CHAPTER 4:
Disaster
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Things went weird when I was hit with that "dart" thing. I had weird dreams about that bat and me falling asleep and finding the Master Emerald gone. Suddenly, I heard a voice.
"Why do you slumber? Get up before it's too late!"
"Tails! Do you copy!?" my communicator screamed.
"Knux, I spotted Rouge! She's headed for the portal linked to the Hidden Palace!" another voice said.
"I can't get Tails! TAILS! CAN YOU READ!?"
"Vector, callin' in. Got the word from Charmy. I'm coming to the portal."
"Call up Mighty and Espio and double-time them up here. And if you find Tails, have him contact me. Scratch that. I'm coming up there."
Since I was still out, I couldn't respond. What happened? Where'd Rouge go?
- - - - -
Knuckles called from the Hidden Palace.
"I'm coming up there! Tails could need help!" then he left through the main door. Unforutnately, someone ELSE was there in the Palace.
"Ah, he left. Good, good. It's according to plan."
She walked up to the Master Emerald, glowing as always. Rouge even looked more scheming inside the green glow of the Master.
"You, my precious gem will make a great price in the black market." she said and pulled out a strange device that cords came out the sides, kind of like an impulse detector. Rouge attached the cords to the Master Emerald and activated the gadget. The Master shrank to the size of a Chaos Emerald [which could be put in any pack of any kind.]
"There, you're mine. Shame that this biluminating-gadget thing can only shrink you for a short time. This is still experimental, but you'll be small enough long enough to get you to my vessel."
She stuffed the miniature Master Emerald into her pack and went silently and in the shadows, out the main gate, knowing that the Chaotix and possibly Knuckles were at the portal.
- - - - -
I was just getting up when I saw the Chaotix coming up the hill toward me. Man, I felt kinda sick. I looked around for Rouge but couldn't find her.
"Kid! Are you all right!?" exclaimed Vector.
"I saw her coming this way." said Charmy, putting some exclamation on the "her." "Did you see Rouge, Tails?"
Then Knuckles ran up.
"Kid! What happened!?" he frantically said.
"Rouge found me and--"
"ROUGE!? I'll be right back!" said Knux as he disappeared into the portal.
"...and she kept speaking out of nowhere. Then, I felt a dart hit my arm and it must've been a tranquilizer, 'cause I blacked out!"
All of the Chaotix [except Charmy since he was not there.] gasped in unison, knowing what that could mean.
"It's gone."
Mighty, Vector, Espio and I turned to see Knuckles in the portal, with a scowling expression on his face. He was not happy.
"Rouge took the Master."
The Chaotix knew what would happen next. Suddenly, the Island shook. Without the Master Emerald, the Supers could not hold up the Island properly and initial gravity would soon take over and pull the Island to reat on whatever's under it.
"We're sinking!!" shouted the Chaotix.
"This is all my fault! I should've guarded this portal more carefully and not let myself get tranquilized! Now the Island will fall into the ocean."
"That's not the worst part." said Knuckles. "This means Rouge has a better opportunity to escape on boat when the Island rests."
When the Island settled in the ocean that shook the Island [and everyone on it. I'm still kinda dizzy from it.] Knux demanded the whole story from me. A gulp got stuck in my throat.
- - - - -
"I'd figure Rouge would choose you as a principle target to get the Emeralds. Should've put you on patrol. Dang it!"
Vector picked up a combination dart/syringe from the bushes. "Here's the dart that knocked out Tails."
"That's not important now. We need to find Rouge and the Master."
I just sat on a nearby rock and started brooding. "Man! I should've pounced on her when I knew she was in the bushes! I feel like such an idiot!"
"Oh, Tails, don't beat yourself up. First-timers usually get it bad."
Suddenly, Knuckles' communicater crackled to life.
"Knuckles! Sir!" It was Charmy. "I spotted Rouge!"
"Where!?" barked Knuckles.
"She's near one of the docks for the shuttles, but getting a boat! She has the Master on the boat! Better get down here!"
But Knuckles didn't need to hear the last part. He was heading to the hovercrafts about one-hundred yards away. The Chaotix ran right behind him.
"I'm going to get Rouge for this!" shouted Knuckles.
"So will I." I said under my breath and powered up my anklets [those come in handy.] and sped toward another thing needed...the Tornado 2.
Things went weird when I was hit with that "dart" thing. I had weird dreams about that bat and me falling asleep and finding the Master Emerald gone. Suddenly, I heard a voice.
"Why do you slumber? Get up before it's too late!"
"Tails! Do you copy!?" my communicator screamed.
"Knux, I spotted Rouge! She's headed for the portal linked to the Hidden Palace!" another voice said.
"I can't get Tails! TAILS! CAN YOU READ!?"
"Vector, callin' in. Got the word from Charmy. I'm coming to the portal."
"Call up Mighty and Espio and double-time them up here. And if you find Tails, have him contact me. Scratch that. I'm coming up there."
Since I was still out, I couldn't respond. What happened? Where'd Rouge go?
- - - - -
Knuckles called from the Hidden Palace.
"I'm coming up there! Tails could need help!" then he left through the main door. Unforutnately, someone ELSE was there in the Palace.
"Ah, he left. Good, good. It's according to plan."
She walked up to the Master Emerald, glowing as always. Rouge even looked more scheming inside the green glow of the Master.
"You, my precious gem will make a great price in the black market." she said and pulled out a strange device that cords came out the sides, kind of like an impulse detector. Rouge attached the cords to the Master Emerald and activated the gadget. The Master shrank to the size of a Chaos Emerald [which could be put in any pack of any kind.]
"There, you're mine. Shame that this biluminating-gadget thing can only shrink you for a short time. This is still experimental, but you'll be small enough long enough to get you to my vessel."
She stuffed the miniature Master Emerald into her pack and went silently and in the shadows, out the main gate, knowing that the Chaotix and possibly Knuckles were at the portal.
- - - - -
I was just getting up when I saw the Chaotix coming up the hill toward me. Man, I felt kinda sick. I looked around for Rouge but couldn't find her.
"Kid! Are you all right!?" exclaimed Vector.
"I saw her coming this way." said Charmy, putting some exclamation on the "her." "Did you see Rouge, Tails?"
Then Knuckles ran up.
"Kid! What happened!?" he frantically said.
"Rouge found me and--"
"ROUGE!? I'll be right back!" said Knux as he disappeared into the portal.
"...and she kept speaking out of nowhere. Then, I felt a dart hit my arm and it must've been a tranquilizer, 'cause I blacked out!"
All of the Chaotix [except Charmy since he was not there.] gasped in unison, knowing what that could mean.
"It's gone."
Mighty, Vector, Espio and I turned to see Knuckles in the portal, with a scowling expression on his face. He was not happy.
"Rouge took the Master."
The Chaotix knew what would happen next. Suddenly, the Island shook. Without the Master Emerald, the Supers could not hold up the Island properly and initial gravity would soon take over and pull the Island to reat on whatever's under it.
"We're sinking!!" shouted the Chaotix.
"This is all my fault! I should've guarded this portal more carefully and not let myself get tranquilized! Now the Island will fall into the ocean."
"That's not the worst part." said Knuckles. "This means Rouge has a better opportunity to escape on boat when the Island rests."
When the Island settled in the ocean that shook the Island [and everyone on it. I'm still kinda dizzy from it.] Knux demanded the whole story from me. A gulp got stuck in my throat.
- - - - -
"I'd figure Rouge would choose you as a principle target to get the Emeralds. Should've put you on patrol. Dang it!"
Vector picked up a combination dart/syringe from the bushes. "Here's the dart that knocked out Tails."
"That's not important now. We need to find Rouge and the Master."
I just sat on a nearby rock and started brooding. "Man! I should've pounced on her when I knew she was in the bushes! I feel like such an idiot!"
"Oh, Tails, don't beat yourself up. First-timers usually get it bad."
Suddenly, Knuckles' communicater crackled to life.
"Knuckles! Sir!" It was Charmy. "I spotted Rouge!"
"Where!?" barked Knuckles.
"She's near one of the docks for the shuttles, but getting a boat! She has the Master on the boat! Better get down here!"
But Knuckles didn't need to hear the last part. He was heading to the hovercrafts about one-hundred yards away. The Chaotix ran right behind him.
"I'm going to get Rouge for this!" shouted Knuckles.
"So will I." I said under my breath and powered up my anklets [those come in handy.] and sped toward another thing needed...the Tornado 2.