The air was thick with smoke, the crackling of distant flames mixing with the heavy silence of the group. The Zone, once a place of play, had become a nightmare—twisted by the presence of Sonic.Exe.

Tails clutched his wrench tightly, ears twitching at every distant sound. He had to keep his hands busy, had to keep thinking, or else the fear would creep in. He swallowed hard before speaking, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tails: “Uh… guys… we haven’t seen Sonic yet, and—”

Knuckles: “Tails… that thing is NOT Sonic.” His fists were clenched, knuckles white. He had seen the real Sonic fight. Whatever was hunting them now was something else entirely.

Eggman: “Oh, will you all keep it down? I’m trying to stay alive here, and I don’t need all you varmints getting us killed!” He wiped sweat from his brow, the panic barely hidden beneath his usual arrogance.

Sally: “Oh, YOU’RE trying to stay alive? We’re ALL trying to stay alive! Some genius you are…” She glared at him, her grip on her handheld computer tightening. They needed a plan, not an argument.

Rouge: “Hmm, how about you all keep it down?” she said sarcastically, arms crossed, scanning the treetops for any movement.

Shadow: “For once… I couldn’t agree more.” His crimson eyes flickered to the darkness beyond, ever watchful. If Sonic.Exe found them, he’d be ready.

Cream: “G-guys… I’m scared…” Her small hands trembled, holding onto Cheese, who whimpered softly. She tried to be brave, but even she knew how dire the situation was.

Amy: “It’s alright,” she whispered, gripping her hammer. “We just gotta wait for… well… that thing to pass us. And if it doesn’t…”

The group exchanged uneasy glances. They all knew what came next. If Sonic.Exe didn’t pass them by, they would have to run, fight, and survive—until the warp ring appeared. Until then, all they could do was wait and hope the monster wasn’t already watching.