When Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles "Tails" Prower first arrived in Sand Blast City, the hedgehog found himself the object of hero worship. However, it turned out that the leader of the Sand Blasters, Jack Rabbit, planned to force Sonic to stay in the city as its protector against the Robian hoard beyond the city's force field dome. Shift was among the group who covered up the pair's biplane under the pretense of needing to do maintenance on it. However, not wanting to be kept against their will, Sonic and Tails were forced to make a break for it. Shift was among the group attempting to recapture (but not harm) the two. Despite this, Sonic destroyed the force field generator, and he and Tails escaped. The Sand Blasters were left to fend off the Robians themselves. Later, the Sand Blasters at