"Impossible! I cannot be defeated!" Infinite groaned as his body glitched out constantly. The power in the finalized Phantom Ruby prototype in his chest was entirely depleted thanks to the efforts of Sonic and his new partner, a resistance rookie.

"Wrong, loser!" Sonic responded, waving a finger at Infinite. "The things that can't be defeated are heart, soul, and the bonds of friendship." The rookie nodded in agreement, and Sonic pointed at the jackal. "Three things you and your counterfeit cronies lack!"

The furious jackal punched the floor, groaning. Suddenly, his body started to fade. "No! Wait! I can still fight!" He struggled against it, but he couldn't control the Phantom Ruby any further, so he disappeared into the air.

But he had not vanished at all, he did not. Instead, he reappeared back at the lab where his new self was conceived.

As the fading ended, the now weak and powerless jackal collapsed on his chest, shattering the very last Phantom Ruby prototype to shreds and falling into unconsciousness for a brief period of time. His mask partially broke, revealing but his left eye.

"No... *pant* I'm... not... *pant* weak..." He blacked out with a heavy breath, hitting a side of his forehead with the hard floors.

...

Meanwhile, out on the corridors that led to such lab, the running footsteps and panting of a female could be heard. From her perspective, everything was dark, only a few flashing red and yellow lights illuminated her way. She had no clue about her current location, or where she was going, but her objective was to escape from the facility she was in.

She had become a prisoner of Eggman's for the last six months after Sonic was defeated. Prior to this, she had become the leader of a local Resistance Squad in Station Square, and sacrificed her freedom to save her subordinates. During her times as a prisoner, she barely become of interest to Eggman and even Infinite, who once stated the girl could inherit a strange but strong power in the near future. He even thought of building a replica of her image and use it against the heroes, but the girl proved herself useless on that time. She was too weak for all the time she's been without eating even the slightest bite of food, but she managed to survive despite the overwhelming odds.

But the more she tried, the worse it was for her.

The girl rested her hand on a large metallic door, panting heavily. She felt very shaky and wasn't far from passing out. The door before her suddenly opened, and due to her lack of attention, she fell right at the entrance of the lab Infinite was in.

The hit forced her alert, and she quickly stood up. Observing the large lab, she ran to hide behind one of the glass capsules, all seemed empty and non-functioning. She slid down and sat on the floor, still panting and trembling, and rested her head on the machinery. But the male groans in the distance called her attention. When she peeked to see, she discovered the collapsed jackal coming to, slowly standing up, giving himself some support.

"What...? What am I...?" He asked himself in confusion as he stared down at the scratches and wounds in his hands. Panting, he struggled to get on his feet, but a great pain brought him down.

"What... what's happening to me?! Why can't I...?!"

The girl sensed the oncoming tantrum the jackal was about to throw, and ran to touch his shoulder, ignoring any signs of weakness. Her warm yet shivery touch startled the jackal as he glared at the young lady with short, light brown hair, and light brown eyes. The lady also had tiny scars on her skin, probably from the times she's been defending her town.

The girl removed the remains of his mask, exposing his true self to her. She tilted her head a little, widening a faint smile at how his heterochromia seemed adorable in some way.

"It's okay, little guy." She whispered with a shivering voice. Her eyes reflected her pain and weakness, but even so, showed a glistening spark of love and kindness. Infinite had no idea who this girl was, but he was stunned to see someone who cared for him, even though he didn't wanted anyone to do such thing.

"Y-you..." He whispered, not truly finding any words.

The girl slightly smiled, and embraced the jackal in a heart-warming hug. Infinite didn't knew how to react, but as she hugged him, he felt all his pain slowly vanishing from his body. He felt strong.

But unexpectedly, the girl passed out in his arms. Infinite's pupils shrank as her body stopped shaking and slowly slipped from his arms and collapsed to the floor.

"Hey!" He bent his knees and shook her, but the girl didn't respond. "HEY!" He shook her again, a little violently, but to no avail.

A thump in his heart made him react, and he glared down at the poor unconscious human.

"My feelings..." Looking down at his hand, he felt a warm, healing sensation. "...I don't feel any pain anymore." He felt a great urge in his heart, an urge to run away with her.

An explosion brought him out of his thoughts, and all his surroundings became dark red as the facility was about to collapse. Everything there began tearing apart, and the floors beneath him shook savagely. The jackal didn't thought twice and scooped the girl in his arms, making his way to escape.

...

A day or two had passed since his escape. A heavy rain forced Infinite to find refuge for himself and the girl, who still had not opened her eyes.

He used a small, desolate parking lot near a street to protect themselves from the freezing weather. While he kept the sleeping lady far on a corner where she couldn't get wet, he stood by the corner next to the street, watching as the infinite rain drops fell, arms crossed.

The girl finally woke as a loud thunderclap resonated in her ears, and sat up with a loud scream. She quickly saw as the jackal slightly turned his head, seemingly hearing her, and her nerves jolted.

The jackal, having heard her awakening, didn't turn his eyes to her. "I didn't expect to see you up so soon, considering your level of weakness." He said sternly.

The girl said nothing as she found a sack of food next to her. Her mouth then wanted to speak, but found no words. The jackal she just found and met saved her, and she felt utterly grateful.

"Do me a favor and feed yourself. You look ill." He said, still not looking at her.

The girl still never spoke, she desperately opened the sack and dug out the first thing inside, and began eating. It was too much desperation for food that her body shook and her heart raced, and she couldn't eat calmly.

Infinite watched her over his shoulder as she ate with such desperation. He could tell that she did him a great favor when she found him, and in return he helped her get back to her feet.

Once she was done, the girl got to her feet and walked to the jackal's side, and bent her knees, also seeing but the rain. Her skin felt the coldness of the weather, making her shiver. Infinite observed her by the corner of his yellow eye.

"Cold, huh? Well I don't feel such thing."

"You're a jackal." The girl said, observing him as well.

"Yeah, so what?"

"So, for someone as moody as you, I find you oddly adorable." She sneered a little.

"And who are you to think such thing, whatever that is?" The jackal stared at her sharply, this time both his eyes focused on her. "And why would you think that anyway?"

"Because... I'm not afraid of you, if that's your intention."

The jackal's eyes widened just a little.

"Look, fate somehow brought us together, so I think it's time to flip the page in our lives."

Infinite pouted. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

The girl got up and stood in front of him, and extended her hand.

"Come and live with me. Ever since I found you, I thought you needed help."

"I'm not in the need of anyone's help, child." He looked away. "I can take care of myself, alone."

"Please?" She insisted.

"No. Go away, get out of my sight." He turned his back to her. Such words somehow burdened his heart, no matter how many times he didn't regret it.

The girl felt lost, and wanted to cry. His rudeness didn't brought her down, regardless of how heavy his words felt. But then she thought of a chunk of steak she found in her sack.

She quickly dug it out, letting its delicious smell linger in the air, and intentionally made the jackal notice it. His nose flicked and moved as he smelled the succulent steak. He could admit it smelled delicious, but he wasn't one to be fooled too easily. But inside, he liked it.

"If you think you can make me do things over some piece of meat, you're seriously mistaken."

"You got me then, little jackal." She said, now beside him. His natural instincts immediately perked up. His tail wagged involuntarily, and his stomach urged him to catch the steak.

"Give it!" He slashed his sharp fingers to the air, but the girl held the steak away from him.

"If you come with me, I will." The girl smirked.

"Fine, fine, if it makes you happy!" He said so reluctantly. "Now give me that!" He snatched the steak off her hands and ate it. The girl laughed, he looked funny to her.

And she knew from that moment on that, despite them being polar opposites, they immediately grew their own bonds of friendship.

...

Many more days of traveling passed, until they arrived at the outskirts of Station Square, where she lived.

"Here we are!" She announced, both looking at the buildings in the distance. "Station Square! Home, sweet home!"

"I still don't get why you forced me to come here." The amnesiac jackal commented, rolling his eyes."

"To start a new life together. Hey, by the way you never told me your-"

The rumbling of thunders interrupted their conversation. The skies turned gray with a mixture of gold from the Sun beneath the clouds. Then an eruption casted billions of small streams of sunlight to spread around the land. These streams moved everywhere as if they were looking for a single individual, like helicopter lights.

One of the lights sailed past the girl and Infinite, and stopped, shining down on the girl. The human had no idea what was going on, but as the light shine brighter, the other streams gathered up to the light pointing at her, and she received a vision...

In her mind there was nothing but light, and it shifted its form into a human, without revealing herself. She was covered in gold light.

"I have found you, Chosen One." Her voice sounded very similar to the girl's. "You have saved a life. You shall be able to do more... with the Powers."

Before the chosen girl knew it, a beam of gold energy struck her in the chest, instantly knocking her down.

"Hey!" Infinite caught her before she could hit the soil, and shook her. "Hey, come on!" He sighed sharply, annoyed. "Great."

He took her in his arms once again, and was forced to find shelter for both of them.

That night...

The jackal successfully entered a lonely apartment room and set the girl down in a bed, tucking her in golden yellow sheets. That had been the second time she blacked out, and for the jackal it was nothing but annoying as he hated seeing her weak.

"This is the last time you faint, child." He said with so much seriousness it was almost frightening, even though in her sleep, she couldn't hear him.

He didn't pay attention, however, at the shimmering gold medallion in her chest.

The next day...

"Hwwaaaah..." The girl yawned, stretching up, but her body felt odd somehow. "What just happened?" She yawned again.

"Tch. Finally." From her perspective, she could see Infinite coming to her side with a glass of water. At first she thought he'd offer it to her, but he drank it instead. "You've been out for hours, it's about time you woke up."

"Hey." She groaned, waving a hand at him, but her hand seemed bigger than her arm. She gasped. Her limbs and body were also covered in golden yellow fur!

"Jackal guy, what is this?!" Her voice sounded slightly high-pitched and cute, like that of a grown child.

Infinite looked at her. He said nothing, but his eyes expressed more than words.

"Why don't you say anything?! I need your help!"

Infinite rolled his eyes and sighed. "Start by helping yourself." He handed her a new glass of water. The first thing she did was looking at her reflection.

"AAAAAHH!" She shrieked, dropping the glass. "I'M A RABBIT!"

"Calm down, kid. It's not like you wake up ugly every day." Infinite said rather nonchalantly.

"It's not that! I was human, and now I'm a rabbit! What is happening to me?!" She got up, but the sight of her rabbit feet creeped her out even more. She walked in her new form, feeling as scared and sensitive as any ordinary rabbit. Infinite encircled her, observing her carefully.

"Maybe this all has to do with that light."

"Light?"

"Some kind of... whatever thing of light struck you, and you passed out. It's been almost a day since you fainted."

"A day?!" The girl couldn't help but hyperventilate. She stopped, however, when she sensed a cold, small metallic material that hung from her collar. A pair of light brown eyes stood stunned at the sight of the legendary ancient Sun Medallion. It was a circular medallion with seven holes around its thin, outer circle, and on its inner circle was a beautiful sun design and a gold gem embedded in its center.

"No way!" She whispered, surprised. "I've... I've been chosen by the Powers!"

"What's the Powers?" Infinite asked, also looking down at the shiny medallion.

"It's... it's an ancient form of energy that empowers beings to absorb others' abilities. Legend says that every hundred years, a worthy chosen is selected." She breathed nervously. "I-I can't believe the Powers really chose me! I mean, am I that worthy?"

Infinite shrugged. "I dunno', kid. But whatever this is, you have to be careful."

"Yeah, these Powers are beyond value. Anyone would certainly want to get their hands on it." She lowered her head, but Infinite raised her head back up with his thumbs.

"I've never said anything like this before- not that I remember, because I did not had anyone to count on. But, if you trust me enough, I can protect you and whatever those Powers are. But with one condition, no signs of weakness. I need you strong, capable. Okay?"

"Mm... Mhm." She nodded shakily.

"Hm." Infinite frowned a little. "Now, what is your name?"

"Hm?"

Infinite sighed, not wanting to repeat the question, but he did anyways. "Your human name, what was it?"

The girl narrowed her eyes down. "Jennifer Jane?"

"Hm." He thought. "How about I call you J.J. Rabbit? J.J. for short."

The girl seemed flattered by the nickname that she forgot being so scared of her new form.

"I think it's wonderful. What's yours?"

"Tch. It's funny that I can't remember my own name." He scratched his head a little.

"Huh? Did you lost your memories?"

Both sat on the edge of the bed. Infinite looked aside. "Quite. I can't remember where I come from, or anything at all really. But I know you. You were that kid I escaped with the other day."

"Well, if you want, I can help you find a name, little jackal." She giggled.

"Stop calling me 'little'. It's pathetic." He muttered angrily.

The rabbit girl chuckled. Her attention was then drawn to the soles in the jackal's shoes. She could see an infinity symbol with a spike coming out of it.

"Infinity?" She suggested, but the name didn't sound good, so she tried another name. "Infinite." The jackal's ears perked up. "That's it! Infinite the Jackal. That's your name, from now on."

"That name... sounds great." He smiled slightly, taking great pleasure in hearing the name Infinite.

"Great! Now, Infinite, how about we- wait..." She looked around and realized both were in the apartment she lived in. "...how did you bring me to my apartment?"

"So this is your place." He replied, also looking around. The small apartment looked quite clean and organized.

"Yes, it's odd how you single handedly got me here. Anyway, I want to show you around, just to let you know about this city."

Infinite sighed, refusing to get up. "I'd rather stay."

J.J. jumped off the bed and held his hands. They felt warm and soft. "Aw, come on, Infinite! It's not that bad. Besides, I'll be there next to you."

Infinite thought of it twice, and forced out a breath. "Fine."

"Yay! Okay, let's go!"

J.J. excitedly led the way out of her apartment, pulling the somewhat annoyed jackal's arm with her hand. A new adventure was about to begin!

But in her mind, she thought of what the people she knew would think of herself as a rabbit, or how they would react to her being chosen by the Powers.