Back at the Death-Egg Zone, Dr. Robotnik was not pleased.

"IDIOTS!!!!!!!!! FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Uh, what did we do?" a stupid grounder asked.

"You idiots!!!!!!! You could've captured that miserable hedgehog!!!"

"Oh, yeah," said Scratch, "How'd he get away?"

"You dim-bots let him get away because you were too busy fighting! Why do I even bother?"

"Uh, is that a trick-question?" Grounder asked.

"Yeah," added Scratch, "'cause we don't know"

Robotnik slapped his forehead in disgust and exasperation.

"YOU IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!! Just-just go away! I have a headache!"

Grounder and Scratch did as they were told.

"Wow, he's mad," said Grounder.

"Oh, shut-up," said Scratch, conking the tank-bot on the head again.

"Ow, that hurt!," Grounder said, when his head stopped spinning.

Of course, that escallated into another pointless quarrel, which Robotnik was too tired to break up.

Back at the mansion, Storm had re-gained some control over her powers. It wasn't going to be easy, though. Colds really took their toll on her, which was why she usually had her cold-flu shot. However, she was unable to get one this time, because of a recent shortage in the vaccine. Oh, well, she would just have to let it run it's course.

She went back to the rec-room to check on the kids. No one there. Just a damp, empty room with videogames and ruined equipment.

Professor! The children are gone!, she thought to Xavier.

Where are they?, he thought back.

I don't know. Last time I saw them, they were playing on this videogame console. I believe it's called a 'sega'.

Who was playing the 'sega'?

I think it was Kurt, Storm thought to him, It was some game called-she read the cartrige, which was surprisingly dry, obviously protected from the shower-'Sonic: The Hedgehog'. Do you think-

Yes, that's possible. Kurt's watch may have shorted out and reacted with the console, transporting the X-Men into the game. We have to contact Forge. He will probably know what to do.

I hope so, thought Storm.

Forge was back at home, having earned enough points to not have to attend school anymore. He was taking a much-needed break and playing around with this 'video game' he bought. It was alot of fun. Coleco, as the guy who sold it to him called it. One of his favorite games was Donkey Kong, a game where he had to rescue his girlfriend from an ape that had an affinity for barrels.

"Wow, cleared another one!" he said, "High score, here I come!"

Just as he was clearing a rivet(on the level with the fire-balls), the phone rang.

"Aw, man," Forge said, as he turned the game off and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Forge, this is Xavier"

"Oh, hi Professor! Howya doin'? How are the X-Men?"

"I was just getting to that. They have disappeared, and I believe you can help get them back."

"Well," Forge bragged, "If it has anything to do with computers, I'm on it"

"In fact, it does," said the professor, "I have reason to believe they have been sucked into an alternate dimention, one in a videogame called 'Sonic: The Hedgehog'"

"Sonic..." Forge thought about it. He had tried that game before, and found it rather hard, but alot of fun.

"Sure, no prob! I'll be right over"

Then he hung up the phone and wrote a note to his parents, telling them where he was, and that he was most certainly not in the middleverse.

Little did he know that his phone was being tapped.

"Ha ha ha ha," Toad laughed to himself, "Mystique's gonna love this one"

Back on Mobius, Sonic and the X-Men were all enjoying chilli-dogs(all except for Kitty, who was eating a salad).

"So, I'm in a videogame?" Sonic chuckled, "And a cartoon? Boy, I really am famous!"

"Of course you are," said Tails, "You're the best hedgehog in the whole world"

"Hey, do they sell any burgers here?" Kurt asked, teleporting to a divider, where he perched like a monkey.

"There's a burger-place next door," Sonic said, "Of course, they're not near as good as chilli-dogs"

Rogue just rolled her eyes and took another bite from her chilli-dog. The chilli-dogs aren't half bad here, she thought.

"Hey, let's all get some burgers," Evan suggested, "And I hope they serve milk there, because I really need the calcium"

"Aw, man, not another health-nut," Sonic grumbled.

"No, It's not that," Jean explained, "He's got a special 'gift'. He can make his bones grow out of his skin, and even shoot them out at things"

"Oh, I get it, he needs the calcium to replace what was lost with his bones. Cool! And I'm glad you're takin' care of yourself. Wish Tails would do the same. Then he wouldn't have so many nightmares"

Tails, who was half-finished with his chilli-dog, glared at sonic.

"Sonic!" he said, a little embarrased.

"Well, he's only four, and I'm sort of his father. It's kinda hard sometimes, but someone's gotta care for him"

"I wish I knew my mommy and daddy," Tails said, "My real mommy and daddy"

"Me too," Scott mumbled.

"Ah aready know who mah mama is," said Rogue, "An ah wish ah di'n't"

"Why?" Tails asked.

"'Cause she lahd ta me. She to'd me tha X-Men were mah enemies"

"Why?"

"Ah don't know... prob'ly 'cause she wanted me fer m' power, 'cause ah kin absorb other people's powers-ah don't wanna talk about it..."

It was all Rogue could do to keep herself from crying. Somehow she was cursed, and for years, she thought it was skin-fungus that she had. No. It was Irene's lie. Irene was trying to keep her from getting too used to touching people, so she wouldn't miss the contact.

But she did. She wanted more then anything just to lead a normal life, to be able to touch someone.

"Well, let's go to Metro-Burgers," Sonic said, "And 'Rogue', you stay with Tails while he finishes his chilli-dog"

Then, Sonic left, along with the rest of the X-men. Kitty followed, maybe to get a shake or an icecream cone.

Rogue was alone with Tails. She didn't like baby-sitting very much, especially since she would have to explain either that 'ah haiv a cold', or 'ah got skeein-fungus'. Tails was being very good, however, and sat quietly while he ate his chilli-dog.

"Rogue," he finally asked, "Why are you so sad?"

That startled Rogue. Dang! she thought, Ah was crahn' in front'v a keeid!

"My power," she began, "Ah cain't touch people"

"You can't? Why?"

"'Cause if ah do, ah hurt 'em. Even when ah don't wanna"

"Aw, here, want my chilli-dog?" Tails offered, "It'll make you feel better"

"Uh, no thanks," she said, "Ahm full"

"Well, maybe this'll make you better," Tails said, as he got out of his seat, and sat down by Rogue, and hugged her.

It did. Rogue felt a little better at this young fox's affection. She was careful not to touch him though.

"Why do you wear that funny lipstick," Tails asked.

"Ah don't know," Rogue answered, "Maybe ah jus' like tha color"

"It looks ugly," he said.

Tails finished his chilli-dog, left some money that Sonic gave him, and then grabbed Rogue by her wrist, the part that wasn't covered by her glove.

"Don't!" Rogue began, and then realized that there was no weird feeling that she got whenever she touched someone skin-to-skin; just the leathery paw-pads.

"Oh, sorry," Tails appologized.

"No, it's ok," she said, "Ah guess m' pa'wers don't work on Mobians"

"Cool!" Tails said, "Hey, lets go play some video games!"

"Ok," Rogue said, not noticing tears in her eyes.

"Rogue," Tails began.

"What's wrong?" Rogue asked.

"Why are you crying?"

"Oh, ah guess ah'm just so happy! An ah don't think ah need these raht now"

She took her gloves off and pocketed them. She also wiped her tears away with a kleenex, wiping the makeup off.

"Wow!" Tails said, "You look pretty now!"

Rogue smiled at him, "C'mon, let's go to the arcade"

She took his hand, and they both walked over to the arcade-section.