Chapter 23: Sonic Past Cool:

Sonic's POV:

"Ready, Bunnie," asks Sally.

"Ready as a junebug en may, darlin'," says Bunnie. Bunnie busts through the roof. "Whoa, Nellie!"

"Bunnie, are you okay," asks Sally.

"How do aah look," asks Bunnie.

"Stuck in the ol' roof," I said.

"That's just how aah feel," says Bunnie.

"Hang tight, Bunnie," I said. We then helped her get down.

"These leg ladders will come en mighty handy next time aah've to fix the elevator," says Bunnie.

"Maybe I can help," says Tails.

"This is big stuff," I said.

"Did someone call my name," asks Big.

"And you're just a kid," I said, "sorry."

"I get it." Tails then flies off.

Tails' POV:

If I could just prove myself, Sonic would see I'm sidekick material. I then heard something. I then flew to it. I then saw this big dino thing. "Wow," I said, "you must be an undiscovered species! I have to learn more about you!" It then started licking me and I started to laugh.

. . .

I then took a look. Turns out, it's a terapod. "I'm gonna call you Baby T," I said. I then realized the Freedom Fighters probably wouldn't approve. "I'm going to have to hide you."

. . .

We then rode the elevator down. "Okay. Coast is clear. Shh...we gotta be really quiet," I said.

"Shh," says Baby T.

. . .

Now we're in a hut. "I'll make us a snack. All right! Here's some cookies," I said. Baby T then ate all the cookies. "Hey! You ate it all!" Baby T burps. "No, Baby T; not supposed to eat everything."

"Aww," says Baby T. He then walks away.

"Baby T, wait! Where ya goin'?"

. . .

I found the others as Rotor was working on Bunnie's legs. "Sonic, I have a problem," I said.

"Big or little," asks Sonic.

"Big," I said.

"Yes," asks Big, "and you guys know my cousin, Little? Fun fact, he's smaller than me, but older. Weird, huhh?"

"Mah stars; what en the heck is that," asks Bunnie.

"It's a baby terapod. How did he get down here," asks Sally. Baby T licks Sonic. "Aw, he is really cute, but we can't keep him."

"But he's my friend," I said, "we let Cream keep Cheese."

We then saw Cream and Cheese tickling Baby T's belly.

"Because his herd is migrating to Boulder Bay right now and he has to go with them," says Sally, "where's your mother, little guy?"

"He's about as little as I am," says Big.

Baby T bellows.

"Oh. Good luck tryin' to reckon that out," says Bunnie.

"Wait a second. I built a device years ago when I tried communicating with terapods, but never tested it. Maybe now..." Sally begins.

"Hold it," says Sonic, "why were you trying to talk to terapods?"

"Because I was a kid," says Sally, "even I did silly things as a kid!"

"I still do silly things," says Big.

The ground shakes. Roaring is heard in the distance.

"What's that," I asked.

"Sounds like Baby T's family," says Sonic, "let's go!"

"I'll watch everything here," says Big.

We then rode the elevator up.

Big's POV:

"Can I give you a makeover," asks Cream.

"Sure," I said, "why not?"

Tails' POV:

When we got to the surface, Baby T wandered off.

"Baby T, wait," I said. I then flew after him.

. . .

Sonic went after me. "He wouldn't like living with us," says Sonic, "he'd miss his mom!"

"I never knew either of my parents," I said.

"Oh my gosh! They're going the wrong way," says Sally.

"The wrong way," asks Sonic.

"Yes. They always migrate south through the Great Meadow and into Boulder Bay. Something's really wrong," says Sally.

"I'll head 'em off at the ol' pass," says Sonic. He then headed off.

Sonic's POV:

I then stopped the terapods. "Hang a left, hang a left, hang a left...keep movin', keep movin'," I said. The terapods went to the wrong way, leading to the dead end. "Okay, I know you're supposed to juice but you're juicin' the wrong way!"

Sally and the guys came. Sally approaches Momma T. "Easy girl. Easy now," says Sally.

"That communication device works, it'd be past cool, Sal," I said.

"The terapods are the only ones that can tell us why they're going the wrong way," says Sally.

Sally presses NICOLE's buttons to communicate with her.

"Start language link search, NICOLE," says Sally.

"Language link search in progress, Sally," says NICOLE.

"You really think they can talk," says Rotor.

"They're very intelligent. Their sounds have a distinct language pattern," says Sally.

"They sure seem freaked. I wonder what's scaring them," I said.

Dr. Robotnik's POV:

"These terapod beasts are the final species to be roboticized, Snively. When they're done, I will control every living thing on this planet," I said.

"Except for the Freedom Fighters, Sir," says Snively.

"I am aware of that, Snively. You don't have to remind me! Now, what of the terapods," I said.

"Well, Sir, a Stealth Bot spotted the herd, but lost them," says Snively.

"Lost them," I asked.

"Yes, Sir," says Snively.

"Beasts of burden do not hide, Snively. They, not unlike yourself, have no intelligence," I said.

"Well, I beg your pardon, Sir, but reports say they do," says Snively.

"I don't care about their brains! I want their brawn! Prepare my hovercraft," I said.

Sonic's POV:

"Sonic, they want to go through the Great Jungle," says Sally.

"No way. It's uncharted," I said.

The terapods then started roaring and stomping.

"Oh! This is making me crazy! What do they know that we don't," asks Sally.

"I know," I said. I then pointed up and Sally sees the stealth bots.

"Robotnik," says Sally.

"Come on. Juice time," I said.

Dr. Robotnik's POV:

"Sir, the terapods disappeared into the Great Jungle with the Freedom fighters," says Snively.

"Oooh, I like that, Snively. Now we can get all of them," I said.

"Yes, Sir, but the Great Jungle is still uncharted, and we've lost a number of Recon Bots in there and..." Snively begins.

"Make sure we lose no more," I said.

"Yes, Sir," says Snively.

Sonic's POV:

"Do you know a special way, girl," asks Sally.

Momma T roars.

"Wow. Look at those plants," says Tails. Baby T then drags Tails away. "Aah! What's wrong? I just wanted to look."

"Something wrong with those plants, Momma T," I asked. Momma T scoots a rock into the plants. The rock dissolves. "Wow! That is one bad plant! It eats rocks!"

"I've gotta check this out," says Rotor. The plants melt Rotor's screwdriver.

"That is really amazing," says Sally.

"Think what we could do to ol' Robuttnik with a couple of these metal-eating babies. We just have to figure out how to get it - ack! Whoa!" I got caught in a vine. "What's with the ol' vine?"

"Sonic," says Sally.

"Get me outta here," I said.

"Oh, mah stars! What the heck are we gonna do," says Bunnie.

"That dead tree...come on," says Sally.

"Come on, push. Push," says Rotor.

"This is one stubborn tree," says Bunnie.

"Uh-oh. This doesn't look good, Baby T," says Tails.

"Nuh-uh," says Baby T.

"Baby T, get your mom. She can help push the tree. Understand," says Tails.

Momma T then pushes the tree down so I can use it to get up. "Mucho thanks, Momma T. I owe you," I said. I then kissed Momma T.

Dr. Robotnik's POV:

"Y'know, we probably should've had Knuckles and his strength on this," says Snively.

"I know," I said, "but he would never help us harm these things!"

"The cages are ready, Sir," says Snively.

"Very good, Snively. Let's get this done," I said.

"Yes, Sir," says Snively.

"I just need one beast for now, Snively. Pick the largest to experiment on," I said.

"Very good, Sir," says Snively.

"Stealth Bots, activate heat seeking radar," I said.

Sonic's POV:

Momma T growls.

"Man, she can hear all kinds of stuff we can't," I said.

"Yes, their senses are highly evolved," says Sally.

Momma T roars.

"What's she sayin'," I asked.

"I don't know, but something sure has upset her," says Sally. Sally adjusts something on the communicator collar. "Come on; try again, girl." Momma T roars softly. "Come on, Nicole; help me out here."

"Trying Delphi language sequence..." says Nicole.

"Danger," says Momma T.

"Danger? What kind of danger," asks Rotor.

We then heard something. "That sounds like Stealth Bots," says Sally.

I then ran up a tree. "Momma T is on the money," I said. I then ran back down. "Stealth Bots, looking for trouble." The stealth bots then fired at us. "Whoa! That was bad Momma T! Okay guys, mount up. The TPs are ready to juice."

"You can run, but you can't hide, hedgehog," says Robotnik.

"Let's juice," I said. We then ran from the stealth bots. "Why can't we lose these guys?"

"They're probably using heat scanners," says Rotor.

A cage drops on Momma T, capturing her.

"Sonic, you have to save Momma T," says Tails.

"I'll get her in a Sonic second. Hedgehog on the job..." I then ran to the cage. "Hang in, Momma T!"

Tails' POV:

"Don't worry, Baby T. Sonic's the coolest. He'll save your mom," I said.

Dr. Robotnik's POV:

"What are you waiting for, Snively? Get the hedgehog," I said.

"Yes, Sir," says Snively.

Sonic's POV:

The stealth bots were attacking. Then Bunnie showed up, using her new ladder legs. "Hold own, sugar-hog," says Bunnie, "are y'all right?"

"Yeah. Can you open this thing up," I asked.

"Course Aah can. No problem," says Bunnie.

"Cool. Now hang tight. We'll be juicin' in reverse," I said.

"Make it quick, sugar-hog. We got company," says Bunnie.

"Goin' down," I said. Bunnie screamed while we were going down.

"Run for it, Bunnie," says Rotor.

The cage stops a few feet above the ground, right over Bunnie who has ducked to avoid it.

"Oh mah. Little help he-yah, Rotor," asks Bunnie.

"Hang on," says Rotor.

"Mah leg is stuck ah-gain," says Bunnie.

Rotor then helps Bunnie.

"Time to juice," I said. We then headed off.

. . .

"Come on, Sal. We gotta keep juicin'," I said.

"No, Sonic. We don't know the Great Jungle; Mother T does. We need her help," says Sally. She then adjusts the collar. "Come on, Nicole, lock in."

"S-cor... scorch," says Momma T.

"That's it. We're getting there, Nicole," says Sally.

"Sonic. Good idea. Scorch plants eat metal machines," says Momma T.

"Yes! Good call, Momma T. All we need is a big patch of those plants," I said.

"Across...river," says Momma T.

. . .

I then got to Robotnik and his stealth bots. "Yo! Lookin' for me, metal breath? Follow the leader," I said. They then chased after me. "Hey, Robuttnik! You couldn't catch me if I was standing still."

"You're wrong, hedgehog! This time there is no place to hide," says Robotnik.

"Ha! Could've fooled me," I said. I ran to the trees and the stealth bots followed and the plants took care of them! Robotnik was mad.

. . .

Sally collected the seeds. Now we can use the scorch plants.

"Look. Home," says Momma T.

"It's Boulder Bay. She knew where she was going all along," says Sally.

"Past cool. Ol' 'buttnik will never find you here, Momma T," I said.

"I'm going to miss you, Baby T," says Tails.

"This might help you say goodbye, Tails," says Sally as she put the collar on Baby T.

"I don't wanna say goodbye. Please come back with us, Baby T," says Tails.

"Stay with Momma T. You come with us," says Baby T.

"I can't, Baby T. The Freedom Fighters need me. Bye, Baby T. Be cool," says Tails.

"Yeah, way past cool. Gotta juice it loose," says Baby T.

"Oh my gosh; all that work and he sounds just like you," says Sally.

"Yeah. Gimmie five, Baby T," I said. Baby T and I then high fived.

In the next chapter, Robotnik holds a race in Robotropolis in a bid to lure Sonic into a trap.