"But wait!" Robotnik said aloud. "This means Snively knows the coordinates to the freedom fighter's hideout. Ha-Ha, well done Snively, my boy!"
"I forgot the mention," the spirit said interrupting Robotnik's giddiness. "We are going to Knothole. But we are there on a mission. While you were listing to young Snively I placed a spell on you. You won't remember where Knothole is but you will remember what happened there. Do you understand me, old boy?"
"No! No, no, no nooo!" yelled Robotnik. "You can't do that, spirit! Why?"
"I can, I will, I DID," responded the spirit in a firm manner. "You really are a problem, aren't you, Julian?"
The spirit turned away from Robotnik to look at the ground. He waved his hand at the ground in an upwards motion as if he was commanding something to rise. All of the sudden, ground started to tremble and shake. The earth beneath them began to move the metal it was encased in. The trees were rising. The spirit was calling forth the roots of the trees around them. As desperately as they tried the trees did not do as he commanded.
"You have really done this planet much harm, old boy," said the spirit with a sigh of disappointment. The trees were too rotten and weak to rise from the roboticised ground. The spirit almost began to weep for the trees. He looked up to the sky to see a bright red light passing through the sky. The spirit said something under his breath as the light passed out of sight. He looked at the ground and apologized to the earth.
"Well, then, old boy," he said looking at Robotnik. "It appears we are flying."
He reached into his pouch to grab a peppermint leaf. He dropped it to let it float to the ground. As it fell it grew to the size of one of the hover cars Robotnik uses.
"Spirit, are we flying on this leaf?" questioned Robotnik.
"Yes, old boy. This ride will take your breathe away! Ha-Ha-Ha!"
Robotnik stood there not amused. "Cute" was his only solemn remark. They mounted the leaf and took to the sky at high speed. They swiftly flew trough the clouds as they soared in the cold air. It wasn't long before they came to Knothole. Just as a leaf falls from the sky that is how Robotnik and the spirit landed. As they landed Sonic came speeding in trough the woods.
"Ah, we are right on time," said the Spirit.
Robotnik could not believe that they beat Sonic to the same destination. Once they landed they quickly dismounted the leaf to approach a window to the largest hut in Knothole.
Princess Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor were crowding around a bed occupied by a sickly Tails. Tails has fallen ill from recovering a deadly dosage of venom from a Vespa Bot. Tails has been ridden of the poison but is suffering from the nerve damaging bacteria it left behind. It is a man made bacteria from the bio labs of Robotnik. Only he has the medicine to destroy the bacteria. This is the medicine Snively stole from his lab. The amount Tails is given is only strong enough to hold off the bacteria but not enough to stop it all. It has gotten so bad to the point where Tails can not even move his left leg. He has to use a crutch to move about the hut. Sonic has just arrived to give Tails the medicine just given to him by Snively.
"Honey, I'm home!" Sonic yelled coming in.
"Quiet down, Sonic," responded Sally as she shushed him. "Tails just feel asleep."
"How's he doin'?" Sonic wondered.
"Well, sugar hog, he's running a fever higher than July temperatures!" said Bunnie as she felt Tails forehead. "Did you bring his meds, hun?"
Sonic took off his scarf and told all of them to come to the next room. The rest was sure that bad news was coming. Sonic was not smiling. He had the look of sadness and disappointment on his face. The Spirit took the hand of Robotnik and magically walked through the walls to follow them.
Sonic told everyone that the medicine he received was less of what they usually get for Tails and most likely their last. He told them what happen to Snively. The rest were stunned and worried about what to do from here. Sonic asked Rotor to see if he could try to find the contents of the medicine to see if the could make their own batch. But Rotor said that would require a greater amount of the medicine. Sonic then asked Sally if she came up with a remedy from the venom. Sally then told him that the venom was too complex to decipher.
Sonic became furious. He slammed his fists on the wall. He began crying and yelling. Sally ran to him to try to console him.
"He's taking my best friend, Sal" he said to her. "There's nothing we can do. I swear I'll never forgive him. If Tails dies I'll…I'LL…ARGH!"
Sonic got up and stormed off to the hut. Robotnik could not help but laugh.
"This is absolutely delicious" he said. "I'm winning. Sonic won't be able to keep a clear head after this. My plans will finally…Spirit. What? What is it? Why are looking at me that way?"
"Without a clear head his conscience will…well, you'll see soon enough," said the Spirit. "Well, it is time I take my leave, old boy. My son will be finished with his rounds soon and must be at his home to help him when he returns."
"Wait Spirit" said Robotnik. "What did you mean by I will see? Answer me Spirit-"
"All will be revealed to you when the third and final ghost appears before you. You best be on your toes with him, old boy. He has low tolerance for blokes like you."
As soon as he said that Robotnik started sinking into the ground as though he was standing on quicksand. He yelled and tried to grab on to something but it was no use. Robotnik was quickly neck high in the ground. He closed his eyes to wait for his death but when he opened them he found himself in his chair again. He was once again in front of his projected fire.
"Was it all just a dream?"
DING-DONG!
His alarm went off on his clock at two o'clock. The clock imitated the sound of a Grand Father Clock. It startled him.
"Whew it's just the clock" Robotnik said. As he went to go cut off the alarm, the alarm clock and all the electricity shut off in his quarters. A cold chill filled the air. All of the doors swung wide open.
"What is happening?" Robotnik said as he panicked.
When Robotnik turned around he found a tall dark figure before him.