"I hope you're ready kids." said Tails.
"Yup." replied Lavender as the door flew open.
She walked through followed by Miles and Alicia. They were both rubbing their arms as if they ached. This was actually true. Despite Tails' warning the children had all gone out without sun block. Lavender had been unaffected for some reason. Tails figured it was because of her change but Miles and Alicia had been covered in sunburn. Amy had done a bit of fancy healing but had left them with an annoying tingling sensation as a reminder. The sun wasn't quite as hot today but Miles and Alicia had learned their lesson. They were both covered in sun cream almost to the point of excessiveness. Tails stood next to the Twister with Amy already behind the wheel. Sonic and Sally were due to come back later today from Paradise Island and they were taking Miles and Alicia back to Mobotropolis. Lavender jumped into the back seat. Her nine tails spilled out over the edge of the car. Miles and Alicia climbed in next to her. Finally Tails took his seat next to Amy.
"So we all set?" asked Amy.
"Looks like it." replied Tails.
"Ok then. Let's go."
-----------------------------------------
T2 woke slowly. He blinked his eyes open and sat up. As always he had woken before Petya. He glanced over to where the rabbit was sleeping. Her bed was empty. T2 was slightly puzzled. He shrugged.
"Must have gone for a walk or something." he said to himself.
He got up and decided to go for a walk himself. He left the room and strolled down the corridors. The palace was always quiet on a morning. T2 liked the quiet. Busy, noisy situation generally gave him a headache. He smiled and carried on.
-----------------------------------------
A few hours later the Twister came into view. It flew lower and came to rest outside the palace. Tails and Amy jumped out followed by the children. Manic and Sonia were there to meet them.
"Hey Tails." cried Sonia as they got closer.
"Hey Sonia. Manic how's it going?" replied Tails.
"Ah the usual. Had to cut my surfing trip short to bring Sonic and Sally back early." replied Manic.
"Early. That's not like them." said Amy.
"Yeah they got called back to see to some problem. T2 found this girl in the wilderness. She's completely lost her memory." said Sonia.
"Wow. Big problem." said Tails giving Amy a sideways glance, "Ok then. If they're here already, we have something for them."
Amy pushed Miles and Alicia into view. Sonia bent down and gave them both a hug. She stood up again.
"Ok then. Come on in. I'll see if I can find them." she said.
-----------------------------------------
Petya tapped her foot on the ground before biting her lip and sighing. She was standing outside the palace in the gardens. Sally was supposed to have met her nearly an hour ago. The sun was starting to get hot again as it neared about ten in the morning. She finally got tired of waiting and walked back into the palace. She probably just slept in she thought to herself.
Soon afterwards she was standing outside Sonic and Sally's room. She knocked. There was no reply so she knocked again hard.
"Sally? Hey Sally. It's Petya. Did you forget our meeting?" she called.
Petya listened carefully but heard nothing. She gritted her teeth slightly. She wasn't supposed to do this but she was a bit irritated. She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind. Her thoughts travelled through the door and into the room beyond. Petya suddenly became puzzled. She couldn't feel Sonic or Sally in the room. She opened her eyes. A guard was walking past her as she did. She grabbed his arm and he stopped.
"Have Sonic or Sally gone anywhere this morning?" she asked.
"No miss. As far as I'm aware they are still in their room sleeping." said the guard.
Petya let go of his arm and he walked off. Petya spun back to the door and swung it open.
"Sally! SALLY!" she called half panicked.
She glanced around the room. All looked calm but Sonic and Sally were nowhere in sight. She noticed Sonic's cloak lying on the floor and ran to it. She picked it up and then glanced around again. The bed had definitely been slept in by two people. She walked over to it and gasped. On Sally's pillow were a few specks of blood. They were almost too small to see but they were there. Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Sally?" she said.
"Erm no. It's Tails. That you Petya?" came a response.
"Tails! Erm……come in."
Tails opened the door. Amy, Sonia and the three children were with him. Tails looked around the room.
"Sonic here?" he asked.
Petya thought fast.
"Um……he went out with Sally for a while." she replied rather quickly.
"Just great." moaned Tails.
"Sonia." said Petya, "Be a darling and go keep the children occupied for a while would you?"
"Sure." smiled Sonia, "Come on kids. I'll take you down to the river."
The four of them turned and left the room.
"What you doing here?" asked Amy.
"Shut the door." replied Petya.
Amy looked puzzled for a moment but shut the door. She suddenly saw how worried Petya was looking.
"What is it Petya?" asked Amy.
"I'm not sure. And that's what worries me." she replied.
"What do you mean?" asked Tails.
"Well Sally was supposed to meet me at nine but she didn't. I came back here and couldn't find her or Sonic. All I found was Sonic's cape and this." said Perya indicating towards the bed.
Tails and Amy looked and gasped as they saw the blood.
"Blood?" said Amy.
"What's that doing there?" asked Tails.
"I don't know." said Petya, "It's not normal."
"Could they have had a fight?" asked Amy.
"And one of them punched the other!" burst out Tails, "Not a chance. They're not like that."
Amy nodded.
"True. But what could have happened?" she said.
"Never mind what happened!" said Tails, "Where are they is a more important question."
"You're right Tails we have too…." started Petya.
Suddenly the door flew open and an orange fox tumbled to the floor. He raised his head and glanced around the room.
"T2!" cried Petya as she ran to help him up.
T2 got to his feet and looked around.
"What are you guys doing here? And where's Sonic? I have to talk to him!" said T2 quickly.
"What's wrong?" said Amy.
"That rabbit has gone missing." said T2.
-----------------------------------------
Sonic shook his head and came round. He slowly glanced around but couldn't see anything. All around him was dark. Suddenly a large bright light lit up directly in front of him. He quickly shut his eyes as the light burned his nerves. Slowly he opened his eyes again. This time he was slightly more ready for the light. Soon his eyes adjusted and he could see again. The room around him was constructed of some sort of metal plating. It was riveted together and looked rather makeshift. He became aware that his body was being held in a star like shape. He lowered his head. Large metal grapples where bolted around his ankle. He tried to move his feet but found he couldn't even move them within the grapples. He then looked up. His arms were pulled up towards the ceiling on large metal cables. Similar metal grapples surrounded his wrists. Again he tried to pull them free but couldn't. He took a wider look around the room. He almost yelped. Slightly to his side was Sally bound the same way he was. Her head was slumped forwards and even in the slightly dark condition he could make out a small cut on her head.
"Psst Sally. Sal you ok?" he asked.
Sally moaned slightly and a few moments later raised her head. She blinked and then started to frantically look around the room. She finally saw Sonic.
"So…Sonic! What's happening? What is this place?" she spluttered.
"I dunno Sal. All I remember was waking up from one of those dreams. I got up and then BANG I woke up here." replied Sonic.
Just then they both noticed a bit of movement. They glanced round to see a brown rabbit standing there looking at them. She was wearing combat clothing and holding a very large gun in her arms. They both recognised her.
"You! You were the rabbit T2 brought back!" said Sonic.
The rabbit just nodded.
"Who are you?!" demanded Sally, "Or are you still playing the lost memory routine?"
The rabbit looked at her and smiled. She spoke in a soft voice unfitting her current position.
"I wasn't playing then. I truly had lost my memory. It was necessary for the program to work." replied the rabbit.
"Program?" said Sonic.
"Hehe. You think I'm that dumb." replied the rabbit.
Sonic clenched his fists. He felt so helpless in this position.
"Just who are you?!" he said angrily.
"My name is Chalk." replied the rabbit.
"Chalk huh? So what are you going to do now?" asked Sonic.
"Oh I do not make the decisions. I only carry them out." said Chalk.
"Then who does?" asked Sally.
"You will meet him soon enough. Until then enjoy your restraints."
Chalk turned to go but Sonic spoke.
"Why? You too afraid to take us on properly?" he said defiantly.
Chalk turned and raised her gun. The metal belt around her waist extended into a boom like structure. It clipped itself to the bottom of the gun. Chalk placed her hands on the gun. The gun itself must have weighted as much as she did but she casually tossed it from one hand to the other as if it weighed nothing. She stopped and pointed the barrel directly at Sonic.
"I could kill you from twenty miles away with this thing. Moving or not. No your restraints are simply to stop you from escaping until my master gets here."
Chalk gave a small laugh and lowered her gun. Just then she cocked her head as if listening to something. She nodded and then looked back at Sonic and Sally.
"My master will be here soon." she said and left the room.
Sonic looked over at Sally.
"Can you get free?" asked Sally.
"No. I tried a little while ago. Whatever this metal is its strong stuff. I can't break it." he replied.
"Of course you can't. I've spent fifteen years developing it." echoed a familiar voice.
Sonic felt a shiver run down his spine. He knew that voice. But it couldn't be.
"I've waited for this moment for fifteen years and finally I will have my revenge." said the voice.
Just then a person stepped into the room followed by Chalk. The new figure was large. Twice as tall as Sonic and quite fat. He had a bald head a large moustache that stuck out at both sides of his face. His left arm glinted as if it was made of metal. Sonic almost threw up. It couldn't be. But it was! It was Robotnik! The figure stepped a bit closer to them and Sally gasped.
"I see you still remember me." said Robotnik.
He walked a bit closer and smiled.
"I was afraid that fifteen years would have been too much time." he said.
Sonic swallowed several lumps in his throat.
"H……How?" he said quietly completely astounded.
Robotnik turned to look at him.
"I was not killed at Doomsday. You thought my pod was caught in the explosion and destroyed. It wasn't. The explosion hit it but only caused the pod to crash. I have been in hiding in this place for fifteen years until now. I will now finish what I started and have my revenge on you and the rest."
Robotnik walked over to the side of the room. A large control panel stood there. He pressed a few switches.
"I have learnt from my mistakes and from the ones of other including my foolish nephew."
Just then the grapples around Sonic's arm suddenly released. Sonic was half amazed at this but used the opportunity to try and break free. He couldn't. The grapples around his ankles still held fast. A noise above Sonic made him look up. A large hole had appeared in the ceiling. With no warning a large glass tube shot out of it and slammed shut around him. Sally suddenly yelped. Sonic glanced over to see a similar thing had happened to her. Just then the grapples around Sonic's feet released. Without a second's hesitation Sonic curled into a ball and launched himself at the glass tube. He hit it and bounced off it, hitting the back of the tube and falling to the floor. He picked himself up as Robotnik laughed at him.
"You cannot shatter that tube. It is made of a new form of diamond glass I have constructed. Three times stronger than that that covered Doomsday. I use it in all my new robotosisers." he said.
Sonic almost threw up again.
"Robotosisers?!" cried Sonic looking up.
"Yes hedgehog. In a few minutes you will both be my loyal servants." said Robotnik.
"Never!" cried Sally.
Robotnik turned to look at Sally.
"Oh I think otherwise queen. Yes I do. And to prove it you will be first."
Robotnik suddenly pulled a lever on the console next to him. Rings of energy started to descend around Sally. She looked over at Sonic. He was pressed up against the glass staring at her. His eyes were totally dry, not a sign of tears. He just stood and stared. His recent dreams ran through his head. Sally just looked at him lovingly as if apologising. Her legs and arms suddenly turned to metal. She glanced down at them and a single tear formed in her eye. Sonic continued to watch as Sally slowly turned into metal before his eyes. He collapsed to his knees and covered his eyes. He couldn't bear to watch anymore.
"No." he whimpered quietly.
-----------------------------------------
Tails, Amy, Petya, T2, Manic, Bunnie and Charles sat together round a table. Away to one side Sonia was busy keeping the children occupied. Tails had told her everything as she was worried sick.
"So what do we do?" said T2.
"I have no idea." said Manic.
"That rabbit disappears and then Sonic and Sally disappear too." said Tails, "It's too strange."
"You're right." said Amy.
"You think maybe….." began Petya.
"I don't see how Petya." interrupted T2, "She seemed too gentle when I found her. I don't see how she could have done anything."
"You're forgetting that big gun you found with her." said Charles.
"You're right I suppose." said T2.
"Well whatever the reason we have to find them." said Bunnie.
Everyone nodded.
"How though?" said Amy, "We already tried scanning for Sonic and Sally. They're not in range."
"Anyone?" said Manic.
"What about where T2 found her?" said Charles.
"That might be a good point to start." said Tails.
"You're right. If we can find out where she came from maybe we can find out a bit more about her." said Petya.
T2 suddenly stood up.
"Alright then. But I don't think we should all go in case something happens here." he said.
"That's true sugah. Ah'll stay here." said Bunnie.
"Me too." said Manic.
"Same here." replied Charles.
"Ok then. Looks like it's Tails, Amy, T2 and myself." said Petya.
"In that case we should get going." said Amy.
"Just one more thing." said Tails turning to Bunnie, "See if you can get a hold of Knuckles. He might want to help."
"Right sugah." replied Bunnie.
Tails turned back to Amy, T2 and Petya.
"Let's do it to it." he said coining an old phrase.
The others nodded at him and they all jogged off down the corridor.
-----------------------------------------
Sonic raised his head slightly. The sound of the robotosiser had gone now and a lump had formed in his throat. Slowly he looked out from behind his arms. The procedure was done. In front of him stood the metallic form of Sally. Her eyes glowed red in the dim light. The glass tube slowly rose and she stepped out.
"Now who are you?" asked Robotnik.
"I am your servant." replied the robot in a metallic voice.
"And what is your mission?"
"To serve and protect you, master Robotnik."
"Nooooooooooooo!" cried Sonic collapsing to his knees again.
Robotnik just laughed.
"Excellent. Absolutely perfect."
He took a few steps towards Sonic's tube. Sonic looked up at him. His eyes burned with a fury like never before. His arms and legs shook slightly and his breathing came in shuddering gusts.
"You are a monster Robutnik. I swear on the life of my children that one day I will finally rid Mobius of you!" he said.
"How amusing. I'm afraid your children are next on my list right after you. Sally!"
"Yes master." replied the robot.
"I think it is time your husband joined us."
The robot seemed to smile and her eyes glowed bright red. It took a few steps over to the console. Sonic watched in horror as she put her hand on one of the levers. A strange look spread across the robot's face as if something was resisting. The look quickly passed and she pulled the lever. The robotosiser above Sonic started. Rings of energy enveloped him.
"This time hedgehog there are no power rings to help you. This time you will be mine!" roared Robotnik.
Sonic just looked upwards. He closed his eyes and a look of acceptance crossed his face. This was it. He knew it would end one day but he never imagined this. His legs suddenly felt cold. He looked down to find them made of metal. He brushed his hand across it feeling the metal. Just then his arms turned to metal. How he wished that this was just a dream. Another one of his nightmares and that he would wake up at any moment. He didn't though and that was the last though he had.
-----------------------------------------
"This is where I found her." said T2 pointing.
The other three looked down the small embankment to the stream below. The ground around here was slightly boggy and in the mud a large variety of footprints could be seen.
"She was lying right here." said T2.
"Well that helps." said Tails, "Now we just need to find where she actually came from."
He looked over at T2.
"Don't ask me. I just found her." he replied.
"Will you two be quiet!" said Amy.
They looked over at her. She had made her way down the bank and was looking at the footprints. She was covered in mud and the bottom of her dress was wet.
"In all rights it should be you down here. Look at the state of me!" she complained.
"Sorry Aimes." said Tails joining her in the stream.
He looked at the prints in the mud. They were all over muddled up but he could distinguish two different prints.
"T2 give me one of your sneaker." said Tails.
T2 looked a bit puzzled for a second and then caught on. He took his right sneaker off and handed it to Tails. Tails turned it upside down and looked closely at the prints.
"Ah these are T2 prints." he said a few moments later, "Look see."
"I agree." said Amy.
"Which means these prints are from that rabbit." said Tails.
He followed them back and up the other bank.
"Looks like she came from over there." said Petya following Tails sight.
"Looks like it." said Amy.
"Let's get going then." said Tails climbing up the other bank.
At the top of the bank the prints slowly petered out and vanished.
"All we can do is follow their course." said Tails.
"What if she walked down the river and then crossed here?" said Petya.
"I don't think so. The prints go to far from the river before they fade out. She came from over there." said Tails.
He waved his hand forwards.
"Looks like we have a little walk then." said Amy with a sigh.
-----------------------------------------
Robotnik leaned over a console and smiled.
"It seems our guest have arrived." he said.
"I will deal with them sir." said Chalk.
Robotnik gave a small nod and went back to the console.
-----------------------------------------
"Oh this is impossible." moaned T2, "We'll never find her."
"We might." said Tails.
"But who said she even came back this way. What if she went somewhere else?" said T2.
"Then we might be able to find some information on where she went." said Amy.
It was getting later in the day now. The sun was blisteringly hot and they hadn't brought any water with them. They were all hot and sticky and very tired. Suddenly Petya stopped and sank down onto a rock. The others stopped.
"I hope we find something soon." she said, "I'm worried sick about Sonic and Sally."
"Don't be too worried." said a voice.
Tails blinked. He didn't know the voice. It was sweet and seemed to fill him with a strange feeling. T2 and Petya both spun and clenched their fists.
"It's her." said T2.
"Well hello again my saviour." said the rabbit, as she appeared on a small rock shelf above them, "So good to see you again."
"You've changed!" said T2.
The rabbit just smiled at him. T2 felt a strong urge to knock her out. The only thing that deterred him was the large gun fixed to her waist. He clenched his fists.
"Where's Sonic and Sally?" he said.
"Whatever makes you think I have anything to do with their disappearance?" said the rabbit putting her left hand to her chest.
"I said what have you done with them. I never said they disappeared!" said T2.
The rabbit sudden glared at him. She swung her gun round and pointed it directly at T2's head.
"Very clever." she said, "Very clever indeed."
Suddenly the rabbit spun and brought the barrel of her gun up across the face of Tails. He had used the distraction to work his way behind her but now he lay unconscious on the floor. Amy ran to his side.
"Tails! Tails!" she cried.
"Oh shut up!" cried the rabbit, "Stun!"
The gun she held gave a small tone. She turned towards Amy and fired. Amy didn't have time to dodge. She was hit by a net like field that came from the rabbit's gun. It lasted a few seconds and then stopped. Amy stood for a second and then wavered. Suddenly her knees gave in and she collapsed on top of Tails. T2 was about to jump at her when she spun round again.
"I wouldn't recommend it!" she said.
"Who are you? And why are you doing this?" she said.
"My name is Chalk." replied the rabbit.
"And?" said Petya.
"You will find out soon enough." said Chalk.
She fired again but T2 was ready. He jumped to the side and encased himself in a purple sphere. A second later Petya was surrounded in a similar sphere. The spheres went clear and they sprung towards each other. They joined hands and the spheres became one big one. Chalk fired again but the shots bounced off the outside.
"Arg!" growled Chalk, "No worries, I'll deal with you later!"
Before T2 and Petya could react she pressed a small button on her wrist. There was a flash and then Chalk's body became a blur. Seconds later it vanished from view. T2 and Petya came out of the sphere.
"This isn't good." said Petya.
"No it isn't. But right now we have to get Tails and Amy back to……WHAT?!"
T2 looked over at Tails and Amy. Their forms had become a blur like Chalk's had. As he watched they both disappeared from view.
"No!" cried Petya.
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Lavender closed her eyes and smiled broadly. She spread her nine tails out behind her and then pointed then downwards. Carefully she lowered each one so that just the very tip was touching the ground. As she did the yellow glow at the end of each of her tails increased slightly. The yellow colour started to spread along her tails and then across her body. Soon she was glowing a pale yellow colour. A shudder of pleasure ran down her spine. She loved doing this. She had found out about it by accident a few days before and it had become a regular habit now. It felt like she was encased in a blanket of warm water. Her head started to sway gently. A little way off Bunnie sat watching her. She smiled at the little kitsune and then looked at her watch.
"Where is that darn echidna?" she said to herself.
"You called?" said a voice.
Bunnie looked over here shoulder as Knuckles walked out of the palace towards her.
"When you get here?" she asked.
"Just a few minutes ago." replied Knuckles, "Sonia's told me what happened. Any news yet?"
"None."
"That's not good. You would have at least thought that Tails and the other would have checked in by now."
Bunnie nodded.
"Yes but then something's take time."
"I hope that this isn't one of those times."
"You're right. We still haven't told the children yet. If we can't find then soon we'll have to tell them and ah don't want to do that."
Just then Lavender gave a happy cry. Bunnie and Knuckles looked over at her. Her tails were literally pulsing.
"What is she doing?" said Knuckles.
"As far as I can figure out she drawing energy directly from the planet itself. It's all this protector of Mobius stuff. I don't understand it myself but it looks enjoyable." said Bunnie.
"It would be a shame to tell her."
"Ah know what you mean."