CHAPTER 22: BOMBS, CHASES AND MIND-POWER!
Sonic, Shadow and Rainbow Dash walked towards the throne. It was covered in buttons and gadgets. No surprise there as Eggman was sitting in it. Sonic went over. He looked around and he saw the Blue Emerald inserted into a socket.
"There it is." he said, picking up the Emerald.
"Wait... Sonic, don't!" said Shadow, but it was too late. Sonic pulled it out.
Alarms and sirens went off.
"Self Destruct in -SIXTY- seconds." said a voice.
"What?! Blow up this place?" exclaimed Sonic.
"WHAT SORT OF PONY WOULD DO THAT?!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"I'll find the bomb. You find the others." said Shadow. He was calm and cool as always.
"It's nice to see your opening your heart a bit, Shadow." said Rainbow Dash, who was panicking but had a calm voice.
"Self destruct in -FIFTY- seconds."
"No time to chat!" said Sonic, running off behind the throne into another hidden door in the floor.
"Erm... OK, I'll just sit here with a BOMB going off!" said Rainbow Dash.
"You must stay here." said Shadow.
"But-" Rainbow Dash started, but Shadow was gone.
Rainbow Dash was alone. She looked around. Why had Eggman come here? There must be a reason.
"The Crystal Heart!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed! That's it! The Crystal Heart! It powers all the joy of the Crystal Kingdom. She went out the door and flew up to the top of the palace.
"Self Destruct in -THIRTY- seconds."
Everyone in the kingdom didn't seem crystal anymore! Then she flew under the palace and found the stand the Crystal Heart usually stood on. It was gone! That's why Eggman didn't come back in! She turned to catch him, but it was too late, she just saw his Egg-mobile fly out of the dome. But she hadn't given up hope. She flew after him.
Meanwhile, inside the palace, Shadow was at the bomb. It was in the princess's room.
Arrgh... RED OR GREEN?! Shadow thought. His head was aching. He didn't know which wire to cut. Usually, back on Mobius, he was given info on what wire to cut in the mission briefing. But now he was on his own. He had to take a chance...
"Self Destruct in -TWENTY- seconds."
"SHUT UP!" shouted Shadow.
He had no more time to choose.
He cut the green wire.
Sonic ran through the corridors of the labyrinth that is the princess's home. He couldn't believe someone lived here! He was just about to turn when he heard voices. He stopped dead in his tracks and listened...
"Well, I'll play my joker then." said one voice. It was Tails!
"Hah. The joker is no match for 'dun dun duun' the Queen of Diamonds." said another. It seemed to be robotic...
Was Tails playing cards? What for? He raced down the corridor where the voices were coming from. There, in a cell, was Tails and the forgotten Psy-Clops.
"Tails! What the heck is going on?!" said Sonic, surprised.
"Sonic! You came!" said Tails. "Now can you get me out of here? I've just been playing cards with Psy-Clops who I found on the floor in bits. I fixed him and re-programmed him to be on our side! Best of all: His AI can play cards well. REALLY well-"
"I'll just get you outta there." said Sonic.
"No, I will!" said a voice. Sonic turned. It was Silver! Silver used Psyco-kenisis to pry open the bars of the cell.
"I've GOT to learn how to do that, fellows!" said Psy-Clops, who had a voice of a posh gentleman that made Sonic smile.
"From what I can sense... the exit is over in that direction." said Silver.
"What about the others?" asked Tails.
"Don't worry, Tails. I'll go find them."
"Can I come too, friend?" said Psy-Clops.
"Er, sure, if you want to." replied Sonic.
To Be Continued...