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A/N: Thanks for the reviews everybody! I hope this story encourages some more writers to write AoStH episodes! They are so rare here! :D
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TWO:
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"I feel the need, the need for EXTREME!" Sonic shouted as he flew down a twisting, concrete half-pipe on a pair of shiny, red rollerblades, "YAHOO!" He flew off the pipe ramp and into the air, doing a number of spectacular tricks before landing and rolling back down the ramp.

A crowd of skaters watching him clapped and cheered loudly at his performance. They ooed and awed as Sonic caught some serious air on a vert ramp. He did three backflips before landing perfectly again.

Tails buckled on his emerald-colored helmet and leaped on his matching skateboard with a yellow racing stripe, "Hey, wait for me!" He pushed off and sped after his friend.

"You we're right - this is great, lil' bro!" Sonic exclaimed as he launched off the ramp again, doing the splits, and then rolling into a couple somersaults. Tails quickly caught up to him as he hit the ramp again.

"Told ya you'd like it!" Tails said as he flew off the pipe and did a 360 spin, "You're a natural, Sonic!" Tails gave him a thumbs up, but slipped up on his landing, his skateboard sliding out from under him, "WHOA!" he tumbled down and skidded to a halt at the bottom of the pipe, "Ah, man!"

"Tails!" Sonic skated over to him, "You alright?" He helped him up.

"Yeah," he frowned and sighed, "Good thing I was wearing my safety gear, huh?" he said half-heartedly.

"That's what it's here for," Sonic grinned and tapped on his own red helmet, "C'mon! Let's burn, vern!"

Tails sighed, "Nah, I think I'll just watch..." Tails picked up his skateboard and climbed out of the half-pipe.

"Hey, you're not giving up already are you?" Sonic skated after him, "We've only been here for half an hour... Besides, you're the one who wanted to come to the skate park to try out this awesome, new half-pipe the city built..."

"Yeah, I know..." Tails sighed, plopping down on a bench by his dufflebag.

"You sure you don't want to?" Sonic asked.

Tails nodded, taking off his knee and elbow pads, "Yeah, you go ahead."

"Okay bro, but you don't know what you're missing..." he winked and took off back down into the half-pipe.

Tails took off his helmet and sighed, watching Sonic perform more tricks in the half-pipe, the growing crowd roaring with cheers, "Yes, I do... I'm missing you show off..." he stuffed his gear and his board into his bag and zipped it closed, "Well, you don't need me around to show off."

Tails' stomach growled, "I'm gonna get a chilidog..."

He dropped the dufflebag on the bench and walked towards the front of the skate park where he had seen a large snack stand. Tails paused for a moment and looked back, but Sonic just continued to skate in the pipe. He didn't even glance in Tails' general direction - not even once.

The smell of piping-hot chilidogs cheered Tails up considerably as he neared the wooden snack stand. A sign above it read, "SNAK SHAK". Luckily, there wasn't anyone in line. He followed the delicious smell, getting hungrier by the second, "Mmmmm! Yum!"

What Tails didn't sense were two pairs of eyes watching him from the air.


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"Look Scratch! It's Tails!" Grounder leaned far out of the Egg-o-matic, almost tipping it over, pointing towards the ground below, "Go that way!"

"Watch it!" Scratch said, bopping him on the head. Grounder fell back inside. Scratch took a look for himself, "That means the hedgehog must be here too!"

"Hey! I've got an idea!" Grounder exclaimed.

Scratch rolled his eyes, "I've heard that one before..."

"No! Really!" Grounder said, "Why don't we grab the fox brat instead? Then we can use him to make Sonic give us his sneakers!" He explained and waited for a reply.

Scratch thought about this, "That IS pretty good!" He remarked, landing the Egg-o-matic, just behind the snack stand, where it would be well-hidden, "Okay, now go do it!" He shoved Grounder out of the Egg-o-matic. Grounder slammed face first onto the ground.

Grounder quickly pushed himself up and brushed some dirt off himself, "Why me?"

"You came up with the idea!" Scratch replied, "Besides, I'm driving!"

"You're just too lazy!" Grounder poked a drill in his face, "You always make me do all the hard work, while you just lie around and relax!"

"Doh! I do not!" Scratch crossed his arms.

"Yeah, you do!" Grounder growled, leaning in.

"I do not!" Scratch retorted.

"Do too!" Grounder argued.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

They continued to argue rather boisterously as Tails purchased a chilidog from the snack stand. He began to munch on it, heading for a nearby picnic table.

"Doh! Now he's getting away!" Scratch pointed, "If you would've-"

"It's not my fault!" Grounder interrupted.

"Oh! Nevermind!" Scratch slapped his forehead, "We'll both grab him! Come on!" Scratch leaped out of the Egg-o-matic and grabbed Grounder by his neck dragging him along. They carefully peered around the corner of the snack stand, and then followed Tails at a distance.

Tails sat down in the shade of an umbrella-covered table. He took another bite of his chilidog. Then he sighed and pushed it away. Maybe he wasn't as hungry as he thought. He rested his head on his hands. He didn't see Scratch and Grounder slowly sneaking up behind him. "Sonic didn't even notice I was gone..." he commented aloud.

"He will now, pipsqueak!" Grounder said, grabbing his arm.

Scratch grabbed his other arm, "We're counting on it!"

"Hey!" Tails struggled to escape their grasp, "SON-" Scratch clapped a hand over his mouth. Tails kicked and twisted around, but the robots had a firm grip on him.

"Let's go," Scratch started to leave.

"Wait! How will the hedgehog know it's us?" Grounder asked.

"Oh! Do I have to think of everything? Leave a note!"

Grounder pulled a pencil and paper out of his chest compartment with his free hand and hurriedly scribbled a message onto it. He tossed it on the picnic table. They then rushed back to the Egg-o-Matic.

"I wanna drive now! It's my turn!" Grounder complained and hopped in the driver's seat.

"All right!" Scratch sighed as he climbed in beside him while holding onto Tails, who continued to fight against him. The Egg-o-matic revved up and they launched into the air.

Meanwhile, back at the half-pipe, Sonic finished his "performance" by flying off one vert ramp, soaring through the air upside down and landing on another - the perfect loop-de-loop. He skated around and leaped out of the pipe, landing next to the bench where Tails had been seated, "TA-DA!"

Sonic peered around, puzzled that Tails wasn't where he had left him, "Hey bro, where'd you go?"

He thought for a moment. Maybe he had to use the bathroom? He glanced around the area and scratched his head. He took a seat next to Tails' dufflebag. He folded his arms and waited for about four seconds, whistling and rolling his rollerblades back and forth.

Sonic couldn't wait any longer. He unsnapped his rollerblades and helmet, setting them on top of Tails' bag. Leaping to his feet, he took off and buzzed around the skate park, calling his name. He quickly covered every inch of the park, but there was no sign of Tails anywhere.

Sonic sniffed the air, "A chilidog with ...extra cheese? That's Tails' favorite!" he exclaimed. He followed the smell to the picnic table, discovering the half-eaten chilidog and the paper note. Sonic grabbed the note.

He read part of it aloud, "Hedgehog, if you want to see your friend again... come to the fortress and give us your... sneakers???" He crumbled it up and tossed it into a nearby trash can, "What does Robotnik want with my slick kicks?" Sonic stared at his sneakers for a moment. Then he gobbled down the chilidog, "Mmmm... still warm. They couldn't have left too long ago... In that case, I'd better speed! I'm up...over... and gone!" he shouted, bursting out of the skate park and in the direction of Robotnik's fortress, "Hang on, Keed - I'm comin'!"


To Be Continued...