The day passed with nothing of interest going on. When the next day's reveille had passed, Sally Acorn bravely ventured forth to Eggopolis, also carrying a little package. Unlike Sonic, she lacked the ability of super speed, so she was coming here at even greater risk. Nevertheless, like Sonic, she entered the city without many worries. Soon enough…
"Intruder sighted!" said a SWATbot. "Surrender, princess!"
"Please, don't shoot!" implored Sally. "I come as a diplomat!"
"Surrender and come with us quietly!"
"I only want to deliver this package to Dr. Robotnik!"
After a scan of the package, the SWATbot leader said, "Come with us, princess."
Meanwhile, Dr. Robotnik was cooking up another diabolical plot when he got a call. He put down what he was doing and answered it.
"Yes?" asked Dr. Robotnik.
"NO691 reports you have a visitor." It was the SWATbot squad leader.
"Who is it?"
"Princess Sally Acorn of the Royal Family of Mobius."
"Oh, how very good! Bring her here immediately!" Afterwards, he said to himself, "At long last, the entire Royal Family belongs to me! Now the Freedom Fighters will have no hope of succeeding! AHAHAHAHA!"
A few seconds later, Sally came up to Robotnik's room.
"Well, if it isn't the daughter of the King & Queen!" said Robotnik. "I knew that one day I would get my hands on you! Have you any last words, princess?"
"Dr. Robotnik, I come here in peace, not as a prisoner," replied Sally.
"Oh?"
"It's true. You've kidnapped my parents, and I don't know if I can ever forgive you for that. However, I realize that war is not the only answer, so today, I come to you to make a peace offering."
"You? A peace offering!? I'm disappointed in you, Princess. However, I do appreciate the thought, so please, do tell me! Is it eggs?"
"Actually, I made you some hotcakes!" Sally opened the package and presented a plate of pancakes to Robotnik.
"Hotcakes?" said Robotnik. "How wonderful! Ordinarily, I like a glass of hedgehog blood, but these are splendid, too! Do you know what goes well with hotcakes?"
"What?"
"FRIED SQUIRREL BRAINS!" Robotnik attempted to make a grab for Sally. Without super speed, she had to get creative to evade Robotnik. Luckily, there were a couple of ventilation ducts on the way out. Also, she had her portable computer, NICOLE, to help her out.
After Sally escaped, Snively said, "If you'll excuse me, sir…"
"Just go ahead, Snively!" snapped Robotnik.
Without further ado, Snively took the plate of pancakes and went to eat them.
When Sally got back to Knothole, she was surprised to discover that the village was empty except for Sonic.
"Sonic, where is everybody?" asked Sally.
"How should I know?" replied Sonic. "I just went out for a quick run and everyone's split all of a sudden!"
"Who was supposed to be guarding Knothole?" Sally seemed rather annoyed with Sonic.
"Hey, ya said not to leave this joint unguarded, so I had Tails watchin' out while I was gone!"
"Did you at least tell the others about this?"
"Sal, I told everyone where I was goin'! How was I supposed to know they were all gonna book!?"
"Sonic, you're supposed to ask the others if they'll be going anywhere, too!"
"All right, I'm sorry! Maybe they left a note or somethin' for us! Come on!"
Sally & Sonic checked the village. However, nobody left any notes or sign-in sheets or anything of that sort. They did, however, leave some clues near the picnic area: Flour, baking powder, eggshells, etc… At that moment, the two leaders of the Knothole Freedom Fighters knew exactly where everybody had gone.
"Uh-oh…" said Sonic.
"Oh no!" said Sally. "Sonic, this is your fault!"
"Hey, don't pin this whole thing on me! You made some of those, too! We're both guilty, baby!"
"You're right, but we can't just stand here! We've got to do something!"
"Well, let's boogie, then!"
While the two were still bickering over the situation at hand, the rest of the Freedom Fighters were already paying a visit to Robotnik. First, there was Miles "Tails" Prower, Sonic's best friend.
"And why are you here, Fox Boy?" asked Robotnik.
"Robotnik, I just wanted to say thanks!" replied Tails. The little orange fox had a smile on his face despite the fact that there were robots with laser guns watching him carefully.
"Thanks? Thanks for what?"
"Thanks for helping me meet Sonic! If you hadn't taken over the world, I would never have met him! Ever since I met him, my life's been so awesome!"
"Why, you're welcome!" (Enjoy it while you can.) thought Robotnik.
"To show you how thankful I am, I got this for you!"
"Well, what is it!?"
"Here, I made you hotcakes!" Tails unwrapped the package and showed Robotnik the pancakes he made.
"Oh, so you made me HOTCAKES?" queried Robotnik. "Splendid! You know what goes WELL with hotcakes?"
"What?"
"CHOPPED FOX TAILS!" Once again, Robotnik attempted to grab Tails. However, Tails was able to fly away using his twin tails (hey, they don't call him "Tails" for nothin'). He got as far as the plains outside of Eggopolis before he got tired and had to land. After a few seconds rest, he started heading back to Knothole.
Just as he reached the Great Forest, he ran into Sonic & Sally.
"There you are, Tails!" exclaimed Sally.
"Tails, what were ya thinkin'!?" demanded Sonic.
"Well, I heard what you guys said about Robotnik," replied Tails, "so I decided to make some hotcakes as a peace offering."
"Did ya miss the part where we said the plan was totally nowhere!?" asked Sonic.
"Oops," replied Tails. "I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Tails!" said Sally. "The important thing is that you're alive! Now, what about the others?"
"I guess they heard about the plan, too," replied Tails.
"Aw, bummer!" exclaimed Sonic. "We gotta speed, Keed! Come on!"
The trio headed back for Eggopolis.
Back at Robotnik's HQ, there was another visitor: Knuckles the Echidna, part-time Freedom Fighter & guardian extraordinaire.
"Hey hey hey!" said Knuckles. "What's up, Robotnik?"
"What do you want?" snapped Robotnik.
"I just came here to tell you how much I admire your guts! Anyone who tries to take the Master Emerald over and over – no matter how many times they fail – deserves a gift!"
"A gift? Well, get on with it!"
"Here ya go!" Knuckles handed Robotnik another platter of pancakes. "Do you like 'em?"
"Do I like them? Do I like them!? DO I like them!? Why yes…yes I do! In fact…I like them so much that I could just KILL YOU FOR GIVING ME SUCH AN AWFUL GIFT!" Robotnik charged at Knuckles, but the red Echidna turned away, busted up the SWATbots that had escorted him here and fled Robotnik's HQ.
"Jeez, what an ungrateful butterball!" thought Knuckles. "Why'd I even trust him in the first place!?"
A few minutes after Knuckles departed, Bunnie Rabbot arrived. This golden rabbit was unusual in that her left arm & both of her legs were robotic, the result of an incomplete robotization by none other than Robotnik. That didn't stop her from bringing a gift to the man who'd flipped turned her life upside down.
"Well howdy, Doc!" said Bunnie.
"What is it!?" snapped Robotnik.
"Golly, y'all sure are in a sour mood! I just came to say thanks!"
"Forgive me, dear." Robotnik calmed down. "I've had a rather bad day today. I've been trying so hard not to take it out on other people, but it isn't easy, you know?"
"Aw, it's all right, hon! I got somethin' here that'll make ya happier than a leprechaun in a gold mine! But first, I wanted to thank y'all for givin' me these here robot limbs! Sometimes, I get to tirin' when I work all day, so these ol' things are real helpful!"
"Why, you are most welcome, Miss! I would only be happy to give you MORE! Heheheheheh!"
"Aw shucks, y'all are too kind! Anyhow, here's some pipin' hot flapjacks as a gift!"
"Flapjacks? My, what a refreshing break from hotcakes that is! SEIZE HER!" Robotnik & the SWATbots converged on Bunnie.
"What in tarnations!?" exclaimed Bunnie. "He's really in a sour mood!" She dropped her plate of hotcakes and fought off the SWATbots with some kicks and punches. Despite the overwhelming odds, she made it out alive.
After her escape, Snively asked, "Sir, do I have to eat those off the floor?"
"YES!" shouted Robotnik.
"Very well, sir."
Apparently, the sounds of lasers and explosions did not deter Antoine Depardieu (or D'Coolette, depending on who you talk to). A few minutes after Bunnie's departure, the tan coyote presented Robotnik with a silver platter.
"My patience is limited, so make it quick!" ordered Robotnik.
"Monsieur Robotnik, you are a plucky man!" said Antoine. "Today, you are findings yourself worthy of a fleece offering from me!"
"That's 'peace offering', you dimwit!"
"Ah, I am seeing that you are butchering the languages again, non? Well, I am ignorant that to tell you of a gift that I have making for you!" Antoine removed the lid from the platter. "Voila! Crêpes Suzette!"
"GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OOOOOUUUUUUT!" Robotnik & the SWATbots charged at Antoine.
"AAAAHHHHH!" screamed Antoine. Unlike his compatriots, he was not blessed with a vast amount of courage, and his combat skills were a bit lacking. In fact, the only way he managed to escape was through sheer luck. By cowering & jumping to avoid the SWATbots' laser fire, the SWATbots ended up destroying themselves instead of Antoine, who managed to flee by the skin of his teeth.
After the carnage subsided, Snively said, "Sir, do I really have to eat those Crêpes Suzette? I'm feeling quite full right now!"
"JUST EAT THEM, YOU NINCOMPOOP!"
In the meantime, Robotnik got another visitor: Rotor Walrus. He too was carrying a package of some sort.
"If this is a plate of hotcakes, then you're dead!" warned Robotnik.
"No, it's not that!" assured Rotor. "I know you're into machinery, and I just wanted to tell you how much I admire your creations! In fact, I'm into machinery myself, and I made this just for you!?"
"Well, what is it, you little cretin!?"
"TA-DA!" Rotor took the covering off of the machine,
"Hmmm…that's actually an admirable machine!" said Robotnik. "Do tell me, what does it do?"
"It's an automatic pancake maker; it cooks up pancakes in just a few seconds!"
"Why you little…DESTROY HIM!" Naturally, the SWATbots attempted to defeat Rotor. While they did destroy his machine, they failed to hit Rotor, so he got away by using a grappling hook.
Robotnik pounded his fists on the arms of his chair.
"WHY!? Why must I be annoyed by such pests!?" he shouted.
On the outskirts of Eggopolis, Sonic, Tails & Sally met with the rest of the Freedom Fighters.
"I'm glad that you're alive!" said Sally.
"What were you guys thinkin'!?" exclaimed Sonic. "If you were gonna book while I was gone, ya shoulda told me first!"
"Aw, we're sorry, Sugar-hog!" said Bunnie. "We just wanted to try out that plan of yours!"
"Hey, I dig the fact that ya wanted to help us out, but we can't have ya losin' your lives in vain! Now, read my lips: No more hotcakes!"
"Sacre bleu!" exclaimed Antoine. "Does this mean that there will being no more of the crêpes!?"
"No, Antoine," said Sally, who put her hands on Antoine's shoulder. "That just means we can't deliver any more pancakes to Dr. Robotnik. You can still cook your crêpes for us, though! I think they're the best!"
"Ah, but of course, my princess!"
"Oh what!?" exclaimed Sonic. "So you're sayin' that my chili dogs ain't good enough for ya!?"
"No, Sonic," said Sally. "I mean that Antoine makes the best crêpes I've ever tasted."
"Ahhhhh…I knew that! Now let's quit yappin' and blow this taco stand!" Still in one piece, Sonic and his comrades headed back to Knothole.
