The echoes of battle still vibrated in the air. After destroying Lord X, the oppressive atmosphere of the world finally disappeared. With a flick of my wrist and a surge of energy, I warp everyone from the death egg back to the surface of Earth.
"So... Is it over?" Sonic asked, his signature confidence replaced by a rare, weary curiosity.
"Yes. They won't be coming back," I replied, the finality of my words hanging in the cool air.
"Hohoho! Me and Metal have a ton of work to do, so we are going. But I will not forget you, Agnes!" Eggman declared, his boastful laughter returning as he adjusted his goggles. He turned on his heel, Metal Sonic hovering silently behind him as they retreated into the distance.
"It's nice meeting you, Doctor Ivo," I called out.
"Hmph," he grunted, not looking back, though his stride seemed a bit lighter.
Sonic stepped forward, a grin spreading across his face. "Anyway, I want to thank you for helping us."
"Yeah, it's no problem," I said. His friends offered their own heartfelt goodbyes before heading off. Once the blue blur and his crew were out of sight, I turned to my own team.
"We are done here. Let's go back home ice cream on me!" I announced.
"Finally!" Daiwa cheered, her eyes lighting up at the mention of dessert.
A shimmering portal tore open in the fabric of space, the swirling vortex reflecting the light of a different sun.
"Shall we go?" I asked. Before stepping through, I began storing all of my robots and various supplies back into my inventory, the digital hum of the storage system clicking into place.
"Let's go, Agnes. I want to sleep," Z23 said, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.
"Yes, yes, yes."
We stepped through the threshold. The sensation of weightlessness passed in a heartbeat, and we arrived back in the world of Terra.
"Okay, you're treating us!" Daiwa shouted, immediately sprinting toward the local shops without waiting for a reply.
"Yeah, sure," I muttered with a smile before glancing at Z23. I paused, feeling a rare moment of genuine pride. "You... did good."
I didn't wait for her reaction and chased after Daiwa.
Z23 stood frozen for a second, her jaw nearly dropping. "...Did she have a stroke!?" she thought, bewildered by the sudden praise.
Time seemed to move differently between worlds; it appeared that very little time had passed in Arknights since our departure. We eventually bumped into Martha and Ruby near the marketplace.
"Oh, where have you guys been?" Martha asked, looking up from her shopping.
"You know... bonding," I said playfully, looping an arm around Daiwa and pulling her into a sudden hug.
"Eh!? Don't hug me! Don't get close to me!" Daiwa squawked, her face turning a bright, flustered red as she tried to squirm away.
"Anyways, you guys have time to eat?" Martha asked, giggling at our antics.
"Sure," I agreed.
We followed Martha to a small kitchen area where she began to cook. The aroma of fresh food soon drew in a few other Operators who happened to be in the area, and we all shared a noisy, boisterous meal.
Once the festivities died down, Z23 and I returned to the lab. The atmosphere shifted from casual to serious as I turned my attention toward a project I had left unfinished.
"I won't let my daughter get hurt nor be in trouble, so... can I count on you?" I asked, looking up at the seven-foot-tall giant encased in gleaming power armor.
"Yes, Mother," the giant replied, his voice a deep, resonant rumble.
"Good," I said, a sharp, protective smile crossing my face.
Meanwhile, at Another Terra...
"Achoo!"
The Emperor of Mankind rubbed his nose, a frown marring his god-like features. "Why do I feel someone has made a Space Marine? And more importantly... why am I seeing visions of a horse with human features...?"
Before he could ponder the terrifying implications of horse-girls, Malcador the Sigillite entered the throne room.
"Oi mate, I sense you trying to make a humanoid horse," Malcador said, his voice dripping with suspicion.
"Hey, wait, I di—"
The Emperor didn't get to finish. With a flick of his wrist, Malcador cast a very specific, very painful spell:
Balls of Steel.
"Aw! My balls weigh a ton!" the Emperor shrieked, doubling over and squeezing his now incredibly heavy cargo.