{Pre A/N}
Welp, I finally got the new title, and I have to thank Brilliant Battler from Space Battle for that. He gave me an amazing suggestion that I think fits perfectly for the story.
Winds of Freedom
Literary perfect! Thank you so much, and now for the chapter ahead.
Chapter 13: Egg-Bullet
Relic Island – Ruined Temple, Morning Hours
The sound of whistles and carnival music from the Egg-Bullet reverberated through the crumbling ruins of the ancient temple. The train, with Robotnik's grinning visage and piloted by two Shang Mu soldiers, charged forward relentlessly, tearing through the ancient structure. Dust and debris filled the air as the temple continued to collapse under the onslaught, forcing the Shang Tu soldiers stationed in the area to flee from the path of destruction.
Neera Li expertly maneuvered through the wreckage, her sharp eyes locked on the train as it barreled through the ruins. From her back, she pulled her Cryo Staff—a sleek, black scepter with a diamond-shaped, icy blue tip that glinted menacingly in the morning light. With a swift movement, she leaped onto an icy path she conjured beneath her feet with her staff. In one fluid motion, she began skating along the trail, effortlessly dodging debris as she pursued the Egg-Bullet.
"Dammit!" Neera hissed, frustration lacing her voice as she watched the train's doors slide open. From within, a swarm of not only Badniks but Shuigang robots as well began pouring out, spreading across the area to vandalize and further destroy the temple. "Gong, get up! We are not letting that train get away!" Neera shouted, thrusting her ice spear forwards to create an even larger ice path that wove through the ruined structures.
General Gong, shaking off the rubble that had fallen on him, grunted as he hauled himself up. "On it… Soldiers, protect what's left of the temple!" he commanded the remaining Shang Tu troops. As they regrouped and prepared to fend off the invading robots, Gong morphed into a giant ball, bouncing and rolling along Neera's icy path at incredible speed. He ricocheted off broken columns and smashed through any Badniks that dared to stand in his way.
The soldiers of Shang Tu, though shaken, quickly rallied behind Gong's command. "You heard the General!" one soldier shouted. "Get rid of these robots!" The rest of the soldiers, some still trembling with fear, raised their weapons and began firing at the mechanical invaders. The sound of battle echoed through the ruins as lasers collided with metal.
Amidst the chaos, Richard cautiously peeked out from behind a shattered pillar. "They're gone, Dexter. Shouldn't we follow them?" he asked, turning to his fellow soldier. But to his shock, Dexter was sprawled out on the ground, snoring loudly, completely oblivious to the destruction around him. Drool dribbled from his mouth as he snoozed peacefully.
Richard's eyes twitched in disbelief. "Don't just start sleeping now, you LAZY ASS!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the ruins as he grabbed Dexter by the shoulders and shook him violently. But Dexter remained blissfully unaware, snoring louder as he adjusted himself for a more comfortable nap.
Meanwhile, the sound of engines roaring and feet pounding against the earth grew closer as a motorcycle, a biplane, and two sets of feet raced past the wrecked temple in a blur, heading straight for the train.
Relic Island – Relic Woods
In a quiet clearing deep within Relic Woods, a young white dog named Milla was busy stacking crates beside a lonely tree stump. The stump had a crudely drawn face, complete with two eyes and a silly smile, giving it the appearance of a happy, albeit silent, companion. Milla's bright green eyes sparkled with excitement as she opened one of the crates, revealing a trove of glowing blue energy gems.
"Guess what I got, Mister Stumpy!" Milla exclaimed, holding up a handful of the gems. "These are the secret ingredients for my Super Feather Potion!" She placed the gems in front of the stump, treating it as if it were a trusted confidant. "Aaaand, this is my secret, secret, secret super-duper ingredient!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a yellow gem that glowed with an otherworldly light. It was the Yellow Chaos Emerald, and Milla's eyes widened with awe as she gazed at it.
"With the help of this wishing star, I'll be able to fly really high and reunite with Mommy and Daddy!" Milla said, her voice filled with joy. She hopped up and down, her excitement bubbling over. "And we'll be together and live happily ever after, just like in the stories!"
Mister Stumpy, being a tree stump, remained silent.
Milla knelt beside the stump, her face glowing with enthusiasm. "Doesn't that sound great?!" she asked eagerly, looking at the hand-drawn face as if expecting a response.
Mister Stumpy, of course, said nothing.
Milla giggled, her laughter carrying a hint of hysteria. "You're so funny when you don't say anything!"
Suddenly, the ground beneath her shook, causing Milla to look around in confusion. "Huh? Mr. Stumpy? What's going on?" Panic started to creep into her voice as she clutched the Chaos Emerald tighter.
Mister Stumpy, silent as ever, offered no answers.
At that moment, the Egg-Bullet roared through the woods, blasting its horrendous carnival music and smashing through everything in its path. Milla squeaked in alarm and scrambled up a nearby tree, using her large, floppy ears to help her climb to safety. From her perch on a high branch, she watched with wide eyes as the train barreled past, destroying the tranquility of her little clearing.
On top of the train, Milla spotted a female panda, clinging to the roof with fierce determination. Her Cryo Staff was embedded in the train's metal hull, and she was slowly making her way toward the front, ice forming beneath her as she advanced. At the very back of the train, a big male panda clung to the rear, struggling to maintain his grip as the train sped through the woods. Milla's eyes widened even further when she saw a red plane, a red bike, and two blurs—one blue and one purple—chasing after the train.
Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the purple blur. "A dragon?!" Milla gasped, her voice filled with wonder and excitement. "I always wanted to meet a dragon!" She had always dreamed of meeting a real dragon, and now one was racing through the woods, right in front of her eyes. Milla quickly turned to Mister Stumpy, who remained silent.
"Mister Stumpy! Take care of the gems for when I get back! I wanna meet the dragon!" Milla called out, leaping from the tree and using her ears to surprisingly flutter through the air. She joined the chase, her eyes fixed on the dragon ahead.
Mister Stumpy, true to his nature, stayed behind, silent and unmoving as the Egg-Bullet thundered forwards, its course now veering southward.
As the Egg-Bullet continued its rampage across Relic Island, Sonic raced alongside it, his frustration mounting with each step. "We were, in fact, late to the party," he muttered, leaping over a fallen tree branch with ease.
"Keep going! We can make it!" Lilac shouted, her voice filled with determination as she Dragon Boosted ahead, narrowly avoiding a hail of bombs dropped by Coconut Badniks hovering above the train. The Badniks launched their explosives with precision, aiming to slow down their pursuit.
Above, the Tornado flew close by, weaving through the air to avoid the incoming fire from Buzz Bombers. Tails expertly maneuvered the plane, while Torque fired his laser gun to take down the attackers.
"I don't understand!" Tails exclaimed, his voice filled with confusion as he dodged another blast. "Why is Shang Mu boarding a train that's obviously built by Robotnik?! And with Badniks, no less!"
"Not only that, but there are also Shuigang robots on board!" Lilac added, her eyes narrowing as she spotted the robotic eyes with bat wings known as Iris emerging from the train's windows, charging toward them with menacing intent.
"This doesn't make any sense! Are the three working together?!" Carol shouted, her frustration evident as she revved her bike's engine and dodged a barrage of enemy fire.
Torque, his hands trembling slightly, glanced nervously at the advancing robots. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and Tails gave him a wary glance, but said nothing.
"There's only one way to find out!" Sonic said, his voice resolute as he sped forward, his eyes fixed on the train. The rest of the group followed close behind. Tails, piloting the Tornado, cast one last glance back, noticing something at the back.
At the very back of the train, General Gong finally found his footing. "Should've thought twice before jumping on top of a moving vehicle," he grumbled to himself as he raised his massive shield to block incoming projectiles from the Badniks swarming the train. The robots threw everything they had at him—explosives, energy blasts, and even physical attacks—but Gong held firm. When he found an opening, he hurled his shield with deadly precision, slicing through the robots before catching it as it returned to him like a boomerang.
As Gong continued to fend off the attackers, a sudden barrage of cyan laser beams zigzagged through the air, taking out a group of Buzz Bombers that had been closing in on him. Gong looked up in surprise and saw the Tornado flying close by.
"You okay, sir?" Tails called out from the cockpit, his voice full of concern.
Gong blinked in surprise at the unexpected help, but quickly shook his head and gave the young fox a thumbs-up. "Yeah, thanks!" Gong replied, before raising an eyebrow at the sight of the plane's young pilot. "Aren't you a little young to be piloting planes?"
"Why yes, yes I am," Tails said proudly, but there was no time to chat. "Why is the train moving forward? I thought the stone was in the ruins?" Tails asked, his tone serious.
Gong hesitated, unsure whether to share the information. "Er, sorry, kid, but I don't think I should be telling you any secrets," he said awkwardly.
"Sir, please, there's no time!" Torque urged, his voice filled with urgency. "We don't know if we'll be able to stop this train in time. We need to at least know where it's headed!"
"Yes! Please, mister, we're here to help!" Tails added, his gaze unwavering. "If we know where it's going, we might have a chance!"
Gong looked at the two, still unsure, but the seriousness in the young fox's eyes made him reconsider. He nodded, deciding to trust them. "The temple was a cover-up. The real location of the Kingdom Stone is hidden deep inside a cave beneath Relic Mountain," he explained, glancing toward the southern part of the island where the train was now headed. "Only a small fraction of people knew its true location, but I guess they already knew."
Tails nodded, a determined smile forming on his face. "Alright, thanks for the information! Do you need more help?" he asked, ready to assist further.
Gong looked at the front of the train, where Neera was still fighting valiantly. Deep down, he knew she was pushing herself to the limit and he knew she wouldn't admit it. "No, but I would appreciate it if you could assist my friend Neera. She's at the front and could use all the help she can get!" he said, his voice filled with concern.
"That will be done!" Torque said as he aimed his gun forward, ready for action. "Let's go, Tails!" The fox nodded and piloted the plane away from the enemy's range, heading toward the front of the train.
Gong smiled, grateful for the unexpected allies who had joined the battle. But his thoughts were interrupted as more robots closed in on him. With a fierce battle cry, he unleashed his shield once more, charging forward to smash the Badniks into oblivion. "Let's see you try to stop me, you scrap heaps!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the woods as he fought with all his might.
Further up the train, Neera was still holding her ground, skating along the icy path she had created. With her Cryo Staff in hand, she unleashed a barrage of ice bullets, shattering Badniks left and right. "Out of my way!" she commanded, her voice cold and unyielding as she made her way toward the train's control room.
Neera moved with grace and precision, but deep down, she felt a pang of exhaustion creeping in. The long days of sleepless nights and constant vigilance were starting to take their toll on her body. She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. There was no time for weakness now. The Kingdom Stone was at stake.
As a group of Shuigang robots closed in on her, Neera let out a fierce yell and charged forward with her spear. She struck with lightning speed, not giving the robots a chance to fight back as she expertly took them down one by one. She then used her frost arts to create more ice bullets, which she fired at the incoming flying Badniks. The robots froze and crashed, their remnants scattered across the train.
Neera stopped for a moment, surveying the damage she had inflicted. Sweat formed on her brow as she panted, the exhaustion now becoming harder to ignore. But she forced herself to continue. She needed to push forward, for the sake of Avalice.
"Nice shot, Ice Queen!" a cheerful voice called out from below, startling Neera.
Neera instinctively fired an ice bullet in the direction of the voice, only to narrowly miss Sonic, who jumped and dodged the attack just in time with a flip. "Yikes! Hey, hey, watch out! Friendly fire!" Sonic exclaimed, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender.
Neera glared down at them, not recognizing the blue hedgehog but recognizing the two other figures standing beside him. "You two… and you," she pointed at Carol and Lilac, then at Sonic. "What do you think you're doing here?!"
"Geez, relax, Scary Lady. Don't you see we're helping?" Carol said with a grin, kicking an Iris robot out of the way.
"We saw what happened, and we came to help, Lady Neera," Lilac explained, her voice calm yet resolute. Sonic gave Neera a thumbs-up, his trademark grin in place.
Neera's expression hardened. She had no time to deal with this. "This is no place for children! Leave!" she commanded, her eyes blazing with authority.
"But you need all the help possible!" Tails called out from the Tornado as it flew close to the train. "The big panda said that you needed as much help as you could get!" he repeated the big panda's words.
Neera's icy gaze shifted to Tails and Torque. "I will not repeat myself! Leave, now!" she ordered.
"No can do," Sonic replied, his grin turning into a confident smirk. "We're taking Eggman's little toy down! Whether you like it or not!"
Neera raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear in her eyes. "Egg… Who…?" she began to ask, unfamiliar with the name. But before she could finish her question, a metallic clang echoed through the air as a trapdoor on the train opened, and a peculiar figure emerged.
"I-is that…!" Tails stammered, his eyes widening in recognition.
"Oh boy…" Sonic sighed, his shoulders sagging as he recognized the familiar shapes. The others exchanged confused glances, unsure of what to expect.
From the trapdoor, a Motobug rolled out onto the train's roof, looking more deranged than usual with a pair of makeshift horns attached to its body and eyes that swirled like a maniac. Smoke billowed from its engine, making it resemble a bull ready to charge. Riding atop the Motobug was an Egg-Robo, but this one was unlike any they had encountered before.
Instead of the usual red armor, this Egg-Robo was clad in purple armor adorned with spikes. Its head was covered by a large, dome-shaped helmet resembling a knight's helmet, with a faceplate that concealed its features except for its glowing red and yellow eyes. In its hand, it wielded a massive flail with a spiked ball that it swung menacingly above its head.
"Thou who dares to take over the Egg-Bullet!" the Egg-Robo proclaimed in a dramatic, knightly voice that echoed across the train. "Will be challenged by thy, the Heavy Rider, and Jimmy, her trusty steed!" The Motobug, apparently named Jimmy, let out a mechanical roar, revving its engine. "Prepare thyself for battle!" Heavy Rider declared, spinning the flail with deadly precision as Jimmy roared beneath her.
Everyone tensed from the unexpected enemy, preparing for the inevitable clash—everyone except Sonic, who let out a groan of frustration.
"Not these guys again!" Sonic complained, throwing his hands in the air, as the train headed toward Relic Mountain.
{Post A/N}
Okay…So, the Hard-Boiled Heavies, huh?
"But didn't you say that this story takes place before the Adventure games?" And I mean, it still does, the Heavies are from the classic era… in a way.
Sure, they are supposed to be from the Mania timeline where the Phantom Ruby is involved and blah blah blah.
Let just wrap this up and say that this is a timeline in which at one point Eggman created the Hard Boiled without the Phantom Rubys help.
I think is a valid reasoning… Uh… hope you enjoyed this chapter.