…and when they open them, they find themselves safe on the ground in front of Sonic, their capsules absent aside from the bases.
"You are indeed a worthy opponent," Zik compliments Sonic. "I look forward to our next encounter."
Sonic watches Zik depart, then quickly unties his friends. "I'm glad that's over," he sighs in relief.
"Me too," Tails replies. "What happened?" he asks as he gets to his feet and stretches the stiffness out of his limbs.
"Judging by the console and control unit there, that sadistic blueberry set Sonic a logic puzzle," Clara concludes, also standing and stretching.
"He wanted me to choose which buttons to press," Sonic explains.
"Which was the right one?" Tails asks.
"Both of them," Sonic answers.
"I hate to admit it, but that was rather clever of him," Tails comments.
"Hey, it was clever of me too!" Sonic protests. "I worked it out!"
"Yes, sorry," Tails apologises. "Um, where's Eggman and Orbot?"
"Right here, fox‑boy," Eggman answers, his now active Eggmobile rising above the cliff edge. "Where's that infernal Zeti? I have a score to settle with him."
"He left already," Sonic answers.
"We'd better get moving too," Clara suggests, hopping into the empty sidepod attached to the Eggmobile and resting her legs where the windscreen used to be.
"Agreed," Tails replies.
A moment later, the group resumes their journey to find a way to Eggman's base so they can safely disarm the Extractor and save Mobius.
As the heroes (and Eggman) continue their journey, Master Zik enters the command room of the fortress in Lava Mountain.
"Welcome back, master," Zavok greets. "How did you fare against the invader and the blue pest?"
"The blue pest proved more intelligent than I anticipated," Master Zik reports. "While he remains an impatient and arrogant fool, he can slow down and focus when necessary. Defeating him will not be easy. We must learn more about him."
"And what of the invader?" Zavok inquires.
"He is of no concern to us anymore," Zik answers. "Without his army, he is a burden upon our enemies. We shall use that to our advantage."
"Where are they now?" Zeena asks.
"The path they follow leads directly to the Frosted Tundra," Zik replies. "You will challenge them further there. Focus on the strength of their friendships. If we can divide them, they will be easier to destroy."
"I have just the arena in mind," Zeena smirks before leaving the room.
"The invader's machine has been activated," Zavok reports to Zik.
"Excellent," Zik acknowledges. "Soon we will have all the power we need to cleanse the world that shunned us and establish a new age of Zeti dominance."
"I look forward to it," Zavok replies.
It comes as quite a surprise when the heroes (and Eggman) reach the edge of Tropical Coast and experience the sudden change of climate to the near‑zero temperatures of the Frosted Tundra, temperatures that are only dropping as afternoon turns into evening. They quickly recall the same happened between Windy Valley and Desert Ruins as well as between Desert Ruins and Tropical Coast, but this latest transition is far more dramatic due to the wild swing in ambient temperature.
After just a few minutes, one member of the party is suffering badly. "C‑C‑C‑Can w‑w‑we st‑st‑st‑stop?" Clara asks, the combination of frigid air and major windchill draining heat from her body.
"Stop complaining," Eggman grumbles, not feeling the cold thanks to the windshield protecting him from wind chill and his heated seat keeping him toasty warm.
"St‑St‑Stop or I c‑c‑c‑c‑call S‑S‑Sonic t‑to d‑d‑deal w‑w‑w‑with y‑y‑you," Clara retorts.
"…fine," Eggman relents, slowing to a halt.
Sonic and Tails skid to a halt a few moments later and sprint back to see Clara huddling in a ball in a desperate attempt to warm up, Sparky hovering beside her looking very worried.
"…I guess we shoulda stopped at the edge to make sure everyone could stay warm," Sonic sheepishly admits, he and Tails handling the low temperatures much better thanks to their experience in the numerous frigid zones on Mobius. That, and they're running and flying, thus generating plenty of heat.
"Y‑Y‑Y'th‑think‽" Clara snaps. "F‑Figure s‑s‑something out b‑b‑b‑before I t‑t‑turn into a p‑p‑p‑p‑popsicle!"
"I have an idea: why don't Clara and I swap pods?" Orbot interjects. "As a robot, the cold doesn't affect me; in fact, I'm working better than ever!"
"But Clara can't fit in the pods because there's nowhere for her legs," Tails reminds.
"There is if Doctor Eggman removes the plate over the footwell," Orbot suggests.
On hearing this, Clara glares at Eggman. "D‑Does th‑th‑that m‑mean I c‑c‑c‑could h‑have f‑f‑fitted into th‑this w‑w‑without k‑k‑kicking th‑the w‑w‑windscreen off‽"
"You never asked," Eggman answers smugly.
"…j‑just g‑g‑get on w‑with it," Clara growls.
"I'll try to warm her up while you work," Tails volunteers, flying onto the back of the pod Clara's huddled in and wrapping his fluffy tails around her.
"Th‑Th‑Thanks," Clara stammers, slowly starting to feel warmer.
A few minutes later, Eggman's removed the plate in the pod with the intact windscreen and stowed it behind the seat in the Eggmobile itself. "You better be grateful for this, you annoying little furball," he grumbles as he climbs back into his seat.
Clara climbs into the pod and takes a few moments to get comfortable. "Legroom's a bit tight," she remarks, her knees jammed up against the inside of the pod's hull. "Though to be fair, I am wearing heels."
"Nothing's ever good enough for you, is it?" Eggman asks.
"You tore my home zone apart," Clara tersely reminds. "I'll complain about what I like." A few moments later, Clara tries a different position with her knees apart and ankles crossed. "Ah, there we go: found a way to fit."
"About time." Eggman presses a button.
The canopy of Clara's pod suddenly closes and locks in place, trapping her and Sparky inside. "Hey, what's the big idea‽" she demands, Sparky squeaking angrily in support.
"Look on the bright side: you're now totally protected from the wind," Eggman smirks smugly.
"…OK, I'll let you have that one," Clara permits. "And I am pleasantly surprised how comfortable this seat is," she adds, settling down and relaxing. "Might even have a nap."
"Anything to get you to shut up," Eggman replies flatly.
"And if Eggface tries anything, we'll have you out in under a second," Sonic winks in assurance.
"I'll be timing it," Clara winks back before leaning back and closing her eyes while Sparky settles into their rubberised carrier, both quickly slipping into a light sleep.
"We should report to Sally and Nicole again," Tails suggests.
"We'll do so on the move," Sonic agrees.
A few minutes later in their quarters on Sky Patrol, Sally and Nicole have finished receiving the report from Sonic and Tails.
"Thanks for the update," Nicole smiles. "And don't worry about Sally; she'll be fine after her nap."
"How's Amy?" Sonic asks. "Can you let her know I'm OK?"
"She's worried about you of course, but other than that, she's fine," Nicole answers. "I'll let her know you asked about her."
"Thanks," Sonic smiles before ending the call.
Nicole looks over to where Sally is sleeping on her bed. As adorable as you are while you sleep, you never need a nap, and that only makes me more worried. After taking a few moments to gather herself, Nicole turns back to the computer and calls Amy.
"Hey Nicole," Amy answers a few moments later, yawning deeply. "Sorry, I've been feeling more tired than usual this evening," she apologises.
"Worry can be exhausting," Nicole replies. "I'm just calling to let you know Sonic's OK and he wanted to know if you're OK too."
"I feel better now I know he's OK," Amy smiles… but then her smile vanishes. "Nicole, please be honest with me: is something bad happening right now?"
Nicole lets out a sigh. "I should have told you earlier… Eggman's built a machine to extract the planet's life energy and it's currently active."
"That explains why I feel more tired than usual then," Amy concludes.
"I'm sure Sonic and Tails will find a way to shut it off before it's too late," Nicole assures.
"I know they will," Amy nods. "I should go check on Cream and Vanilla; they're probably wondering what's going on."
"Good idea," Nicole agrees. "I'll contact you when there's another update."
"Thanks," Amy smiles before ending the call.
Nicole looks over to see Sally just waking up from her nap. "Sleep well?" she asks.
"Well enough," Sally answers, sitting up. "Still feel a little weird, but not as bad as earlier."
"You should get something to eat," Nicole suggests.
"Now you mention it, I am hungry," Sally replies, standing and stretching. "Do you want anything?"
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm a hologram," Nicole smiles in amusement.
"Ah, sorry, wasn't thinking," Sally admits, blushing a little. "Be back in ten."
Nicole watches Sally leave the room. She briefly forgot I'm a hologram… and something tells me that's not just because of fatigue.
Deep into the Frosted Tundra, the heroes (and Eggman) arrive at a major impasse: a massive icy cliff with seemingly no way to scale it.
"I thought you had a map of this place?" Sonic asks.
"I do," Eggman answers. "It's just not very good."
"Then why are we following it?" Tails demands.
"Do you have a better map?" Eggman retorts.
"…no," Tails admits.
"Thought so. I would have made a better map, but I didn't exactly have long before you disgusting furballs decided to rain on my parade yet again," Eggman explains.
"Y'know, you could just not try to take over the world," Sonic suggests. "That way we wouldn't have to keep stopping you."
"Meanwhile, the Zeti are still draining Mobius of life energy," Clara sternly reminds, opening her eyes to see the massive ice cliff. "…huh, so that's why we've stopped."
"I thought you were napping?" Eggman asks.
"I was, and now I'm not," Clara replies. "So, up, around, or through?"
"All my Eggmobile attachments are back on Mobius," Eggman answers.
"And I won't be able to cut a tunnel big enough," Sonic adds.
"Forgive my interruption, but I've been analysing the scanner output, and I've detected a high‑energy lifeform a few miles past this cliff," Orbot interrupts. "It's definitely a Zeti, but which one I can't be sure."
"I sense a pattern developing," Clara observes. "Which Zeti have we faced so far?"
"Zazz, Zomom, and Zik," Sonic answers.
"Which means that the Zeti waiting for us behind that cliff is one of the other three," Clara concludes.
"She's right: the Zeti waiting for us is Zeena," Orbot confirms.
"Since when did you get so efficient?" Eggman demands.
"The cold air is allowing my CPU to work at peak efficiency," Orbot explains. "The scanners have also picked up a tunnel a few miles away that the Eggmobile can fit through."
"Then that's where we'll go," Tails decides.
The group sets off towards the tunnel, but after a few hundred yards, the ground suddenly gives way below Sonic and Tails, sending them plummeting into a deep ravine. Unfortunately, neither Eggman, Clara, nor Orbot notice, as the Eggmobile was ahead of them when it happened.
After some quick thinking, Sonic and Tails land safely at the bottom of the ravine, the latter using his tails to slow their descent.
"Thanks for the save bud," Sonic smiles, looking around. "It's been a long time since I've been caught out by collapsing ground."
"Same," Tails replies, looking up. "I'd fly us out, but it's way too high to manage in one, and there's no ledges to rest on."
"Then we go the only way we can: forwards," Sonic decides, setting off down the ravine with Tails right behind him, both looking for a way back up.
Meanwhile, another few hundred yards towards the tunnel, Clara looks behind to see Sonic and Tails have disappeared. "Where'd they go?"
"Don't know, don't care," Eggman replies. "All I care about is that I have you right where I want you."
"I'm not going to like where this is going, am I?" Clara sighs, settling back in the seat.
"I must commend you on not venturing into Metropolis Zone," Eggman continues.
"Self‑preservation is a strong motivator to stay away," Clara comments.
"And yet you followed me here," Eggman reminds.
"I followed Sonic and Tails to ensure the Mobini got home safely," Clara corrects. "If it wasn't for Jenna 's engine issue… she wouldn't have perished the way she did," she adds quietly.
"Spare me the sob story," Eggman growls. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't eject your pod and leave you to die."
Before Clara can respond, Sparky slips into the Eggmobile's electrics, emerges from the dashboard, discharges a mild yet painful shock directly into Eggman (causing him to yelp in surprise), then travels back through the electrics to rejoin Clara, squeaking an angry vow to do it again if Eggman tries anything nasty.
Clara blinks in surprise. "I didn't know you could do that," she breathes, impressed.
Sparky makes to squeak proudly but pauses a moment before squeaking in confusion. Clearly, they didn't realise they could do that either!
Eggman simply growls quietly to himself, content to spend the rest of the trip in silence.