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A/N: After a LOOOOOOOOONG delay, we're back in business! :) I'm done with school for the summer and able to update whenever I want! :) Once again, thanks for your patience - sorry for being such a slow-mo! ;D
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CHAPTER 13: To the Rescue!
With some help from Tails, we were able to get up into the ventilation system and make our way up to the ground floor of the fortress. The vents were crowded and claustrophobic, but at least there weren't any angry rats to deal with. Coconuts led the way again, followed by Electra and Tails. I brought up the rear, and kept an eye out for danger.
After some time crawling through them, we stopped midway in a vent and Coconuts announced that we were there. He kicked out a vent grating and I heard it wobble on it's last hinge. He disappeared out it, followed by Electra and Tails.
When I reached it, I stuck my head out and looked around. We were in a hallway leading to the main front hall. Tails gave me a lift from the wall down to the ground. I looked back up at the high grating and was amazed we had gotten this far without much trouble.
"Okay, now what?" Tails asked me.
"We meet up with Sonic, Scratch and Grounder, and get outta here," I said.
"Where are they, Sweets?" Electra asked.
"I bet they're with Dr. Robotnik," I replied and headed towards the front hall.
"Don't we need a plan or something?" Coconuts stopped me.
"We got one - let's go help them," I said continuing on, "C'mon, we can do it!"
They reluctantly followed me into the front hall.
We poked our heads around the corner. I could hear faint sounds coming from the Laboratory doors. I motioned for them to follow and we quietly raced over to them. I put an ear to a door and listened. A rumbling noise echoed and I heard Robotnik's voice going on about something. I pulled back and looked at everyone.
"Well, it's now or never, guys. I know we're nervous - but we have to be brave. You guys are stronger than you think - stronger than me anyway... Are you ready?"
They nodded.
Slowly, I cracked open one of the doors. Through the slit I could see Robotnik working on something. I peered around the room. I quickly located Sonic, who was trapped in a huge cylindrical glass tank. He was sitting down cross-legged, hand under his chin - looking bored and angry at the same time. I then scanned the room for Scratch and Grounder - who were no where to be seen. I shut the door.
"Change of plans," I said, "He's got Sonic, and there's no sign of Scratch and Grounder. We need a diversion to get Robotnik to leave the lab so we can rescue him. Any ideas?"
"Oo!Oo!Oo! I got one!" Coconuts said excitedly and dashed across to the room I had first thought was the kitchen. He went inside and came back with a box of Robotnik's "expensive experimental explosives."
"Whoa! What are these?" Tails said, picking up one that looked like a cherry bomb.
"No! No bombs!" I said, taking the one from Tails and the box from Coconuts, "We don't want to blow ourselves to smithereens!"
"Nah! We won't!" he took the box back, "These aren't the BIG ones! I borrowed some of the little ones. These guys will make a lot of noise and smoke and that'll get him running out here! It will!"
Electra reached in her compartment and pulled out a metal mop bucket, "We can set them off in here," she said putting it in the center of the room.
"You're sure they won't blow us to Timbuktu?"
"Sure I'm sure!" he replied with a smile as he dumped a bunch of the miniature bombs into the bucket. I still wasn't quite sure what damage this could cause.
Electra pulled out a long match and placed it in the bucket. She pulled out another small one, "Okay, so where are we gonna take cover? I don't wanna stand here when these fellas go off."
"We can open the lab door and hide behind it. That way Robotnik will be sure to see it," I said, heading over there. Tails followed, and so did Coconuts.
Electra took a breath, lit the match and lit the one in the bucket. Once it caught the flame she blew the first one out and motored over to us, burning a little bit of rubber on the floor. We waited with anticipation as the flame burnt on, charring the match. It seemed like minutes passed as it burned. When it got too close for comfort, I pulled open the door and we crouched behind it.
Total chaos broke loose. A bomb exploded, setting off a chain reaction. As promised, they made tons of noise and produced multi-colored patches of smoke. Robotnik came towards the lab door and saw the action. He started yelling and ran out into the hall - I guess to get the water hose. We heard him cursing and dodging the exploding bombs. As soon as he was far enough away, we snuck into the lab and shut the door.
Sonic saw us and immediately leapt to his feet. He banged on the glass and waved frantically. He was shouting something, but we couldn't hear him through the glass - it must have been too thick. I figured he was just happy to see us and wanted us to get him out.
Tails and I scrambled towards him. Sonic held out his hands as if to tell us to stop. Then, he yelled at the top of his lungs. I watched his lips. He was saying three words... Why hadn't I paid more attention when I was working on my speaking animations?
Tails was bewildered by this as well, and edged around the glass tube, trying to find some opening. Finally giving up, he turned to me, "I'm gonna try and figure this out, Joanie - It shouldn't take me that long," he explained as he began to tinker with a control console beside the tube.
Sonic continued to yell and I walked up closer. I tried to tell him to slow down. He scowled and stomped his foot, pointing and waving. I mouthed with him and tried to make sound come out, "Puh...Buh..Be!" The second was harder, "A..ah..ha..hi!" The last was clearly "you!" My mind clicked finally and I spun around.
Coming towards us was Scratch and Grounder, though my heart skipped a beat when I saw them. Their eyes were glowing red like sirens. A square, black object was fastened to their heads. What in the world? They were slowly edging toward us, smiling evilly. Coconuts and Electra stood in their way with their backs to them.
"Look out!" I shouted to them.
Coconuts turned around and jumped nervously, "Oh! H-hey guys.... uh, whatsa matter?"
Grounder turned his arm into a cannon, "Your ugly-mug, monkey-boy!" he practically shoved it into Coconut's face.
Scratch pulled Electra away, "Hey, Babe, wanna hang with a real bot?"
"Let go!" she exclaimed as she tried to pull away from him.
I couldn't understand it. Why were they acting so weird?
"HEY!" I said, walking towards them, "What's gotten into you guys?"
"What dya want, human?" Grounder turned his attention to me, sneering. I stopped in my tracks.
"Don't you remember me?" I asked him.
"Nope," Grounder pointed his cannon directly at me, and prepared to fire. I froze and couldn't move - like an animal caught in a driver's headlights.
"No!!!" Coconuts dived at me as Grounder fired his cannon. I fell harmlessly to the floor, but sparks flew out of Coconuts as he went flying back - a direct hit. He skidded across the tiled lab floor, a bit of smoke rising up from him and miscellaneous parts scattering on the floor. He lay still.
"No!" I cried. I lunged and yanked Electra away from Scratch before Grounder could recharge and react. Her eyes were full of tears as she sped over to help Coconuts. I started to move towards them, but Grounder rolled towards me, cannon aimed once again, "You'd better stay outta our way!"
"How could you hurt your friend like that?" I stepped forward and pushed his cannon away from me.
"We don't have any friends," Scratch replied.
"Well said!" Robotnik broke up our conversation, "Oh! Would you look at what the bot dragged in!" He crossed to us and frowned, "I knew you were behind that little lightshow, brat... But, you're too late - Sonic is mine, and now my robots are completely obedient."
"What did you do to them?" I shouted. I started to lunge at him, but Scratch grabbed my arms and held me back.
"Temper, temper!" he chuckled, waving a finger, "I discovered what was causing my SSSSS Squad to continually fail - the same broken personality circuit that caused some of my 'other' robot failures to turn against me. I attached a new version directly to their thick skulls - since they would no longer cooperate with me," he laughed, "Now, I am the master once more!" He suddenly noticed the smoldering bot on his floor.
"Ah, I see Grounder's weapons system is working perfectly! Excellent! I never did like Coconuts - always stuttering and whining in that obnoxiously high voice," he grumbled.
"How can you say that? You created him!" I said, my eyes filling with tears.
"And what difference should that make?" he said, "He was only a pile of nuts and bolts - easily replaceable!"
"No! He's more than that... Much more than you'll ever be!"
Robotnik snarled, "You'll hold your tongue if you know what's good for you."
Suddenly, he turned his gaze back to the tube where Sonic was, "You?! How did you escape?" he shouted, "Grounder, capture the fox brat!" he ordered. Grounder nodded and rolled quickly past us.
"Electra, help us!" I shouted over to her.
"But Sweets-" she started, then looked down at Coconuts. Her eyes cleared up and she pulled herself up.
"Oh! What's the scary maid-bot gonna do?" Scratch laughed, "Fluff my pillows? Oooh! I'm sooo scared! B-WAH-HA-HA-HA!"
"That's it!" she hollered, "Now ya gone and made me mad!" She puttered towards us and pulled out a rolling pin. I ducked as she swung it and knocked Scratch on the noggin. She had shattered the black thing on his head and it fell in pieces to the floor.
He released me and rubbed his head, "OWW! W-What happened?"
"NO!" Robotnik cried, "You ruined his personality chip!!" He quickly reached in his pocket, "No matter! I have one bot left and I still have Sonic!" He pulled out a remote control box, "Who's about to take a one-way trip into a random dimension! HAHAHA!" He pressed a button and a swirling blue vortex began to form inside the tube holding Sonic.
"Hurry!" I said to them, "Electra, get that chip thing off Grounder and I'll help Sonic!" I yelled, running to the tube. She grabbed a confused Scratch and motored towards Grounder, waving her rolling pin. She knocked Grounder on the head too and he rolled over onto his back.
Robotnik continued to laugh maniacally as the vortex stretched and grew, a force began to suck air into it. Sonic pushed his hands and feet hard against the walls to keep himself from getting sucked in.
Tails was busy pressing all the buttons he could on the control console, but to no avail. "He's probably got it on manual override," I said, "Let's just break it open!" I peered around for something to break it - this was no time to be scientific.
Tails rummaged through a pile of spare parts and pulled out a metal club, "How about this?"
"Perfect!" I said, "Hit a homer!"
"NO! Not my beautiful Dimenisonal Matter Displacer!!" Robotnik squealed, heading towards us.
Tails flew up to the glass and swung hard, bashing the top of the tube. Shards of shattered glass flew everywhere. The blue vortex broke out of the tube and rose toward the ceiling. It began to expand wider and wider, "You fools!" Robotnik yelled, "Now we'll all be sucked in!"
Sonic triple-spinned out of the tube and rushed towards us. He grabbed our wrists, running away from the machine and then screeched to a halt at a safe distance. We stared as the vortex grew to the size of a pick-up truck, the wind howling as it sucked everything near it into the portal.
Electra ran towards Coconuts whose limp body was being lifted off the ground. She grabbed him, but found herself getting pulled in too. Scratch and Grounder rushed to her aid and tried to stop her from getting sucked in. They weren't strong enough and began to be pulled towards the vortex.
"Sonic! We gotta do something!" Tails said.
"Please help them!" I cried.
Sonic raced towards them, "Grab hold!" he stuck out his arm. Scratch grabbed it, who grabbed Grounder, who grabbed Electra, who was clutching Coconuts' tail, "And hang on!" he said as he ran for all he was worth. The portal had stopped growing but the wind was growing stronger. Sonic was barely gaining any ground and had to dodge all the machines and furniture that came flying at him.
Robotnik snatched a large weapon as it flew by towards the vortex. He grinned evilly, and aimed it at our friends.
"Tails!" I shouted over the wind, "He's gonna shoot them!"
"I'll handle him!" he replied bravely and soared towards Robotnik, "YAHHH!" He executed a powerful karate kick and knocked him off-balance - the weapon flying out of his hands, "Yes!" Tails shouted.
Sonic groaned as he finally managed to pull away from the vortex with his long train of passengers and hurried over to me. He was tuckered out and took deep breaths. Electra laid Coconuts down on the floor. My heart still hurt seeing him like that. He had taken a hit for me, and I would never forget that.
"Ohhhhh Hedgehog!" Robotnik sung annoyingly.
We turned and saw that he had Tails struggling under his grasp, "If you don't want your side-kick to disappear into another dimension, you'll give me the girl."
Not this again, I thought. Sonic looked at me, I could tell what he wanted to do. Would he?
"I'm WAAAAI-TING!" Robotnik mocked.
Sonic groaned and took my hand, "No!" I tried to pry his hand off. We sped over to him.
"YES!" Robotnik smiled.
"Sonic don-" Tails started, but Robotnik muffled him.
"Alright... I give you Joanie - and you let Tails go... Okay?" Sonic asked.
Robotnik smiled evilly and nodded.
Sonic gently pushed me forward and Robotnik grabbed my arm, tossing Tails towards the vortex, "HELP!" Tails cried.
"NOOOO!!" Sonic scowled and ran full speed towards Robotnik, ramming into him - which sent him flying through the air - with me still in his grasp. We soared past Tails and closer to the vortex. I saw Sonic speed in and pull Tails out of it's path.
I tried to escape Robotnik's grip, but he held on, "If I go in - I'm taking you with me!" he growled.
I reached out and barely grabbed the top of the glass tank. Robotnik was still hanging on to my other arm, still being sucked into the vortex. I hung on with all my might. He suddenly reached past me and grabbed onto another part of the tank and let go of my arm. I grabbed on with both hands. Robotnik quickly began to loose his grip, however, and slipped off. I knew what I had to do.
I reached out and grabbed his wrist and held on tightly. He seemed to be in a state of shock as I strained to pull him towards the glass again.
"LET GO OF ME, YOU PEST!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"I'M HELPING YOU!" I replied just as loudly.
He didn't know quite what to say to that and only frowned at me. My arm quivered under the weight and I clenched my teeth. I closed my eyes and pulled with everything I had. I was amazed at my strength as I brought Robotnik close enough that he grabbed onto the glass again.
I sighed and opened my eyes. Sonic was on the other side of the tube. He edged around the glass and reached out his hand to me, "Joanie! Take my hand!"
I stretched and grabbed for it - our fingers almost touching, but Robotnik snatched my wrist before we could. Robotnik easily yanked me off the glass - I was too tired to hang on anymore, "Help!" I cried to Sonic.
"Let her go, Eggbelly!" Sonic ordered.
Robotnik chortled, then spoke in his sickenly gentleman voice, "As you wish, Rodent!" he instantly released my hand, "Goodbye, Earthling!" he waved and laughed maniacally.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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A/N: Remember kids, don't play with fireworks!!! :D (Unless supervised by an adult - like me!)
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A/N: After a LOOOOOOOOONG delay, we're back in business! :) I'm done with school for the summer and able to update whenever I want! :) Once again, thanks for your patience - sorry for being such a slow-mo! ;D
=======================================================================================
CHAPTER 13: To the Rescue!
With some help from Tails, we were able to get up into the ventilation system and make our way up to the ground floor of the fortress. The vents were crowded and claustrophobic, but at least there weren't any angry rats to deal with. Coconuts led the way again, followed by Electra and Tails. I brought up the rear, and kept an eye out for danger.
After some time crawling through them, we stopped midway in a vent and Coconuts announced that we were there. He kicked out a vent grating and I heard it wobble on it's last hinge. He disappeared out it, followed by Electra and Tails.
When I reached it, I stuck my head out and looked around. We were in a hallway leading to the main front hall. Tails gave me a lift from the wall down to the ground. I looked back up at the high grating and was amazed we had gotten this far without much trouble.
"Okay, now what?" Tails asked me.
"We meet up with Sonic, Scratch and Grounder, and get outta here," I said.
"Where are they, Sweets?" Electra asked.
"I bet they're with Dr. Robotnik," I replied and headed towards the front hall.
"Don't we need a plan or something?" Coconuts stopped me.
"We got one - let's go help them," I said continuing on, "C'mon, we can do it!"
They reluctantly followed me into the front hall.
We poked our heads around the corner. I could hear faint sounds coming from the Laboratory doors. I motioned for them to follow and we quietly raced over to them. I put an ear to a door and listened. A rumbling noise echoed and I heard Robotnik's voice going on about something. I pulled back and looked at everyone.
"Well, it's now or never, guys. I know we're nervous - but we have to be brave. You guys are stronger than you think - stronger than me anyway... Are you ready?"
They nodded.
Slowly, I cracked open one of the doors. Through the slit I could see Robotnik working on something. I peered around the room. I quickly located Sonic, who was trapped in a huge cylindrical glass tank. He was sitting down cross-legged, hand under his chin - looking bored and angry at the same time. I then scanned the room for Scratch and Grounder - who were no where to be seen. I shut the door.
"Change of plans," I said, "He's got Sonic, and there's no sign of Scratch and Grounder. We need a diversion to get Robotnik to leave the lab so we can rescue him. Any ideas?"
"Oo!Oo!Oo! I got one!" Coconuts said excitedly and dashed across to the room I had first thought was the kitchen. He went inside and came back with a box of Robotnik's "expensive experimental explosives."
"Whoa! What are these?" Tails said, picking up one that looked like a cherry bomb.
"No! No bombs!" I said, taking the one from Tails and the box from Coconuts, "We don't want to blow ourselves to smithereens!"
"Nah! We won't!" he took the box back, "These aren't the BIG ones! I borrowed some of the little ones. These guys will make a lot of noise and smoke and that'll get him running out here! It will!"
Electra reached in her compartment and pulled out a metal mop bucket, "We can set them off in here," she said putting it in the center of the room.
"You're sure they won't blow us to Timbuktu?"
"Sure I'm sure!" he replied with a smile as he dumped a bunch of the miniature bombs into the bucket. I still wasn't quite sure what damage this could cause.
Electra pulled out a long match and placed it in the bucket. She pulled out another small one, "Okay, so where are we gonna take cover? I don't wanna stand here when these fellas go off."
"We can open the lab door and hide behind it. That way Robotnik will be sure to see it," I said, heading over there. Tails followed, and so did Coconuts.
Electra took a breath, lit the match and lit the one in the bucket. Once it caught the flame she blew the first one out and motored over to us, burning a little bit of rubber on the floor. We waited with anticipation as the flame burnt on, charring the match. It seemed like minutes passed as it burned. When it got too close for comfort, I pulled open the door and we crouched behind it.
Total chaos broke loose. A bomb exploded, setting off a chain reaction. As promised, they made tons of noise and produced multi-colored patches of smoke. Robotnik came towards the lab door and saw the action. He started yelling and ran out into the hall - I guess to get the water hose. We heard him cursing and dodging the exploding bombs. As soon as he was far enough away, we snuck into the lab and shut the door.
Sonic saw us and immediately leapt to his feet. He banged on the glass and waved frantically. He was shouting something, but we couldn't hear him through the glass - it must have been too thick. I figured he was just happy to see us and wanted us to get him out.
Tails and I scrambled towards him. Sonic held out his hands as if to tell us to stop. Then, he yelled at the top of his lungs. I watched his lips. He was saying three words... Why hadn't I paid more attention when I was working on my speaking animations?
Tails was bewildered by this as well, and edged around the glass tube, trying to find some opening. Finally giving up, he turned to me, "I'm gonna try and figure this out, Joanie - It shouldn't take me that long," he explained as he began to tinker with a control console beside the tube.
Sonic continued to yell and I walked up closer. I tried to tell him to slow down. He scowled and stomped his foot, pointing and waving. I mouthed with him and tried to make sound come out, "Puh...Buh..Be!" The second was harder, "A..ah..ha..hi!" The last was clearly "you!" My mind clicked finally and I spun around.
Coming towards us was Scratch and Grounder, though my heart skipped a beat when I saw them. Their eyes were glowing red like sirens. A square, black object was fastened to their heads. What in the world? They were slowly edging toward us, smiling evilly. Coconuts and Electra stood in their way with their backs to them.
"Look out!" I shouted to them.
Coconuts turned around and jumped nervously, "Oh! H-hey guys.... uh, whatsa matter?"
Grounder turned his arm into a cannon, "Your ugly-mug, monkey-boy!" he practically shoved it into Coconut's face.
Scratch pulled Electra away, "Hey, Babe, wanna hang with a real bot?"
"Let go!" she exclaimed as she tried to pull away from him.
I couldn't understand it. Why were they acting so weird?
"HEY!" I said, walking towards them, "What's gotten into you guys?"
"What dya want, human?" Grounder turned his attention to me, sneering. I stopped in my tracks.
"Don't you remember me?" I asked him.
"Nope," Grounder pointed his cannon directly at me, and prepared to fire. I froze and couldn't move - like an animal caught in a driver's headlights.
"No!!!" Coconuts dived at me as Grounder fired his cannon. I fell harmlessly to the floor, but sparks flew out of Coconuts as he went flying back - a direct hit. He skidded across the tiled lab floor, a bit of smoke rising up from him and miscellaneous parts scattering on the floor. He lay still.
"No!" I cried. I lunged and yanked Electra away from Scratch before Grounder could recharge and react. Her eyes were full of tears as she sped over to help Coconuts. I started to move towards them, but Grounder rolled towards me, cannon aimed once again, "You'd better stay outta our way!"
"How could you hurt your friend like that?" I stepped forward and pushed his cannon away from me.
"We don't have any friends," Scratch replied.
"Well said!" Robotnik broke up our conversation, "Oh! Would you look at what the bot dragged in!" He crossed to us and frowned, "I knew you were behind that little lightshow, brat... But, you're too late - Sonic is mine, and now my robots are completely obedient."
"What did you do to them?" I shouted. I started to lunge at him, but Scratch grabbed my arms and held me back.
"Temper, temper!" he chuckled, waving a finger, "I discovered what was causing my SSSSS Squad to continually fail - the same broken personality circuit that caused some of my 'other' robot failures to turn against me. I attached a new version directly to their thick skulls - since they would no longer cooperate with me," he laughed, "Now, I am the master once more!" He suddenly noticed the smoldering bot on his floor.
"Ah, I see Grounder's weapons system is working perfectly! Excellent! I never did like Coconuts - always stuttering and whining in that obnoxiously high voice," he grumbled.
"How can you say that? You created him!" I said, my eyes filling with tears.
"And what difference should that make?" he said, "He was only a pile of nuts and bolts - easily replaceable!"
"No! He's more than that... Much more than you'll ever be!"
Robotnik snarled, "You'll hold your tongue if you know what's good for you."
Suddenly, he turned his gaze back to the tube where Sonic was, "You?! How did you escape?" he shouted, "Grounder, capture the fox brat!" he ordered. Grounder nodded and rolled quickly past us.
"Electra, help us!" I shouted over to her.
"But Sweets-" she started, then looked down at Coconuts. Her eyes cleared up and she pulled herself up.
"Oh! What's the scary maid-bot gonna do?" Scratch laughed, "Fluff my pillows? Oooh! I'm sooo scared! B-WAH-HA-HA-HA!"
"That's it!" she hollered, "Now ya gone and made me mad!" She puttered towards us and pulled out a rolling pin. I ducked as she swung it and knocked Scratch on the noggin. She had shattered the black thing on his head and it fell in pieces to the floor.
He released me and rubbed his head, "OWW! W-What happened?"
"NO!" Robotnik cried, "You ruined his personality chip!!" He quickly reached in his pocket, "No matter! I have one bot left and I still have Sonic!" He pulled out a remote control box, "Who's about to take a one-way trip into a random dimension! HAHAHA!" He pressed a button and a swirling blue vortex began to form inside the tube holding Sonic.
"Hurry!" I said to them, "Electra, get that chip thing off Grounder and I'll help Sonic!" I yelled, running to the tube. She grabbed a confused Scratch and motored towards Grounder, waving her rolling pin. She knocked Grounder on the head too and he rolled over onto his back.
Robotnik continued to laugh maniacally as the vortex stretched and grew, a force began to suck air into it. Sonic pushed his hands and feet hard against the walls to keep himself from getting sucked in.
Tails was busy pressing all the buttons he could on the control console, but to no avail. "He's probably got it on manual override," I said, "Let's just break it open!" I peered around for something to break it - this was no time to be scientific.
Tails rummaged through a pile of spare parts and pulled out a metal club, "How about this?"
"Perfect!" I said, "Hit a homer!"
"NO! Not my beautiful Dimenisonal Matter Displacer!!" Robotnik squealed, heading towards us.
Tails flew up to the glass and swung hard, bashing the top of the tube. Shards of shattered glass flew everywhere. The blue vortex broke out of the tube and rose toward the ceiling. It began to expand wider and wider, "You fools!" Robotnik yelled, "Now we'll all be sucked in!"
Sonic triple-spinned out of the tube and rushed towards us. He grabbed our wrists, running away from the machine and then screeched to a halt at a safe distance. We stared as the vortex grew to the size of a pick-up truck, the wind howling as it sucked everything near it into the portal.
Electra ran towards Coconuts whose limp body was being lifted off the ground. She grabbed him, but found herself getting pulled in too. Scratch and Grounder rushed to her aid and tried to stop her from getting sucked in. They weren't strong enough and began to be pulled towards the vortex.
"Sonic! We gotta do something!" Tails said.
"Please help them!" I cried.
Sonic raced towards them, "Grab hold!" he stuck out his arm. Scratch grabbed it, who grabbed Grounder, who grabbed Electra, who was clutching Coconuts' tail, "And hang on!" he said as he ran for all he was worth. The portal had stopped growing but the wind was growing stronger. Sonic was barely gaining any ground and had to dodge all the machines and furniture that came flying at him.
Robotnik snatched a large weapon as it flew by towards the vortex. He grinned evilly, and aimed it at our friends.
"Tails!" I shouted over the wind, "He's gonna shoot them!"
"I'll handle him!" he replied bravely and soared towards Robotnik, "YAHHH!" He executed a powerful karate kick and knocked him off-balance - the weapon flying out of his hands, "Yes!" Tails shouted.
Sonic groaned as he finally managed to pull away from the vortex with his long train of passengers and hurried over to me. He was tuckered out and took deep breaths. Electra laid Coconuts down on the floor. My heart still hurt seeing him like that. He had taken a hit for me, and I would never forget that.
"Ohhhhh Hedgehog!" Robotnik sung annoyingly.
We turned and saw that he had Tails struggling under his grasp, "If you don't want your side-kick to disappear into another dimension, you'll give me the girl."
Not this again, I thought. Sonic looked at me, I could tell what he wanted to do. Would he?
"I'm WAAAAI-TING!" Robotnik mocked.
Sonic groaned and took my hand, "No!" I tried to pry his hand off. We sped over to him.
"YES!" Robotnik smiled.
"Sonic don-" Tails started, but Robotnik muffled him.
"Alright... I give you Joanie - and you let Tails go... Okay?" Sonic asked.
Robotnik smiled evilly and nodded.
Sonic gently pushed me forward and Robotnik grabbed my arm, tossing Tails towards the vortex, "HELP!" Tails cried.
"NOOOO!!" Sonic scowled and ran full speed towards Robotnik, ramming into him - which sent him flying through the air - with me still in his grasp. We soared past Tails and closer to the vortex. I saw Sonic speed in and pull Tails out of it's path.
I tried to escape Robotnik's grip, but he held on, "If I go in - I'm taking you with me!" he growled.
I reached out and barely grabbed the top of the glass tank. Robotnik was still hanging on to my other arm, still being sucked into the vortex. I hung on with all my might. He suddenly reached past me and grabbed onto another part of the tank and let go of my arm. I grabbed on with both hands. Robotnik quickly began to loose his grip, however, and slipped off. I knew what I had to do.
I reached out and grabbed his wrist and held on tightly. He seemed to be in a state of shock as I strained to pull him towards the glass again.
"LET GO OF ME, YOU PEST!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"I'M HELPING YOU!" I replied just as loudly.
He didn't know quite what to say to that and only frowned at me. My arm quivered under the weight and I clenched my teeth. I closed my eyes and pulled with everything I had. I was amazed at my strength as I brought Robotnik close enough that he grabbed onto the glass again.
I sighed and opened my eyes. Sonic was on the other side of the tube. He edged around the glass and reached out his hand to me, "Joanie! Take my hand!"
I stretched and grabbed for it - our fingers almost touching, but Robotnik snatched my wrist before we could. Robotnik easily yanked me off the glass - I was too tired to hang on anymore, "Help!" I cried to Sonic.
"Let her go, Eggbelly!" Sonic ordered.
Robotnik chortled, then spoke in his sickenly gentleman voice, "As you wish, Rodent!" he instantly released my hand, "Goodbye, Earthling!" he waved and laughed maniacally.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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A/N: Remember kids, don't play with fireworks!!! :D (Unless supervised by an adult - like me!)
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