Chapter 3: They Came From The Pits
Tails was in awe as they crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. "I've heard Oz lay over the rainbow, but this… this is beautiful!"
Rainbow smiled, "It's my home. We try to make the Earth as bright and colorful as Rainbowland. It's our duty."
"It's the inhabitants of Earth that get in the way," said Tails, somewhat wistfully.
Brian turned around, "That's not fair, Tails. The people on Earth have done many great things. We've been to the moon, and we're going to go further. Who knows? Maybe there's another world with it's own rainbows, out there, somewhere."
Tails shrugged. Starlite continued his gallop towards the Color Castle. He touched down in front of the main door of the Castle. Rainbow slid off, followed by Tails and Brian. Rainbow opened the door, where Twink waited. Behind him, the Color Kids waited for news. They collectively blinked as Tails made his way in, staring at everything, much as Brian did when he first visited Rainbowland.
"Who's that?" asked Patty.
"Everyone, let me introduce Tails. By now, you probably have heard that Murky has an ally by the name of Robotnik. Tails has helped put a stop to Robotnik on Earth on several occasions," she smiled at him.
Tails blushed. Brian hadn't known foxes could blush, but there it was. "Um, to be honest, Sonic's usually more of the driving force behind that. I'm helpful to be sure, but I tend to work behind the scenes. I'm his technical help, when he needs it."
Brian, who knew to look for it, saw Violet's quick shy smile. He wasn't sure Tails caught it.
"That leads me to the second thing I have to talk about. Sonic has been captured by Murky, and we believe he's being held prisoner in the Pits." Rainbow paused as a concerned gasp echoed through the Kids, who all exchanged worried glances.
Patty spoke up, "How are we going to rescue him, Rainbow?"
Rainbow shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "My belt doesn't work while I'm in the Pits. That means we're on our own for protection, and no flying for Starlite."
"But I can." Tails blushed as he realized everyone was looking at him. "I mean, I don't think there's any reason for physics to be different in there, is there?"
Rainbow's eyes lit up. "Not that I know. That's a great idea! If we can lure Murky out of the Pits, Tails will be able to fly in and rescue Sonic!"
"But how are we going to lure Murky out?" asked Indigo.
"We offer bait," suggested Brian. "He knows Rainbow wouldn't waste time if she knew one of her friends was captured. I'll go."
"I don't know if he'd go after just you, Brian. You know that I'm the one he wants. I think I should go. Besides, without me there, Starlite won't be able to fly even when he does leave the Pits.
"Rainbow… if he catches you, it's all over," Brian cried in alarm. 'You know what he really want is your belt. I mean it, you should let me go."
It was Lala who broke the silence. "The Pits is a place one should attack with friends," she said in her French accent, "You should both go, and keep each other's spirits up. We will continue to keep things running here." It was a practical plan.
Twink handed Brian a small bag of Star Sprinkles. "This should fit better on your pants, Brian. Mine's Sprite sized."
Brian grinned, giving Twink his pouch back. "Thanks, my friend." He shook the sprite's hand.
"Is there anything else you can think of, Rainbow?" Tails asked.
"I'm worried about Sonic. I can only assume that Murky gave him a dose of Gloom Gas. Normally, it wears off, especially for cheerful people. If he's also stuck in the Pits, it might not." She paused, thinking, "If that's the case, Tails, just get him out of there. A shot of rainbow power will be able to take care of any lasting effects, but I can't give it to him while he's still in the Pits."
Tails nodded.
Starlite whinnied. "All the same, Rainbow. I'd rather we walked to the Pits. I know somewhere in this plan, I'm going to need to outrun the Grunge Buggy, and even the most incredible horse would rather be at full strength when trying to do that. Brian smiled lightly, he had gotten use to Starlite's ego long ago. Tails, however, looked in askance at the powerful horse.
Murky's Lair
Dr. Robotnik has clambered down into the chasm that contained the captured hedgehog. Sonic was far enough gone that he didn't even register the ladder's presence. Pulling out a needle, he gave Sonic a poke, withdrawing a small amount of blood. He replaced this vial in his jacket, then forced Sonic's eye open, examining it carefully. Sonic's eyes were normally a bright green, had faded previously to a light blue. Even that was fading now. Robotnik chortled to himself. Sonic was done for, this time for sure. As a bonus, even if the golem didn't work, he had started on a back up plan. He climbed out of the pit, listening to the banging of Murky and Lurky.
"We're almost done, Robotnik," smirked Murky, "Just a few more touches to the feet of the Gloom Golem, and we'll be ready. Any place he touches will be devoid of all color, just how I like it. I must admit, working with you is so inspiring!" He paused his work long enough to rub his hands together.
Robotnik chortled. "Indeed, Murky Dismal. You have raised me to new heights as well, with this new resource of Murk. I have tried to duplicate Sonic before, but now I think I can copy his very soul. It'll give me something to do after the Golem is finished. Perhaps it will even be my ticket to conquering the Earth, after I've finished helping you."
Just Outside the Pits
Compared to the bright colors and sunshine of Rainbowland, the Pits was, well, a disaster. Tails shuddered, it was the kind of place where it was always seemed about to rain. He could see why anyone staying here would fall into a depression. He shook his head to clear it, and continued on.
The star on Rainbow's belt grew dark, and a small sigh passed through her lips. "This is the beginning of the pits," she said.
"Let's do it, then," said Brian, clenching his fist. It took about a quarter of an hour, but the group could see the opening to Murky's cave in the distance. Tails glanced up at Rainbow, who nodded. He took off, hovering momentarily, and set himself on top of the entrance to Murky's lair. "Wait here, Starlite," Rainbow whispered.
"You want me, the most maginificant horse in the universe to wait?" Starlite asked, shaking his mane.
Tails opened his mouth to retort, but glanced down at the cave below him and said nothing.
"Just wait, Starlite," Brian said, a frown on his features. He'd been here before. "Let's see what Rainbow and I can discover, before we do anything else."
Rainbow nodded, grabbing at Brian's hand. She gave it a quick squeeze, looking directly into his eyes. Brian blinked, and flashed a wan smile. "Right, we can do this."
"I know we can."
Silently, Brian and Rainbow crept into the heart of the Pits. They'd been here before, as captives and rescuers. "What's that?" Rainbow whispered, pointing.
"That" was a large metallic humanoid figure, with giant limbs of steel. It looked like a human, but scaled up to eighteen feet tall. Instead of eyes, it appeared to have a large clear visor. One could see inside, a control panel with a large captain's chair and a smaller raised chair. "It's a robot," whispered Brian. Murky and Lurky were intently finishing him.
Rainbow pointed to the large pit she was once held in. Brian nodded, slipping behind a stalagmite. They had forgotten the Pits currently held a third resident.
"An Intruder!" yelled Robotnik, pointing at Rainbow. "Stop her!"
"Rainbow Brite!" yelled Murky. "Get her, Lurky!"
Lurky was incredibly strong, but he was not very agile. Rainbow ducked under his flailing arms, running for the entrance. Brian froze, unnoticed, under cover. He stared as Murky dove at Rainbow, narrowly missing her.
"The Grunge Buggy! We've got her this time!"
Rainbow ran, swinging up over Starlites back. "Let's go!" she shouted. The roar of the Murky's vechile sounded behind them, with Lurky in the driver seat. Starlite had quite the lead, but here in the pits, they were faster than he was. It was race they should win, but it was going to be close.
Tailes watched the smoke billow out from the chasers, and swung himself into the cave underneath him. He looked around, carefully. Brian was in here somewhere, he knew that, but he didn't know what else might be hiding in there. He saw the pit, but also saw Robotnik, working on something on the other side.
There was only one thing for it. He ran directly to the pit, jumping in, then hovering down. "Sonic," he whispered, staring at the drained hedgehog. "What's happened to you?" he asked.
"It doesn't matter, Tails," Sonic said, not looking up. "I can't get out here."
Tails was stunned. This wasn't the never-say-die hedgehog he knew. The very air was affecting Sonic. Tails had to get his friend out here. "Come on, I'll airlift you out of here. Just hang on."
Sonic did not move.
Tails grabbed Sonic's hands, trying desperetly to lift Sonic out of the pit. Sonic hung limply, a dead weight. His sneakers scratched the floor loudly. It was slow going, but he could do it. He had to, or he'd lose a good friend forever.
Brian watched as Robotnik turned at the noise, unholstering some kind of pistol, moving to the trap's lip. Tails had just cleared the lip, and stared down the barrel. Brian stood up, charging at Robotnik. He heard the noise behind him, but couldn't dodge in time.
Brian played baseball, not football, but he got enough oomph into his tackle to knock Robotnik into the pit. He dropped the gun, tucking himself into a roll (narrowly missing the spikes!) Tails flew over the edge, setting Sonic down.
"It's no use Tails, we'll just get caught again." Sonic slipped down to one knee, closing his eyes.
"Come on," Brian said, giving Sonic a hand up. "We need to run."
Sonic took a single step, before shaking Brian off. "I wish I could. I can almost feel the air, but it's just beyond my finger tips."
"Come on, Sonic. You've got to chin up, pick up the pieces," Brian told him. "Just one more push and we'll be there. Back were we belong, come on."
Sonics eyes flickered open again, and he rose unsteadily to his feet. "All right," he said, his voice still heavy, "I'll try." With Brian on one side, and Tails on the other, the group began the trek out of the pits.
Meanwhile:
"Faster, Starlite! They're gaining on us!"
"They're not going to catch the most incredible horse in the universe!" Starlite proclaimed, jumping as Murky tried to draw a bead on him.
The sound of Lurky hitting the breaks rewarded their efforts. He stopped just on the border of Rainbowland, keeping Murky safe from all the pretty colors.
"Blast that Rainbow Brite!" snarled Murky, proceeding to curse under his breath. "Let's get back to the Pits. It's time to see what the Golem can do. Turn this thing around." Lurky acknowledged him, and the car was speeding back towards their home in mere moments.
Halfway between here and there, Brian continued to struggle with Sonic.
"I hear something coming!" said Tails, a sense of urgency in his voice, "Quick, down here!" He pulled Sonic into a narrow chasm that ran alongside the main path. Brian jumped in after him. A few minutes passed, and the roar of the Grunge Buggy sped along the path above him.
"That was close," said Brian, "Come on, let's get back on the path." They almost had to force Sonic back onto the ledge, before clambering back on themselves. Another few minutes past, and the sound of hooves on stone greeted them. "Rainbow!" cried Brian.
It was indeed. Rainbow looked sadly at the hedgehog. "We'll get you back to shape in no time, Sonic," she told him. Sonic did not appear to register. Working together, Rainbow, Tails, and Brian managed to get Sonic onto Starlite. The horse took off for the pits, leaving Brian and Tails unencumbered to jog behind him.
Back in Murky's lair:
Murky was furious, he had missed his chance to catch Rainbow, and now he had lost Sonic. "Activate the Golem!" he ordered Lurky, dropping the ladder back in the pit for the stranded Robotnik. "We're going to crush them once and for all!"
While in Rainbowland:
Tails and Brian reached the Color castle as a few of the kids were helping Sonic down. Rainbow smiled, "This is the easy part," she said, and activated her belt. The rainbow engulfed Sonic, who did not immediately react. Sonic's fur shone the more familiar deep blue, and when he opened his eyes, they shined a bright green.
"Are you feeling better Sonic?" Tails asked.
"Yes, yes I am. I just have one question, Tails," Sonic said. "Where in the name of the Chaos Emeralds am I?"
"Rainbowland," answered Tails, smiling. "Turn around, it's time to meet the people who saved you from a depressed existance."
Rainbow waved and Brian smiled as the hedgehog turned. Brian held out his hand. Sonic took it with both of his, shaking it firmly. "I remember you, you helped me get out of that pit."
"And this is Rainbow Brite. Eggman has teamed up with her rival, Murky. He's the one that blasted you with Gloom. She's the one that cured you."
Sonic smiled again, then looked shocked as Rainbow gave him a hug. "Uhm, thanks. Really!" Rainbow released him.
The celebration was short lived, as a large clank was heard, shaking the very ground. "What was that?" asked Sonic, "An earthquake?"
Tails pointed over the horizon. "No, Sonic, it's your favorite. A made to order Eggman Robot. And it's coming this way."
End Chapter 3.
Tails was in awe as they crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. "I've heard Oz lay over the rainbow, but this… this is beautiful!"
Rainbow smiled, "It's my home. We try to make the Earth as bright and colorful as Rainbowland. It's our duty."
"It's the inhabitants of Earth that get in the way," said Tails, somewhat wistfully.
Brian turned around, "That's not fair, Tails. The people on Earth have done many great things. We've been to the moon, and we're going to go further. Who knows? Maybe there's another world with it's own rainbows, out there, somewhere."
Tails shrugged. Starlite continued his gallop towards the Color Castle. He touched down in front of the main door of the Castle. Rainbow slid off, followed by Tails and Brian. Rainbow opened the door, where Twink waited. Behind him, the Color Kids waited for news. They collectively blinked as Tails made his way in, staring at everything, much as Brian did when he first visited Rainbowland.
"Who's that?" asked Patty.
"Everyone, let me introduce Tails. By now, you probably have heard that Murky has an ally by the name of Robotnik. Tails has helped put a stop to Robotnik on Earth on several occasions," she smiled at him.
Tails blushed. Brian hadn't known foxes could blush, but there it was. "Um, to be honest, Sonic's usually more of the driving force behind that. I'm helpful to be sure, but I tend to work behind the scenes. I'm his technical help, when he needs it."
Brian, who knew to look for it, saw Violet's quick shy smile. He wasn't sure Tails caught it.
"That leads me to the second thing I have to talk about. Sonic has been captured by Murky, and we believe he's being held prisoner in the Pits." Rainbow paused as a concerned gasp echoed through the Kids, who all exchanged worried glances.
Patty spoke up, "How are we going to rescue him, Rainbow?"
Rainbow shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "My belt doesn't work while I'm in the Pits. That means we're on our own for protection, and no flying for Starlite."
"But I can." Tails blushed as he realized everyone was looking at him. "I mean, I don't think there's any reason for physics to be different in there, is there?"
Rainbow's eyes lit up. "Not that I know. That's a great idea! If we can lure Murky out of the Pits, Tails will be able to fly in and rescue Sonic!"
"But how are we going to lure Murky out?" asked Indigo.
"We offer bait," suggested Brian. "He knows Rainbow wouldn't waste time if she knew one of her friends was captured. I'll go."
"I don't know if he'd go after just you, Brian. You know that I'm the one he wants. I think I should go. Besides, without me there, Starlite won't be able to fly even when he does leave the Pits.
"Rainbow… if he catches you, it's all over," Brian cried in alarm. 'You know what he really want is your belt. I mean it, you should let me go."
It was Lala who broke the silence. "The Pits is a place one should attack with friends," she said in her French accent, "You should both go, and keep each other's spirits up. We will continue to keep things running here." It was a practical plan.
Twink handed Brian a small bag of Star Sprinkles. "This should fit better on your pants, Brian. Mine's Sprite sized."
Brian grinned, giving Twink his pouch back. "Thanks, my friend." He shook the sprite's hand.
"Is there anything else you can think of, Rainbow?" Tails asked.
"I'm worried about Sonic. I can only assume that Murky gave him a dose of Gloom Gas. Normally, it wears off, especially for cheerful people. If he's also stuck in the Pits, it might not." She paused, thinking, "If that's the case, Tails, just get him out of there. A shot of rainbow power will be able to take care of any lasting effects, but I can't give it to him while he's still in the Pits."
Tails nodded.
Starlite whinnied. "All the same, Rainbow. I'd rather we walked to the Pits. I know somewhere in this plan, I'm going to need to outrun the Grunge Buggy, and even the most incredible horse would rather be at full strength when trying to do that. Brian smiled lightly, he had gotten use to Starlite's ego long ago. Tails, however, looked in askance at the powerful horse.
Murky's Lair
Dr. Robotnik has clambered down into the chasm that contained the captured hedgehog. Sonic was far enough gone that he didn't even register the ladder's presence. Pulling out a needle, he gave Sonic a poke, withdrawing a small amount of blood. He replaced this vial in his jacket, then forced Sonic's eye open, examining it carefully. Sonic's eyes were normally a bright green, had faded previously to a light blue. Even that was fading now. Robotnik chortled to himself. Sonic was done for, this time for sure. As a bonus, even if the golem didn't work, he had started on a back up plan. He climbed out of the pit, listening to the banging of Murky and Lurky.
"We're almost done, Robotnik," smirked Murky, "Just a few more touches to the feet of the Gloom Golem, and we'll be ready. Any place he touches will be devoid of all color, just how I like it. I must admit, working with you is so inspiring!" He paused his work long enough to rub his hands together.
Robotnik chortled. "Indeed, Murky Dismal. You have raised me to new heights as well, with this new resource of Murk. I have tried to duplicate Sonic before, but now I think I can copy his very soul. It'll give me something to do after the Golem is finished. Perhaps it will even be my ticket to conquering the Earth, after I've finished helping you."
Just Outside the Pits
Compared to the bright colors and sunshine of Rainbowland, the Pits was, well, a disaster. Tails shuddered, it was the kind of place where it was always seemed about to rain. He could see why anyone staying here would fall into a depression. He shook his head to clear it, and continued on.
The star on Rainbow's belt grew dark, and a small sigh passed through her lips. "This is the beginning of the pits," she said.
"Let's do it, then," said Brian, clenching his fist. It took about a quarter of an hour, but the group could see the opening to Murky's cave in the distance. Tails glanced up at Rainbow, who nodded. He took off, hovering momentarily, and set himself on top of the entrance to Murky's lair. "Wait here, Starlite," Rainbow whispered.
"You want me, the most maginificant horse in the universe to wait?" Starlite asked, shaking his mane.
Tails opened his mouth to retort, but glanced down at the cave below him and said nothing.
"Just wait, Starlite," Brian said, a frown on his features. He'd been here before. "Let's see what Rainbow and I can discover, before we do anything else."
Rainbow nodded, grabbing at Brian's hand. She gave it a quick squeeze, looking directly into his eyes. Brian blinked, and flashed a wan smile. "Right, we can do this."
"I know we can."
Silently, Brian and Rainbow crept into the heart of the Pits. They'd been here before, as captives and rescuers. "What's that?" Rainbow whispered, pointing.
"That" was a large metallic humanoid figure, with giant limbs of steel. It looked like a human, but scaled up to eighteen feet tall. Instead of eyes, it appeared to have a large clear visor. One could see inside, a control panel with a large captain's chair and a smaller raised chair. "It's a robot," whispered Brian. Murky and Lurky were intently finishing him.
Rainbow pointed to the large pit she was once held in. Brian nodded, slipping behind a stalagmite. They had forgotten the Pits currently held a third resident.
"An Intruder!" yelled Robotnik, pointing at Rainbow. "Stop her!"
"Rainbow Brite!" yelled Murky. "Get her, Lurky!"
Lurky was incredibly strong, but he was not very agile. Rainbow ducked under his flailing arms, running for the entrance. Brian froze, unnoticed, under cover. He stared as Murky dove at Rainbow, narrowly missing her.
"The Grunge Buggy! We've got her this time!"
Rainbow ran, swinging up over Starlites back. "Let's go!" she shouted. The roar of the Murky's vechile sounded behind them, with Lurky in the driver seat. Starlite had quite the lead, but here in the pits, they were faster than he was. It was race they should win, but it was going to be close.
Tailes watched the smoke billow out from the chasers, and swung himself into the cave underneath him. He looked around, carefully. Brian was in here somewhere, he knew that, but he didn't know what else might be hiding in there. He saw the pit, but also saw Robotnik, working on something on the other side.
There was only one thing for it. He ran directly to the pit, jumping in, then hovering down. "Sonic," he whispered, staring at the drained hedgehog. "What's happened to you?" he asked.
"It doesn't matter, Tails," Sonic said, not looking up. "I can't get out here."
Tails was stunned. This wasn't the never-say-die hedgehog he knew. The very air was affecting Sonic. Tails had to get his friend out here. "Come on, I'll airlift you out of here. Just hang on."
Sonic did not move.
Tails grabbed Sonic's hands, trying desperetly to lift Sonic out of the pit. Sonic hung limply, a dead weight. His sneakers scratched the floor loudly. It was slow going, but he could do it. He had to, or he'd lose a good friend forever.
Brian watched as Robotnik turned at the noise, unholstering some kind of pistol, moving to the trap's lip. Tails had just cleared the lip, and stared down the barrel. Brian stood up, charging at Robotnik. He heard the noise behind him, but couldn't dodge in time.
Brian played baseball, not football, but he got enough oomph into his tackle to knock Robotnik into the pit. He dropped the gun, tucking himself into a roll (narrowly missing the spikes!) Tails flew over the edge, setting Sonic down.
"It's no use Tails, we'll just get caught again." Sonic slipped down to one knee, closing his eyes.
"Come on," Brian said, giving Sonic a hand up. "We need to run."
Sonic took a single step, before shaking Brian off. "I wish I could. I can almost feel the air, but it's just beyond my finger tips."
"Come on, Sonic. You've got to chin up, pick up the pieces," Brian told him. "Just one more push and we'll be there. Back were we belong, come on."
Sonics eyes flickered open again, and he rose unsteadily to his feet. "All right," he said, his voice still heavy, "I'll try." With Brian on one side, and Tails on the other, the group began the trek out of the pits.
Meanwhile:
"Faster, Starlite! They're gaining on us!"
"They're not going to catch the most incredible horse in the universe!" Starlite proclaimed, jumping as Murky tried to draw a bead on him.
The sound of Lurky hitting the breaks rewarded their efforts. He stopped just on the border of Rainbowland, keeping Murky safe from all the pretty colors.
"Blast that Rainbow Brite!" snarled Murky, proceeding to curse under his breath. "Let's get back to the Pits. It's time to see what the Golem can do. Turn this thing around." Lurky acknowledged him, and the car was speeding back towards their home in mere moments.
Halfway between here and there, Brian continued to struggle with Sonic.
"I hear something coming!" said Tails, a sense of urgency in his voice, "Quick, down here!" He pulled Sonic into a narrow chasm that ran alongside the main path. Brian jumped in after him. A few minutes passed, and the roar of the Grunge Buggy sped along the path above him.
"That was close," said Brian, "Come on, let's get back on the path." They almost had to force Sonic back onto the ledge, before clambering back on themselves. Another few minutes past, and the sound of hooves on stone greeted them. "Rainbow!" cried Brian.
It was indeed. Rainbow looked sadly at the hedgehog. "We'll get you back to shape in no time, Sonic," she told him. Sonic did not appear to register. Working together, Rainbow, Tails, and Brian managed to get Sonic onto Starlite. The horse took off for the pits, leaving Brian and Tails unencumbered to jog behind him.
Back in Murky's lair:
Murky was furious, he had missed his chance to catch Rainbow, and now he had lost Sonic. "Activate the Golem!" he ordered Lurky, dropping the ladder back in the pit for the stranded Robotnik. "We're going to crush them once and for all!"
While in Rainbowland:
Tails and Brian reached the Color castle as a few of the kids were helping Sonic down. Rainbow smiled, "This is the easy part," she said, and activated her belt. The rainbow engulfed Sonic, who did not immediately react. Sonic's fur shone the more familiar deep blue, and when he opened his eyes, they shined a bright green.
"Are you feeling better Sonic?" Tails asked.
"Yes, yes I am. I just have one question, Tails," Sonic said. "Where in the name of the Chaos Emeralds am I?"
"Rainbowland," answered Tails, smiling. "Turn around, it's time to meet the people who saved you from a depressed existance."
Rainbow waved and Brian smiled as the hedgehog turned. Brian held out his hand. Sonic took it with both of his, shaking it firmly. "I remember you, you helped me get out of that pit."
"And this is Rainbow Brite. Eggman has teamed up with her rival, Murky. He's the one that blasted you with Gloom. She's the one that cured you."
Sonic smiled again, then looked shocked as Rainbow gave him a hug. "Uhm, thanks. Really!" Rainbow released him.
The celebration was short lived, as a large clank was heard, shaking the very ground. "What was that?" asked Sonic, "An earthquake?"
Tails pointed over the horizon. "No, Sonic, it's your favorite. A made to order Eggman Robot. And it's coming this way."
End Chapter 3.
