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April 25th on Mobius was a day filled with excitement and nostalgia. The annual talent show was in full swing, with acts ranging from Charmy's juggling skills to Cream's magic tricks, and Vector's stand up comedy. But the highlight of the evening was yet to come. Sonic, Tails, Amy, Shadow, Blaze the Cat, Jet the Hawk, and Wave the Swallow had decided to honor the legacy of Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes, who had tragically passed away 23 years earlier in a car accident in Honduras. The talent show was being held in the grand Mobius Community Center, decorated with colorful streamers and spotlights that danced across the ceiling. Knuckles had spent the entire morning hanging decorations, grumbling about how he should be guarding the Master Emerald instead. The audience filled every seat, with familiar faces from across Mobius gathered to witness the showcase of talents. Even Rouge the Bat had shown up, claiming she was "just passing by" though everyone knew she wouldn't miss seeing Shadow dance. The group had chosen to perform a dance routine to TLC's hit song 'No Scrubs.' As they prepared backstage, Sonic adjusted his blue bandana and turned to the group and asked, "Are you guys ready to shake your tails to TLC?" Tails, ever the optimist, tightened his neon wristbands and replied with enthusiasm, "I was born ready!" He'd been practicing his spins all week, sometimes getting so dizzy he'd crash into furniture, much to Amy's amusement. Shadow stood against the wall, arms crossed but clearly invested in their performance. "Let's show them what we've got," he said with a rare hint of excitement in his typically stern voice. Earlier, he had refused to participate until Rouge had somehow convinced him, a conversation nobody else had been privy to. Blaze was practicing her final moves, her purple fur gleaming under the backstage lights. Small flames occasionally flickered at her fingertips when she got particularly into the rhythm. "We've practiced for weeks. This performance will be perfect." Jet, who had been quiet for a moment, suddenly spoke up. "Why did Left Eye die so young?" he asked, his green feathers ruffling slightly as he adjusted his headband. The room grew quiet as everyone turned to listen. Jet wasn't usually one for serious questions, but something about the tribute had touched him. Amy, who had been reading about her life, explained, "She was in a car accident in Honduras. It was a tragic loss for her fans and the music world. She was such a talented artist and left a lasting impact on music." Amy's eyes showed genuine sadness as she spoke. She'd spent hours researching TLC's history, even creating a scrapbook of articles she'd found. "She was only 30 years old," Wave added, shaking her head as she adjusted her feathered bracelets. "But her legacy lives on through her music. That's why this performance means so much." Wave had been the one to choreograph most of their routine, surprising everyone with her knowledge of dance. From the stage, they could hear Vector's booming voice finishing his comedy routine. "And that's why you never trust a crocodile with your lunch money!" The audience erupted in laughter, followed by Espio's quiet sigh that was somehow still audible backstage. After a few more acts, including an impressive magic trick by Cream where she made Cheese the Chao disappear and reappear with a bouquet of flowers, and a comedic juggling routine by Charmy involving honey pots that nearly went disastrously wrong (Vanilla had to help clean honey off the first three rows), it was finally time for Sonic and his friends to take the stage. The announcer, a cheerful walrus with a bowtie named Rotor, called out, "And now, for our next act, please welcome Sonic the Hedgehog and friends with a special tribute performance!" The crowd erupted in cheers as they appeared, dressed in outfits inspired by TLC's iconic style. Sonic wore baggy pants with a silver chain, Tails had a colorful vest, Amy wore a stylish crop top with matching pants, Shadow had reluctantly agreed to wear a backwards cap with his usual attire (though he'd drawn the line at removing his hover shoes), Blaze wore a shimmering purple outfit, while Jet and Wave completed the ensemble with urban streetwear that captured the 90s vibe. The lights dimmed, and a single spotlight illuminated the center of the stage. The music began with the recognizable intro to "No Scrubs," and the group launched into a perfectly choreographed dance routine. Sonic led with confident movements, occasionally adding his signature spin move that sent a cool breeze through the front row. Tails spun with precision, using his twin tails to create impressive aerial moves. Amy hit every beat with grace, her hammer nowhere to be seen for once. Shadow moved with surprising rhythm, his serious expression occasionally breaking into what might have been a smile. Blaze added elegant flair to her steps, tiny embers trailing her movements in a controlled display of her powers, while Jet and Wave brought their own style to the routine, incorporating moves that reminded the audience of their Extreme Gear skills. The crowd was captivated by their energy and precision. Even Dr. Eggman, who had sneaked in wearing a mustache disguise (on top of his real mustache), couldn't help but tap his foot to the rhythm. Cubot and Orbot were beside him, poorly disguised in trenchcoats and sunglasses, recording the whole thing despite Eggman's insistence it was "for research purposes only." When the song ended with a final dramatic pose – Sonic in front with a confident smile, Tails and Amy on either side, Shadow and Blaze in dynamic poses behind them, with Jet and Wave completing the formation – the audience gave them a standing ovation. The applause was deafening as flowers were thrown onto the stage. Big the Cat accidentally threw his fishing rod in excitement, which Froggy had to retrieve. As they accepted their well-deserved applause, Rotor returned to the stage with a mysterious smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very special surprise for our performers tonight." Two special guests appeared on stage—Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas from TLC. The group was shocked and thrilled to meet their idols. Tionne smiled warmly and said, "We are so proud of you all. Your performance was amazing, and we are surprised but delighted to meet such talented, colorful talking animals from the Sonic the Hedgehog universe!" Sonic, usually cool and collected, was starstruck. "This... this is incredible! We're huge fans!" His legs were actually shaking, something Knuckles would certainly tease him about later. Rozonda added, "You guys would have been the perfect backup dancers for TLC. We would have loved to have you on stage with us back in the day." The group blushed at the compliment but beamed with pride. Wave actually had to steady herself against Jet, overwhelmed by the praise. Tails couldn't contain his excitement. "Did you hear that? They liked our performance!" he whispered to Amy, who was trying not to squeal with delight. His tails were spinning so fast he was hovering a few inches off the ground without realizing it. Shadow, maintaining his composure better than the others, stepped forward and said, "Your music transcends dimensions. It's an honor to meet you both." Even he couldn't hide the slight quiver in his voice – something Maria would have been proud to see. As the night came to a close, Sonic and his friends had not only won the talent show but had also made a lasting impression on TLC. They had honored Left Eye's memory in the best way possible—through music and dance. And who knows? Maybe in some alternate universe, they would have been the backup dancers for TLC, shaking their tails to the rhythm of 'No Scrubs' on stage with the legendary group themselves.