With a map showing the way to Knothole, Sonic and Tails sped across Mobius. For their trip, they decided to take a shortcut through the Badlands, seeing as how there weren't too many – if any – settlements there. Soon, they reached the Great Forest, and almost immediately, they had to combat a group of SWATbots and Buzz Bombers, but these weren't too much trouble for them.
"Jeez, it's almost like we were never here!" said Sonic.
"Who knows?" said Tails. "Considering how many robots we destroyed, we might have an easier time here."
"I should hope so, otherwise we're…"
Suddenly, while they were speeding through the Great Forest, Sonic and Tails got snatched up by a net trap.
"Hey, what the hell!?" said Sonic.
"FREEZE, INTRUDERS!"
Out of the bushes emerged a humanoid German Shepherd dressed in an olive green BDU, a green M1 steel helmet and black leather combat boots. He pointed an M16A1 assault rifle at Sonic and Tails, as did other men dressed in similar uniforms.
"Whoa, WHOA!" said Sonic. "What the hell's goin' on here!?"
"Don't play stupid with us!" said the dog. "We know you two are agents of that evil bastard who took over Mobius!"
"No, we ain't with Dr. Robotnik!" said Sonic. "We ain't jivin' ya!"
"Believe us, we've spent a lot of time fighting him!" said Tails.
A black skunk gently tugged on the dog's arm. "Hey Sarge, I think these guys are telling the truth!"
The sergeant looked over at the skunk, and then back up at Sonic and Tails.
"All right, men. Let 'em go."
Another man untied the rope that was holding up Sonic and Tails, who fell to the ground with a dull thud.
"Who are ya guys, and why'd ya trap us like that?" asked Sonic.
"Sorry about that. I'm Staff Sergeant Edgar Powell, 7th Military Police Brigade of the Mobian Army."
"And I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! That's my pal Tails!"
"How do you do?" said Tails.
Sonic and Tails each shook hands with Powell.
"Just what were you two doing in the Great Forest?" asked Powell.
"It's like this, see:" Sonic extended his hand, palm-up, to his side. "We rescued the King and Queen, and they told us that guys like you might be hidin' here."
"They even told us of a secret village in this forest!" Tails held up the map of Knothole that Queen Acorn gave to him.
Powell took the map. "Well, since you two rescued King and Queen Acorn, then my men and I will gladly assist you in your fight against this Dr. Robotnik. Men, let's move out!"
Sonic, Tails, Powell and the rest of the MPs headed deeper and deeper into the Great Forest. Surprisingly, they didn't encounter any of Robotnik's forces here, and by the time they got to Knothole Village, it was more of the same. In fact, it was too much of the same for Sonic, though his Hedgehog Sense would tell him differently.
"I don't like this," said Sonic. "It's way too quiet around here."
"Heh?" said Powell. "What do you mean?"
"I know there's someone else here; I can sense them."
"Yeah, me too!" said another MP, a dark green hedgehog.
"Hey Sarge, why don't we just blow this place to smithereens?" said the skunk.
"Negative, Corporal White," said Powell. "The Royal Family would have our hides if we…"
"FREEZE! CONSTABULARY!" shouted a mysterious voice.
All of a sudden, Sonic, Tails, Powell and the other MPs found themselves surrounded by a group of mysterious soldiers wearing navy blue BDUs, black ballistic load-carrying vests, black single-hole balaclavas, M17 gas masks, black ballistic elbow and knee pads, and black leather combat boots. These mystery soldiers were mainly equipped with Uzi and MP5 submachine guns, plus a few with CAR-15 carbines. Sonic and Tails put their hands up, while Powell and his MPs pointed their guns right back.
"Guys, don't shoot!" said Sonic. "I don't know who you are, but we ain't with Dr. Robotnik!"
"Constables, stand down!"
The so-called Constables lowered their weapons, as did the MPs, and Sonic and Tails – who lowered their hands – found out just who'd issued the order: a brown-furred squirrel with auburn hair on her head, blue eyes and a tan muzzle. She wore a blue hoodie that was unzipped just enough to expose a dark blue sports bra, white gloves with light blue ring-shaped bracelets, dark blue shorts with white trim and blue running shoes with white straps and dark blue buckles. Sonic smiled when he saw her, for he had never seen a girl as beautiful as her.
"Hey, Mama!" said Sonic. "Where have you been all my life?"
The girl let out a disgusted grunt as she put her fists on her hips. "All right, who led these ill-mannered commoners here?"
Powell saluted the girl. "Your Majesty, I'm Sergeant Edgar Powell of the 7th Military Police Brigade of the Mobian Army. These two claim to have fought against the invader known as 'Dr. Robotnik'."
"At ease," said the girl.
Powell dropped the salute, but remained standing at attention. Meanwhile, the girl went to question Sonic and Tails.
"All right, you two, identify yourselves," said the girl.
Sonic maintained his cocky smile. "I'm Sonic…Sonic the Hedgehog!"
"And I'm Tails! Who are you?"
"I'm Princess Sally Acorn of the Kingdom of Mobius."
Sonic raised a hand and dropped his jaw. "Whoa whoa, hold up! YOU'RE Sally Acorn!?"
Sally put a hand on her hip. "You seem surprised by this. Why?"
Sonic extended his hands to the sides. "We been lookin' for ya! We saved your parents from Robuttnik!"
Sally let out a loud gasp and covered her mouth.
"Oh my god…" Sally slowly lowered her hands. "Oh my god, I…I…!" She clasped her hands together and bowed her head. "I am in your debt, Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails."
Sonic smiled and patted Sally on the shoulder. "Hey, it's copacetic, Mama! All we want from ya is help in takin' this country back from Robuttnik!"
Sally lowered her hands and lifted her head. "I'm prepared to give whatever assistance I can. Unfortunately, the Crown Armed Forces of Mobius were fragmented after the takeover, and with most of the population roboticized, there's really not much any of us can do."
"I might be able to help with that," said Tails. "I'm really skilled at creating machines, so I could create one to de-roboticize people. Problem is, I'd need to know just how they were roboticized."
Sally stroked her chin. "I have an idea about that. Prior to the fall of Mobius, there was a famous scientist named Charles T. Hedgehog. He created a machine known as a 'roboticizer', which he'd intended to prolong the lives of the old and infirm. Unfortunately, it came with an unintended side effect: subjects who were roboticized lost their free will, so Charles shelved the machine. Dr. Robotnik must've gotten his hands on it somehow."
Sonic put his fists on his hips and rolled his eyes. "Guess that'll learn him about playin' God." He looked off in the distance. "Although I wonder if I'm related to this cat…"
"Regardless, I think if we find Charles, then maybe I can find a way to reverse the process!" said Tails.
Sally crossed her arms. "Maybe, but right now, I'm more interested in finding other resistance groups that may still be operating in Mobius."
"Got any idea where any might be?" asked Sonic.
Sally shook her head. "Not really. Rumor has it that there's one in Volcano Valley Zone, but it's only a rumor."
Sonic shrugged. "Still, it's better than nothin'. Why don't we boogie on over there?"
Sally threw her arms up. "Are you crazy!? We don't know if that rumor's true! We could be killed!"
"Look, I dig that it's risky, but think about this: if we just sit here and waste our precious time, we'll probably get our asses handed to us anyways, so we might as well do this right away and do it when we can! That's the only way to live life without regrets!"
Sally stared into Sonic's green eyes. On one hand, she could've just throttled him for daring to suggest such a risky move, but on the other hand, beyond his cocky exterior, she could see a kind, caring soul who would go to the ends of the planet for people and things he really cared about, and he did save her parents, so the answer was obvious…
"All right, Sonic. I'll mobilize everyone and go there with you."
Sonic thrust his fist into the air. "DY-NO-MITE!"
"Just know one thing…"
"Yeah?"
Sally grabbed Sonic by the lapel of his M65 field jacket. "If we get blown up, whatever is left of me is kicking your commoner butt! Is that understood?"
Sonic smiled. "Would I steer a smokin' fine mama like you to certain death?"
Sally dragged Sonic a bit closer. "Don't get smart with me, Hedgehog! You talk a big game, but I won't be convinced until I see results!"
"Results? You want results? Then let's quit arguin' and blow this taco stand!"
Sally stared at Sonic.
"As much as I dislike your attitude, you make a good point." Sally let go of Sonic. "Let's go."
Criticism is gold. Negativity and nitpicking are pyrite.
