Chapter 21: This Chapter is Literally 1984
"That meddlesome hedgehog…"
Dr. Eggman was pacing in a dimly lit, shabby warehouse, massaging his orange mustache.
"Always getting in my way…always foiling my plans, and for what? What does that meddlesome pincushion have to gain from returning to Mobius anyway? No matter…I'm about to unveil my latest scheme, one that even Sonic won't be able to foil! Wooahhooohoohooo!" The evil doctor's laughter echoed throughout the mostly empty building, the only other inhabitants putting the finishing touches on Robotnik's ace in the hole.
"Are you two slowpokes done yet?" Eggman asked as he peered up at Decoe and Bocoe on the top level of a large, narrow structure, a satellite perched at the top within a few feet of the ceiling.
"Nearly finished, Doctor!" Decoe replied, waving to the elder human.
"We built everything to your specifications," Bocoe added, "but why isn't the satellite dish outside of the building?"
"Don't worry about the why," Eggman replied, tapping his foot impatiently. "I don't pay you to ask questions."
"He doesn't pay us at all," Decoe whispered to his mechanical brother, earning a supportive nod from Bocoe.
"My eggsquisite plan will be made plain as day when the time comes," Eggman continued. "All you need to worry about is ensuring the mind control satellite is properly installed and calibrated."
"Mind control?" Decoe asked, tilting his head in confusion. "Control whom?"
"Control the masses, of course!"
The party turned to Chris Thorndyke, an evil grin across his face. Stepping around the evil doctor, he decided to personally inspect the base of the pillar himself, not having a clue what he was looking at beyond bars of metal but wanting to appear intelligent and impressive nevertheless.
"The mind control signal emitted to everyone's television and computer monitors will force them to enter a stupor, and with enough exposure, I can simply transmit my command, and everyone will obey! It's the perfect plan! Mwaaahahahahah!"
Turning away, Eggman snickered under his breath.
Little does this brat know, the message I'll transmit will affect him as well! Only my special glasses can protect against the signal.
Eggman adjusted his spectacles before returning his attention to the young boy, asking himself how the kid was too dumb to realize this fundamental flaw in his plan.
"Just imagine…once I use this mind control to force everyone to obey my commands, there will be no stopping me from achieving my desires!" Chris continued.
"But Mr. Thorndyke," Bocoe interrupted, "you are already one of the wealthiest people on Earth."
"Yeah," Decoe added, "what could you possibly want that you can't already obtain."
"No, bad robots!" Chris waved his hand down, signaling Eggman's creations to meet him on the ground floor. Once they slid down the ladder, the young boy pulled a rolled-up newspaper from his back pocket and proceeded to smack the two with it repeatedly. "Seriously, you'd think Eggman would program a bit of obedience into you two."
"Robots without personality would get boring!" Eggman replied. "Having subjects to do my bidding, and watching their displeasure, is half the fun!"
"That's where I disagree," Chris replied as he folded his arms. "I despise the utter contempt others have for me…my classmates, Helen, and these supposed heroes all hate me…" His disdain for the Mobians was signified with air quotes. "I've been told that, to make friends, I should be my authentic self, to not simply buy friendships or hire classmates to do my bidding. The problem with this theory, though, is that the stupid, contemptable wastes of space around me either follow me for the financial reward or out of fear…" Chris firmly stomped his feet on the concrete floor, echoing across the factory. "If the foolish people around me won't change, then I will make them change. If they don't want to be my friends, then I will force them to be my friends…and the best part…" The rich kid turned toward Eggman, a menacing, sadistic grin plastered along his face, "is that they will be forced to smile. They will be happy to serve me."
"But enough about me," Chris concluded with a chuckle, his self-inflated superiority dripping from his every word, "I just came here for a progress report. If things are going according to plan, I will take my leave…" Chris peered down and placed his hands on his belly. "What do you want to eat, stomach?" He then switched tons, elevating his pitch.
"I don't know, Mr. Thorndyke, whatever you'd like!"
"Thanks for your consideration," Chris replied to his digestive system. "Maybe we'll do…tacos! I'll have Tanaka buy out the Taco Bell nearest here and have them serve me exclusively!"
"Make sure to get some Baja Blast! I really like it," his stomach suggested.
"I do, too!" Chris replied with a laugh, almost sounding like a real kid. "Okay, I'll get a few dozen Doritos Locos Tacos with Baja Blast. I won't be able to finish it all…but I can just throw the leftovers away. No dent in my wallet!"
"Oh wow, you're so cool!" Chris' elbow said in a lower voice. "When I grow up, I want to be just like you, Mr. Thorndyke."
"Ahh, shucks…" Chris ran a hand through his hair as he stepped out of the warehouse, returning to the limousine parked out front, leaving Eggman and his henchmen speechless.
"Ummm, Doctor?" Decoe asked, breaking the silence.
"What…was that?" Bocoe added.
"I…have no words…" Shaking his head to escape his perplexed trance, Eggman spun around and returned his attention to his mechanical henchmen. "Enough about the boy! Get this mind controlling satellite working on the double!"
"Yes, Doctor!" The two replied as they picked up their wrenches and began tightening seemingly random bolts.
Sharing a smirk of his own, the evil doctor massaged his mustache as he ran the series of events through his mind. "That meddlesome hedgehog and his cohorts will fall victim to my mind control, but even if they somehow escape the clutches of this signal, I will have another card up my sleeve!" As if on cue, the evil doctor slipped the purple Chaos Emerald out from his sleeve.
The warehouse was filled with Dr. Eggman's laughter as Decoe and Bocoe put the finishing touches on what Eggman predicts to be his greatest plan yet…the scheme that will finally make him reign supreme.
"Pikachu, I choose you!"
"PIKA, PIKA!"
"Alright, Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack!"
"PIKAAAAAA CHUUUUUU!"
Cream watched the living room television in awe as the Pokémon incapacitated his foe, thus allowing his trainer to collect the latest gym badge on his mission to becoming the ultimate Pokémon master.
"Oh wow, Ms. Helen, you were right!" The young bunny's eyes were sparking in delight. "This show is amazing. Isn't that right, Cheese?"
"Chao, chao!" Cheese put on a mock expression and imitated the Pokéball throwing motion used in the show moments earlier.
"I'm glad you like it!" Helen replied. "I have an entire VHS collection my dad kept from his childhood. The older episodes are the best!" The young girl was hardly able to contain her giddiness, the feeling of converting a friend to one's fandom nearly overwhelming her.
"Wartortle is unable to battle," called the referee. "Trainer Ash Ketchum is the wi—"
"We hate to burst your bubble," Called a woman's voice from the shadows.
"..but that winning Pikachu is coming with us," continued her cohort.
"Oh yeah?" The referee turned to the disturbance. "Says who?"
"Oh my gosh, they're gonna say it, they're gonna say it!" Cream cheered. "I love Team Rocket so much!"
"Prepare for trouble…and make it double!" Cream chanted along with the program. "To protect the world from devastation…to unite all peoples within our nation! To denounce the evils of truth and love! To extend our reach to the stars abo—"
The television screen turned black, the audio silent save for the quiet buzzing from the TV.
"But…where'd they go?" Cream asked, her head tilting in confusion.
"Chao, chao?" Cheese added.
"I…don't know?" Helen brought a finger to her chin in confusion. "Maybe the VCR is broken?" A lightbulb appeared over her head. "Hey, maybe Tails can fix it!"
"Yeah!" Cream agreed, balling her fists in excitement. "We can always count on Tails to save the day!"
"Chao, chao!" Cheese added in excitement, zipping around the room.
"Don't worry," Helen concluded as she gripped her hands on the wheels of her wheelchair. "I'll find Tails and bring him ba—" The television's signal miraculously reappeared, but instead of Team Rocket's motto blaring through the speakers, they were met with a warbly, distorted sound coupled with a swirling black and white image. "Hey, what's going on here?" Helen stared at the screen, joined by Cream and Cheese. They grew silent, mesmerized by the image and unable to move, their minds blank and backs resting in their chairs. Their mouths were open, and their eyes were unblinking.
"Oh, hey guys!" Called Bokkun from the kitchen. "I was wondering if I could grab a snack? Maybe some leftover pie?" The messenger robot stepped in front of the living room's inhabitants, waving his small arms across their field of vision. Confused, he turned his attention to the television. "This is the weirdest show I've ever seen! I wonder why Helen and Cream like it so much?" Bokkun stared at the television more carefully, gasping as he saw Eggman's flickering logo fade in and out.
"Oh no!" Bokkun cried as he placed his hands on his head, nearly panicking. "All my friends are being hypnotized!" The messenger robot nudged Cream's shoulder, but she did not react, her eyes transfixed on the shifting spiral image on the screen. "Wake up Cream! Please, wake up!" Tears started to form in his eyes as he picked up Cheese, but they were just as immobilized as their master. Finally, poking at Helen's leg, he found that she was just as transfixed as the others.
Wiping away the tears in his eyes, he peered around. "I've gotta find Sonic and Tails before they get hypnotized too!" As he ran around the house, he heard a clang from the garage. Nearly careening through the door separating the house from the garage, he was greeted to the sight of Tails working on his Miles Electric at the small workbench as Sonic observed his little brother's work intently. Their concentration was broken, however, when the messenger robot appeared before them.
"What's going on, Bokkun?" Sonic asked.
"You seem worried," Tails added. "Did something happen?"
"Yeah," Bokkun replied. "Mind control! Screens! Cream, Cheese, Helen! Pokémon!"
"Woah, buddy," Sonic raised his palms toward the small robot, "slow down there. Take a deep breath…" Bokkun did as he was told, filling his artificial lungs with oxygen before breathing out moments later. "There…feel better?"
"Mmmhmmm," the messenger robot replied with a slow nod.
"Okay, let's take it from the top. You said something about…mind control?" Sonic tilted his head.
"Yes," Bokkun replied. "I don't know how he did it, but Helen, Cream, and Cheese were watching Pokémon when I went to find some food. When I returned, a hypnotic signal was on the TV, and they were under its control.
"That doesn't sound very good," Sonic replied as he scratched the base of his chin.
"But you saw it, though," Tails added as he pointed at the messenger robot, "meaning it only impacts humans and Mobians. You are an artificial creation, or at least partially artificial, thus making you immune from the signal."
"Yes, that must be it," Bokkun replied with a smile before frowning nearly as quickly, "but how do we stop it?"
Tails closed his eyes, allowing himself time to strategize before addressing the party once more. "Well, first we should determine who isn't affected. Doug and Alicia are at work and have probably already been hypnotized. Knuckles is out in the wild, but without a way to communicate with him, he may not be of any—" The blue hedgehog burst out of the garage at supersonic speed, returning seconds later with a confused red echidna in his arms, cradled like a baby. "Ummm…use?"
"Okay, what the hell was that?" Knuckles asked before pushing himself off Sonic's chest, returning to his feet. "You've got a lot of explaining to do!"
"Relax buddy boy," Sonic replied with a lighthearted chuckle. "You know I wouldn't do that to ya unless it were an emergency, right?"
"Sonic is right," Tails replied as he gestured toward the blue hedgehog. "Long story short: Eggman is hypnotizing people using televisions."
"And not just that," Sonic replied as he led the party out to the patio, "but check out the old man." He gestured to Chuck, whose eyes were wide open, staring at a similar signal on his cellphone.
"So we can't look at any screens?" Knuckles said as he folded his arms.
"There's still one we haven't tried yet," Tails replied as he peered over at his Miles Electric, sitting on his workbench powered down. "I'm not sure if I should try it, though."
"It doesn't work on Bokkun, right?" Sonic asked as he placed his hands on his hips.
"You're right, Sonic!" Tails cheered before turning to the messenger robot. "Bokkun, do you want to test my tablet?"
"Sure!" He replied with a smile across his face, feeling happy to be useful. Tails handed him the device before leading the Mobians out of the garage. Once they were safely outside the visual range of the tablet, Bokkun powered the device on. He was greeted with a welcome screen showing a symbol of Tails' namesakes, identical to the decal he uses on many of his machines.
"It's safe!" Bokkun called, signaling Team Sonic to return.
"That's a relief!" Sonic said as he peered down at the tablet.
"I'll say!" Tails agreed as he extended his arm out, allowing Bokkun to return the Miles Electric to its owner. "I can use this device to track the source of the signal…" The orange kitsune got to work, tapping on the screen at a speed that could almost make Sonic blush. "Aha! I think I found it!" Tails spun the tablet around, allowing Sonic and Knuckles the opportunity to study a map pinpointing a location. "Just as I suspected, it appears that whatever is disrupting telecommunication signals is coming from what appears to be an abandoned warehouse just outside of Station Square." Tails swiped his finger over the screen, revealing a picture of the structure. "And according to property records I found online," he swiped once more, "the building was recently purchased by a shell company tied to Thorndyke Industries. This can't be a coincidence."
"Way to go, Detective Tails!" Sonic complimented as he rustled his little brother's hair.
"Oh, puuuleeeeeze," Tails replied as he brought a pretend pipe to his muzzle, "that was elementary my dear Sonic!" The two brothers chuckled. Even Knuckles cracked a smile, quickly subsiding as he thought about their next move.
"Our mission is simple enough, then," Knuckles replied. "We should bust in there and destroy whatever is hypnotizing people!"
"Precisely!" Tails replied as he brought a finger to the air. "To the Tornado 2!"
"Roger!" Sonic and Knuckles replied as the three hopped into the airplane, parked in Helen's garage. Bokkun quickly followed, flying into the middle seats using his jetpack.
"Everyone strapped in?" Tails asked, peering up at the rearview window.
"Since when do we need to wear seatbelts?" Sonic jokingly replied, sitting next to the red echidna and the messenger robot in the middle row.
"It's a basic rule of the road in the United States," Tails replied as he pulled the biplane out of the garage, entering the deserted street as he gained enough speed to lift the aircraft from the ground.
"But Tails…" Sonic replied. "Where we're goin'…" He pulled his sunglasses from his quills and put them on. "…we won't need roads." This earned yet another laugh from the orange kitsune.
"I think you enjoyed Back to the Future a bit too much," Tails replied as the plane left the ground, rising steadily as he pulled the yoke toward him.
"All right, then, Tails," Sonic quipped as he removed his sunglasses and placed them back in his quills, "you get to pick the next thing we watch for movie night!"
"Don't make promises you'll regret, Sonic," Tails replied. "Last I checked, you fall asleep whenever we watch documentaries."
"I swear," Knuckles said, "as far as we know, half the world is being mind controlled, and you two are sharing casual banter?"
"Relax, Knucklehead," Sonic replied as he leaned back in his chair, placing his gloved hands behind his head. "It's just what we do. Besides, it's Egghead we're talkin' 'bout. We'll crack his latest scheme like we always do! Isn't that right, Tails?"
"You bet, Sonic!" Tails replied, winking at his older brother through the rearview mirror.
"Hey Tails?" Bokkun asked.
"What is it, Bokkun?" He replied, tilting his head as the party's focus turned to the messenger robot.
"What's that beeping sound?" Bokkun asked. "I think it's coming from your tablet." He pointed at the Miles Electric, which was affixed to the Tornado 2's dashboard, a recent innovation from the two-tailed fox.
"It…can't…woah…" As the young kitsune grew closer to the warehouse, the fox divided his attention between the air and the tablet, one hand on the yoke as the other frantically tapped the screen of the tablet.
"What's goin' on, buddy?" Sonic asked, peering over the fox's shoulder.
"It's a…Chaos Emerald," Tails replied.
"Oh yeah, the detector is working again," Sonic said. "Just like in Silver Valley."
"The signal is a bit spotty," Tails tapped the screen a few times more, "but the gem's current location is the same as the warehouse. So that must mean…"
"Eggman has a Chaos Emerald!" The party said in unison.
"That would explain the source of the frequency's power," Tails theorized, raising a finger to his chin in thought. He averted his gaze to the rearview mirror. "Sonic, do you still have the blue Chaos Emerald?"
"Is grass green?" Sonic replied as he pulled the shimmering gem from his quills. "Is water wet?"
"Knuckles, do you have the red one?" The red echidna nodded as he pulled the red emerald from his dreadlocks.
"And I…" Tails reached into his namesakes to pull out the green gem. "…have this one." The three Chaos Emeralds glowed in unison, detecting each other's presence, and filling the party with vigor, the natural effect of these mystical gems.
"So Eggman thought he was so clever, huh?" Sonic asked. "He thought we would fall for his brainwashing scheme."
"I'll show him!" Knuckles added as he crashed one fist against the open palm of his other hand. "This is the last time he uses the sacred powers of the Chaos Emeralds for his own selfish desires!"
"I wouldn't bet on that, Knucklehead," Sonic replied, "but one thing's for certain: we've gotta get the Chaos Emerald back and stop his mind controlling device."
"Right!" Tails replied as he started his descent, using the abandoned highway to land his biplane within a few dozen yards of the warehouse. The four leapt out once the aircraft came to a stop, and they headed for the door.
"Locked," Tails observed after twisting the knob.
"Stand back, Tails," Knuckles requested as he tapped the orange kitsune on the shoulder. Tails did as he was told and watched as the red echidna blasted through the door with the might of his fist.
Sonic whistled. "Man, watching Knuckles punch things never gets old. Good thing I wasn't on the receiving end of his fist this time!" Knuckles blushed at the unsolicited compliment before rapidly shaking his head and leading the troupe into the building.
"Is it just me," Tails asked, "or is it pitch dark in here?"
As if on cue, the party was met with a barrage of industrial lights, all centered on the four. They peered around to find the walls covered with televisions.
"Sonic the Hedgehog," Eggman said as he approached the heroes, "always a displeasure."
"What can I say?" Sonic replied with a shrug. "Putting a stop to bad guys is sort of my thing."
"Well, Sonic," Eggman quipped as he ran a hand through his mustache, "it looks like I will be having the last laugh this time! Decoe, Bocoe…turn on the televisions."
"Yes, Doctor!" Decoe and Bocoe did as they were told, pressing a large red button which simultaneously switched on all the televisions covering the walls and ceilings. Eggman cheered as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were instantly transfixed on the spiraling images flickering on the screens surrounding the open warehouse floor.
"At last! I have Sonic and his friends in the palm of my hands! Wooahhooohoohooo!" Grinning, he approached Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails, who were slouched over slightly as they stared at the televisions, their mouths open and saliva dripping from their lips. "Now, you will do exactly as I say! Starting with…" Eggman brought a finger to his chin in thought. "You know…I've been trying to stop Sonic for so long that I haven't thought this far ahead yet…well…I think it'd be rather funny if they sing that one song I saw on the internet! Yes…" Eggman cleared his throat. "Sonic, Tails, Knuckles: sing and dance to the song Peanut Butter Jelly Time."
Team Sonic proceeded to bend their knees, swinging their arms as they started singing in monotone voices. "Peanut. Butter. Jelly. Time. Peanut. Butter. Jelly. Time."
"Yes, yes, yes, this is delicious!" Eggman's bellowing laughter filled the factory once more. "I think I'll order them to make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich next! Wooahhooohooh—" The Doctor's laughter was cut short as the spiral graphic disappeared from the televisions. "Wait, what just happened?" Eggman peered around frantically as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles regained their composures, rubbing their eyes in confusion. Finally, the evil doctor's gaze was turned to the top of the satellite tower, a small robot clasping the purple Chaos Emerald from above.
"Bokkun!" Eggman cried. "Damn that no good double crosser! When I get my hands on him, I'm going t—" He was interrupted once more, this time from tapping on his back. Immediately when Eggman turned around, he was greeted with a punch to the gut from an angry echidna, sending the elder scientist careening to the tower.
"Egg Mobile, I summon you!" Eggman called as he forced himself up, clutching his gut before pulling himself into his flying, egg-shaped vehicle. "This isn't over! Not by a long shot!" Using a laser, he blasted a hole through the wall, using this opportunity to escape.
"Hey, come back here!" Knuckles called as he ran toward Eggman, but he tripped, still dazed from the recent mind control.
"Are you alright, Knuckles?" Tails asked from the red echidna's side, offering his supportive hand.
"Y-yeah…" he replied as he accepted the fox's offer of assistance, grabbing his palm and returning to his feet.
"Hey guys!"
Team Sonic peered up to find Bokkun at the top of the tower, giving the three a peace sign with one hand as he proudly held the purple Chaos Emerald with another.
"Good going, Bokkun!" Sonic complimented, giving the messenger robot a well-deserved thumbs up. The robot blushed as he descended to the ground below.
The blue hedgehog addressed the group. "Ready to blow this popsicle stand?"
"Yeah, these TVs are giving me the creeps," Tails replied, peering around at the walls of televisions for the final time before stepping outside, heading back to the Tornado 2.
"So…Sonic…Tails…"
Before they could hop into the aircraft, they were met by Christopher Thorndyke, leaning against his limousine as he sucked on a candy cigarette. Taking a fake drag, he blew the nonexistent smoke from his lungs before dropping the candy on the ground and crushing it with his shoe. "Our next plot will certainly bring you down!"
"I'd like to see you try," Sonic replied with a snicker, "but partnering with Eggman? You realize that's more of a weakness than a strength, right?"
"Just you wait, hedgehog," Chris replied as he reached a hand into the open window of the limousine, pulling out a roll of toilet paper. He threw it over the biplane before diving into the car, commanding his driver to book it. The limo peeled out of there, escaping over the horizon as the heroes were left dumbfounded.
"Well…" Tails picked up the stream of toilet paper with both hands. "Cross this off the grocery list at least."