Things were normal back at Knothole, and the rest of the day passed without incident. In Eggopolis, however, it was clear that a certain pink hedgehog hadn't gotten the memo.

"HEDGEHOG ALERT! Priority one!" said the SWATbot leader.

"Hey, don't shoot!" exclaimed Amy Rose.

"What is your business here?"

"I'm here to visit Dr. Robotnik; it's very important!"

"Sorry young lady, but Dr. Robotnik is not seeing anyone today."

"But it's very important! I have to see him!"

"No one sees Dr. Robotnik without an appointment!"

"An appointment, huh? You mean like this?" Amy pulled out an appointment card.

"Very well, then. Come with us." The SWATbots escorted Amy to Dr. Robotnik's HQ.

(Thank you, Sonic!) thought Amy.


At the HQ entrance, the SWATbots checked in with Robotnik before bringing Amy in.

"I am not allowing any more visitors here for the next few days!" shouted Robotnik.

"Sir, she has an appointment card from you," replied the SWATbot.

"What!? I don't remember giving her one! Have it checked immediately!"

"Yes sir." The SWATbot leader scanned Amy's card with its finger-mounted scanner. A beep indicated that it was the real McCoy. "Sir, you did indeed issue this card to her."

"WHAT!?" Robotnik seemed even more flustered this time. "I still don't remember issuing that card!"
"But sir, the card is genuine. Regulations state that she must be allowed to enter."

"*Sigh*…all right. Next time, though, I am going to change those cards!"

The SWATbots brought Amy up to see Dr. Robotnik.

"Hello, Dr. Robotnik!" Like the others, Amy seemed cheerful despite the SWATbots watching over her.

"Well, why are you here, you little twerp?" demanded Robotnik. "And what's in that package!? That better not be what I think it is!"

"Gee, there's no need to be so grumpy!" said Amy. "I'm only here to congratulate you for your kindness!"

"Huh?"

"It's true! I mean, I feel so bad for you. You may be an evil dictator, but deep down inside, I know you're a kind person and I think people aren't seeing that part."

"Y-you really think so?"

"Sure! Everybody is a good person at heart, and they deserve to be rewarded for their kindness! That's why I've made this gift for you!"

"Amy, I truly am sorry for insulting you earlier. It's just…nobody's ever said anything that nice to me before!" Robotnik fought down the urge to cry. "So, what wondrous gift did you bring me?"

Amy opened the package. Unsurprisingly, it was…

"Pancakes! Ta-daaaaaaaaa!"

"Pancakes?" queried Robotnik. "Pancakes!? Pancakes!? PANCAKES!? PANCAKES! PANCAKES! GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! GET HER!"

Just like the other few times, Robotnik set his badniks upon her. Amy screamed in astonishment and tossed the plate aside. Once her shock wore off, she sprung into action.

"Oh no you don't!" Amy took out her Piko Piko Hammer and smashed a bunch of Robotnik's goons on her way out. After Amy escaped Robotnik's HQ, Snively – now gaining weight from all those pancakes – walked over to the Doctor.

"Sir, may I please excuse myself from eating any more pancakes? My looks are beginning to fade."

"Shut up, Snively! Better yours than mine! Now eat!"

"*Sigh*…yes sir."


After Snively walked away with his plate of pancakes, Shadow the Hedgehog teleported near Robotnik.

"Good morning, Doctor," said Shadow. A bunch of SWATbots aimed their rifles at him.

"Grrrrrr…why must I be interrupted by you simpletons!?" said Robotnik. "What is it this time!?"

"As you know, Doctor, I am the Ultimate Life Form. Ordinarily, I would have terminated you and your wretched machines. However, that's not why I'm here now. I'm here because I had an epiphany…"

"*Sigh*…I hope this is not a trick."

"I assure you that it's no trick. Up until now, I never appreciated the acts of kindness that people had done for me. I'm especially thankful to you, Doctor, for releasing me from the 50 years of silent hell that I had been forced to endure. Oh, if only you could have brought Maria back to me using your technologies."

Robotnik had been brought to tears by Shadow's words.

"Alas, poor Maria!" said Robotnik. "I knew her, Shadow: A lady of infinite kindness, of most excellent fancy!" While Shadow didn't make the same display of emotion as Robotnik, he was very much moved as well. Even after living with that memory for so long, he never got used to it. Nevertheless, he kept his composure.

"Yes, it's an unbearably terrible loss," said Shadow. "However, at least I have a better understanding of my purpose in life. To show my thanks, I'm giving you this gift."

"*Sniff*…you're welcome, Shadow!"

"I made them myself." Shadow opened Robotnik's gift, and of course, it was a plate of hotcakes.

"Are these…*sniff*…hotcakes?" asked Robotnik.

"Yes. I used only the finest ingredients to make them. A man like you deserves it."

"Why…you're too kind, Shadow! *Sniff*…I'll always remember this one! PREPARE TO DIE!"

As usual, the SWATbots opened fire on their visitor. However, Shadow managed to dodge their fire and pulled out a Chaos Emerald.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" Just like that, Shadow was gone, leaving behind his plate of pancakes. Snively approached them.

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Snively. "I don't feel like eating any more of those, but they smell so good! Oh…what shall I do?"

"HERE! If you like them so much, then have more!" Robotnik crammed the hotcakes into Snively's mouth. Luckily for Snively, he didn't choke on them.


A few minutes after Shadow's departure, another visitor dropped in: Rouge the Bat.

"Hi, sugar!" said Rouge.

"Oh no, here we go again…" said Robotnik.

"Awwwww…why so glum, darling?"

"Don't play stupid with me, bat brain. For two days now, I've had a bunch of cheeky little cretins visiting me and inundating me with the stupidest gifts imaginable! I've had it with everything!"

"Oh…I'm sorry to hear that, baby. You know, I just wanted to say that you're a really smart guy, and I think that's really hot!"

"You…do?" Robotnik seemed quite flustered.

"Of course, don't be silly! Hasn't anyone told you what a beautiful man you are?" Rouge sat down on the arm of Robotnik's chair.

"Why…no…"

"Well, you really are a beautiful hunk of a man! Just look at you, all that muscle…I wonder how much you can lift?"

"I don't know…I never kept track…"

"Still, with all those brains and all that brawn, you should be getting all the ladies, honey!"

"Ooh…I can see it now…" Robotnik's eyes were brighter than ever.

"You know, it just so happens that I have a gift for you right here, just for being so good looking!" Rouge opened the package. "Ta-daaaa! A Chaos Emerald!"

"A Chaos Emerald?" queried Robotnik.

"Exactly!" said Rouge. "And it made the perfect topping for these, rich, succulent, buttery hotcakes! My…isn't that just fabulous?"

"Of course…NOT! Prepare to be eliminated!" Once again, the SWATbots sprung into action. Of course, if a group of robots with laser guns can't defeat a flying fox with two tails, then there was no way they could beat a voluptuous bat. While she was flying away, Rouge threw some Bat Cracker bombs at the SWATbots. While they were blown to pieces, Robotnik managed to survive.

Snively stepped in again once the carnage had subsided.

"Sir…do I have to eat the Chaos Emerald as well?" he asked.

"*Sigh*…no, Snively, you don't. But you still have to eat all those hotcakes! Get to work!"

Snively groaned.

"Yes…sir…" Then, Snively said to himself: "Oh…why did I sign up for this job?"


A few hours passed. At this point, Dr. Robotnik became convinced that nobody was going to bother him again, so he relaxed a bit and kept tending to his usual matters. However, when he spun his chair around, he saw Cream the Rabbit standing there, along with her pet Chao, Cheese. Both of them were smiling.

"Good evening, Dr. Eggman!" said Cream.

"Chao Chao!" said Cheese.

"WHAT!? How in the world did you two ninnyheads get in here!?" demanded Robotnik.

"Well, Mommy always told me that I could do anything I set my mind to," replied Cream.

"I see. And did your mommy ever tell you that it's not nice to be nosing around in places where you don't belong?"

"Hmmm…well…I think she may have told me that before…"

"And now I'LL tell it to you: GET OOOOOUUUUT!"

"But Dr. Eggman, Mommy also told me I should…"

"SHOULD WHAT!?"

Cream & Cheese were frightened.

"Uh…s-should perform random acts of kindness for everybody!" replied Cream.

"Ch-Chao!" said Cheese.

"WELL GO AWAY!" shouted Robotnik. "I know why you're really here, and that joke is getting old, so scram!"

"W-what are y-y-you t..talking about?" asked Cream.

"Oh, don't play stupid with me, young lady! You just came here so you could bring me hotcakes!"

"No we didn't!"

"C…chao!" said Cheese.

"LIES!" shouted Robotnik. "Just how dim do you think I am!?"

"I…I don't think you're s-stupid at all, Dr. Eggman!" replied Cream. "In fact…I think y-you're a v-v-very smart p-person, sir!"

"Chao chao chao chao!" exclaimed Cheese.

"Sure!" said Robotnik. "You and all the other nincompoops who came through here in these past few days!"

"Dr. Eggman, please…listen to me!" said Cream. "Cheese & I didn't mean to get in your way! We were just trying to do a very nice thing for you and we feel so sorry for you! Even though you do a lot of bad things, we still think you deserve something nice! Won't you accept our gift? Pleeeeeeaaaasssse, Dr. Eggman?"

Both Cream & Cheese gave Robotnik innocent, wide-eyed smiles. After a few moments, the Doctor caved.

"*Sigh*…well, I guess I won't turn you two down…" he said."

"Does that mean…?"

"*Sigh*…yes…"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY Y!" Both Cream & Cheese cheered. Once their jubilation subsided, Cream handed Robotnik the gift.

"Hmmm…I wonder what this is…" said Robotnik.

"Mommy & I like to learn about other people around the world," said Cream, "so we made this just so you could learn, too."

"Chao!" said Cheese.

"And what is it?" asked Robotnik, opening the package.

"Blintzes!" replied Cream. Dr. Robotnik got very angry when he saw the plate of blintzes in his hands. He was so angry that he failed to notice the recipe & the list of cultural notes.

"SEE!? I KNEW YOU TWO RAPSCALLIONS WERE GOING TO DO THIS TO ME!" Robotnik threw the plate on the ground. "THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE LAST STRAW! PREPARE FOR ANNIHILATION!"

Cream & Cheese attempted to escape. However, within seconds, they found themselves surrounded by SWATbots, E-1000s and a host of other badniks – more badniks than the Doctor had used previously. Cream immediately curled up into a ball, as did Cheese.

"Help!" said Cream. "Don't hurt us!"

"Chao chao chao!" said Cheese.

Just when all seemed lost, a burst of machine gun fire rang out, and a bunch of badniks were destroyed. The badniks turned towards the one who fired the shots: Shadow the Hedgehog, wielding an MP5 submachine gun. He inserted a fresh magazine into his gun.

"Get away from that girl!" exclaimed Shadow.

"HEDGEHOG ALERT!" said one of the SWATbots. "Apprehend intruder!"

"Apprehend THIS!" Shadow let loose again, cutting down some more badniks. He rushed over to Cream & Cheese.

"Come with me!" said Shadow. The two of them grabbed on to the Ultimate Life Form, who pulled out his Chaos Emerald.

"CHAOS BLAST!" All of the nearby badniks were destroyed in the blast, and Robotnik's HQ took plenty of damage. However, Shadow, Cream & Cheese were unhurt, especially since Shadow used Chaos Control to get them out of there.


Shadow took Cream & Cheese to their hut.

"Thank you, Shadow!" said Cream. "You're my hero!"

"Chao!" said Cheese. Cream & Cheese gave Shadow a big hug. The Ultimate Life Form didn't return their affection.

(Ugh…can we please get this over with?) thought Shadow.

After their hug was finished, Cream & Cheese said goodbye, while Shadow skated off into the wilderness.


Back at Robotnik's HQ, the Doctor emerged from a pile of rubble.

"Ugh…Snively, where are you?" he asked.

"Help!" Robotnik saw two arms sticking out of the rubble, waving around in panic. He cleared the rubble and pulled Snively out.

"Oh, thank you, sir!" exclaimed Snively.

"*Sigh*…Whatever you say, Snively…"

Just then, Scratch & Grounder arrived.

"And where have you two junk piles been!?" demanded Robotnik.

"Uh…Dr. Robotnik…" said Grounder, "…Scratch made you something special for breakfast!"

"Yeah!" said Scratch. "You'll like it!"

"NO I WON'T!" shouted Robotnik. "Grrr…I hate those hedgehogs…" he grumbled to himself, "…and all their blasted friends…"


Author's Note: Also, Lapsang souchong tea.