Emerald Bay: Beware

The buggy flew over the trench and roughly onto the grassy plains before them. The four fell out of the buggy and flew in different directions. Wail was the first to get up.

"Wowee! What a rush, huh? A yuk!" Wail said. Zest got up and brushed off his shirt, "Everyone okay?" Suddenly Zest paused in place with his mouth agape. A long, red flare shot straight through his heart before he even had a chance to react. The only sound came from Sally, her scream piecing Sonic's very soul.

And – in a miniscule way – upsetting him greatly.

Wail jumped up to see what had happened, "No! Zest! Speak to me! Zest! Z - What happened, man!?" He ran by the wolf's side. Sonic and Sally followed suit, the sovereign barely able to keep her composure as tears flowed down her face. Zest held the area where the wound pierced his heart, fluid staining his camouflage shirt. Blood soon started dropping out of his mouth, clashing with the wolf's gray muzzle.

The three then looked in the direction of where the buggy fell as footsteps approached. Suddenly, the buggy exploded into dozens of shards and filled the area with smoke. As it vanished, a large Mech could be seen trotting nonchalantly toward them. In it was none other than the notorious Dr. Ivo Robotnik...The Eggman.

"Such terrible losses...Terrible, but acceptable. I assure you my shot was destined for one of my rogue Mechs...Your friend was, unfortunately, in the wrong place at the wrong time..."

That made Wail go crazy, "You insolent fool...YOU KILLED MY COMRADE!" Wail ran towards the large Mech as he shot rounds from a large Combat Rifle at the machine.

"Wail, no!" Sonic yelled as he started after the salamander. But it was too late. Wail got hit in the eye with one of his own bullets due to some sort of shield mechanism on Eggman's walker. Sally fell on her knees as Wail slowly slumped to the ground. Two valiantly serving officers down for the count.

As Sonic hung his head down in sorrow, Eggman turned his attention over to him, "As you could've plainly seen, he caused his own demise...I only came here to negotiate. You see my warehouse and Mech labs have been infiltrated by the Villains of Outer Mobius. I simply come for your support and a bit of the technology Knothole has to offer..." His Mech started to slowly walk toward the blue hero, "...So what do you say? Do you wish to partner up and assist me in reclaiming what is rightfully mine?"

Sonic looked at the villainous scientist as Sally pulled out a small red cell phone, obviously to call an ambulance, "Assist this you bastard!"

Sonic ran straight toward Dr. Eggman forcing the Mech to spin around. Dr. Eggman sighed in disappointment, "I'll take that as a no, then."

The back of the Mech opened up, revealing a large turret that began firing energy missiles at the hedgehog. But the hero was too fast for him. He darted left and right out of the way as the scientist painfully grunted.

"This brings back lots of fond memories of past battles, hedgehog," Eggman went on as Sonic dashed toward him, "And many always seem to end this way!"

Sonic jumped and pounded into the hull with a powerful Homing Attack. The front cracked as Dr. Eggman went flying. But he was prepared. He quickly flipped a dial and the large villain flew out of the Mech in his silver colored Egg-O-Matic hovercraft (or Cockpit).

"I'll kill you Eggman!" Sonic yelled after as he watched him fly away.

"Not this time you dirty rat. For the time to call a truce has long gone!" said Dr. Eggman as the Cockpit rotated into the hero's direction, "And you will now be the one to pay for your ignorance...Beware!"

With that he flew off…