A Dastardly Deed
The Last Chaos Emerald
The X-Tornado was outside ready to take off with the wings fold into position.
"Stand by for takeoff!" Tails said and the palm trees folded back. "X-Tornado, let's go!" he said and taxied down the runway. "Lifting off." he said and they took off with Amy, Chris, Danny, and Shadow aboard. "Hold on tight, Shadow. It's time to deploy our stabilizing wings." he said and other wings folded as the X-
"Do you think they'll be able to find that seventh Emerald, Mr. Thorndyke?" Frances asked.
"It's possible, but they're not the only one who will be looking for it." Chuck said.
In the kitchen.
"Don't you worry, Creamy. They're going to find that Emerald before you know it." Ella said.
"Chao!" Cheese said.
On the X-Tornado.
"Any signs of the Emerald yet, Tails?" Amy asked.
"Nope." Tails said.
"Wow, this is so great!" Danny said but Chris didn't answer.
Shadow, was standing on the wing, looked around.
"Hey, c'mon. Aren't you gonna help look?" Danny said.
"Uh, yeah, sure." Chris said.
As Danny pulled out a pair of binoculars and looked through them, Chris looked down sadly, knowing that may very well be the last day he ever saw Shadow.
Meanwhile the Egg Fort II was parked in a wooded area behind a mountain. Eggman was watching Sonic's exploits and laughing.
"It looks like Dr. Eggman is in a very good mood." Decoe said.
"Yes. He seems especially confident, doesn't he?" Bocoe said.
Eggman laughed.
"Something tells me today can be a very lucky day. In fact, those Chaos Emeralds are as good as mine if I play my cards right." he said.
Bocoe presented the robot cards to Eggman.
"Your cards." he said.
"No need. I've already chosen my weapon."
"You mean... a new weapon, Doctor?" Decoe said.
"What is it?" Bocoe asked.
"The suspense is killing me!"
The Egg Fort II's exit hatch opened, revealing a small robot named E-77 Lucky. Eggman, Bocoe, and Decoe watched as Lucky started walking down the ramp, but fell on its face.
"You have got to be kidding, Doctor!" Decoe said.
"That is the strangest-looking robot I have ever seen." Bocoe said.
"Sure! He may look like a loser, but Lucky is exactly the charm we need to capture that final Chaos Emerald! ... That's right. You see, our plucky little pal here possesses that one elusive quality that will practically make that Emerald drop into our waiting hands. So guess." Eggman said.
"What is it?" Bocoe and Decoe said.
"It's luck." Eggman said.
"Luck?" they said together.
"Just wait. With Lucky on our side, we'll have that Emerald in no time." he said and looked back at the screen, showing Lucky walking through the forest. "Good luck, Lucky, and bring back the prize."
In the forest Knuckles was walking through the forest, holding the Chaos Emerald he found in Oriental City.
"This planet isn't so bad, I suppose, but I'd do anything to get back home. What did that voice say?" he said.
"The servers are the seven chaos." he heard and stopped.
"We can only get back home if we find all seven Chaos Emeralds. Well... Shadow and those guys have four, Eggman's got one, and then there's this one I got from Hawk. That makes six in all. But even if we find the last one, we'd still have to convince Eggman to give up his. And since Shadow and Eggman don't seem to see eye-to-eye, we'll never get back home unless I can get them to work together." he said and heard a strange beeping noise from nearby. "What's that?" he said parted the bushes and saw Lucky on its back, struggling to get up.
Then he ran over and helped it up.
"You must be Eggman's robot." he said and Lucky nodded. "Yeah? What are you doing around here?"
Then it pointed toward the Egg Fort II, which he now saw.
Then he held up his Emerald.
"Maybe the Emerald led me here somehow." he said.
At Chris' school the students were doing their work as Mr. Stewart writes on the chalkboard. Chris didn't look engaged.
"Lunch time, children." Mr. Steward said.
"All right! I'm starving!" they said.
"Chris, you wanna eat lunch with us?" Frances asked but Chris didn't answer.
"Yo, wake up!" Danny said.
"Uh, I'm not too hungry right now, guys." Chris said.
"'Kay. We'll catch ya later, then." Frances said.
"Yeah, o-okay." he said and Danny and Frances left.
Mr. Stewart noticed his behavior and walked over to him.
"You know, I think you and I should visit the counseling office." he said.
"Uh, no thanks, uhh..."
"Come on, Chris. Let's go."
"Uh..." Chris said and reluctantly got up and followed him to the counseling room.
Chris was in the counseling room lying on a couch, while Mr. Stewart sat on a chair nearby.
"Are you ready, Chris?" Mr. Steward asked.
"Yeah..." Chris said.
"Now... tell me, Chris. What's bothering you?"
"I don't know what's wrong with me. Lately I'm feeling really confused."
"Like you're... torn?"
"Yeah."
"I think I understand why. Part of you wants to help Shadow and his friends return home, but another part of you doesn't want to lose your new friends."
"Huh?"
"It's quite obvious that this conflict is creating a war deep within you, Chris."
Chris immediately sat up and knelt on the bed.
"You're right! That's just how I feel, Mr. Stewart!"
"It's natural, but you must face that fact that one day your friends are going to return home."
"Hm."
"It's difficult, but you have to think about what's best for them."
"I... know..."
Mr. Stewart laid a hand on Chris' shoulder.
"Everything is going to be okay, I promise you." he said and stepped outside the counseling room to take a call on his wrist communicator. "Yes?" he said on the radio.
"Just checking in, Chalkboard Charlie. Any problems?" an officer said over the radio.
"No, sir... Nothing I can't handle."
In the White House.
"So what you're saying, Rouge, is that the Chaos Control explosion that sent Eggman here was caused when the seven Chaos Emeralds came together." the president said.
"Riiiight." Rouge said.
"Yes, I see. So if we could create our own Chaos Control, then we just might solve our Eggman problem."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Topaz said and all eyes turned to her.
"Really? Why not?" the president asked.
"Mr. President, I think that we need to first consider the effects such an action could have on the safety of the planet."
"Like what?" Aide asked.
"Quiet. Go on, Topaz." the president said.
"Those Emeralds might create a blast that could lead to total global destruction. Ask Rouge. She knows." Topaz said.
"She's right." Rouge said.
"Moving forward without careful consideration could create a worldwide disaster. I think it's wise to do everything we can to keep that from happening, sir."
"I see. Perhaps until we're sure of what we're getting into, we need to keep those Emeralds apart." the president said.
"I believe so, sir." Topaz said.
"The question is, how do we manage to do that?" he said and Rouge smirked.
At Chuck's lab Chris entered the lab, where he saw Ella cleaning the room.
"Hi, Ella." he said.
"Ahh, hi, Chris. Did you have a good day?" Ella said.
"Yeah. Where is everyone?"
"They're out looking for the Chaos Emerald again, like usual. And Grandpa's gone somewhere looking for new parts for his crazy machines. Thank goodness I can finally clean up this mess now."
As Ella left, Chris looked around the now-empty room.
"This is how it was before they all got here, and what it's gonna be when they go..." he said.
Memories of Shadow and friends flashed before his eyes, then faded.
Chris headed down the stairs.
"Hello." someone said and Chris saw Knuckles and Lucky standing there.
"Hey, Knuckles. What's goin' on?" Chris asked.
"Plenty." Knuckles said.
"Where'd you get that robot?"
"Well, it's not exactly mine. I think he belongs to Eggman. I found him just roaming around the forest. Seems pretty harmless, though. ... Is Shadow around? I've got to talk to him about something."
"Sorry, he's out looking for the last Emerald."
"Then give him this message. We have only one way to get back home. We've got to call a truce with Dr. Eggman."
Chris was taken aback.
"A truce?! That'll never happen!" he said.
"It has to."
"But how? They're sworn enemies!"
"The only way any of us will get back home is to team up with Eggman. I know it might sound crazy, and it may even be impossible, but I have to convince Shadow that this the only chance we've got. We've already been away from home for way too long now, and I'm not about to let anything stand in our way of getting back there."
"Knuckles is right. I'm being selfish. I've got to do whatever I can to help them." Chris said to himself and looked up with new determination. "All right, Knuckles. I'll give him your message."
"Meanwhile, I'll pay a visit to our friend Eggman."
"How will you know where to find him?"
"Heh. I think I spotted his ship over at Forest Hill. Bye." Knuckles said and started to leave, but Chris stopped him.
"Knuckles!" he said and Knuckles looked back. "Mind if I come along?"
"Why not?"
Chris ducks under the garage door as he, Knuckles, and Lucky leave the garage.
Later at the train station.
"The express train will get us to Forest Hill in no time at all." Chris said.
"Final boarding call, Forest Hill Express, Track 29." the intercom said and they rushed to the train and board it just in time.
Soon they were in their way to Forest Hill. Lucky tried to follow, but fell over as it tried to climb the stairs.
At Forest Hill.
"Don't worry, Chris. Just stay calm and I'll do all the talking." Knuckles said and noticed that Lucky wasn't with them. "Hey, the robot... Well... Easy come, easy go."
In the Egg Fort II Decoe saw Knuckles and Chris approaching on the monitor.
"Whoa! Dr. Eggman, enemy approaching!" Decoe said.
"Prepare to launch attack!" Bocoe said about to press a button, but Eggman stopped him.
"Wait!" he said.
"But Dr. Eggman..." Bocoe started but was cut off.
"Look there."
They see that Chris is holding a white flag on a stick - they surrender.
Soon Chris and Knuckles were aboard the craft, having finished telling the story to Eggman.
"Think of it this way. If we team up, we get the Emeralds together and Chaos Control sends us straight home. But if we keep fighting like this, we'll all be stuck here for good, and that's bad." Knuckles said and they glanced at each other.
"Yes. Yes, yes. That's right. I've never thought of it that way. Eh, how could I have been such a brainless greedy old fool?" Eggman said and shook Knuckles' hand. "Knuckles, I don't know how to thank you!"
"The pleasure is all mine, Dr. Eggman." Knuckles said and Chris sighed of relief.
"However, I do have one condition."
"What's that?"
"That you allow me to hold onto your Chaos Emerald."
"You hold it?" Chris said.
"Come now, don't you trust me? Nothing is more important between allies than trust. If you're asking me to trust you, the least you can do is trust me."
Knuckles crossed his arms.
"What do you think?" Chris asked.
"You can hold it." Knuckles said as Eggman laughed and shook Knuckles' hand again.
"Thanks, Knuckles. We make a great team." Eggman said.
"Well, he did it. I guess it was the right thing, but I don't think Shadow's gonna like it..." Chris said to himself as Eggman, Bocoe, and Decoe watched them leave.
"Well, well, well... Who would have thought our little friend Knuckles was such an honest fellow? As a matter of fact, I'd say he's honest to a fault!" Eggman said.
"What do you mean?" Bocoe asked.
"I mean our naïve little knucklehead is playing right into our hands. Yes..." he said and laughed.
Meanwhile a sad Lucky was sitting alone on top of a dumpster. A black cat startled him so that he fell backward to the dumpster. A garbage truck approached.
The truck arrived, and Jerome climbed out to signal to it.
"Okay, okay. A little bit more." he said as the truck inserted its prongs into the dumpster's slots.
The contents of the dumpster, including Lucky, were dumped into the truck. After Jerome got back in, the truck drove away.
In Chuck's lab it was nighttime, and the Next Show was playing.
"Okay, kids, it's that time again! Everybody dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!" Next said.
Cream and Cheese were dancing along with Next. Chuck, Tails, Amy, and Shadow were also present. Just then Chris arrived.
"Hey, I'm home." he said.
"Chris, it's late. Where have you been all this time?" Chuck asked.
"Sorry, I-I was over at Danny's house studying. Oh, by the way, did you guys find any Chaos Emeralds today?"
"We didn't find anything, Chris." Tails said.
"Ahh... That's good..." Chris said and caught himself. "I-I mean that's bad."
Tails was confused at what Chris meant. Just then Chris noticed Cream and Cheese crying.
"Guys, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Our favorite program won't be on next week!" Cream said.
"Chao-chao-chao!" Cheese said.
"Ah. Is that all?" Chris said relieved and noticed that three of the Chaos Emeralds were right there.
"We'll find that last Emerald, won't we?" Tails said.
"You bet we will, Tails." Chuck said.
"Well, I think I'll go for a run." Shadow said then leapt off his hammock and ran out of the room.
"Shadow, wait up!" Chris said and ran after him.
Everyone was confused at Chris' strange behavior.
"That was strange. Wonder what's wrong?" Chuck said.
Outside.
"So what's up?" Shadow asked.
"Well... Shadow... I-I guess you get pretty homesick being on a different planet and all." Chris said.
"Eh... I don't think about it too much. Why?"
Chris fumbled for words.
"Huh? Oh, uh, M-My teacher Mr. Stewart says hi."
"That's nice." he said and ran off.
"I bet Shadow's just as homesick as the rest of them. He's just afraid to admit it. Poor guy..."
Later that night, Chris reunited with Knuckles at the train station.
"Did you get 'em?" Knuckles asked.
Chris nodded.
"Mhm. I didn't tell anybody I took 'em though." he said.
"It's not like we're doing anything wrong. Once they find out what we did, they'll probably be grateful. Come on." Knuckles said then they boarded the train.
At landfill Lucky unburied itself from the trash and studied its surroundings.
In Forest Hill G.U.N. agents led by Topaz were there.
"The signal's coming from somewhere around here. Just be on your guard, boys." Topaz said.
As the other agents move out, Rouge poked her head out of a tree.
"Why am I hanging around?" Rouge asked.
"Just keep watch. We're going to find that Emerald."
"Yeah, okay. Oh, by the way, I know where it is." Rouge said and lead Topaz to a cliff overlooking the Egg Fort II.
"Wow." Topaz said and radioed headquarters. "Chief, I think we've found it." she said on the radio.
In the White House the President's Third Aide opened the door to the Oval Office.
"Mr. President. Good news, sir. We've found Eggman's base." P.T.A. said.
"Let's make the call." the President said to his other aide.
"Right." Aide said and the aide walked over to a phone and picked it up. "Report to Area 99 to dispatch the Beetle immediately."
In Forest Hill Rouge was hovering in midair in a relaxed position.
"You ready?" Topaz asked.
"Sure." Rouge said and noticed something in the distance. "Oh... Hold on..."
That "something", or rather, "somethings" was Chris and Knuckles returning to the Egg Fort II with the Chaos Emeralds.
"Why are those two here?" Topaz asked and the two glanced at each other.
In Chuck's lab Sonic raced back into the lab.
"Hey, I- huh?" he said and noticed that Chuck, Amy, Cream, and Cheese were looking at where the Emeralds used to be. "Oh, what's up?"
"Chris took the Chaos Emeralds..." Cream said.
"Chao chao chao..." Cheese said.
"But why?" he asked and Chuck read aloud a note that Chris had left.
"He left us a letter explaining why. "I'm taking the Emeralds so that you can all get back home very soon." I can't understand why in the world he would do something so foolhardy." he said.
"We'd better go look for him, Chuck." Amy said while Sonic looked at a picture of Chris.
"Well... Shadow... I-I guess you get pretty homesick being on a different planet and all." Chris said and Tails appeared in the doorway.
"Chris took the Chaos Emeralds from inside the X-Tornado too! We can only fly it in normal mode now!" he said and Shadow ran right past him.
"Where'd he go?" Amy wondered.
In the landfill Lucky was walking along the piles of trash when it stumbled over a can and fell to the bottom of the pile and landed on a box, which opened, revealing the seventh Chaos Emerald.
At the Egg Fort II Knuckles and Chris arrived. Eggman's chair descended from above and slid on a track to a table between him and the others.
"Ah, my new friends. Welcome." Eggman said.
"We brought them." Knuckles said as Chris placed his backpack on the table.
"Let me see." Eggman said as Chris unzipped the backpack, revealing four Chaos Emeralds. "Oh, my. Aren't they lovely! And I have my Chaos Emerald right here." he said and placed a small box on the table. "I could open the box and show it to you, but it's not safe to expose it to the others."
"Not yet."
In the train station Shadow showed a picture of Chris to an officer.
"Yeah, I saw. Let's see... I think he got on the 4:00 train to Forest Hill." the officer said.
"Forest Hill?" Shadow said.
Back at the Egg Fort II Eggman held the box and Chris' backpack containing the Chaos Emeralds.
"I'll hold onto the Emeralds and put them in a safe place." he said.
Chris opened his mouth to protest.
"Okay, Doc." Knuckles said.
Just then Decoe appeared on the video screen.
"Excuse me, Doctor? There is an urgent call from Lucky." he said and the screen switches to Lucky, who communicates to Eggman by beeping.
"Whaaat?! You discovered the last Chaos Emerald in a pile of garbage?! Well done! Stay where you are; I'll come to you!" he said and Chris and Knuckles exchanged thumbs-ups.
"Dr. Eggman, did he really find it?" Chris asked.
"Of course he did! Building a robot that brings good luck was my most brilliant stroke of genius!"
"Does this mean we are out of a job?" Bocoe asked.
Decoe shook his head.
"No such luck." he said.
"Well, we have them all, don't we!" Eggman said.
"That's great!" Chris said.
"Yeah, now I can finally go home!" Knuckles said.
"Haaah... Oh-kaay." Eggman said.
"Hahahaha!" Decoe said then pressed a button, and Knuckles fell through a trap door.
"Aah! What do you think you're doing, Eggman?" Chris asked.
Eggman belted out a laugh, then stood up and towered over Chris.
"Wise up. You didn't really believe that I was homesick like your loser friends, did you? The only thing I care about is establishing the Eggman Empire. I can do that on my planet, or yours. It makes no difference to me." he said.
"Then you... lied to us, didn't you?!" Chris said.
"Heheheh... Ready the Egg Fort II for takeoff!"
"Aye-aye!" Bocoe and Decoe said.
At Forest Hill the Egg Fort II's engine roared to life, then the craft started to lift off the ground. Rouge and Topaz ware buffeted by the winds the craft generates.
"He's leaving." Rouge said.
"HQ, come in! Emergency." Topaz said on the radio.
A secret hatch on the craft opened and Knuckles fell out.
"Eggman!" he yelled when Shadow arrived.
"Where's Chris?" Shadow asked.
"Up there. Eggman has him in his ship along with all the Chaos Emeralds." Knuckles said as the Egg Fort II took off.
Shadow pursued the Egg Fort II.
"Good luck, Shadow!" Knuckles called out.