Sonic shifted uncomfortably as the queue for the gate moved forwards at a snails pace. Starline peeked out at him from underneath a pink shawl with a sour look on his face.
"Will you stop fidgeting?" The evil doctor said. "You'll draw attention to us."
Sonic glared at him. Hunched over in a red taffeta dress and clutching a long thin cane Sonic thought if people would were going to find either of them suspicious it would be the cross dressing Platypus.
"I told you, I hate wearing pants." Sonic grunted.
Starline tutted. "Count yourself lucky you're not wearing a bra." He shifted his capacious fake bosom and scowled. "Are you certain you couldn't find any mens clothes."
"I tried my best." Sonic said with a smirk.
Starline shook his head, he clearly didn't believe Sonic. With good reason. Sonic couldn't say in all honesty he had tried particularly hard to find suitable disguises for the both. In his rush to get going he had snatched the first set of clothes he had come across. Sonic didn't feel particularly good taking clothes without paying for them but could easily justify the theft to himself. He HAD to get into the castle for the good of everyone. He would be repaying the merchant for his clothes with freedom from Emperor Rubrums regime.
As the last three guests in front of him were let through the gate Sonic fiddled in his black suit jacket for a small scroll. As they reached the guard Sonic handed it over and held his breath. Starline had assured him that it was an excellent forgery, almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Having not seen one of the real invittions Sonic had no way of knowing how true this statement was. His hand shook a little as he passed it to the guard. The hedgehog on the gate gave the piece of parchment a cursory glance and waved them trough.
Sonic waited until he and Starline were stood in the bustling open courtyard beyond the keep before turning to his companion. Here amongst the excited guests and shouting vendors it was easier to talk freely and unnoticed by the guards.
"Wow." Sonic whistled. "That actually worked."
Starline shrugged under his shawl. "Like I said," He bragged. "Emperor Rubrum isn't expecting any real opposition today, even from you. They may as well have left the gates unguarded. But you know Royalty, they like to put on a show."
Sonic nodded. "So this is where we part ways." He placed a firm hand on the back of Starlines neck and pulled the platypus in close. "Do not betray me." He hissed.
Starline brushed him off. "I assure you, I want this farce over as quickly as you do. Now, you have your watch?"
Sonic pulled back his jacket sleeve to reveal a large metal device on his left wrist.
"It will beep when I have released the Dr and the other prisoners." The platypus explained. "But we will need time before I can take control of the robots and get everyone up to the ceremony. You will need to keep everyones attention focused on the wedding and draw any straggling guards to the hall."
Sonic sighed. They had gone over the plan a million times. He waved a dismissive hand and walked away from Starline to head into the venue. By the time he turned back to check on Starline the evil doctor had disappeared into the crowd and was headed for the dungeon.
x
There was an excitable roar from the crowd far above their heads. Tails stared anxiously at the others in his cell. Knuckles and Silver seemed to share his concern and started to pace the room.
"It must have started." Knuckles moaned.
He rattled the bars on their cell. They remained firmly in place. No one came to chastise him this time. All of the guards had been taken upstairs leaving the resistance alone and forgotten in the deep, dark dungeons.
Silver ran his hands through his quills.
"We still have time." He reassured them. "I mean technically it's not the wedding we need to stop. It's the wedding night."
Tails felt a shiver pass down his spine at the thought.
"Poor Amy." He muttered. "What are we going to do guys?"
Knuckles punched the wall again. The same spot he had been punching for days now in the hope that he could smash his way through. It was no good, the walls were deliberately thick.
Down the corridor Tails could hear the sniff of someone crying. Cream again he guessed. She and Vanilla had been captured not long before the rest of the resistance. Gemerl had been taken to Eggmans lab for some unknown reason. When Tails had first arrived he had seen many of their friends and allies crammed into the tiny little cells. He knew that Big the cat had been placed on the end and had seen Rouge and Tangle in the cell next to theirs. Every now and again someone would be taken upstairs for interrogation. They would return an hour or so later covered in cuts and bruises. Tails felt his blood boil at the thought. Graves knew that the resistance had no further information to give him and yet he insisted on asking questions about their plans. Tails suspected that the cruel hedgehog just enjoyed torturing them all.
Tails heard the creak of the dungeon doors and backed away from the bars. They had all learned not to draw attention to themselves by now. It usually resulted in a beating from one of the guards. All three of them studied the cobblestone floors intently, desperate to avoid the guards eye. Footsteps approached and stopped at their cell door. The little foxes eyes flicked up to Silver and Knuckles.
There was a polite cough. Tails, Silver and Knuckles heads snapped to the cell door where a familiar figure stood with his arms folded across his chest.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Knuckles growled. "I thought you'd escaped."
"I did, now I'm back." Starline said simply. "Where is the Dr? They seem to have moved his lab since I was last here."
"Why should we help you?" Said Knuckles through gritted teeth.
Starline shook his head impatiently.
"I'm here with Sonic to set you all free and stop this wedding."
Tails ears twitched at the mention of his best friend. He raced to the bars and saw others do the same along the corridor.
"Sonic's here?"
The Platypus nodded. "Yes but he will need my help to stop the wedding and defeat Rubrum. And in order to stop him I will need the doctor."
Knuckles wasn't impressed. "All sounds a bit sketchy to me."
Silver shook his head. "This is no time for drawing?"
Tails sighed. "No Silver, he means he thinks Starline is trying to trick us."
Silver considered this.
"Oh I get it." He said eventually. "Yeah that seems likely."
Starline tutted and moved away from the bars.
"Fine," He snapped. "I'll find him on my own."
"Wait." Tails called after him. "They've moved him to the floor bellow."
Starline nodded.
"Thank you Mr Prower." He said. "I knew that I could count on you to be the sensible one."
Tails wasn't entirely sure that starline meant that to be a compliment.
"You're going to set us free?" he asked.
"Yes." The platypus agreed. "Once I have freed the doctor we will deactivate your collars. Then we must all rally to Sonic in the great hall."
Tails and the others shot Starline a thumbs up and watched him disappear back towards the stairs.
"Are you sure that we can trust him?" Silver asked.
Tails shook his head.
"Not for a second." He replied. "But at the moment we're out of options."
x
Sonic stood in the great hall surrounded by other guests. There was an expectant buzz in the air as peoples eyes darted from Emperor Rubrum and Graves at the top of the hall to the open doorway at the other end. Sonic was stood at the back of the room, trying to keep out of Graves line of sight. At the stroke of mid day emperor Rubrum rose from his throne and strode over to a golden podium on a raised platform. The hum of voices was instantly silenced and the orchestra struck up the wedding march. The crowd gave an appreciative murmur as Amy entered the hall.
As her father was officiating the proceedings Amy walked alone down the isle. Her face was stoic. Sonic stood on his tiptoes and hoped she would see him in the crowd. He desperately wanted to reassure her that it would be okay but didn't dare do anything that might draw her attention.
In spite of his nerves Sonic couldn't help but admire the way her white silken bridal gown clung to her figure. She looked more beautiful than Sonic had ever seen her and was earning admiring glances from every man she passed. The only man not enthralled by Amy was her groom.
Graves stared rigidly ahead and did nor so much as incline his head towards Amy as she reached the alter. No one was in any doubt that there was no love in this marriage, it was wholly political.
Sonic checked his watch. Starline was cutting this fine. Sonic hated not knowing what was going on. Had the platypus been captured? Had he double crossed Sonic?
As the ceremony began Sonic fought hard to resist the urge to leap ahead of the plan. He knew that he could probably swipe Amy and escape with her but then what would happen to the others? If Starline was right then their collars were rigged to blow on the emperors command. Sonic bit his lipe and sat with the rest of the congregation as Rubrum began proceedings.
From the Emperors bored drawl it seemed that he was as disinterested with the wedding as Graves was. This was a formality for him.
Rubrum was moving through the ceremony at an alarming pace. Sonic had not been to many weddings but from what he remembered there were readings and speeches, the bride and grooms families told stories about love and the importance of cherishing your partner. Rubrum gave no such speeches. All to soon Amy and Graves were called to exchange their vows.
Sonic felt the vibration in his wrist and a wave of relief passed over him. Finally! Sonic pushed through the crowd until he reached the aisle. He cleared his throat loudly causing everyone to stop and stare. As Amy whipped around Sonic saw her eyes sparkle with hope.
"Aren't you going to ask if there are any objections?" The blue hedgehog said with his hand on his hip.
Graves eyes narrowed as he drew his flaming sword. Amy rushed forwards to grab it but was thrown to the side by a back handed slap from her groom. Sonic angrily stamped his foot forward as he prepared to run to her side but there was no need. Amy was capable of defending herself and had drawn her hammer. The purple hedgehog swung his sword upwards as Amy's hammer bore down on him and both the bride and groom were sent backwards. Sonic dashed to the altar and stood protectively in front of Amy.
Hundreds of guards flooded the room, every possible exit was blocked by tall armored hedgehogs with pikes and halberds. The assembled guests began to panic and scream. In front of Sonic Graves clambered to his feet and span his sword. Behind him Sonic heard Amy rising. He reached his hand out for her. She took it and he pulled her in close to him. With his eyes still fixed on Graves he whispered softly to her;
"Are you okay?"
Amy held him tightly and nodded.
There was an indignant snort from the podium. Sonic looked up to see Emperor Rumrum staring down at him with a menacing look of contempt.
"Foolish boy." Amy's father scolded him. "What did you hope to achieve by this? There is no way out, no way that you can win. Now surrender my daughter to her new husband."
"I didn't hear an 'I do.'" Sonic snapped.
"A technicality that I will now rectify." Rubrum sneered. "Amare, you remember our agreement?"
Amy broke away from Sonic. He kept his grip on her hand.
"I have to do this." She said quietly. "He'll kill them all."
Sonic squeezed her hand and smiled.
"Relax," he shrugged. "You know I wont let anything happen to them or you."
Amy raised an eyebrow and smiled back.
"It's not like you to have a plan."
Sonic laughed and pulled her in again. She hugged him tightly.
"Enough." Rubrum roared. " He clicked his fingers and there was the sound of shattering glass above their heads.
The crowd shrieked in terror as a swarm of beebots smashed through the great halls stained glassed windows. Sonic looked up to see at least thirty circling him and Amy. The robots hung in the air around him with their wings flapping. They aimed their stingers towards Sonics head.
"Just the boy." Rubrum commanded. "Leave the princess."
Sonic held his breath for a moment.
"Come on Starline." He muttered. "Now or never."