Loud music plays as people and anthros swarm all around the festivities at the grand opening. Food! Music! Air Bounce Castles! A Petting Zoo! Celebrities galore! Anybody and Everybody was turning up for the opening day of Station Square's brand new, national race track.
Chris, his friends, and his family were all there enjoying the sights, sounds, and activities. Even his mom and dad were there, surprising as it sounds. "Oh this is truly a wonderful day out," Chris' mom, Lindsey, beamed, "I finally get to show off my new dress from my latest film in public." "You look great in it, Honey," her husband said, smiling.
"Oh look!" Amy squealed, "Is that Jordan Blare?"
"Where? Where?" Emma looked excitedly, having come as well, "It is! Let's go get an autograph!"
Grandpa Chuck laughs, "Alright, alright, you two. But meet us in the V.I.P box before the ceremony starts," he tells them, handing them a piece of paper, "Here's a map in case you get lost." Amy snatches it quickly, and races off with Emma to get their autographs.
"Do we still have time to go play in the Bouncy Castle?" asks Cream, looking at Chris and Chuck with big eyes while holding her chao, Cheese.
The two nod, and Cream races off to play. Tails and Chris follow her, and join her in the bouncy house.
Knuckles even tries his hand at the hammer game, with Vector as competition. Espio humors Charmy at a game of one-on-one basketball.
Meanwhile, two familiar figures keep a watchful and protective eye on the celebration from a look-out tower on the track grounds.
"Everything looking good, Shadow?" asks a white bat, glancing over at her partner, an ebony hedgehog with streaks of red on his black spines. The hedgehog is currently looking into a pair of G.U.N issue binoculars, scanning over the huge mass of people below.
"Earth to Shadow," she says after a minute, waving a hand in front of the lens. Shadow lowers the binoculars, annoyance showing in his deep crimson eyes, "What Rouge?"
"I asked you a question, but you were so enveloped in your work, you probably didn't hear it," she answers, putting a hand on her hip, and looks back at him with her icy blue eyes.
"Of course I did. But I chose to not answer, and instead continued focus on surveying like we're supposed to. That is our mission: To make sure the president's arrival and appearance go without any problems. And if there are, we are to eliminate them."
"Boy," Rouge sighs, sitting down, "Its all 'missions' with you. Come on, enjoy the view... At least smile a bit, this is a celebration after all. Not another random recon assignment like usual."
"Sure," Shadow turns back to the crowd, "I'll smile after the president makes his speech."
"Well, it's a start, I guess," she says, shrugging. Both agents sit and continue to watch for any signs of trouble…Though trouble shall come anyway, despite their efforts.
"Decoe, Bocoe, is our 'surprise' ready yet?"asks Doctor Eggman as he grins from his new Eggfort 3.4, high above the scene below.
The yellow bot, Decoe, looks over the monitors, "Just about ready, Doctor. Bocoe is going over some last minute checks to make sure it's all ready for your wondrous plan."
"Yes, heh heh, my great plan," sneers Eggman, as he looks out the window. The doctor couldn't wait to see the looks on everyone's face, most of all, Sonic's.
He turns to a video screen, which shows a near dark room. All that can be seen is the large bulk of a dark form waiting quietly within the shadows. A faint, blinking red light is the only illumination on the shape.
"Not much longer, my friend, and then you'll be able to have some fun," says Doctor Eggman.
There is a deep, growling chuckle in response….
"And now, Sam Speed!" an announcer calls out. People cheer as the hotshot racer takes the stage.
"Good evening, everyone! My name is Sam Speed, but I bet you knew that already," He jokes, which some people laugh at. "But anyway, today, the new Station Square national stock car racing track is to be opened. Now, I know I'm a Formula one racecar driver and all, but for this occasion," He pulls a white sheet down from a large sign behind him, revealing on it the track's new name, along with a picture of Sonic, "I could not pass up such an opportunity. Welcome to the Sonic Speed Mile, home of the SEGA 400!"
People stand up, cheering and whistling. As they do, Sam smiles, "And here to speak to all of you is our very own, Mr. President!"
~Cue All Hail The Chief Theme~
A short man with combed white hair takes the podium, "Thank you, Sam Speed! Hello my fellow citizens! As our host, Sam Speed, has already revealed, after careful consideration, it was decided that this brand new track would be named after our great hero, Sonic the Hedgehog," He smiles, "I hope future generations will come to this place, and always have a great time, and remember our great times here.
"Thanks to our new friends, we are going to have a day of relaxation and peace and-"
The President is cut off when a large figure drops down from the sky. It creates a crater as it lands in front of the president on all fours.
The figure has dense, dark fur, with thick, rippling muscles hiding beneath. Razor sharp claws poke though it's black gloves and boots. There is also a collar around its neck, which carries a familiar logo on it. The figure's sharp, emerald green eyes, with piercing black slits for pupils, contain a dangerous gleam within. Its wolf-like tail twitches back and forth, filled with tension and excitement.
It suddenly lifts its wolf-like muzzle, letting out a great roar right in the poor president's face. People start to panic and leap out of their seats. Secret Service agents quickly raise their weapons at the huge creature. It just snaps at them, and then picks the President up in its powerful jaws by the back of his shirt collar. The man lets out a yell of surprise, and calls for help.
"What the heck is that thing?" cries Grandpa Chuck, as he and the others stare at the scene below in complete confusion. The beast easily bats people aside as it makes a mad dash though the crowd, still dangling the commander in chief from its mouth.
"It doesn't matter!" Tails says quickly, "You guys have to get out of here!" "You are not going after that thing alone!" Amy holds up her hammer.
"I'll be fine, Amy! Just take the others, and make sure they get out of here without getting trampled!"
Amy eyes the two tailed fox, then looks back that creature, now starting to climb the outer wall. "Fine."She finally replies, "But if you get hurt, you are answering to me! Got it?"
Tails looks at the hammer, gulps, and quickly nods, "Got it!" Only after that does Amy race after the others to try and get out in one piece.
"Unhand me!" yells the President, struggling weakly. He then chances a look down at how high he was, "On second thought, don't let go yet!"
"I'm coming, Mister President!" An orange blur rams into the beast, sending the man flying from its jaws. The President hits the concrete roof of the racetrack observation deck, and goes unconscious.
Tails glances at him then at his kidnapper, the creature, "Sonic! What's gotten into you? Why are you doing this?"
The transformed hedgehog just growls back, and rushes at Tails with his claws extended and jaw wide open. The two-tailed fox flies into the air to dodge his friend's charge. Sonic leaps into the air, snapping his teeth angrily.
Tails then notices a weird collar around Sonic's neck, "That's got to be what's making Sonic act like this," Thinks Tails, "Eggman must be controlling him somehow." Tails dodges another attack, "Now, just how do I get it off?" The two-tailed fox tries to fly behind Sonic and grab the collar, but Sonic swats him down with a huge clawed hand. Tails falls to the ground next to Sonic, thankfully with only minor bruises from impact.
Sonic snarls at his friend, but before he can attack again, a white blur comes out of nowhere and strikes him straight on in the head, sending the werehog flying backwards.
Rouge lands on her feet next to the fox, who is getting up, "Are you ok Tails?" He nods, "I'm ok, but he's getting back up!" he shouts, pointing to the beast who is quickly recovered from the blow. Sonic snarls at them, and charges again.
(My Part)
He rushes again at them, but Rouge scoops up Tails and shoots into the air. She called into the comlink. "Shadow some support would be really helpful right about now!"
"Acknowledge, I'll be there just keep him busy long enough for me to grab the president and then I'll assist you" He answers back.
"Better hurry, this beast is right on our tails, not kidding around here. Rouge out" She flew down and away from the track...With the creature at their snapping heels.
"Rouge" Tails told her "We got to get the collar off of it, that's what's making the guy act like that. It's not him."But she just sighs "I'm not so sure, there's no way to be certain it's not capable of doing this on it's own"
"That is true" The fox sighed to himself. "But at least if we can get it off..."
"We'll give it a shot alright?"
They hear a roar as the beast Sonic burst out from behind them. Rouge flaps her bat wings for a burst of speed and the chase raced though the streets.
