The camp now became set up in place. The crumbling branches were aflame with the oozing campfire, dancing above through an intoxicating smell. A breeze then brushes the orange glow, temporarily turning black, with a few crickets that got heard in the background. Sonic, Sally, and Bunnie were sitting around a small fire, with the two girls at a log, while Sonic remained at the edge of a broken pillar nearby. Their eyes gazed into the slow flickering of the orange flames and watched as an ember floated down from the burning log to the ground before Sonic stomped it with his shoe.
"I gotta admit, Bunnie. You're not a half-bad cook." Sonic complimented, handling some nosh on a stick. "You even knew which of this stuff in the woods was edible."
"Heh, I guess you just kind of pick this stuff up when your hobbies are gardenin' at times. It'll be best to have a chock full of essential vitamins and minerals to eat." Bunnie beamed, holding one of her own along with Sally.
"Well, first a professional butt-kicker of Badniks like me, and now I'm meeting a gardener?" Sonic said while he munched on his campfire food. "This is the first time hearing of it!"
"Not what you expected, huh?" Bunnie said as she tapped a foot on the grass below, intertwining her hands together. "Growin' up in Royal Hills, I never guessed I'd be fightin' an evil overlord and his giant machines."
"Oh, don't we all?" Sonic asked in a dry tone.
"Well, ironic as it sounds, I was dreamin' of bein' a hairstylist or a beautician of some sort; just some such. It didn't matter how creative I tried to be here and there, but the upper-class folks are so close-minded at times with me bein' a commoner who tries to fit in with everyone."
Sally herself was very understanding when she attends to Bunnie's story along with Sonic, who looked anything but amused as his face dropped to a confused but surprised look.
"I just thought that maybe if I practice enough, one day I'll get to style the princess' hair. But of course, they wouldn't take anythin' about me seriously, callin' me out as a breath of fresh air to them. They cared more about sippin' their tea in a strait-laced manner and adjustin' to their fancy clothes. So I try to justify their belief, but the thought alone was already enough to make me gag now."
"But at least you got to, Bunnie. And you've done a great job cutting and styling it from the time it got tangled up in those trees when I used to sneak out of Knothole." Sally smiled as she patted a fist over the southern belle's heart, showing friendly support.
Bunnie giggled in delight as she faced her best friend. "Well, I am surprised you did not get grounded for the rest of your days after goin' out alone like that. We had to use Antoine's sword to give you a huge trim back then. You must have been feelin' like havin' a big style change."
"You could say that, Bunnie," Sally said casually, closing her eyes. "Besides, I was already going to start fighting Robotnik so we can take my kingdom back. And my hair only got in the way. We have all seen what his robots can do to mobians like us."
"Oh, Sally-Girl," Bunnie glanced at her best friend with a look of sympathy. "For how nasty that Robotnik has been to our families and homes, you don't need to do things alone every time one of us is scared. Well, mostly Antoine at times when there's nada, but you know what I mean."
Sally puts a hand on Bunnie's shoulder, somewhat softly. "It became dangerous for us, and I did not expect any of you guys here to join me. We all have strengths and limitations. If Robotnik has taught me anything, having the right strategy can topple great kingdoms."
"That's a total bummer," Sonic frowned at how much of Mobius that Dr. Robotnik has taken control of for the time being. "I can see why you ladies got a little troubled back in the dungeons, and then you came to Knothole?"
"Yeah, we sure did," Bunnie nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. "Knothole was like any port in a storm, though I couldn't fit in much with refugees for being half-robotized. Some even picked on me, callin' me Rabbot."
Sonic's face went down after hearing that. "That's not right for them to do that to you."
"I know that," Bunnie sighed with closed eyes. "But folks still tend to look at you differently if you're part-robot or something else that's scary to them. Like lookin' at a constant reminder of the one that has destroyed your family, your home, and your life."
"But not everyone thought of you anyway different, Bunnie," Sally reassures her half-cyborg friend. "You were still friends with Antoine and me, even Rotor when he first visited Mobotropolis and helped us get to Knothole."
"Thanks, Sally-Girl." Bunnie blushed profusely and smiled sadly, gesturing toward her robotized arm. "I was all set to become one of those 'proper little ladies' and grow up, marry some nice fella' and settle down too. Not that those are BAD things, but life never goes as you expect it to as much. When Robotnik took over Mobotropolis, I was one of the folks caught in the crossfire and got smuggled into the Robotizer. While I was able to be rescued from any more trouble, the process turned me into a freak."
With that said, Sonic became occupied with a disturbed expression at how far Dr. Robotnik's devastation has spread across what used to be the city of Mobotropolis. And to make matters worse, the blue hedgehog still felt that guilt within his heart lower a bit further for what his actions have caused toward many others than just Sally. Bunnie was just another ordinary civilian wanting to live life and do her part in the world, only for it to backfire so suddenly, entangling her in a dreadful bearing.
"I'm guessing Eggman made things a whole lot tougher for you, Bunnie. I'm sorry you had to go through with that horrible stuff." Sonic said in a compassionate yet concerned tone, though devastated on the inside for Bunnie's sake.
"Yeah, well..." Bunnie cleared her throat to push away from a sad subject. "Anyway, what about you, Sugar-Hog? What's your goal for the future?"
"Future goal?" Sonic asked, noticing how Bunnie put some prominence to relax. "Eh, don't have one."
Bunnie visibly blinked, just as Sally did so as well. "Huh?"
"I've been a drifter my whole life," Sonic explained, stretching out her arms slowly and widely. "Just hopping from one island to the next, maybe seeing the sights and all that, and especially enjoying some chili dogs. I'm more satisfied just doing things my way. But I might as well stay tagged along with you ladies so we can get your other teammates out and kick some Butt-Nik too!"
"I see..." Bunnie smiled, but she looked at Sonic confused.
Sally raised an eyebrow, becoming a bit suspicious of the blue hedgehog. "Bunnie told me you had an uncle, correct? Did he happen to be someone that was a part of Mobotropolis?"
Sonic looked at Sally strangely, although he was very convincing to tell her about his family. "Yeah, he was! His name was Professor Charles the Hedgehog, but I call him Uncle Chuck. I think he became in service to your dad, Sally-!"
The princess jumped at the chance to surprise Sonic as he reeled back in a jolt, "You're Professor Charles' nephew?!"
"Oh, my stars! That's a big surprise," Bunnie smiles broadly.
"How do you girls know my uncle?" Sonic asked in confusion.
"He was one of our teachers back then," Sally answered. "I've learned a lot from him back in school. He met my father and became a friend in service to my family's kingdom."
"But I don't think we've ever seen you around with ol' Charlie, Sugar-Hog," Bunnie told the blue hedgehog.
Sonic gulped a bit, thinking up a lie of some sort to keep them from learning too much. "W-Well, I'm usually here, there, or anywhere else. Though, I-I ran away from home by myself to visit my uncle. And just then, I wake up to find robots tearing up the forest! Some of the ground is all dug up, the rivers were getting drained, and the trees got chopped down! I ran into the egg-shaped creep himself, and he said he was doing all this on behalf of your dad! But of course, that was a lie from the fat old weirdo, right?"
As Sally looked at Sonic straight in the eyes, while he hoped his lie would help him, she then pulled herself away as the chipmunk girl begins to ask, "If that's true from what you said, how did you escape the city? Everyone else evacuated to Knothole, and you didn't know, did you?"
"Not really, I guess," Sonic shrugged. "I was able to fly myself onto my dad's old plane called the Tornado, but I got shot down and crash-landed on another island somewhere and got saved by my...!"
Sonic soon trailed off for a bit after seemingly trying to look for the right words to say. Sally and Bunnie were both gazing at the blue hedgehog, curious as to what Sonic's story has in store for them.
"By who?" Bunnie asked.
"Her name was Longclaw. From all that I learned about her, she was the last of a noble line of warrior mobian owls dedicated to maintaining balance for all living creatures on Mobius." Sonic began explaining, taking the time to put both his hands on his lap. "At first, I was a bit distant from her after the time she had saved me. But by the time I got to know her, that old owl was less a radical warrior and more like my mom."
"W-What happened?" Sally asked next but sounded hesitant.
Sonic froze up as if now realizing what she had just asked before talking slowly. "W-We got attacked by strangers..."
Longclaw was the only one left who had cared for Sonic after the Tornado crash-landed. He would run free and be something close to a normal kid. It did take quite some time to repair the damages that the Tornado had endured. But of course, there was danger there, too. Longclaw had warned him about what these "humans" could do if they saw Sonic, and assuredly enough, it cost him in extreme measures by fate.
Longclaw had lavender feathers while the tip of her tail has mottled brown and white, whereas her face and torso area was white with a black beak. Longclaw's eyes were blue with glossy eyelids and held two feathers coming from behind her ear tufts. Her outfit had golden armor around her torso and white gloves with gold cuffs, including her shoes.
A burst of wind stirred through the old hut Sonic and Longclaw shared for these last few years. While Longclaw had been busy meditating throughout the day, she instinctively reached for the grip of her ancient clawed staff.
Her arms twitched as she called, "Who goes there?"
"Ha, no need to be a worrywart! It is just me, Longclaw!" Sonic smiled, darting out from under the sheets. He had just singled the hut with an immense amount of wind.
"Sonic!" Longclaw called with a scowl, leaning on her clawed staff for support. "You can't go bouncing across the island like that! Someone could have seen you."
"Pssh, no way anyone would have seen me. I'm too fast!" Sonic dismissed with his same boisterous attitude, bringing along a smile afterward. "And! I wanted to bring you this."
He lifted a sunflower, radiant and delicate. They grew on the far side of the island, ones that pointed back to the rest of the world. Although Longclaw was still agitated with Sonic for disobeying her rules, she did, however, welcome Sonic's little gift to her. The wise owl took the blossom in her gloved hands and touched it gingerly.
"Ah..." Longclaw smiled, feeling endeared as her left hand began to ruffle on the boy's hair, making him embarrassed.
"H-Hey, no fair!" Sonic frowned, pouting for being treated like a child.
"That is for not obeying me, you little fuzzball, and this…!" Longclaw trailed off as she picked up Sonic, making him look like he was flying while he laughed, "...is for the gift."
Then her eyes snapped into focus. She heard something.
Sonic seemed quick enough to notice and asked, "Longclaw, what's wrong-?"
"GET DOWN!" Longclaw shouted and wrapped Sonic in her arms. She quickly kicked her door shut while putting herself and Sonic onto the ground.
A flash of bullets sped through the windows and embedded themselves in the hut's weak walls. A split second later, Longclaw blasted through the roof with Sonic held securely in her arms. On the edges of his vision, the young hedgehog could see fourteen shadowy figures who had fired those strange-looking weapons everywhere. Most of the things these strangers said had begun to confuse Sonic while he was still a child, something like:
"I told you we'd find these mobian freaks here!"
"You mobian scum don't belong on Earth!"
"Come on, shoot them down! We'll make that big loot for sure!"
They looked coarse, vicious for the way they acted just now. And the outfits they all wore showed the avarice of the human race. These humans were poachers. They wanted to hunt down every last mobian on the planet and sell them disgustingly to make glue. And by visiting the far side of the Mobius region where most mobians can get spotted, Sonic had led them right to his home.
The poachers swarmed everywhere around the hut, holding nets and weapons to attack the two mobians. Longclaw's clawed staff clutched firmly in her other hand. She sprang down to the wooden bridges and took the legs underneath one poacher, who crashed below.
Another poacher came with the machete to slash at Longclaw. She spin-kicked the broad blade out of his hands and struck him in the jaw with her clawed staff. Two more men tried to jump Longclaw and Sonic from behind. She answered to both of them with her spinning weapon to each chin.
Then she whirled around and flung the two men through the windows of the hut where they had attacked the two mobians. As Longclaw started jumping through the growth of trees with Sonic in her other arm, several more poachers advanced dark trails across the face of the island like black veins.
The Tornado didn't become an option because it still wasn't fixed, unfortunately. Sonic didn't know what else there could be for them to escape. There was no freedom from the poachers. Or the shots fired into the air after Longclaw and Sonic.
"Arrrgggh!" Longclaw cried as jumping ceased, where both she and Sonic crashed to the forest ground.
Sonic rose to his feet, but she stumbled again. The poachers would be on them at any moment, but all he could think about was the blood-soaked wound he saw on Longclaw, where the bullet bit deep into her side.
"Longclaw, you're b-bleeding!" Sonic said, witnessing blood coming out of Longclaw's bullet wound.
"I know, I know. Listen carefully, Sonic," Longclaw coughed as she limped to his side.
Sonic kept looking at her, worried.
"Your speed is unlike anything I've ever seen. And that means anybody will always want something from you or solely to destroy you. The only way to be safe from either one is to stay hidden. And you'll have to do it without me."
"N-NO!" Sonic shouted with disapproval, still remembering the sting of tears in his eyes when he lost Uncle Chuck back in Mobotropolis. "I don't want to go without you, Longclaw! Why are you doing this?"
"Because it is too late for me, Sonic. You don't want to live only to harm others, do you? You are meant for more than what you mean now," Longclaw said with tears in her eyes like she had a thousand times before. "I may not know why this ability has come to you in the first place. But I believe it is something far greater than becoming a tool in someone else's game."
He then grits his teeth in sadness as he cried, "No, we're leaving! Both of us are getting out of here. Together."
Longclaw persisted, "Sonic, please. You need to think about the-!"
But Sonic interrupts once more, "Stop! Stop, okay? I'm not leaving anybody, so just shut up. That's that."
As Longclaw stared with eyes widened in shock and fear for Sonic's safety from the human poachers, despite his stubbornness, "Listen to me, Sonic-"
"THERE THEY ARE! KILL THE MOBIANS AND TAKE THEIR HEADS OFF!" One poacher screamed as Longclaw saw the origin of the voice. She gasped at seeing that the entire crew was getting closer.
There wasn't much time.
When an idea suddenly appears, Longclaw looks at Sonic with a forced smile, "Listen to me, Sonic. What I need you to do is carry me. Then close your eyes and count down while you run as fast as you can. I'm going to use my Warp Ring to somewhere secret and safe. Promise me that you'll never stop running. Do you think you could do that for me?"
Longclaw once taught him how the Warp Rings worked, but Longclaw always warned Sonic that their powers were finite. He could hold one in his hands, imagine a place he wanted to travel, and the ring would expand to warp him where he wanted to go.
Sonic rose one of his brows for a second before nodding hesitantly, "Yeah! I can do that, Longclaw! We'll be out of here before you know it. I promise."
Once Sonic got into a racing position where Longclaw held onto the young hedgehog, he began to shut his eyes tightly and count from ten as he runs.
"Nine...! Eight...! Seven...!"
Longclaw noticed Sonic's speed increase until she picked her golden ring out of the brown bag. She tosses it afar until the Warp Ring expanded itself to make a portal to another location.
"Six...! Five...! Four...!"
Longclaw and Sonic were making their way toward the portal. However, Longclaw bounced off from the younger hedgehog once he enters through the Warp Ring.
"Three...! Two...! One! We did it, Longclaw! We did it...?"
The minute Sonic opened his eyes with delight, his face soon turned into horror, checking to see Longclaw making a stand against the incoming poachers on the other side of the portal.
"LONGCLAW!" Sonic shouted as he ran back toward the Warp Ring.
Hearing his cries, Longclaw peeked back at the young hedgehog one last time with a somber expression. "...Goodbye, Sonic."
"No!" Sonic shouted, trying desperately to reach the portal. "Noooooooo!"
Just as he reached the portal, the Warp Ring disintegrated into nothing, vanishing into the air as Sonic lost his chance.
"L-Longclaw?" Sonic uttered.
No answer came whatsoever as he peered around the forest, noting it was nighttime. Sonic couldn't believe this was happening. In the space of a few minutes, his life had become changed forever.
His family was now gone.
Sonic shook his head, feeling like it was his fault. If he hadn't insisted on being so reckless, if he had just obeyed Longclaw's instructions, she would still be alive. The young hedgehog began to wheeze until he collapsed to his knees, concentrating with all his might to not break out in tears.
Yet, this time, it wasn't working. He kept pushing and fighting, battling the flood he would not let out. But, much as Sonic tried to fight it, the tears came anyway. Sonic wailed so loud that an endless fountain of tears started pouring their way down his cheeks.
Bunnie gasped, holding a hand to her mouth as Sally's eyes widened in shock, now starting to realize why Sonic began rushing himself with wanting to save her teammates earlier. Aside from Sonic's horrible experience, Sally knew that there weren't supposed to be humans crossing over on Mobius' borders.
When the Great War began long ago, there was a conflict between mobians and overlanders. Sally has learned many stories told to her during her time as a young princess, with how it goes back as far as the course of the Acornia Kingdom's first monarch, King Alexander Acornia.
While the overlanders had the advantage of superior technology at the beginning of the Great War, the mobians were able to gain a significant advantage in numbers. And eventually, the mobians did push back the overlanders and won the Great War. With the battle finished, a gigantic border now exists from an uneasy truce between overlanders and mobians in the world, never to merge their cultures and let each species live however they want.
But now, in more recent years, humans have started becoming more of a common sight in some regions, but still a rare sight in others. Along with their rarity, it has been uncertain for humans to suffer from hate and discrimination from others of the Mobius population. Sonic averted his eye contact with the girls, placing a hand to his head, his heart heavy with regret as the emotional feedback of his actions began catching up to him.
"Sonic..." Sally whispered, her eyes nearly building up tears as she realized just what a terrible place the blue hedgehog was in right now.
"Aw, Sugar-Hog..." Bunnie softly looked at Sonic with eyes full of remorse before pulling him into a tight hug.
"Oof! Okay, it's okay! Hugs are fine!" Sonic's eyes hurried all over, seemingly perplexed by the sudden embrace until Sally gives him the next one.
"I'm sorry if I was beginning to push you into something disregarding, Sonic. I never meant to make you do that like this-!"
"Sal, don't sweat it! There's no need to apologize for stuff like that!" Sonic smiled sheepishly for a moment, brushing himself off from the hugs until he showed a determined gaze. "And besides, that doesn't mean I've lost hope or anything about not finding Uncle Chuck or Longclaw. I'm not going to give up on them, just like how you're not going to give up on finding your dad, right?"
The princess couldn't help but look at him in confusion when he gave a clear response. She'd always wonder how Sonic could do such things, seeing that he's changed to be a combination of kindness and ferocity rather than a crazed amateur with the big attitude. As much as Sally felt like hitting him upside the head at times, she needed him. There was no way that she would reach Dr. Robotnik without the help of everybody she could muster.
In a moment, a smile gently draws across Sally's lips. "I'm glad you're here with us, Sonic."
Sonic blinked, taking a mental note of her affirmation. He placed his hands on his hips with a chortle escaping his heroic smile.
"Now, that's enough lounging for us all. And thanks for the grub, Bunnie. Ready to get back on the road, ladies?" Sonic asked, motioning the girls to resume their adventure.
"Uh... yeah! Let's go, Sally! We've got a score to settle with that egg-shaped fat boy and save Rotor and Antoine." Bunnie turns her head to Sally, who nodded in agreement.
"Right."
Sally took out Nicole, opening the hand-held computer. "It looks like the signal we got back in the temple has gone cold, but there's another Chaos Emerald a few miles to the north near Spring Yard."
Bunnie nodded as she checks out Nicole's screen. "Then we'd better hurry before we lose track of this one, too! There's an entrance to some water-like ruin down here. Must be Jungle Labyrinth over there."
Sonic skids to a complete halt as the mere word 'water' starts echoing in his mind. He desperately hoped that he could draw out the scary thought by several more minutes, but it backfired eventually.
"Oh... Water. Why must it be water? WHY ME?!" The spiky daredevil said in thoughts, beginning to feel his knees shake before Sally comes around.
"What's the matter, Sonic?" asked Sally, who raised an eyebrow.
"OH! Uh, nothing bad about me, Sal. Nothing to freak out about!" Sonic answered abruptly that almost making the princess blink twice in confusion.
Despite his joyous mood earlier, Sonic was dreading his thoughts with all his heart. Sally would soon realize how much stress he was in right now, seeing him turn his head away from her and look farther ahead.
"Sonic?" The redheaded chipmunk said as she crossed her arms, tapping her foot for the blue hedgehog's answer.
"Oh, Sally-Girl, there are buildings over there!" Bunnie points to what appears to be an urban, pinball-like city in the distance. "I reckon Robotnik could also be there lookin' for a Chaos Emerald too."
Using that information to his advantage of avoiding Jungle Labyrinth, Sonic walks off quickly with a shy simper. "Cool, then we should split up then! I'll go and look for Butt-Nik and a Chaos Emerald there while you guys can go-!"
But Sally snatched the blue speedster by the arm posthaste. "What?! Wait a minute, Sonic! All by yourself?!"
"No can do, Sugar. You need help." Bunnie chimed in as well.
"Sorry, but the hedgehog is handling this one alone," Sonic said with a serious tone, trying to break free of Sally's grasp.
Again, the princess kept a firm grip on Sonic's arm. "Is there something that you're not telling us about when Bunnie just mentioned Jungle Labyrinth?"
The spiky teen soon notices the princess's expression, laughing nervously. "C-Come on, Sal! I just thought that we should split up as a chance of pace to find and destroy the Super Badniks that are holding your friends hostage. I mean, it's got nothing to do with how wet-! I MEAN! Uh...! S-Safety first, yeah! What is it they say: you can't swim for at least three hours after a campfire meal?"
"My, my, Sugar-Hog, are you stallin'?" Bunnie gave a sly smirk.
"S-Stalling? Nuh-uh! I'm not stalling. Heck, why would I stall anyone? I hate stalling. And truthfully, here's a list of the things I like better than stalling: root beer, coloring books, bean burritos, the first day of spring, the second day of spring, the third day of spring...!"
"Sonic, are you concealing the fact that you are suffering from aquaphobia?" Nicole asked, just when things got exposed.
"Okay!" Sonic declares with a sweeping hand motion. "That's enough, I'll admit it! I can't swim at all! Happy? No more jumping to conclusions?"
"Conclusions of what? Scared of getting a little wet?" Sally asked, her voice jam-packed with sarcasm.
Sonic gave Sally one of those fearful yet angry looks, making her and Bunnie giggle even more. Sonic eventually scoffed, not wanting to be taunted for his fear.
"Aw, is Sugar-Hog afraid of a little water? You don't need to worry. If it were rainin' now, then it won't matter if we go inside or stay outside!" Bunnie said with a sly smile, crossing her arms over to her chest.
"Guys, come on! It's not the water I'm afraid of; it's how deep it is!" Sonic retorted, whining like a three-year-old only to receive a chuckle from Sally.
"Sure, it is!" She said back at the blue hedgehog, covering her muzzle from laughing out loud.
Bunnie raised an eyebrow, followed by a shrug. "C'mon, Sugar-Hog! It can't be that bad!"
Sonic frowned, glaring daggers back at the southern belle with a sarcastic tone. "Oh, you don't say?"
The blue hedgehog's glare didn't change as he gave a loud huff, then Sally sighed, "This ain't working, Sonic. You'd still have to go through Jungle Labyrinth sometime."
While the princess stared at him, Sonic placed his hands together and begged her. "Yeah, but still, though, Robotnik could be cooking something up big time in Spring Yard. Maybe I could find one of those Super Badniks there and give it a major-whupping! And find your friend along with that Chaos Emerald! Bunnie said so herself from Nicole. Just give me a shot, come on!"
Sally began to ponder Sonic's words as she pressed a hand onto her chin, letting out a light hum in the process. As much as it sounds dangerous enough for Sally to split up the group, it can also be quicker to conserve the rest of her teammates as well as the other Chaos Emeralds. With that, Sally gave out a deep sigh as determination flowed from her eyes to make her response.
"All right, then." Sally got into Sonic's face firmly. "But NO screw-ups, you got that?"
"Sally," The blue hedgehog said in a smirk. "I promise everything's going to be alright. I'll be gone and back before you ladies even know it. Time to juice and loose!"
Right now, Sonic pulled out his signature smirk and began moving his legs in a specific circle pattern while remaining still, and then took off at higher-than-average speeds.
"Be careful now, and watch out for Robotnik!" Sally called out for the speedy hero.
"And be sure to look for a Chaos Emerald and that Super Badnik while you're there!" Bunnie added.
Soon skidding just on the outskirts of a city, Sonic had found his way to overlook this slightly bizarre and loosely casino of Spring Yard in front of him. The sky has already become set to a late evening as Sonic observes what seems to be a park very close to the city. Everywhere became illuminated by the purple glow of the urban environment, followed by the silhouettes of building tops, complete with water towers and air vents on top being visible. Looking over the city, Sonic saw the tall, rocky mountains and thick green bushes and grass beneath the buildings, indicating the park aspects.
"Nice, this place ain't looking half bad, but there's no way this place should be up and running from the time when it got shut down for years." Kicking his foot against the ground, Sonic couldn't help but grin widely with a whistle. "And talk about seeing a factory line. Well, since I'm here now; time to go kick in some Badnik brains!"
Sonic whooped loudly and threw his fists into the air as he charged onward, meeting the first enemies of the steadily darkening hour: Crab-Meats and Buzz-Bombers. As Sonic kicked and punched his way to free the little bunnies and birds inside the Crab-Meats, he then jumped onto a rotating light in his ball form to strike through a few Buzz-Bombers. He landed on one of the bee-based Badniks to soften his fall.
Sonic then hits spring and instantly shot up the side of a marble complex in a spiral, eyes checking out his elevation and added speed. He crawled through a tight space before letting out another whoop as the blue hedgehog jumped onto another spring and rocketed between bumpers, heavily increasing his momentum.
As the rabid ball of blue was having the time of his life, he went on ahead through a generous string of Badniks to meet and destroy in a series of moving coral and blue platforms. Noticing the pattern like it's an elevator, Sonic smirked for a bit as he calmly made his way down to a lower, humming a tune heard from a radio playing in one of the various buildings.
After that, he speeds down an incline at the bottom. However, an armadillo-based Badnik called a Roller soared over his head, tripping him up into confusion. Before Sonic could question his sanity, he finds out that it turned out to be just a rolling Badnik with a neat paint job, evidently filled with a rabbit as Sonic spin attacks into its head.
Curling into a ball with every jump, Sonic ran and climbed up a slope with surprising ease to land on a jagged platform, liberating two more animals from metallic clutches. Sure enough that the little fuzzy creatures got along safely, Sonic refused to let any other Badniks escape from him. Tensing his muscles, he charged forward and threw a kick into a Buzz-Bomber, crushing it with ease, followed by a popping noise.
Sonic soon dashed down through the former sprawling metropolis dedicated to the leisure industry, such as casinos and pinball machines. Suddenly, the blue hedgehog became surprised to see some fireworks being shot into the sky, exploding and popping all over what should have been abandoned ruins.
"What the heck?" Sonic muttered, immediately running somewhere to investigate before he stopped short at what he saw next.
It was a wide shot of the city with rows of flashing neon lights and signs, where Sonic spotted countless mobians chatting, drinking, walking, and otherwise going about their business. The entire area was active and thumping as the blue hedgehog saw such things as active roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, and several more different amusement rides to pick.
"Whoa, now THIS looks like a city!" Sonic muttered to himself, with his jaw slacked in disbelief before pushing it back up. "Though there has got to be something going on here, and I better get to the bottom of it-!"
Before Sonic could step out onto the pathway, a couple of Swat-Bots came marching throughout the area, causing the speedy hero to hide in the shrubs.
"Of course, the bald dude's involved with this! Guess I'll have to stick to the shadows. Butt-Nik will no doubt have reported me to the Swat-Bots by now, and he'll have them looking all over for me. Man, this sure makes me stick out like a sore thumb." Sonic narrowed his surroundings for a safer advantage.
Once the military Badniks trudged onward, Sonic's head popped out of the thickness of a bush until his attention caught onto a sad-looking mobian dog.
"I can't believe it...I've lost everything...!"
"Psst! Hey, buddy, over here!" Sonic whispered, motioning for the mobian civilian to come over.
"A-Are you crazy? Who are you?" The male dog shuddered in surprise, hoping the security doesn't come back. "If any one of those robots should see you..."
"Why the long face, bud?" Sonic asked.
"W-Well," The male dog begins to explain his terrible situation. "I was playing the tables, and something came over me. I kept on losing, b-but I couldn't stop. I even lost my home. What am I going to tell my family?"
Taking a good look around at such a miserable place in disguise, Sonic could only testify that the many slot machines and games seem to have the smiling face of Dr. Robotnik on each monitor's screen. The evil genius's face was everywhere, and Sonic quickly spotted a vast statue of Dr. Robotnik looming above everything.
"I'm guessing there's no way to win in this place, buddy. Robotnik must've fixed all the games into HIS doing." Sonic placed a hand onto the dog person's shoulder, frowning at such an act that he intends to change. "And he's hypnotized all the visitors into becoming compulsive gamblers. It has got to be from that statue of him there! The eyes look like they're constantly shooting out hypnotizing beams!"
The mobian dog turns to Sonic, startled by the discovery. "B-But how?"
"Well, if I were you, buddy," Sonic showed off his heroic smirk. "I'd stick around cause there's going to be a few changes around here!"
"Oh my! What do we have here? A newcomer! Welcome to Spring Yard, sir!" a robotic voice suddenly spoke from behind Sonic, showing a shadow of a cat filling a space in front of him.
A robotized female cat with gray and purple body armor, followed by white gloves, stood in front of Sonic and the mobian dog. Her violet eyes began to glow a bit, showing her spiky and mohawk-like black hair, featuring a white streak. She also had pink lips with freckle-like spots. Sonic looked like he was becoming eager to rumble, except for the mobian dog, who looked ready to soil himself.
"Who are you? One of Ro-Butt-Nik's robots?" Sonic asked.
"Why, there's no need for that! I'm Robecca." The robotic cat shook her head with a giggle, swaying her mechanical tail around. "Breezie sent me to find new contenders for her obstacle racecourse. How would you like to compete to win a fabulous cash prize and a Chaos Emerald?"
"Oh, uh, I'm not here looking for money. I'm trying to find out...! Whoa, wait a minute! A Chaos Emerald? Do you mean to tell me that I could win an Emerald if I participate in this race?" Sonic seemed taken aback when he heard there's a sporting event, one involving the Chaos Emerald.
"Then you've come to the right place! Anyone who's anyone will be watching the big race! You can't afford to miss it!" Robecca energetically continues to plug the event.
A smirk soon sneaks up onto Sonic's face as he rubs his palms together. "A huge race, huh? Finally, it looks like someone's speaking my language!"
Unbeknownst to all of the visitors in Spring Yard, the head of the Robotnik statue contains the master control computer that makes all the games unwinnable. Deeply within was a reserved room of some sort, lurking a trio of short, middle-aged humans talking to a shadowy figure standing in a lit doorway.
These were the Marxio Brothers: Grouchio, Chicio, and Harpio. They were three villainous electricians and businessmen, closely allied with Dr. Robotnik's dictatorship through a deal of business.
First, there was Grouchio, the de-facto leader and oldest brother. He had dark-brown curly hair with a mustache that looked like two hearts coming out of his nose. His attire had red overalls with a yellow shirt underneath and brown shoes. Plus, he wore a white bowtie with pink polka dots.
Second, there was Chicio, the loyal and shrewd middle child. He had a short black mustache and black hair hidden under his red cap, which he wears backward. The attire that he bears is some shabby blue overalls, a white shirt, and brown shoes.
Third and finally, there was Harpio, the youngest and a complete mute. He had curly orange hair with a lazy expression that is constantly on his face, as he wore green overalls with a blue shirt and brown shoes.
"The casino opens in five minutes, boys. Status report?" A feminine voice from the shadowy figure spoke.
Chicio, somewhat dirty and covered in oil, is holding a wrench in one hand and wiping his forehead with the other. "All-a set to your specifications, Miss-a Breezie. The odds on the slot machines are-a switched PRECISELY according to your orders."
"Good boy," The female figure purred as she walks up to Chicio naturally, hands on her hips while Chicio looked a bit cowed. "We don't want to be giving money away willy-nilly if we are to keep up a profit, right?"
"Um... y-yes! Yes-a ma'am!" Chicio saluted in a stutter.
"Excellent."
There was a full-lit shot of Breezie herself: a voluptuous, female hedgehog and businesswoman standing triumphantly and confidently. She was slightly taller than average with green fur and purple irises, followed by quill gatherings with blue highlighted tips that fall behind her head to resemble long hair. Breezie had two small yet curved bangs of quills on her forehead. She also has purple irises, peach skin, and a short black nose. She appears to wear makeup, such as bearing purple eyelids and red lipstick. The female hedgehog wore a red business suit with red high heels, a white undershirt, yellow buttons, and white gloves held together by yellow cuff rings.
"Let nobody say that Breezie doesn't give you a run for your money!"
"Breezie! Marxio Brothers!" shouted Dr. Robotnik, who suddenly appeared on a computer screen with annoyance. "I've told you each that you're supposed to be plastering my likeness on consumer goods, not giving away a free Chaos Emerald that should most likely be mine alone! With Sonic already rescuing those Freedom Fighters, it's beginning to concern me, Breezie. And we all must think of a way to eliminate that hedgehog."
"O-Of course, we understand," Grouchio assured, his voice bearing a thick Italian accent. "I mean, do we look like idiots?"
"You don't want me to answer that question, do you?" Dr. Robotnik growled in a sarcastic mood before getting back on topic. "My Fly-Bot tells me that Sonic is planning a raid on Spring Yard to steal away my Chaos Emerald and destroy my Super Badnik. This place raises a lot of money when I first instructed you to be in charge of managing it, Breezie. And if I lost it, I'd be very disappointed if anything like that happens! Every plan! Every tactic! That I could attain from my highest intelligence yet! I never ask for much, or more to say! Though, the one rule I make, the one thing I tell you to do for my world domination, you go out and break it! Like it was just some crumpled sheet of paper I give to you, and you toss it out the window!"
"Yeesh! He's lucky not to have blown up yet, or more likely a heart attack." Grouchio whispered to his brothers as Harpio honked his horn with a nod.
"Well, that is because I know a way to help occupy your enemy until we give him the final surprise, sir," Breezie said with a smirk, unfazed by her master's constant chattering.
"I am waiting, Breezie." Dr. Robotnik frowned at the female hedgehog, but he only responded to her next with dark eyes.
"We appeal to your enemy's inflated ego," Breezie answered, much to level up the evil genius's sudden curiosity.
"His ego?"
"That's correct," Breezie smiled as she continued to explain more. "With a speed contest, the Marxio Brothers will handle the Super Badnik and the traps that have become made for him. You have already given us plenty of information about your first battle against him in Green Hill, so let this be an opportunity to have his cockiness get the better of him. There are many upper-class mobians here to make more expensive bets on whether or not Sonic wins, but it's as long as you get what you want, doctor."
Seeing Breezie not give up her methods to somehow seize Sonic, Dr. Robotnik thought of this long and hard with a low hum until he gave up at last in favor of the female hedgehog's plan.
"Mmmm, I like it, Breezie. The hedgehog would not be able to resist such a temptation like this! I will have him right in the palm of my hand." Dr. Robotnik had a deceitful grin on his face, as he would seem like he would finally get rid of his pestering problem as another obstacle getting thrown out the window. "Alright, fine. But you owe me for giving you the resources to embark on this place again, so make sure that little blue spike-ball fails, or it's the Robotizer for all four of you!"
All three of the Marxio siblings recoiled, gasping in horror while Breezie remained unfazed by her master's intimidation.
"Mama-mia!" Chicio cried out, shaking in a panic. "Anything but-a that!"
"Nobody could be that cruel!" Grouchio exclaimed as his eyes widened.
As for Harpio, though, he said nothing and merely held up a horn to honk it twice.
Dr. Robotnik's threat caused Breezie to pull out a pocket mirror and powders her face in apathy. "Oh, please. We'll make sure it's all the brilliantly sneaky part of your devious and underhanded scheme, doctor."
"You'd be surprised what I'm capable of doing, Breezie. Don't ever forget the rules I've taught you before: if you try to beat the house, the house beats you!" Dr. Robotnik's smile dropped with a scowl at how Breezie reacted to his doings. "You get that hedgehog, and everything will be in tip-top shape! As for me, I've already got something else to take care of especially."
With that, Dr. Robotnik ended the communication, the screen going black as the Marxio Brothers sighed in relief. Harpio soon looked over at one of the security monitors off to the left side and noticed the sight of Robecca convincing Sonic on the screen. He rapidly tooted his horn, getting everyone's attention.
"Look-a, Breezie!" Chicio called out, pointing at the screen. "Robotnik was right about-a that hedge-a-hog! He's already here!"
"Oooh! And it looks like Robecca's doing a job well done on what I asked her to do. Not to mention how much of a cutie he seems to be." Breezie's face brightened up in an enthusiastic yet handling smile, turning her back away from the screen. "Nonetheless, he's a perfect contestant to earn Spring Yard lots of viewers and become acclaimed to level up more casinos soon for my dream media empire."
"But I thought-a you were going to destroy-!" Chicio tried to ask.
But Breezie interrupted. "Destroy him? Maybe, sure, but he's also the biggest gamble I could ever make for my casino here to gain more popularity. Everyone has their price on what they want or to see, one way or another. Without question, this will be the best speed contest that money could buy. All you boys got to do is launch the Super Badnik and a few traps or so because that's what the public would buy to see: excitement, action, and effort."
"Miss Breezie, it appears that I've also found another contender for the speed contest," Robecca reported by the time she appeared on the computer screen.
"Another? Well, that was quick! Thank you, Robecca." Breezie said with a crafty smile hovering over her lips, rushing to one of the surveillance monitors and seeing the second contender. "Hmm, he doesn't look like much. And a lot more different than other mobians. But he'll do as well if this little boy has what it takes to win big."
The Marxio Brothers gathered around Breezie for a glimpse, becoming surprised yet confused to see none other than a two-tailed fox with a determined look in his eyes. While the three siblings began to underestimate Dr. Robotnik's recent assistant, Breezie, on the other hand, couldn't wait for how this competition will unfold and see how things play out.
TO BE CONTINUED...