Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory franchise or any characters associated with the franchise. All rights belong to Roald Dahl, Tim Burton, and Warner Bros. Pictures. I also do not own anything or anyone from the following franchises: SEGA Superstars, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Monkey Ball, Samba de Amigo, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Crazy Taxi, Alex Kidd, Space Channel 5, Fantasy Zone, and ChuChu Rocket. All rights belong to SEGA. This is not my intellectual property, and no financial gain is made from this nor will be sought. This is purely for entertainment purposes only.
Chapter 1 - An Invitation
"Charlie!" Mr. Wonka cried as he rushed towards his apprentice, carrying a white envelope in his left hand. Charlie was sitting in front of a large screen which continuously displayed data about the chocolate river inside the Chocolate Room, such as its temperature, viscosity, consistency, and so on. "This envelope is addressed to you, my dear boy."
"Really?" Charlie asked, swiveling around in his armchair as his mentor handed him the envelope.
"Go on, open it!" Mr. Wonka told him, jumping up and down with excitement. Charlie opened the letter to find a ticket that looked almost exactly like the Golden Ticket he found before the tour, but this one was a light, metallic blue. Like the Golden Ticket, this one had a message printed on it.
"Dear Charlie Bucket," he read aloud, "It has been my honor to send you this ticket. You've been invited to participate in a Grand Prix tournament with your friends, along with the one and only Sonic the Hedgehog, his friends, and lots of other racers, too! The tournament will be held in the city of Station Square, and we'll see you in the banquet hall at Hôtel de Blanc tomorrow evening at six o'clock. The tutorials and races will begin the day after, so get ready for some high-octane action! Signed, Joe Benson, Mayor of Station Square, along with All-Stars Racing. This sounds like fun! Are you going as well?"
"Of course I am!" Mr. Wonka replied enthusiastically. "That's why I was so eager to hand you the letter; since I received a ticket just like yours earlier. Augustus, Veruca, Violet, and Mike received theirs a few days ago, and they notified me via email that they would be attending as well, so I'm expecting to see everyone at the factory tomorrow, at 10 AM sharp. From there on, we'll fly to Station Square in my private jet. The Oompa-Loompas already know where to go, and Doris will be our pilot."
"Fantastic!" Charlie exclaimed happily, leaping out of his seat. "I guess I'll notify the rest of my family and share the news with them! They'll be so excited to hear about this!" He quickly checked his watch. "Oh, and it's almost dinner time anyway. Thank you so much, Mr. Wonka!"
"Shall we walk to the Chocolate Room together?" Willy asked. "That way, we can both break the news at the same time, haha!"
"Let's do it," Charlie affirmed. The two chocolatiers proceeded to journey down the vast maze of corridors towards the Bucket family's house in the middle of the Chocolate Room.
Inside the house, Mr. and Mrs. Bucket were finishing the process of making dinner for everyone. Meanwhile, Charlie's four grandparents had risen out of bed, but they didn't take their eyes off their brand-new 65-inch flatscreen TV, which was currently tuned to CNN. A young female reporter was smiling at the camera, and the headline at the bottom of the screen read: "GRAND PRIX RACE TO BE HELD IN STATION SQUARE, FEATURING WILLY WONKA, CHARLIE BUCKET AND THE OTHER GOLDEN TICKET WINNERS, AND SONIC THE HEDGEHOG".
"Good evening," the reporter announced. "We have breaking news! There will be a special event, a Grand Prix, taking place in the city of Station Square. The mayor of Station Square, as well as All-Stars Racing, has invited none other than the world-famous chocolatier, Willy Wonka, his apprentice, Charlie Bucket, as well as the other four Golden Ticket winners who originally toured Wonka's factory five years ago."
Grandpa Joe's jaw dropped wide open. "Wait, you mean they're gonna be racing each other?!" he spluttered in bewilderment.
"The entire event will be televised, as well as streamed online via all social networking platforms," the reporter continued, "so that everyone at home could share the full experience. The creators of the event have designed special courses and vehicles for the racers to compete with. We'll have more updates on this momentous event as it—"
"MOM! DAD!" The door burst open and Charlie Bucket came running into the house, and Mr. Wonka followed closely behind. "You won't believe it! We just got invited to a race in Station Square!"
"We already know, Charlie," Mrs. Bucket spoke softly. "It's all over the news. I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you so much, Mom," Charlie said before giving her a hug.
"What a fantastic opportunity!" Grandpa Joe spoke up. "This will be a great way for you to make yourself and Mr. Wonka even more widely known than you already are. I'm sure you'll have a great time."
"Thanks, Grandpa Joe."
"All right, dinner is ready," Mr. Bucket announced as he finished setting the table. "Seat yourselves."
Tonight's dinner consisted of a beef roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a Greek salad. While everyone was enjoying their meal, the conversation was still focused on the upcoming race.
"Do you know if the other guardians will be going with them as well?" Mrs. Bucket asked Mr. Wonka.
"They won't be," he replied with a smile. "They'll be staying with you fellows, if you don't mind."
"But we don't have enough room in this house for everyone to watch TV all at once!" Grandma Josephine protested.
"Don't worry, we already have that taken care of," Willy reassured her. "Everyone will be watching the event from inside the Projection Room, which as you know, is our state-of-the-art movie theater. Of course, meals and refreshments will be provided, and the Oompa-Loompas will make everyone feel as comfortable as possible. You don't have to worry about anyone or anything."
Grandma Josephine spoke up. "What is this Sonic the Hedgehog thing they were talking about on the news earlier?"
"Sonic is a blue hedgehog that apparently can run faster than the speed of sound!" Charlie answered.
"That's nonsense!" Grandpa George interjected. "Hedgehogs can't even run as fast as an average human!"
"Calm down, George," Mr. Wonka told him. "If we could teleport chocolate bars to millions of TV sets around the world, and make sentient candies such as Square Candies that Look Round as well as our chocolate birds, and make ice cream that doesn't melt in even the hottest temperatures, then I don't see why a being like Sonic couldn't exist. Besides, we'll all get to see him and his friends tomorrow evening!" Turning to his apprentice, he added, "Isn't that right, Charlie?"
"You bet," Charlie replied with a thumbs-up.
"I'll cheer you guys on the whole time!" Grandpa Joe said. "Who's with me?" Everyone raised their hands. "Fantastic! But if this Sonic creature is as fast as you say he is, then your cars will have to go supersonic in order to catch up with him!"
"Actually, I don't think it'll work that way," Willy said. "From what I heard, Sonic will be driving a vehicle as well, to make sure the race is fair. Otherwise, he would lap us a dozen times before the race is done!"
"Will you guys be wearing helmets?" Mrs. Bucket inquired. "I don't want you to get injured out there."
"I'm sure the safety gear will be more than adequate for us," Mr. Wonka responded. "Think about all the legal ramifications that could happen otherwise. Besides, the mayor of Station Square is one of the people who organized this event. He's got it all in the bag."
"Wonderful," Mrs. Bucket said, clasping her hands together. "Now Charlie, I think it's time you get yourself ready for bed. You've got a busy and exciting day ahead of you tomorrow." Charlie nodded, and he rose up from his chair. He even took the time to clear the table, placing all of the dishes into the dishwasher before filling it with soap and turning it on. "Thank you so much for cleaning up after us, Charlie."
"You're welcome, Mom," Charlie said, kissing the top of her forehead. "Sweet dreams." He said goodnight to his father, his four grandparents, and finally Mr. Wonka before ascending the spiral stairs that led to his room.
Meanwhile, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were sitting in the arrivals area of the Station Square International Airport as they waited for the rest of their competition to show up. It was a large, spacious atrium with a clear view of one of the runways, dozens of comfortable armchairs, and TV screens overhead that displayed the estimated arrival times of each and every plane that was scheduled to land.
"If Amy continues shopping at the rate she is now," Knuckles said jokingly to Sonic, "she's gonna be as broke as those Eggman robots we routinely destroy."
"Heh, very funny," Sonic replied sarcastically. "I wonder how she manages her money, anyway. I know we're technically considered celebrities, but that doesn't mean we have a multi-million dollar mansion all to ourselves. Besides, I just like to go wherever I please. You should know that by now."
"Hey, don't make me look stupid!" the red echidna growled, clenching his fists.
"Well, I can't help it if you're slow, can I?" Sonic replied, a cocky grin forming on his face. "Besides, I prefer to think on my feet."
"Shut up!" Knuckles shouted, only to be met with stares and glares from the people who were within earshot of the commotion.
Tails' sapphire eyes were glued to the ever-changing list of incoming planes that updated itself every thirty seconds. Station Square's airport was one of the largest in the nation, and the sheer volume of traffic coming and going certainly didn't prove otherwise.
"Sonic!" Tails called, pointing at one of the screens. "Knuckles! Flight 543 has just landed at 6:20 PM, right on time. Everyone who's chosen to fly is officially here!"
"Who's on that flight?" Sonic wondered. "I'm curious."
"Shadow, Big, AiAi, Amigo, Alex Kidd, Ulala, and B.D. Joe," the twin-tailed fox replied. "Billy Hatcher, the ChuChus, and Opa-Opa have already arrived at the hotel via train."
"I know Eggman has been entered into this competition," Sonic said, "but where is he?"
"He's over there," Tails answered, pointing at a group of people some distance away. The rotund mad scientist was being escorted towards one of the airport's main entrances by no fewer than eight security guards and two K-9 units.
Sonic gave Dr. Eggman a cheeky grin as the guards led him out of sight. "Well then, I hope poor Egghead will enjoy getting his butt whipped during the race."
"We'll see about that," Knuckles muttered, crossing his arms.
"Oh, Sonic!" a female voice rang out. "I'm back!"
Sonic sighed. "Great, here comes Amy." Sure enough, the pink hedgehog was sprinting towards him, holding more than a few shopping bags in her hands. "So...uh, how was your shopping spree?"
"Fantastic!" Amy replied, clasping her hands together while looking Sonic in the eyes with a lovesick expression. "I mostly bought various beauty products, but I also got a new dress for myself, which you'll see firsthand during our formal dinner tomorrow night! Whaddya think?"
"Cool, Ames," Sonic quickly said, winking at her before turning back to face Tails and Knuckles.
Amy tapped Sonic on the back a few times, and he whirled around to face her once again. "Sonic, I forgot to mention one more thing!"
"What is it?" Sonic questioned. In response, Amy reached into one of her bags and pulled out a box of assorted chocolates. "You got chocolates, I see?"
"Not just any old chocolates," Amy replied. "They're Wonka's chocolates, the best kind around!"
This captured Tails' attention. "I'm not sure if you guys knew this, but Willy Wonka himself will also take part in this competition, as well as Charlie Bucket and everyone else who went on a tour of his factory a few years ago. I received official word from the mayor recently."
"Really?!" Amy squealed with excitement. "I've always wanted to meet them in person! How about you, Sonic?"
"Eh, I guess I'm cool with it," Sonic said, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm more excited about beating Eggman once and for all than anything else."
Amy glared at Sonic. "That's the only response I get? Are you kidding me?!" She brandished her Piko-Piko hammer, but just as she was about to swing it towards Sonic, Tails dashed in front of her with a stern look on his face.
"Amy," he asserted, "you know that weapons of any kind aren't allowed in the airport! You could be arrested!"
"You're right," Amy said sheepishly, putting the hammer away. "Sorry about that."
"Just remember that for next time, okay?" Tails pleaded. Amy silently nodded.
"Back to what I was talking about," Tails continued, "Willy Wonka and the others are due to show up at Hôtel de Blanc at 6 PM tomorrow. This will be one heck of a race! I'm so excited!"
"I'm curious to see what kind of vehicles they'll be driving," Knuckles said. "We don't even know what our vehicles will be like!"
"I bet mine will be a plane," Tails said eagerly.
"Mine will certainly be the fastest," Sonic boasted, jabbing his thumb into his chest. "I'm sure of that."
"I hope to be racing in the prettiest car ever built," Amy added.
Lastly, Knuckles said, "I'll just have to wait and see what mine will look like, but even if it doesn't handle well, my sheer strength will more than make up for it!" He was about to playfully punch Tails, but the fox was nowhere to be seen. "What the...? Where'd Tails go?"
"Sonic!" Tails' excited voice sounded from around a corner. "The others just made it through the baggage claim! They're here!"
"Sweet!" Sonic exclaimed. "Let's go!" He frantically dashed towards the exit doors of the baggage claim where Tails was patiently waiting, and Knuckles and Amy showed up a few seconds later. The glass doors automatically slid open, and Shadow was the first individual to make his entrance known, towing a black suitcase behind him. A smirk developed on the red-and-black hedgehog's face as he laid eyes on his blue look-alike.
"Hey, blue hedgehog," Shadow said calmly as he walked up to Sonic. They casually shook hands, a symbol of how their former hatred for each other had since been toned down into a friendly rivalry. "I hope you're ready to compete against me, because I won't make it easy for you nor everyone else. Not one bit."
"I'm always ready, Faker!" Sonic replied. "Feel free to dish out everything you've got on the track! I'll be more than happy to put up a friendly fight with you over there."
"You've got yourself a deal," Shadow said.
Big was the next mammal to appear. He was a large, purple cat with purple fur covering most of his body, with the notable exception of his chest, torso, and muzzle, which were covered with white fur. His attire consisted of large yellow gloves, yellow sandals, and a belt with an oversized golden buckle. He was wheeling in a large, purple suitcase. His friendly yellow eyes lit up as soon as he walked in.
"Hi, Big," Sonic called out, greeting him with a friendly wave. He noticed that Big's pet frog was nowhere to be seen. "Froggy didn't hop away on you again, did he?"
"No, Sonic," Big said in a reassuring tone. "Cream the Rabbit is taking care of him. However, Cream is expected to show up during the races, so I'm sure I'll be able to hold my beloved Froggy then."
"Cream isn't racing, is she?" Amy inquired. "She didn't enter herself into the race, as far as I know." Big shook his head in response.
"No, she'll just be watching us from the grandstands," the cat replied. "She's supposed to arrive at the hotel tomorrow morning."
"I see," Amy said with a smile. "Well, if I don't get to see her before the first race begins, please tell her that I said hello."
"I'll do that, Amy," Big promised.
Suddenly, the sound of maracas shaking was heard as two rather excited monkeys paraded through the doors.
"Here come AiAi and Amigo!" Tails announced. "Hola!"
AiAi had unusually large ears, and he wore an orange shirt with a white capital "A" on the front, along with a blue backpack. Amigo wore a colorful sombrero, a green T-shirt, and blue jeans. In each hand, he held a wooden maraca whose colors matched those of his sombrero. AiAi was taking care of both his and Amigo's bags.
Amigo walked straight up to Sonic and gave him a high-five, since he couldn't speak.
"How are you doing, my buddy?" Sonic asked him. In response, he smiled and furiously shook his maracas. "That's great! I'm glad you're excited and ready for some action!"
Tails walked up to AiAi with a banana in his hand. "Would you like this?" he asked, and AiAi happily grabbed the yellow fruit for himself. He expertly peeled the skin in a fashion that only monkeys do, and within seconds, the fruit was gone and all that was left was an empty banana peel, which he promptly tossed into the nearest garbage can.
"Hey, everyone!" a child's voice called out. Seconds later, a short boy with chocolate-brown hair and aqua-green eyes stepped through the open doors. He wore a yellow jumpsuit with a red jacket, and yellow boots, and he was pulling a blue suitcase behind him.
"Alex Kidd!" Tails acknowledged. "How are you today?"
"I'm great!" Alex replied, pumping his fist into the air. "Although I will admit, I am feeling a little anxious, because I've never raced before."
"You don't need to be worried," Tails said reassuringly, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'll give you all the advice and tips I've got during our dinner this evening. Plus, you'll also get to meet Willy Wonka, the amazing chocolatier!" Alex's cute face lit up at the mention of Mr. Wonka. "And from what I've researched, he knows a thing or two about racing as well!"
"Wow, that's great!" Alex cheered. "I'll see you later, then!" He gave the fox a high-five before walking away to mingle with the others.
The next person to enter was a tall, young woman named Ulala. She had bright-pink hair which was styled into two ponytails, and on top of that was a white headset with a microphone extending towards her perfect lips. Below her neck was a white midriff top with a blue number 5 inside a matching blue circle. Just below her half-explosed abdomen, she wore a white mini-skirt with a silver trim on the bottom. The lower half of her long, slender legs were covered with thin white stockings, which seamlessly met up with her orange-soled, high-heeled boots. On her hands, she wore white gloves with cuffs that stretched all the way up to her elbows. She was a reporter for a news station called Space Channel 5, as well as a talented dancer and musician.
"Welcome to Station Square, Ulala!" Tails greeted. She smiled at the fox with a twinkle in her light-blue eyes before leaning next to Sonic against the wall.
"Heeey girrrrl," the blue hedgehog teased, causing Ulala to burst into giggles. "Long time no see!"
"Oh, Sonic, you're such a clown!" Ulala chuckled, playfully slapping him on the back. "It has been a long time indeed! That tennis match I played against you earlier was so exhilarating!"
"I know, right?" Sonic replied. "What were those weird alien creatures that accompanied you during the game, by the way? Their names started with an 'M', if I recall properly."
Ulala cocked her head to one side. "Morolians, you mean?" Sonic nodded. "They invaded—er, will invade Earth, I guess, in the year 2499. As a news reporter, I went to the scene of the invasion to investigate and broadcast the events. The Morolians were armed with ray guns that forced their victims to dance. I soon found out that they were being brainwashed by Chief Blank, former CEO of Space Channel 5, to garner better ratings for the channel. After his defeat, we treated the Morolians as normal, trustworthy citizens."
"Wow, that's interesting!" Sonic remarked. "Will you be able to summon them again, during the race?"
"More than likely," Ulala said, winking at him.
"Perfect!" Tails suddenly exclaimed, causing everyone to jump in surprise. The fox eagerly watched as one last silhouette made its way to the doors. "Everyone is officially here now."
The doors slid open one last time, and a tall man with dark skin pranced his way into the room, gripping the handle of a bright-yellow suitcase. A hat with fiery-orange flower designs on it sat atop his buzz-cut hair, complemented by a pair of sunglasses that obscured his otherwise vibrant eyes. He wore a navy blue T-shirt with a grey long-sleeve shirt underneath, and a pair of red shorts covered the upper half of his clean-shaven legs. Lastly, his feet were encased in a pair of red sneakers with yellow laces. His name was B.D. Joe, and he was known for his jolly, upbeat attitude, as well as being the fastest and craziest taxi driver in all of Station Square.
"Yo, everyone!" he greeted enthusiastically. "'Sup?"
"Welcome back, B.D. Joe!" Tails said. "How was your vacation down in Cuba?"
"Oh, it was great, man!" the cabbie replied, giving him a thumbs-up. "Nothin' but scorching hot rays, white sand, and o'course, all those damn pretty ladies! I'd go back right now if I could, but we've got a race to win!" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an overstuffed leather wallet. Inside it was his taxi driver's license, which he pinned to the front of his shirt. "And I'll be your driver today! I'll send you guys to Emerald Coast almost as fast as you can say my name! Now let's get it on!"
He led everyone past the ticket counter, giving the clerks a friendly wave before heading towards an automatic revolving door, which led into the parking lot. Since there wasn't enough room for everyone and their luggage to fit in all at once, B.D. Joe and Ulala occupied one section as it slowly turned in a counterclockwise direction, then Alex Kidd and Shadow entered the next section. AiAi and Amigo were the next ones to make their exit, followed by Big and Amy. Sonic and Tails were next, and Knuckles was the last one to exit the terminal.
"Alright," B.D. Joe said, "follow me, everyone! Ready for a lil' taxi ride?"
"Whoa!"
"Hey! Watch it!"
"That was so close!"
"Holy cow!"
"You're going too fast!"
Those were just a few utterances from everyone on board B.D. Joe's rental van, since there wasn't enough room for everyone in his trademark yellow cab. Rap music blared at top volume as he skillfully wove through dense city traffic, skidded around sharp corners, and plowed through major intersections on the way to Hôtel de Blanc. The one and only time he completely stopped was for an ambulance to speed across the intersection, then he slammed the pedal down to the floor once again, pinning everyone's heads against the headrests. It wasn't long before they reached the hotel, which was a large, stately building with a red roof and at least twelve floors. B.D. Joe pulled right up to the entrance and cut the engine.
"That was some ride!" Sonic said as he jumped out of the van. "Thanks, B.D. Joe!"
"Anytime!" the driver replied, giving Sonic a high-five. "And since I'm coming with you guys, you've no need for payment!"
With the exception of Shadow, Knuckles, and AiAi, the others didn't seem to be doing so well, since they stumbled out of the vehicle, clutching onto their stomachs.
"Ugh...I don't feel so good," Amy shakily moaned as she tried to steady herself.
"Me neither," Big added, lying down and rolling over on the pavement. Even Amigo was wobbling for a few seconds, dropping his maracas in the process. Sonic immediately ran to his aid.
"Here you go," Sonic said as he handed the maracas back to the Mexican monkey. Amigo shook his maracas, and Sonic couldn't help but smile as Amy and Ulala began dancing to the rhythm. B.D. Joe decided to join in with improvised beatboxing before Tails whistled loudly, silencing everyone in the process.
"Come on, guys!" the fox commanded as he unlocked the van's hatch. "We don't have all night to check in!"
"Right then, let's go!" Sonic said impatiently. He grabbed his suitcase, which was conveniently located right in front of him, and dashed into the hotel.
"He sure is excited," Knuckles mentioned while scratching the top of his head.
"As always," Amy added as she grabbed her own luggage, which included the stuff she bought at the airport. Of course, she was the next one to enter the building, for the sake of being with her speedy blue crush.
It didn't take long for everyone else to reunite with their bags and head inside the building. Once inside, they feasted their eyes on the architecture of the main lobby, a spacious room with a thirty-foot high ceiling and wine-colored carpet on the floor. Four crystal chandeliers were arranged in a row, from front to back. Along the left-hand wall, there was a long oak counter that served as the reception desk. A row of six golden elevator doors occupied the opposite wall, and digital displays above each door were counting up and down as the elevators ascended and descended from floor to floor. At the very back was a sliding glass door that led outside to the beach, and just before it, there were two hallways that led to the left and right wings, where all the guest rooms were located.
A group of men and women dressed in black uniforms marched into the lobby from the back door. They all lined up side-by-side, smiled at the team of racers, and bowed their heads simultaneously before returning to their full height a few seconds later.
A tall brunette who stood in the center of the group stepped forward a few paces.
"Welcome to Hôtel de Blanc, dear racers!" she spoke cheerfully. "How are you this wonderful evening?" Everyone cheered in response. "Excellent! My name is Rebecca, and I'm one of the executive directors of All-Stars Racing! Now, we won't actually be staying in the main building. See those doors in front of you? They provide access to the beach, and there are several dune buggies waiting there, with resort personnel on board. They will drive you to a secluded hotel located at the far end of Emerald Coast. Yes, Sonic, you can run instead if you wish to do so. Anyway, once you get there, the clerk will give you your electronic room key, a map of the area, the itinerary for the duration of the event that shows you when and where you should be at specific times, and of course, your car keys." Everyone became visibly excited, even Shadow who was generally known as an introvert. "The race tracks are located on a man-made island not too far away from here, and you'll access them via ferry. They've been carefully designed to recreate various locations from where you all come from.
Oh, and three more things: one, there are three other racers, named Opa-Opa, Billy Hatcher, and the ChuChus. I'll introduce them to you tonight. Two: you'll meet up with your vehicles tomorrow night. And three, as you may know, we have special guests who you'll also meet tomorrow night. They are Willy Wonka, Charlie Bucket, Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt, and Mike Teavee. They'll be included in our roster, and we built special vehicles for them as well." Rebecca paused, clasping her hands over her chest. "There, I think that about covers it! I'll lead you towards the dune buggies, and you'll be shown your rooms! Our buffet dinner will begin in about an hour and a half, so please meet me back here at that time! Bye for now!"
"Awww, why can't I share my room with Sonic?" Amy moaned as Sonic and Tails disappeared into their room, labeled 425.
"Sorry, Amy," Ulala said, laying her hand on the pink hedgehog's shoulder to console her. "You've been assigned to this room, but don't forget, you'll see Sonic again during dinner tonight, and provided the Do Not Disturb sign isn't out, you can enter anyone's room if you wish to do so. Remember to knock first, of course."
"I guess," Amy pouted. "But...at least I'll get to know more about you, since you're my roommate now!"
"That's more like it!" Ulala said cheerfully. She tapped her card against the sensor, and with a soft click, the door labeled 426 unlocked itself. "Let's explore our room, shall we?"
The girls first entered a short hallway, with two doors on the right-hand side. One door led into a spacious walk-in closet, with plenty of hangers and shelves. The other door revealed the bathroom, complete with a vanity that stretched all the way down the right-hand side, a private room where the toilet was located, a large shower, and a Jacuzzi tub.
"Wow," Amy said, stricken with awe. "I'm starting to love this place already!"
Beyond the bathroom door, the hallway opened up into a spacious room with two queen-size beds, an enormous flatscreen TV, and a large pair of sliding doors that led out onto a balcony overlooking the beach. There was also a counter featuring a sink, mini-fridge, coffee maker, and a microwave, as well as a safe to store valuables. Of course, Wi-Fi was also available, much to Amy's delight since she could use her iPhone without worrying about data charges. Ulala selected the bed closest to the bathroom, leaving Amy to take the bed which offered the best view of the beach.
"So," Ulala said as she sat on the edge of her bed, "shall we talk? I think we should get to know each other, since I'm sure we have at least something in common."
Meanwhile, Sonic and Tails had just finished unpacking their suitcases. Their room was identical to the one Amy and Ulala were staying in. Like Amy, Tails was pleased to find out there was Wi-Fi available.
"Whatcha doing, Tails?" Sonic inquired as Tails booted up his laptop.
"I'll be using Google Maps to see if I can get an aerial view of the tracks we'll be racing on!" the fox replied. He typed in his username and password to log in, connected the laptop to the Internet, and began searching around for the location of the island. Seconds later, he found it, and his eyes bugged out. "Wow, Sonic! Look at this! It's amazing!"
The island appeared to be separated into several different zones, each of which contained at least two or three different race tracks. Sonic's jaw dropped as Tails zoomed in to take a closer look. He could see tracks that were reminiscent of Seaside Hill, Casino Park, and Final Fortress, which were a few landmarks from his home world. There were also several unfamiliar locations, and he guessed those were tracks based on landmarks from the other racers' home locations.
"They really went all-out with designing these race courses," Sonic said as he gazed at three tracks from Seaside Hill: Whale Lagoon, Lost Palace, and Ocean Ruin. The Ocean Ruin track even had a vertical loop in a glass tunnel that rose out of the water! "I hope you're just as excited as I am!"
"Of course I am!" Tails replied, giving Sonic a thumbs-up. "But are you as hungry as I am? If so, we'd better get back to the main lobby soon." He closed his laptop, putting it to sleep.
"All right!" Sonic said. "Let's go!"
Dr. Eggman's room was located in the basement. His room, labeled B01, was almost identical to that of the other rooms, featuring the same luxurious amenities. There were a couple of differences, however. A large window occupied the upper half of the wall instead of a sliding door, and in the short hallway where the closet and bathroom were located, there was a door on the left side, which led into an enormous workshop!
"Perfect!" the scientist whooped as the lights turned on, giving him a clear view of his Eggman cave. There was just about every kind of tool imaginable, as well as a row of computers, and an orange tarp in the center of the room that was covering something. He yanked the tarp away, and the sight of his new yet unfinished vehicle made him drool with excitement. "Oh, my brand-new beautiful baby! Time for me to get to work on building my latest creation!"
It wasn't all that long before the racers, including Dr. Eggman, met up with Rebecca in the main lobby of Hôtel de Blanc. Rebecca stood near the reception desk with a radiant smile on her face.
"Welcome back, everyone!" she said. "Looks like you all came on time, and some..." she looked at Sonic and Tails, "even came early! I bet you're all hungry, so I'll show you where our main restaurant is located!"
Rebecca led them down the left hallway just by the rear doors, and after another left-hand turn, they entered an enormous, dimly-lit room with red carpeting, an ornate ceiling, and a row of long tables that were covered with black tablecloths. At the far end of the restaurant, there were several rows of buffet counters that contained a wide assortment of salads, meats, pastas, pizzas, sushi, and decadent desserts. Much to Sonic's delight, one of the sections of the meat counter was piled high with chili dogs, his favorite food.
"Seat yourselves, everyone," Rebecca said, and her guests proceeded to do so. "You may either look at the menu or order from the buffet, whatever you decide. Also, for those aged 21 and older, you may look at our alcoholic beverages menu. Enjoy!"
Of course, Sonic immediately sprang up from his chair and made a beeline for the chili dogs. After piling five of them onto his plate, he returned to the table and began chowing down on them. Tails picked a turkey leg from the meat counter. Knuckles was at the salad bar, gathering grapes and other kinds of fruit. Amy spent a few minutes of her time at the dessert bar, choosing one of everything. Ulala selected several types of sushi from the buffet, as well as a bowl of cherry vanilla ice cream for dessert. Big ate a variety of fish, and Dr. Eggman asked the server behind the meat counter to get him the biggest burger they could possibly make. The others decided to order various items from the menu.
While everyone was happily talking and eating, Rebecca was testing the microphone that was placed in front of a tall wooden podium.
"Can I have everyone's attention, please?" Rebecca spoke into the microphone. The whole room fell silent after a few seconds. "Perfect. Now, if you look at the projection screen behind me, I've got one more announcement to make before we turn in for the night. As you know, we have a few extra racers joining us tonight, so please give them a hand!"
The entire room erupted in cheers and applause.
"Up first is Billy Hatcher!" The screen showed a live camera feed of a young boy wearing a rather extravagant outfit. His blond hair was mostly hidden by a white helmet with red combs protruding from it, giving him a slight rooster-like appearance. He wore a white sleeveless shirt, blue trousers, blue and brown shoes with golden buckles, and azure fingerless gloves on his hands. His blue eyes were filled with joy as he smiled and waved at his fellow racers, who gave him a standing ovation.
"Thank you so much, Billy," Rebecca said as he disappeared from the screen. "He preferred to ride the train, so that's the reason you guys didn't see him until now. Up next is Opa-Opa!"
On the screen was Opa-Opa, a sentient spacecraft. He had feathery white wings, an opaque cyan screen on the front, a hint of red on the back, and a green underbelly. Coming out from the underbelly were two skinny yellow legs with large golden feet. He flapped his wings as a sign of acknowledgement, and the audience cheered.
"Thanks, Opa-Opa!" Rebecca said. "Lastly, we have the ChuChus! Can you four come up here, please?"
The camera feed displayed four mice that happily scurried up to the podium. Rebecca carefully took each one in her hands, helping them to stand on an elevated table.
"Meet the ChuChus!" she announced. She pointed to a white mouse with blue ears and legs. "This is Chiuh." The next ChuChu had red ears and legs. "This is ChuPea." The camera focused on a green ChuChu. "This is ChuBach." Lastly, she pointed to a yellow ChuChu. "And this is ChuBei. They may be small, but don't let that fool you. They are up there with the best of you guys. Please give a round of applause to the other racers!" The clapping and cheering was even more deafening than before, and everyone stood up as they continued to applaud. Eventually, the noise died down upon Rebecca's request.
"Now, I take it that everyone has finished eating, am I correct?" Rebecca asked, and cheers erupted throughout the room once again. "Fantastic! I'm glad you enjoyed your food, and major props to our hard-working chefs! I'll give you clearance to head back to your rooms for the night, because you need to rest up for the opening ceremony tomorrow evening. Good night, everyone!" A final roar of applause drowned out every other sound in the room, and it wasn't until the clock struck ten that everyone finally stood up and exited the restaurant, leaving the area almost as quiet and dark as the beach outside.
Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this nice, long introduction to my first crossover story! In case you're wondering about the title, I called it "The Speedy Chocolatier Showdown" as a reference to the competition between Willy Wonka and Sonic the Hedgehog during the upcoming race! To make things easier to remember, here is the full list of characters who will be racing in my story, along with the source material from where they were originally introduced.
Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Charlie Bucket (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Augustus Gloop (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Veruca Salt (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Violet Beauregarde (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Mike Teavee (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Amy (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Knuckles (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Shadow (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Big (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Dr. Eggman (Sonic the Hedgehog)
AiAi (Super Monkey Ball)
Amigo (Samba de Amigo)
Billy Hatcher (Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg)
B.D. Joe (Crazy Taxi)
Alex Kidd (Alex Kidd)
Ulala (Space Channel 5)
Opa-Opa (Fantasy Zone)
The ChuChus (ChuChu Rocket)
By the way, I used to think Ulala was smoking hot when I was younger, hence the reason I ended up describing her in such detail. As always, please feel free to review, and stay tuned for more! :D