Miles, who had been with the Freedom Fighters for ten months by that point and just got found by Scourge in the Great Forest, talked Scourge into going from dreaming of fighting and beating Sonic as the king of Anti-Mobius to going on an adventure to destroy every Robotnik in the multiverse one by one, saving the Eggman in the Prime universe for last. His reasoning was, " I know how much you like being in charge, and that would logically translate to ruling a whole world, but do you really care about that? I never saw you enjoying the paperwork. Running a country isn't really your thing, it's for people who are, uh, very responsible and mature and, you know, not fun, as you'd put it, and that's why you give all the actual planet running work to Fiona. " " So? " Scourge asked kind of defensively, with his hands on his hips.

" Do you really think she likes that? " Miles asked unhappily. By this point, he had long ditched the previous outfit he was wearing, if only to wear a mostly identical version of the same shirt with various shades of blue instead of red, and was wearing glasses that looked like sunglasses that his eyes could be clearly seen past. His dark gray streak of dyed hair was also messier.

Fiona, who was at Scourge's side at the time, admits in annoyance, " No. It's boring. I don't really care about running that planet, it's just paperwork, " and admitted more quietly self-consciously, " And a lot of pressure, " not comfortable with revealing that she felt a moral responsibility to not be a total screw-up running a country.

Miles quickly continued before Scourge could try to make excuses, " You might as well be a figurehead, and at that point that's no different than having any other big intimidating rep, which you already had to begin with. My point is, I know you, and sitting on a throne with nothing to do all day isn't you. You live for the thrills and excitement of taking risks and going on adventures! That's why you did so much zone-hopping that DIDN'T involve fighting Sonic. Remember Litigopolis? I-I did pronounce that right, right? You went there, and only went to Mobius Prime because you were going after Zonic! You were doing all that traveling without needing to risk fighting Sonic at all! "

Scourge asked in annoyance, " What'dya mean, risk? " If Miles wasn't his little brother figure and the first and almost only person to care about him, he'd have lost his temper by now. He couldn't stand being lectured about the way he lived his life and given alternate ideas of what he could do from other people, he got that enough from his parents. " Why were you avoiding him for so long if it wasn't to avoid getting arrested again? You were making the smart decision. He's your only match, anyone else would be easily defeated! That's why you went after him, fora challenge! "

Fiona, getting impatient and feeling like the conversation was going into redundancy, said, " Out with it Miles, stop beating around the bush. What do you want to say? " Miles took a second to work up the nerve, before acting casual and suggesting, " I mean that Sonic's everyday challenge is trying to take down a selfish idiotic mad scientist. THAT'S what he cares about, that's HIS game. The only way you could really prove yourself to be better than him would be to beat him at his own game! After all, he doesn't care HOW many crimes you commit, nothing will change in the way he sees you there. But can you imagine how jealous he'd be if one day you told him that you took down every Robotnik in the multiverse except his?! All from doing things YOUR way. Not restraining yourself like the Freedom Fighters do. " He worried that he was being disloyal to Sonic by saying that, but it was all in the interests of making Scourge stop wasting his life, so he felt like it was worth it.

Scourge said, " You mean their no-killing policy? " He seemed intrigued by the concept, being an extreme vigilante that beat out Sonic's pure heroism in effectiveness, but looked wide-eyed and alert because he wasn't fully convinced yet; after all, this seemed a little too similar to what Sonic did. " Miles answered, " Yes, " while trying to fight back the urge to roll his eyes, as the good half of him was annoyed that Scourge even would oppose it instead of understanding why he would hate himself if he ended someone's life, and the more cynical half of him was irritated that the Freedom Fighters were single-handedly delaying their defeating Eggman by decades purely with that policy, just to avoid making themselves feel bad. It was selfish of them, but at the same time, he was no better in practice than they were.

Scourge put his hand on his chain stroking it considering his suggestion, and then said, " Miles, you might be onto something here. Even if I only iced 10 or 60, Sonic would be really jealous! Of me! About freaking time! The tables should turn, HE should be the one to be bested! " Miles said while smiling nervously, " Yeah! But I-I'm taking no responsibility for you killing anyone, you got that? That's your decision alone. I just suggested taking them down, " with Scourge rolling his eyes looking depressed at how easily he felt guilty after a lifetime of the people on Coconut Island making him feel bad about himself. And now it was worse because with the Freedom Fighters around instead of his late gang, he wasn't encouraged to suppress that guilt anymore. Scourge replied, " I know, I know. That's MY idea. I'm gonna do things MY way! I'll show HIM who deserves respect! I'll go all over the multiverse with her proving how powerful I am, that no Robotnik like the one who put me in that cell will EVER be able to best me again! In fact, I'm gonna go for that one, first. "

As Fiona seemed a little nervous but understood Scourge's reasoning and wanted to stick with him out of loneliness, Miles said, " You mean the one in the universe with Sonia and Manik? The one where Sonic has siblings in a rock band? " Scourge said in confusion, " That's the one who approached me for the plan? " before saying in determination, " Then he's going first! And I'll save the best for last! Tell Sonic I'm givin' him a time limit, and if he doesn't beat his Robotnik in time, I will! Won't THAT be humiliating to him! Nothin' like getting your victory stolen by your evil twin. See ya! " smiling with the last two sentences. With that, Scourge had picked up a kind of excited Fiona and carried her into the giant interdimensional portal Ring to the Sonic Underground universe, and Miles had no plans to tell Sonic what Scourge had said.

Scourge was reflecting on that again as he and Fiona were searching that universe's Robotnik's lab for stuff that could benefit them. It couldn't be anything that they wouldn't be able to carry in their pockets, so they were limited in their options. Fiona had already taken a ray gun from a Swatbot after Scourge destroyed it with a flying sonic kick to protect her. But Scourge couldn't help but feel like she needed more. Having her around was forcing him to carry her whenever he was moving fast so that he wouldn't ever risk leaving her behind and losing the best girlfriend he'd ever had. It was annoying how she did that, forcing him to have his hands full, when he could just run into a base of Robotnik's himself and get the job done by himself with his spindash, without having to stop to put Fiona down first. Just then, in the middle of that train of thought, he found something intriguing in a container and said, " Jackpot! "

Fiona turned around and saw a pair of boots that, conveniently enough, could change size with shapeshifting metal to fit whoever wanted to wear them, and Scourge explained holding some metal projecting a holographic document in front of him, " The document on these things says that they can give you the ability to run at the speed of sound! He must've been plannin' to use these to get himself more evenly matched with his Sonic! Fi, I want you to have 'em. " She said happily, " Really? " She already had an electricity-shooting ray gun to fight robots and paralyze Robotniks with. Scourge replied, " Of course! This way I won't have to carry ya anymore. So you'll finally be able to keep up with me! Now the next step would be getting our hands on some Chaos Emeralds so I could maybe infuse the boot's power into you! Then you wouldn't even NEED the boots! "

He thought to himself with a smirk while Fiona was saying, " Awesome! " that, ' She's already much better than Sonic's girlfriend ever would be, she'd be able to keep up with me instead of cramping my style, AND can destroy robots by the dozens! All that and I can make out with her! I'd be hard pressed to find a better partner. " He was taken out of his train of thought when she hugged him and blurted out, " I love ya! "

He hugged back out of instinct and replied, " Thanks, Fi! Love ya, too babe. " The first sentence made Fiona worry a lot that he didn't feel the same way and took her out of her good mood, to the point where the second sentence took a second to sink in for her. The hug ended and she said in surprise, " You do? " remembering the last time she desperately tried to tell Scourge that she loved him, which wasn't a pleasant experience. " Yeah, of course I do! Wasn't it obvious? I must have said it at least once before. " Scourge said casually, confused.

" No, you didn't! Why would you think that? " Fiona asked unhappily. Wondering why he was suddenly in trouble from such a positive sentence, he said, " I said it to Miles all the time. I guess I got confused. " " You said ' I love you ' to your little brother more than me? " Fiona replied looking shocked and jealous. Scourge replied with a serious expression, " He NEEDED it. " " I do too! " she blurted out.

" I know, but he REALLY needed it, Fiona. I was the first person to ever care about him at all. He needed constant reminding that it was even true! If I don't say it back right away, he starts crying. Oh, don't tell anyone I told ya that, " Scourge explained. " Then why didn't you say it back to me? Back at the prison? "

" I'm sorry, alright?! You caught me at a bad time. I was really stressed from the way I was treated in there, and I just assumed you knew, " Scourge apologized looking awkward and regretful.

Fiona was stunned at what just happened, before he continued, " I just assumed you knew. I mean come on, Fi, you know I'm crazy about'cha! You're the best I've ever had! We're so much alike, we're both confident and optimistic and love the thrills of excitement and go by our own rules, not letting some stupid society bigwigs tell us what's up! We're not like Sonic who is ordered around all the time by idiots who just sit in their chairs. You look great and kiss great, you have the BEST laugh! " She briefly blushed at the sheer significance of the fact that he was so crazy about her that he would compliment her on such a minor thing, and he continued, " And the best part is that you like me for me! Remember how accepting you were of me forgiving Miles so easily? "

She remembered. Scourge had just re-conquered Anti-Mobius and become really worried and panicked at learning that Miles had disappeared along with the rest of his old gang. He had ordered the royal guards of the castle Acorn in the living room, " Find him! Hire anyone who will listen, put up a million dollar bounty, and bring him back ALIVE! That's an order! " After the guards had left, Fiona asked, " Why alive, though? He's the one who struck an alliance with the Freedom Fighters and betrayed you! "

Scourge was surprised before nervously lying to save face in front of her, " W-W-Well, obviously, I don't want him to get outta bein' punished! That's why I need him alive, so he can pay! " There was a brief silence, before Fiona replied, " You still care about him, don't you?... Why are you still so loyal to him? " Scourge sighed, hoping desperately that this wouldn't cause her to lose all respect for him since it might hurt his " bad boy appeal, " and explained, " He was the first person who ever cared about me at all. Not even my parents gave a rat's ass. But there he was, outright hugging me and sayin' he loved me! It meant a lot. We spent a whole year together only havin' each other. You don't know how much that meant to the both of us. We were so close, we were perfect! He's like the only real family I had! You can't erase that. No matter what irrational mistakes he made. I don't care what you say or anyone else does, I'm gettin' him back. He can't be dead. And I'm finding out why he betrayed me. "

After a brief silence, Fiona said, " I understand, " and Scourge looked away at the TV in shame. He was really worried at first, but then he could've sworn he saw her crack a smile out of the corner of his eye, and he immediately turned to face her. " You smiled! " he said full of joy, getting up off the couch. " I-I did?... Well, okay, okay. I thought it was sweet! I knew Sonic and Tails were always close, but- " Fiona said awkwardly.

" They were nothing compared to us! AND US. I'm glad you understand, Fi. I thought for sure I'd lose some cred in your eyes for that, because the whole reason you picked me over Sonic was the bad boy appeal! Of course you like everything else too, but that won you over. But now I know that you like me for me., " Scourge said happily.

With that, Fiona, in the present day in the lab of Sonic Underground Robotnik, smiled at remembering that conversation they had months ago. Scourge said with a smile grinning from ear to ear, " You're the best I ever had! You're like my best friend, only I can make out with you! Could you imagine a better partner? I know sometimes I look at other girls- I'm a man, I can't help it - but honestly, I couldn't imagine myself being satisfied with any other girl, no matter how hard I tried. Because you like me for me. I don't have to pretend I don't have a soft side. " With that heartfelt speech that Scourge ended up saying, all of Fiona's lingering worries and doubts about being with Scourge were relieved, and she embraced him with the biggest smile on her face, and kissed him. She loved him now more than she ever would. And while Scourge didn't think he'd be ready until he was 30 to start calling her his wife, it was clear that he wouldn't be happy with anyone else.