Chapter 7: Danger Is Closing in

Eggman, however, in his world, was having a perfect day. He was the biggest enemy to the hedgehog there ever was, but the pest wasn't around in Green Hill to fight him. No Sonic around to pester him meant his plans of a Time, Place and Memory Machine were complete, and he had captured all the island animals. It was going great. He could conquer the world right now if he wanted to!

So why did he feel so empty?

There was no challenge with Sonic gone, and he hated it. Though originally, Eggman planned to conquer the world with no forces stopping him, and if it was to be as boring as this when he began, he'd happily give up Orbot and Cubot for Sonic's witty jokes and a battle anytime.

Actually, he was almost desperate to give them up right now. Slumped in his chair inside his lab, he was watching Orbot and Cubot as they released the last of the animals from the mechanical bugs and birds he'd made. It was excruciatingly painful to watch through his eyes, but there was no use for them anymore. Why keeping them wasn't a suggestion was obvious, yet regardless, it felt wrong. As they left through the door, Eggman called for his only companions. Well, actually, they were not really companions, but merely henchmen.

"Yes, sir? Would you like me to iron your underwear and tie?" asked Cubot. For once he wasn't feeling the stress of having to prepare for an attack, and was enjoying the peace. Eggman, on the contrary, was grouchy and disturbed.

"No, no, Cubot. Where is that blue rodent?"

"I'm not sure, sir. Let me go and ask Orbot." He floated over to Orbot, and after talking, the other servant came up to Eggman.

"Sir, I think they aren't here right now–"

"Wow, Cubot, way to state the obvious! I'm surprised the U.N. haven't awarded you with a medal yet."

"But I was going to say, maybe they went on vacation?"

"What, to "Wuhu Island"? I don't think so. That rodent can't rest, not for a second!"

"On a mission in space?"

"No, my satellites would have detected him the second he left the atmosphere."

"In a–"

Eggman stood up and towered over Orbot. It was enough to abruptly pause his endless questioning, and he nervously started fiddling with his hands. "Orbot, if I want an opinion, I'll be sure to ask, and think, before calling you! Now start dusting!"

"I think I might have–" tried Orbot.

"To work!" insisted Eggman. A massive cloud of menace came out with his words, and Orbot gulped. Or at least, that was the sound effect escaping his speakers.

"But–" Orbot tried one last time, but to no avail, as the doctor pointed him to the corridor. He simply nodded, and flew off, looking back one more time. Sadly for him, the doctor wasn't open to listening anymore, and with an electronic sigh, he floated away.

Eggman walked back up to and slumped back in his chair. Dents were already in it from the unusual amount of time he was pressing into it. He thought hard about where his arch-nemesis could be. He decided to settle for a small trip around the island, and in no time at all, he was in his Egg Mobile, all alone.

He looked into each of the "rodent's" friend's houses, but didn't see anyone. Not that he really minded. Looking into some of their personal things also didn't seem to bother the doctor either. As far as he was concerned, the government spied on everyone, so really, there was no such thing as a "right to privacy". Him breaking the rule wouldn't be the end of the world. Alas, he'd already cancelled that from his schedule.

He'd taken some photos of journals, notes, diaries, pictures and items, all the normal things a mad genius in search of his enemies would do. Right up until arriving at the fox's lab. This was the only place he really felt a little bit respectful of, mostly due to the fox's intelligence. If he could be convinced, and perhaps brainwashed, maybe one day he would join the Eggman Empire. But as soon as he flew in, all his thoughts stopped.

There, in front of him, was, no doubt about it, a multiverse machine. The doctor had originally planned to make one using the Paradox Prism to create an alternate reality where he always won, and bring it into this world. Unfortunately for him, a certain dark-quilled hedgehog had ended his plans. He'd still mourned for that day, but upon seeing this, some envy entered his mind alongside the usual curiosity he felt. He walked up to it and switched it on. It was active.

Quickly, he jumped off the levitating cockpit, rushed to Tails' computer and did a reverse-search on the laptop (aka checking the history on his web browser, which Eggman took quick pictures of, sniggering) and looked up how he built it. He was amazed to see some incomplete online instructions the fox had started. He looked into the computer deeper, through activating developer mode, and saw a coordinate linked to the machine.

"Interesting… Don't worry, Sonic, you're not going to be alone for long, because I'm going to find you. Who knows? Maybe conquering the multiverse might be more fun than the universe! Mwahahahahaha!" He laughed maniacally, and jumped into the Egg Mobile. He reversed back, buckled up, and flew into the now open hole in Tails' machine, carrying the other machine he planned to conquer Sonic with earlier. He banged into the portal, vanishing and leaving behind what once was a glorious contraption, now a scrap heap on the floor.

As Eggman travelled down the tube, he felt quite seasick. He'd been on sea before but this was nothing like it. Where the tide was calm and smooth, the path was jagged and dented. Eggman, though liable to puke, kept his wits aware. He could see multiple other holes leading to clusters of places though the translucent cylinder, but here was slightly more isolated.

It was also closer, as in no time at all, Eggman was at the end of the tube. He flew off the Egg Mobile and landed face first into a pile of sand on a beach similar to the one back home.

Sitting up, he spat out the sand from his mouth, sprayed edible disinfectant on his tongue, scrubbed it with a special cloth, gargled some mouthwash, and spat out into the sea.

He got off his mound of sand, and looked around. "Hang on, this isn't an alternate reality." He groaned. "Sonic, stop this trick right now and I probably won't blast you into smithereens as hard!" No reply, though it would be very unlikely for anyone else to willingly jump out and say, "Sure, here I am!"

He stared around in confusion. The doctor was not one for friends, but he always had a way of keeping his henchmen, whether or not they were handy, nearby. Jumping into the floating egg machine, he grabbed his TPAM machine and two small objects. He pressed a button on the top of both of them and threw them onto the ground. Nothing happened.

"Stupid junk! I suppose this means I'm going in alone. But not to worry!" The evil genius already started to sound delirious, and it had only been three minutes in this galaxy. "My brain will keep me company until I find that wretched hedgehog and figure out where I am. And then, ohoho, I know exactly what I'll do!" Eggman set off east, and prepared for what horrors he may or may not encounter along the way.

A/N: Please review so I can release the next chapter! I really don't know if anyone likes this...