Attention Readers,
Pardon the interruption, but I decided to edit and add some changes in this chapter. I wanted to put a little more action and tense in this chapter and I know you readers want more of it too.
To bearvalley3356; Sorry, I had to erase your last review. It's just I had to reedited this chapter. Didn't wanted it to seem outdated. You can rewrite your review for this chapter if you want. I really enjoy your support. It helps gain me expierience.
I still have a lot of chapters to go, I hope everyone's enjoying this story so far.
Peace
Evening fell over the Thorndyke palace.
"HA-HA! There you are, boys! You like proper young gentlemen!" Karolyn said. Her son and nephew were cleaned up and suited up for the party. Both of them wore black tuxedoes and had their hairs combed back smooth. They looked at themselves in the mirror. "Hmph!" Carter grunted in an unamused tone as he smoothed his blue hair back. Chris chuckled uneasily as he tried to loosen his choking tie.
"Now, try not to strain it, dolls!" Karolyn advised. "Or else, it'll ruin the effect of your appearance."
"Whatever you say, Mother," Carter replied, adjusting his jacket. Sonic and Tails came out from the large wardrobe, also wearing tuxedo jackets. They felt a little stiff and uncomfortable formal attire, for they had never wore clothes before.
Ugh! Now I see why guys don't often dress up like this!" Sonic said, tugging his collar. "I feel like a plastic boy doll fresh out of the box! And my head itches! Errgh! How do these people stand this so-called hair gel?!" He rapidly scratched his blue quills.
Chris snickered quietly.
"What are you laughing at, preppy boy?" Sonic retorted. Chris suddenly quieted.
"Um, Mistress Thorndyke, is this really necessary?" Tails asked.
"Why, of course my dears! It's the way of Thorndykes!" Karolyn replied. "We all must look our very best when representing the contribution to those who cannot pick themselves up after falling down, otherwise we'd all look terrible! Hee Hee Hee!" Hercules meowed listlessly. Carter scoffed.
A feminine voice called from the hallway, "Karolyn? Christopher?"
"In here, Lindsay." Karolyn called out. Hercules on her side, meowed.
Lindsay entered the room. "There you are, Christopher!" She said. "My! Don't you look fabulous!" She hugged her son in pride. "My little boy is all grown up!" Then she looked in Chris' eyes. "Oh dear," his mom said. "You've got some stuff in your eyes, darling! Let's take care of that!" She used a handkerchief to wipe her son's eyes.
"Mom!" Chris exclaimed in embarrassment. Carter chuckled. Karolyn licked her thumbs and smoothed Carter's eyebrows who writhed in discomfiture. "Ugh! Mother!" He protested. Sonic and Tails snickered quietly.
Robert entered the bedroom, already dressed for his ball. "Ah, my family! Is everyone ready?" He asked.
"Yes! Of course! Ready when you are! Right on!" They agreed.
"When does the party start?" Sonic asked. "I'm willing to get down and busy!" He showed of his dance move.
"Now, Sonic," Chris said. "This isn't just any other rave party that you can just go crazy! It's one of those gotta-take-it-slow parties!"
"A slow dance party?" Sonic said it with distaste. "Great! That means I get to stand still for a while. How exciting!"
"I'm sure it'll be fun, Sonic!" Tails assured him. "Think of it as just moving in slow motion." Sonic groaned in response.
"Now, before we get this party started," Robert said. "Let's go over the reviews again..."
Before he could speak, a security guard entered the room. "Master Thorndyke, we have a situation!" He reported.
"What is it?" Robert asked.
"We have an intruder!" The security guard said.
"An intruder?" Robert said.
"An intruder?" Sonic and the gang repeated. Hercules meowed questionably.
"The intruder was found wandering around the palace uninvited. But don't worry, sir, we caught him. We just thought you like to be informed." The security guard said.
"Who was the intruder?" Robert asked.
The answer quickly came to him when an angry voice exploded from the hallways that made the Thorndyke family jump. "HEY! What are you-GET OFF ME! Take your hands off me!"
Karolyn and Lindsay gasped. Hercules hissed.
"What was that?" Carter asked.
"Uh-oh.." Chris began to say.
"I know that anger," Sonic said.
A huge buffed security guard entered the room with a ticked off red echidna, fidgeting in rage. "This is the intruder, sir."
Sonic and the Thorndyke family let out a surprised gasp. Knuckles was furiously struggling to break free from the guard's control. "HOW DARE YOU!" He yelled. "Who did you think you're dealing with?! I am the GUARDIAN of ANGEL ISLAND! LET ME GO OR ELSE!"
"Knuckles?" His friends addressed him.
Knuckles abruptly stopped moving. "Chris? Sonic? What are you guys doing?"
"Well, this is my relatives' house." Chris answered. "What you doing here?"
"Yeah, we didn't think you were going to visit here, Knuckles," Tails said. "We thought you were just going to protect the Master Emerald all day."
"I heard rumors about a valuable treasure going be revealed here so I thought I should, you know, check it out." Knuckles said.
"Would someone kindly explained to me what is that thing doing in my property?" Carter piped up.
"THING?!" Knuckles, provoked, turned to the rude bratty kid. "I know you're not talking about me, pretty boy!" Carter glared at him.
"Oh boy!" Chris muttered uneasily.
"We caught him trespassing through the yard." The guard explained. "What should do with him?"
"I wasn't trespassing!" Knuckles snapped. "I was looking for a Chaos Emerald! You got a problem with that?!"
"Should we lock him up?" The other guard asked Robert.
"Well..." Robert turned to his wife for a opinion who just shrugged unsurely.
"Yeah! Trespassers should always be locked up!" Carter said.
"No, don't! He's our friend!" Chris put in, grabbing the guard's arm.
"Yeah, he's with us!" Tails added.
"You guys, know this, uh...gentleman?" Robert asked the boys.
"Hmmm...Never seen him before in my life." Sonic joked.
"Sonic!" Chris, Knuckles, and Tails cried in alarm.
"Relax! I'm only kidding!" Sonic assured. "He's with us, sir. Put him down, dude."
"You heard him! Put me down NOW!" Knuckles barked at the guard.
"Well, as I always say, any friend of my nephew is a friend of mine! Put him down, John." Robert ordered.
John the security guard dropped Knuckles to the floor. He groaned in pain and annoyance.
"You alright, Knuckles?" Chris asked with concern.
"Great, just what we need, another filthy wild animal in the house." Carter said.
"What did you say?!" Knuckles growled. He presented his fist to blue-haired boy. "You better watch yourself, pal! My dreadlocks are like sticks of dynamite! They'll blow up in your face if you lit the wrong fuse!"
"Hmph! For a short guy, you talk big!" Carter retorted, looking down at the red echidna. "Guess your bark is worse than your bite!"
Knuckles growled in provocation. "You're asking for it!" He and Carter locked horns. Sparks were flying!
"Oh dear," Lindsay gasped.
"That can't be a good sign!" Chris put in.
"These two are more hot-headed than ever I know of," Tails added.
Sonic stepped in between them, "whoa! Hey guys, cool it!" He said, trying to cool them off. "Let's not try and start a fire here! This is a palace, not a wrestling arena!"
The two continued to fiercely glared at each other in dislike. They growled at each other.
Karolyn decided called in a halt "Ok, you two, that's enough!" She said, pulling her son and the echidna away. "There will be no brawling in this house! Everyone except the red echidna head to ballroom now." Knuckles signaled Carter "I'll deal with you later!". Carter glared back and signaled "that's fine by me!". Lindsay escorted her son, nephew, and friends halfway to the door. Hercules left the bedroom.
"Of course, Karolyn," Robert said. "No doubt you're going to take care if our unexpected guest. You better be careful, dear. He looks like he means business! Guess the echidna wasn't the 'i-kid-na' type! Get it? I-KID-NA?" Robert laughed at his punning joke. "I kill myself!"
Lindsay, Chris, Sonic, and Tails shook their heads in unamusement as they left the room.
"Oh, Robert," Karolyn said, unhumorously.
Carter slapped his forehead in embarrassment. "Father, please!" He exited.
"Huh? I don't get it," Knuckles said in confusion.
"You come with me, sweetheart," Karolyn addressed him. "I'll have you prepped up into a glowering stud in no time." She headed to the large wardrobe. Knuckles followed her with arms folded. "Hmph!"
"Try not to take too long," Robert said as he headed downstairs to the ball.
Meanwhile back at the junk yard hideout, Eggman and his henchbots were gathered round at the table to see what information they have collected and think of a plan to destroy Sonic and his friends.
"Well, so far I think Sonic has a weakness for pretty girls," Decoe said, replaying the video of Sonic getting kissed by Karolyn Thorndyke.
"And that Amy Rose gets easily ticked off when someone flirts with her boyfriend, Sonic." Bocoe said. "Maybe we could get her angry enough to...to...ok I don't know. Dumb suggestion."
"And I think that Sonic can't resist any race challenged to him," Bokkun said, viewing the tape of Sonic and Sam racing. "He loves being the best at everything!"
"Bah!" Eggman yelled in dissatisfaction. "No, no, no! It's not nearly enough! What else is there?"
"We also found out that Rouge the Bat and her friend Topaz like jewelry and cool stuff!" Bocoe added.
"We already know that!" Eggman snapped.
"I caught this mysterious hedgehog on video," Bokkun said, showing the doctor the replay of Silver taking on the cheating swindler. "Check out his power!"
"What's that got to do with Sonic!" Eggman demanded. "I'm only interested in Sonic's weak spot, not some weird-looking strange animals!" He growled and knocked all the cameras and notebooks off of the henchmen's hands. Decoe, Bocoe, and Bokkun look afraid.
"These are not the type of data we're searching for!" Eggman barked. "Remember, we're not just trying to eliminate Sonic for good! I want to make him suffer a long and painful demise, just for my amusement! I want his hide on my trophy on my Eggman Empire lair! Otherwise we can kiss world domination goodbye! What is that pesky little hedgehog's weakness? What truly hurts Sonic the most?" He thought hard.
Bokkun reached inside the jar for the last cookie in the bottom and got himself stuck.
"I hate to say this, Doctor," Decoe put in. "But I'm beginning to think that maybe Sonic doesn't have a weakness."
"Of course he has a weakness, you idiots!" Eggman barked. "Every hero has a weakness! Even Achilles had a defenseless soft spot on his ankle and look what happened to him!" He did some thinking. "Whenever Sonic curls into a ball, he is untouchable and invincible. However, if we could somehow force him to uncurl from his attack ball, we strike down at his soft belly and then put him down for good. He will be vulnerable when he's at my mercy."
Bokkun finally broke the jar. He held the cookie. "I got it!" He munched on it. "Even if you managed to trample Sonic, his friends will always come to his aid." He mumbled with mouth full. "Unless you hold them all hostage to prevent them from backing him up!"
"THAT'S IT!" Eggman suddenly bellowed. His voice was so loud it blew away Bokkun and caused the robots to collapsed in startlement. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?!"
"W-w-what is up Doctor?" Decoe stuttered.
"Sonic's weakness are his loving friends!" Eggman answered. "It's so simple!"
The three henchmen got up. "I'm not sure we follow you, sir," Decoe said.
"Yeah, what's Sonic friends got to do with it?" Bocoe answered.
"Don't you see? As long as Sonic got his friends on his side, he's cool as a cucumber," Eggman stated. "But what if we, let's say, capture his friends and hold them hostage and Sonic will have no choice but to surrender. Then I will finish him off while he's down and out of will to fight back like a helpless insect on flypaper."
The robots looked at each other in awe and are impressed.
"That sounds brilliant," Decoe said.
"You can say that again!" Bocoe added.
"I never heard this one!" Bokkun added.
"Actually, I just thought something even better!" Eggman grinned malevolently. "This child called Carter Thorndyke is the son of the richest man in Solaropolis and the president of the Thorndyke Solar Industries. Tonight, his father will be hosting a formal charity ball and will also be unveiling the secret treasure. I also heard that Thorndyke keeps solar technology blueprints in his office! I can use them to build my own solar killing machine!" He pointed to the robots. "You! You shall sneak into the party in disguise and seek and search the Thorndyke's secret office and steal the documents!" He threw the ballroom costumes to them.
Decoe and Bocoe pointed at themselves in query. "Us?"
"That's right! And then when the time is right, we'll crash into the party, steal the treasure and take the kid and hold him as my prisoner! Sonic and his worthless pals will have no choice but to give in to my demands and bring me 7 Chaos Emeralds in exchange for the kid's safety. And then we'll imprison them too, holding everyone including Sonic as my first slaves of the Eggman Empire! It'll be like killing two birds with one stone! Or should I say, killing two hedgehogs with one egg! There'll will be no one left to stop me! THIS TIME I WILL TRIUMPH! HA HA HA!" He laughed evilly.
"You know what? This may actually work!" Bocoe said.
"Of course it'll work! It's a foolproof plan that even you idiots can't mess this up!"
"Thanks, Doctor! What a nice thing to say!" Bocoe said.
"Now let's get to work!" Eggman ordered. He held up his wrench. "World domination is just around the corner!" He began to work on his creation.
"Here we go again!" Bokkun announced. So he and the robots went to work on their most diabolical plan yet.
Nighttime had hit Solaropolis. Most lights were on, brightening the dark city. With numerous of colors of the solar-charged lightning, the vast golden city was beautiful. Silver, still searching for the Iblis Trigger, flew across the showering city. He stared at it in amazement.
Wow! Even at night, the city looks so beautiful! He thought. It's incredible! He soared through the incandescent streets. Neon lights gleamed over the happy customers. People were talking, teens were grooving on a colorful dance park, dating, chatting in outdoor restaurants, enjoying the evening. Children wandered around playing, some had sparklers in their hands like their celebrating something. Silver looked at them with pleasure. Those people down there... He thought. They all look so happy. Without a single Iblis creature to bother them, they don't have to worry about anything what's coming to them, except how to enjoy the night. He then landed on top of the tallest spire. He gazed at the view of the glorious radiant city. His yellow eyes sparkled from the light. Inside, he felt happy. He then gazed at the large moon, welcoming the silver guest from the future with its white showering rays.
"No way!" Silver exclaimed. "I didn't even know that this large glowering circle existed! And those strange sparkling diamonds in the sky! Everything here is just so AMAZING!" He launched off from the spire and landed on another tall building. "As soon as I defeat Iblis, I'm going to make sure that this will look like my future!" Suddenly, some more colorful lights flashed all over his body and face. "Huh?" He looked around. In the sky, fireworks boomed in the starry night. Silver gasped in wonder. The people gazed at the fireworks and clamored with excitement.
Silver looked at the fireworks in amazement. "What's that?" He asked himself. "Is that fire? No! Those things look pretty harmless. I wonder if there's a super event going on..." He gazed at the view and spotted the huge Thorndyke Palace, all brightened up.
A festive formal charity ball was taking place inside the large ballroom. The men were dressed in their best tuxedoes while the women wore beautiful gowns, and masquerade masks. They whooped, clapped, and waltzed to the classical music played by the musicians on the plateau. Everyone was having a great time, including Sonic and friends.
"Come all, come forth, my friends!" Robert announced, wearing in a green mask. "Dance the night away until your legs give out!"
Lindsay and Karolyn escorted their sons to the dance floor. They were also wearing masquerade masks.
"Christopher dear, this girl right here doesn't have anybody to mingle with," Lindsay said, introducing a girl about Chris' age wearing a purple dress, curled twin tails, and a purple mask. "Would you be her dance partner?"
"Sure, why not?" Chris replied. He took the girl's hands.
"I'm Vivian," the girl said. "What's your name?"
"Chris." The two began to waltz.
"Carter, ask that girl if she would like to dance," Karolyn said, pointing to a blond haired girl in a green dress.
"Eh, whatever," Carter responded, walking toward the girl, hands in pocket. "Hey, you wanna dance or something?" He asked her.
"Okay," the girl said. "My name's like, Brianna."
"Carter Thorndyke." The two started waltzing with each other.
Cream and Tails stood around in amusement, watching the partygoers waltzed in a circle. "This is great!" Cream said. She was wearing a yellow dress with flower beads on her ears and a gold mask. Cheese chirped. He's also wearing a mask.
"Yeah! I'd never been in one of these type of parties before. How awesome!" Tails agreed. He was wearing green mask. They continued watching the attenders dance.
"This dancing looks fun!" Cream said. "Wanna go, Tails?"
Tails chuckled nervously. "Well, I can't really dance, Cream."
"Don't worry, I'll help you, Tails." Cream grabbed his hands. "Just follow my lead." Tails tittered nervously. "O-o-okay." He gulped and slowly danced with Cream.
Sonic was over by the snack table, looking distastefully at the exquisite eatables. He was wearing a red mask.
"Yuck! This is supposed to be caviar?" He blatted. "Looks like someone pick this out their teeth!" He stared at the black stuff on a cracker in his hand.
"Sonic!" A female voice called out to him.
Sonic turned around. "Huh? Gaah!"
Amy arrived at the dance floor, wearing a pink beautiful gown, white gloves, a tiara, and a golden mask. She looked absolutely beautiful!
"Wow!" Sonic exclaimed.
Amy got closer to Sonic. "So what's shaking?" She asked. "Do you like my new dress? Please tell me you love it! I spent all day shopping for a perfect gown for you!"
Sonic stared at her in awe. "W-w-well, of c-c-course, Amy!" He stammered. "Y-y-you look g-g-great!"
"Really? Thank you, Sonic! That's really sweet!" Amy extolled, hugging him tightly.
"Oh brother!" Sonic mumbled.
"Are you going to ask me to dance, Sonic?" Amy evoked.
"Excuse me?" Sonic said in surprise.
"Well, the other people are dancing," Amy said. "I don't see why we shouldn't we dance."
"Well, I don't know..." Sonic replied hesitantly.
"Please?" Amy begged with pleading green eyes.
"Well...all right!" Sonic gave in. "Just one so-ooong!" Amy excitedly grabbed him and started waltzing with him.
"Whoa! Take it easy, Amy!" Sonic said. "It's not the world's gonna end."
"I know, but I want to enjoy every minute of it," Amy said.
"Yeah, you know what they say, 'you only live once'," Sonic agreed. "You have to enjoy every single thing happening in your life." He smiled. Amy smiled by in affection. They smoothly slow danced.
More and more new people kept pouring in. Guests checked in with the guard (who was also wearing a mask) with the book of an invitation list. He let them in.
The paired people greeted Robert as they entered the dance floor. "Hey, Robert!"
"Good to see you, Robert!"
"Hello, Robert!"
"Thanks for inviting us!"
"Yes, of course. How are you are? Great seeing you too! And you're welcome!" Robert replied and greeted.
"Wow! It seems that lots of people know you, Robert," Nelson said, wearing a purple mask. "You sure are popular!"
"Well, I am the richest and powerful man in the whole city," Robert said. "They look at me as Duke of Solaropolis."
"Right!" His brother said. "You are pretty successful, bro!"
"Darn right, brother!" Robert replied.
"Not as successful as me!" Nelson said in a challenging tone.
Robert faced him eye to eye. "Oh yah?"
"Yeah!" The Thorndyke brothers locked eyes in a competitive way.
"Yah?"
"Yeah!"
"Yah?!"
"Yeah!"
"Yah?!"
"Yeah!"
Chuck, dancing with Ella observed his bickering sons. "My two boys, Robert and Nelson...they haven't change a bit." He said.
The male dance partners lifted their mates in the air, Ella lifted Chuck on the air.
Two strange people in peculiar costumes and beehive wigs arrived at the palace ballroom, checking in with the guard. They looked nervous when the guard check their names on the guest book.
"Names?" The guard asked.
"Um, De'collum, and, uh...Bocoella," Decoe in the gentleman's suit stuttered.
"Hmm..." The guard dubiously searched up their names in the guest book. He found their names, freshly written in black marker. The robots waited nervously as Bocoe disguised as a woman hid his marker in the ruffles. He's the one who wrote those fake names on the guest book.
"Go right in," the guard approved. Decoe and Bocoe relieved entered.
"We in, Doctor," Decoe reported through his wrist communicator.
"Excellent," Eggman replied, working on his creation. Bokkun was drinking chocolate syrup. "As soon as the main attraction hit, search the whole palace for the Time Machine Project plans."
"Yes sir!" Decoe accepted.
"We won't let you down!" Bocoe added.
"Yeah, right!" Eggman retorted faithlessly.
Topaz and Rouge were next in line, the guard let them in. They look around in amusement. "Sure are a lot of people tonight, eh, Rogue?" She commented. She was wearing a black gown, tiara, white gloves, and a golden mask.
"Uh huh, sure, whatever," Rogue replied, holding the fan to her face. She's only interested in the treasure.
"We should go mingle or something until the unveiling," Topaz suggested.
"Hello there, Topaz," a voice appeared before her. "What a small world this is."
Topaz turned around. The butler Tanaka is presented. He is wearing a purple mask.
"Tanaka," Topaz acquainted. "What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?"
"Well, I was just in the neighborhood," Tanaka answered. He held a rose in his hand. "And I just thought...May I have this dance, Miss Topaz?" He offered his hand.
Topaz blushed. "Why, of course, Tanaka. Why shouldn't I?" She accepted and took Tanaka's hand. And together they tango while Tanaka carried the rose in his mouth.
Elsewhere where the other couple were waltzing, Knuckles just stood there on the dance floor, looking impatient, arms folded. He was wearing a bow tie, black jacket, and a purple mask. "Tsk! This is a waste of time!" He scoffed. "Why couldn't they could just show us the treasure already? I've got stuff to do!" Suddenly, a feminine voice occurred. "Boy, Knuckles! You really do need to loosen up!"
"You're here too, Rouge?" Knuckles turned around. "Why you are here?" Suddenly, he gasped.
Rouge was wearing a beautiful red slender strapless gown with a large red bow covering her bat wings. She wore red gloves, a choker, a golden mask, and a rose on her large bat ear. She was a total knock out! She also had a fan to her face.
"WOW!" Knuckles gasped in awe. He was totally swept off his feet by her beauty. The stunning bat walked toward blushing echidna. "Hi there, handsome. My, we live in a small world." She greeted and removed her fan. Knuckles didn't respond, he was too stunned by her beauty.
"Is there something wrong?" Rouge asked.
"N-n-no! Eh..Y-y-you l-l-look g-g-great t-t-tonight!" Knuckles stammered.
"I do? Thanks, Knuckie Poo! You're so sweet!" Rouge said, twirling his dreadlocks. She looked around. "You know, there are some people dancing around us...and we're the only ones standing still." Her eyes sparkled in flirtation.
"Yeah..."
"What do you say we dance through the night?" She suggested.
Knuckles got cold feet. "Eh..." He gulped loudly. "...I-I-I d-don't k-k-know..." He stammered nervously.
"Hmm?"
"I-I-I...h-had never d-d-danced before in my e-entire l-l-life! I don't even..."
Rouge placed her finger on his lips to silence him. "Just shut up and follow my lead." She said. She took his hands and started to tango with him.
"Whoa!" Knuckles exclaimed. The couple danced through the room like any professional dance duos. When they finished their number, Knuckles held on to Rouge close. They gazed at each others' eyes and panted.
"My!" Rouge said admiringly. "I never realized you're such a good dancer! Are you sure you never did that in your life? You're a natural!"
"Thanks. As a guardian, I must have pure instinct and be ready for anything that lies in the upcoming," Knuckles replied.
"You know, we can dance all night long if we wanted to," Rouge said. "What do you say to that, Hon?"
"Well, I'd say..." Knuckles reached for the large urn of roses behind him, grabbed on and placed it in his mouth. Rouge smiled in admiration.
"Bring it on, batgirl!" Knuckles grinned.
The adults, Robert, Karolyn, Nelson, and Lindsay were slow dancing around on the shining golden floor. In the middle of the large floor, there is the same sun symbol as the family's emblem necklaces and the old cathedral.
"I must say, Big Brother, you really outdone yourself!" Nelson said. He's wearing a gold mask. "Yeah, you really know how to throw a party."
"Naturally," Robert replied. "I wouldn't hesitate on bringing the house down."
"He can throw wild parties sometimes," Karolyn said.
"Well, I can throw best formal parties too," Nelson said, waltzing with his wife. "Only better!"
"Oh yeah?" Robert retorted, slow dancing with his wife. "Well, I'm the best dancer there is!"
"Oh boy," Karolyn muttered.
"HA! Your sideburns are too tight!" Nelson cracked. "I'm the best dancer!"
"Here we go again!" Lindsay said.
"Wanna bet?"
"Yeah!"
"It's on!"
"I'm the best!" The brothers set off the sibling rivalry again.
"Those two guys," Lindsay said, facing Karolyn while dancing. "They couldn't go on without setting off the race pistol."
"We should be thankful that our sons aren't like them," Karolyn agreed.
As the two young boys waltz with their girlfriends, Carter purposely slammed hard into Chris while dancing along the way. Chris glared angrily at him who just turned his head away remorselessly. He felt resentment toward his mean cousin.
Cream continued to partner dance with Tails who was still a little nervous and kept looking a their feet. "Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot," he whispered.
"Left foot, right foot, left foot, right," Cream repeated. "You're doing great, Tails! You'll do even better if you don't always look at your feet all the time."
"Okay, I'll try," Tails replied.
Decoe and Bocoe were blending in with the crowd, pretending to waltz like a normal couple.
"Ok, we wait for the signal and when the time is right, we make our move," Decoe said.
"Sounds good to me," Bocoe said. They fumbled in their uncomfortable clothing.
"Does this wig make my head look big?" Bocoe asked.
"This suit's giving me a wedgie!" Decoe complained. He ruffled the bottom of his suit as if itching. They stepped on each others toes. "Ouch! Hey, watch it!" "Ow! No, you watch it!" They kept stepping on each other's toes.
Up on the ballroom roof, Silver landed on the glass and viewed the formal event from up here. "Hmm, I wonder what they're doing in there?" He asked himself.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed. Everyone turned to the stage plateau and applauded. A beautiful blond sultry lady in a sexy pink strapless gown and a white boa approached the microphone. "Baby, I know, what you have got to do," she sang. "But honey, I see we are not exactly seeing eye to eye. If you really want see what is more to me inside...then, Baby, I must tell you...I'm...more...than...meets...the...eye!" She clutched on her white feathery boa. "I've...GOT THE POWER!" Suddenly, the classical sultry music became loud and jazzy music. Kind of like a Christina and Britney-like pop tune. The songstress threw her feathery white boa in the air and shook her backside in rhythm. The guard caught and smothered it in admiration.
"That's our cue!" Decoe announced suddenly. "Let's go!" He took off. Become stayed and ogled at the girl in admiration. "Ahh! What a doll!" He sighed dreamily. Decoe grabbed him, "come on!" He dragged him out of the ballroom.
"I have got the morning star and the evening star!" The songstress continued to sing. "I mixed them all together and look have I got! I got a twilight glow feeling for YOU!" The people danced around the pop sensational music.
"I've got the power! Oh Baby, I Got The Power! You better watch out! Oh, Yeah! Darling, I got power, to change all of everything!"
Robert and Karolyn did the tango, looking good. Nelson and Lindsay also tangoed. It seemed the two couples are competing who were the best dancers. When they finished their numbers, the two brothers glared at each other face-to-face as a sign of rivalry when they were young boys.
"I will rock you through with My Superpower Ability! Don't even try to escape it! You know you can't resist me! Bring it on! All the glory, will be restored to me!"
Knuckles and Rouge Latin danced. She swung her fan as they jiggled in rhythm. Knuckles still had the rose in his mouth. He tossed it high in the air before he lifted Rouge off her feet and twirled her around. When the two stopped, Rouge caught the rose in her hand. The bat and the echidna smirked at each other.
"Come on, everyone! Show me what you have! I've got all day long, I'll stay through the night!"
Carter and Brianna danced next to the music. Tails and Cream waltzed on floor and then drifted off in the air. Then, they somersaulted and made their number finale with cute style. Chris and Vivian grooved to the music next.
"Do you see my powers? I got the power! Yeah! You won't know what hit you! Baby I got the Power! All the power within!"
Tanaka and Topaz tangoed to the lyrics. Sam and Vanilla danced also.
"Ooo-ooo-ooh! Ooh! Uh-huh-huh, yeah! Come on, bring it on! Yeah!"
Next, the two hedgehogs dance with each other in foxtrot style. Eventually, they started spinning around like a tornado. They held on to each others hands and grinned in joy. After they got close together again, Sonic flung Amy in the air. Amy laughed in excitement. Then she dropped back down, Sonic caught her. They look at each other and smiled in sensation.
"That's it right! Doll! This is it, Baby! HA HA HA! Nothing can be bring me down! Not without a fight! I've got the power now! I will use it wisely. I will never ever ever ever ever ever EVER throw it away!"
The tall couples formed a human tunnel for the smaller ones to pass under. Everybody at the ball was having a great time.
Meanwhile, Decoe and Bocoe were searching around the palace for the master's office.
"Oh man," Bocoe complained. "This place is huge! It'll take forever to find this office."
"Actually, I think I found it," Decoe said, eyeing on a locked door. He pried the keyhole open, using his finger that had been turned into a key. The robots entered it. The lamp was on. Like the doctor said, the office was filled with blueprints and plans for solar technology. "Oooohhhhh!" They exclaimed. "I think we hit the jackpot!" Bocoe said.
"Let's take everything we can find in here," Decoe said. "And make it fast before-"
"I find you intruders here?" The huge security named John finished that sentence as confronted them. The robots turn around, panic stricken. "De'collum and Bocoella, huh?"
"Uh-oh! Busted!" Bocoe piped.
"Grab something and get out of here!" Decoe shouted.
John chased after them. The robots fled. Decoe grabbed some blueprint plans before scooting out of the office. John chased them out of the palace. The robots crashed into the front lawn. They groaned in pain.
"And don't come back!" John shouted. He slammed the entrance doors shut.
Decoe struggled to get out his communicator watch. "We found them, Doctor," he reported groaningly. "The Time Machine Project plans and the old journal. Ouch!"
"Excellent!" Eggman stated. He was now testing his mysterious new invention. "Time to move to phase 2!" He turned on his machine.
When the song was over, everybody, including Sonic and gang applauded. The lights returned. As the audience kept applauding, Robert and his family got on the plateau. No doubt it was time for the unveiling of the family treasure.
"Looks like Thorndyke's finally going to reveal that family treasure," Rouge said, clapping.
"About time," Knuckles said, applauding.
The songstress moved from the microphone in order for Robert to speak into it. He rose his hands for silence. He then cleared his throat through the microphone. "My fellow citizens of Solaropolis," he spoke. "I thank you all for coming to my formal ball. This eventful affair is more than just the foundation for the hopeless and the needy. It's also a ceremony of the passing our family treasure to a new heir, standing right here before me." He turned around. "Would my son, please come up front to the audience?" Carter obeyed and walked toward his father. He adjusted his jacket and stood there beside his father. Silver watched carefully from the glass roof.
"My son here, Carter Elijah Thorndyke is the new heir of our most sacred treasure that has been in our family for generations, my wife's generation that is." Robert announced. "I'm just the supporter." Few people chuckled.
Karolyn presented a box to the crowd. She opened it and revealed an incredibly sparkling gemstone, about the same size of a Chaos Emerald. It is multi colorful. It's like it's the oldest brother of the Chaos Emeralds! The audience were awed. Rouge's eyes sparkled in excitement. Knuckles gasped. Sonic and the gang gazed at it with awe.
"Wow!" Chris exclaimed.
"This is the Gem of Wonder," Robert declared. "Legend has it that it can grant wishes beyond your wildest dreams. Might even contain healing magic! Kind of like your Chaos Emeralds." The audience was impressed, even Knuckles and Rouge.
Karolyn removed the colorful gemstone from the box. "And now, I'm passing this symbol of wealth and fortune to our beloved and only son," she announced, holding the Gem of Wonder in her hand. "Carter Elijah Thorndyke!" She presented it to her son.
"Thank you, Mother . It is a great honor." Carter replied. He was about to take the Gem of Wonder of his mother's hands. The audience applauded some more.
"All right, Carter!" Chris cheered.
"Go for it, sonny!" Nelson rejoiced.
"Congratulations!" Lindsay praised.
"We've got to take that gem," Rouge said to Topaz.
Silver gasped at it in wonder. "This must be it! The key to the Iblis Trigger!" He said.
Before Carter could touch the Gem of Wonder, something crashed into the ballroom glass wall! Glass flung everywhere! Everyone screamed in fright. Robert shielded his family from danger. Carter and Karolyn screamed. Silver gasped in shock as he witnessed a terrorist attack. Nelson also shielded his family from the attack.
"What's happening?" Chris shouted in fear.
Suddenly, out of the giant gap, a giant white hovering robot intruded the ballroom. Everyone looked up in wonder. The guests didn't waste time to evacuate the ballroom in panic. Eggman emerged from the head. "My, what a glorious pizazzy event you're holding, Master Thorndyke!" He cackled. "I must admit I'm quite hurt when I wasn't invited!"
"Eggman!" Sonic proclaimed.
"Not him again!" Knuckles exasperated.
"Who invited him to the party?" Amy said.
"Who are you and how dare you forced yourself here uninvited in time of hour like this?!" Robert angrily addressed Eggman.
"My name is Doctor Eggman," the menacing doctor bowed. "I just want to drop in for a spot of party cake and punch!"
Karolyn clang on to her startled son who held his treasure in his hand.
"What do you want, Eggman?" Robert glowered.
"Not much, just the Gem of Wonder your son's holding behind you."
Robert checked on his family and glanced back at Eggman.
"I need to borrow for my little project," Eggman answered. "If you would be so kind to hand it over to me and I'll be on my way."
Carter clenched his treasure and shook his head in defiance. "No it's mine! You can't have it! Don't you know I'm the heir of this gem?"
Robert stood in front of his family. "You better leave now before I call the authorities!" He warned.
"Oh no! Not the authorities! What am I going to do?!" Eggman mocked. He pressed a button and opened up a machine gun at the hand and aimed it at the family! They gasped.
"Oh no!" Sonic cried.
"Look out!" Chris shouted.
Sonic sped dash and grabbed Robert while Rouge's wings broke loose from the satin bow and flew on the plateau and grabbed Karolyn and Carter. The heroes evacuated them from danger. They put them down safely. Carter was terrified.
"What your problem, Eggman?" Tails shouted. "Why do you intend on hurting people?!"
"Yeah! I bet these people haven't down anything to you!" Amy said, holding out her hammer.
"Eggman doesn't care who he harmed to get what he whats!" Knuckles verified.
"Got that right!" Eggman said. His robot aimed at the heroes. "Now who can dance?" The machine gun fired out bullets, causing them to jitter up and down as they tried to avoid the bullets.
"This isn't the kind of dance I had in mind!" Amy shouted.
"Cheese!" Cream called out. Her Chao friend hopped onto her ears! Cream launched up and flung Cheese from her ears like a catapult. He bulleted down to the machine gun and thrashed into it, causing the robot to nearly tip over. Its machine gun rose up vertically and fired out its last bullets in the ceiling, nearly hitting Silver who hastily dodged. "What the!" He gasped.
"Get him!" Sonic shouted. He and his friends charged against the robot and took on it like ants on a cookie!
"Get off, you fools!" Eggman yelled, trying to shake them off.
The other people watched the brave heroes battling Eggman.
"Don't just stand there, guys!" Sonic shouted, looking behind him. "Get out here now while you can!"
"Right," Chuck answered. "Everyone to the-" His blue-haired grandson ran past him, pushing him aside. "Huh? Carter! Where are you going?"
Frightened, Carter ran from the fight scene. "Forget this! I'm out of here!" He shouted as he escaped the ballroom with his Gem of Wonder.
"Carter!" Karolyn cried after him.
"Carter, come back!" Robert shouted.
"Well, he left in hurry!" Topaz commented.
"What a sissy boy!" Knuckles stated.
"There goes my treasure," Rouge said.
"The poor dear is so frightened!" Ella said.
"Deep down inside, he's just a scared little boy!" Karolyn said.
"I'll go get him!" Chris volunteered. He ran after him. "Carter, wait!"
Eggman was getting fed up. "Enough! GET OFF ME!" His robots spun fast, knocking the heroes off. They landed on their feet.
"Egg-Robots, attack!" Eggman commanded. Out from the windows, dozens of fighting robots poured into the ballroom. Everyone gasped. The robots surrounded the people.
"Well, looks like you brought friends after all," Sonic smirked.
Amy brought out her hammer. "I'm not afraid of them!"
"Me neither!" Tails stated, putting up fists.
"You guys take care of the robots," Sonic said, stepping up to Eggman. "Egghead and I have a score to settle!"
"Fine by me, blue rat!" Eggman defied. He and the blue hedgehog faced off.
"Stop!" Robert yelled. "If you guys are going to fight, do it outside! You break down my home!"
"He's right!" Sonic agreed. "Come on, Eggman! Come get me!" He sped off outside the gap.
"Get back, blue rat!" Eggman bellowed, chasing after him.
Sonic's friends began fighting the robots.
"We've got to protect these people and this place!" Tails announced
"Bring it on, metal heads!" Knuckles shouted. He uppercut a robot.
"Back off!" Amy shouted, hammering the robots off.
"Come on!" Rouge called. She did a tornado kick against the mechanical menaces with her red sharp high heels.
"Let's get out of here now!" Chuck commanded, instructing them out of the ballroom. His family fled except for Tanaka who intended on fighting the robots. He performed a kung fu intimidation against them.
"You have shame the Thorndyke's name," he said. "Now you shall pay the price!" He threw punches and kicks until Topaz grabbed him and dragged him along.
"Come on, Bruce Lee! Let's go!" She said.
Silver watched the fight from the roof. "Should I go down and help them?" He asked himself. He shook his head. "No. I have remain low. Can't risk anything just yet!" He then witnessed Sonic and Eggman combating head-on.
Carter ran down the hallway. Chris chased after him. "Carter, slow down!" He shouted.
"Get away from me!" Carter shouted back. "I don't want to be part of this!" He then fled into the garden. Chris ran after him. "Carter, it's okay!" Carter ran into the hedged maze. Chris entered there next. "Carter!" He shouted. He looked around, searching for his frightened cousin. He then scoured through the maze. "Carter, where are you?" He panted. The two boys scattered through the maze, trying to search and escape.
"CARTER!" Chris kept calling. "Carter!"
Carter scampered through the puzzling maze and hid behind the bush walls. He breathed hard and whimpered in fear. Silver arrived at the garden, keeping in stealth as he observed the boys.
Sonic and Eggman continued to battle each other. As Eggman tried to smash him, Sonic taunted and eluded.
"Nyah, nyah, nyah!" Sonic jeered, smacking his rear. "You can't hit me! You can't hit me!"
"You rat! I'll defeat if it's the last thing I do!" Eggman snarled.
"Ha! Yeah right!" Sonic retorted. "I heard that one a million times'! You should just quit! You know you can't win! I always stop you!"
Eggman growled.
"Besides, what you've always been doing is wrong!"
"And what you've always been doing is annoying! Besides, I got a plan that will eliminate you and you stinky friends once and for all!"
"What plan, Eggman?" Sonic asked curiously.
Then they heard Chris called Carter's name in a distance.
"This plan..." Eggman leered. He took off to the maze.
"Oh no! Chris!" Sonic exclaimed. He sped off after him.
Scared, Carter wandered around in the maze aimlessly. When he heard a noise, he swiftly swung his head around in startlement. "Someone there?" He doesn't realised that a large shadow figure was stalking behind him with mechanical claws.
Chris continued to search for his cousin. "Carter? Carter!" Behind him, a squirrel emerged from the bushes, making a ruffling sound. Chris turned around. "Carter is that you?" Then a scream filled the entire garden. Chris turned around, ran out of the maze, and entered the centerpiece of the large garden. "Carter?" He spouted. There, his cousin had been captured by a hovering legless robot controlled by the evil Doctor Eggman!
"Gotcha!" Eggman said.
Carter yelled as he squirmed in the mechanical hands. "Aaaahhhhh! Chris! Help me!"
"Ahh! Carter!" Chris gasped as he ran to his cousin's aide and launched on to the mechanical arm.
"You're mine!" Eggman stated as he took off from the garden.
Sonic spotted Eggman leaving with Carter. "Eggman!" He called out.
"I'm afraid our little game ends here," Eggman addressed him. "I got what I came for. So I'll be leaving now...with my new toy and client!" He laughed evilly.
"Please help me!" Carter cried as he struggled.
"Stop!" Sonic shouted. He ran and jumped highly on the robot. The two friends struggled to stop their enemy and free Carter.
Silver, hiding nearby, watched them go by. Wow! He thought. They're either brave or stupid. He moved on.
Back at the ballroom, the friends finished fighting the robots. The floor was now covered in scrape metal.
"Phew! That's the last of them!" Amy stated, wiping her forehead.
"Heh! Child's play!" Knuckles boasted, kicking the robot's head.
"That was tough!" Cream said.
"But we did it!" Tails said.
Rouge walked around the metal pieces. "This was supposed to be my day off!" She said. "Instead, I got involved in a steely situation."
"Let's go find Sonic, Chris, and Carter," Amy said.
"Hey look!" Knuckles pointed outside.
The heroes peered outside the gap. They saw Eggman's hovering robot departing the Thorndyke Estate, with Carter captured in its mechanical hands and Sonic and Chris holding on tightly.
"That's Eggman!" Amy said.
"And he's got Carter!" Cream said.
"Sonic and Chris are trying to stop him from taking Carter away!" Knuckles said.
"We've got to help them!" Tails urged. He and the gang ran to their aid.
In the hallway, the adults also saw Eggman in his creation passing by.
"What's that?" Lindsay asked.
"Eggman!" Chuck answered.
"My baby!" Lindsay and Karolyn cried together. The adults ran through the hallway to go outside.
Outside, Eggman was already leaving the Thorndyke estate, going higher than ever. Carter struggled to get free. Trying not to look down, Chris clung on the arm, nearly at the hands. Silver hopped on to one tree to another, following them. Carter managed to wriggle one arm out of the large hands. Chris reached for his hand. "Here, take my hand!" He shouted. Carter whimpered as he snagged his hand.
Sonic finally got on the head of the robot. He snuck behind Eggman and pounced on his head. Eggman was caught by surprise. "Why you!"
"Let go of him now!" Sonic bayed. "He's just a kid for Pete's sake! Sure he's a snot nosed obnoxious brat but he's still an innocent little kid!" He pulled at the doctor's mustache.
"HEY!" Carter exclaimed in offense.
"Get off my head, you overgrown spiky rodent!" Eggman snarled, trying to shake him off. He tipped the robot over. The boys exclaimed in alarm as they inclined. Chris tried to hold on to Carter's hand. Eggman tried to pull Sonic off his face.
Silver gasped in shock as he witnessed this. That fat man with a huge nose hair is no different from Iblis! He thought. He's trying to kill them!
Chris grunted as he clang on to dear life. "Come on!" He cried.
"Don't let go!" Carter shouted.
Chris refused to let go. "You let him go, you four-eyed creep!" He shouted.
"Four eyes?! How dared you?!" Eggman growled. He tilted the robot some more.
Everyone arrived outside the palace. They watched in fear as Eggman, high in the sky, was about to finally throw off Sonic and Chris. Lindsay gasped in horror. Karolyn clasped her hands in prayer.
"Sonic!" Amy cried.
"Chris!" Nelson shouted.
"They're going to fall!" Robert said.
"Do something!" Vanilla cried.
Sonic tugged on Eggman's mustache. "Stop! Carter has nothing to do with this, Eggman!" He grunted. "JUST LET HIM GO!"
Chris clung on to his cousin's hand with both hands. His hand began to slip. Eggman finally ripped Sonic off of his face. Sonic had bits of orange hair in his hands.
"You drew my last nerve, hedgehog!" He growled. Sonic eyed at him in solicitude. He tossed him away like litter! Chris's hand slipped from Carter's hand fell too.
Sonic and Chris plunged from the hovering robot! They both screamed.
"NOOOO!" Carter yelled as he is taken away.
Silver and the people of the palace watched in horror as they fall 50 feet to their doom.
"MY BABY!" Lindsay and Karolyn cried together in horror.
"CHRIS!" Nelson hollered.
"CARTER!" Robert bellowed.
"SONIC!" Amy screamed.
"See you next fall!" The Eggman called and waved. He laughed deviously as he escaped with his prisoner.
"Oh no!" Chuck shouted in terror.
"Somebody save them!" Cream cried.
"We're too far!" Knuckles proclaimed. "There's no way we'll make it!"
"We gotta do something!" Topaz insisted.
Sonic and Chris continued to scream as they fall!
"In case we don't make it, just wanna say it's been nice knowing you, Chris!" Sonic said, catching his friends hands.
"Nice knowing you too, Sonic!" Chris responded, bringing his friend close to him.
Suddenly, Silver hiding from a tree, used his telekinesis to freeze their fall, saving them from a gruesome drop! Sonic and Chris' bodies glowed in turquoise. They were now floating in the midair! "Huh?" They looked at themselves in confusion.
Silver elevated Chris and Sonic with his ESP power! He moved his glowing arm and directed them high in the air!
They people at the palace choked of breath in wonder and shock.
Not realizing that Silver saved their life, the boys exclaimed in bewilderment as they flew over the estate. "HEY! We're flying! We're really flying, Sonic!" Chris exalted.
"But how?" Sonic spoke up.
Chuck gasped in wonder. Ella fainted.
"What in the world?!" Lindsay choked out.
"What's going on?!" Nelson sputtered.
"Sonic and Chris are...flying?!" Tails spelled out.
Chuck rubbed his eyes in shock. "How is this possible?"
"Everything's possible nowadays!" Tanaka said.
"I see it but I don't believe it," Rouge piped up. Her eyes are wide with surprise.
"Seeing is believing," Topaz said. "Must be an optical illusion."
Even Knuckles tried his astonishment. "Big deal! He scoffed. His arms are folded and he's sweating. "Who do they think they are, the Wonder Boys?"
"I don't know what you doing up there, guys!" Nelson yelled. "But you hang on, we'll get you down!"
Lindsay pushed him aside. "Christopher Thorndyke!" She scoldingly shouted. "You get down here this instant before you fall and break your neck!"
"Sonic! You come down too!" Amy insisted. "It's hard enough to run after you! I don't want to have to learn to fly!"
"Okay, I'll try..." Chris responded.
"As you wish..." Sonic replied.
Silver lowered them down to the car, ending their safety rides. As they landed safely, Sonic crashed into Knuckles while Chris landed in his father's arms.
"Wow!" They exclaimed.
"Are you okay, son?" Nelson asked.
"Yeah, I...I thinks so," Chris replied, rubbing his head.
"You alright, Sonic?" Tails asked. He and his friends came to his side.
"I'm fine, thank you," Sonic replied, rubbing his head.
"Do you mind, Sonic?" Knuckles groaned. Sonic was on top of him.
"Oh, sorry, Knuckles," Sonic said, getting off the red echidna.
Amy rushed to Sonic and hugged him real tight. "Oh Sonic! Thank goodness you're okay! I thought you were a goner!"
"Gah! Take it easy, Amy!" Sonic blurted out. "I'm not going anywhere!"
"Please don't do something like this again!" Amy wailed.
"You really had us worried, Sonic," Cream added.
"Sorry, guys," Sonic said.
"That was quite a nasty fall you boys took there," Rouge said.
"Just what were you thinking, Chris?" Nelson asked, putting his son down. "What you did was crazy!"
"You could have been killed!" Lindsay added.
"Sorry, Mom and Dad," Chris replied. "We were trying to save Carter."
"And the family treasure," Sonic added.
Karolyn sobbed in distress. Robert held her in comfort.
"Looks like Sonic had failed for the first time," Knuckles pronounced solemnly. Amy stomped on his foot. He exclaimed in pain.
"Shut up!" Amy snapped. "Sonic did not fail! We just need to get back on our feet!" Knuckles rubbed his foot in pain.
"That's right!" Rouge agreed. "We're not going down without a fight! We've got to get our hands on that Gem of Wonder!"
"And save Carter!" Tails added. Everyone agreed.
Chris caught a glimpse of Silver in the tree from a distance. He gasped. Silver seemed to have eyed him back and then took off.
"What's the matter, Chris?" Chuck asked him.
"Silver..." Chris blurted out.
"Beg pardon?" Chuck inquired.
"Silver was the one who saved us!" Chris said positively. "He used his telekinesis to fly us back here! I just know it!"
"Maybe, sonny," Chuck placed his hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Maybe..."
Up above, Silver floated in midair, eying on the troubled group. "Hmm..Tomorrow's the day Iblis will be unleashed." He said to himself. "First thing in the morning, I'll warn them about the upcoming disaster and my mission will be completed. Soon the future will be saved!" He clenched his fist in determination.