Chapter 102: Mutual

"Greetings," Dr. Robotnik said as he approached Sonny and Miles with his robots in tow. "I take it your battle with Master Zik went well."

"What are you doing here?" Miles said turning around with a frown on his face. "Shouldn't you be plotting your next scheme or something?"

"Well, as it turns out, we have a mutual problem," Robotnik replied nervously. "And unfortunately, it'll take both our forces to overcome it."

"Take a hike, Robotnik!" Sonny snapped. "We can handle the Zeti ourselves!"

"Yes, I can believe that, but the Zeti have gotten ahold of a device of Eggman's that will spell doom for the planet below if they continue using it the way they are now."

"What kind of a device are we talking about?" Miles said folding his arms.

Dr. Robotnik gestured Orbot to show Cubot's head towards a flat rocky wall next to them, which he did, and then Cubot's eyes lit up as a holographic image appeared. It showed some kind of machine with a suction cup attached to it and a vat of rising green liquid on top.

"This machine was designed to take energy directly from the planet, but due to its instability it can't be shut off once the machine reaches full power," Robotnik said. "Therefore if the Zeti continue to use it, our world will be sucked dry of life."

Sonny was about to say something when Miles' communicator started to go off. The two answered it, and saw Amelia's face looking tired as the trees behind her started to lose their color and Chuck was huddled with the kids.

"Sonny, Miles, do you read me?" Amelia said tiredly.

"We're here," Sonny said. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Amelia said as she put a hand against her forehead. "Everything is dying down here. The plants, the animals, even we're feeling drained."

"We'll look into it," Miles said glancing at Robotnik nervously. "Just try to hold out."

"All right, but please hurry," Amelia said and her image faded from the screen.

"I guess you were telling the truth after all, Robotnik," Miles said bitterly.

"So where is this machine located?" Sonny said as he started doing warmup stretches.

"I hope you're not planning to smash it," Miles replied.

"What does it look like?" Sonny sheepishly grinned.

Miles groaned in response.

"Is that your answer to everything, Sonny?" Robotnik said irritably. "If you want to cause an explosion that'll incinerate everything in one hundred miles, then smash away."

Sonny hesitated and then he said, "Isn't there an off-switch?"

"Not anymore," Robotnik said shaking his head. "What I need to do is get to the machine and reprogram its shutdown sequence, but I'll need you two to deal with the Zeti in the meantime."

"How do we know Eggman's not going to use the planet's energy for himself once we've defeated the Zeti?" Miles said sarcastically.

"I've got Eggman under control at the moment, so there's a pretty good chance he's not going to take over anytime soon," Robotnik said raising his right hand.

"Do you swear by this?" Sonny said holding out his hand.

"Yes, I do," Robotnik said lowering his hand to shake with Sonny's.

"But if Eggman takes over your body once more, I will have no choice but to defeat you," Sonny said squeezing Robotnik's hand uncomfortably tight.

"Fair enough," Robotnik said nervously as he shook Sonny's hand in response.

"Okay, then let's go," Sonny said as he broke away and walked ahead of Robotnik.

"I wouldn't trust Robotnik if I were you," Miles whispered to Sonny as he caught up with him. "For all we know, it could be Dr. Eggman pretending to be Robotnik again."

"I know how you feel, Miles," Sonny whispered back. "But if what he says is true, then we need him if we're going to save the world."

"What are you two whispering about?" Robotnik said loudly.

"Uh, nothing, Robotnik," Miles said sheepishly.

"Right," Robotnik replied sarcastically.

###

After traversing a frozen area, the group came to an empty factory where Miles offered to repair Cubot's voice-chip which was going haywire with a Western-style accent.

"Thanks for fixing me," Cubot said in his normal voice.

"No problem," Miles said. "Maybe if your boss cared more about you guys than destroying me and Sonny, you wouldn't have had to get your voice-chip repaired in the first place."

"Are you calling me a bad programmer?" Robotnik said turning to face Miles.

"Maybe, because my mechanical skills far surpass yours," Miles replied.

"Really? Has it ever occurred to you that the reason you're the mechanical genius you are today is because a little two-tailed fox spirit lives inside you."

"Is that a compliment, or a sad attempt at dissing me?"

"Why, you—

"Hey, break it up!" Sonny said as he got between Robotnik and Miles. "Remember why we're working together."

"Remind me," Miles growled under his breath.

"We need Robotnik to shut down Eggman's machine," Sonny replied

"And you don't think I can do it?" Miles said clenching his fists.

"No, it's just—

"You don't trust me. Is that it?"

"I do trust you, Miles, it's just that I don't want to screw up this chance to fix my mistake."

"You think this is your mistake? Sonic's the one to blame here."

"Hey! That's uncalled for!"

"Boys, this conversation is getting awfully dreadful to listen to," Robotnik said irritably.

"You stay out of this!" Sonny and Miles shouted pointing at Robotnik.

A sudden laughter erupted from a wall of ice nearby which suddenly showed an image of Zazz standing next to another guy Sonny recognized.

"Zak?" Sonny said in disbelief. "Are you the one who's behind all this?"

"That name no longer applies to me," said the shirtless muscular guy with long light-blue hair tied back in a ponytail, red skin, long curved black horns, leather braces with spikes, and black pants. "You may call me Zavok, the leader of the Deadly Six!"

"You'll pay for what you did, Zavok!" Robotnik said pointing at the man who was once Zak.

"Well, if it isn't the fat man himself," Zazz said getting in front of Zavok. "Thanks for the machine, by the way. We're getting stronger than ever thanks to you."

"That machine was never yours to begin with!" Robotnik objected.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Zavok said pushing Zazz out of the way. "Once we've gathered all the planet's energy, you and your friends will be dead along with every living thing down below."

"Then I'll destroy everything you love and make you watch!" Robotnik said and punched the wall of ice which fell apart instantly.

"Doctor, your hands…" Orbot said with concern.

"I'm fine," Robotnik said rubbing his hands tightly. "As long as I'm able to punch a Zeti."

Sonny and Miles looked at each other with puzzled expressions as they followed Robotnik and his two robots through the icy forest.

Eventually, they came across a stump in the forest where a woman with green hair and skin was seated painting her extended fingernails with pink nail polish. She had a single black-and-pink striped horn, yellow eye-shadow and lipstick, and wore a green sweater with black stripes, matching green pants, and black fingerless gloves.

"Who's she?" Miles asked out loud.

"That's Zeena, the only female Zeti in the Deadly Six," Robotnik answered. "Don't let her looks fool you. She's quite dangerous if you make her mad."

"Oh, really?" Sonny said and ran up to her. "Hey, snow-cone head, my friends and I are kind of in a hurry so if you could kindly move—

"Argh!" Zeena cried out examining her nails. "You ruined my nail art! Now I'm going to have to apply a whole new coat!"

"Are you serious? I'm so sorry," Sonny said in a drawn out manner.

"You mean it?" Zeena asked.

"No, that's just the stupidest excuse I've ever heard," Sonny replied bluntly.

"It's not an excuse!" Zeena growled. "As soon as my nails are dry, you're going to get it."

Then with that, Zeena leaped away with Sonny following her.

To be continued…