(See Prelude for Disclaimer).
~Chapter 3: The Master Emerald Quest~
Robotnik continued to watch as his enemies flew away until they disappeared into the night, though his gaze did linger on Penelope for a moment as he couldn't wrap his head around seeing her fly away on a perfectly functioning hoverboard that she herself created.
How did that sniveling little brat grow up to create something almost as good as my own creations, he thought.
"Hmhmhm. Foxy moves...", he said as he raised his control glove and started tapping on it, "Want something done right, you'll have to hire someone you can push around. All-caps".
[Time Skip]
Meanwhile at the Mean Bean Cafe, which turned out to be run by Agent Stone, he was preparing a latte. He then took out a pair of latte art "pencils" and sketched something. He looked down to see the face of Robotnik that he had drawn on the latte foam.
"Doctor. where are you?", he asked quietly.
A customer in the café stirred the cup with the Robotnik image in it, erasing the image as the latte was mixed around.
"Weirdo", he said as he took his drink and walked away, leaving a dejected Stone standing at the counter. Then, he heard a ding, he looked at his watch to see a message reading, "PREPARE MY LATTE". Stone was shocked by this, "Oh! Uh... I'm sorry folks, I-I have to close early. Everybody out!", he said.
The customers proceeded to leave, afterwards Stone flipped the sign from open to closed, and removed the passing health inspector grade, revealing an F-. He ran up to one of the boilers, and the temperature gauge on it transformed into a retina scanner and scanned Stone's eye.
Afterwards, a red button appeared on the spill guard of a drink machine which Stone pressed. This triggered a reaction up I'm outer space, above Earth, a white satellite started lighting up. Back down on Earth, Stone stood at the register, beaming. "He's back. He's baaaaaack!!!", he shouted in jubilation.
Back up in space, a large egg-shaped pod detached from the satellite and started heading for Earth. Soon after, it landed at the location of Robotnik, who placed his goggles on as a door on the pod opened up for him. The machine then opened some panels on it to reveal a storage unit for his Badniks,this included the standard egg-shaped drones and his new Buzz Bombers.
Robotnik got cleaned up inside the pod, which gave him new clothes while tiny Badniks cleaned out his nose hairs, fixed his mustache, and squirted mouthwash into his mouth for him to rinse with. Robotnik emerged from the pod with his army of Badniks behind him, "That's more like it... I've been...Re-hatched!", he said.
Meanwhile, Knuckles, who was scaling the cliff, using his own fists to hoist himself upward before a laser blast stopped him in his tracks. He turned to see a squad of Badniks surrounding him as Robotnik looked down to him.
"So, my... massively metacarpaled friend. You mentioned--Uuuuuuuuuuuuuultimate power...back at the house?", he asked.
"The Master Emerald? It does not concern you! I got you off that planet and you brought me to the hedgehog. We have no more use for each other!", said Knuckles.
"Well, I hate to be a contrarian but, I think we do", said Robotnik as he made a few button presses on his control glove, the Badniks closed in on Knuckles.
"You think these machines are a match for me? I will shatter them like the bones from a fallen--"
Knuckles was cut off when he looked down and saw they were making a staircase for him, "Oh. They are stairs", he said as he stepped down from the cliff and walked up the Badnik staircase to Robotnik.
"You see...Earth, is my turf, G. If ya don't know how to floss, you'll be lost without me", said Robotnik.
"I understood nothing of what you just said", said Knuckles.
"I help you get the emerald, and you use it to destroy the hedgehoooooooooog!!!", Robotnik shouted.
"You're suggesting an alliance?", asked Knuckles.
"Around here, we simply, grip each others hands tightly", said Robotnik. Demonstrating, he lowered his hand for a handshake, making Knuckles grip his hand so tight that the sound of bones cracking could be heard. Robotnik quickly pulled his hand out and felt the pain, "You truculent space bumpkin! You crushed my favorite hand!", he shouted.
Knuckles looked at him curiously, "Really? My hand is uninjured. But I am now convinced of your commitment", he said.
"Oh goodie. He exclaimed, as he relocated two of his knuckles--"
Robotnik relocated his knuckles as he heard his bones popping back into place, "Ayyyyy...'m delighted... to be... on the same... team", he said. With a few button presses on his control glove, Robotnik made a new machine, his Egg Mobile, come out of the pod and lower itself down to the two of them.
"Road trip! I'll let you stick your nose out the window", he said to Knuckles.
[Time Skip]
While this was going on, Sonic, Penelope and Tails had stopped by Wade's house. Penelope knocked on the front door, to which Wade answered, shocked to see her, Sonic and a two tailed fox he didn't know standing outside his house.
"Hey there, Wade. Your cousin Harvey and his wife are such nice people, really love living with them. Anyways...can we hide out in your garage for the moment?", said Penelope. Still confused, Wade let the trio in and guided them over to the garage.
"Uh, Sonic? Where are we?", asked Tails.
"Welcome to the Wadecave! At least, that's what I would say to a woman. That's not my Mom", said Wade.
Penelope took a seat on a paint can after propping her hoverboard against the wall, that was when Sonic turned towards her. "Okay, Sis. You've got some explaining to do cause I'm confused on so many things regarding you right now: what are you wearing? What is that thing on the wall? And why are you here? Don't you have school and work?", he said.
Penelope sighed, "Okay then...firstly, my classes are early in the morning from Monday through Thursday. Then, after I come home and do my assignments, I leave for work at an auto repair shop and don't finish until 5pm.
"Sonic, I called you at 7:30pm...on a Friday. I was already done with work for the day and I don't have classes on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Second, when I heard you say "Eggman" on the phone, I got a sick feeling in my gut and knew I had to come and help you. Turns out I was right. And third, like I said before, this is my hoverboard", she explained.
Tails flew over to examine the hoverboard closely, "Wow! Such a high tech design, you built this yourself?", he said.
Penelope smiled, "Yup. This is my PW-512 Hoverboard, I started building after I completed my first year at the university. A sleek, lightweight frame makes it easy to carry and maneuver through the air, it is capable of reaching a max speed of 300 miles per hour, thanks to a quill that I had Sonic send me six months ago.
"And it's got a built electronic interface that links to my wristlet computer, so I'm always in control of it. My computer also has several other apps and accessories such as a map, a phone, a translator and most importantly, a vital sensor just in case someone goes awry.
"Oh, and the motherboard has a built anti malware and antivirus software that prevents it from being hacked and overridden", she said.
Tails beamed with excitement as he ran his hand along the hoverboard's surface, "Wow! So cool!", he said.
"So...what's with the costume and backpack?", asked Sonic.
"This is a skintight flight suit, made from durable leather. It helps me maneuver body on the hoverboard comfortably, it allows for free movement and it modulates my body temperature so I don't overheat.
"Also, it look nice, making it fashionable as well as functional. As for the huge military backpack, it's for carrying supplies like spare clothes, a first aid kit, etc.", said Penelope.
Sonic then shook his head, "Okay, okay! We're getting off topic! Guys, focus. We need to figure out why Knuckles thinks I'm the key to finding the Master Emerald, and why did he mention Longclaw?", he said.
"Don't look at me, I only know the little bit of info Tails told me on the way over here. I'm just as lost as you are", said Penelope.
"There must be a connection", said Tails.
That's when something came to Sonic, "Wait a minute, there is", he said as he took out the safe worlds map and pointed to the emerald on it, "There's an emerald on the map Longclaw gave me. I never knew what it meant before".
"Maybe it could be a clue, does the map say anything else?", said Penelope.
"Something's happening", said Tails. The map began to glow as the black outlines turned green and shut the lights off. As the map fell to the floor, green smoke surrounded the map, then a hologram of Longclaw emerged spreading her wings.
"Longclaw?!", asked Sonic in surprise.
"Wait, so that's Longclaw?!", said Penelope.
"Hello, Sonic. If your watching this, then something has happened to me and I pray that you've made it to Earth unharmed. This world has been chosen for a very important reason. It's the secret location of the Master Emerald", said the hologram.
She's so beautiful, thought Penelope.
Then, the hologram of Longclaw spread her wings revealing a green diamond cut gemstone, amazing everyone.
"Woah...", said Sonic.
"The emerald has the power to turn thoughts into reality", said the hologram.
"Just like the stay puffed marshmallow man from Ghostbusters", said Wade before he was shushed by Tails and Penelope.
"In the wrong hands, it can threaten all life in the universe. Protecting the emerald was my sacred duty, and now, I must pass that responsibility to you", said the hologram.
"This is my moment", said Sonic.
"Follow the map, find the emerald, and keep it safe. Sonic, you have a heart like no other creature I've met. I love you so much. Goodbye", said the hologram as the prerecorded message ended. The hologram sunk back into the map, fading away.
"No, no, no, wait", Sonic called out. The hologram of Longclaw's feather floated into Sonic's hand, which faded as he closed his hands. "I won't let you down, Longclaw", he said sadly. Behind him, Penelope closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, almost as if she was saying a prayer for Longclaw.
Tails looked at Sonic in concern.
"So, is he like...your dad?", asked Wade.
"What?", Tails asked incredulously.
That was when Penelope punched Wade in the shoulder and glared at him, "Dude! Read the room!", she said.
Sonic walked over to the map and picked it up, "According to the map, the first clue is in Siberia. It's a compass that'll lead us to the emerald.And with Knuckles already here, it's a race", he said.
"Siberia? That's close to Russia, and it's cold and snowy. Well, it's a good thing I packed my long winter coat into this backpack along with some blankets. This should be fun", said Penelope.
"Knuckles? Ya know, I knew a kid in middle school named Knuckles. Could fit his whole fist in his mouth. If this is the same Knuckles, then we're screwed", said Wade.
"Considering the one we're talking about is an anthropomorphic red echidna...then no, he's not the same. He was tough, though", said Penelope.
"This Knuckles, that Knuckles, doesn't matter. We're gonna get there first", said Sonic as he threw a ring and opened a portal to reveal Siberia on the other side. Tails backed away nervously, "Hehehe, ummm. What do you mean "we"?", he asked.
"Well, my big sis is coming with me whether I want her to or not..."
"He's right, you know. I don't have work or school, so nothing's getting in my way of helping my bro travel to the ends of the Earth to stop Robotnik and save the world!", Penelope interjected.
"...That's right. And you're coming with me, too", said Sonic.
"Oh, no, no, no, no. I-I just came here to warn you. I'm not a field guide", said Tails.
"Don't worry, I got your back. We both do. We're not gonna let anything happen to you", said Sonic.
"That's right! Friends stick together, no matter what!", said Penelope.
She then made a fist, as did Sonic, and lifted them to Tails who walked over to them. "It's a power bump. On Earth, it means an unbreakable promise", said Sonic.
"Okay, I'm in!", said Tails. With that, the trio then power bumped before jumping through the portal to Siberia.
Their quest was about to begin!
[To be continued...]
