Chapter 39: Dr. Robotnik's "Or Else" Protection Service:
Sonic's POV:
Tails, Knuckles, and me arrived in the town of Mobius Corners.
"Let's see if we can find a diner," I said.
. . .
Everyone seemed spook for some reason. "Yeah! You'd think they never saw a blue hedgehog before," I said, "woah, scope it out!" I ran to a diner.
"Bert's Diner," says Tails.
"I don't know about this," says Knuckles, "something doesn't smell right and for once, it's not me."
"I have been meaning to talk to you about that," I said, "anyway, check out this sign, they have foot-long chili dogs!"
. . .
We then entered the diner. "By jings, I told the other ones no, and I mean no," says the guy who's running the diner.
"The other ones? What are you talkin' about," I asked.
"Aren't you with Robotnik?"
"I used to be," says Knuckles, "but Sonic and Tails have always been against him!"
"My mistake."
"I'll take sixteen chili dogs," I said.
"Me too," says Tails.
"Just one is fine with me," says Knuckles, "unlike these two, I try to take better care of my body."
"Mobius Corners ain't a safe place to be in right now, young fella! You'd best be movin' on," says the diner guy.
"Gosh, Bert, these folks do look kinda hungry," says the waitress.
"Huh, yeah, Bert," says one of Robotnik's' bots, Ball Hog, "feed 'em!"
"Yeah, it'll be the last meal you'll cook," says Roller.
"Unless you gotten smart and decided to pay up," says Ball Hog.
"I've sunk every Mobium I own in this place, and I'm not gonna hand it over to a bunch of good for nothin' robots," says Bert.
"Oh, yeah," asks Ball Hog, "show him we mean business, Roller!"
"You got it, Ball Hog," says Roller.
Roller can roll into a ball like an armadillo, and he runs through a wall, making a hole. I then chased after him while Knuckles and Tails deal with Ball Hog.
. . .
I was facing Roller. "Sonic the Hedgehog," says Roller, "Dr. Robotnik will pay me, handsomely for this!"
"Have you looked in a mirror," I asked.
We then both rolled into balls and rammed into each other... but I won!
Knuckles' POV:
I was facing Ball Hog. "So, why do they call you Ball Hog," I asked.
"I'll show you," says Ball Hog. He then gets out these bombs.
"That doesn't make sense," I said, "shouldn't you have a pig-based name?" He then throws his bombs at me, but I used my fists to knock them back to him, causing them to explode, causing him to fall to pieces. "Pig."
Sonic's POV:
We then put the two bots in the trash. "You two put those robo-hoods right where they belong," says Bert.
"What was that all about," I asked.
"I think I know," says Tails, with a piece of paper.
DR. RoBoTNiK's "OR ELSe" PRoTecTioN SeRVice, "Pay Me Now OR I'LL POUND ya LATeR".
"So, this is what Robotnik's up to," says Tails.
"Uh-huh, and Mr. Whoo is the only one who wouldn't pay, so they said they'd bust up his diner," says the Waitress.
"I'm the mayor of Mobius corners. Somebody had to stand up to them," says Bert.
"Well, you got the Freedom Fighters with you," I said.
We then heard a phone ring and Tails answers. "It's Robotnik," says Tails, "the parties you are trying to reach have been disconnected, and so is your brain, Robuttnik! Your protection racket is busted!"
Dr. Robotnik's POV:
"If that hedgehog thinks he can stop me that easy, he's wrong," I said, "Sleet, Dingo!" Sleet and Dingo were watching some strange cartoon. "I have a job for you!"
Sonic's POV:
We were having some chili dogs at Bert's diner.
"Wow! I never saw anybody that could eat a chili dog that fast," says Roxy the waitress.
"It takes a lot of practice," I said.
We then heard something. "All right, you mugs! Come and get it," says Sleet.
"Is that who I think it is," asks Tails.
We then took a look. "You hear me? Come and get it," says Sleet.
"Yayh, if yah daon't come and geh' ih', weah gawnna kayp ih', thaen yah'll be sohry," says Dingo.
"D'oh, shut up and bring me the violin case," says Sleet.
"Ewww! Who are those waldos," asks Roxy.
"Bounty hunters that work for Robotnik," I said.
"Byjings, I've had enough! I'm gonna run em' out of town," says Bert.
"Hang on, could be really dangerous out here," I said.
Dingo hands the violin case to Sleet. Sleet opens it. "If you won't cooperate, then..." Sleet gets out a violin. "What the- a violin?"
"Whaht else would yah foind in a violin cuyse? A tawmmy gun?"
"Dingo, don't you watch gangster movies," asks Sleet, "there's always a tommy gun hidden in a violin case?"
"Thaht's an odd plyce t' puh' a tawmmy gun," says Dingo.
"Hey," I said, "what's the big idea?"
"The biieg idea? Oy'm glahd yah asked! Oy cohl ih' Deengolahnd!" Dingo then revealed a model of a theme park he's come up with.
"Will you shut up," asks Sleet. He then turns Dingo into a cobra and Dingo comes after me. I then ran and Dingo chased after me and I caused him to tie himself up. Sleet and Dingo then left.
"Sure, do thank you fellas for gettin' Robotnik's Protection Racket punks off our backs," says Bert.
"Oh, no! Here they come again," says Roxy.
"I think they need a rest," I said, "someplace far, far away!" We then all huddle up.
. . .
Sleet and Dingo enter, and I'm disguised as Bert. "Yep! Uh, what can I do for you fellas," I asked.
"We want to talk about your protection," says Sleet.
"Yes, sirree! You sure look like you could use some," I said.
"Nao, nao nao! Wigh' a minute, yah daon't unduhstahnd," says Dingo.
"This town's a mighty dangerous place for a young bounty hunter," I said.
"It is," Sleet and Dingo ask.
"Tell you what; a pal of mine's got a place you can hide out till' this thing blows over," I said, "you better hurry!" I then pushed the two into a truck. The truck starts up and drives away.
Sleet's POV:
The truck drives down the road and bounces off the roofs of some buildings. The truck then drives past an alley, then turns to back into it. Bert is standing on some stairs and signals the truck with his left hand. He then led us to a door. "Come on, time's a-wastin'," says Bert, "hurry up, they're right behind us!"
"Who? Who's behind us," I asked.
"Why, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, of course! Who else," asks Bert.
"Yeah, guys! We came to watch you rest," says Sonic.
"Besides being mayor and chief chili dog chef, I'm the sheriff of Mobius Corners," says Bert. Bert opens his coat with his right hand, revealing his badge inside it.
"Don't worry, we'll tell Roblobnik the good news," says Sonic.
"Yeah, your sentence is only 12,000 years with time off for stupid behavior," says Tails.
"Waell, at layst we cahn geh' toime off," says Dingo.
. . .
"Dr. Robawtnik's gawnna be praetty mahd weeth us," says Dingo.
"Not if we escape," I said.
"Escuype," asks Dingo.
"Look over there," I said.
Dingo then sees the keys I was pointing at. "Oy'll shaow thaht rawtten haedgehawg he cahn't myke me look stupid," says Dingo.
Sonic's POV:
"You fellas sure I can't fix you a couple of chili dogs," asks Bert.
"Nope! We gotta find Robotnik and see if we can get back the money he took from your fellow citizens," I said. The three of us then left.
. . .
We then heard one of Robotnik's machines. "I think I found it," says Knuckles. We saw a big tank. The tank aims a cannon at us.
"Move," I said.
We then dodged as the tank attempted to blast us.
"Ah, this is what being an evil genius is all about," says Robotnik.
"I have an idea," says Tails, "Sonic, you can use your speed to throw Knuckles at the tank!"
"Let's do it to it," I said. I then used my speed to spin around with Knuckles and then I let go, launching Knuckles, who then destroys the tank. Robotnik then gets away in an escape pod.
"You haven't seen the last of me," says Robotnik, "especially since, while you were fighting me, Sleet and Dingo captured Bert Woo!"
"We gotta move," I said.
. . .
We arrived in Robotropolis as Robotnik was about to roboticized Bert!
"It's ready, Dr. Robotnik," says Coconuts.
"Then roboticized him," says Robotnik.
We then crashed in. "I don't think so," I said.
"Destroy them all," says Robotnik.
Coconuts tried to attack, but Knuckles punched the monkey. Snively tried, but Tails hit him with his... tails. Robotnik tried to blast me, but I beat him with a spin dash. We then grabbed Bert and left!
. . .
"Remember, if you ever get hungry, you can always come back to Bert's diner for a free chili dog lunch," says Bert.
"Well, it's got to be lunchtime somewhere, and I'm hungry," I said.
In the next chapter, Bartleby is placed under arrest for helping out the resistance.
