Chapter 16-"Time Paradox, Part Deux"

At the Raket Team HQ

Raket: You're leaving?

Shadow: I have a job to do. I need to report to GUN that Mecha Nazo is finished. Darkness..... are you coming with me?

Connie: No. I'll be here when you get back.

Shadow: Have it your way.

Shadow walks out the door and and presses a button on his watch. A moment later a small GUN aircraft flies down and hovers above him.

Zip: Wouldn't it be easier to warp to GUN HQ with the Chaos Emerald?

Shadow: I'm leaving here with Darkness. She can use it to get home when she's ready to leave.

Lynx: Who now?

Connie: Me, you mental patient.

Lynx: Oh.... that's a stupid name.

Connie: Oh like "Lynx" is better!

Lynx: Hey! At least I don't drift off into my mind when people need me!

Connie: At least I have a mind!

Zip: Rrrrrrrrrrrr...... WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP!?

Shadow: Hmph... Anyway, Raket, take care of yourself.

Raket: Yeah, you too.

Shadow jumps into the mini-jet, flies up, and begins to head out of the city. Raket turns around and closes the door. He looks over at Silver and Blaze.

Raket: Do I know you?

Zip: Oh! This is Silver and Blaze...

Zip's expression changes. He looks over at Silver and Blaze, confused.

Blaze: What? What is it?

Silver: Something wrong?

Zip: You shouldn't be here!

Raket: What's going on, Zip?

Zip: Haaa.... I should probably tell you from the beginning.

Meanwhile...

Mecha Nazo is flying at a slow speed towards the Raket Team HQ, so as to suppress his energy output, and not have the heroes "sense" him right away.

Nazo: Hmm... Finally, after all this time... I am merely seconds away from reaching my 3rd form. Complete... Perfection.

Back at the HQ...

Raylo: You guys are from the future?

Aqua: That's so cool!

Blaze: What you said still is bothering me, Zip. What did you mean?

Zip: Well, considering my knowledge of timelines, you two should have disappeared, since Mecha Nazo was destroyed, you have no reason to come back in time, thus changing the timeline. Of course, destroying the Mecha Nazo in THIS timeline may have caused an alternate future.

Erin: What does that mean?

Zip: Well, by destroying Mecha Nazo, we may have created a time paradox, making two alternate realities.

Silver: So, what you're saying is...

Blaze: No matter what we do, we can't change our timeline?

Tears start to well up in Blaze's eyes. She puts her hands over her eyes and leans her head on Silver's shoulder. He puts his arm around her, trying to console her.

Jewel: Aww... There's gotta be something we can do!

Damien: But what exactly?

Tabby: Zip, you've already traveled back in time once, right?

Zip: Hmm... I believe that our interference in Mecha Nazo's release and the Professor's death had started to unravel the balance and passage of time.

Calico: So there really is no fixing this.

Zip: Not that I know of.

Manic: Bummer...

Mecha Dark continues to stare out the window.

Erin: Where are mom and Vixie?

Raket walks over next to Mecha Dark and watches the skies.

Raket: They're in the Injured Reserve Room. Light's not doing too good.

Erin: Vixie can't heal him?

Raket: Her powers are limited...

Mecha Dark notices something floating in front of the sun. He stares for a second and then becomes quite nervous (Mecha Dark is a robot who can express emotions, btw). Raket looks over at him.

Raket: What's wrong? What is it?

Mecha Dark: N.... Na....

Raket looks to see what Mecha Dark is looking at. He feels every inch of his body clinch in fear.

Erin: What's wrong?

Raket: IT'S MECHA NAZO!