AUTHORS NOTE

Oh, looks like Amy Rose is in trouble again… and Sonic? What are these 'clones' Dr. Robotnik keeps on mentioning? I'm not going to tell you, but you might find out later in the story. Have fun reading. And Knuckles? How could you?

TAILS AND "SONIC"

Tails scuttled along abandoned hallways in the factory. He thought he had heard Amy's and Sally's voices scream out. "Boy, I hope they are alright…" Tails said to himself as he continued on.
"…Tails!" groaned a voice. Tails span around in shock. It was Sonic. "Sonic!" Tails gasped.
"Where's Amy? And Sally?" Tails asked curiously.
Sonic smiled. "I told them to go back to the city… and I'm here looking for you," he said.
"Well, you found me… so lets go. Where was Dr. Robotnik?" asked Tails. "And, I thought I heard Amy's and Sally's voices?" Tails continued.
"Don't worry mate, he scuttled away before I could get my hands on him. Lets just get out of here ay, I have had enough of this place," replied Sonic, who ran quickly to an opened window. "And you must be hearing things. Amy and Sally left ages ago."
Tails smiled. "Well you would not have believed the shock Amy and Sally got when the found your light ring…" droned off Tails. He looked at Sonic's arm and gasped.
"Hey, I thought you lost it!" Tails asked suspiciously, looking at the light ring on Sonic's arm that shouldn't be there.
Sonic started to run away very fast. "Where are you going?" shouted Tails, who started running after Sonic.
"Catch me if you can, mate!" Sonic shouted back, which ran down the hall and out of sight. Tails was right on his trail, but even he knew that Sonic was too fast for him.
"Darn… why is he so cocky today?" Tails asked himself. "What do I do now? Was he telling the truth about Amy and Sally? Should I at least look to see if they are still here?"
Tails saw Sonic poke his head from the side of the corridor. "Are you coming or what, Tails?" asked Sonic.
Very hastily Tails followed suit, thinking that Sonic was just having a very off day. "Coming," Tails replied, looking back at the deserted hallway.

"Casinopolis?" Tails gasped. "Why are we going there?"Sonic chuckled. "Just for a bit of fun… you know, we did have a rough day today. We can loosen up a bit," Sonic said, looking at Tails.
Tails thought for a bit. "Alright, it's about time I have a lucky break… I hope Amy and Sally got back to the city alright…" continued Tails. Sonic chuckled.
"You worry to much Tails!" Sonic declared, pointing at the flashing sign that reads "CASINOPOLIS – Where your wallet is our best friend". "Oh boy, we are going to have fun tonight," Sonic said.
"Should I fly up there and activate the switch, so we can get in?" asked Tails impatiently.
"Well, what do you think? How else are we going to get in?" replied Sonic, who whipped back his blue spikes.
The inside of Casinopolis was similar to the time they both went before. Loads of jackpot machines, poker tables and 'double or nothing' were spread out around what looked like a glittering ballroom.
"Thanks for hitting the switch back there…" droned Sonic, who was eyeing off a large, golden door. "Come on Tails, knock yourself out!"
Tails busily flew towards the jackpot machine, but instead of playing a game on them, he went behind a machine and went into the bathrooms. Tails wanted to make sure that Amy and Sally were all right.
'RING RING… RING RING…' repeated the unanswering mobile that was Amy Rose's.
"Weird. Amy always answers her mobile, no matter what the situation is or who is ringing," Tails said to himself, scowering lightly and closing his phone. "But Sonic said that there were alright. I know Sonic too well, he wouldn't lie."
Tails walked out of the bathroom to hear screams and shouts. "Someone has taken it! Someone HAS TAKEN IT!" shouted a man, who apparently was the manager of Casinopolis. He was in a hurried flush.
"What happened?" asked the orange fox Tails, who also was wondering what had happened.
The man started to shake Tails. "It's gone… the Chaos Emerald we had is gone!" he shrieked once more.
Tails stood back. "Don't worry, Sonic the Hedgehog should be able to help out."
The orange fox ran as quickly as he could to find the blue hedgehog. "Sonic! Someone has stolen the Chaos Emerald!" shouted Tails as he spotted Sonic sitting on the ground.
"I know," shouted Sonic back, "I caught the perpetrator!" Sonic shouted again.

"Amy!" shouted a voice in thin air. The pink hedgehog named Amy opened both of her eyes suddenly.
"Eggman!" Amy shouted, looking around. It appeared that there were in the same cage like they were before. "What happened? Are we still here?"
Cream looked at Amy then smiled. "It looks like it. Did you feel the shock when we touched the cage?" asked Cream, who was sitting cross-legged. Amy nodded.
"It knocked me out, I think," Amy replied, rubbing her head and sat up quickly. "Where's Tails?" asked Amy.
"Don't know," replied Cream in her high pitched voice.
Suddenly, the metal door opened and out came Dr. Robotnik.
"Enjoy your nap? I told you, you should not have tried to escape," Robotnik said, grinning and feeling his beard.
"Stupid talking egg. Let us go!" Sally said angrily, being careful not to touch the metal bars.
"Why should I? You guys have provided me with so much…" droned Robotnik.
Amy looked up. "What do you mean? How did we provide?" Amy asked.
Dr. Robotnik laughed. "When you were unconscious, I took you to the cloning labs and had you cloned. Ha Ha!"
Sally started to look sick. "You cloned us? But why?" she asked.
"You will find out soon enough. And where's Tails? I thought he would have 'saved' you by now?" replied Robotnik, his smile as wide as ever.
Amy stood up and spat at Robotnik. "You have done something to him haven't you?" Amy said angrily.
"No I haven't actually… he left with Sonic. It appears that he doesn't care about you, as with Sonic…" he replied.
Amy spat at Robotnik again. Did Sonic and Tails really leave them for dead?
"Knuckles! Such a rotten way to meet again!" Tails said angrily. They were back in Casinopolis, with Sonic capturing Knuckles with the Chaos Emerald.
"What are you on about? I have no emerald, stupid fox! Sonic jumps out of no ware and I'm in this mess!" struggled Knuckles, who was underneath Sonic and surrounded by on lookers and the local police.
"I'm sorry buddy, but we have to put you under arrest," stated a police officer behind Tails. "You have the right to remain silent. Everything you…" continued the man.
Knuckles groaned. "I know, I know, but I'm not going down with out a fight!" shouted Knuckles and he jumped up from under Sonic. Sonic got caught by surprise and flew backwards onto the ground.
"Please don't do this Knuckles. Don't get yourself into any more trouble then you already are," Tails pleaded.
"I swear buddy, I never took any emerald. Sonic is nuts!" Knuckles shouted. "I'm leaving, and if anyone follows me they are getting a fist in the face, understand?"
Many police officers blinked. "Did you hear that men? Open fire now, destroy this beast!" shouted a man, and Knuckles wasted no time in running off.
"We should follow him, Sonic!" Tails said softly over his shoulder. But Sonic was gone.
"Sonic's gone!" shouted a police officer. "And so is the emerald! That red thing must have taken it with him! Quickly men, lets go!" he shouted.
"Sonic must be chasing after Knuckles," Tails thought. "I better go after him so he doesn't get into trouble."