"Monster Mayhem"

Written by: Toni the Mink

All Sonic characters (c) SEGA

Jewel the Canary (c) Toni-the-Mink

A/N: I've written many Sonic stories in the past, but none about the Babylon Rogues. I never thought I would, to be honest, on account 1) I never finished playing "Sonic Riders" and never even TOUCHED "Zero Gravity" and "Free Riders", and second, I'm not even a big fan of the Babylon Rogues...

Yet this idea just popped into my head, and I just couldn't get it out. So I figured I may as well try to make a fun story out of it. Feel free to critique, I may not get the Rogues in character here...

Also inspired by the "Real Adventures of Johnny Quest" episode "Eclipsed"

Enjoy!

The tomb of the great King Bergustein... Legend has it that it was deep in the ruins of Dustopolis, an ancient kingdom located in the middle of the Dust Hill Desert, miles from Central City. No one ever knew if this king really existed, but why else would Jet drag the Babylon Rogues all the way over there? Learning if the great king ever walked the earth was a great importance...

After all, the legend says he was buried with all that treasure! Coins, jewels, riches galore!

"Right here, team!" Jet announced, hopping off his Extreme Gear in excitement, "This! THIS is the place!" Studying the map, he grinned widely as he glanced back up at sandy area around him, breathing in the hot air. "Our destiny awaits... NOW START DIGGING!"

Immediately, he tossed the map aside and started shoveling around him. Storm, his big, gray-feathered lunk of a right-hand man, stepped off his own Gear and followed suit. "Yes sir, boss!"

Wave, having a more sensible side (as well as a brain), wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. She suspiciously grabbed the map Jet had threw aside and looked it over. "Jet..." she sighed, "I know I'm repeating myself here, and I know you're just going to ignore me again... But I really don't think that the 'Great King Bergustein's tomb is here... Heck, how do we even know there WAS a great King Bergustein to begin with? For all we know, it could have been some little fangirl's idea for a stupid fanfic?"

"Come on, Wave!" Jet huffed as he shoveled at the sand, "We haven't had any leads in months! We need a good score! And there's plenty of proof that this King Bergustein existed and we're at his grave site!"

"And what solid proof do we have this is it?" Wave questioned.

"Just look at the map!" shouted Jet, "It brings us right here, where the guy was buried!"

"We don't know that for sure," groaned Wave, "The guy who sold us this map seemed pretty shady."

"You mean that purple weasel I bumped into?" Storm piped in, "He didn't seem so bad. He was really friendly, and he had a nice smile!"

"That giant tooth hardly constitutes as a 'nice smile'," Wave shuddered, "He kinda set off alarms with me. You sure he didn't rip us off?"

"HAH!" Jet laughed, "If anything, WE'RE gonna rip HIM off once we find all this treasure!"

Wave studied the map once more. "Jet... I hate to break it to you, but this map was designed years ago, when the city was still standing."

"Yeah. That means it's authentic, right?"

"Right..."

"So what's the problem?"

"I don't think this is the tomb of King Bergustein... this ground is the remains of an old Burger King."

Jet stopped shoveling. "Burger King...?"

"Yep."

"NO!" the hawk gritted his teeth and shoveled furiously, "I did NOT fly halfway across the world and give up all my savings for that stupid map just to be made a fool of! KEEP SHOVELING! I'm sure there's treasure here!"

"Maybe we'll find a secret recipe for the perfect Whopper!" Storm gleamed.

"Shut up and keep digging!" growled Jet, "You too, Wave! Quit sitting around and help us, or you're not getting your cut!"

Wave turned away in a huff. "You're welcome to my share of nothing..."

Jet and Storm glanced over at each other, and gave greedy grins. "More for us!" they cheered as they continued their shoveling. Wave gave a hopeless sigh, shaking her head in exasperation.

Everyone stopped what they were doing when a high-pitch shriek rang out. Glancing over, they saw a yellow figure in the distance, running away in the desert, while not far behind her, a darker figure gave chase. "What's going on over there?" Wave wondered.

"Storm, can you see?" Jet asked.

The albatross, his eyes sharper than his teammates, leaned forward for a better look... and his heart began beating faster at the sight.

The yellow figure was a canary, and a beautiful one at that. Bright yellow feathers, a silky blue cocktail dress, and her hair hanging over her eyes, which were filled with fright. "Heeeelp!" she cried, "Save me!"

Storm didn't waste a second shoving his allies aside and grabbing his Extreme Gear, racing forward. "Coming!"

"Storm, wait!" Wave called after him.

"Yeah, who d'you think you are knocking me over?!" Jet shouted, "Get back here, you big lunk!"

"Never mind, Jet!" said Wave, grabbing her own Extreme Gear and taking to the skies, "We need to help him! Come on!"

"Just who's leader around here?!" Jet cried out, but begrudgingly did as told.

As the three raced in, they got a better look at the figures, including the dark one chasing the canary. It moved quickly, hovering closer to the canary, a long, silver spear pointed at her. Storm narrowed his eyes and accelerated his board, in hopes to save the girl before the spear could strike, when suddenly-

Everything rumbled around as from the sands, a ginormous snake-like monster shot out, its head knocking hard into the dark figure, sending it toppling to the ground. Its black cloak covered its body whole.

The Rogues' attention, however, was on the enormous creature. "What on Mobius is THAT thing?!" Jet cried.

"A Mobian Sand Snake!" Wave yelped, "I thought those things were only a legend!"

"Just like King Bergustein!" said Jet, "Still think that's not true either?!"

"Not now, Jet!" shouted Wave, "Look out!"

The two zinged in opposite directions as the sand snake dove back into the sand, shaking the earth hard once more as it traveled underground. The cloaked figure slowly sat back up, and rubbed its head... and was sent flying across the horizon when the sand snake surfaced once more and shot into the air. It twisted around and aimed for the sand again, only this time, the yellow canary was sitting in the way.

"Heeelp meeee!" she wailed as the snake got closer, its wide mouth open and ready to swallow her whole...

Had Storm not shot in on his gear and scoop her up in his strong arms, zipping away as the sand snake dove back into the sands. Twisting around, he rode towards Wave, dumping the canary on top of the purple swallow, and knocking her over in the process. "Hold her for me!"

"Uggh!" Wave grunted, falling backwards on the board with the yellow canary in her lap. Sitting upwards, she glared at the girl on top of her, who merely stared back, as if studying her. "Yes?" she snarled, "Can I help you?"

"Oh..!" the canary blinked, and blushed, "So sorry, I was just-"

"Get off me!"

The ground rumbled again as the monster prepared to jump out once again. Storm hovered above, hands stretched out. "Storm, what'er ya doing?!" Jet cried from below.

"Stand back, boss!" Storm called back, "I've got this!"

The sand snake burst out of the sand, jumping to the skies, and taking Storm completely in the mouth.

"Storm!" Jet and Wave cried in unison.

The canary placed her hands on his cheeks in worry. "Oh dear..!"

But something happened... The albatross wasn't swallowed. Instead, the snake appeared to be hovering where Storm would have stood, and the sides of his cheeks expanded and stretched as fists tried to break through. The snake's head jolted from side to side violently, until finally, the jaws were pried open, and with a yell, Storm stretched it wide open.

Everyone on the ground watched in amazement as Storm grabbed the sand snake by the top jaws and threw it back to the ground. Sprawled in the sand, Storm used his gear to shoot downward at full speed with his fist extended. He struck the sand snake with such force, the ground around them shook even harder and the sand below them collapsed. Jet and Wave used their gears to hover back to the sky, with the canary holding ever-so tightly onto Wave.

The snake sank back into the sand, as Storm rose above on his gear. The monster twisted, turned, and returned underground. The earth shook slightly, but soon it lightened up until finally, it stopped completely. It was gone for good.

Storm brushed his hands up and down triumphantly. "Nuttin' to it!"

"Nice job, Storm!" Jet grinned.

"Yeah, not half bad if I say so myself," said Wave, "But don't be so reckless next time. What made you go all Rambo all the sudden?"

"My hero!"

Wave was suddenly shoved to the side as the canary raced over to Storm, wrapping her arms around his big waist, "You were soooo brave!"

Storm gave a goofy grin and rubbed the back of his head. "Aw, shucks," he blushed.

Wave crossed her arms, "Oh give me a break."

"Thank you soooo much for saving me!" the canary sighed, leaning her head against the bashful Storm's chest.

"Yeah, whatever," said Wave as she and Jet turned away.

"Come on, Storm, let's get back to work," Jet ordered. He and Wave stopped in their tracks noticing their third companion wasn't following. Jet turned his head back. "Storm..?"

He got annoyed at the sight of the canary with her arms around Storm's neck, smooching his cheek over and over and over, while Storm stood there oggling her with his tongue hanging out of his beak.

"STORM!"

"Huh, wuh?" Storm looked up suddenly, and the canary dropped back to her feet, "Oh, sorry, boss." He stepped forward, but the canary took a hold on his hand.

"Where're you going in such a big hurry?"

"Oh, uh, the boss is calling me," he replied, "I gotta do what he says."

"Do you have to?" the canary batted her pretty little eyelids. This was enough for the albatross to grin stupidly and turn back to face her once more.

"Yes he DOES!" Jet seethed, "Let's GO, Storm!"

"No, please!" the canary cried, "Don't leave me alone! All these scary myths all over the place! I'm afraid to go home all alone..."

"Awwww, you poor thing," Storm placed his big hands around her little waist and lifted her into the air. "Don't worry, Storm will protect you."

The canary giggled. "Thank you, Storm..."

"AHEM," Jet stepped a little closer to the couple, "If Storm knows what's good for him, Storm will drop the chick and get back to our digging ground."

Wave, however, was curious, "What 'myths' are you talking about?"

"Oh, all these horrible monsters have been popping out all over the city!" she replied, "There I was, minding my own business in the park, when poof! Out of nowhere, I'm being chased by the evil ghost of King Bergustein!"

Jet blinked. "King Bergustein? The legendary king? That cloaked figure was his spirit?"

"Oh yes. He comes out when the moon is full!"

"But it's a bright, sunny day right now," Wave observed.

"He hangs around regardless, until the moon starts to wane."

Jet looked around nervously. "I hope he's not mad that we're digging up his tomb..."

"It's possible!" cried the canary, "He's been scaring people all over Central City! He chased me into the desert!"

Wave skeptically lowered her eyelids. "All the way from the city..? In THOSE heels?" she nodded towards the blue stilettos the canary wore.

"It was mostly adrenaline, I assure you," said the canary, "Ohhh, I'm so exhausted and hot!" she suddenly fell into Storm's direction, having the albatross catch her.

"Awww, boss!" he cried, "We can't leave her all by herself! We gotta help her!"

"She got here herself, she can get back herself," Jet moaned.

"But boss!"

"No arguing!" Jet stomped back to the tomb, "There's no way I'm splitting the treasure four ways!"

"Oh there's no need to split with me," the canary smiled, "I'm already rich."

In a split second, Jet had twisted back and zipped right in front of her, taking a hold of her hand. "Rich, you say?"

The canary giggled. "And if you want, I will reward you handsomely for rescuing me."

"NOW you're talking!" Jet grinned, "What're we standing around here for? Let's get her home!"

Jet grabbed his Extreme Gear and took to the skies. Storm tossed his own gear into the air as it hovered in front of him. "May I?" he held out his arms to the canary. She smiled flirtatiously and nodded, allowing him to scoop her up in his arms and followed his boss.

Wave watched, unimpressed. But seeing she had nowhere else to go, and she'd rather not stay around an old fast-food joint, she shook her head, grabbed her gear, and followed her teammates. "Men..."