Within the confines of an evidence room in Torus Maximum Security Prison, Orbot and Cubot were locked away in small dog kennels, kept with other prisoner's personal effects.
"I still can't believe we're being stored as if we were simple tools..." Orbot lamented.
"Well at least they didn't recycle us," Cubot replied. "My motherboard always said I'd amount to nothing more than a soda can."
"I suppose so… I just hope the doctor won't forget us when he finally escapes this place."
"Well it seems like we've got some time to kill. How about we play a game. I spy with my little optic sensor, something… round."
"Is it me?"
"Uh… no, it… has eyes… and a slightly condescending attitude?"
"Is it… Orbot?"
"Yes! Alright, your turn."
"I spy something square and oblivious to his current reality."
"Oh! I know this one! I know this one! Don't tell me… it's on the tip of my… well, I don't have a tongue, but…"
Orbot just facepalmed in response.
…
Sitting in his cell, the once great Dr. Ivo Robotnik was left to stew. He paced around his barren cell, grumbling to himself at the indignity of his situation.
"Unbelievable," he let out. "One minute, I have the world at my fingertips, and the next, I'm stuck in this five by five, empty box without even Orbot and Cubot to curb my boredom!" His face suddenly changed to that of confidence. "No matter. If all goes according to plan, I won't be staying here for much longer."
He then started chuckling sinisterly to himself.
…
Elsewhere, in the wrecked remains of Robotnik's original island base, Bokkun was flying around, trying to find any machines that were still working.
"Man, what a dump!" Bokkun let out, before noticing something hidden amongst frayed wires and toppled metal sheets. "Hello… what do we have here?"
He flew over and moved aside some of the metal sheets, finding a small gold robot with blue optics. It was a bit scuffed up, and was covered with dust and cobwebs, but it seemed to be in working order.
"Hey, Emerl! Wake up already!"
Slowly, the robot's optics began lighting up, causing Bokkun to smile.
"Alright! I've got an important job for you, so you better listen up. We're going to break the Doc out of jail. So, let's get to it!"
Hearing it's orders, Emerl marched towards the door, following Bokkun out of the base to begin their mission.
...
Meanwhile, Sonic, Keith, Kat, and Chuck all drove out to Sand Blast City. Sonic was particularly excited and nervous, fiddling with the laces of the borrowed sneakers on his feet. As he did, Keith pushed his hand away.
"Don't mess with them. I know they're old, but at least they're intact."
"I know, I'm sorry. It's just… it's the first time I've been without those sneakers."
"I know. But that's why we're heading out here. You said your friends found a… what was it?"
"A power ring lake. Antoine and Bunnie said one came over with them in the last Chaos Control."
"What exactly is a power ring?" Kat asked. "Is it like those weird golden rings you carry around?"
"No, those are just rings. They're currency. Power Rings are different. They possess chaos energy, not as much as a Chao Emerald, but enough to give a mobian with abilities an added boost. They're also used to heal, power various things, and they were the main ingredient in making my sneakers."
"Cool," Keith commented.
"I'm just glad your friends found that lake," Chuck remarked. "Without it, I don't know if I'd be able to fix your sneakers."
"Lucky me. First Eggman gets carted off to jail, now finding a power ring lake."
"Sounds like somebody's got it made," Kat jeered.
"I'll have it made when I have my sneakers back. Besides, if we hurry, you'll get to see the show."
They reached the gates of Sandblast City, where Antoine and Bunnie were waiting for them. Upon seeing Sonic's shoes, Bunnie hissed.
"Never thought I'd see ya in anythang other than yer usual red and whites, Big Blue. How ya holdin' up?"
"Better than I was a week ago," Sonic replied. "So, where is it?"
"In a cave not far from here," Antoine explained. "I ended up accidentally falling through to it while on patrol."
"Yer just lucky I was there to fish ya out, sugah," Bunnie teased, lightly ribbing Antoine.
Sonic chuckled a little in response.
"Come on, let's get what we need."
…
A small trek away from the city, the motley crew reached a cave system inside a small cliff. There were some lights set up, as well as a very rudimentary elevator pulley system.
"The water right below us is pretty deep," Antoine explained, "And thankfully, it's not too much of a drop. However, it's highly recommended you use the-"
"Geronimo!" Kat shouted as she jumped into the hole.
There was a splash, then Antoine sighed.
"Elevator..." he finished. "Your friend is certainly spirited."
"You don't know that half of it," Keith replied.
"Guys!" Kat called out from the hole. "There are glowing rings all over the bottom of the lake! You've got to see this!"
The others made their way to the elevator, heading down to the lake. The entire area was full of strings of lanterns that completely illuminated the cave, and the lake itself seemed to be glowing. Kat was sitting on the edge of the lake, wringing out her shirt.
"Whoa…" Keith let out.
"Welcome to the power ring lake," Sonic declared.
"Uh, Big Blue?" Bunnie chimed in. "It's called a Lake of Rings."
"Eh, po-tay-to, po-tah-to," Sonic brushed off.
Bunnie just rolled her eyes and laughed slightly.
"So, how does this work?" Keith asked.
"I can dive down and fish up some of the rings from the bottom," Kat offered.
"In a minute, petit," Antoine told her. "You'll miss the show, otherwise."
"Show?" the two teens asked at the same time.
Just then, the water of the lake began to bubble and swirl. It began to glow brightly and a large, bright circle of light rose out of the water. It seemed to solidify into a perfect circle, then dropped back down into the lake.
"That show," Antoine replied.
"I got it," Kat replied, diving back into the lake.
"I know we came here for Sonic's sneakers, but do you think I could take a few for some personal experiments?" Chuck asked. "Such a magnificent discovery cannot simply be passed up."
"I don't see why not," Bunnie allowed.
"Maybe Kat and I could take one?" Keith asked. "They seem pretty handy, and I want to see if they can boost my Nitro Gloves."
"That'll be sweet to see," Sonic remarked as Kat finally surfaced.
"Alright!" she declared, tossing about a dozen rings onto the shore. "Reminds me of those diving games we like to play with those sinking toys, Keith!"
"Except these toys are gonna be a lot more fun," Keith remarked.
…
Meanwhile at Amy's diner, the titular owner was sitting at the counter, twirling a straw in a strawberry milkshake. She kicked her feet slightly as she checked the time on the wall clock. She sighed in resignation, just before the door opened, causing the small bell above it to ring.
"Sonic?" she called out, turning around.
"Sorry," Sam Speed replied as he closed the door behind him. "Just me. Decided to swing by for some of that Mobian grub everyone's been raving about."
"Oh… well sure. What'll it be?"
"Surprise me."
Amy nodded before heading back to the kitchen, starting to cook as Sam took a seat at the counter.
"So, what's got you so down, Amy?"
"Sonic was supposed to meet me for a date this afternoon, but he completely blew me off. I had everything planned out too… I bet he forgot… again..."
"Maybe he's just running late."
Amy turned and gave Sam a deadpan stare.
"Think about who we're talking about, then say that sentence again."
"... ok, fair point."
Amy turned back to her cooking prep, sighing.
"I'm not asking for much. I just want him to… to actually make time for me. I've been patient, and I've been supportive. But he never seems to notice..."
"Sonic may not be the most affectionate guy, but I'm willing to bet he does care."
"Yeah, right."
Sam thought for a moment, then stood up.
"Y'know what, forget the order. How about you and I got on a drive? I bet the fresh air will do you some good."
Amy paused for a moment, then smiled at the prospect.
"I close up in fifteen minutes."
…
Meanwhile, Sonic was pacing nervously in Chuck's lab. His eyes continuously darted over to him as he worked on the sneakers. Knuckles rolled his eyes at the display.
"Sonic, if you keep pacing like that, you're going to wear a hole in the rug. Especially since you're pacing at super speeds."
"Hey cut me a little slack. Those shoes are my lifeline to my Uncle, and the only shoes that can stand up to my speed."
"Besides, you can't exactly throw stones," Kat argued. "My bedroom wall still has a hole from where you would punch it when Angel Island wasn't here."
"Hey, that was different!"
"Not really," Tails retorted.
"I'd say it's pretty similar," Keith remarked.
"Rrr, shut up!" Knuckles snapped, eliciting laughter from everyone. "I don't have to take this!"
"Considering I'm your ride back to the Helicopter pad to Angel Island, yeah you are," Kat pointed out.
"You really need a faster means of travel," Keith insisted, glancing down at the power ring he had claimed for himself. "I wonder if I could figure out something..."
"A warp pad would be nice," Knuckles commented. "I miss those a lot. Made getting to and from the island so much easier."
"Warp pad?" Kat asked.
"These special transporter pads that, if you stood on it, let you warp to a corresponding warp pad elsewhere."
"So it's like a small star gate. Walk through one, come out of another"
"Sure…" Sonic replied. "I guess."
"Are there any on the island now?" Keith asked.
"One, but it's off limits," Knuckles explained. "Sacred ground, you understand."
"Sure," Keith replied, looking at the ring in his hand. "I wonder if-"
"They're done!" Chuck called out.
Sonic shot past the group and right over to Chuck. He left the borrowed sneakers to fall to the ground, having taken them off mid run. He ran right up to Chuck's work table, snatching up the sneakers. He gasped when he saw that they looked brand new, all signs on the earlier wear and tear gone. They might as well have come from Uncle Chuck himself.
"Whoa…" Sonic let out. "They… they look great."
"Thank you," Chuck replied. "Try them on and tell me how they feel."
Sonic slipped them on, jogging in place slightly. He let out a laugh, then ran in a circle before tackling Chuck with a hug.
"Thank you… thank you so much..."
"My pleasure," Chuck replied, returning the hug in kind.
Once they broke the hug, Sonic was jogging in place again, grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm going on a run, guys. Don't wait up."
With that, he took off out the window, cheering as he did.
"How long you think he's been holding that in?" Keith asked.
"Long enough," Tails replied.
…
The immense joy Sonic was feeling right now was beyond description. His shoes, his treasure, his most cherished possessions, were finally whole once more. Feeling the tightness of his feet, and the firmness of the soles beneath his own, it was like heaven to the speedy hedgehog. He had grown so used to his paws aching from the poor padding, but now the familiar support was back, and he was enjoying every second of it.
"Wahoo!" Sonic cried out, running up a hill and leaping into the air. "Man, I can't remember the last time I felt this happy!"
He landed on the ground, skidding to a stop before falling backwards into a field of flowers. He threw his hands behind his head, lazily looking down at his shoes in pure bliss. He looked around and the flowers around him, picking a pink one.
"I wonder where I ended up. Maybe I can bring Amy here on our-" He cut himself off, sat up violently, and went wide-eyed. "Our date! Chaos, I'm late!"
He instantly took off, hoping to make up for lost time.
…
Meanwhile, Amy and Sam were driving down the road with the top down, the wind blowing through their hair, or in Amy's case, spines.
"So, you mind if I ask you something?" Sam finally spoke up. "If you really think Sonic is as uncaring as you say, why put up with him?"
"Because there's no one like Sonic, even back on Mobius. Being with him, I feel like I can do anything."
"He means that much to ya, huh?"
"Yeah… unfortunately, I don't think he feels the same about me… or anyone."
"How do you figure?"
"Sonic… he never stops running. The world is just too slow for him, and he's never been one to wait. He's always going headfirst into battle, or into the next adventure. I don't think he could slow down even if he wanted to."
"I know how that feels. Ever since I was a kid, I liked going fast. It's why I joined the S-Team."
"For Sonic, it's different though. I think he's afraid to slow down, afraid that if he does, he'll miss something or someone in danger. His past with his family and Eggman… it's haunted him his whole life. He feels like if he takes any time for himself, then he's letting someone down..."
"That's rough. Sounds pretty lonely if you ask me."
"I'm sure he is, deep down, even if he'll never admit it. I know I may never be able to catch up to him, or even keep up. But… if I could be someone he could run to… be someone he trusted enough to slow down even a small bit, that would make me happy."
"Sounds pretty nice. Just make sure that's what you really want. Otherwise, you're just putting yourself through the ringer over nothing."
Amy nodded, settling into her seat as they continued driving.
"You know what? Why don't we forget about Sonic for a while. Where's somewhere you'd like to go?"
"I dunno, Amy. Usually I let the ladies decide. Anywhere come to mind?"
Amy thought for a moment.
"The shore. Let's go to the shore."
"As you wish," Sam replied, hitting the gas and taking off.
…
Meanwhile, Sonic raced through the city, hoping to make up for some lost time. As he trekked through the warehouse district, an explosion rang out from one of the warehouses, causing him to leap back.
"What the-? What's going on here? I thought Eggman was doing 25 to Life in some GUN blacksite."
Just then, a tank rolled out, with Bokkun manning it from the top.
"Well what do you know," Bokkun let out. "I didn't expect to run into you here!"
"That makes two of us. What are you up to, Bokkun?"
"Oh I'm just off to break Dr. Robotnik out of Jail. What's it to you?"
"A lot, actually," Sonic retorted, taking a fighting stance. "You want the doc, you gotta go through me."
"Sounds like fun. Let's make a game out of it. A shell game!"
Bokkun then opened fire on Sonic, forcing him to run for it. Bokkun kept firing at Sonic, forcing the hedgehog to dodge and weave around the blasts.
"Ugh. I do not have time for this you little imp!"
Sonic finally turned around and ran right at Bokkun and the tank. Grinning maliciously, Bokkun aimed the cannon's barrel right at Sonic, waiting for just the right moment.
"Fire!"
The cannon fired, creating a massive dust cloud as a result. As the dust cleared, there was a large crater where Sonic used to be, causing a massive smile to grace his face.
"Alright!"
"Looks like you got him."
"Yeah, and I-"
Bokkun's words soon died in his mouth as he looked down, seeing Sonic sitting on the barrel of the tank, looking down at the crater with a playful grin. He glanced up at Bokkun, giving him a two finger salute.
"Hi," Sonic greeted before running off.
"Hey!" Bokkun yelled, blasting at him again. "Get back here!"
…
Meanwhile, Amy and Sam found themselves in the middle of a vast field, surrounded on all sides by sheep. The former looked around, completely and utterly stunned.
"What are we doing in the middle of a pasture?" Amy questioned. "You said you knew a shortcut, and now we're completely lost!"
"I was trying to take the scenic route," Sam insisted. "Guess it's a bit more scenic than I thought."
"You're telling me..." Amy grumbled, glancing up at the sky. "The sun's setting in that direction, meaning we came from the South East. We'll need to double back and try and find a road."
Sam nodded before putting the car in reverse.
"You really know your stuff," he remarked.
"Well, Sonic gets lost all the time, just running off and getting into trouble. Often times, Tails and I have to bail him out when he's completely lost track of where he is. I learned really quickly how to tell directions, even without a compass. I can even read the stars."
"Nice. No wonder Sonic hangs with you. You're pretty useful to have around."
While Sam meant it as a compliment, his words seemed to make Amy feel more despondent.
"I want to be more than useful though..."
…
After a bit of driving, the two managed to find a general store, Amy hopping out and heading inside.
"Excuse me," she called out. "Is anyone here? I'm trying to find a map of the area."
As if on cue, an elderly man came out from the back, going wide-eyed at the sight of the pink hedgehog.
"Oh my, you're one of those Mobians, right? One of Sonic's friends?"
"Uh, yeah. You wouldn't happen to have a map by any chance, would you?"
"Sure do, just give me one moment." The old man slipped behind the counter, smiling to himself. "I can't believe I'm meeting another Mobian."
"Another? You've met one of us before?"
"Oh yes. You see, Sonic saved my grandson's life not too long ago."
"Really?"
"Yep. I owe him big time for that."
"What happened, Gramps?" Sam questioned, leaning on the doorframe. "How'd he save your grandkid?"
"I was taking my grandson out for a riding lesson when something spooked the horse he was on. It went crazy and took off. I tried to chase after him, but my old bones just couldn't handle the chase and I ended up collapsing. Just then, out of the blue, Sonic came speeding by. He leapt up onto the horse, scooped up my grandson, and brought him back over to me."
Amy let that sink in as the old man returned with the map, as well as a small bag full of various hard candies from his grab bin.
"Here. On the house."
"Are you sure?" Amy asked as she took the two items.
"Absolutely," the old man replied. "My doors will always be open for Sonic and his friends."
"Thanks," Amy replied before returning to the car.
…
Back with Sonic, he continued avoiding Bokkun's blasts, much to the robots annoyance.
"That's it!" Bokkun declared. "Get ready for the tele-blast!"
The tank fired again, dispersing several of Bokkun's explosive tablets towards the blue blur. Sonic yelped in response before working to maneuver around the tablets as they exploded on the ground.
"So this is why they say TV is bad for you," he remarked.
Sonic instantly swerved towards one of the warehouses, running up it before leaping up and spin dashing towards the tank. He was able to saw through the barrel of the tank, essentially rendering it useless. This made Bokkun break into a hissy fit, flailing his limbs and crying loudly.
"Hey! You can't do that! Cheater!"
"Just did!" Sonic retorted before leaping towards him.
Just then, two massive arms came out of the sides of the tank, thick, dangerously sharp metal claws grabbing a hold of Sonic. They quickly threw Sonic across the street and hard into the side of a building. He cracked the bricks on impact, falling and wincing in pain.
"Ok… that's pushing it."
"Tired, Sonic?" Bokkun teased. "Let me give you a hand!"
The arms reached out for Sonic again, forcing him to get back on his feet and dodge. The bladed claws then began to rotate, becoming almost like saw blades that began chewing
through the sidewalk like it was nothing. Thinking fast, Sonic backflipped onto one of the arms as the other saw came down. He leapt out of the way, causing the saw to cut through the arm.
"No fair!" Bokkun whined, stomping his foot. "No fair! No fair! No fair!"
Sonic then grabbed hold of the claw and jabbed it into the side of the tank, puncturing it. It went in deep enough to puncture some circuitry, causing the side of the tank to spark with electricity. A high pitch whine filled the air as the tank's internal systems began to overload. Sonic quickly leapt off the tank as it began to explode, much to his satisfaction.
"Finally," he let out. "Maybe now I can make it to my date with Amy,"
Before he could take off however, Bokkun just began laughing.
"What's so funny?!" Sonic demanded.
"I fooled you!" Bokkun called back. "While you were running circles around me, another robot's heading to break Dr. Robotnik out of prison!"
"Another robot?!" Sonic streaked over to Bokkun, grabbing him and lifting him off the ground. "Where is it?!"
"I'm not telling!" Bokkun declared, sticking out his robotic tongue at the blue hedgehog.
Sonic slammed him hard into a wall, his eyes hard.
"Where… is it?"
"... it's 50 miles outside the city heading towards the prison. It's taking the desert road, so if you hurry, you can catch it! Please don't dismantle me!"
Sonic instantly dropped Bokkun and instantly ran off, hoping to catch up with the second robot in time.
…
Meanwhile, Amy and Sam came to another stop outside of Station Square. They'd made it back near the highway, and were stopped at a small Mom and Pop ice cream stand.
"I guess I should just face facts," she lamented, sitting on the hood of Sam's car. "Sonic's always gonna be on the run. And me… I'm never gonna be able to keep up."
Sam handed her his cone, giving his own a lick. After a moment or two, he spoke up.
"I love racing. I love feeling the wind in my face, and watching the world zip by. Ever since I was a kid, I knew I was meant for speed." He leaned back, smiling a bit. "I never, ever slowed down… until Keith was born. I would slow down, just for him. He wasn't meant for my speedy world, but he was still a part of it. Sure I'm not there a lot, but you know something?"
He slid off the car, going over to the driver's seat and flipping down the sun shield. Attached to it was a photo of a younger Sam and a much younger Keith.
"He's always with me. And if he ever needs me, he knows I'll be there as fast as I can."
Amy looked amazed, just looking at the photo.
"I think it's the same with you and Sonic," Sam told her, making her look up. "You're part of his world, and you are someone he can run to. He's a busy hedgehog, being a hero and all, and sometimes he gets caught up in things. God knows I do. But that's why we need people like Keith, or like you. Someone to keep us grounded and to remind us that it's okay to take things slow sometimes."
"You really think so?"
"I know so."
Amy looked down at her cone, the words sinking in and her heart feeling a little lighter. Suddenly, something blasted past them at high speed, causing them to turn around in confusion. They could see it in the distance, a strange, golden, spiked tank. Upon seeing it, Amy dropped her cone.
"I don't know what that thing is, but it screams Eggman."
"Agreed. Get in. we've got to go after it."
The two climb back into the car, allowing Sam to floor it and pursue the tank. As they drove after it, Sam gave Amy a side glance.
"I'll bet my driver's license that thing is headed for the prison to bust Eggman out."
"It's gotta be," Amy agreed. "Whatever we do, we can't let it get there. We have to stop it before it reaches the city."
"Then you'd better hang on. I'm shifting this baby into racing mode!"
"What?!"
Just then, the car started shifting it's form. The wheels moved in closer, the hood became a racing engine that was more aerodynamic, Amy's seat shifted to right behind Sam as the car's sides closed in, and a rocket engine emerged from the back. The car shot forward as Amy let out a whistle.
"How did you get your hands on this?" she asked.
"I'm the only driver with the skills, knowledge, and guts to test it out," Sam answered. "GUN let me take it out today, and boy am I glad they did."
"That makes two of us," Amy remarked. "Now let's take this mean machine down!"
They gave chase, Sam flooring the gas as they did everything they could to catch up to the golden monstrosity. Unfortunately, it was proving to be a bit faster, and was drifting farther and farther away.
"We're losing it!"
Just then, a blue blur shot past them, much to their confusion.
"You don't think…" Amy pondered.
"Oh it's gotta be," Sam replied, grinning widely.
Not that far back, Sonic came to a screeching halt, seeing the tank and the car driving down the road.
"Was that Amy and Sam?"
Sonic wasted no time running back towards them, actually moving alongside Sam's car. Amy looked out the window, locking eyes with Sonic.
"Hey! What brings you guys out here?!" Sonic asked.
"Well, we were enjoying a date that you forgot!" Amy replied. "Then this thing showed up! It's too fast for us!"
"Not for me! And uh… sorry?"
Amy smiled.
"Considering this thing, I'll assume you have a good reason! Now catch it, Sonic! Hurry!"
Sonic nodded before running to catch up with the tank.
"Can't let Sonic have all the fun," Sam declared, pressing a few buttons. "Now hold on!"
The rocket engine powered on, forcing the two racers deep into their seats as they raced down the road. They actually managed to pull alongside the robot on the opposite side as Sonic. When they did, Amy got up, summoning her hammer.
"Keep her steady, Sam!" she shouted. "I'm pounding this thing into scrap!"
"On three, Amy!" Sonic called as he too readied an attack. "One! Two! Three!"
Sonic struck at the tank at the exact moment Amy swung her hammer, causing the tank to get crushed like a soda can. The tank swerved before running off the road and crashing to the ground. The robot then exploded, much to the three's delight.
"Alright!" Sonic let out.
"We did it!" Amy declared.
"Hey, Amy," Sam called out. "Notice something?"
"Notice what?"
"We're at Sonic's speed."
Amy perked up, then she looked out at the street, as if for the first time. She felt the wind through her fur, and saw the desert passing by so fast that it was a menagerie of various yellows and oranges. A smile graced her face and he remained where she was, just enjoying the feeling for a moment. From right next to her on the road, Sonic smiled at her enjoyment.
"It feels good, doesn't it?" he called out.
"I finally see why you enjoy this so much!" Amy called back. "This is amazing!"
"It's easy to get lost in the feeling. That's why I have you and Tails! I may forget, and I may act rashly, but I need you to keep me from losing myself to this. I'm sorry I missed our date, I really am. I hope Sam was able to make up for my absence."
Amy looked at Sam, who gave her a wink, then turned back to Sonic, her smile never fading.
"I wouldn't trade today for anything."
…
"I spy with my optic servo…" Cubot continued, much to Orbot's irritation. "Something…. Orb-ish… and… a robot?"
"Is it Orbot… for the 97th time?"
"Man, you are good at this! Are you cheating?"
Just then, the door to the evidence room opened up, allowing the guards to toss in a new dog kennel with Bokkun in it. It bounced slightly, jostling the bot inside, then settled down as the guard locked the door again. Upon seeing Bokkun, Cubot began waving happily.
"Hey Bokkun! You came to rescue us! I knew you wouldn't let us down!"
"He did let us down," Orbot reminded. "He's a prisoner too."
"I'm sorry guys..." Bokkun sobbed. "I tried. I really did..."
"Well now, you can join us for our next round of I spy," Cubot offered. "Orbot, I think it's your turn."
"Pass..." Orbot deadpanned, curling into his ball form.
"Alright, me again. I spy with my optic sensor, something…"
All of a sudden, there was a loud crash, followed by what sound like machine gun fire. The three bots perked, hearing the sounds of a struggle, then saw one of the guards get thrown through the evidence door. A figure stepped into the room, menacing eyes locking on the three captive robots.
"Something about to get us out of here!" Bokkun cheered. "For real this time!"
…
In his cell, Robotnik began to grow impatient for his early release.
"What is taking Bokkun so long?" he wondered. "He should have sprung me out of here hours ago."
That's when the sounds of commotion reached him, destroying his cell wall. He quickly turned to see whatever figure broke out the other robots now staring him down intensely and with steely resolve.
"No… it can't be…"