CHAPTER 2: The Plot 'Chicken's
The moon-lit world that lay before me was like nothing I had ever seen before, but in the deep reaches of my heart... it felt so familiar. Of course, I had no time to really take in the scenery as I was still trying to escape my two captors who relaxed their grip a little, but not enough to allow me to get away. Their metallic skin caused me again to wonder who in the world these bozos were? Bozos couldn't have been closer to the truth.
"Sheesh, you're so clumsy! You almost got us caught!" an all-too familiar screeching voice squawked behind me as they continued to carry me up a winding path.
"It wasn't my fault," a lower voice in front of me whined, "It was that stupid cat-"
He interrupted, "Doh! Nevermind Needle-nose!"
Shivers ran up my spine and into my head - we're they really? I squinted my eyes and tried to make out the figure in front of me. I suddenly recognized a familiar antenna sticking out of its head, and I heard a familiar sound that always reminded me of a squeaky meat grinder...grinder? That sounded like... But, no! It could'nt be them, I told myself. You're just scaring yourself, I tried to reassure myself. They do not exist.
It sure felt like they were real, I added, as we neared the top of the hill they had been steadily climbing.
At the top I cranned my neck and saw a two-story circular building that tilted extremely to the left, reminding me of the Tower of Pisa. A few sparse lights were on inside. Beside the building, I caught glimpse of a dark statue that rose up taller than the building itself. I cringed, there was no way on... Could it be? Was it?
We stopped in front of the door and the figure in front of me bent down, picked up something and unlocked the front door. We entered and the door slammed behind us, making the well-lit front hall quake a little. I now saw my one of my captors clearly... Grounder!
I couldn't believe what I saw - my mind was in a state of wonder and suspense. If that really was Grounder, then the other one had to be... Scratch! The two of them made up Dr. Robotnik's Super-Special-Sonic-Search & Smash Squad (SSSSS Squad for short), at least - that's who they were in the cartoon show. They were giants compared to me, they had always looked so small on the TV screen.
Judging from what I saw on the outside, this would have to be Robotnik's Fortress on the Hill, with the familiar golden statue of himself parked next to it. I desperately struggled to get a better view. Most of what I could see was the ceiling. I turned and noticed the egg-shaped tables and pictures that confirmed my theory. But why did they bring me here? How in the world did I get myself into this mess anyway?
We passed a large staircase and halted in front of two familiar half-egg-shaped double-doors. Grounder put out a drill, turned it into a hand and knocked on the door.
"Oh, your Perniciousness!" Scratch sang in a sing-songy voice, "We're back!"
Shattering glass echoed in the room, and footsteps stomped towards the door, a low growling accompanying them. Scratch and Grounder leapt back as the doors blasted open.
In the doorway stood a excessively obese man with piercing red eyes and two bright orange mustaches sticking out of his lumpy nose... it was none other than the top of Mobius's villains - Dr. Robotnik - better known as an "eggbelly slimeball". His voice rang out in thunderous tones, "YOU IDIOTS! I WAS SO CLOSE TO-" he raised a fist to strike them and they instantly cringed and dropped me to the floor. His eyes suddenly focused on me, staring silently.
His scowl melted away and he modified his voice to one of poised confidence and forced politeness that I recognized immediately, "Oh... So you two blundering bots finally did something right... I'll have to make a record of this..."
Puzzled, they looked at each other, and then quickly grabbed my arms - not that I was brave enough to try and escape.
Robotnik held up a hand, "No need for that boys. I would like to talk to Miss Rich myself," my mouth dropped open when he muttered my last name, he continued, "We mustn't come across as crude," he perfectly enunciated every syllable and hung on the last word, drawing it out. His mouth drew up in a almost devilish smile.
"Are you sure, your most patientness?" Grounder shyly asked, as they let go of me.
"YES!" he yelled, "I mean, you two go help Coconuts on Sewer Patrol."
"But sir!" Scratch pleaded, "We did exactly what you asked!"
"Exactly," He said, coming closer and putting a hand on their shoulders and leading them down the hall, "I don't want you to get cocky!" He pushed them away as I looked around for an escape route. I tiptoed towards what I thought was the kitchen door.
Robotnik whirled around, "I wouldn't go in there, if I were you," he walked back towards me, "That's where I keep my expensive experimental explosives - we wouldn't want any 'accidents', would we?" he grinned as I shook my head. He gestured in towards the lab, and I reluctantly went inside, slowly gathering my courage.
He shut the doors and continued to talk, "Let's talk business, shall we?" he indicated a chair beside a table of broken glassware.
"How... How do you know my name, Robotnik?" I asked a bit shakily, then raising my voice, "And what do you want from me?"
He chuckled, "Such harsh questions, maybe I should be asking the same to you."
"What do you mean?"
"I've been monitoring different universal dimensions through my Dimensional Matter Displacer - which is also how I was able to bring you here," he walked toward a jumbo 2 by 10 foot computer screen and console. He pushed a few buttons and continued, "I was able to connect to your planet's 'web' and discovered that you know many secret things about me and my... associates..." I glanced at the screen and saw him pull up my AOSTH website, Sonic Land, "How did you find this information?"
"In my world, you are just cartoon characters..."
Again, he laughed loudly, "Do you really expect me to believe that?"
I nodded, and he laughed again, "Though it doesn't matter that you know about me, that doesn't interest me," he edged closer, "But what does is your data about a certain pesky hedgehog I've been-"
"I won't tell you anything," I interrupted him and turned away.
I heard him growl and he turned me around, leaned down, and glared at me in my eyes, "Oh, you will, my dear," he snarled, as my body began to quake in fear, "Or you will never see your precious home again," he released me and maniacally laughed a little. And to think I had used to laugh at it.
"Sonic will-" he turned when I mentioned his nemesis.
"Oh let's be realistic, my dear, shall we?" he rumbled with a chortle, "That cocky little rodent isn't aware that you even exist," he spit out the last words, the comment struck me hard, and my head and hope drooped, "Help me," he added, "And I shall not only send you home, but 'richly' reward you as well."
I snuffed at that offer.
"You have no other choice," he frowned, "If you do not help me, I will throw you in my dungeon..."
"But, it is still your choice to make," he walked back to the console.
My heart never felt so low. How could I get out of this. He was right that no one knew nor cared I was here. I couldn't risk getting locked away, then all hope would be gone. As much as I hated it, I had to accept his offer. I figured that if I stayed around long enough, I could discover how his machine worked and get myself home.
"All right," I answered, "What do you want to know?" I heaved a sigh and prayed I was doing the right thing.
He perked up at my answer and turned around, "Excellent," he crooned, "See how everything works out so nicely when sensible people cooperate?"
Robotnik's voice was really beginning to tug on my nerves.
TO BE CONTINUED...
The moon-lit world that lay before me was like nothing I had ever seen before, but in the deep reaches of my heart... it felt so familiar. Of course, I had no time to really take in the scenery as I was still trying to escape my two captors who relaxed their grip a little, but not enough to allow me to get away. Their metallic skin caused me again to wonder who in the world these bozos were? Bozos couldn't have been closer to the truth.
"Sheesh, you're so clumsy! You almost got us caught!" an all-too familiar screeching voice squawked behind me as they continued to carry me up a winding path.
"It wasn't my fault," a lower voice in front of me whined, "It was that stupid cat-"
He interrupted, "Doh! Nevermind Needle-nose!"
Shivers ran up my spine and into my head - we're they really? I squinted my eyes and tried to make out the figure in front of me. I suddenly recognized a familiar antenna sticking out of its head, and I heard a familiar sound that always reminded me of a squeaky meat grinder...grinder? That sounded like... But, no! It could'nt be them, I told myself. You're just scaring yourself, I tried to reassure myself. They do not exist.
It sure felt like they were real, I added, as we neared the top of the hill they had been steadily climbing.
At the top I cranned my neck and saw a two-story circular building that tilted extremely to the left, reminding me of the Tower of Pisa. A few sparse lights were on inside. Beside the building, I caught glimpse of a dark statue that rose up taller than the building itself. I cringed, there was no way on... Could it be? Was it?
We stopped in front of the door and the figure in front of me bent down, picked up something and unlocked the front door. We entered and the door slammed behind us, making the well-lit front hall quake a little. I now saw my one of my captors clearly... Grounder!
I couldn't believe what I saw - my mind was in a state of wonder and suspense. If that really was Grounder, then the other one had to be... Scratch! The two of them made up Dr. Robotnik's Super-Special-Sonic-Search & Smash Squad (SSSSS Squad for short), at least - that's who they were in the cartoon show. They were giants compared to me, they had always looked so small on the TV screen.
Judging from what I saw on the outside, this would have to be Robotnik's Fortress on the Hill, with the familiar golden statue of himself parked next to it. I desperately struggled to get a better view. Most of what I could see was the ceiling. I turned and noticed the egg-shaped tables and pictures that confirmed my theory. But why did they bring me here? How in the world did I get myself into this mess anyway?
We passed a large staircase and halted in front of two familiar half-egg-shaped double-doors. Grounder put out a drill, turned it into a hand and knocked on the door.
"Oh, your Perniciousness!" Scratch sang in a sing-songy voice, "We're back!"
Shattering glass echoed in the room, and footsteps stomped towards the door, a low growling accompanying them. Scratch and Grounder leapt back as the doors blasted open.
In the doorway stood a excessively obese man with piercing red eyes and two bright orange mustaches sticking out of his lumpy nose... it was none other than the top of Mobius's villains - Dr. Robotnik - better known as an "eggbelly slimeball". His voice rang out in thunderous tones, "YOU IDIOTS! I WAS SO CLOSE TO-" he raised a fist to strike them and they instantly cringed and dropped me to the floor. His eyes suddenly focused on me, staring silently.
His scowl melted away and he modified his voice to one of poised confidence and forced politeness that I recognized immediately, "Oh... So you two blundering bots finally did something right... I'll have to make a record of this..."
Puzzled, they looked at each other, and then quickly grabbed my arms - not that I was brave enough to try and escape.
Robotnik held up a hand, "No need for that boys. I would like to talk to Miss Rich myself," my mouth dropped open when he muttered my last name, he continued, "We mustn't come across as crude," he perfectly enunciated every syllable and hung on the last word, drawing it out. His mouth drew up in a almost devilish smile.
"Are you sure, your most patientness?" Grounder shyly asked, as they let go of me.
"YES!" he yelled, "I mean, you two go help Coconuts on Sewer Patrol."
"But sir!" Scratch pleaded, "We did exactly what you asked!"
"Exactly," He said, coming closer and putting a hand on their shoulders and leading them down the hall, "I don't want you to get cocky!" He pushed them away as I looked around for an escape route. I tiptoed towards what I thought was the kitchen door.
Robotnik whirled around, "I wouldn't go in there, if I were you," he walked back towards me, "That's where I keep my expensive experimental explosives - we wouldn't want any 'accidents', would we?" he grinned as I shook my head. He gestured in towards the lab, and I reluctantly went inside, slowly gathering my courage.
He shut the doors and continued to talk, "Let's talk business, shall we?" he indicated a chair beside a table of broken glassware.
"How... How do you know my name, Robotnik?" I asked a bit shakily, then raising my voice, "And what do you want from me?"
He chuckled, "Such harsh questions, maybe I should be asking the same to you."
"What do you mean?"
"I've been monitoring different universal dimensions through my Dimensional Matter Displacer - which is also how I was able to bring you here," he walked toward a jumbo 2 by 10 foot computer screen and console. He pushed a few buttons and continued, "I was able to connect to your planet's 'web' and discovered that you know many secret things about me and my... associates..." I glanced at the screen and saw him pull up my AOSTH website, Sonic Land, "How did you find this information?"
"In my world, you are just cartoon characters..."
Again, he laughed loudly, "Do you really expect me to believe that?"
I nodded, and he laughed again, "Though it doesn't matter that you know about me, that doesn't interest me," he edged closer, "But what does is your data about a certain pesky hedgehog I've been-"
"I won't tell you anything," I interrupted him and turned away.
I heard him growl and he turned me around, leaned down, and glared at me in my eyes, "Oh, you will, my dear," he snarled, as my body began to quake in fear, "Or you will never see your precious home again," he released me and maniacally laughed a little. And to think I had used to laugh at it.
"Sonic will-" he turned when I mentioned his nemesis.
"Oh let's be realistic, my dear, shall we?" he rumbled with a chortle, "That cocky little rodent isn't aware that you even exist," he spit out the last words, the comment struck me hard, and my head and hope drooped, "Help me," he added, "And I shall not only send you home, but 'richly' reward you as well."
I snuffed at that offer.
"You have no other choice," he frowned, "If you do not help me, I will throw you in my dungeon..."
"But, it is still your choice to make," he walked back to the console.
My heart never felt so low. How could I get out of this. He was right that no one knew nor cared I was here. I couldn't risk getting locked away, then all hope would be gone. As much as I hated it, I had to accept his offer. I figured that if I stayed around long enough, I could discover how his machine worked and get myself home.
"All right," I answered, "What do you want to know?" I heaved a sigh and prayed I was doing the right thing.
He perked up at my answer and turned around, "Excellent," he crooned, "See how everything works out so nicely when sensible people cooperate?"
Robotnik's voice was really beginning to tug on my nerves.
TO BE CONTINUED...