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Sonic Cyber Revolution Analyzer: The Babylon Rogues Arc - The Babylon Rogues

After their battle with Dr. Eggman, Sonic and his friends decide to take a break, having fun at the local hoverboard racing stadium. However, this doesn’t last long they get challenged by a group of professional hoverboard racers - the Babylon Rogues! With a new rivalry sparking, it is up to Sonic to show Jet who is the fastest racer in Neos City.

Chapters

Entry 20: Catch Me If You Can

Entry 21: Sonic Speed Riders

The Babylon Rogues Arc is, as of writing this analysis, the shortest arc of Sonic Cyber Revolution, adapting elements from the Sonic Riders spin-off video games and introducing the Babylon Rogues as recurring characters to the story.

Take note that the lyrics presented in both of the chapters are symbolizing the Babylon Rogues smack talking to Team Neos:

''Catch me if you can! There's no turning back, reach but never catch! Catch me if you can! You can't fathom that, wonders you can't have! Catch me if you can! Catch me if you can!''

With Team Neos response being:

''I'm gonna hit you with Sonic Speed!''

The Arc kicks off with Sonic and Lucas hanging out with Tails and Warren at the Taylor Workshop, talking about their battle with Dr. Eggman and Lucas being the only one actually worried about Eggman attacking them again. Sonic suggest that they relax a little and have some fun at the Solar Stadium by going hoverboard racing.

There, they meet up with Lily, Knuckles, Minami, Amy, Makoto and Silver (Shadow left Sonic on read) and have fun racing. The way the Solar Stadium works is that all tracks are programmed inside AR Fields, meaning that multiple different tracks can be active at the same time. Hoverboard racing is actually a very popular sport in this universe, to the point that there are several variations of this sport and even whole tournaments for it.

After finishing one race, with Amy winning, Sonic volunteers to pick the next track for his friends to race on, only to encounter a very arrogant and brash bird.

After hearing his teammates voicing their agreement, Sonic walked over to the closest holographic screen, but just as he was half-way over, his ears twitched and he heard someone yelling. Looking up, he saw a figure speeding right towards him on their hoverboard. Sonic quickly dove aside in order to avoid being ran over by the racer, hitting the ground hard and feeling a gust of wind brushing through his quills, his hoverboard falling on the ground. He turned back at the racer, glaring at him.

''Watch out where you're going! You almost ran me over!'' Sonic shouted, with the racer turning around on his hoverboard, looking at Sonic.

The racer was an ARNav, having the appearance of an anthropomorphic hawk with emerald green and dark emerald green feathers covering his body and white feathers on his front torso. On his arms near his wrists were dark emerald green fire-like markings. He had a golden beak and azure blue eyes with red and black markings on the sides. His hair was styled like a mohawk with dark emerald green tips. He also had three tail feathers with dark emerald green tips. For attire, he wore a pair of white gloves that possess visible lining with red and black cuffs and dark gray bands around each wrist. He also wore red, black and white boots with gray soles, and goggles with yellow lenses, white frames and gray straps.

''Hmph, serves you right for being in my path!'' the hawk ARNav replied, pushing the goggles that were over his eyes up on his forehead and grinning smugly.

Sonic frowned as he got up. Usually, he was all for befriending people, but for some reason, this ARNav got on his nerves. He couldn't explain it, but his gut feeling told him that the hawk was trouble. He shook his head, picking up his hoverboard and going towards the holographic screen, only to see the hawk flying towards it as well. Not wanting the hawk to be there first, he used to his super speed to run over, but they ended up reaching it at the same time, with the hawk suddenly blocking Sonic, giving him an intrigued look.

''What was that?'' he asked, not allowing Sonic to get the screen.

''I just ran over,'' Sonic replied bluntly.

''I was talking about your speed, smartass,'' the hawk replied. ''There is no way you're that fast.''

''You clearly don't know who you're talking to. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, known The Fastest Thing Alive,'' Sonic bragged, pointing with his thumb at his chest. ''There's hardly anyone who can match me.''

''Hmph! You may be the fastest creature on the ground, but in the air, with me and my hoverboard, you're just a joke!'' the hawk replied, pointing at himself. ''I'm Jet the Hawk, The Legendary Wind Master and there is no one who can beat me in a race, especially not some pathetic rookie racer.''

After Jet the Hawk nearly runs over Sonic with his hoverboard, he then ticks off the hedgehog by belittling him and bragging about being faster than Sonic, calling the latter a pathetic rookie racer. As it turns out, while Sonic is normally laid-back and chill around people, there is something about Jet’s attitude that actually manages to piss him off.

''I'm doing better at hoverboard racing than you think,'' Sonic replied, but Jet laughed at him.

''Tell that to someone who is actually cares,'' Jet replied. Sonic could feel the sense of annoyance bubbling inside him, but he kept his cool. From their conversation, he gauged that Jet was one of those arrogant types who was quite confident in his skills and was also able to back up his claims. Nevertheless, he was sure that he could deal with Jet, but for now, he just wanted to select a track so he and his friends could race. However, before he could do anything, two more ARNavs flew up to them, joining Jet.

One of them was an anthropomorphic swallow with light and dark purple feathers that covered her body and head. Her hair was styled like a pair of long braids. On her arms near her wrists were light purple fire-like markings. She had a golden-curved beak, light purple eyelids, cobalt blue eyes, and two tail feathers. For attire, she wore a white kerchief, white gloves that possessed visible lining with golden bracelets and red lining, a white tube top, and dark purple flare-designed white trousers. She also wore red boots with white accents and gray soles, a white necklace with a red utility gem, and gray sunglasses with gold lenses.

The other ARNav was an anthropomorphic albatross of hulking physique with gray feathers and white feathers covering his body. On his arms near his wrists were dark gray fire-like markings. He had light blue eyes with red and black markings around it, a golden beak and his hair was short. For attire, he wore tan gloves that possessed visible lining with black bands, small goggles with yellow frames and white straps, a brown necklace with small gray pieces, and black, yellow and white sneakers with sock-like cuffs and gray soles.

''What are you doing, Jet? We had sent you to select a track ages ago.''

''Is this guy causing you any trouble, Boss?''

Jet is joined by two of his teammates, Wave the Swallow and Storm the Albatross, both who are wondering what’s taking Jet so long to select the track, with Jet’s show of superiority being interrupted by Team Neos, who were worried about Sonic, and three other more humans who are with Jet, Wave and Storm.

It is revealed that the three humans are Chase Young, Jet’s partner; Rika Nakano, Wave’s partner; and Arven Pryce, Storm’s partner. The six of them form the Babylon Rogues of this universe.

Both Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues get into an argument when it is revealed that Lucas and Chase actually know each other (and by proxy, Chase also knows Warren) as they all knew each other as kids, with Chase having bullied Lucas for his introverted personality, calling him a shut-in and hikikomori. Jet immediately picks on his partner’s behavior by bragging about the superiority of the Babylon Rogues and getting annoyed that Sonic doesn’t recognize the name, calling the latter a Rookie, annoying Sonic greatly.

Even Rika and Wave get in on it by looking over Lucas’ hoverboard and pointing out the modifications, something Warren and Tails are quite proud of, only for Rika and Wave to mock them for the shoddy craftsmanship, pissing Warren and Tails off and sparking another rivalry.

As for Arven and Storm, Arven actually isn’t that antagonistic towards Lily as much as he develops a crush on her on first sight, with Knuckles telling him off and getting into a stand-off with Storm.

Makoto, Silver and Amy are a bit worried about the situation, with Minami pointing out how fighting won’t achieve anything, with Jet agreeing and deciding to settle their feud in a Tag Team Race, something everyone agrees to, with Team Neos being confident that they will win.

Unknown to Team Neos, Touka and Shadow were at the Solar Stadium the whole time, albeit not in the mood to engage with their fellow teammates. They had observed the whole argument between Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues, their brows furrowed when Team Neos accepted the challenge to participate in a Tag Team Race.

''They don't know what they got themselves into,'' Touka said, her hoverboard leaned against a seat as Lucas, Sonic, Warren, Tails, Lily and Knuckles approached Chase, Jet, Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm, while Minami, Amy, Makoto and Silver sat on the bleachers. A holographic screen appeared above the racing track, allowing them to follow the race between Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues while they were inside the AR Field. Touka glanced at Shadow. ''Do you think that we should've warned them?''

''No,'' Shadow replied curtly, arms folded across his chest. ''If Sonic believes that he can win this, he can try.''

''Don't tell me that you're annoyed that he's racing against Jet,'' Touka said, rising an eyebrow. Shadow scoffed.

''Tch, if I wanted to race against him, I would've done it already,'' Shadow replied, shooting a glare at Touka. ''I'm merely curious about his performance in this kind of race.''

''So, you're actually hoping that he'll win?'' Touka asked, looking intrigued. Shadow didn't answer, focusing on the screen ahead instead, with Touka just shrugging. However, knowing her little brother, even if he didn't want to admit it, she was aware that Shadow was hoping Sonic and his team would win against Jet and the Babylon Rogues, even if the odds were clearly stacked against them.

Unknown to Team Neos, Touka and Shadow are actually at the stadium, having watched their little feud with the Babylon Rogues and don’t appear to be too optimistic about Team Neos’ chances in a race against the Babylon Rogues, even if they do hope that their teammates will win.

''Hey, Makoto, what are the exact rules of a Tag Team Race? I did hear about it, but I don't really know any details,'' Silver asked as he, Makoto, Amy and Minami were observing their friends prepare themselves for the race.

''Well, in a Tag Team Race you usually have two teams, each consisting of six members, racing against each members. Those six members consists of pairs of a human partner and ARNav and to win the race, at least one pair needs to cross the finish line. If only the human partner or the ARNav crosses the finish line, it doesn't count as a victory, so they have to work together,'' Makoto explain. ''Also, in Tag Team Races, you can find Power Boxes as you go through the track, which can help you gain advantage in a race. To use them, the human partner needs to touch one, while the ARNav activates it, so once again, teamwork is important here.''

As Makoto explains to Silver the rules of a Tag Team Race and Minami and Amy cheer on their friends, Sonic/Lucas, Tails/Warren, Knuckles/Lily & Jet/Chase, Wave/Rika & Arven/Storm have some pre-race banter (with Arven even making a bet and asking Lily for a date if the Babylon Rogues win the race).

The race starts, and while at first, Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues seem to be on equal ground, it quickly turns out that the track the Babylon Rogues have chosen is actually the most difficult track Solar Stadium has to offer, a track known as Wayward Dimension, which changes areas as they pass through them. Unlike Team Neos, the Babylon Rogues have way more experience with this, taking a huge lead and leaving Team Neos to struggle, with Jet and Chase winning over Sonic and Lucas, leaving Team Neos humiliated by their defeat.

Sonic and Lucas are especially hurt by their defeat.

''Technically, we could, but…'' Lucas trailed off, sighing. ''We might not be able to beat them at all. I had never raced in Wayward Dimension and if they can handle a track like that, maybe we can't catch up to them at all.''

''What if we train? We could familiarize ourselves with it,'' Sonic suggested, not wanting to give up yet.

''Unfortunately, the Babylon Rogues still have more experience,'' Knuckles pointed out, with Sonic falling silent as he thought about it. He really wanted to wipe Jet's smug smile, but it was clear that there was a huge gap between their own experience and that of the Babylon Rogues'.

''It is impressive that you had managed to last as long as you did, but you would've ultimately lost the race regardless of what you did. You were doomed from the start.''

Team Neos suddenly looked up, surprised to see Touka and Shadow walking up to them.

''We figured that one out already. You don't have to rub salt in the wound,'' Lucas said bitterly, staring at Touka. Meanwhile, Sonic turned to Shadow, who had his arms folded across his chest.

''Were you guys watching the whole race?'' he asked.

''Yes, and I had expected better from you,'' Shadow said sternly. Sonic's ears were pinned back as his eyes narrowed, staring at Shadow. Both were silent for a moment, appearing to be quite tense.

''I know, and if I get another chance, I would show you and everyone that I can go beyond my own limits,'' Sonic replied, his tone uncharacteristically serious. To his surprise, Shadow smirked.

''I'm certain that you would,'' he said, unfolding his arms, giving his rival a determined gaze. ''That's why I'm challenging you to a race.''

''What?'' Sonic was stunned, his expression matching that of his friends.

''If you manage to beat me, then you'll be able to beat the Babylon Rogues,'' Shadow continued, ignoring the looks everyone was giving him. Sonic stared at him for a moment, wondering what Shadow was trying to accomplish with this, but he then nodded, figuring that his rival must've had a good reason behind this proposal.

''I accept your challenge.''

As they think about their defeat, they’re approached by Touka and Shadow, with Lucas asking them to not rub salt into their wound. Instead, Shadow addresses Sonic, challenging him to a race, much to Sonic’s surprise. Realizing that Shadow might be up to something, Sonic agrees to the race.

While the rest of Team Neos is confused by Shadow’s challenge, trying to figure out what kind of point he’s trying to make, Sonic questions Shadow about his intentions.

''Wait a second, Shadow… What are you trying to do?'' he asked.

''I'm trying to prove a point,'' Shadow replied, with Lucas noting how this wasn't an explanation of what he was up to. He turned to Touka with a questioning look, who shrugged.

''Maybe you should just watch the race,'' she said, beckoning to them to follow her to the bleachers. Meanwhile, Sonic and Shadow prepared themselves for the race, Sonic having selected Tempo City as their racing track and still wondering what Shadow was up to. He trusted his rival, but that didn't mean he didn't have any questions. However, he was confident he would get an answer.

''You said that if I want to beat Jet, I'd have to beat you first,'' Sonic said, stepping on his hoverboard. ''But, last time we raced against each other, we always ended up in a tie. So, where's this confidence coming from?''

''I had some practice since last time,'' Shadow replied, already standing on his hoverboard. Sonic grinned at the idea of having an even bigger challenge. Both looked up at the holographic screen above flashing from red to yellow to green as the AR Field formed.

READY? SET! GO!!

As Sonic and Shadow kick off their race, Shadow shows that he had become much more skilled at hoverboard racing, courtesy of his training with Touka. He comments on how Sonic still isn’t focused, questioning him about his own desire to race against the Babylon Rogues, with Sonic being left confused by his question.

''Hmph.'' Shadow briefly glanced back, slowly down slightly so he and Sonic were racing roughly at the same speed, with Sonic rising his eyebrow as Shadow addressed him, ''Why have you accepted the Babylon Rogues' challenge? What was your plan for beating them?''

''Huh?'' Sonic blinked at first, saying the first thing that came to his mind, ''Well, I was trying to outspeed them? Isn't that the point of a race?''

''Maybe in a Solo Race, but not in a Tag Team Race,'' Shadow replied, kicking off and using one of the accelerator to the side to gain more speed. Sonic followed him, his eyes narrowing as his attention was fully on his rival, who had a holographic screen opened next to him. ''Think about it! How did you manage to win your previous battles? How did you defeat Dr. Eggman?''

Sonic gave Shadow a confused look, wondering why the ebony hedgehog was asking him that, but then thought about it for a moment. ''It wasn't just me… We all fought Eggman together and…'' He grinned. ''I had my friends supporting me.''

''Then, do you understand why you lost in a Tag Team Race?'' Shadow asked, with Sonic rolling his eyes.

''Yeah, I do. Thanks for the lesson, Shads,'' Sonic replied, the latter bit being slightly sarcastic. Both of them then used another stream of wind to exit the tunnel.

As Shadow points out, Sonic and his friends never really had a clear strategy for what was supposed to be a team race, with Sonic realizing his mistake. They then get a bit competitive.

Meanwhile, Sonic and Shadow have entered the last part of their race, speeding down the street, with platforms floating above them. At this point, they were both going at the same speed, with Shadow drawing Sonic's attention by asking another question, ''What do you plan to do now?''

''First of all, I'm going to beat you!'' Sonic replied as he leapt onto an accelerator, boosting away. He was confident that he could defeat Shadow in this race, but to his surprise, the ebony hedgehog started weaving behind him, gaining momentum and using a nearby wall as a ramp to leap onto the platforms above them, then quickly boost down right in front of Sonic, once again taking the lead.

''Hey!'' Sonic yelled, but Shadow turned back to him with a smug smirk.

''Only because you have learned your lesson doesn't mean I'm going to let you win!'' he replied, the two passing only a few seconds later through the finish line, the AR Field behind them vanishing and both of them finding themselves back at the Solar Stadium; with Shadow being the clear winner.

Despite losing, Sonic didn't feel bad about it, as this was a race he had been looking for and he actually really enjoyed it. He turned to Shadow, who got off his hoverboard, holding up his hand curled into a fist. Shadow gave it an uncertain look at first, but then went along with the fist-bump.

After the race ends in Shadow’s victory, albeit with Sonic also being in good spirits, the dark hedgehog questions his rival about his plans. Sonic wants to come up with a proper strategy, challenging the Babylon Rogues again, but agreeing to train and prepare for this race. Touka points out how, even if the whole team worked hard to win, they’re still too inexperienced, as the Babylon Rouges have actually won the Tag Team Hoverboard Racing Tournament held in Mikado City two months ago, despite having participating in it the first time. In short, they’re professionals.

With the group wondering what they should do, Touka and Shadow offer to train them, much to their shock. Team Neos then learns that Touka is actually one of the best hoverboard racers in Neos City, pretty much on the same level as the Babylon Rogues, knowing all the tracks inside out, capable of giving advice to them that would help them improve. They accept their help, wishing to beat their rivals.

Meanwhile, as we check in on the Babylon Rogues, they’re in Chase’s room, lounging. Chase is bothered by the sudden challenge, but Jet assures him confidently that no one can beat them, with Chase agreeing, but still being annoyed by the lack of challenge.

It is revealed in a flashback that Chase, Rika and Arven participated in a Solo Race Tournament three months prior, where they ended up racing against Jet, Wave and Storm, only for the race to end up in a tie. While the tournament was already over, Chase and Jet keep challenging each other, trying to prove who the better racer is, while Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm are exasperated by their behavior.

''I was right ahead of you!''

''You were just touching my tail feathers! I won!''

Being still in the middle of their argument, Chase and Jet were startled by a high-pitched whistle, turning suddenly towards Rika, who was the one who had drawn their attention, Wave, Arven and Storm.

''Are you two done arguing?'' Rika asked, her expression showing that she was completely done with their bickering.

''Not until we determine who is the faster racer!'' Chase protested, then pointed at himself. ''Which is me, of course.''

''Hmph, you got to have a screw lose. I'm the fastest racer here!'' Jet replied.

''Look, Jet; considering how you had been trying to beat each other for three hours and still ended up in a draw, it is clear that both of you are equally good,'' Wave said. Frankly, she wasn't happy either about drawing with the other team, but at this point, she was too tired to care.

''Could we just go home? I'm hungry,'' Storm added.

''Honestly, we also just want to move on from this…'' Arven trailed off, doing a double-take and raising an eyebrow when Storm claimed that he was hungry. Why would an ARNav say anything like that? It's not like they could get hungry. Rika overheard it too, along with Wave, but Chase and Jet completely ignored the comment, still too focused on trying to prove who was the better racer.

''Maybe we could...''

''No.''

''But, just-''

''NO!''

Both Chase and Jet flinched when everyone just yelled in frustration. They just shot glares at everyone, before glancing at each other and yielding. Chase sighed, turning towards Jet.

''I have to admit, you're quite a challenge,'' he said.

''You aren't that bad either…'' Jet said in an off-handed manner, arms folded across his chest and facing slightly away from Chase. ''It is an accomplishment to be able to just keep up with the Babylon Rogues.''

''I wouldn't be here if I wasn't the best. Maybe we could compete against each other at a different tournament,'' Chase suggested, extending his hand. Jet glanced at it, seemingly hesistant for a moment, but he then extended his arm, shaking hands with Chase.

''Then we'll leave our feud for the next tournament,'' Jet replied.

''Unfortunately, I don't think either of you will be able to participate at the next tournament,'' Rika said, a holographic screen opened next to her, with Wave, Arven and Storm giving it a curious look.

''Why not?'' Chase and Jet asked in unison.

''The next tournament is a Tag Team Race and you, Chase, don't have an ARNav partner,'' Rika pointed out.

''The same goes for you too, Jet, since none of us have human partners, so we'll have to sit this one out,'' Wave added.

''That's just stupid,'' Jet commented, his eyes narrowed.

''I absolutely agree, but it's not like they're going to let us participate, unless…'' Chase said, suddenly trailing off, his eyes widening in realization. Next to him, Jet seemingly had to same idea as he made the same expression.

''Unless, we partner up,'' Jet finished Chase's thought.

''What?!'' Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm were a bit shocked by this suggestion. Admittedly, each team knew that their respective leader could make some wild decisions, but they didn't expect for both of them to come to the same conclusion.

''Honestly, I like the idea,'' Chase said. ''Tag Team Races are usually a lot more challenging than Solo Races.''

''And you know how they say, the bigger the challenges, the bigger opportunity for growth… as the best racing team, obviously,'' Jet added. ''We should go back to the blimp and discuss this.''

With Chase and Jet realizing that they have a lot more common than they thought, they agree to team up to become the best racing team in the world. Chase, Rika and Arven also learn that Jet, Wave and Storm are Irregular ARNavs, but they couldn’t care less about it. Also, the Babylon Rogues are still thieves, but are currently focusing more on professional hoverboard racing.

Back at Solar Stadium, Lucas, Sonic, Warren, Tails, Lily and Knuckles genuinely have difficulty beating Touka and Shadow, who took the “show, don’t tell” approach in their training, refusing to tell them anything while also exploiting all the various shortcuts and tracks to win the race. The team does manage to improve, with Lucas and Sonic getting ahead of the two, but the last portion of the track catches them off guard, as it is a water hazard with a bunch of water spouts and a huge wave that crashes over the racers. While Sonic and Lucas slow down to avoid the wave, Touka and Shadow flying right into it, surfing the wave and winning again.

With the team taking a break (Minami, Amy, Makoto and Silver brought them lunch) and talking about the upcoming race, Sonic is confident that, even if he doesn’t manage to beat Shadow, he will beat Jet.

Skipping to the day of the race, Minami and Amy decide to treat it as a formal race by acting as reporters, with Makoto and Silver as their camera crew, and even ask Touka and Shadow for a comment on Team Neos’ chances in regards to beating the Babylon Rogues. Predictably, Shadow warps away, leaving an exasperated Touka to be the one to comment on it.

''May we hear your opinion regarding Team Neos' chances against the Babylon Rogues?'' Amy asked, pointing her microphone towards Shadow, while Minami pointed hers towards Touka. Shadow simply folded his arms, closing his eyes for a moment and playing it cool.

''Touka will explain everything,'' he said, then promptly vanished in a flash of cyan light, leaving a baffled Amy.

''Wait a sec- Shadow!'' Touka groaned when Shadow just warped away. She was fuming. ''I don't think I should even be surprised that he threw me under the bus… again!''

''Um, could we at least get your thoughts on the race?'' Minami asked, smiling sheepishly. Touka sighed.

''I already said it yesterday, Team Neos has a fighting chance as long as they stick to their strategy,'' she replied.

''What about the Babylon Rogues? You had told us that you figured out how they worked,'' Amy said.

''Right. Usually, people in a Tag Team Race try to stay close to each other in order to help their teammates. However, the Babylon Rogues have developed a strategy where Chase and Jet are in the front, while Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm stay behind other racers to keep them from reaching the former two. It is quite effective as the other team has now two things to worry about, and with their attention divided, things can get quite difficult for the opposing team,'' Touka explained, glancing at Team Neos in slight worry.

After a few more interviews with both of their friends and the Babylon Rogues, as well as dragging Jet away from the microphone before he could tell his whole life story, everyone settled down in their places. Sonic, Lucas, Tails, Warren, Knuckles and Lily were at the start line alongside Jet, Chase, Wave, Rika, Storm and Arven, while Amy, Minami, Silver, Makoto, Shadow and Touka were at the bleachers, waiting for the race to start. They weren't the only ones there, as there were other people who got interested in this particular race.

''You'll be eating my dust, Rookie,'' Jet told Sonic, grinning smugly.

''I'm simply here to have some fun,'' Sonic replied casually. Jet frowned, scoffing when Sonic didn't get annoyed as he usually would. Both groups then focused on the screen above them.

READY? SET! GO!!

The race kicks off, with Team Neos showing off the results of their training, managing to throw the Babylon Rogues into a disarray. However, the latter team manages to make a come back, with Wave/Rika and Storm/Arven keeping Tails/Warren and Knuckles/Lily busy, leaving it to Jet/Chase and Sonic/Lucas to win the race when they enter the water hazard area.

Chase and Jet, meanwhile, had managed to speed past Lucas and Sonic, who were well aware that entering a certain area would trigger the rogue wave.

''Looks like you're going to lose again!'' Jet turned his head back, in attempt to taunt Sonic, but to his surprise, he was nowhere to be seen. His and Chase's jaws dropped when the rogue wave appeared, with Lucas and Sonic riding right on it, leaping off and landing ahead of them, exiting the AR Field and crossing the finish line. They turned around, spotting Chase and Jet placing second, followed by Lily, Knuckles, Warren and Tails, with Arven, Storm, Rika and Wave follow them.

''You were saying, oh Legendary Wind Rider?'' Sonic mocked Jet, a smug smirk on his lips.

''It can't be! How could I lose to a Rookie?!'' Jet snapped, furious over his loss. He observed as the rest of Team Neos joined Lucas and Sonic, all of them celebrating their victory. He and Chase were joined by Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm, all stunned by their loss. Jet was still fuming, but looking at his teammates and partner, he couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment. He was supposed to carry this team to victory and now, they were a bunch of losers. It felt like any of their previous experiences had been nullified by this one loss.

''Jet, are you-'' Wave started, but was cut off by Jet.

''Tch! If we lost, we lost! Just know that these guys got lucky!'' he replied in a off-handed manner, slightly surprising his teammates. Sure, he was something of a sore loser, but he wasn't going to let anyone know that. Instead, he walked over to Sonic, who was celebrating with his friends. Sonic spotted the green hawk staring at him, waiting for some kind of response. ''Don't you have anything to say?''

''Oh, right! That was an exciting race, dude!'' Sonic replied, extending his hand, much to Jet's surprise. ''We should race against each other sometime again.''

Jet was genuinely surprised that Sonic didn't attempt to mock him for his loss, staring at the latter's hand for a tense moment. He then scoffed, but did shake Sonic's hand.

''I guess you really are a challenge. Next time, I'll beat you,'' Jet told him, with Sonic just grinning back. Meanwhile, Chase approached Lucas.

''I gotta say, you actually surprised me,'' Chase admitted, with Lucas giving him a confused look. ''For someone who isn't athletic, of course.''

''I had help from my friends,'' Lucas replied, a smile forming on his lips. Chase looked like he was about to say something else, but he didn't, instead just walking away.

Using the trick they had learned from Touka and Shadow, Lucas and Sonic manage to speed past Chase and Jet, winning the race. Chase and Jet are obviously frustrated about their loss, but given Sonic’s cheerful attitude, Jet manages to calm down enough to acknowledge Sonic as his rival, with Chase acknowledging Lucas’ skills. The rest of Team Neos and Babylon Rogues join them, having moved on from their mutual feud and learning that they’re all Irregular ARNavs after Storm complains about being hungry. In the end, both teams agree to another race, where the loser has to treat the winner to lunch.

''Hey, I'm hungry. How about we go eat something?'' he asked. This seemingly innocent question drew the attention of Team Neos, who gave the Babylon Rogues a questioning look. Chase, Jet, Rika and Wave just face-palmed.

''Wait, normal ARNavs don't get hungry… Are you Irregulars?'' Makoto asked in a hushed tone, making sure none of the other racers heard them. Jet, Wave and Storm froze, unsure how to respond because they knew what the consequences of merely existing as an Irregular were, but then Jet stepped ahead.

''So what if we are? Are you going to call the Hunters on us?'' he asked. Sonic snorted.

''Why should we? It's not like were regular ARNavs either,'' he replied. It took them a moment, but the Babylon Rogues realized that Sonic and his friends were also Irregulars. As for their human partners, they were a little worried regarding dropping this bombshell. However, before anyone could say anything, Sonic quickly broke the ice by approaching Jet and elbowing him. ''How about another race? Loser treats the winner to lunch!''

''You sure you wanna risk a rematch? I promise you right now you'll regret it!'' Jet responded, following Sonic to the start line. Their teammates just exchanged glances, wondering how they should even address the situation. Finally, all of them just shrugged, deciding to just ignore the whole situation and move along.

After all, there was another race waiting to happen.

The Babylon Rogues

Jet the Hawk

Jet the Hawk is a recurring character of Sonic Cyber Revolution. He is an Irregular ARNav based on his in-universe video game counterpart and is the partner of Chase Young.

Known as the Legendary Wind Master, Jet is highly arrogant, confident, conceited and holds high standards. He has a massive ego, considering himself the fastest, and holds everyone else in low regard, often bragging about his skills. While he is willing to praise others, he usually makes his compliments short and follows up with an insult.

Jet is usually very rude and disrespectful and has a snide sense of humor. He enjoys insulting others and rubbing his victory or other's losses in their faces. He is extremely prideful and protective of his reputation, not wanting to look bad. He is also a sore loser and refuses the pity of others as he considers it a direct insult to his character. Regardless, he stands by his losses, even if it was because of unexpected events, and will work hard to overcome them. He also despises those who are faster or more confident than him.

Mostly, Jet is laid-back and nonchalant, though he chooses not to show this to people he does not explicitly know, as he is too prideful to show his less-likable traits. While he knows his duties as the leader of the Babylon Rogues, he does not take his responsibilities very seriously and remains unconcerned in the face of issues. However, he knows when to assert his authority. As a team leader, Jet is strict, has little tolerance for failure and dislikes showing any sign of weakness to anyone. While he gets along in general with his Wave and Storm, he tends to get annoyed by their shortcomings.

While he does show a sense of level-headedness, Jet still has a short temper, often ignoring Wave and Storm's frequent arguments. He can also be very greedy and selfish when some kind of treasure is in play. Taking enormous pride in winning, Jet opposes cheating and strives to win fairly by using his own skills, and he genuinely enjoys racing worthy opponents.

Despite having started out as rivals, Jet becomes partners with Chase Young, having acknowledged the latter’s skill in hoverboard racing, with the two getting quite well along due to having similar personalities. Both strive to be top racers, wanting to win with their races their own way and are quite in sync in a race.

Jet has developed a rivalry with Sonic the Hedgehog, scoffing at the latter’s title of The Fastest Thing Alive and wanting to prove himself that he is way faster than the hedgehog. While he had a somewhat antagonistic relationship with Sonic at the beginning, Jet eventually starts respecting Sonic’s skills and is always eager to race the latter.

Chase Young

Chase Young is Jet the Hawk’s partner and, alongside the hawk, the leader of the Babylon Rogues.

Arrogant, confident and always on the search for a thrill, Chase shares a similar mindset to Jet in wanting to prove himself to be the top hoverboard racer using his own skills. Chase considers himself a top racer, not believing that there is anyone better than him, at least until he meets Jet, who matches him in both skill and ego. Despite this similarities, Chase shows a bit more level-headedness than Jet, being actually the one to think things through.

Chase is actually the son of the CEO of a company that designs and builds hoverboards. Feeling that he needs to uphold his family’s reputation, Chase often travels around Starpoint Area along with Rika and Arven to show that he is the best racer there is, participating at various tournaments. Despite his victories, he does feel a sense of hollowness, as he feels that there really isn’t anyone who can match him aside from Jet, seeking someone who he could call his rival.

This desire for finding an equal was actually what drove Chase to bully Lucas Kinomoto when they were younger, whom he knows due to both attending the same class at school. Chase saw potential in Lucas, but due to the latter’s introverted nature, he became frustrated, calling him a shut-in. Lucas doesn’t know the reasons for Chase’s bullying, but he has moved on from it over time, with the two eventually meeting again on the race track during The Babylon Rogues Arc. After Lucas finally shows the potential Chase saw in him, Chase develops a sense of respect for him, with the two having a friendly rivalry.

Wave the Swallow

Wave the Swallow is a recurring character of Sonic Cyber Revolution. She is an Irregular ARNav based on her in-universe video game counterpart and is the partner of Rika Nakano.

Wave is the technical and mechanical expert of the Babylon Rogues, and because of her knowledge on hoverboards, Wave is brimming with self-confidence and can be a bit of a trash-talker and highly critical of others' work with hoverboards. She hates thick-headed or stupid people and she tends to give advice only she can understand. Regardless, Wave is level-headed and serves as the voice of reason in the Babylon Rogues, though she can be mistreated by the other members, Jet in particular.

Wave often refuses to admit others' talents with hoverboard mechanics due to her dislike of anyone who could rival her. She often holds back on her compliments and will either continue to dismiss or deny that the person has any skill at all to cover up any sense of generous gesture she may hold. In the cases she does give compliments, she will disguise them as insults. It is only in the rarest of cases that Wave gives well-meant compliments.

This honest attitude is something Wave only shows around Rika, as both share the same passion in hoverboard tech and taking charge of the team to get anything done. Wave is very serious on a job, staying dedicated to the task at hand, and insists on no lack of dedication from her companions. When things do not go as planned, however, she tends to get impatient. Also, she can be quite stubborn and obstinate when making a decision, and unlike Jet, she is not above cheating to win a race.

Wave has also developed a sense of rivalry with Miles “Tails” Prower, having insulted the fox for the work he and Warren had done on Lucas’ hoverboard, even though she does acknowledge that their “shoddy craftsmanship” is genuinely good, showing a bit of jealousy that the two are good technicians. After their race during The Babylon Rouges Arc, while Wave is frustrated about her loss to Team Neos, she becomes less antagonistic towards them, and is willing to give a genuine compliment to Tails.

Rika Nakano

Rika Nakano is Wave the Swallow’s partner and, alongside the swallow, a member of the Babylon Rogues.

Rika shares a similar role to Wave, being the technical and mechanical expert for the human side of the Babylon Rogues and is very prideful and passionate about her work. She respects Wave and her work as a technician, but will give an attitude to everyone else, being highly-critical of their work with hoverboards.

Rika is the most grounded of the group, keeping Chase and Arven focused on the task at hand and has no issue getting into an argument with Chase if things don’t go their way, often losing her patience with the two. Nevertheless, she is quite loyal to her companions and shares their passion in hoverboard racing.

Her desire is to work at the company Chase’s father owns as a hoverboard mechanic and designer, which is why she accompanies Chase on his journeys.

Rika has also developed a sense of rivalry with Warren Taylor, which is an extension of Wave’s rivalry with Tails, as she sees Warren’s work with hoverboards as beneath her own, shooting insults at him. However, after Warren proves himself to be quite skilled in hoverboard racing, she does acknowledge him as her equal.

Storm the Albatross

Storm the Albatross is a recurring character of Sonic Cyber Revolution. She is an Irregular ARNav based on his in-universe video game counterpart and is the partner of Arven Pryce.

Storm is the muscle of the team, being a hulking individual that possesses incredible physical strength, enabling him to destroy just about anything in his path. In general, Storm is somewhat dim-witted and slow on the uptake, but makes up for it in raw power. He is Jet's most loyal follower and right-hand man, referring to the former as “Boss”. As such, he is always ready for Jet's assignments. Despite being committed to his duties though, Storm has a quick temper, and his clumsiness constantly succeeds in embarrassing himself and his teammates.

When confronting others, Storm takes on a rough and tough attitude by making threats of payback and/or beating up the people in question, in an effort to daunt them. Whenever Storm gets excited, flustered or ill at ease, he tends to stutter, sometimes become gradually speechless, and will drop whatever façade of toughness he may have at that point, and acts like a bumbling and discouraged individual that easily succumbs to the orders of others.

Storm is also quite close with Arven, supporting the latter in doing whatever he wants, which is usually romancing Lily. The two treat each other as best buddies, sharing a similar role in the team and are willing to go along with whatever their leader says. However, Storm does have a tendency to unintentionally insult Arven whenever he attempts to compliment him, which the latter takes in stride.

Storm has also developed a rivalry with Knuckles the Echidna, mainly because he believes that the latter stands Arven’s way of trying to get a date with Lily. However, after being beaten in a race by Team Neos, Storm does start showing a degree of respect for Knuckles, becoming less antagonistic towards him.

Arven Pryce

Arven Pryce is Storm the Albatross’ partner and, alongside the albatross, a member of the Babylon Rogues.

Arven stands as the tallest of the group, having an imposing figure and sharing the role of the muscle alongside Storm. Arven, while certainly less dim-witted than Storm, is still a follower, not having much of an ambition aside from going along with whatever Chase says. He does like to throw his weight around to intimidate other people, and he shares a passion for hoverboard racing with the rest of the group.

Arven is quite laid-back, having a go with the flow attitude, and is quite close with his partner, Storm. He does have a tendency to not think things through, being quite blunt with his statements, which can get him into trouble. Being around Storm, he is usually subjected to some kind of unintentional insult on his partner’s part, as Storm tries to compliment him while also making things worse, but Arven takes this in stride. He is aware that Storm just means well.

Arven has developed a rivalry with Lily Crystle. Well, not a rivalry as much as a one-sided crush on his part and during their first encounter, he challenged her to a race which, if he won, she would go out with him on a date. Naturally, Lily refuses, leading to Arven being focused on crushing her in the race. However, after Team Neos beats him in the race, Arven does back off from her. While he has stopped directly pursuing her, Arven still nurses a crush on her, hoping for the two to get along.

Insert Themes:

Catch Me If You Can by Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Theme of Babylon Rogues/Theme of Jet the Hawk)

Sonic Speed Riders by Sonic Riders

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