Eggman's database for some secret intel on the ruby. It's also where we found out that you were Infinite..." she pressed her index fingers together.

Tails stretched his lips to the side. He silently cursed at himself as she continued.

"Raff was also the one to copy the secret files and research them to help us progress in the war. In one of the digital documents, that's where he discovered the information about the Phantom Ruby."

"Which brings up my question again. Is it true that the one linked to the ruby can be killed?"

"I think I see what you're referring to. It may sound true, but it's actually a misconception."

"How so?" Knuckles wondered.

"You know how I said that the power source of the Phantom Ruby was still intact after you destroyed it?" Tails queried the Blue Blur.

"Yeah, I remember."

"And that the energy didn't exactly go away when you defeated me? That part of it transported to Eggman's subterranean lab where he had the Ultimate Death Egg Robot looming?"

Sonic nodded his head a second time.

"Although the files said that there was a high probability that the one who has possession of the ruby would die, that's not exactly the case. Obliterating the ruby is one thing, but getting rid of its powers is completely different."

"Huh?" Knuckles and Amy both tilted their heads. Sonic was also confused, but he urged his friend to elaborate.

"The ruby exudes this strong mass of negative energy to create false or horrible realities that poison your minds. You suffered it. Blaze and Silver suffered. Rouge, Shadow, and everyone else I've affected... We were all sentient to know what the ruby is capable of. And of course, Eggman knew. That's why he used me as the vessel to not only test out the ruby, but to also keep himself away from the actual thing in case it got destroyed or if he became incapacitated by it...

"He still wanted to transfer the powers to any location of the empire, so he created an electronic channel to allow this to happen. The channel would detect the ruby's energy and pull it towards the intended source. It's sort of equivalent to a magnetic field, attracting certain metal substances or poles. That's how he was able to galvanize the duplicated ruby and his Death Egg Robot."

"So what does this have to do with the ruby versus its powers?"

"That's the loophole, Knuckles. The ruby isn't really the source that could potentially kill me."

Sonic's eyes widened. "It's the energy itself," he slowly fathomed.

"Bingo."

"But how does that explain the people who died from Virtual Reality whereas everyone else, like Sonic, survived it?" Amy didn't understand.

"It must've been a side effect where some of you ended up in a delusional state. In other cases, the energy was too strong to overcome that several soldiers were unlucky to get caught in the line of fire."

"What about you? Would you consider yourself lucky that you didn't die from the ruby's destruction?"

"Knuckles, you're not getting it," Tails shook his head. "Sonic, Savage, and Raff destroyed the Phantom Ruby in my chest, but that only released the negative energy. Therefore, the channel was able to detect the source before it was completely transferred to Eggman's secondary Phantom Ruby."

"Oh, now I see. Actually, wait. No, I don't."

Sonic rolled his eyes before turning back to Tails. "If that's the case, after we crushed his pathetic robot, is the power still somewhere in the atmosphere, floating aimlessly in Mobius?"

"It's possible, though I can't be certain. I assume the channel became deactivated in his Empire Fortress after we vanquished him. The mass of energy might not have anywhere to go since that was the only duplicate Eggman kept to himself. The other prototypes are nonexistent, including the ones in the underground lab. And although his copy was shattered, I doubt it would kill him, Orbot, and Cubot."

"Great. So the doctor is probably out there somewhere," Knuckles groaned.

"Just forget him," the blue teen waved it off. "Even after what he's done, I'm not heartless like him. If he ends up dying from the crash, we didn't mean to. We just had to do the best we could to suppress his empire. However, I wouldn't be surprised if he survived. He's overcome many losses, and he always finds a way to get back into action. In the case that he does, I'll have a few choice words to say to him. But I wouldn't dare to end his life."

The Commander recalled his conversation with Sonic that one night when he was contemplating on Eggman's fate. He already beat the crap out of the doctor, but it was safe to say that the hedgehog wasn't thinking about killing him intentionally. This sounded like Sonic's normal state of mind.

"If that's what you believe in, I'll go by your word," Knuckles patted his shoulder. Sonic returned with a nod, appreciating his support.

"Same here," Amy smiled.

"Me three," Tails chimed in.

"Why don't we have a group hug? It feels like ages since we've had one of those!"

"Ugh, I'm not the kind of guy who likes them," Knuckles complained.

"Come on, man. You know you want to join," Sonic teased with a toothy grin.

Knuckles sighed before complying. Huddling near Tails who was sitting upright, they all leaned in and embraced. Four best friends who've fought long and suffered so much...

The echidna had to admit; this was something everyone needed for comfort.

Back at the main computer room, all of the main Resistance members congregated to enjoy some food and beverages that the soldiers brought in. Collar, Spot, Vector, Charmy, and Espio all clinked their glass bottles of Chao Cola as a celebratory gesture. Silver and Blaze enjoyed some small talk with Savage and Raff while they were eating sandwiches. Shadow remained in isolation as he stood back in a corner, but Rouge convinced him to socialize with the party, to his reluctance. Omega tried to cheer him up with some cupcakes that he baked. When Shadow took a bite, everything about it was perfect... until he spat out a mouth full of lard. Sadly, the robot didn't understand why he disliked the food. He claimed that they were 'made with love'.

Eventually, they all heard a door open. Entering the HQ was Knuckles, Sonic, Amy, and Tails, th last of whom was approaching slowly with a cane by his side.

"Hey, Tails! You're awake!" Vector shouted happily.

"We were all so worried about you!" added Charmy.

"How are you feeling, man?" asked Espio.

"It could be a lot worse, but I'm grateful to be standing on my feet again. At least until I don't feel any pain in my legs."

"Are you okay to walk?" Collar was concerned.

"From what Sonic said, I should be fine as long as I have something to support me," the kitsune pointed at the cane.

"Well, technically, the nurses told that to me, and I shared that to you."

"Do you have to make things complicated?" Tails shook his head playfully.

"Hey, I'm just telling the truth!" Sonic defended, smirking back at him.

"What really matters is that we got the whole gang back together," Rouge resounded. "Not gonna lie, little fox, but you're one of the many people who is part of the package deal. Things would never be the same without you."

Tails blushed at her comment. "Wow, I never expected to hear that from you. Thanks."

"Anytime," the bat winked. "Besides, I'm not the only one who thinks of you that way. Right, Shadow?"

The black hedgehog had his arms crossed over his torso, glaring at his partner. He sighed before walking up to the circle of friends. "I will admit, I was genuinely appalled when I found out that Eggman turned you into a merciless jackal. Never in a million years would I ever guess you would be the villain, but through no fault of your own. It was just terrible timing that Eggman threw you under the bus like that. He even fooled everyone into thinking you and Faker were dead."

"Never change, Shadow," Sonic rolled his eyes at the usual nickname.

"As I was saying, it feels relieving to know that you're back to normal. Pushing away those negative thoughts is practically the only thing we can do now before we start to rebuild."

"Mobius's future is unforeseen in terms of time to fully recover. Nevertheless, neither danger nor Eggman will impede our duties to prosper our home," Omega boomed.

"I can concur with that," Silver stood beside him. "Meanwhile, I'll have to return to my timeline so that the future won't be messed up again from Eggman's dirty hands."

"Well, the least you can do is stick around with us for the rest of the day. We hardly had a moment of peace together," Blaze offered.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Trust me, we're all exhausted from the war. Let's take advantage of this day to spend our time in relaxation. Even though most of the Revengeful Resistance will be disbanded in the foreseeable future, we should still enjoy ourselves until the sun rises again," Spot declared.

"And that's what we decided as a Resistance. We'll take care of Mobius and restore life back to the planet," Knuckles addressed.

"Hey, Savage?" Raff turned to his older brother.

"What's up, dude?"

"I just realized something. When we're finished rebuilding, what's gonna happen to us? I mean, Eggman destroyed our apartment, so we can't go back home. And we can't just stay here at the Resistance HQ forever. Not unless we have to pay rent."

Savage saw his point and thought deeply to himself. But he didn't have an answer, not one that would give his little sibling hope. "I would have to check my savings to see if we can find another place to live. We might have to move out of Red Gate and begin anew once again."

"In the meantime, we're more than okay with you guys staying with us. After all, for a pair of rookies, both of you showed quality teamwork and support to put an end to Eggman's reign. In fact, I shouldn't be able to call you 'Rookies' anymore! You're heroes!" Knuckles exclaimed.

"You really think so?" Savage asked.

"I know so."

"Gee, thanks, Commander."

"Just call me Knuckles, Raff."

"Sorry. But again, thanks for accepting us. I'm glad we were able to make a difference in the war. Of course, we probably wouldn't have come this far without your help either."

"And because of you guys, I've become braver and more confident in my abilities. I've made so many friends, and I got to show that I'm not a coward like I used to be. Teaming up with all of you has been a thrilling experience, and I'm truly indebted to your support. Best of all, I was able to reunite with my brother," Savage pulled him into a one-arm hug.

"You definitely proved yourself and all of us, man! After the time we stole that shuttle from the Chemical Plant, I knew I saw something special in you," Vector gave the orange wolf a thumbs-up.

"My sentiments exactly!" Amy gushed. "I've seen with my own eyes and from our times together that you were equally important to the Resistance like every soldier who has joined us!"

"I regret having my doubts towards you because it was amazing to see you engage in combat! I know for a fact that you've contributed more than me!" proclaimed Charmy.

"Don't give us all the credit! It was great to collaborate with everyone since you were all nice to us," Raff beamed.

"Frankly, I don't think this will be the last time we'll hang out as a team. You wolves can be very helpful if someone needs a hand when others are not available," stated Espio.

"Exactly! When I was still imprisoned on the Death Egg, you, Raff, and the others saved me!" Sonic ambled up to them. "The two of you were like the equivalent of me and Tails! I know that we didn't get off to a good start because of my misbehavior, and I'm sorry for attacking you back then. But I'm happy I got to know both of you very well as we worked together and became victorious in the end!"

"I think it's safe to say that the feeling is mutual, from both me and Raff," Savage gave the hedgehog a fist bump.

"Heh, you and I aren't so different, Savage. We're both teenagers, but we can do a whole lot of damage against Eggman's robots. Plus, we have some awesome friends to be around."

Sonic soon turned to the yellow fox who simply stared at him with a small smile on his muzzle. After Tails slowly reached his brother's side, the hedgehog brought him in with a one-arm hug of his own. He then returned his gaze to Savage and Raff.

"I'm sure your parents are proud of both of you."

"You know, I feel the same way," Savage looked out the window, glancing at the bright blue sky above Red Gate.

Location: Outside the Empire Fortress

A trail of smoke floated high into the dank atmosphere. The unpleasant smell was pungent enough to wake someone from a deep slumber. It's exactly what happened as a figure, completely immobile for what seemed to be hours, groaned ever so slightly. His mustache and facial muscles twitched. He felt a major migraine the moment he opened his eyelids from behind his pince-nez glasses. Another groan escaped his mouth as he tried to withstand the pain.

It took several moments for him to regain his vision. Eventually, he noticed that his head was lying against a rough surface. After blinking excessively, the first thing he saw was a scrap piece of white metal. Then, he spotted a detached tentacle. He perceived another one ten feet away. The pieces started to form in his noggin before he finally realized it.

The Eggman Empire, his Illusionary Legion, his Ultimate Death Egg Robot, and everything he once had...

He lost the war. He lost his empire.

Most of all, he lost against his archenemy for the umpteenth time.

"Grrr... ARGH!" Eggman slammed a fist against the nearby slate. "It happened again! AGAIN! Why does this always happen to me?!"

The doctor was completely enraged that he instantly stood up from where he laid, grabbed the scrap of metal, and carelessly tossed it at the remnants of his Death Egg Robot. There was a loud thud as it hit the wreckage.

"Ow! Shoot, what was that?!" Orbot appeared behind the crushed debris, rubbing his spherical head.

Eggman glanced over to his red minion. "...So that's where you are. Where's Cubot?"

"Uh... Right here, Boss," the yellow robot replied beside Orbot.

"Hmph. At least you two are still fully functional. Unlike my Ultimate Death Egg Robot. This is preposterous! Despicable! Completely unbelievable! I should've never trusted that two-tailed brat to build my ultimate weapon for me!"

"Sir, I know you have your regrets, and we understand how frustrated you are after this major defeat," Orbot cautiously hovered to him with Cubot following him.

"Do you have to remind me?!" Eggman scolded.

"Sorry, Boss. But I need to be serious with you. I have a question to ask."

"Yeah, same here," Cubot nodded.

"Hmm... Alright, shoot."

"Was it necessary to go the distance?"
"When are we getting a raise?"

Orbot looked at his partner in disbelief while Eggman scrunched his face.

"What?"

"Uh, just disregard him."

"What did you say anyway?"

"To reiterate, was it necessary to go the distance?"

Eggman was puzzled as he raised an eyebrow at his henchman. "What are you trying to say?"

"Doctor, I know you're better than this. Truly. It's obvious that world domination has been one of your primary objectives from the get-go. Defeating Sonic is arguably your most notable objective. You killed two birds with one stone, basically. But was it really worth it?"

The man was getting impatient as he still didn't understand Orbot's point.

"After you discovered the Phantom Ruby, you wanted to take it into account as a useful tool to take down Sonic. But the second you mentioned the idea of manipulating Tails into becoming your slave, that's when Cubot and I became extremely anxious with your plan."

"So?" he scoffed.

"As much as Tails is a valuable member of Sonic's team, he's still just a kid. The one thing I respect out of him is that he goes into battle to be someone like his idol. He's young, innocent, but also helpful. The only problem was that you kidnapped him for a reason that's beyond selfish. You've captured him in the past before as ransom, but I never thought you would stoop so low to change him into someone he wasn't."

The fat man lowered his eyebrows further as Orbot continued.

"You tortured Tails. You mutated him into a jackal. Even worse, you made him a murderer."

As those words registered in Eggman's head, he remained frozen from his spot.

"If you ask me, I don't think Tails will have a hungry desire to end your life as some final act of revenge. It's just not his nature. And I bet Sonic feels the same way despite the things you've done to him for the last six months. Frankly, we don't think about you like that in the past... until you became power-hungry with the ruby and its influential yet hazardous energy."

"It's true," Cubot became sincere as he dropped his two cents in. "You faked the notion of killing Tails when it was just a clone from Virtual Reality, and you nearly made Sonic die during his captivity. But what you can't take back is the fact that thousands of people died under your hands since you started this bloodshed."

Eggman was getting angrier the more they spoke. "I'll have you know-"

"Don't even try to shift the blame onto Tails because you created Infinite with his body," argued Orbot. "Ever since this war initiated, Cubot and I have been concerned that you've gone mental. What happened to the real Dr. Eggman? The one who isn't a psychotic, sadistic scientist who wouldn't dare to draw blood?"

He couldn't believe that his minions were deeply disturbed by his state of mind. Taking his time to evaluate, he wondered about how he treated Sonic and Tails. How he focused on killing his lifelong enemy for good. How he desired to convert Mobius into a perfect utopia for himself alone. How he technically crossed so many lines that 'evil' wouldn't be an appropriate title for him.

It suddenly clicked in his mind.

Has he changed his entire demeanor? Has he changed for the worst?

"We'll give you an ultimatum," Orbot knocked him out of his trance. "We stay low for as long as it takes for Sonic and his friends to be at peace. You have to promise us not to make any plans throughout this time to ruin it."

"And what if I say 'no'?" Eggman dared to question.

Orbot and Cubot gawked at one another before the latter gave a definitive answer. "We resign."

Eggman leaned his head inches forward, baffled with the response he was given. "Excuse me?"

"You heard it, Doctor. Either you obey our demand, or we quit."

"For the record," Orbot interjected, "your Empire Fortress and all the other bases across Mobius are either destroyed or overtaken by the Resistance. You'll have to start from scratch when it comes to constructing your Badniks and robots. It's not like this is anything new to you. The main difference is that we won't help you whatsoever."

"It doesn't matter if you fire us or we voluntarily leave. Either way, you'll have no one by your side unless you fulfill our request."

"Plus, we know for a fact that you don't like to be alone."

They couldn't tell whether the doctor was fuming on the inside or completely speechless. Unbeknownst to them, Eggman was still contemplating. His decision determined whether he'll have his henchmen to support him, or he'll be isolated like he was before he encountered Sonic the Hedgehog. While he had some frustrating moments with the two of them, as well as the times he had treated them unfairly, Orbot and Cubot had been loyal to him up until this point.

Now that they're threatening to stand down, the doctor was frightened for the first time in who knows how long. While he yearned to rule Mobius and get rid of Sonic, Orbot's last statement hit him harder than when the hedgehog blasted through his Ultimate Death Egg Robot with Tails, Savage, and Raff.

Even with all the tools, technology, and intelligence he possessed, the one thing he struggled to maintain was stability.

"I'm not saying that I'm disappointed in you, Doctor," the red robot mumbled, "but you're not the same as before."

"If I were you, I would take a long vacation from my evil plans," Cubot subjectively responded.

"Regardless of what you choose, we're not gonna stay here and argue. We'll respect your decision."

For some reason, Eggman had trouble finding the words to speak again. The small robots immediately grew tired of him taking too long to reply.

"We see how it is. Good luck on your future endeavors without us," said Orbot as they were about to leave.

"Wait!" the doctor swiftly blurted out, extending a hand.

Cubot gave him a disturbed look. "What?"

Eggman groaned deeply, his arms dangling by his hips as he stared at the barren ground. "You guys are right. I went overboard with my actions against Sonic and his annoying friends. I was just frustrated that he always managed to outsmart me at the worst possible time. I've been fed up with everything to the point that I was on the verge of truly killing that damn hedgehog. I simply wanted payback, so I tortured him for months. But I didn't want to be extremely cruel to him. Still, my mind was set on ending his life until the Resistance stepped in and interfered with my ultimate plans...

"As I continued to be cocky and harmed Tails to release my anger, I was unaware of the fact that I was slowly becoming a psychopath. I'm supposed to be the smartest human being on the planet! Yet I was neglectful, stubborn, and totally insane. I went way over my head to get what I desired, and I now realize that I've crossed far too many lines to not only wreck Mobius but to also ruin my sanity...

"Now that I've lost everything again, it feels much different and unsatisfying to suffer a defeat like this. But it's not because I lost another battle, a war no less; it's the fact that I've deteriorated as a person. To add more salt to the wound, I didn't care that you were displeased by my decisions, and I certainly didn't expect you to bring up the idea of leaving my side. I guess what I'm trying to say is... is... Urgh... It makes me sick to admit it, but... I don't want to be alone."

They couldn't tell if what he said was a façade. But after listening intently to the boss, they felt that his tone made him seem repentant. It wasn't exactly the first time Dr. Eggman expressed honesty. Yet his words sounded genuine, something Orbot or Cubot didn't expect whatsoever.

Not too long ago, it felt like Eggman had a black hole for a heart – an endless void where the only thing that filled it was nothing but hatred. Somewhere inside that the dark space, however, was a little beam of light that represented the slightest tidbit of sympathy, allowing him to use his common sense and understood the wrongs he committed. He never thought he would stoop this low to become a monster... until now.

Since his gaze remained stagnant towards the ground, he didn't notice Orbot and Cubot approaching him.

"Doctor. I don't think that you're lying to us this time," Orbot gently responded. "It really seemed like that was straight from your heart."

"Urgh, don't be all mushy in front of me."

"I'm serious. The Phantom Ruby plagued your mind, and I think you should take this defeat as a learning curve."

"We don't mind standing by your side if you want to rule the world and defeat Sonic. But as long as you don't consider the idea of mass murder in your future endeavors, we won't think you're crazy in the brain or something."

Eggman rolled his eyes, yet he understood without arguing. "So... does that mean?" he couldn't finish his question.

"We'll stick with you, sir, as long as you accept our wish that I mentioned earlier."

A deep sigh escaped the man's lips. "Alright. You guys win this time. We'll start over tomorrow. I'm already pooped from everything that's happened."

"I don't blame you. I'm on the same boat with you!" Cubot exclaimed.

A small grin formed beneath his mustache. Rather than leaving the barren mountains and the remnants of his robot behind, Eggman chose to rest against the scrapped metal, watching the sun barely peeking through the gray sea of clouds. He hated to accept defeat, especially one that was hurtful in many ways. At this point though, he needed a vacation to reset his mind.

"Just you wait, Sonic. I'll win fair and square against you someday. You can count on it!" he thought to himself before closing his eyes for a nap. Cubot and Orbot quickly joined him, partaking in the snooze fest.

(***)

...

After we spent a nice time enjoying ourselves, we eventually disbanded the group. Shadow, Rouge, and Omega returned to G.U.N. to report their statuses. Silver returned to his timeline, relieved that the present is no longer under Eggman's tyranny. Blaze flew back to the Sol Dimension, checking on her kingdom and her residents, especially Cream since she was in hiding throughout the whole war. Amy, Spot, Collar, and the Chaotix offered to help out the soldiers who have been distributing food, water, and resources to the entire population throughout the day. Knuckles temporarily left for Angel Island to check on the Master Emerald. Heh, same old Knucklehead...

That left Savage, Raff, Tails, and myself. We all chose to hit the hay earlier than normal, retiring to our respective dormitories just after dinner. I let Tails take the spare bed in my room since I used to sleep alone in the HQ.

Later in the day, I kept tossing and turning in my mattress. By the time I woke up, the sun was about to set in Red Gate City. Squinting with my eyes, I eventually realized that the bed next to me was completely empty. I instantly went into panic mode as I was afraid something happened to Tails. However, I barely noticed something lying on top of the pillow. Throwing the sheets off my body, I rushed over and saw a note. Picking it up, I read the message.

'To the roof.'

It's written in his own handwriting, that I know. At least it doesn't seem like a mysterious note or something else. I'm not exactly sure what Tails is doing or why he's up there, but it piqued my curiosity. Not to mention, it raised my anxiety levels as I feared for the worst.

I rushed out of the room, making sure I wasn't too loud with my speedy footsteps to wake up the wolves. In less than five seconds, I reached the door that led to the HQ's rooftop. From a distance, I saw my little buddy sitting on the edge of the building with his cane leaning against the short wall. His namesakes were fluttering alternately in a slow motion. At first, I was frightened that he would accidentally slip and fall off. Then again, I've had my fair share of sitting on obscure things, such as street lights and billboard signs.

"I see that you've gotten my note," Tails suddenly said without turning his head.

"Yeah..." I mumbled.

Soon, I joined his side, plopping down next to him as we stared at the sunset. It was gleaming orange over the river from beyond the Red Gate Bridge. Quite the scenery, not gonna lie. The city may be in ruins, but it's a hell of a lot more peaceful with those Death Egg Robots gone. Turning to him, I observed his face for a while. The eyepatch was still covering his right eye, making me cringe on the inside. While Greg and Delilah said Tails was gonna be fine, they didn't exactly give me a definite answer on when his eye would be healed. It honestly hurts seeing him like this.

At least it wasn't as bad as his appearance the second I physically hurt him.

"What's up?" he knocked me out of my thoughts again.

"I was gonna ask you that."

"Well, I asked first."

I let out a light chuckle before answering, "Just couldn't sleep. What about you?"

A shrug of the shoulders was what I received. "Same here. I just wanted to get some fresh air. I figured if I was out of bed, you might be wondering where I would be. That's why I left a note for you."

"Yeah, thanks for that."

We went back to sitting in silence for a while. It reminds me of the carefree days we spent in the Mystic Ruins, admiring the sunset while watching the view from our home. How I wish we could go back to that on a regular basis. I guess this moment can suffice.

"Tails?"

"Yes, Sonic?" he stared at me with an innocent face. The eyepatch still bothered me, but the blue pupil on his left was reminiscent of the times he looked up at me. It was pretty adorable whenever he was curious.

"You sure you're okay?"

His lips stretched to the side. "Not entirely," he replied frankly. "This will probably be the hardest thing to let go. Getting captured is bad on its own. Becoming into a serial killer is an absolute nightmare. Having to torment and nearly kill you against my own will... that's the main thing that'll haunt my mind for years to come."

"Well, I know how you feel," I laid a hand on his shoulder. "When I thought the Tails clone was truly you back in the square, I was devastated. I really thought you were dead – the same way people thought of me when I was taken down. For months, I was at my worst. I couldn't imagine how life would fare without you. Then, I had some kind of hope when Shadow explained the truth to me. You were alive, but I was fighting against you from the beginning...

"We tried everything to get you back until we crossed paths again at the Empire Fortress. As soon as Raff told me about the possible consequences of destroying the ruby, I was both outraged and frightened that you were going to be killed in the end. I was already against the idea of hurting you. The only problem was that I ended up hurting you at least once before that happened," I lowered my head in shame.

"I wouldn't say it's as terrible as defeating you six months ago. I felt like I hurt you more than you hurt me," Tails whispered.

"To be fair, we both dealt some damage to each other."

"Yeah. I just don't want it to happen ever again."

"Me neither."

Tails exhaled softly as he leaned his head against my left shoulder, his fur brushing against mine. "I just don't know what to think at this point. War leaves a permanent scar in your head. The tragedies that fell upon the world are too petrifying to forget. It also brings up the thought of what lies ahead. Are we ever going to recover? Will things never be the same? More importantly, when will Eggman attack us again?"

I really didn't want to answer that last question as I have so much animosity towards that bastard. But like death, Eggman coming up with another annoying scheme was inevitable. It was always a waiting game to see when he would strike when the iron was hot. And the last thing I want from him is to torture my little buddy like he did for so long.

"Every day, when I was able to think clearly, I was scared on the inside that you would be gone. It kept replaying in my mind, especially when Eggman punished me. I kept experiencing new visions in my mind from Virtual Reality where you would abandon me for working with Eggman. Plus, all of our friends would join in to either berate or abuse me for wrecking Mobius. It was honestly more chilling than being tormented by my childhood bullies because the people who were in my nightmares are the ones I know and care about...

"I know that they're only fake projections, but I'm terrified of the possibility that it wouldn't be a dream. Because of that, I still haven't forgiven myself for what I've done, even if Knuckles, Amy, and everyone else were okay. I can't see myself handling things by myself if I don't stand up on my own. I wish I could be better... I wish I could be someone like you."

Carefully glancing down at my crestfallen brother, it hurt my heart to see him like this. Watching him degrade himself isn't new to me, sadly. The only odd part was that he wasn't breaking down into tears. Given, he's still a kid, and he's gone through some traumatic stuff. I would gladly lend him my shoulder to cry on like I've always done.

But he didn't have any tears falling from his eye.

Still, I could easily tell how tense he was.

The poor guy has been through a lot in his early years that made him vulnerable. It wasn't until we started hanging out that he became more composed and independent of himself, to which I'm proud of him for that! But lately, he's been talking about being worthless all of a sudden, especially when we verbally argued in the Central Tower. I know he's better than that. It's not like he got himself kidnapped on purpose. Eggman was just doing his thing, only to an egregious extent.

I hugged my left arm tightly around his torso, pulling him even closer to me. He let out a gentle sigh as he quivered less often than before. As he became more comfortable next to me, I gave him a platonic, brotherly kiss above his head.

"Someday, you'll find a way to forgive yourself. It doesn't matter when that happens, but you'll come to terms that this isn't your fault. I will agree that this war will never leave our thoughts as we were equally affected by it. But I believe in you, buddy. I'll stick by your side whenever you need help. You're not worthless, and you'll never be. Forever and always, you're my little brother."

"Thank you, Sonic," he returned the gesture. I brought my other arm around him as we fully embraced. We let go of each other after a few minutes, the wind whistling by as we felt a comfortable breeze.

"Come on. Let's go back to bed."

"Okay, big bro," he smiled at me, making me copy his expression. My grin became wider when I heard his stomach growl. "Actually, I'm still somewhat hungry even though we ate dinner."

"Heh heh, I think we still got some of Amy's leftover chili dogs to chow down on."

"Sounds like a plan," he carefully shifted before jumping off the ledge and grabbing his cane. As he steadied himself, I let him walk ahead of me towards the door. "Thanks again for saving me, Sonic."

"Anytime, pal. Thanks for helping everyone kick Eggman's butt!"

He giggled at my response.

Before we made our way down, I took one last peek at the sunset that was about to disappear along the horizon. I smiled, regaining my confidence that we will bring peace back to Mobius first thing in the morning.

"You coming, Sonic?" Tails called halfway down the steps.

"Right behind you, buddy!" I replied back as I slowly followed him.

Tomorrow, it'll be a brand-new day. The road to restoring our home will be a long process. As long as I have my friends with me, especially Tails, I have the power, freedom, and ability to run wild and help out in any way I can. It's only the start of a new adventure and a new life.

~End of POV

END OF STORY

And there it is. 40 chapters in total. So much heartbreak, emotions, turmoil, and twists... I finally finished my Sonic Forces rewrite. It took me much longer than expected, but I couldn't bear to leave this incomplete. I want to thank all of you for waiting patiently. And of course, I want to give some special shoutouts to some people for joining me on this journey.

The Sensational SpiderDom321- One of my best friends on the website, as well as one of the main people who always gave positive feedback that motivated me to progress. You were also someone who I asked for advice on how to set up several scenes from the story. Without your help, the chapters would probably be more difficult to compose. I really appreciate your support.

(Also, the moment where Omega offered Shadow a cupcake was a nod to another Forces novelization – named Sonic Heroes: The Atom Bomb – which was written by him, and I asked permission if I could reference that. Thanks again, man!)

Infinite's Ruby - Another friend of mine who also has her own rewrite of this game. Alongside SpiderDom, you also helped me with ideas to maintain the story's plot. Since you discovered my work, I had to return the favor for your own. To that, I thank you!

Leodragon678- Talking as a Tails fan to another, I'm glad you enjoyed this story. As much as I'm a jerk for putting Tails through so much pain, it's one of the things I do to my favorite characters. I've seen it as well from your own stories, and they're fantastic! Overall, I really wanted to put him in some kind of fate that was much different than the original plot, especially where he became useful... to an extent where he assisted Eggman. I appreciate your comments!

SharpDragonKlaw- To another Tails fan, I'm thankful you took the time to catch up on my story! I'm also pleased to hear that you enjoyed his revised role as well as the main plot.

Alexandria Prime- Pretty much the first person to catch on to my secret twist of Tails' role... You were pretty smart to put the pieces together and come up with some bold predictions. In the end, you were right about Tails being alive, alongside the fact that he was associated with Infinite... considering he became the Ultimate Mercenary in this particular fanfic. Thanks for your constant reviews!

Oderus- Thanks for sticking around with my projects! It's always a pleasure to read your reactions in every chapter you reviewed.

TurquoiseTriangle- Thanks for popping in and taking the time to review! When Tails and Sonic reunited, I was satisfied to hear that you admired that scene alongside some others. Now, they can enjoy some peace.

MelGamingPlays- You were the very first reviewer on my rewrite. Thanks for that, as well as your additional comments later in the story!

Tiger of Darkness- You've stuck around since Hidden Bravery, and I'm grateful you went through this story, too!

TheLostEternity- Even though you reviewed late into the story, it was good enough to hear that you caught up as we were approaching the endgame. Thanks for your feedback as well!

Black Twilight Wolf- It's great to see you every now and then to hear your thoughts on Sonic and the war. Glad you were invested in it!

cyberkiller125- I'm pleased to hear how the story makes you wonder what to anticipate in the future chapters. I hope you got a chance to reach the finale even though you've been busy on your own time. Either way, thanks for your feedback!

As for Golden Eye, The Disney Critic Gal, prowerboy, Dayman, Heroverse101, FairyTalePrincess16, Starsing1, Squidzi Galaxi, s3731997, chris, and all of the other Guests/anonymous users, whether you reviewed multiple times, once, or whenever you could, thanks for leaving legitimate constructive criticism. I can accept your input unlike some that I've received a while back.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone for reading my take on Sonic Forces. Because of you, Revengeful Resistance has reached over 70 favorites and followers, as well as 45,000 hits and 430 reviews as of this last update. I can now mark this major project as 'Complete'. I currently don't have any plans for a sequel or a follow-up, but maybe something will come to mind if it happens.

Let me know what you think of the finale and the rewrite as a whole by writing a review down below. Leave a favorite if you enjoyed this fanfic; I would sincerely appreciate it! Until then, I hope you all stay safe in these current times, and I hope to see you all soon in whatever project you might come across. Thank you all once more for reading Revengeful Resistance! This is TheGameNguyener (TGN), signing off.