Poor Unfortunate Souls

*Sonic pulled back the rock that blocked the entrance to the grotto & he & Tails swam inside*

Sonic: Tails, why can't you just tell me what this is all about?

Tails: You'll see! It's a surprise!

*When the kids reached the grotto, Sonic's eyes went wide at what he saw was in the middle of the grotto*

Sonic: Oh, Tails . . . *it was the statue of Sally that sunk during the storm. he grabbed Tails & gave him a noogie* Tails, you're the best! *he let go & went up to the statue* It looks just like her! It even has her eyes! *giggle* Why Sally. Run away with you? This is all so . . . So sudden. *he then spun around, laughing all the while. but when he saw who was glaring at him from the door**gasp* M - Mom!

*Knuckles poked his head out from behind a rock & Tails hid behind some shelves*

Queen Aleena: So. You broke the rules. You went to the surface.

*For a moment, Sonic didn't say anything*

Sonic: There was a ship wreck. A girl was drowning, I had to save her.

Queen Aleena: You should have let her drown. They're savages.

Sonic: You don't know that.

Queen Aleena: They killed your Father.

Sonic: I know. But . . . One man did. Why blame every Mobian? Father wouldn't.

Queen Aleena: Stop. That's enough.

Sonic: And Sally had nothing to do with it.

Queen Aleena: Sally? Sally? Have you lost your senses completely?

Sonic: You would have just hurt her, Mom! She's brave, compassionate, and kind!

Queen Aleena: She's a Mobian, you're a merman!

Sonic: Yes. But that doesn't make us enemies!

Queen Aleena: Promise me you'll never go near her again.

*Sonic was quiet for a few seconds*

Sonic: I can't.

Queen Aleena: Promise me, Sonic.

Sonic: I can't lie to you. I won't.

Queen Aleena: So help me, Sonic. I am going to get through to you! And if this is the only way, *her trident started to glow* so be it!

*She sent a blast from her trident at the world globe, destroying it*

Sonic: Mom! *he then destroyed the candelabra* No, no, please! *she didn't hear him & destroyed everything in the grotto* Mom stop! Mom stop it! *he swam up to her & grabbed her arm. he then saw that she was eyeing his statue* MOM, NO!

*She aimed her final blast at the statue, completely destroying it. Once the dust cleared, Sonic collapsed on what was left of the rock in the middle of the grotto & curled up into a ball to hide his tears. The Queen gave him a small look of regret before leaving. Tails & Knuckles went up to him*

Knuckles: Sonic . . . I . . .

Sonic: Just go away.

*Tails & Knuckles looked at each other before sadly leaving. Sonic stayed in the middle of what was left of the grotto, crying. Overhead, Breena & Brenna, who saw the whole thing, swam to him & began circling, creating a bubble. Zero's face appeared in the bubble*

Zero: Poor child. Poor sweet child. She can be so angry. She thinks she knows everything.

*Sonic looked up at the bubble*

Sonic: Who are you?

Zero: Oh. You must not remember me. I'm your Uncle Zero.

Sonic: The Sea Wizard?

Zero: The what? What has your Mother told you about me?

Sonic: That you like to stir up trouble between Mobians and mer-people.

Zero: Oh, is that what she said? I'm not half the monster she claims I am. And I'm only here to help.

*Sonic looked away*

Sonic: I don't need your help.

Zero: Whatever you say, kid.

*His face started to fade away. Sonic thought for a moment & then turned back to the bubble*

Sonic: Wait!

*Zero reappeared in the bubble*

Zero: Yes?

Sonic: How can you help me?

*Outside the grotto, Tails & Knuckles were sadly waiting for Sonic to come out*

Tails: Poor Sonic.

Knuckles: I didn't mean to tell, it was an accident. *just then, three shadows passed above them. they looked up & saw Sonic swimming away with Breena & Brenna* Sonic, where are you going? *he swam up & got in front of them* Sonic, what are you doing here with this riff-raff?

Sonic: I'm going to see Zero.

*He swam past him. Knuckles gasped in horror & grabbed his tail*

Knuckles: Sonic, no! No, he's a demon! He's a monster!

Sonic: Why don't you go tell my Mom!? You're good at that!

*He flicked him off & swam off after the eels*

Knuckles: But . . . But . . . I . . . *to Tails* Come on!

*He started going after Sonic, Breena, & Brenna with Tails right behind him. Sonic followed the eels as they passed by undersea volcanoes. They soon arrived at the skeleton of a gigantic sea creature. Sonic started to hesitate. The eels circled above the entrance, beckoning him to enter. Gathering his courage, he followed the eels into the skeleton. He shuddered in fear when he saw the polyps growing in the hallway. They moaned & groaned at him. Suddenly, one of them grabbed him by the wrist & tried to pull him down. But he managed to pull himself free*

Zero:*off-screen* Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways. *he came out of the shadows**on-screen* It's rude. One might question your upbringing. *Sonic backed away from him* Don't be shy, kiddo. It's me. Your Uncle Zero. I've known you since you were a baby.

Sonic: I shouldn't be here.

*Zero put an arm around his shoulders*

Zero: Nonsense. We're family. And we're so much alike you and I. We're men of vision. Men of enlightenment. They don't like that, do they? *he let go of Sonic & went to a vanity* Now then. *he used one of his tentacles to squeeze a blue shell bottle & put the gel in his hair* You're here because you have a thing for this Mobian, this Princess girl. Not that a blame you. She is quite a catch, isn't he? *he chuckled & put some green gel on his teeth* Well kiddo, the solution to your problem is simple. *he smiled & his fangs seemed to gleam* The only way to get what you want, is to become a Mobian yourself.

Sonic: Can you do that?

*A smirk grew on Zero's face*

Zero: My dear sweet child. That what I do. *he got up from his chair & went towards Sonic* It's what I live for! To help unfortunate Mer-Folk, like yourself. Poor souls with no one else to turn to.

*Zero singing*

I admit that in the past I've been a nasty

*Breena & Brenna started to circle him*

They weren't kidding when they called me

Well, a witch

*He scratched Breena under her chin & the two eels snickered*

But you'll find that nowadays

I've mended all my ways

Repented, seen the light, and made a switch

(True?)

(Yes.)

*He went to his cauldron*

And I fortunately know a little magic

It's a talent that I always have possessed

*With a wave of his hand, the cauldron opened, illuminating the cave in a pink light*

And dear boy, please don't laugh

I use it on behalf

*Two images appeared out of the pink smoke. One was a fat female dog mermaid & the other was a skinny male dog merman*

Of the miserable, lonely and depressed

Zero:*whispering to Breena & Brenna* Pathetic.

*Zero singing*

Poor unfortunate souls

In pain

In need

This one longing to be thinner

That one wants to get the girl

And do I help them

*He snapped his fingers & both mermaids got what they wanted. They then hugged each other*

Yes, indeed

Those poor unfortunate souls

*Meanwhile, Tails & Knuckles arrived at the skeleton & made their way through the polyp infested hallway*

So sad

So true

They come flocking to my cauldron

crying "Spells, Zero, please!"

And I help them

Yes, I do

Now it's happened once or twice

Someone couldn't pay the price

*He held out a hand to the mermaids, but they both shook their heads*

And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals

*He turned his handing out a fist & both mermaids turned into polyps. Sonic gasped & looked back at the polyps in the hallway*

Yes I've had the odd complaint

But on the whole I've been a saint

to those poor unfortunate souls

*Zero then grabbed Sonic with one of his tentacles & pulled him close*

Zero: Now, here's the deal. *he wrapped an arm around Sonic's shoulders & led him to the cauldron* I will make you a potion that will turn you into a Mobian for four days. Got that? Four days. Now listen. This is important. *he then opened the top of the cauldron a bit & an image of four balls of light appeared in the cauldron* Before the sun sets on the third day, *then a red heart with gold crown over it appeared* you've got to get your dear Princess to fall in love with you. That is, she's got to kiss you. Not just any kiss. *the heart & crown started to glow bright* The kiss of true love. *Tails & Knuckles entered the main room* If she does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, *a orange image of Sonic running with legs appeared* you'll remain a Mobian permanently. But if she doesn't, *the image then turned blue & he had his tail back* you'll turn back into a merman. And . . . *the image of him went back into the cauldron & it closed* You belong to me.

Knuckles: No, Sonic!

*Suddenly, Breena & Brenna wrapped themselves around him & Tails, shutting them up. Sonic turned to look, but Zero grabbed his chin & made him look at him*

Zero: Have we got a deal?

Sonic: If I become a Mobian . . . I'll never be with my Mother or brothers again.

Zero: That's right. But . . . You'll have your girl. *chuckle* Life's full of tough choices, ain't it? *snicker* Oh. And there is one more thing. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something from nothing you know.

Sonic: But I don't have any -

*Zero covered his mouth with one of his tentacles*

Zero: I'm not asking much. Just a token, merely a trifle. You'll never even miss it. *he put a finger under Sonic's chin* What I want from you is . . . Your voice.

*Sonic put a hand to his throat*

Sonic: My voice?

Zero: You got it, sport. No more talking. Singing. Zip!

Sonic: But without my voice, how can I -

Zero: You'll have your looks, your handsome face, and don't underestimate the importance of body language! HA!

*Zero singing*

The girls up there don't like a lot of blabber

They think a guy who gossips is a bore

*He opened a cabinet, revealing bottles filled with various things*

Yes, on land it's much preferred

For gentlemen not to say a word

And after all, kid, what is idle prattle for

Come on

*He started throwing bottles out of the cabinet*

They're not all that impressed with conversation

True ladies avoid it when they can

*The bottles all went into the cauldron with a bang*

But they dote and swoon and fawn

On a man who's withdrawn

It's he who holds her tongue who gets a girl

*He threw an actual tongue into the cauldron*

Come on, you poor unfortunate soul

Go ahead

Make your choice

I'm a very busy man and I haven't got all day

*He created an image of Sally's face*

It won't cost much

Just your voice

*He broke through it with a grin. Then he threw a jellyfish into the cauldron*

You poor unfortunate soul

It's sad but true

If you want to cross the bridge, kid

You've got the pay the toll

*He went next to Sonic & made a glowing yellow scroll appear in front of them*

Take a gulp and take a breath

And go ahead and sign the scroll

*A fish bone pen appeared in front of Sonic*

Zero:*whispering* Breena, Brenna, now I've got him, girls!

*Zero singing*

The boss is on a roll

THIS POOR

*Sonic looked at the pen in determination*

UN -

*He then grabbed it*

FORTUNATE SOUL

*Tails & Knuckles watched in horror as Sonic signed the contract. The scroll then flew into Zero's hand & disappeared. He turned to Sonic with an evil smile*

Beluga sevruga, come winds of the Caspian Sea

*A blue whirlwind came out of the cauldron*

Larynxes, glossitis, ad max Laryngitis, la voce to me

*Two hands made of green mist came out next*

Zero: Now sing! *Sonic began to sing a long note* Keep singing!

*The hands came closer & closer to Sonic until they went down his throat & pulled out his voice. They then pulled the voice into Zero's shell necklace. Zero then laughed as a yellow bubble grabbed Sonic. His tail was then torn in half & turned into legs. The bubble then popped & he came out wearing a torn white shirt & torn black pants. He then began to struggle in the water because he couldn't breathe or swim. Tails & Knuckles rushed to him & began to pull him up to the surface. When they reached it, Sonic was gasping for air*

Knuckles: Oh, Sonic. Well, come on. It's either sink or swim.

*They started swimming towards shore*