Cruise Blues
Departure! Egg Fort II
The Egg Fort was underneath the ocean.
"Dr. Eggman, the main engine has been repaired." Decoe said.
"Everything is in top-top shape." Bocoe said.
"Splendid!" Eggman said. "Now why does it always take you two slow-bots so long?" he asked glumly.
"It is because Decoe is grumpy and loves to complain about everything."
"This is the third time I had to fix this hunk of junk!" Decoe said and Eggman threw a can at him. "Ow! Uh, I mean, it is a pleasure to work on such a fine machine!"
"Now that's more like it." Eggman said.
"You'd better watch what you say, bigmouth." Bocoe said.
"You don't think the doctor will throw me on the scrap heap, do you?" Decoe asked.
"Now let's get going! We've gotta catch up with that pesky Sonic!" Eggman said.
"Aye-aye, sir!" Decoe and Bocoe said.
"Now fire up the main engine!" Eggman said and the engine ignited. "So far, so good... Now turn it up full blast!"
"It is purring like a kitten, Doctor!" Decoe said.
Suddenly the engine's power went out.
"Huh?"
"What happened?" Bocoe said.
Then they turned to Eggman.
"We have a problem, Doctor. I have a feeling the turbines are malfunctioning again." Decoe said.
"I thought you said you fixed this contraption!" Eggman said.
"We did! At least, I thought we did. Perhaps we could still repair it."
"Do not bet on it." Bocoe said.
"I've had it with this broken-down bucket. Perhaps it's time to retire this old heap and introduce my newest creation." Eggman said.
Decoe and Bocoe cup their hands around where their ears would be.
"Say what?" they said together.
"All right. I can't hold this off any longer. Have I got a surprise for you..." Eggman said.
On the cruise ship."We were all pretty worn out from searching for the Chaos Emeralds and battling Dr. Eggman. I had a long vacation from school coming up, so..." Chris narrated.
"I know just what you need. Why not take Grandpa and your friends on a cruise? I'm not using the yacht right now. You can take in some sun and maybe take a look at the glaciers." Nelson said.
Chris was relaxing in a deck chair.
"So that's just what we did - Nothing but relaxation and fun in the sun. We'll get to the glaciers in about four days." he narrated.
"Four days?!" Sonic said.
"You mean we're only halfway there?" Tails said.
"These yachts sure do go slow, don't they?" Cream said.
Sonic ran up to Chris.
"Give me a break, will ya? Come on, pal! I don't take to water! Can't you see I'm gettin' seasick here?" he said and Chris laughed. "Please, I beg ya, I'm goin' crazy! Get me off of this thing!" he said and went stir crazy and ran all over the ship in a frenzy.
Night fell.
"Later that night..." Chris narrated.
Chris, Chuck, Tails, Amy, Cream, and Cheese were in a sitting room and Amy was holding Cheese. Then Chuck appeared drunk.
"There, I feel much better now." Chuck said.
"Did you take those seasick pills the doctor gave you?" Chris said.
"I sure did, my boy. And now that old Grandpa's feeling better, were gonna have a lot more fun."
"Yeah!" Chris, Tails, Amy and Cream said.
"Chao!" Cheese said.
"You bet! Hahahaha...!" Chuck said and immediately fell asleep.
"Grandpa sure is enjoying himself." Amy said.
"Hey Chris, I know we're supposed to be relaxing and all, but what's there to do on this ship?" Tails asked.
"There's lots of stuff to do. How about taking a swim?" Chris said.
A frenzied Sonic raced by.
"Tails is just being rude! Don't pay any attention to him, Chris." Amy said.
"That's right. Don't forget, Tails, Chris' father let us use this yacht out of the goodness of his heart. We should be grateful." Cream said.
"Chao!" Cheese said.
Amy was suddenly upon Tails.
"Well, Tails?!" she said.
"Heheh, uh, okay, uh, I-I'm grateful." he said.
"Tails will be okay. It's Sonic I'm worried about. I think he feels trapped. I guess I'd go crazy too if I were him." Chris said.
Sonic occasionally passed through the room in his frenzy.
"Here he comes again!" Cream said.
"I've seen Sonic go stir crazy before, but I've never seen anything as bad as this!" Tails said.
"Okay. It's time for a meeting." Amy said and stepped out into the middle of the room. "Halt." she said and Sonic stopped right in front of her. "Let's have a little talk, Sonic." Amy said.
"What about?" Sonic asked.
"About you."
"About me?"
"And about the way you're acting. I've never seen such immature behavior. We're on this ship for ten more days and ten more nights. Get used to it! Be brave. And just remember, bravery is not the absence of fear, but the facing of it. Nobody wants to see their hero carrying on like a big crybaby. We want him to meet every challenge head on. Remember that, Sonic."
"Think Amy's really getting through to him, Chris?" Tails asked Chris.
Chris grubted.
"Now go for it, hero, and keep your head held high!" Amy said and Sonic started to walk away.
He took a glance back, but suddenly fainted.
"He collapsed!" she said pointing at him. "I was too overwhelming!"
"Uh, we've got to do something! I think he's sick!" Tails said then thought of something. "Unless it's his connection with the seven Chaos Emeralds gone."
"Okay, I'll call Dad."
"Well, I'm off! It's been a real blast, but I gotta split! See ya!"
"Hey! He isn't sick! He's a fake!" Amy said. She, Tails and Cream could tell his Chaos was getting sore to by the look in his eyes of pain.
"It's okay. After all, why make him stay on the boat if he doesn't want to?" Chris said.
"Enjoy your vacay, kids! I'll catch you on the flip side, huh?" Sonic said and winced for a second.
He was about to board the helicopter, but was surprised to see several elderly people come out and surround him.
"Wow, what have we here? Isn't he something?" elderly people said.
"What's going on?" Tails asked and Tanaka appeared.
"Good morning. Nice day." he said.
"Tanaka! What are you doing here? Who are all these people?" Chris asked.
"These people are joining us from the Silver Star Retirement Home. It is Mr. Thorndyke's hope that you and your friends will learn from them. They will be your coaches, you see."
"Coach us?"
"Mr. Tanaka, what will they coach us on?" Amy asked.
"On how to relax. You see, they have all worked hard for many years, and now the time has come for them to relax. They will tach you how to as well." he said.
"No thanks, Mr. Tanaka. I just want the helicopter to take Sonic home." Chris said.
Tanaka's glasses flashed.
"He will remain here. Even a great warrior needs his rest. Constant battle will not only exhaust the body, but also the mind. The warrior must relax and be rejuvenated, so that when next he goes to battle, he is mightier than before!" he said and punched the air.
The helicopter's rotors spun.
"Hey! Where are you going? What about me?!" Sonic asked.
The helicopter took off. Sonic, now apart from the others, fell on his knees and extended his hands in the air in despair.
"No, wait! COME BACK!"
"And so, from that afternoon on, our new friends taught us all how to relax." Chris narrated.
Tails was cloud gazing with a granny.
"Just look at that, Tails. Isn't it wonderful? Sometimes life goes by so fast that we never take the time to appreciate the simple things, like a blue sky and fluffy white clouds." Granny said.
One of the clouds started to resemble the X-Tornado, and Tails grew incredibly restless.
Elsewhere, Cream and Cheese were talking with another granny.
"I understand you and your friends are from another planet. My, it's so fascinating." Granny said.
"Yeah. We've only been here for a little while, but we like it." Cream said.
"Chao!" Cheese said.
"Everyone's been so nice to us since we got here."
"I'm glad. How lovely." Granny said. "So, you come from another planet, do you?"
"Yes."
"And so the lady asked Cream the same question over and over." Chris narrated.
Meanwhile, Sonic took a running jump off the ship.
"Sonic was so bored he tried to jump ship all the way to shore, but he missed... fifteen times." Chris said.
Sonic landed in the water quite some distance away.
"Not bad. He went about five nautical miles on that one." a crewmember said.
"Mm. Little guy gets further every time." captain said.
Elsewhere...
"That Sonic can't relax for one second!" Amy said. "Oh, what's the use? I'll find somebody else to play shuffleboard with." she said depressed.
A nearby grandpa overheard her and chuckled.
"Something tells me you've got a thing for that little Sonic fella." he said.
Delighted, Amy leapt up onto the table.
"What makes you say that, mister?" she asked.
He chuckled. "I could tell just by looking at you." he said.
"Is it that easy to see?" she asked blushing.
"Why, sure. It's obvious. Then again, Sonic probably has that effect on all the girls."
"What girls are you talking about?" sha asked agitated.
"It sure is a beauty, eh? Those dimwits thought they'd seen the end of me, but I've outsmarted them! I've got a shiny new base hidden where nobody can see!" Eggman said.
"You have outdone yourself, Doctor! Very impressive!" Decoe said.
"You can say that again. What a shocker! I had no idea there was another supersecret base hidden down here." Bocoe said.
"Of course you had no idea! If you had, it wouldn't have been a secret! Hmph. It's required of all evil geniuses to be smart as well as sneaky." Eggman said and laughed again.
"Let's get started, Doctor. I cannot wait to see the look on Sonic's face when they see the powerful new Decoe Bocoe XL Super Ultra-" Decoe said.
"Just a minute!"
"Huh?"
"Hold your horses, you dome-headed donkey! Who gave you permission to name anything around here?! I'm the boss! I'll do the naming!"
"You mean you already named the three components?" Bocoe asked.
"But of course! There's Decoe Two, Bocoe Two, and best of all, the XL Super Ultra Eggman Extreme!"
"I do not like those names!"
"Neither do I! Why do our sections get boring names while your section gets a big long fancy one with cool words like Super Ultra Extreme?" Decoe asked.
"What is the deal with that? We should be able to name our own sections!"
Eggman picked up a book and opened it.
"Well, excuse me! I thought I was doing you a favor by naming them for you!" he said.
"Well, maybe you should have asked us first." Decoe said.
"All right, all right! Don't get snippy! I've written some second and third choices in here. What about Ace, Jack, King?"
"Nope."
"I don't even play cards." Bocoe said.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors?" Eggman said.
"You can't be serious!" Decoe said.
"Ehh... Eenie, Meenie, Miney! X, Y, Z? Uh, how does, Eg, Egg, and Eggy describe you? I think that could work."
Back on the cruise ship. "As time went by, we learned more and more about relaxing and enjoying life from our new friends. Soon, everyone was having a good time. Everyone but Sonic, who still hadn't got used to the idea, so he started hatching an escape plan, and this is what happened..." Chris narrated.
Sonic grinned slyly...
Soon...
"Why would I be worried about the X-Tornado?" Tails asked.
"You see, we've been on this boat a couple of days, right?" Sonic said and he nodded.
"Uh-huh."
"Well, Tails, did you ever think that just maybe, machines can get lonely? I bet the X-Tornado's been awful lonesome since you went away."
"Oh no! I never even thought of that! I feel so guilty! How could I have ever abandoned you like that? Poor little X-Tornado!"
"I got him!"
Next. "Do you really mean that, Sonic?" Amy asked.
"Well, sure I mean it, Amy. I think you're just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. The way you swing that little hammer of yours around, my heart beats a million times a minute. I know, you could never care for somebody like me. I guess it's just the way it has to be... Perhaps you could go on if you would only swing that hammer once more." Sonic said.
"You want it, you got it!" she said and swung her hammer wildly.
Soon, Sonic was down on the ground in front of Chris and Chuck.
"Aah! Amy's gone berserk!" Chris said.
"Uh-huh. Soon this boat's gonna drive everyone bananas sooner or later..." Sonic said.
"What do you think, Grandpa? Maybe we should ask the captain if we should turn the ship around."
Sonic's ears perked up.
"I don't know. I have a feeling something fishy's going on..." Chuck said.
Amy, Cream, and Cheese entered the room.
"Did he really truly say that, Amy?" Cream said.
"It's the truth, Cream! He said his little heart beat faster every time I swung my hammer. He's so dreamy." Amy said.
"Wow, that's so sweet!"
"Chao!" Cheese said.
Chris and Chuck sweatdrops.
"I have a feeling that someday soon, Sonic's gonna ask me to be his girl..." Amy said.
"Really?" Cream said.
"Chao chao!" Cheese said.
Sonic tried to crawl away.
"SONIIIIC!" Chris yelled.
"Hey! Long time no see! Did you miss me? No big important message this time. Just dropping by to say hi! ... Hey, you guys! Where is everybody? ... Hello? Anybody? Hello?" Bokkun said and got sad. "Guess there's... nobody... home..."
Then Ella appeared.
"Well, look who we have here. Our little flying robot friend. You've come to stir trouble today? Well, too bad for you, 'cause nobody here now, so you can just scram, you hear me?" Ella said and laughed, and Bokkun started to cry.
He buried his head in Ella's apron.
"What's the matter now?"
"I'm so lonesome! Nobody's home! I just wanted somebody to play with!"
Ella put down her bags and comforted him.
"It's all right. There there now, don't cry, sweetheart." she said.
"I'm so lonely..."
"Don't be lonely. Ella's here now. You stay here; I'll make you a nice lunch, okay? Don't you worry now."
"Ella...? I'm sorry... for all those times I was bad... Will you forgive me?"
"Of course."
"This is for you."
"For me?"
Then an explosion could be heard, and Bokkun flew away laughing.
Back on the cruise ship Chris and Tails were on the deck, enjoying the scenery.
"Hey, look, Tails." Chris said.
"An iceberg! We're near the glaciers!" Tails said.
Chuck arrived and placed a coat around Chris' shoulders.
"Put this on. It's a bit chilly out here." Chuck said.
"Hey, thanks, Grandpa. Guess Amy's still pretty upset with Sonic, huh." Chris said.
"Yes. Well, it wasn't very nice of him to lie to her like that."
"But Amy can't stay mad forever." Tails said.
Meanwhile, Sonic was cowering on top of the mast. Then he winced and out his hand on his chest. 'We need to get them soon.' he thought.
"Sonic, come on. You can't stay up there all day. Don't you want to see all the wonderful things I can do with this hammer? It's pretty amazing, but you've gotta see it up close, got it?" Amy said.
"Ah, no thanks! I'll just stay up here, catch some rays. Maybe another time." Sonic said rubbing his chest.
"All right, that's it! You come down off that pole this instant got it?!" she kept hammering the mast, causing the nearby Cream to panic.
"Oh, I don't like it when Amy gets mad!" Cream said.
"I get the feeling we ought to stay out of this." Chuck said.
"I agree!" Chris said.
Then a whale surfaced and sprayed water from its blowhole.
"Look at that!"
"Wow!" Chuck said.
"It's a whale!" Tails said and something else surfaced as well. "Another one!"
"Wow, look how big it is!" Chris said.
But it wasn't a whale.
"That's not a whale." Chuck said.
"I guess not."
"If not, what is it?" Tails asked.
Back at Egg Fort II. "Thought you could take a pleasure cruise without me, eh? Well, think again!" Eggman said and growled.
"Let's go get them!" Decoe said.
"We can beat that overgrown tugboat any day!" Bocoe said.
On the cruise ship Amy, having finally gotten Sonic down from the mast, was smugly sitting on him.
"Heheh... I was wondering how long it would take for you bozos to show up. You two boys staring to rust yet?" Sonic said.
On the Egg Fort II. "We are incapable of corrosion." Bocoe said.
"You, on the other hand, are a rotten little hedgehog!" Decoe said.
"Stop all this yammering at once! You two tinheads are forgetting who's in charge here!" Eggman said. "I hope you've enjoyed yourself, Sonic, because your happy little holidays are about to end!" he said to Sonic.
"Oh yeah, I'd say the fun's about to start!" Sonic said.
"Don't be so sure, warthog!"
On the cruise ship. "Captain. We've reached the glaciers, sir." a crewmember said.
"Wonderful! Let's stop here so our passengers can get a good look." Captain said and the ship stopped.
"Hey, why did you stop the ship?" Chris asked.
"What's going on here?" Chuck asked.
"It's the glacier, Mr. Thorndyke! Sure is a beauty, isn't it, sir? We can stay here as long as you like!" Captain said.
Then Chuck, Chris, and Tails fell over in exasperation.
"Are you crazy?! This is no time to look at the glacier!" Chris said.
Sonic leapt off the ship and landed on the iceberg.
"Okay! If you want a fight, you got a fight! Bring it on, Egghead!" Sonic said.
On the Egg Fort II. "All in good time, my friend. First let's mix things up a bit, shall we? Perhaps you seafaring simpletons would like to see what my new Egg Fort 2 can do. Get ready to be blown away! All right, Egg Forrt II, combine! One!" Eggman said.
"Two!" Decoe said.
"Three!" Bocoe said.
The three sections combine, but it was shown at a great distance.
"Egg Fort II complete!" they said together.
Eggman laughed. "Impressive, eh?" he said and his phone rang so he answered. "Hello? No, I'm not going to change names!" he said and answered a second call. "How dare you say my Egg Fort II isn't all that!" he said and hung up. "I'm getting an unlisted number!"
Outside Sonic was running on the iceberg.
"Come on! Try and catch me! What are you waitin' for?" he said.
"Oh, Sonic...?" Eggman said.
"Yeah, what?"
"You're going nowhere fast!"
Then Sonic noticed he wasn't going anywhere and stopped.
"Oh no!" he said.
Suddenly the Egg Fort II blasted the iceberg, sending him into the air.
"Oh, watch out!" Chris said.
Eggman blasted Sonic from iceberg to iceberg.
"Hahaha! This much fun should be illegal!" Eggman said.
"Stay focused!" Tails said.
"Be careful!" Chris said.
"Don't worry! We'll get help!" Amy said.
Suddenly, a granny took the captain's intercom.
"Oh, poor little thing. You're having a tough time. I may be an old-timer, but I just might be able to help you out. Now Sonic, I want you to breathe deeply and relaaax." Granny said. "Focus on your goal. Relax, stay in the moment, and feel the ice with your feet."
Then Sonic landed smoothly on one of the icebergs.
"Not bad. Now if I could only keep my feet from slipping, this ought to be a piece of cake!" he said.
Back on The Egg Fort II. "Something's the matter. Why isn't he frightened?" Decoe asked.
"I don't like it. A moment ago, we had him on the run." Bocoe said.
"He certainly is cool all of a sudden, isn't he? Enough of this! Let's put the freeze on the hedgehog!" Eggman said and aimed the Egg Fort II's guns at the cruise ship.
"Captaaaiiin!" crewmember said.
Suddenly a frantic Bokkun arrives and clings to the Egg Fort II's windshield.
"What are you doing here?!" Eggman asked.
"He looks upset." Decoe said.
"Please let me in!" Bokkun said.
"Why should we let you in?" Bocoe asked.
Suddenly the X-Tornado appeared.
"It's the X-Tornado!" Chris said.
"But who's flying it?" Tails said.
Then they saw Ella piloting the X-Tornado.
"I'll get you, you brat!" Ella said.
"It's Ella!" Chris said.
"But how?" Amy asked.
"How'd she learn to ride the X-Tornado?" Tails said shocked.
"Ella can do anything she puts her mind to... except windows." Chuck said.
"Aah! Help me!" Bokkun said.
"What are you bawling about, Bokkun?" Eggman asked.
"Now we change to X-Cyclone! Transform!" Ella said and X-Tornado converted into the X-Cyclone, then prepared to kick the Egg Fort II. "You see who's boss now! Cyclone Kick!"
Then it kicked the Egg Fort II into the distance and it disappeared with a twinkle.
Later, everyone was relaxing.
"So often we rush through our lives from day to day, not seeing what is really important. Just think of it - the smell of the ocean, the rustling of leaves, moments with family and friends. Sometimes just to sit and fell the warmth of the sun..." Granny said.
"Sonic!" someone said and Sonic looked up to see Tails in the X-Tornado. "The X-Tornado's all set to go! You still want to go back to town?"
"Uh..." Sonic said. "What's the rush? Come on down here." he said and winked.
"Huh?"
"I changed my mind. I think I'll take it easy, just enjoy myself for a while."
"I think you've made the right decision, Sonic. Remember, there's always enough time to wipe away the hours and just be happy. Now let's all relax and enjoy ourselves!" Granny said.