Tails continued impelling aimlessly within Spring Yard's obstacle course, already lost in thought upon the events that he partook in during this race. The young fox was disoriented, and rightfully so. Sonic had already fallen into one of those strange trapdoors, shaky if that had meant that Sonic became disqualified from the race or something weird that's going on here.
Speaking of weird, the Badniks that Tails usually builds for Dr. Robotnik's plan to help Mobius with best interests at heart had now become a vexed question to Tails. Why were there animals inside of those robots? And every one of them looked scared yet relieved to escape? As Tails flew at his top speed all around the racetrack, he had to dodge a few bumpers, floating blocks, and spiked balls to pass through a few more portions of the obstacle course.
The young fox pondered on the situation for a few moments. On one hand, Tails has always seen Dr. Robotnik act rudely towards other mobians like him. On the other one, Dr. Robotnik became the first person, besides Sonic, to welcome Tails when considering the poor child as anything other than a freak of nature.
Tails had always gotten told that Sonic, known as the Guardian of South Island, was nothing more than an evil troublemaker that causes chaos around, demolishing anything just for kicks and giggles. All Dr. Robotnik had hoped was that Tails would help the doctor stop that speed demon and unite the varying islands of Mobius under one government, which included finding these seven magical gemstones for some reason.
Despite hearing that so-called dangerous fact from either Dr. Robotnik or Dr. Snively, Tails still couldn't help to be so fascinated by Sonic, much more in aspiring to become that kind of person himself one day. Right now, Tails couldn't even grasp anything moreover from Dr. Robotnik and Dr. Snively, as the two-tailed fox wondered if he had somehow chosen the wrong path for himself. Before Tails could ponder a bit further, the ground suddenly erupts with spiky yet crystalized swinging chains as it throws the young fox off-balance and gets him all tangled up in spiky chains.
"WHOA! Is this another of the obstacle course's crazy tricks?" Tails jolted in a shock, eyes widened by the time he saw a grotesque-looking humanoid coming forth.
"Ree-Hee-Hee-Hee~! Not exactly! I'm afraid I can't let you win this race, pintsize! The Witchcarters will be the ones in succeeding this race for the Chaos Emeralds! You shall not defeat my dearies." A despicable female voice came out.
There stood what looked like a slim, hunched female troll wizard with tan skin, a long warted tail with floppy ears, black eyes, a crooked witch nose that comes with a wart, and a protruding jaw. She also has medium-long white hair, except around the horn on her head that became hidden under her tall, pointed black hat with a red underside of the brim and a buckle strapped with rope. Her attire included a mauve purple robe with a dark grey coat with an upturned collar and the hem designed to look like bat wings, pointy cuffs, red-violet jester shoes, and a rope waist belt.
"W-Who are you? Why can't I get out?" Tails asked as he struggled, eyes trembling with traces of fear and confusion in his tone.
"My name is Wendy, and I've only trapped you with my crystalline magic, which I'm able to harness and manipulate easily. Now that you're no longer a disturbance of my business, my dearies shall claim that Chaos Emerald to be all mine! And soon, you will obey Granny Witchcart for the rest of your sad life, kitsune!" Wendy introduced herself as the rest of Tails' bullies reappeared out of nowhere, looking sinister and menacing towards the confined fox.
"Granny Witchcart! Look what we found! Look what we found!" Falke declared as he held a familiar canine-like robot to Tails, grinning at the troll witch.
"T-Pup! Where did you come from?" Tails shouted as he reeled, shocked, hearing the poor robotic dog whine in a panic.
"We took a look at your new gadget. Talk about inventions from a cute loser who doesn't even know when to stop getting into people's business like a good little boy." Carrotia said with a sinister smile, pinching Tails' cheek playfully.
"Stop it, guys! Please don't hurt him!" Tails begged as he continued to struggle to try escaping and save T-Pup.
"Great, another one of your lame, freaky junk-piles that we get to SMASH and DESTROY!" Bearenger grinned fiercely, standing before the trembling glimpse of the two-tailed fox, and decided to answer by clutching Tails' head. "Where's that hairdo freak friend of yours, nerd? I want to crush him too! After that stupid stunt you've both pulled, I'll make him watch when you're getting a two-minute beatdown since you have two tails!"
"He still hasn't given us our lunch money either, Barry! I wanna' tie up his freaky-deeky tails into a knot until they break! Can I?! Can I?!" Falke grinned coldly, wagging his tail.
"Shut up, idiot! Only if I'm going to give this freakshow a knuckle sandwich for missing out on our lunchtime!" Bearenger said, turning towards the two-tailed fox with so much resentment and getting ready to launch his fist at him.
But just then, T-Pup barked as he viciously came in and bit down on the grizzly bear's arm, earning a cry out of pain while Bearenger tries to shake the canine-like robot off him. Both Falke and Carrotia did the only thing they could do for their enjoyment: laugh out loud. Wendy was also giggling at Bearenger's suffering until the grizzly bear roared back at them.
"This ain't funny, you chumps!" Bearenger winched as he finally shook T-Pup off him, who then flew over with a propeller that comes out of his back to use a high-tech laser to try freeing his creator.
Before T-Pup could do anything further, Bearenger lunged forth to pin the robot dog onto the ground as he howled in pain. "YOU STUPID ROBOT MUTT! I AM SO GOING TO TRASH YOU AND KICK THE TEETH OUT OF YOUR FREAKY JAWS!"
"N-No! STOP! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Tails had now begun sobbing with a few sniffs here and there as he tried to pull himself away from the crystalized trap.
Tails continued to struggle in terror of what would happen to T-Pup if he doesn't save him in time and watched his bullies destroy one of his most helpful yet comforting inventions. The young fox started to lose it as he was almost starting to become broken of all thought. Tails screamed outwardly and began crying so hard that Wendy knew she would succeed in making the fox genius unfortunate enough to take control of him.
"Go ahead and destroy that thing, Barry. Maybe it'll help Granny Witchcart take control of the cute fox once he's all sad and miserable like he always will be!" Carrotia said, almost excited as she couldn't help but blush psychotically.
"Make it quick, my dearies! You all still have a Chaos Emerald to win by the time this fox becomes another of my acolytes!" Wendy grinned, rubbing her clawed hands deviously.
Bearenger looked up at Wendy furiously. "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, OLD HAG! I bet the freak planted a bomb in this flying death trap anyways, so I better-!"
"I said...!" Tails began to speak coldly, the anger already overwhelming him as his namesakes began to spin rapidly out of the spiky crystalized chains, shattering them. "...STOP!"
As the young fox turned into a ball of destruction like his idol and hero, Falke tried to snatch onto Tails' namesakes before unfortunately getting whirled along and crashing somewhere else. Leaving Bearenger to widen his eyes once he couldn't finish his insult, Tails immediately struck the grizzly bear's chest at full speed as it blew the air out of his lungs, causing Bearenger's pupils to shrink and get knocked back. The grizzly bear wasn't so lucky as he went sailing past the shocked Wendy and Carrotia into a group of snapping Crab-Meats nearby, jumping out in a howl of pain.
Falke, who was upside-down on the ground close by, bursts out laughing as Bearenger dragged himself out of the group. While he started plucking each crab-based Badnik off him, Carrotia noticed that Tails had gotten out and was now propelling down the racetrack with T-Pup alongside him.
"Ree-Hee-Hee~! I see he's not as weak as I once thought! I should've turned him into a crystal when I had the chance, but that fox pup won't stop us from getting that Chaos Emerald!" The troll witch laughed as she smiled, glancing over to her wolf minion. "Falke, be a dear and…!"
"With pleasure, mistress!" Falke yelled, jumping out of his lounging stance and onto his hoverbike to drive off after the two-tailed fox, laughing.
Huffing proudly, Wendy then points onward to motion her minions to progress forth. "Make your way ahead of that fox pup, my dearies! Take him out; use brute force if you have to do so. We will prevail on taking that Chaos Emerald!"
Making their way to hop right into each hovercraft, and like a flash, the two Witchcarters flew off to resume onto the racetrack to win that Chaos Emerald.
"Soon, Wally, I'll be able to find and reclaim you with the use of that magical gem. And once the time arrives, Mobius shall receive its just reward." Wendy muttered to herself in a soothing voice.
As Wendy remains left behind and alone, she forced a confident yet maniacal smile as the troll witch disappeared in a shape-shifting manner. Meanwhile, Falke zoomed around all over the place, being the mentally insane person he's always been. He flew past another sloping corridor so that Falke can take himself up to the higher route, where he would finally spot Tails moving onward throughout the racetrack.
"Hehehe~! You are going to get it now, nerdy-wordy! Nobody messes with the wolf power!" The blue wolf looked quite irritated, but despite that, he still kept laughing.
A demented grin remains plastered on his face as Falke started throwing mines at the young fox. Tails jolted in surprise along with T-Pup as they both sped up the pace of flight, dodging the explosives near them both and attempting to do something very extreme. Flying around to stop right where Falke was approaching, the wolf felt eager enough to launch another mine once more to try and blow up the young fox.
However, with enough calculating time and effort made in his head, Tails used both of his namesakes to catch one of the mines while spinning in a tornado until the boy genius swerved it right back at Falke's hoverbike. The explosive made the hoverbike blow up, sending the blue wolf flying through the air by the shock. Despite this, Falke kept cackling as he continued soaring through the air before he crashes headfirst into the side of one of Spring Yard's maroon walls, with his head stuck in it. While giggling in a mad daze, Falke's head pops out as he slid down the wall and slumped down on the floor.
"Hehe~! Mommy, I didn't do it...!" Falke said in a silly tone before he fell flat on his face, unconscious.
Terrified yet happy that he had defeated one of his bullies, Tails sighs in relief as he continues forward to pathways on the stable ground and leads on course. As Tails and T-Pup flew through Spring Yard, he could see that springs, whether both horizontal and vertical, are common in this place. He saw some leftover Badniks still active but with crystals stuck to them.
"Wendy has done some things here to keep me away! Gosh, all of this isn't necessary for those guys to try and ambush me! Why can't they leave me alone for once?" Tails said uncertainly, still disbelieving what happened earlier.
"Or how about you let me try and put this through your puny head, nerd!" Tails began to hear a deep voice in the distance.
The twin-tailed fox became paralyzed by the sound of that voice. He will have to try his best to defend himself once he saw Bearenger in front of him. Tails' statement caused the blood in the grizzly bear's body to boil, and in an anger-driven moment, he jumped and slammed his fist down where the young fox's feet stood. That caused Tails to land on his butt and look up with utter fear while Bearenger stared him down with burning eyes. T-Pup was too busy snarling fiercely at Bearenger while yapping at him to back off.
"It's because even among such weaklings, you're in an entirely different and more pathetic level! Do you keep deluding yourself into thinking everyone would accept a two-tailed nobody like you when they have normal mobians like me that can earn anything they want?! There's no passage from this point on for freaks like you! NOW SCRAM BEFORE I STOMP ON YOUR WEAK GUTS!" Bearenger shouted in a provoking voice.
Tails backed away to get on his feet in a hurried panic and held a hand up to try and defuse the situation. "Wait, you're getting things mixed up again, Barry! I don't want to try and take away anything from you! But I need to get past through-!"
"Get past me? You? Don't make me laugh. You're a weak link against anything! And you know what makes you one?" Bearenger mocked with a sarcastic laugh as he then hopped into his rocket vehicle and pilots it. "Your loyalty and reliance on that pathetic hairdo punk. You're not going through that finish line, and I'll show everyone just how much of a weak link you are, freak!"
His statement makes Tails suddenly glare at his longtime bully and clenches his hand. "I have a name, Barry! It's Tails, and I'm going to win this race; to show you just how jealous you are of me being different!"
"I told you to SCRAM!" Bearenger yelled, growing irritated at Tails for saying that he's jealous of some freaky fox. "Wouldn't want my fist plowing through your weak body now, would you?"
Tails, now annoyed, tried to fly above him, but Bearenger was too quick to grab him and viciously threw the young fox down to the ground.
"Oh, boy, do I have a bone to pick with you! I'm going to freaking destroy you for hitting me into those bunch of Crab-Meats, fox!" Bearenger yelled, steering into the sea of spiky chains, grabbing and ripping them out with his bare hands.
Seeing this, Tails quickly keeps on propelling towards a flat area full of spring launchers while Bearenger was right behind him. Tails then leaped onto one of the spring launchers, where he gets blasted into the air at high speed, with Bearenger still doggedly in pursuit.
"You can't escape me that easily, freak! Not after what I just went through because of you!" Bearenger's eyes began daggers at Tails, chasing after him as he fires three small projectiles at him at a time. "Don't run from me, freak! I'll get you for this! You won't escape MY WRATH!"
T-Pup followed along with his creator while they evaded a few of the projectiles. Any rubble in the grizzly bear's way of charging got shattered like glass as Tails moved to avoid each projectile. Bearenger pilots up in the air, fueled by a large spring launcher. Tails dropped down in midair to bounce up from another spring launcher.
"You're a laughingstock of Mobius! A pariah! An outcast! You'll never be able to keep up with anyone at all! Heck, I'm sure enough that even this obstacle course will become your DEATH SENTENCE! Mobius doesn't need to have its reputation get any worse with you trying and failing everything you do!"
Tails couldn't help but look down in disappointment and embarrassment as the grizzly bear mocked his life. The boy genius knew he was different from others, but it didn't mean that it was impossible when he met Sonic for the first time. His speedy idol wasn't like anything Dr. Robotnik or Dr. Snively had told him previously.
Tails still felt there was a good chance for him to become something better. Maybe to become a hero like Sonic and help fight the worst of villains with a confident smile. And he would never let anyone, like his bullies, trample that goal.
Meanwhile, underground, in Jungle Labyrinth, Sally and Bunnie walk along the pathway filled with mysterious traps that include giant boulders, moving walls, and endless waterways that could hinder any curious explorers. There was no sun or moon in the sky, but a weird light pierced the gloom. The underground labyrinth of years passed and is now partially immersed in the h2O liquid.
The girls were busy navigating through the labyrinth and getting past certain traps or giant boulders that could flatten anyone in a matter of seconds. Striding confidently in, Sally saw the deeper, darker corridors of the sanctum. Bunnie even spotted a crashed minecart on the way over. Today, visitors that didn't use any variety of equipment to progress into the remains were either fish or visibly out of their minds. Finding ancient traps and a more Badniks encompassing Jungle Labyrinth, the two girls wasted no time to begin investigating as Sally holds out Nicole in a brief moment.
"Gee, this place is a labyrinth, alright," Sally observed the hand-held computer, walking along the route with Bunnie alongside her.
"Yeah. It feels like it'll take forever to find another Super Badnik or an Emerald with all these walls girdlin' us inside," Bunnie added, and she turned to look at her best friend. "You findin' any leads yet, Sally-Girl?"
"Trying, Bunnie," Sally answered with a tiny frown, pointing onward. "But many travelers that come here say that these ruins should lead through a series of tests: the trial of intelligence, darkness, and lastly, water. Sonic would probably not like the last part if he were still here."
Bunnie began to smirk smugly, giggling at the thought. "Well, you're a good swimmer, Sally-Girl. He wouldn't need to worry if he'd fall in, and you can save his spiny butt, no problem!"
The girls could only let out a small laugh, knowing that Sonic's reputation as a hero would turn into a laughingstock due to his sudden anxiety about water. But, of course, they both knew better from what they were notifying. Though, Sally could not have been redder with embarrassment after thinking about Sonic like that. Until all the joy that had filled her vanished when the princess suddenly remembers Meta-Morphia's words from earlier. Due to this, Bunnie soon caught the sudden change in expression on Sally's face.
"My, my, I do declare, Sally-Girl; your mind is anywhere but here." Bunnie raised an eyebrow sincerely with a smile.
"Sorry, Bunnie...it's just...I'm starting to get worried about Sonic." Sally replied, putting her hand on her other arm with a hint of concern. "I mean, sometimes with how he tries to handle things on his own without our help. How exactly did Sonic talk us into this? Doesn't he know that he'll get himself into trouble if he acts like this?"
"Fancy that, Sugar." Bunnie rolled her eyes calmly.
"Bunnie, I don't fancy that. Not one bit!" Sally shook her head in denial. "I don't know how to stop him in these kinds of situations. I swear he has got to be the biggest baby on the planet."
"Sally, I'm sure that whatever he's got on his mind is messy, but Sugar-Hog's no city-slicker who forgets about us," Bunnie answered, focusing both eyes on her best friend this time.
"I know that, yes...but...!" Sally said eventually. "Do you think Sonic does all these childish things to make me mad? Like maybe that he's hiding something about him?"
"Now, hold your horses a bit, Sally-Girl. Sugar-Hog's been havin' the worst times of his life back then before we even met him. If he wants to blow off steam, I can think of worse ways to do it. I don't know the full answer, Sugar, but I think that's just Sonic; it's what he does and who he is to feel like he's a special one," Bunnie said with a wink, stepping in on Sonic's behalf. "Besides, you got to think about all he has done for us on the way here. And you should accept that."
After hearing Bunnie's concluding statement, Sally soon ponders about her first confrontation with the speedy hero, who saved her from that Super Badnik prison. Sonic kept reassuring her that everyone else is going to be okay for the time being. And he even used himself as a shield to cover the princess safely from that blast in the Marble Bridge clash against Dr. Robotnik.
But right now, when hearing those harsh words about Sonic from that shape-shifting Badnik previously, she needed to figure out more of this exposed information soon by asking Sonic himself. If it is true that Sonic did lie about not living in Mobotropolis back then, and is hiding something about himself, then Sally will have to pry it out of him somehow.
"You're right, Bunnie. We better get a move on before whatever else Robotnik has in store for us," Sally smiled at the southern belle.
As the two girls walked along the pathway once more, down below the intricate maze filled with water, an enormous, mass-produced machine of some kind hid within the shadows deeply underwater. Two eyestalks with glowing eyes stalked both Sally and Bunnie whenever it gets the chance. The Super Badnik swam back and forth without deploying any direct means of attacking the two girls above before using its propeller tail fin to accelerate away, disappearing.
"Hedgehog Alert! Hedgehog Alert-!" A Swat-Bot droned just before a speedy blue ball came and shredded through its torso.
Right now, Sonic and Rotor had already trampolined themselves to advance inside the Robotnik statue where it would contain the master control computer around here. Although Rotor had been panting to catch up with Sonic, the speedy hero reluctantly maintains his speed for his friend to follow him.
"Come on, Rotor! We gotta get moving if we wanna waste this ugly statue of Butt-Nik!" Sonic called out as he looked at Rotor, who panted after Sonic.
"I know, Sonic! Let me just..." Rotor tried to catch his breath. "...catch up! Geez, how do you even move this quickly, Sonic?"
"Well, I've gotten told that I'm the fastest on Mobius here and there, but I'm not the kind of guy who wants to stay on the sidelines," Sonic said as he looks back at Rotor.
"Hey! I may not be as fast as you or cool as you. But I can help! For a walrus with skills of technology, you can be sure I'll knock anything down." Rotor stated, gaining respect from Sonic with a thumbs-up.
"Now that's what I was waiting for, Rote! Good backup call, now let's go!"
"Right-! Sonic, look out!" Rotor shouted, his eyes widened in fear.
Several Crab-Meats and Rollers came in their way as one of the armadillo-based Badniks curled into a ball and spun after Rotor. The walrus leaps out of the way for the Roller to twist back around and charge a second time. Only this time, Sonic unleashed a spin attack and cracked open the Roller to release a critter. Sonic then skids his feet to charge right back towards the Crab-Meats, rolling into a ball again to smash through each crab-based Badnik like a bowling pin. Finally, he bounces up to stand on his feet once again to examine small animals fleeing from the broken Badnik pieces.
"Thanks, Sonic. Talk about a close call." Rotor praised with a relieved expression, scrambling to his side.
"Say no more, Rotor! Now come on, let's get to work on these bolt brains!"
"Gotcha!" Rotor said with a smile as he and Sonic run off to fight any more Badniks that lead to the computer room.
The two friends ran around until they carefully made their way to see two paths ahead of them.
"Aw geez! Two paths, two problems," Rotor said, somewhat nervous.
"Hmm..." Sonic put a hand on his chin and smirked after getting an idea. "Tell you what, Rotor! You go left, and I'll handle the right. We'll meet up ahead if we can."
"Neat!" Rotor said, showing interest as he ran into the left path while Sonic rushes down towards the one on the right.
"Catch me if you can, suckers!" Sonic laughed, racing through as Rollers and Buzz-Bombers chase after him.
On the left pathway, Rotor held out a wrench to use and destroy one of the Spikes. "Whew! I think I'm getting the hang of this!"
The walrus then sees some Crab-Meats up ahead before rushing along. "Ugh, all this work..."
Back on the right pathway with Sonic, he sprints out of the way to face the other pursuing Badniks head-on. "Hiya, bolt brains! You looking for me?"
Some of the Crab-Meats and Buzz-Bombers began to open fire at the speedy hedgehog, but they missed as Sonic jumps up to deliver a spin attack that went and destroyed each Badnik.
"Heh-heh! Easy as pie." Sonic showed a small smile of pride.
"Whoa! Yikes! SONIC!"
After hearing Rotor calling out for the blue speedster, Sonic sprinted along as fast as he could ever do and spun inside to attack three Crab-Meats that were trapping Rotor. Then, Sonic grabs Rotor by the arm and dashes back to where the central computer room became located.
"You called, Rote?" Sonic smiled at his walrus friend.
"Thanks, pal. That was a close one." Rotor smiled back before looking around and saw a doorway with a computer workstation inside. "I guess this must be the network here. Now, let's waste those slot machines and trash this ugly statue."
"Way past, Rote."
Back on the racetrack inside an internal passageway, Tails yelped as he evaded underneath Bearenger's rocket once it grinds against the maroon walls nearby. But the grizzly bear smashes it with a powerful punch, destroying it as he beat his chest like a gorilla and roared.
"AARRGH! DIE, YOU DAMN NERD! DIE!" He screeched angrily, attempting to crush Tails beneath his rocket.
Fortunately, Tails hovered his way out of the deadly trap and pondered for a plan to beat Bearenger. "I'm screwed! Barry is going to bring the walls down on me, and there's nothing I can do about it."
Watching Bearenger throwing chunks of bricks next, Tails cried out in fear while avoiding such objects until he realizes something. "Unless that is what I need! I have to let him run into the walls, fly out as it collapses on top of him. That should work. I have to make him angry, which should not be hard to do."
With that plan initiated, Tails flew closer to Bearenger's face and started to scold: "H-Hey, Barry! You s-smell bad, like barf!"
Bearenger just stared at the two-tailed fox for a moment. "What...?" he asked.
"A-And you're so ugly that you'd have to shave your butt and walk on two hands!"
"WHAT...?!" Bearenger now started to growl, showing that it worked.
"I-I bet y-you got kicked out of an u-ugly contest because they said no professionals are allowed!"
Bearenger started to foam from his mouth in fury as steam came from his nostrils and his eyes grew enraged. Before the grizzly bear could say anything at all, Tails breathed in for one last insult that could make his bully blow up.
"A-And you are SO UGLY that when you look in a mirror, your reflection ducks and throws up! Sometimes both!"
"YOU DAMN NERD! I'M GOING TO GRIND YOU INTO PASTE AND DO IT AGAIN UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD!" Bearenger screamed as he steers the rocket at him in full charge.
In his clouded mindset, Bearenger's lack of control, and Tails' superior speed and agility, it didn't become difficult for the young fox to let him crash into the walls and make the building shake.
"You can't run forever, freak! I'm going to enjoy crushing a weak, spineless loser like you!" Bearenger growled, his eyes becoming venomous and teeming with rage as he glared at the two-tailed fox.
"I'm not trying to, Barry. I'm outwitting you!" Tails said, causing the grizzly bear's eyes to widen.
"Say wha-?" Bearenger began to speak.
Just then, the grizzly bear suddenly sees a girder from the ceiling fall on top of him, and he just grabs it as quickly as he could.
"GRRR! It takes more than that…!"
But then more rubble began to drop from the ceiling, soon piling on the load Bearenger was carrying onto his back. It got to the point where his rocket started vibrating under the weight of the wreckage taken by him, despite his strength.
"...to keep me down! You're not going to cheat your way out of this, nerd! You've completely ruined this for me!" The explosive grizzly bear's hateful glare bore into Tails' nervous eyes. "I was supposed to be the one who gets all the glory! NOT A FREAK OF NATURE LIKE YOU! You do not belong anywhere, and then all of Mobius will know just how pathetic and forgetful you are-! GAGH!"
T-Pup sailed inside the rocket and aimed his teeth between Bearenger's legs, biting down hard. The grizzly bear let out a high-pitched scream as the robot dog has bitten his sensitive parts, causing him to lose his grip. T-Pup yipped back to his creator by the time the rubble Bearenger carried dropped on top of him.
Tails and T-Pup managed to get outside in time as the building collapsed onto Bearenger entirely. As the smoke cleared, the grizzly bear lays there buried under rubble. His face became the only thing noticeable to Tails, but he knew his bully was unconscious and letting out a moan of pain.
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Tails said, petting his robot dog gently. "Come on, T-Pup! Let's finish this-!"
Suddenly, Carrotia comes tearing past the two-tailed in her carrot-shaped hovercraft with a cheeky grin before he could catch his breath. "Thanks for the distraction! Now, I am going to get the top prize! Catch you later, pipsqueak!" She yelled.
"Hey, that's not FAIR!" Her words made Tails shout out with a glare and propels after Carrotia.
As Tails and T-Pup were beginning to catch up with the Carrotia, she put her hand to her mouth and then blew out a kiss, only for an energy blast in the shape of lips to shoot out of her mouth. Towards the young fox's direction, he hovered to the side before nearly getting incinerated like the lines of blocks close by him. The two sped through the rest of the area, dodging all sorts of death traps. There became so many spherical objects covered in studs, robots covered in spikes and quite annoying bumpers.
"You're not going to stop me or tease me like this anymore, Carrotia! I'm not losing this race! Not now, or ever again!" Tails said as he continued to propel for the finish line that stood afar, with Carrotia shooting more kisses of doom in his way.
"Says you and what army? We were only kidding around with you about competing in this race, cutie! And now that you're here, I want to tease with my plaything some more!" Her smile became unsettlingly wide as her eyes glowed cruelly. "You may be a fox with freaky tails, but you are as submissive as a dog, like a little wuss who's got some bones to break."
Carrotia lifted her hands, a pair of carrot-shaped energy projectiles appeared in her hands. She then tosses them like a pair of missiles, in which some constructions nearby became reduced to pieces.
"I'm already full of energy, and I won't stop until I give Granny Witchcart that shiny jewel wrapped in a big bow. Now sit still, and maybe we can kiss and make up for always tripping you!" Carrotia said as she shot more kisses of doom, which Tails dodged with his flying.
Tails and Carrotia made it into a field of round bumpers with a yellow star printed on each one. When the two-tailed fox collides with a bumper, he bounces off it. Tails had found himself getting thrown from one bumper to another, which was getting quite ridiculous. He managed to get ejected from the torture and just laid face-first on the ground.
"That sucked...!"
"Enjoy your glory while it lasts, cutie! Because after you lose, no one will remember you!" Carrotia teased as she drove off towards the finish line.
When those words came to the young fox's ears, he looked back up with a straight face and refused to listen to his bully's abuse towards him. Tails eventually made it to his feet, beginning to study the bumpers before making his first move. He had flown above towards each bumper to curl into a ball and started building up momentum. Moments later, Tails leaped across the bumpers and zoomed himself straight into the sky. While Tails could recognize Carrotia as she approaches the finish line, he whistled for T-Pup to waver right behind his creator with an advanced springboard switched within his back.
"And the winner is..." Breezie's voice on the microphone spoke out.
"It may be true that I am just a freak to you guys, but when you lose, no one will let you forget the one who beat you!" Tails declared as loud as his voice could muster.
Flipping both his feet against the spring, Tails vaulted himself at top speed towards the direction of the finish line. Both of his namesakes propelled faster than he ever could as Tails blurred his way after Carrotia in the hunt for triumph. Not even Carrotia could regard what Tails was about to do while her sights were on the Chaos Emerald for her master. The young fox aimed at the back of Carrotia's head until he knocked her aside with a spin attack, causing her hovercraft to crash and impact the ground.
"Nighty-night!" Carrotia uttered as she giggled with a cross-eyed expression and then fainted.
With a determined slice, Tails had spun through the ribbon at the finish line, moments before Carrotia could reach it previously. Tails rolled over after he slides against the ground from making it first place to the finish line. He winced a bit from the rough landing until all of that hurt went away at the sight of the audience cheering loudly for his success.
"...Turbo Tails!"
Gazing upon the crowd of mobians who applauded and whooped for their twin-tailed racer, Tails finally let the tears drip down his cheeks as he smiled widely for the fulfillment he has done for himself. Tails had finally won for a change in his miserable, lonely, bullied life. Suddenly, his robot dog happily skips over to Tails, licking his face a couple of times. Some of the crowd became speechless by the canine robot's surprising yet hilarious assault on the twin-tailed fox.
"T-Pup-AH! Stop! Bahahaha!" Tails shouted with the sound of intense laughter, managing to get a hold of his robotic creation.
TO BE CONTINUED...