"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU COULDN'T CAPTURE THEM?!" roared Robotnik.
Next to him stood the robotic Sonic and Sally. Chalk was standing in front of him shaking.
"I'm sorry sir. It won't happen again! I swear! I couldn't do anything!" pleaded Chalk.
"You had better not fail me again or next time I'll rip that programming from your brain and throw you in the robotosiser!"
Chalk collapsed to her knees shaking. Robotnik looked down at her and then walked off. The robotic Sonic and Sally looked down at her and their eyes flashed. They turned and followed Robotnik out of the room. Slowly Chalk got to her feet. It took a few moments for her to regain her breath. She feared the robotosiser. She feared it so much she had pleaded for this rather that it. She reached up and touched the small metal strip on her head. Suddenly she snapped her hand down and gritted her teeth.
"No you don't." she said to herself, "You are not going to get out of this so easily."
She turned to one side. Lying unconscious at the bottom of two tubes were Tails and Amy.
"I'm sorry." she said.
-----------------------------------------
Night was falling as T2 and Petya sprinted into the palace.
"We have to hurry." said Petya.
"Yes hurry." agreed T2, "But first."
T2 reached down and pressed a button on his wrist comm unit. A loud alarm rung out around the palace. They ran on slightly further and eventually came across Bunnie. She was frantically looking around as for the reason for the alarm.
"Bunnie!" yelled T2 as they neared her.
"Sugah……where…….where's Tails and Amy?" she asked.
"We got problems." said Petya, "It was that rabbit that kidnapped Sonic and Sally."
"Oh ma sta…..no!" said Bunnie.
"Yes. She got Tails and Amy too." said T2.
"Then…what are…."
"Not now. It's too public here. We need a private meeting."
"Right sugah. Follow me."
-----------------------------------------
Miles, Alicia and Lavender walked along a corridor in the palace. They had just come inside as it was getting dark. Lavender walked in the middle, four of her tails wrapped around Miles and four around Alicia. The remaining one wagged behind her.
"That was fun." said Miles.
"Yes but did you have to push me in the river?" said Alicia.
"Sorry about that." said Miles.
"Well no matter. I'm feeling a bit warmer now. Thanks for the tails Lav."
"No problem." replied Lavender.
Suddenly Miles stopped.
"Shh." he said.
Alicia and Lavender stopped and listened.
"…….too public here. We need a private meeting." said T2's voice.
"Right sugah. Follow me." replied Bunnie's voice.
There was the sound of footsteps turning into a run and then it died out. Miles looked round the corner to see T2, Petya and Bunnie running down the corridor away from them.
"What was that about?" he said.
"Sound important." said Lavender.
"Who cares about what it's about!" said Alicia, "All I care about is where mum and dad is. I haven't seen them all day."
"Me neither but we have been out playing all day." said Miles.
"Yes but they would have come and said hello. We haven't seen them in a week." replied Alicia.
"I haven't seen my parents all day either." said Lavender.
"They might be at the meeting." said Miles.
"But we're not allowed in the meeting room." said Alicia.
Miles wasn't listening.
"Come on." he said.
-----------------------------------------
Robotnik smiled at the display. He turned away.
"Are all the systems charged?" he said.
"Yes sir." replied Chalk.
"Excellent. Prepare to fire."
Chalk nodded and pressed a few controls. Outside in the cliff side a small panel opened. Out of it extended a large gun barrel. The tip glowed blue. Robotnik gave a small chuckle.
"Oh my poor nephew. If only he had realised this before he might have had an easier time. Target the Floating Island." he said.
"Yes sir." said Chalk.
The barrel moved slightly and then started to glow brighter.
"My nephew and his Chaos Cannon. He never was all that smart. You cannot destroy something that can resist the energy you're using. Chaos energy cannot be used against the Floating Island but if you invert the power reading you get this. This will finally get rid of that annoying guardian and the Chaos Emeralds for good! All systems FIRE!"
The barrel flared and a needle like beam of blue energy shot from it.
-----------------------------------------
On the Floating Island evening was approaching. The sun nestled on the horizon causing the water far below to shine a bright gold colour. Espio was just finishing up for the day. He strolled out of the palace and sighed.
"Ooooh! What a day." he said to himself.
Echidnapolis was twinkling on the opposite shore of the lake. The mountains shadow fell on it causing night to come soon than on the rest of the island. The birds sang in the trees around him and a pleasant fragrance filled the air.
"Too bad Knuckles had to go. Lovely evening."
Just then a bright prick of light glinted in the distance. Espio looked up at it. His eyes widened as he realised it was heading directly for the island. The prick became a beam and within seconds it hit the island. The island gave a lurch and Espio glanced around him. All over the place the trees and plants were dying. He didn't understand it. The island gave another lurch.
"The Master Emerald!" he said to himself as he spun and ran back into the palace.
He got there and instantly stopped. The Master Emerald was crackling and it glowed blue instead of green. Espio ran over to it but couldn't get too close because of the crackling.
"What is going on?!" he said to himself.
Just then the Master Emerald gave a pulse and shattered into a multitude of fragments. Espio was flung back against the wall. Pain suddenly hit him all over. He screamed as he felt numerous burning feeling all over his body. He looked down weakly. Fragments of the Master Emerald pinned him to the wall. Blood oozed from all over his body. He started to feel weak and his eyes started to close. He tried to say something but only managed a faint murmur. Slowly his head sunk to his chest. Seconds later the Chaos Emerald also started to glow blue and suddenly they too shattered into pieces. The altar room started to glow a variety of different colours.
-----------------------------------------
In Echidnapolis Natalie watched in horror as the beam hit the island. A few moments later Duo was at her side.
"What was that?" said Natalie sinking into Duo's chest.
"I don't know dear." replied Duo.
"Where is Knuckles?"
"He went to Mobotropolis."
"But……we need him here. It might…….oh dear lord!"
They both looked on as the entire mountain started to glow blue. Suddenly the island gave a shake and then fragmented into pieces. The island fell from the sky, landing with a crash in the ocean below. The pieces of the island sunk into the sea taking everyone with them. The area suddenly glowed bright blue. A tiny dot appeared above the sea. It glowed blue and then expanded covering the area in a field of crackling energy. The field expanded outwards enveloping everything it touched.
-----------------------------------------
Robotnik raised an eyebrow.
"That was unexpected….but not bad either." he said to himself, "Next to deal with Knothole."
He gave a small chuckle.
-----------------------------------------
In the meeting room in the palace T2 and Petya had just finished explaining what had happened earlier.
"It's always the same!" moaned Sonia, "You meet people and they turn out bad."
"How could I know she'd turn out like that?" said T2 trying to defend himself.
"You couldn't." said Sonia, "Sorry."
"The problem now is finding them all." said Manic.
-----------------------------------------
"Finding who?" said Lavender.
"Shh. They'll hear us." said Miles quietly.
The three children were hiding in an air vent that ran across the ceiling of the meeting room. They crept a little closer to the vent.
"And fast." said Petya's voice, "Sonic and Sally have been missing since last night."
Alicia had to act fast to catch a yelp. It turned into a small gasp. Miles just took a few deep breaths.
"Missing?" he said.
"It was definitely Chalk that took them then?" came Bunnie's voice.
"Yes." said T2, "Even before she took Tails and Amy we where sure of that."
Lavender suddenly let out a loud yelp and dived forwards onto the vent.
-----------------------------------------
Everyone looked round as there was a yelp and then a rattling. Suddenly the grate in the ceiling ventilation shaft fell away and Lavender dropped out of it. Miles and Alicia soon followed her out. Everyone stared at her.
"What's happened to my parents?!" wailed Lavender.
"And ours!" said Alicia.
The group was speechless. T2 was about to say something when suddenly the door flew open. A guard came running in followed by Charles. Charles took a few deep breaths and then spoke.
"It's gone!" he cried.
"What gone?" said Manic.
"Knothole! The whole place has been wiped out."
T2's face hit the floor. He blinked hard.
"What do you mean wiped out?!" he cried.
"Looks like some sort of explosion….but…..there was nothing explosive in Knothole." said Charles.
"You mean it was attacked?!" said Sonia.
"Yes."
All three of the children suddenly yelped. Bunnie went over to them to try and calm them down. Just then Lavender wobbled slightly and collapsed to the floor.
"Lavender!" cried Bunnie picking her up slightly, "Lavender what's wrong?"
Lavender moaned slightly.
"Energy disrupted. Big trouble." she said and passed out.
"What is going on?!" cried T2.
As if to answer his question a messenger slid into the room. He looked very flustered. Totally forgetting protocol he spoke quickly.
"Something has happened to the Floating Island!" he gasped.
Knuckles spun to face him. The trouble with Sonic and the others, the news of Knothole and Lavender's fainting seemed to slip away. He found himself not caring about them any more. His island was in trouble.
"What is it?" he said quickly.
"Mr Guardian…….it's not there anymore."
"WHAT!" roared Knuckles grabbing the messenger, "I don't think I heard you rightly. It's not there?!"
"Yes sir." spluttered the messenger holding up a small disk.
Knuckles ripped the disk from his hand and plugged it into a nearby computer. The screen lit up with the recording off a security orb. It was a fairly distant recording and Knuckles couldn't see much. There was no mistake though that the recording looked out over the western ocean. On the horizon there was a streak of light. The streak hit a small pin prick in the distance and stopped. The dot suddenly flashed and moments later disappeared. There were a few seconds of silence and then a giant net like field sprang up. It raced towards the orb and seconds later the recording went dead. Knuckles looked up.
"I have to go." he said.
"But what about……" started Bunnie looking up from Lavender.
"My island is the most important thing in my life. You know that already Bunnie." said Knuckles shaking his head, "I have to go. I hope all of the rest of this stuff sorts itself out."
Knuckles turned and ran from the room. Bunnie stared after him.
"How could he just leave like that. Doesn't he care?!" she said.
"Of course he cares. It's just that he's been guardian of that island all his life." said Manic, "But we have other problems."
Everyone in the room nodded. They looked from Lavender to the messenger and then to Miles and Alicia.
"So what first?" said Sonia a little overwhelmed.
"Knothole is an immediate problem." said T2, "Bunnie you stay here with the kids, we'll check out Knothole."
Bunnie nodded.
"Ok then everyone. Let's move."
T2 turned and ran out of the room followed by Petya, Charles, Sonia and Manic.
-----------------------------------------
Tails' vision slowly cleared.
"Ooh my head." he moaned.
"Tails you're awake!" yelled a muffled voice.
Tails pulled himself to his knees and looked around. He was encased in a glass tube. He suddenly froze solid as his eyes sprang wide and he started to shake. His breathing quickened and sweat started to form on his face.
"Tails!" yelled the voice.
Slowly Tails managed to turn his head towards the voice. The colour of his face had virtually turned white. A few feet from him, encased in another glass tube was Amy.
"My god Tails!" said Amy, "What is going on?"
Tails didn't answer. He placed his hands on the glass and blinked.
"Tails!" yelled Amy.
"It's a………" Tails swallowed a lump in his throat, "……a robotosiser!"
"It can't be!" said Amy, "When we defeated Robotnik and Snively we destroyed all the technology behind it. We even destroyed our de-robotosiser!"
Just then there was a deep chuckle. Tails almost gagged. He knew that laugh. He pressed his face closer to the glass. The glass was cold to the touch and an old feeling returned to his mind. Just then a figure stepped out from the shadows and looked at them.
"That is something I didn't know." said Robotnik with a smile, "No de-robotosiser. Oh things are getting better and better."
Tails knees suddenly gave in and he collapsed to the floor. He looked up at Robotnik with a terrified expression on his face. Amy just stared at him.
"Ro….Robotnik?" she said slowly.
Robotnik turned towards Amy. Even though she had grown quite a bit since she was young, her size was no match for Robotnik. He towered over her with a smile on his face.
"Yes." he said, "I did miss you all."
"But you're DEAD!" cried Amy.
"Not quite." he said.
Robotnik turned to leave.
"STOP!" yelled Amy.
Robotnik turned back to her. She was standing completely straight. Her eyes were solidly fixed on him and her fists were clenched.
"It was you wasn't it!" she said.
"Quiet! Soon all of Mobius will answer to me and so will you."
Robotnik quickly turned and walked from the room. Amy watched him leave. She quickly turned back to Tails. He was sitting at the bottom of his tube. His knees were pulled up to his chest and he was flat against the back of the tube.
"It'll be alright Tails." she said quietly.
-----------------------------------------
A small transport landed near the outskirts of what remained of Knothole. Flames jumped from tree to tree filling the night sky with light. The destruction was visible from quite far off. Whatever had happened to Knothole it was big. The door of the craft slid open and Manic stepped out. He blinked hard as he stared out on the destruction.
"This is too much." he said.
A moment later Sonia, Petya, T2 and Charles stood next to him. They all looked at the destruction. There was nothing left of Knothole. It was just a small crater in the ground. Around the crater trees had been blown over and fires played happily.
"Who would do this?" said Sonia slowly her lower lip trembling slightly at the sight.
"That would be me." said a familiar voice.
Out of crater emerged a pair of ears. Soon afterwards the form of Chalk walked out.
"Well not exactly me. More my master." she said.
"I'll make you pay for this!" cried T2 leaping to the front of the group.
Knothole had been his home for many years and now that it was gone he felt a strong sense of anger and a slight hint of revenge.
"Oh yes. You couldn't stop me last time. What makes you think you can stop me this time?" said Chalk.
"This." said Manic, "Hit it Sonia."
There was a flash and Manic and Sonia instruments appeared. T2 and Petya both raised their hands and took a step back.
"I'm counting four on one Chalk." said Petya.
"Make that four on three." replied Chalk and raised her hand.
There was a small metallic noise and two more figures appeared beside Chalk.
"Nooooooooooooooo!" wailed Sonia collapsing onto her instrument.
"My god!" cried T2.
The two figures were the robotosised Sonic and Sally.
Chalk looked round at the reaction this had caused. She smiled.
"What have you done to them?!" cried Manic.
"My master robotosised them." replied Chalk calmly.
"What?!" cried Charles.
Sonia suddenly leapt at Chalk. There was a blue blur and she found herself lying on the ground against a tree. Her head bleeding badly.
"Sonia!" cried Manic as he ran over to where the robotic Sonic had flung her.
Chalk quickly raised her gun and aimed it at T2 and Petya. A second later she fired. Petya and T2 dived to the side and a volley of laser shots flew past them. The robotic Sally attacked, springing forwards with her arms extended. T2 quickly turned and launched his feet round. He dodged the robots attack and then swung his left foot round hitting the robot in the back.
"Sorry Sally." he said.
He spun round to face Chalk. She was busy firing at Manic.
"Alright Chalk. Take this." he said.
He flung his palm upwards. The Deep Power Stones glowed and a bolt of energy shot from it. Suddenly there was a blue streak. It shot between T2 and Chalk and intercepted the bolt. The robotic Sonic was thrown back against a burning tree.
"Damn!" cried T2 as he looked around.
Manic was busy dodging shots from Chalk, the robotic Sally had turned her attention to Petya. She wasn't having any trouble though. Her skills in martial arts always meant she was on top. Charles had wisely taken cover inside the craft they had arrived in. He couldn't see Sonia anywhere. Just then Chalk turned and fired at him. He dove to the side to avoid the incoming fire.
"ARG!" cried Chalk, "You're a slippery one! Fine I'll deal with an easier target! Explosive projectile."
Her gun suddenly whined and a small light lit up on it. She pointed it towards the landing craft.
"Say good bye." she said and fired.
Seconds later the landing craft exploded in a huge explosion. Debris flew everywhere. T2 just stared.
"No." he said quietly to himself.
He looked up to just in time to see the staring Petya get knocked to the floor by the robotic Sally. Just then there was a shrill cry.
"Die you murderous rabbit!" cried Sonia's voice.
Chalk spun just in time to see a large bolt of energy erupt from a nearby tree. Chalk was quick but not quick enough. The blast was aimed at her head and even though she dodged it still hit her. The blast grazed her head. The smell of burnt fur and flesh was strong. The blast also caught the small metal plate above Chalk's left eye. The plate disintegrated as the shot flew past it. Chalk sudden wobbled and collapsed to the ground. The robotic Sally stopped its attack. She looked up and her eyes glowed. A few moments later she was standing next to the blasted form of Sonic. She looked up and scanned the area. Just then her eyes glowed and she and the robotic Sonic shimmered and disappeared.
T2 looked around. Petya had slumped to the floor. She was staring at the charred remains of the landing craft weeping. Manic ran out from behind a tree and started to gape at the burning ship also. Sonia jumped out of her tree, her keyboard becoming a medallion again. She stood next to T2 completely shocked.
"No." she said, "Charles."
She turned and flung her arms around T2's neck. She began to sob quietly. Just then there was a sound a little to the side of the craft. Petya's head suddenly sprung up. The sound came again. It sounded like a groan. Petya blinked and then sprang to her feet. She darted towards the sound followed by Manic, T2 and Sonia. Lying on the ground a few meters from the craft was a blue hedgehog.
"Charles!" cried Petya and she collapsed next to the hedgehog.
She gave him a gentle shake. Charles groaned again and then rolled over onto his back. Petya helped him into a sitting position. He was a bit shaken up and had a few cuts and grazed but was otherwise all right.
"We thought you were….." started Sonia.
"Hehe." laughed Charles, "What? That I was dead? It'll take more than that."
"How?" said T2.
"I heard her yell and swing that gun around. I quickly dived out the other side of the ship just before she fired."
Sonia bent down and hugged him.
"I'm glad you're ok." she said.
"But we have bigger problems now." said Manic slowly, "Sonic and Sally are….."
"Just don't say it!" said T2 quickly.
He took a deep breath. He couldn't believe it. They all bowed their heads, each lost in thought. Over the sounds of the flames and wind a small moan could be heard. Petya's head suddenly sprung up. Her eyes burned with fury.
"It's all her fault!" she said.
The other four looked up. A few meters away Chalk was lying on the ground.
"Looks like she's still alive." said Manic.
"Good! Maybe we can get some information out of her." said T2.
-----------------------------------------
Robotnik slammed his fists down on the console. He had just heard about what had happened at Knothole. With Chalk gone he would have a slightly harder time but at least Sir Charles was gone as well. He turned round. Nearby Tails and Amy were still contained within their tubes. Tails still sat at the bottom of his tube with his knees to his chest. Amy was pressed up to the glass looking at him worriedly. Robotnik growled to himself. The damage to Sonic was minimal. That was no problem but Chalk was another matter. Amy saw him looking at them and shifted her gaze.
"Well since you're friends have taken Chalk from me then I'll just have to make a couple of replacements." said Robotnik.
Amy face suddenly dropped. She looked up and then back at Robotnik shaking her head frantically.
"No." she said terrified.
"Yes." said Robotnik, "And I think fox boy will be first."
Tails suddenly sprang to his feet. He stared at Robotnik. He felt so vulnerable. His mind raced back to that day fifteen years ago. That day a raid on Robotropolis went wrong. The feelings of that day slowly returned to him. He felt as if he was shrinking. As if time was going backwards. The past fifteen years slowly faded from memory. Robotnik placed his hand on a lever. He paused for a moment savouring the feeling and then pulled it. The robotosiser above Tails lit up and started. Tails started frantically to pound his fists on the glass. It felt just as he remembered it. Cold and slow. He glanced over at Amy. She was pressed so close to the glass the tears in her eyes ran down it.
"Help me Amy!" cried Tails.
To Amy his voice seemed strange. It sounded higher and younger. She couldn't stand it but she couldn't pull herself away from watching. Just then Tails legs turned to metal. He reached down and touched them. He burst into tears and turned back to Amy.
"Amy! Help me please! AMY!" he cried.
Amy could do nothing but cry and scream as she watched. It was unbearable. She was two feet away and couldn't do anything. Tails upper body and arms turned to metal and Tails cried out again.
"AMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" he cried.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" cried Amy closing her eyes.
When she opened them Tails was gone. All that stood there was a metal replacement. A lump formed in her throat. She collapsed to her knees and attempted to sob. She closed her eyes tight. Tears dripped to the floor.
"And now you." said Robotnik.
Amy didn't even bother to respond. She felt the robotosiser rays pass by her but she didn't care. Tails was gone and soon she would too. There was no coming back. The de-robotosiser technology had been totally destroyed along with the robotosiser technology nearly thirteen years ago. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up. She found herself not caring about anything. There was nothing left except…..
"Lavender!" she said quickly.
It was the last thing she said.