"Priority one hedgehog! You are under a…" Manic barely heard it before he knocked it down, and continued running after the SWATbots, Sleet and Dingo. He ran through a crowd of fighting freedom fighters and SWATbots, and continued out in the jungle…

-v-v-v-v-

Robotnik watched as Sleet, Dingo, and some SWATbots landed in front of him, the SWATbots put Natalie and Jennifer down. He smiled evilly.

"Well, well! The human after all this time! And an extra guest, I see! Good work, Sleet!" He looked at both of them. Sleet cleared his throat.

"Perhaps… This is worth a little raise?" He asked.

"Not right now! Just throw those two into a cell and go back and lead the attack! Afterwards we'll have some work to do! We're gonna make history!" He pointed to Jennifer.

"You won't get away with this, creep!" Natalie said when the SWATbots carried them away. The SWATbots threw them into a cell, and when they sat up, Natalie noticed another figure, and recognized it immediately.

"Sandy!" She said. The figure raised its head, and looked at them, surprised.

"Nat! Jennifer! What are you two doing here?!" He asked as Natalie stormed over, and hugged him.

"We could ask you the same thing!" Jennifer said. He looked down in the ground.

"C… Couldn't it wait?" He asked.

Jennifer sighed. "I'm afraid Buttnik won't give us much time… He's desperate!"

-v-v-v-v-

Manic looked around in the light of another lightening bolt. He was able to see a giant air ship in the glades in front of him.

"Hang in there, J! I'm coming!" He whispered as he made his way through the last of the bushes. He was standing behind the tree, watching as Robotnik and a couple of SWATbots walked inside the ship.

'He might lead me right to J and Nat… But perhaps this is a trap..? Ah, it's worth a try, anyway!' He ran out of the bushes, still making sure no one saw him. When he got into the ship Robotnik stopped right in front of a cell, and he hid behind a crate, just before Robotnik turned around. He held his breath while Robotnik still looked at the crate. Then, Robotnik finally turned away, and Manic breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Looks like you weren't that well protected, eh?" He said as he looked into the cell.

"I suggest you don't do anything stupid, Robotnik! If you roboticize Nat, Sandy or me, the freedom fighters will avenge us… Even you and your dumb force of SWATbots won't be able to stop all of the freedom fighters when they attack!" Jennifer's voice came from inside the cell.

Manic looked out from behind the crate. He saw Jennifer, sitting a little distance away from Sandy who was holding Natalie. Jennifer seemed to see him. He signed her to be quiet and a little smile appeared on her face while she nodded secretively. Robotnik laughed.

"We'll be able to get them all if I send you into battle when you're roboticized! The so-called freedom fighters would never harm you, and Manic wouldn't let them! The fool would be protecting a robot!" He said. Manic gritted his teeth. This was too much. He raised up, and ran out from his hiding place.

"No! I'd be protecting my friend!!" He shouted. Robotnik, the SWATbots, Sandy, Natalie, and Jennifer all turned to him, surprised.

"Well, well, well! The prince came for the girl! Looks like he forgot his white horse!" Robotnik said while the SWATbots walked towards Manic to grab him.

"I won't need it!" He kicked one of them down, and tripped the other one up. "Release them!" He pointed to the cell.

"I'm afraid I won't listen to the word of a hedgehog!"

"This time you will! I…" Manic suddenly just stared at him, silently.

"You what?! What are you looking at, hedgehog?!" Robotnik asked.

"Y… you're f… floating!" Manic said, pointing at him. Then, he looked at Jennifer. She had her eyes closed tightly, and her medallion was glowing.

"Don't be silly! I'm…" Robotnik was cut off when he noticed it too, "GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!" He shouted.

'Manic! Pick the lock, would you?! I can't hold him up for forever!' Manic heard Jennifer's voice inside his head.

"Alright, J! Nice show!" He whispered. He found some tools in his fanny pack, ran over to the cell, and started picking the lock. A couple of seconds later, it was open.

"Go on! Escape!" He patted Natalie and Sandy on their backs.

"You sure you two can do it alone?" Natalie asked. Manic nodded.

"Yeah… Just go on! We'll catch up with you!" Then, he turned to Jennifer, "Let go, J! We need to get outta here!" He looked up at Robotnik.

"HEDGEHOG!!" He exclaimed as Natalie and Sandy ran off. Jennifer let Robotnik go, and he fell to the ground. Jennifer opened her eyes, and looked at Manic, exhausted.

"You alright, J?" He asked. She nodded yes.

"Yeah… Thanks to you!" She said, hugging him. Manic smiled, and put his arms around her.

"Ok… Let's get outta here!" He helped her to her feet. Suddenly some SWATbots broke in.

"Whoa! Let's go, J!" Manic started running. Jennifer tried to follow, but fell because of her broken leg. She yelped in pain.

"SEIZE HER!!" Robotnik shouted, pointing to Jennifer.

She tried to get up, but the leg made it impossible. "MAANIIC!" She cried.

Manic heard her, and stopped immediately. He turned around, and realized Jennifer wasn't behind him.

"J!!" He stormed back, through the bushes, and inside the airship. Jennifer was laying on the floor, trying to crawl backwards while the SWATbots came towards her.

"NOOO!!" He cried, ran over to the bots, and started kicking all of them. Others came, and he realized he couldn't fight them all. He ran over to Jennifer, and without really knowing what he was doing, he picked her up off the ground, ran out of the ship, and out in the jungle. Robotnik and the SWATbots stood back.

"GET THEM, YOU DOLTS!! I want them alive!!" Robotnik shouted.

Manic was still running with Jennifer in his arms. She opened her eyes, and realized what was going on. Then, she looked behind them, and saw the SWATbots come flying after them.

"Uhh… Manic! They're coming!!" She shouted.

"Don't worry, J! We're gonna make it!" He said, still running. Jennifer put her arms around his neck, and closed her eyes again, praying.