Chapter Four: The Hero and Eggman Desert
Moments later they are outside traveling yet again. Sonic smiles when he sees two familiar figures. He waves to them.
"Tails! Knuckles! It's good to see you two!"
"You know us?" The young fox asks.
"Tails! Don't be so friendly! Just because he knows our names doesn't mean that we can trust him!" Knuckles warns him.
Sonic smirks looking at Knuckles. "You certainly haven't changed."
"That's none of your business!"
Sonic ignores Knuckles's yelling and continues talking. "Do either of you have a secret ring?"
"Hmmph! Even if we do what makes you think we'd give it to you?!" Knuckles yells again.
"Because I need it. That should be obvious to you by now" Sonic simply replies.
"I'm sick of your attitude!" Knuckles goes over to Sonic ready to punch him.
"Knuckles! Stop!" Tails yells.
"Why should I?!"
"So that you don't end up making yourself look like a big fool. Like you usually end up doing." Sonic tells him.
Knuckles pushes Sonic knocking him to the ground. Sonic gets up and pushes Knuckles back. They start arguing with each other while Tails looks at the two.
Seeing those two fight.. I can't explain it but for some reason it just feels familiar.. Tails thinks.
"Knuckles! I think he's telling the truth!" Tails exclaims.
"Of course I am." Sonic replies.
"I still don't believe you." Knuckles says.
The flame reappears on Sonic's body. It now looks bigger then before.
"What is that?" Tails asks looking worried.
"That means I haven't got much time left! I need that secret ring!"
"We don't have it." Knuckles answers.
"Yes, we do!" Tails takes out the fifth secret ring. He gives it to Sonic who smiles sincerely at him.
"You've been a big help." Sonic tells him.
"Do you want us to come with you?" Tails asks.
"Sorry, this is something I have to do on my own."
"Good luck then.." Tails starts to say.
"Sonic." He answers for him.
"Good luck, Sonic."
"Thanks, Tails. See ya, Knucklehead!" He says before running off.
"I didn't want to help you anyway!" Knuckles yells at him.
The two continue on their way. Shahra notices that Sonic looks gravely concerned.
"Sonic, why did you refuse their help?"
"By collecting these rings for Erazor I feel solely responsible for whatever happens. Therefore.."
He looks ahead and sees many robots guarding a metallic looking palace.
"Eggman must be here."
"Who is Eggman?" Shahra asks.
"He's my main rival. It'll be interesting to see what he's up to."
A lone robot walks up to them. "Halt intruder. You are trespassing!"
Sonic walks away from the robot and up to the palace's door.
"Didn't you hear Unit 12? You are trespassing!" Another robot reminds him.
"Yeah yeah I know."
"For trespassing you are to be escorted to our royal leader who will decide your punishment."
"Lead the way, tincan."
The robot brings Sonic inside the palace and escorts him to the throne room. Sitting upon the throne is Dr.Eggman. He is dressed in a king's attire complete with a crown on his head. On top of Eggman's crown is a secret ring. As soon as Sonic sees Eggman he starts laughing.
"What's so funny?!" Eggman bellows.
"You! Don't you realize how goofy you look?"
"Silence mammal!" Eggman examines Sonic closely. "Have we met before?"
"You know we have."
"I don't care much for your tone."
"So?"
"So?! So?! How dare you speak to me this way! I am King Eggman!"
"Even with that crown on your head you're still the same person you're always are."
Sonic rushes over and snatches Eggman's crown. Eggman panics covering his bald head with his hands.
" KILL HIM! He stole the royal crown!" Eggman shouts.
A few robot guards come into the room. They raise their guns and began firing on Sonic. Sonic runs out of the palace with the crown. He yanks the secret ring off of it.
One of the guard robots catches up to him. It fires it's gun again. Sonic uses the crown as a shield it takes the full hit of the blast. The crown begins to crumble into pieces falling to the ground. Sonic runs off escaping from the robot's firing range. Eggman goes outside the palace only to see his now broken crown.
"YOU FOOLS!" He goes over to his crown picking up the broken pieces. "Not only is my crown ruined but you let him get away!" That blue creature… I swear I will destroy you one day!
End of Chapter Four
