"Delicious, isn't it?"

Robotnik, or Doctor Eggman as he now called himself, stood atop the platform hoisted above his drill tank, with Sally on her knees and Antione still curled into a huddling ball of fear. King Acorn was still being squeezed tight by 'Sebastian', who seemed to be enjoying this all too much. And Sonic, Tails, and Johnny weren't quite sure what to do about all of this.

"'Eggman'?", said the King, as though he couldn't believe the words that were coming out of that madman's mouth. Then again, maybe he should have started. "Are you completely insane?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Quite honestly, I don't really care. What you should care about," he said, pulling out his laser blaster, "is that I've got a gun triggered to your daughter's pretty noggin and that unless you do exactly as I say, she's not going to have it much longer."

"DON'T LISTEN TO HIM DADDY!", shouted Sally. "I'LL BE FINE, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!"

"You know," said Eggman to Sally, "you can keep that up all you like missy, but the fact is, even if you weren't here, it wouldn't matter much. If at all. You see, I never intended on tying you up and bringing you here. You were simply a happy accident. You're just here to sweeten the pot."

"What do you mean?", asked Sally, though as her eyes started to widen in a sense of dawning realization, she quickly realized that she hadn't needed to ask Robotnik anything to know just what he meant.

"Think about it. The entire capital is being besieged by my robots even as we speak, including various important sectors of Government I might add, and the man whom your daddy thought was his closest and trusted friend has him trapped like a rat in a bearhug. Speaking of which, feel free to drop the act anytime you like, Dingo! It's not going to matter that much now anyway."

"With pleasure, 'boss.'" In a mere few seconds, the unthinkable occurred. All at once, 'Sebastian's' body began to twist and turn, to swerve and contort, to shift itself into something completely unrecognizable as Sebastian until, at last, it wasn't Sebastian anymore. In his place was a massive orange and hairy over-muscled brute with large sharp teeth and bad breath, and he seemed to relish having both gained and shattered the King's trust so completely.

"Sebastian?", said the King, almost as though he couldn't bring himself to believe what was happening before his very eyes.

"Sebastian," said the brute, "had a very nasty accident some weeks back. Let's just say he's resting somewhere you can't reach.'

King Acorn gave the massive brute a sharp piercing gaze so intense that it seemed to cut through to his very soul. "And where would that be if I may ask?"

The brute grinned at the King like a young boy sometimes does when he's about to murder a poor innocent defenseless critter viciously. Not that would necessarily mean any murdering was involved in this specific case, but the spirit was still as plain as day. "Funny, that. Name's Dingo by the way. Case you were asking."

"I wasn't," said the King, who couldn't care less.

"In any case," said Eggman, "your father's kingdom, my dear girl, would have been conquered in one way or another without your help, so whether or not you're alive or dead doesn't make much difference. But I'm sure Daddy still wouldn't want to see that happen. Would you, 'sire'?"

During this entire little shindig, Mina, Sonia, and Manic had popped their heads out of the gates of the royal castle which they had been using for their preparations, desperate to see just what the source of that series of quakes could be. And when they found out, they were anything but amused.

"Slimebucket!", whispered Sonia. "When I get my hands on him, he's going to wish he was boiled over easy!"

"Uh," whispered Mina, "what's that's supposed to mean?"

"It means," said Manic, "that she's going to fry his bacon if she ever gets the chance. And I can't say I'd blame her." His gaze then shifted to Mina, his eyes fixated on, of all things, her large furry feet. "Mina, if things get hairy, you're gonna have to turn on the juice, got it?"

"Uh, got it!", said Mina.

"Hold on a minute. Sonia squinted like a seasoned huntress as she scouted the crowd. "I think I see — well, wouldn't you know it! There he is!"

"There who is?", whispered Mina.

"Wait," said Manic, "you don't mean who I think you mean, do you?"

"Like hedgehogs in a blanket I do!", said Sonia. "Take a look for yourself!"

And Manic did just that.

"Well, I'll be damned. Mina, looks like you've got some competition."

"Competition?", said Mina, not quite sure just he what meant.

"He really is here!", said Sonia. "This is gonna get good!"

In the meantime, Soar was busy recording this turn of events as best he could, though he also seemed to be tapping somewhat consistently on a small receiver placed in his ear.

"Breaking news! In what is sure to be a first in the history of the Islands, the Acorn Kingdom seems like it's about to be taken over by a madman with serious delusions of grandeur. Not to mention identity. I am sorry, but if you're naming yourself after what my species lays for a living, then you've got to have issues. Hold on a minute. This just in: According to my fellow reporters, attacks are apparently breaking out all across the city. In fact, if you listen closely, I think you can hear them from here!"

Soar held one feathery hand to his ear like a showman trying and failing to maximize the dramatic effect in a pointless attempt to draw in his audience, but he was right about one thing. Explosions, gunfire, screams of terror; all of that and more could be heard from all around, and the skies began to burn orange as columns of flame and smoke rose up all over Metropolis.

"Wow!" Soar put one hand sideways over his eyes as he observed the fiery apocalypse that was unfolding around him. "Would you look at that! Any sane Mobain would fly off in a fright of terror, but luckily for me, I am most certainly not sane! Oh, and it appears that a Trooper is holding me at gunpoint and may very well shoot me if I don't stop reporting at once. Um, can I take a raincheck on that, ? Please? You don't even know what a raincheck is, do you?"

Meanwhile, Sonic and co were having a little pow-wow of their own. The SWATbots and Troopers saw no need to corral the three seeing as they were already well inside the plaza, but that didn't exactly make them feel any safer. Of course, that would have mattered if Sonic gave two figs as he grinned like a manic.

"Alright, I'm going in!"

"Now hold on just a minute," whispered Johnny, placing one hand on Sonic's shoulder like the responsible adult who always held the hyperactive pipsqueaks in contempt. "We can't go rushing into this half-cocked."

"And why not?", whispered Sonic as he tore Johnny's hand from his person. "I always go into things half-cocked. Makes it more fun."

"This isn't supposed to be fun." Johnny placed a firm grip right on Sonic's shoulder as he gave him a deadly look that said if he didn't cut the crap, his ass would be grass. "Lives may be on the line; this kingdom may be on the line if that oversized omelet is telling the truth, and if I'm being honest, you might be the only one who can do a thing about it. I've seen enough of what you can do to know you may be the only chance we've got to do anything right now. So this isn't just about the Princess or the King. Because if you go rushing in, you may get yourself hurt and then we're all screwed. Royally. Do you understand me?"

"He's got a point, big bro," whispered Tails, breathing like a scared mouse sidling the corner in fear of the hunter. "Honestly? I'm scared. Really. Part of me wants to just fly away; to just forget about all this and let Gaea sort it all out. But Johnny's right. We've got to do something. Because we're the only ones that can. And rushing into things like a blind hog isn't going to do anyone any good."

Sonic considered retaliating with some flippant remark or another. Something to show that what they said didn't have an impact on him whatsoever. That he could just do whatever the heck he wanted, that he could treat this all like fun and games if he wanted to. Except he couldn't. Because deep down underneath that true blue exterior, he knew they were right.

"Alright, alright," whispered Sonic. "We'll do it your way. But the second it looks like the Princess is in real danger—"

"We know," said Johnny, "don't worry. And thanks for listening to us."

"Yeah yeah. Stick in the mud."

"I aim to please."

Back on the platform, Sally was about to do something she knew, in fact, was very, very stupid. All common sense and rationality were telling her that this was, as some might say, 'the bad idea.' But what else could she do?

"Robotnik, Eggman, whatever you call yourself, I've just got one thing to say to you."

"And what's that, deary?"

And Sally, her breathing quickening like a wild animal who wasn't sure if the next moment would or wouldn't be their last, simply smiled. "See you on the ground floor."

This, more than anything else, was enough to give Eggman pause; a pause just long enough for Sally to grin, wave goodbye with her tied hands, and toss herself straight over the platform.

"SALLY!", said the king. He valiantly tried to break Dingo's grip like a wild animal at last breaking free of his captor, but it just wasn't to be.

"Pipe down mate!", Dingo bellowed. "And you might as well quit your struggling because it's not going to do you much good."

Nearly the entire crowd was in shock. Even Eggman, who thought he had held all the cards, was agape. Surprisingly, of all those moved to action, the first and foremost was the one no-one would suspect; Antione Coolete.

Sally's seeming suicide was more than enough to break Antione out of his shivering fits as if another self altogether had come forth and broken through. "MY PRINCESS! I AM COMING MY LADY!" Following in her footsteps, he too hurled himself off the platform, forgetting for a moment that he wouldn't be able to catch her with both hands cuffed. In hindsight, just like this Princess' own actions, this was likely an incredibly stupid thing to do. "OH GAEA I AM GOING TO DIE!"

Not that there was any need to worry.

Just as the two plunged to what seemed to be their inevitable deaths, Tails, Johnny, and Sonic sprang into action. Sonic, with a grin like someone experiencing the best day of their life, zipped straight over to right under Sally and Antoine, his smile only starting to fade as he began to fumble about, suddenly realizing he might not be able to save both. Johnny raced over as fast he could, though sadly, he wasn't the fastest thing alive. And Tails finally had a chance to show what he could do.

Tails' tails began whirring like a propeller or a motor engine, lifting him above in short order and sending him high into the sky. Johnny; Sonic; even Eggman and the SWATbots and Troopers were all stunned speechless. Counting on Sonic to save the Princess, he soared over to Antione, grabbing one hand in mid-air—

"Got you!"

—and valiantly tried to carry him to safety, but it just wasn't enough. For a little fox such as Tails, carrying Antione was like carrying a sack of bricks. If he had more time to train himself, to bolster just how much he could lift, he might have been able to pull this off, but as is, no matter how hard he pulled, there was nothing he could do. Either he let go of Antione, which he wasn't willing to do at the moment, or they'd both plummet to the pavement.

Meanwhile, over in the castle, as the guards began to scramble, Sonia, Manic, and Mina were biting their fingernails like nervous schoolchildren, until at last, one of them rose to action. In a somewhat indirect fashion. "Mina," said Manic, "get in there! Now!"

"Oh!" Mina squeaked like a little mouse, as nervous as any mouse could be even though she was in fact NOT a mouse, but she nonetheless braced herself. She didn't want to do this, didn't want to risk putting herself in danger or to try only to fail, didn't want to do anything other than sing, but what choice did she have? Crouching as if getting ready for a track meet, summoning the forces inside herself, she took one deep breath and, like a streak of yellow lightning, off she went.

"Mon ame," whimpered Antione to Tails, "I do not know how you are doing this, but at this point, I do not care. Though I would be very grateful to you of course if you would so very please PULL UP! PULL UP!"

"I'M TRYING!", yelled Tails. "YOU SHOULDN'T BE SO HEAVY!"

"YOU ARE JUST TOO WEAK! YOUR LIMBS ARE LIKE TWIGS!"

"SO ARE YOURS!"

"I AM SLIPPING! AY-YI-YI!"

Meanwhile, Eggman continued to watch the spectacle unfolding before him with wide eyes and the keen interest of a scientist that, kingdom conquering aside, had to know more; to know all he could. As such, he couldn't help but signal his forces to lay off and let this farce play out for the time being. He could sic his troops on them all and capture the King's daughter as soon as this little drama played out, but he had to see this through to the end. Especially that little blue hedgehog. Something about him seemed to catch his interest more than the others, like a man who knows with absolute certainty that this is the biggest thorn in their side they're ever going to see, and without even knowing why. Though as he continued to see what was happening below, he started to have an inkling.

Just then, as it seemed uncertain just what Antione's fate was going to be, help arrived from the least likely of places. A bright yellow streak could be seen barreling from the castle gates like a bullet, and just as Tails' hands finally gave way despite his best efforts, that same streak was now there to catch him as he fell. And as she came into focus, it was clear that it was none other than the lead singer of the Oracles of Delphi herself, Mina Mongoose. Much too concerned with his well being to be anything close to surprised at this, Antione simply went with the flow and let out one big 'Oof!" as he fell into Mina's waiting arms. Which then promptly gave way under the full force of Antione. Just what did this man eat? In any event, he was safe for the time being, but he couldn't say the same for Sally.

Sally braced herself to prepare for the worst. She needed to remind herself not to always be so defiant and foolhardy in the face of a seemingly impossible scenario, not that it would matter much longer in any case. As the stone street rapidly drew ever closer and closer, she closed her eyes, prayed to whoever happened to be listening, and hoped she'd live to tell the tale.

Five seconds later, she made impact. There was no doubt about it. She had just come face to face with the reality of cold hard… arms? They were just a touch spiky come to think of it. Though other than that, they were quite comfortable. Was this what heaven felt like?

She slowly opened her eyes like a newborn babe, and looking up as if for the first time, she knew with complete certainty that she was staring in the face of…

"Are you gonna sit there all day or can you just not get enough of this?"

…of a rather obnoxious and arrogant as all get out blue hedgehog.

Like someone who suddenly found themselves on the crazy train and wanted to get off, she leaped right out of Sonic's arms and planted her feet firmly on the ground. "Uh, thanks sir…"

"Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog. And don't you forget it."

"Sonic," Sally wasn't sure whether to feel grateful or perturbed. Perhaps a healthy mix of both was in order. "You saved me, right?"

"Guilty as charged."

"Right. Thanks." She would have said more or at least said that she'd like to say more, but either way, there were more pressing matters to be concerned with.

"Sally!", yelled the King, still struggling in vain like a hogtied piggy to get free of Dingo's grip.

"Daddy!", yelled Sally. "Don't worry, I'll get you out of this!"

"Fat chance of that," said Eggman, finally deciding to make his move. "Dingo?"

"Gotcha' boss." Dingo's body then melted like lava into a sort of paste, wrapping itself around the King like silly-putty and covering the King completely, so much so that barely an inch of him could be seen. He tried to cry out, but the best he could get was several muffles of indecipherable gibberish.

"ROBOTNIK!", yelled Sally. "What's the meaning of this?"

"First thing's first, it's Eggman now, in case you forgot, and secondly, I think you'll find the meaning to be quite clear."

Sally turned back towards her father just in time to see Dingo turn himself into a giant cage with equally giant wings, with Dingo's head placed squarely on top.

"Dingo," said Eggman, "do please take our newest and most prestigious prisoner to the laboratory, won't you? The castle is still just a bit too, shall we say, 'cheerful' for my tastes."

"With pleasure, boss." And just like that, off Dingo flew like a haphazard UFO to his aforementioned destination.

"NO!", yelled Sally.

"SALLY!", yelled the King, as he shook the bars of his cage in vain.

"Tails," said Johnny, "what you did just now, I don't even know how you did it, but do you think you can do it again?"

"Sorry," said Tails, wiping the sweat from his furry brow. "I'm already tuckered out from carrying Antione, and I couldn't even do that. I can get better with more practice, but for now, that's all I can do."

"Don't sweat it!", said Sonic. "I'll be on him like yesterday's news!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," said Eggman, at last making his presence known once more. With a snap of his fingers, the robots all around the plaza snapped to attention, and their guns quickly started to target Sonic and the rest.

"Oh, and don't worry. I'm giving orders to take the lot of you alive, though it's only for one reason. You there! The blue hedgehog who can run like something out of MASCAR!"

"That's me," said Sonic, honestly not sure if even he could outrun an entire armada of bullets. "What do you want with me?"

"What I want to know is why I have a super-Mobian in my midst. Why I suppose I have three of them come to think of it. The two-tailed freak and the mongoose on steroids are also quite the curiosity."

"Hey!" Tails, had already been teased plenty about his tail growing up in school. He certainly didn't need any of that from a man old enough to be his father.

"Uh,' said Mina, "if it helps, I only learned I could, like, run really fast about a year or so ago, but I'm pretty sure I didn't get it through steroids. Or at least I don't think I did."

"Wait a minute," said Sonic, like the kid on the playground who became ecstatic after realizing there was a kid just as gloriously messed up as he was. "'Run fast?' Not that he had much of a chance to follow up on that.

"No matter!', said Eggman. "Whatever you all are, I'll have more than enough of a chance to find out on the dissection table. On the count of 3…"

"Okay, look," whispered Sonic, "we don't got much of a choice now. This is somethin' even I don't want to risk, but if we don't try to get the heck out of dodge now, we're toast. And that's coming from me."

"Agreed," said Johnny.

"2…"

"Uh," said Antione, "the question is, just how do you think we are getting out of here?"

"1…"

"Simple," said Sonic. "With a little dose of Sonic speed!"

"And mongoose speed," said Mina, "I guess." Sonic looked at her for a moment as if starting to get the idea that there was a lot more to her than there appeared, but that would have to wait.

"Anyway, everyone hold on tight. This is gonna be a bumpy ride!" And as everyone except for Mina formed a Mobian link like their lives depended on it, Mina raced over to Sonia and Manic, with Sonic once again too busy to notice.

"Hey," said Manic, "what's going on over there? Something come up?"

"That's what I want to know!", said Sonia.

"No time to explain," said Mina. "Grab on!" Like a flash, she firmly gripped both Sonia and Manic's hands before they even had a chance to react.

"…0! Fire!" A wave of Robotnik's hand was all that was needed to signal the SWATbots and Troopers to unleash a hell of bullets and laser blasts like a torrent at such velocity and with such ferocity that it was hard even for Eggman to make them all out. "Alright, cease fire, cease fire! With any luck, they'll all be either dead or…"

And when the smoke cleared, like Eggman suspected in the bottom of his sick twisted excuse for a heart, they were, without a shadow of a doubt…

"…gone."