The story so far: Tails has been captured by Robotnik. Meanwhile, Bark has had an encounter with Knuckles

Sonic had to admit he had had a lucky escape. If it wasn't for the third Egg-O-Matic waiting to ambush him, Sonic would've been one dead hedgehog. As it had happened though, Sonic landed atop the Egg-Robo Pilot, breaking it, and ended up in the pilot seat. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have much clue how to fly it, and was nearly blown to pieces as he made his way down. He'd probably never admit to it, but he had crashed the Egg-O-Matic. Admittedly the thing was on it's last legs, and he was lucky to have got as far as he had when the engine cut out.

Sonic wasn't too sure where he was, it kinda looked like Labyrinth Zone, but with more metal. It took Sonic a few seconds to remember the hidden dungeon underneath the Scrap Brain Zone, which finally twigged to Sonic where he was. Sonic brushed the dust off of himself when he'd noticed someone cowering. He son realised it was Bean the Dynamite, and at first was apprehensive about saying anything. It was only when he noticed that Bean was quite clearly panicked, that Sonic decided it would be best for him to ask how Bean was. The ducks response startled Sonic slightly, claiming he wasn't Bean. Sonic didn't think anything of it though, Sonic had only ever met Bean really once before today, and he spent most that time trying not to get blown up. It was an honest mistake, in Sonic's head, and he apologised to Pin for the mix up.

Sonic asked Pin if he knew the way out of the dungeon. Pin shrugged, unable to remember how he'd actually got down here. Sonic persuaded Pin to follow him, and began to run at a speed which Pin could keep up with. This annoyed Sonic slightly, as Pin was what most people would call reasonably fast, which to Sonic was still unbelievably slow. Of course Sonic couldn't grumble, there weren't too many people who could keep up with him.

The pair began to work there way through the maze like dungeon, Sonic remembering his first time through here. It was made slightly easier by the fact that a few of the traps had rusted and had stopped working, but it was hardly Sonic's idea of fun. Sonic soon found Pin to be quite useful as he went through the underwater maze, with Pins talent for flying transferring underwater. Although Pin didn't look it, he was strong enough to carry Sonic for far longer a time than even Tails could succeed in flying Sonic for. Sonic of course repaid this favour by dragging Pin through the numerous traps that required the speed that only certain types of aircraft could achieve. Before the pair realised it, they had found the way out, and were sat on the edge of the Scrap Brain Zone.

Pin sat down, knackered. Although it had only taken a few minutes, it was not the sort of thing he could do everyday. Sonic himself was fine, but he needed a moment himself to work out how to get back to the Floating Island. Sonic was sure that Tails would be in serious trouble if left with Knuckles for too long. Sonic wondered, why exactly was Knuckles blaming him, and if it had been Robotnik who took the emerald, why take just one, it wasn't as if the emeralds were all that powerful on there own. Sonic couldn't go super without all seven, that was for sure.

Sonic began to search the sky's, the sun had set now, it was dark. He looked all around, but he couldn't see any sign of the Floating Island. It was then that Sonic spotted it, a large green flying battleship. It was Robotnik's it just had to be, no one else had the capabilities to build one, save for Tails, and Sonic was sure he'd not seen a flying battleship like that one in the workshop.

"What in the name of Cocoa Island is that?" Pin yelled. Sonic gave Pin a slightly odd look with that phrase, sure he'd heard of that place, but dismissed it. Sonic seldom stayed in one place long enough to know the name of every location.

"I'm not sure, but I believe it belongs to Robotnik, which means I have to get up there, and find out what's going on." Sonic gave Pin a wry look, before continuing. "Listen Pin, I need a favour. I need to get up to that battleship, and you already proved your more than capable of flying me some distance back in the dungeon. Can you fly me up there? You won't have to do anything else, I promise."

Pin looked uneasy at Sonic, unsure of himself, and thought for a moment, "And miss all the fun? Not only am I gonna take you up there, I'm gonna help you. You saved my life down there, it's the least I can do."

Sonic groaned in his head. He didn't need any help, aside from getting up there, and he certainly didn't want to spend his time making sure Pin didn't get injured. An idea formed in Sonic's head. "You sure you can look after yourself? It's gonna be pretty rough up there."

Pin gave Sonic a confident grin. "I was in many of the great battles of Cocoa Island with the Battle Kukku, I think I know how to handle myself." Sonic rolled his eyes remembering one of Tails' story's about how he single handily saved the island from a whole army. Sonic now had someone who would deny this claim.

"Well okay then Pin, I can't see the harm, in you joining me in an investigation." Sonic shrugged, "If you really want to, then I guess I cant stop you."

"That settles it then, we go now." Pin took to the air, and spent a moment straightening out his feathers, before lowering himself down. Sonic grabbed hold of Pins ankles, thinking to himself that this was probably suicide. Still, Sonic had no alternative, and if Robotnik was up to no good, then he'd have to trust that Pin could get them to the battleship. Once there, then Sonic would worry about all the hazards that would be in the battleship, as well as confronting Robotnik.

Sonic expected that Pin would chicken out, fighting a balanced war was one thing, going up against the full extent of Robotnik was another. Sonic had to admire Pin for that much, unlike everyone else who had some sort of skill when going up against Robotnik; be it speed, stealth, strength, or mechanical expertise, everyone brought something useful with them, that made a genuine contribution. All Pin had to offer was rugged determination, something would only get him so far. Sonic didn't want to raise any concerns with Pin though, not while they were in mid air. Although Pin had saved Sonic from drowning, in the Scrap Brain labyrinth, there was something about the duck Sonic didn't trust.

What will Sonic find on the Battleship? Can Pin really be trusted? There's only one way to find out, keep reading.