“SECOND LAP! SONIC AND JET ARE IN THE LEAD! NECK AND NECK AS THEY LOOP AROUND FOR THEIR THIRD AND FINAL LAP!”

The crowd roared as Sonic leaned into the curve, his XTreme Gear burning hotter with every second. He could feel the board trembling beneath his feet, its stabilizers working overtime. Jet, smirking at the sight, decided to taunt him.

“Looks like you’re losin’ it, Blue! Maybe you should’ve stuck to gymnastics with Mario—bet he’d catch you when you trip!” Jet jeered, voice sharp over the wind.

Sonic scowled, remembering those Olympic stunts. “Deep cut, Jet. Didn’t know you had it in ya!” he shot back, pushing harder to keep even. But his board shuddered violently, threatening to buck him off. Jet saw his chance and rammed into him, sending Sonic crashing into the wall with brutal force.

The audience gasped as racers zipped past. Jet laughed, his voice echoing: “What did the skeleton brothers say? Oh yeah—‘How was the fall’!? See ya, Blue!”

But one racer didn’t move on. Amaya slowed, hopping off her board with graceful ease. She knelt beside Sonic, extending her hand. Her scarlet eyes burned softly, worry etched into them. Sonic accepted, pulling himself upright with her support.

That’s when Sasha barged into the picture.

She’d been trailing Sonic’s crew for weeks now, a clingy hanger-on who had somehow pushed her way onto the team roster. Sasha was relentless—always chasing Sonic, always grabbing for his attention, and always trying to wedge herself between him and the others. She strutted toward them now, flipping her hair and ignoring Amaya entirely.

“Sonic! Are you okay?” she cried dramatically, latching onto his arm before he could steady himself. Sonic flinched at her touch, shifting uncomfortably.

“Hey, uh—could you please let go?” Sonic asked firmly, trying to pull free.

Sasha only tightened her grip, shooting Amy and Blaze an icy glare from the sidelines as if daring them to interfere. “Oh, come on, Sonic! Don’t be shy. You don’t need help from… them.” Her words dripped with contempt, her eyes flicking to Amaya in particular.

Amaya’s expression darkened. She didn’t speak—her voice had long been stolen by trauma—but her silence was louder than Sasha’s shrill tone. She straightened, standing between Sonic and Sasha with quiet defiance. Her Chaos aura shimmered faintly, warning but controlled.

“Amaya…” Sonic muttered softly, both grateful and nervous about how far she might go.

Jet’s laughter echoed again from down the track, reminding them the race wasn’t over. The announcer’s voice blared, “Final stretch, folks! It’s now or never!”

Amaya’s gaze flicked to Sonic’s battered board. She pressed her hand to it, channeling her energy. The circuits glowed crimson, stabilizing just enough to keep it alive. She gave Sonic a nod—her way of saying, Go finish this.

Sasha stomped her foot, furious. “Seriously!? You’re listening to her? I’ve been here for you this whole time, Sonic! She barely even talks!”

Sonic finally pulled his arm free, turning to her with a firm look. “And maybe that’s the problem, Sasha. You don’t listen—you just grab and push.”

The sting in his voice silenced her, at least for now.

Amaya stepped back, letting Sonic hop onto his revived board. Together, they launched back into the race—Sonic with his speed, Amaya with her support. Whether Jet claimed victory or not, one thing was certain: Sonic and Amaya’s bond had just been tested and proven unshakable.