Chapter 3: Big Rocks, A Slithering Threat, and One Bald Man!
Dragon Valley, Morning Hours
"Gold Rings?!" Carol exclaimed, slicing through a Dragonfly robot with her claws amidst the bamboo thickets of the valley. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she zoomed alongside Sonic. "And you have how many?!"
Sonic, effortlessly dodging another Dragonfly's charge, smirked as he spun into the robot, dismantling it with ease. "Lost count after the seventh," he said nonchalantly, landing on his feet. "But they're not exactly real gold or anything. They look like it, but don't have much value, and most places don't even accept them," he explained with a dramatic sigh.
"Aw, man," Carol pouted, but quickly perked up. "Still, it's so cool that you come from a whole different island! I don't think I've ever met anyone from outside, like, ever!"
Sonic grinned, spin-dashing into a group of spiky, two-legged green robots known as Cacteons. "Well, glad to be your first true visitor," he said, giving her a playful bow. Suddenly, he grabbed a Cacteon mid-air and, with a mischievous whistle, called out to Carol. "Yo, Carol! Up top!" With a swift kick, he sent the robot flying toward her.
Carol grinned from ear to ear, jumping up and slamming the incoming robot into a nearby Ganseki, causing it to shatter. "Boom! Three points!" she cheered, landing and giving Sonic a high-five. "Man, that was awesome!"
Sonic chuckled, a glint of pride in his eyes. "What can I say? I'm just that cool," he shrugged as they continued along the winding, rocky path. "So, what's the deal with all these robots? Got a slight clue, but wouldn't mind the full scoop," he asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Carol gave him a curious look. "Well, it basically started three days ago when—" She was cut off by a sudden, ominous click and a loud thump behind them. They turned around just in time to see a massive boulder appear from nowhere.
"Uh oh," they exclaimed in unison, eyes widening as the boulder started moving toward them with terrifying speed.
As Lilac and Tails navigated the lush terrain, they marveled at the breathtaking beauty of the cascading waterfalls. Tails was particularly fascinated by the peculiar energy crystals scattered around. "Incredible! These robots not only have a different design from the ones I know, but when defeated, they drop blue energy crystals! Solidified energy that can replenish your own or charge any equipment that requires it! And they appear naturally in the terrain too!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Lilac smiled at his enthusiasm. "Yeah, that's the gist of it," she said, her tone playful. "You're pretty smart with this kinda stuff, aren't you?" she teased, nudging him lightly.
Tails blushed, looking slightly embarrassed. "S-sorry, I sometimes get caught up with brand new things," he admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
Lilac giggled softly, finding his modesty endearing. "No problem, Tails. It's nice to see someone so fascinated by the crystals."
Tails nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. "Maybe it helps that I'm not from around here," he added with a chuckle.
Lilac laughed. "Yeah, I guess it does," she agreed, glancing ahead along the path, littered with the remains of broken robots. "I just hope your friend doesn't get into trouble, not knowing the path and all."
Tails nodded, his expression growing serious. "Don't worry, Lilac. My friend Sonic always finds his way, though I'm kinda worried he might do something reckless," he admitted, a mix of worry and exasperation in his voice.
Lilac mirrored his concern, nodding. "Oh man, I know that feeling. Let's hope they're doing fine," she said, quickening her pace as they pressed on.
"Man! This boulder is relentless!" Sonic shouted. He and Carol sprinted down the path, the massive boulder rolling behind them, gaining speed. "It's like it has a mind of its own!"
"Just run for your life! Woah!" Carol sped up on her motorcycle, her heart pounding with adrenaline.
The boulder crashed through the valley, smashing stone walls and crushing any poor robots in its path. The ground trembled with each impact, sending small rocks and dust flying in all directions. The sound of the boulder echoed through the valley, growing louder and louder.
"Hey, Carol! Watch out for that…" Sonic dodged to the side as a large chunk of rock flew past him. "…falling debris!"
"Thanks for the heads-up!" Carol shouted back, skillfully swerving to avoid a collapsing column. She glanced at Sonic, who was effortlessly keeping pace beside her. "Think we can lose this thing?"
"Let's find out!" Sonic grinned, his eyes sparkling with determination. "Follow my lead!"
They darted through the valley, Sonic taking the high road, leaping from platform to platform with ease, while Carol weaved through the paths on her bike, dodging the incoming obstacles. The boulder continued its relentless pursuit, crashing through everything in its path.
"Carol! Up ahead!" Sonic spotted a narrow entrance hidden behind a waterfall. "There's a small entrance, the boulder won't fit through!"
"Got it!" Carol revved up her bike, pushing it to its limits. "Let's make a dash for it!"
Sonic and Carol sprinted toward the entrance. The ground shook violently beneath them, the boulder closing in fast. With a final burst of speed, they leaped through the narrow entrance just as the boulder crashed against the wall, sending a cloud of dust and debris everywhere. Carol's bike flew away but remained mostly intact.
Panting heavily, Sonic and Carol collapsed onto the ground, laughing breathlessly. "Huff… well, that was fun," Sonic said between gasps, a grin spreading across his face.
"Huff… that was, huff… not as fun as in the movies," Carol replied between breaths, wiping the sweat from her brow with a tired smile.
Before they could catch their breath, the ground shook again. From beneath the earth, a massive mechanical purple snake emerged. Its body was segmented with sleek black armor running along its back, and its head bore the unmistakable mark of Eggman—a red image of a smiling man with a mustache and glasses. The snake's eyes glowed menacingly as it reared its head.
"Huh, guess it's not over yet," Sonic said, taking a deep breath, then glancing at Carol with a determined grin. "What do you say? Wanna send this hunk of metal to the scrapyard?"
Carol's eyes lit up with excitement as she got into a battle stance. "Oh, you bet I do!" she exclaimed, ready for action.
The snake let out a mechanical roar and lunged at them. Sonic and Carol dodged expertly, exchanging quick nods before launching their counterattacks. Sonic spun into the snake's side, while Carol leaped onto its back, slashing at its joints with her claws. The two of them worked in perfect harmony, a seamless blend of speed and strength.
Dragon Valley – Boulder Crash Site
On the other side, Lilac and Tails arrived at the site where the massive boulder had come to a stop. They looked around, worried expressions on their faces.
"Oh no! How are we going to get in?" Lilac asked, her voice tinged with concern.
"Is there no other entrance?" Tails inquired, scanning the area.
"Well, we could try climbing up the stone wall. There's a flat surface up there, but…"
"Say no more!" Tails interrupted, his tails beginning to spin rapidly until they resembled a helicopter's blades. Slowly, he started to float into the air, leaving Lilac in awe.
"Y-you can fly?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.
Tails chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice. "Guess it's one of the benefits of having two tails," he said. "Come on, grab my hands."
Lilac hesitated for a moment, but seeing the confidence in Tails' eyes, she grabbed his hands. Together, they ascended, Tails lifting her effortlessly, and within moments, they reached the top of the wall.
"See… huff, easy peasy," Tails said, gently lowering Lilac to the ground. He took a deep breath, clearly a bit winded from the effort.
"Tails, that was incredible," Lilac praised him, admiration in her voice. "Now, let's keep going and—" She stopped abruptly, hearing voices up ahead.
"Grr, stop fooling around!" Lilac saw a man inside a gray spherical pod, its lower part black with a low windshield and a blue seat. The man was bald, with a bushy mustache and glasses, pointing angrily at another figure. "Tell me! How many of your pathetic Chasers are left?"
The other figure, a green duck with a yellow beak and blue eyes, wore an orange suit with gray armor, orange boots, gray gloves, and orange goggles on his head. And… a gray turtle shell adorned his back. The duck glared at the man before replying innocently, "Uhhh, you didn't say please."
"Don't play games with me, duck. Either tell me now, or a certain partner of mine will make you spill the beans!" The bald man pressed a button on his hovercraft, and two giant mechanical boxing gloves emerged from its sides.
The duck stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Fine, be that way," he said, hiding inside his shell.
"Hohoho, time to test this out." The man released a barrage of punches at the turtle shell, unable to break it. "Hmm, how about this!" he said, grabbing the shell and trying to tear it apart.
"Oh no!" Lilac cried, launching a Dragon Boost and slamming into the back of the hovercraft, causing the man to drop the shell. "Leave him alone!"
"Stop right there, Doctor Robotnik!" Tails shouted, stepping forward with a fierce expression.
The man, Doctor Robotnik, paused. As the shell bounced a couple of meters away, the duck peeked out from his shell, eyeing his saviors with a mix of hope and surprise.
Robotnik turned slowly, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he began his menacing speech. "Well, well, well… I must say, I'm impressed you managed to take down the Egg-Boa so quickly," Robotnik said, his voice dripping with malice as he slowly turned to face them, his boxing gloves at the ready. "But this time, oh! This time you two will face the full wrath of my diabolical genius—TAILS AND SO—!"
He froze mid-sentence, his eyes widening in disbelief as they fixated on the purple girl standing before him.
For a moment, there was only the sound of the wind blowing between them, ruffling his mustache. Robotnik blinked, once, twice, before shaking his head. "Wh-WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?!" he finally blurted out, his voice cracking with bewilderment and frustration, all traces of menace evaporating in an instant.