Episode 4: The Doctor Is In

The sun shone brilliantly on the lush splendor of Mobius, as its citizens woke up to the first rays of dawn. Gently, the light beams cascaded down, refracting through the leaves of the forest as two speedy blurs raced through, churning the wind in their wake.

"Good speed Tails" called Sonic to the fox beside him " but you're still to slow to keep up with me."

"We'll see about that Sonic," said Tails, madly twirling his namesake.

Caught in a rut for new, inventive ideas, Tails had spent the last few days improving his power flying skills, and couldn't wait to show Sonic how fast he became. Sonic was speeding up again while Tails pushed to pass. Not once had the fox managed to beat Sonic in a race, well that wasn't going to happen this time.

Tails twirling around now like a fast whirlwind, Tails finally managed to boost past Sonic a few yards, grinning wide as he saw the shock on the blue hedgehog's face. So caught up was he in his pride, Tails didn't notice a wooden object hurling towards him until it was to late.

"Ow!" Tails cried, as he immediately plummeted towards the ground.

Sonic stopped in shock, skidding ruts in the earth, as his green eyes gazed upon the form of his fallen friend. Panic gripped his heart immediately.

"Tails! Tails!" cried Sonic " Are you okay?"

"I think so" said Tails groggily " what the heck hit me?"

Sonic looked around and eventually picked up a bent stick, but it wasn't just any bent stick it was…

"My boomerang!" cried Sticks, as she emerged from the brush, followed by Amy Rose.

"Man that hurt," said Tails, holding his head "It feels like I got a concussion,"

"Sorry Tails" said Sticks, as soon as she recognized her injured friend " I wasn't aiming at you. I was going for Amy there."

"Amy, why?" asked Sonic " and what are you two doing out here in the first place?"

"Ahem" said Amy, stepping up "Sticks has her first appointment with the doctor here today, and she's a little bit sensitive about the trip,"

"So many needles!" cried Sticks, jumping into a paranoid rant " The handsaws! The lollipops! Oh, those sweet little devils are just waiting for the chance to suck out my brain and turn it into candy for their alien superiors to eat!"

Sonic, Amy, and Tails just blinked before Sonic decided to flip the topic back to reality.

"The doctor sounds like a good place to me" said Sonic, looking down at Tails " besides, we need to get that bump looked at. Think you can survive a flight into town?"

" I'll try" said Tails " but if it gets worse you'll probably have to carry me the rest of the way."

"Not a problem pal," said Sonic, and with that, the two friends dashed off.

"Well, I guess I'll be going too," said Sticks, starting to walk back into the forest, when a hard whack throbbed against her head.

The badger fell, and Amy Rose grinned, smiling triumphantly as a giant hammer rested against her shoulder.


The hospital was sparsely packed when Sonic and Tails finally arrived. The blue hedgehog did end up having to carry his little buddy the rest of the way. Tails had collapsed after only a few feet of flying through the air, and Sonic sped up fast.

In the waiting room, all of the usual clientele could be seen; patients with colds or asthma, and one red-furred body Sonic didn't expect to see.

"Knuckles" said Sonic shocked "what are you doing here?"

"Oh, hey Sonic" said Knuckles, noticing his friends " just waiting for the doc to check up on my strength. There's big contest happening up on the North side and I intend to win. You guys entering it too?"

"Nah" said Sonic, with a wave " Tails here just needs to get his tails looked at. Sticks accidently clobbed him with her boomerang and now we're here."

"Next patient please," called out a voice from down the hall.

Knuckles was about to get up and answer, when Amy Rose suddenly stepped in, dragging an unconscious Sticks behind her. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles just looked upon the scene, staring in shock.

Before Sonic could even raise his finger to ask, the voice that called out earlier yelled out mad as a large figure stepped into the room. If sonic and the gang weren't shocked before, they were now.

"Dr. Eggman!" they yelled out in unison.

The diabolical genius looked at them with equal alarm. Tails was the first the break the silence and speak.

"What are you doing here?" asked Tails.

"Doing my job of course" said Eggman proudly " I'm a real doctor now."

"Since when?" asked Sonic skeptically.

"Since early this morning" said Eggman " the regular doctor wanted to take a vacation and I gave it to her. Fortunately she allowed a real genius to take her place. Who better for the job?"

"Oh I don't know" Sonic scoffed " maybe someone with real medical knowledge."

Eggman's eyes glared as he was about to offer a retort, when suddenly Sticks snapped out of her daze. Her blue eyes went wild with panic as she found herself in the medical room.

"Time for the shot!" called out Cubot, floating out with a needle in hand.

"No!" cried Sticks, digging her claws into the floor.

Sonic and the rest had to cover their ears as the screeching of Sticks claws echoed loudly against the floor, helplessly trying to keep her in place as Amy dragged her to her doom. Once the girls had disappeared with Cubot, things settled back into tension with the guys.

"Now, as I said" said Dr. Eggman vigorously " next patient!"

Knuckles stepped down and followed Dr. Eggman away.

"Alright Knuckles" said Dr. Eggman, putting on his gloves before picking up the reflex hammer " let's check those reflexes of yours shall we?"

"Whatever you say Doc," said Knuckles, ready to be hit.

With a light swing, Eggman tapped the hammer against one Knuckles knees to see whether if his leg would shoot up. Shoot up it did, but Dr. Eggman should have watched where he had positioned his own body before engaging in the act.

Striking between the genius's thighs, Knuckles powerful shot Eggman straight into the air, crashing the genius through the roof and out into space. Knuckles stared after the doctor in worried awe, hoping he wouldn't get sued for the painful landing soon to follow.

Seconds later, Eggman dropped back in, bruised and battered with unrelenting pain. His frustrated eyes groaned with agony as he attempted to glare up at Knuckles. Knuckles just nervously laughed and looked down at the doc.

"Sorry," he said.


Outside the office, Sonic and Tails had heard the crash and looked at each other in worry.

"What was that?" asked Tails.

Sonic was about to respond when Knuckles suddenly walked out of the office followed by an enraged Eggman. The bruises and bumps covering the doctor's body indicated to Sonic that Knuckles checkup didn't go so well.

"Out! Out! Out!" yelled Eggman in frustration " You're in perfect health! Just take this lollipop and go home. Next patient!"

"Wow Knuckles" said Sonic as the echidna approached " what did you do?"

"Uh, nothing much" said Knuckles dismissively "Well, I got a contest to get to, see you later guys."

With that said, Knuckles walked out of the building and Sonic and Tails got up to follow Eggman. Before they even stepped through the door, Sticks burst out of the other office like her tail was on fire, scratching up anything in her path as she made a desperate attempt for freedom.

"Sticks wait!" called Amy, chasing after her. Cubot soon followed.

"Hey, you forgot to pay your bill!"

Shaking off the weirdness, Sonic and Tails stepped into Eggman's office, and stopped stunned at what a disaster it seemed. Broken medical equipment lay scattered everywhere, and a large hole in the roof stood above the table where the patients sat.

"Decide to do a little redecorating?" questioned Sonic, not able to hold in the joke.

Eggman didn't respond to the quip, and began looking over Tails tail. After seconds of observation, Eggman could tell that the sprain wasn't serious, and just gave the fox two aspirin and a lolly to help the pain.

"Well" said Sonic, as he and Tails left moments later "I'd never thought I'd say this, but it looks like Eggman makes a good doctor after all."

Eggman heard this comment as the hedgehog departed and let loose an evil sneer. Sonic had no idea what was coming to face Mobius the coming day. This doctor scheme had worked to perfection, and now the city was doomed.


That evening, Knuckles returned from the contest with a golden trophy in hand. It had been hard fight to beat the rest of his competitors, but the persistence paid off, and now he was heading home with pride.

Arriving at his forest shack, Knuckles turned the knob to step inside, but when the door swung open he was stunned to see that he had an unwelcome guest inside his home.

"Sticks" said Knuckles, waking the sleeping badger " what are you doing in my house?"

"Wait, this is your house?" said Sticks confused " I thought it was mine. That shot from the doctor must have erased all my memory. Who are you?! What's going on?!"

"Eh" sighed Knuckles setting down his prize, before reaching for the lollipop Eggman had given earlier that day. He didn't have time to consume it while competing in the contest. "Maybe some sugar will help ya feel better. Bottoms up!"

"Okay," said Sticks, jumping up from the bed, swallowing the entire lolly whole with her jaws.

Once digested, the lollipop quickly dissolved in Sticks stomach, releasing all of its flavor to flow throughout the blood. Sticks mind began to grow woozy, and her eyes looked at Knuckles with an unfamiliar sense. The echidna's image warped before her, transforming into one of her greatest fears; Vampire bunnies!

"Sticks what's wrong?" asked Knuckles, as the badger crept into a feral pounce.

Sticks said nothing and lashed out at Knuckles, claws out and ready to kill.


Meanwhile, at Sonic's house, the blue hedgehog had peacefully went to sleep, while Tails stayed up late, working on his new designs for an invention he was particularly proud of. He had been working on this baby ever since the break-in a few months ago, and now it was almost complete.

One more twist of the screw, and Tails was happy to say that finally it was done. People beware of the Danger Detector! Not only could it broadcast when danger approached, but also could determine what kind it was and what the motive could possibly be. This machine was definitely going to be the best guard for home security.

"Ugh" yawned Tails " guess it's time for me to hit the hay as well. The aspirin seemed to help my tail fine. I hope Sonic will be okay in the morning too. He seemed a little woozy after he ate my lollipop."

As Tails went to bed, the hedgehog in question was trembling upstairs, trashing under the sheets like he was gasping for a breath of air. All around water flowed, trapping him in its liquid embrace, leaving no momentum to run or space to get air.

He was drowning, drowning slowly into the dark depths, cradled in its deadly claws. His pulse rate jumped as his mind filled with fear. The question was, would he ever wake again?


The next morning, the regular doctor for the clinic, Doc Ginger, stepped into her office expecting a normal day, but was stunned to find a whole crowd crowding the waiting room, carrying struggling people in their arms who looked desperately ill.

"Oh my" said Doc Ginger in horror " what's happening here?"

Knuckles decided to answer that, stepping out of the crowd, with a frantic Sticks still in hand.

"That's what we'd like to know" said Knuckles, staring at the purple dog " almost everyone who got a checkup from Eggman the other day are suffering from delusions."

"Vampire bunnies! Vampire bunnies!" mumbled Sticks.

"Eggman?" said Doc Ginger surprised "What was he…No, never mind! We need to help these people right now! Just let me get ready and I'll…,"

Suddenly Tails burst in, with a trembling Sonic in his palms.

"Doctor! Doctor!" yelled the fox panicked " Help him please!"

From one look, Doc Ginger could tell that Sonic was in a serious state. His chest barely breathed, and cold sweat decorated his bright, blue fur. With the help of Knuckles and Tails, Doc Ginger immediately organized all the patients into separate rooms, rating their cases from extreme to most extreme.

Sticks was strapped into a straight-jacket and locked in a padded cell, while Sonic was placed in the ICU, fitted with a breathing mask and a water pump to help steady his condition down. Both Knuckles and Tails looked on, worry swimming in their eyes.

"What could have done this?" said Tails.

The fox's question was soon answered by a loud chortling of evil laughter broadcasting from outside. Recognizing the laugh, Knuckles and Tails immediately rushed out of the clinic to spot Dr. Eggman flying around in his hovercraft, a megaphone perched to his lips.

"Citizens of Mobius" spoke Eggman out loud " no doubt you have noticed the plagued currently affecting your town. All is a result from my new invention the Fear-pop. When consumed it brings to life your darkest fears, with effects that can last for days. So don't expect any of your patients to come out of it very soon."

"Of course, before the inevitable happens, if you want me to cure them for you, I will happily do it…for the right price! If you want this plague to end, kindly hand all world control towards me, otherwise, there will be a few less citizens to rule."

With his threatening speech delivered Eggman left, leaving Knuckles and Tails grinding their fists in unforetold rage. After the Metal Sonic fiasco, what the Doctor did was beyond crossing the line.

Looking at each other with mutual agreement, Knuckles and Tails raced off immediately to capture the cure and save Mobius from the villain's plan. This terror ends, today!


"Hahaha!" laughed Eggman inside of his island fortress " In a few hours the whole city will be begging to pay me for the cure to the Fear-pops. Orbot! Cubot! Are all the vials safely stored?"

"Yes Your Largeness" said Orbot, floating in " all containers holding the cure for the Fear-pop virus are in the freeze. Would you like me to fetch you one for lunch?"

"No you fool!" shouted Eggman to the robot " they're for scheming not eating!"

Suddenly a large crash thundered through the room, making the doctor turn around to see a huge whole punched in his doorway. The familiar form of Knuckles stood outlined by the light.

"Eggman!" shouted Knuckles, glaring at the doctor "You're going down!"

"Really?" said Dr. Eggman un-phased " Well, I have only one answer to that. Robots, attack!"

With that said, dozens of bots immediately flooded the room, locking Knuckles in their sights. The echidna battled and faced off against them all, smashing them into robotic bits. Eggman knew that Knuckles was strong, but faced with such overwhelming numbers was sure to exhaust him.

However, the genius failed to realize that while he was dealing with the strongest threat, a twin-tailed shadow dropped in from behind him, sneaking its way to the controls in order to help Knuckles out.

Just as Eggman had predicted, Knuckles was beginning to tire, however before he could order his robots to finish the assault, all of the machines stopped dead in their tracks.

"What? How?" cried Eggman out loud. His eyes turned back to face the main controls.

Tails grinned at the doctor with a look of triumph on his face as he pressed in another sequence on the board. All the robots still in one piece, switched back on and turned around to face Orbot and Eggman, making the genius and the bot back up in fear.

"No! Aahh!" cried Eggman, as he and Orbot rushed deeper into the fortress, a battalion of robots chasing behind them.

"Good work Tails," said Knuckles, shooting a thumbs up.

"You're welcome pal" said Tails, with a grin " let me just destroy the formula for the Fear-pop virus, and then we can get the cure. Eggman's extortion scheme has officially gone south."


Later, back at the doctor's office, Knuckles and Tails arrived back with the cure, which Doc Ginger welcomed with great relief. Things had only grown worse for the patients during the short time the heroes had been gone. Sonic's heart rate had sped up, and Sticks was on the verge of breaking out of her cell.

Moments later, all of the patients woke up from their fear-like daze, a little unsteady to stand, but alive.

Sonic looked up with confusion as Doc Ginger removed the IV in his arm, and looked to Knuckles and Tails standing by for an explanation.

"Wha…what happened to me?"

Knuckles and Tails just looked at each other and grinned.


Back at Eggman's fortress, the doctor retired to his bed in despair, nursing the wounds he had obtained while fleeing from his machines. Orbot and Cubot were dressed up in little nurses outfits bringing out the first aid so that they could treat the injuries.

"Don't worry Doc" said Cubot, encouragingly " you'll get them next time."

"Lollipop?" offered Orbot, holding out a regular piece of candy.

Eggman's eyes set into a furious, angry glare.

"You…two…DUMB-BOTS!"