The Key to Success
"Why do we have to walk, again?" asked Knuckles, feet getting sore from all of the hiking.
"I told you, Knuckles, the Tornado doesn't have enough seats for the lot of us." replied Tails. The gang had been walking for around 3 hours, trying to reach Dr. Eggman's new hideaway. "I do not see what the big deal is. Fresh air and plenty of exercise is very healthy for everyone, even a lock-fisted echidna like you, Knuckles." said Aku-Aku. Before Knuckles could respond to the floating mask, Sonic said, "Hey Tails, is that the place we're looking for?" He pointed at a rather large egg-shaped fortress with the Eggman insignia on it. "Yup, that's it alright!" replied Tails. After about another 10 minutes of walking, they reached the cliff-mounted fort, and entered inside, as the doors were unlocked. As they continued through the foyer, Amy said, "This is almost too easy."
"Amy's right you guys, keep alert." Tails backed up. Then, the castle doors shut behind them, and a giant screen appeared, and on it were the mech-head maniacs, Cortex and Eggman. "Well well well, so nice of you six to finally join us." said Eggman.
"It was becoming rather lonesome in this dark crypt of a castle." said Cortex.
"Who's castle are you calling a dark crypt, eh Big Head?" argued Eggman.
Cortex became mad and said, "The same man I'm calling 'Scotch Sumo', Scotch Sumo!"
"Why I oughta-" Eggman was interrupted by Crash's random laughter at the Doctors' antics. "Urhurrm! Anyways, you're a little late, you lot are. For you see, our creation is complete!" Eggman directed the camera to Cortex who was holding a golden key with a gem that was one-side-red, one-side-yellow.
"You're greatest invention is a key? Man, that's lame, even for you two." snickered Sonic. Cortex lost his temper again and said, "This key is not the invention, you ninny, but the key to activate it. However, we left it in outer space at the moment. Double S, care to say where?" Eggman got frustrated and reluctantly responded, "Yes, you see you six, my latest project was a simple one, yet classic simultaneously… rebuild the Death Egg! This key is our ticket to global domination, glory, and free movie passes! OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO- Urhurrm!"
"And, we have a special surprise up there, if you lot can survive this!" Cortex said, as he flicked a switch. Then, mutants with mechanized armor ventured into the fortress foyer through gates that had just opened. Once they all surrounded the gang, Eggman said, "Amazing how much spare time two evil geniuses have, after they're done with the many projects they come up with. Now then, you know what they say, The More the Merrier!" He then flicked another switch, and even more mutants with mechanized armor entered the foyer. "We'd love to stay and chat, but we have a rocket to catch!" said Cortex, and the screen went blank, and lifted to the ceiling. "This does not look good at all, children." said Aku-Aku with a worried expression as the castle began to rumble as the rocket took off.
"Ppff, we can take these guys easy! Just a bunch of forest animals with junk on their bodies." said Knuckles as the beasts ranging from wolves, to skunks, to porcupines all closed in.
"Might as well." said Sonic, doing some stretches, "Either way, I don't think we have much a choice." Crash saw Sonic doing his stretches, thinking it was dancing, and the orange bandicoot stopped the hedgehog, and began dancing himself. Crash first put his arms stretched out to his sides, then nodded his head and looked to the right, then nodded and looked to the left. He then did several rapid pelvic thrusts in place, from left to right. After that, he did a crouched shimmy, turning 180 degrees on the dime, then looked directly behind himself as if he was shouting, "SURPRISE!" He then repeated the cycle, as a couple of the monsters began joining in on the rave. Soon enough Crash was leading his own flash mob of mechanized mutants in dance. "What the-?" said Knuckles.
"It would seem Crash has found the one thing that Cortex could not relieve his mutants of… Partying." said Aku-Aku. Tails looked around, with all of the confusion going on, and in no time, he found an escape pod labeled, "Emergency Escape-Pod That Leads to the Death Egg for Anyone's and Everyone's Convenience." Tails then motioned everyone to come towards him. All but Crash saw this, leading to Sonic pulling him out of the flash mob. The team then immediately blasted off towards the newly constructed, Death Egg Mk. III, leaving behind an army of raving mutants.